Helsa

Helsa is a constructed language designed for use in speculative fiction and tabletop role-playing. It originated in the early 2010s as part of the worldbuilding for the fantasy setting of Atlara, created by linguist and author Lina Mirth. The name helsa is drawn from internal elements meaning light and path, emphasizing a sense of guidance within the culture that uses the language. Since its creation, helsa has been expanded by fan communities and game designers, resulting in published grammars, dictionaries, and sample texts.

Phonology and writing system: Helsa features a phonemic inventory of about 20 consonants and 5 vowels, with syllable structures of CV or CVC. Stress tends to fall on the penultimate syllable, though secondary stress patterns exist. The standard writing system is an expanded Latin alphabet with diacritics to mark vowel quality and tone in some dialects. In earlier in-universe texts, unique logograms were sometimes used for ceremonial terms.

Grammar and syntax: Helsa is analytic with a relatively fixed word order, typically subject–verb–object. It employs definite and indefinite articles, plural markers, and a set of postposed case particles that indicate grammatical relations. Verbs mark aspect and mood through affixes rather than tense alone, and pronouns distinguish inclusive and exclusive forms in the first person plural.

Lexicon and usage: The vocabulary draws on thematic domains such as navigation, astronomy, and oral storytelling. Helsa is primarily used in fiction and role-playing materials, with community-generated dictionaries and grammar notes rather than an official standard. It serves as a tool for worldbuilding and creative expression rather than a natural language.