Languages

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Languages

This is just a quick listing of languages, meant primarily as a reference point for people adding ranks to their Linguistics skill.

Basic Starting Languages

All races may learn any of these languages at character creation if they have a high enough Intelligence score to qualify for bonus languages.

• Common
• Dwarven
• Elven
• Gnome
• Halfling
• Orc
• Tengu

Advanced Starting Languages

These languages are more obscure, and races tend to have access to only 1 or 2 of them depending on their exposure to these cultures. See the race listing to determine which, if any, of these languages are available to your race at character creation, if your Int score qualifies you for bonus languages.

• Aquan
• Auran
• Draconic
• Giant
• Gnoll
• Goblin
• Ignan
• Sylvan
• Terran
• Undercommon

Encountered Languages

These languages are never known by starting characters and can only be learned by encountering cultures and races which speak them, and spending some time studying them. A working knowledge of these languages can be achieved by deciphering overheard conversations, translating books or just being around it while it is spoken.

• Aboleth
• Abyssal
• Aklo
• Awnsheghlien (Unseelie; Fey)
• Boggard
• Celestial
• Courtly (Fey)
• Cyclops
• Dark Folk
• Grippli
• High Draconic
• Illithid
• Infernal
• Nagaji
• Necril
• Onundur (Ghoul)
• Primal
• Protean
• Sphinx
• Strix (infernal)
• Thanatos
• Treant
• Vegepygmy
• Xth'tl'ck (zith'til'ick)

Secret Languages

Finally, there are secret languages. These are languages which cannot be learned by anyone except those specifically invited to learn them. In many cases, these languages are deliberately deceptive, with fluctuating grammar or syntax changes based on the calendar, lunar cycle or some other variable. They are, in short, codes. While it may be possible to decipher short passages of these languages given enough time and the proper cypher keys, the languages themselves will always remain a mystery, as the keys change and the lexicon evolves to deny knowledge to outsiders.

• Drow Sign Language
• Druidic
• Ghoul Sign Language
• Thieves' Cant

Learning A New Language

The Linguistics skill allows characters to learn a new language for each rank they place in the skill. Some GM's may want to keep this simple and assume the character has acquired some means of studying the new language and is doing that in their spare time. Other GM's may wish to add a little more realism into the learning process. After all, just because you have a rank in a skill granting you the mental space to learn a new language, you may not have had enough exposure to pick up that language without some effort first.

It's up to the GM whether characters can just learn one or more of the encountered languages when they level up. Perhaps there is a great library where tomes containing lexicons of bizarre and diverse tongues can be perused and studied. Maybe a college teaches classes on how to speak High Draconic. Or maybe the players just need to run into these things and piece it together from scraps of conversation they overhear through closed doors.

Making A Check To Learn A New Language

GM's should allow a linguistics check for each significant exposure to a new language, even if the character rolling the check doesn't have any available language "slots" at the time. The DC for this check is as follows:

Degree of exposure to new language	Linguistics Check DC
Character is in an immersive environment (i.e. that language is the only one spoken by the locals, and basic interactions can only be performed in that language)	15
The language being studied is commonly spoken but is not the only language being spoken	20
The language being studied is only observed from a single source (one conversation, one letter, one book, etc.)	25
the language being studied is observed from a source which is, itself, not a native of the language	30

After two successful rolls (and usually a minimum of two days of study), the character can speak the language at the Pidgin level, meaning they communicate at approximately the same degree a toddler communicates -- no full sentences, no conjugation or subject/verb agreement, frequent mispronunciations or incorrect word usage, etc. Only basic ideas can be conveyed, and technical conversations or topics requiring skill or training are impossible. At the pidgin level, bluff, diplomacy and sense motive checks are made at -10 penalties when attempted in the new language.

After a 5 successful rolls, the character can speak the language at a novice level. This includes a vocabulary of around 1000 words, and the ability to address more advanced topics, though frequently making mistakes (using the wrong word, etc.). Understanding comes easier than expression at this level. This is a fully functional degree of familiarity, though it is obvious to everyone that the character is not a native speaker. Technical topics are still very difficult affairs, and take much longer to discuss with a novice speaker as synonyms are sought and gestures replace jargon. At the novice level, bluff, diplomacy and sense motive checks are made at a -4 penalty when attempted in the new language.

After 10 successful rolls, the character is considered fluent in the language. This includes a vocabulary of around 2000 words, as well as knowledge of technical words related to skills the character has training in. Characters may also know some technical jargon from areas they aren't trained in, if they specifically study that area, though unless they also spend skill ranks on the topic being studied, experts of that topic will likely identify them as imposters or wannabes. Fluent speakers suffer no penalties on bluff, diplomacy and sense motive checks with other speakers of the language, though native speakers will be able to tell that fluent speakers are not native, due to accents and other minutia being slightly off.

A minimum of 10 ranks in the Linguistics skill is required before a character can speak a language other than their native tongue at a 'native' fluency. For every 2 ranks beyond 10, one additional language can be so mastered, assuming the character also has exposure and time to study each new language. Considerable time and study is required to achieve proper mimicry of local dialects, learn the many euphemisms and achieve believable nuance with the language. GM's are encouraged to make this process reasonably achievable, since the PC's are heroes and therefore achieve great things much easier than normal folks. A general guideline is 2 weeks of further study after the fluent level is achieved before the language can be spoken at the 'native' level. Linguists with more than one 'native' language gain a +4 bonus to sense motive checks when interacting with someone in that language, because the linguist has spent so much time studying nuance.