Old Neressan language

Old Neressan was the language of the Neressan Empire in its very beginning. Although records are sparse, they nevertheless give insight in the early evolution of the language. Neressan the only descendant of Proto-Elven that continues to preserve the original three-way distinction between all three velar series (palato-velar, velar, labio-velar) to this day, even though the palato-velar series has become palatal sibilants.

Consonants

 * Word-final devoicing of fricatives.
 * Nasal Rhotacism: /ṉ/ becomes /r̠/, eventually merging with /r/
 * Chain Fronting: the original proto-Elven /t͡ʃʰ t͡ʃ d͡ʒ ʃ ʒ l̠ r̠/ become /s t͡s d͡z s d͡z l r/, while /kʲʰ kʲ gʲ/ become /ɕ t͡ɕ d͡ʑ/.
 * /t͡ʃʰ t͡ʃ d͡ʒ ʃ ʒ/ become /ɕ t͡ɕ d͡ʑ ɕ d͡ʑ/ before /i/ and /j/, and also word-finally after front vowels. Sometimes, even /t͡sʰ t͡s d͡z s z/ were effected - for example, the proto-Elven /terkemøz/ becomes /terkemeɕ/ in Old Neressan, and eventually /tɛrkɛmɪʃ/ in Middle Neressan
 * The velar nasals /ŋ ŋʷ/ merged with /n m/.
 * Fricatization: the aspirated stops /pʰ tʰ t͡sʰ t͡ʃʰ kʲʰ kʰ kʷʰ/ become fricatives /ɸ θ s s ɕ x xʷ/
 * The voiced stops /b d d͡z d͡ʑ g gʷ/ develop postvocalic fricative allophones [β ð z ʑ ɣ ɣʷ].

Consonants

 * The voiced fricatives [β ð z ʑ ɣ ɣʷ] were postvocalic allophones of the voiced stops /b d d͡z d͡ʑ g gʷ/.