Languages represent specific knowledge of a form of communication. It may allow you to gain information about the world which you would not otherwise be able to access.
Note that all Player Characters may be assumed to know and be able to communicate in the most common Language used within the Story, as well as any Languages specific to their Character’s heritage.
For Example, all Player Characters would be expected to know “Common” within Fantasy Stories and English within Stories taking place within the United States of America or Great Britain. Additionally an Elf or Dwarf would also be expected to know Elvish or Dwarven, or a person born outside of an English speaking country, or with close family with similar origins, would be expected to know that language also.
Language Groups
Typically when you choose a Language, you will typically gain access to a Group of Languages.
This represents how your Character, in studying a form of Language, would reasonably be exposed to a range of other languages associated with that form of Language.
Languages in reality are frequently very diverse and varied, and in practice it is unlikely that a specific language may be used within the narrative. Language Groups address this weakness by ensuring a Character will have many more opportunities to use a set of Languages they have learned.
Language Options
The Languages available may vary between Fantasy. Additionally, while a wide range of different examples are provided below, Groups may create their own sets of Languages also.
The examples presented below are intended to give Groups an idea of the scope of what a set of Languages may cover.
Accessibility Language Group
Accessibility Languages represent how a Character has dedicated themselves to understanding and being able to communicate with a range of commonly used languages by people with who may not use many of the more commonly used modes of communication (e.g. speech or text).
Choosing this Language Group will allow you to be able to communicate using forms of Sign Language available within your setting, as well as understand languages such as Braille.
If your Character has disabilities which would reasonably account for them knowing any of these languages, or would have Bonds with Characters who routinely use those Languages, there is no requirement that they gain this Language Group to have access to those Languages.
Street Slang
Street Slang represents forms of communication which are used by people often in less prosperous parts of a society. Often it is developed to be specifically obscure to outsiders, such that people may communicate meaning without fear of being understood.
Often it’s use may be associated with criminal activity, but equally it may also be utilized by oppressed groups, or simply those of low standing in a society.
You may be assumed to know the Street Slang of any culture whose Spoken Languages you understand.
Etiquette
Etiquette represents forms of communication which are used by people in high society and the ruling classes. It may include specific rituals, turns of phrase and standardized exchanges which are well-recognized between people of those classes but appear obscure and unintuitive to outsiders.
Often it’s use will be associated with Royalty and behavior at court, but it may also be applied to behavior observed in any setting where strict use of ritual is required (e.g. various forms of ceremony).
You may be assumed to know the Etiquette of any culture whose Spoken Languages you understand.
Natural Language
Natural Language represents the pseudo-magical ability to understand and be able to communicate with creatures of the Natural World, within the limits that such Creatures may communicate with each other.
You will be capable of understanding to a limited degree animal calls, and body language, in terms of language, and may also use this language to communicate simple concepts to them also. You may not be able to teach such creatures ideas and concepts they would be capable of understanding themselves however being limited by their own intelligence.
Tool Language Group
Tool Languages represent how a Character may have specific knowledge of a form of communication which is necessary to the practice of certain careers.
You may treat knowing and using a Tool Language in a situation as equivalent to using a Tool for the purposes of Skill Checks.
Business
The Language of Business can often appear highly unintuitive and obscure to outsiders. Often it can appear to be an incomprehensible combination of buzzwords, acronyms and jargon which mean little to those outside, and may serve to obfuscate the true intentions of those who use this language.
Knowing this Language may not only be used to endear yourself to those who belong to this world, such as traders and business leaders, but may be used to better influence and understand them and related documentation.
Technical
Technical Language can often appear highly unintuitive and obscure to outsiders. Often it can appear to be an incomprehensible combination of acronyms and jargon which mean little to those outside, and may serve to obfuscate the true intentions of those who use this language.
Knowing this Language may not only be used to endear yourself to those who belong to this world, but may be used to better influence and understand them and related documentation.
Technical Language may equally be applied in understanding the practices of those who perform science or highly technical forms of Magic (such as Alchemy).
Programming
Programming represents your ability to understand and manipulate computer code. Knowing this Language may allow you to use and interact with Computers and Robotics in a manner which other Characters may be unable to.
Law
The Language of Law can often appear highly unintuitive and obscure to outsiders. Often it can appear to be an incomprehensible combination of jargon and references which mean little to those outside, and may serve to obfuscate the true intentions of those who use this language.
Knowing this Language may not only be used to endear yourself to those who utilize this language, but may be used to better influence and understand them and related documentation. It may also be used to better enable Characters to represent people in Courts of Law.
You may be assumed to know the Laws of any culture whose Spoken Languages you understand.
Coded
Coded Languages are commonly used by Spies and secret organizations who wish to keep their messages to each other obscured from those who would misuse the information they would share. Often it can consist of apparently banal sentences, such as small talk about the weather of current events, when in truth the imminent fall of governments may be the true topic of their conversations.
Knowing this Language may allow you to better understand or guess at the true meaning behind coded discussions, be it a Coded language you are already familiar with or not.
Spoken Language Groups
Languages Groups represent your Character having specific knowledge of a Group of Spoken languages within the world your Story takes place in. These may be associated with certain regions, or groups of people, civilizations or historical times.
Modern Fantasy Language Groups
Within Modern Day Fantasies, such Groups may be associated with land masses of the World, such as South America, Europe, Africa, Middle East, East Asia, South East Asia etc.
The range of Languages Spoken in each of these Regions are of course many and varied. Knowing the Languages of a Region means you are able to Speak many of the most commonly spoken Languages of that area.
For Example, knowing European Languages may mean your Character would reasonably be able to understand languages such as English, French, German, Italian, Spanish etc. Similarly a Character knowing Middle Eastern Languages may be able to understand such languages as Arabic, Farsi, Hebrew, Persian etc.
You need not define what specific languages of a Group your Character can understand. If a Character interacts with a Language from an area of the world (e.g. they are speaking with Characters from that area or reading literature within or from that area) you may assume your Character will be able to understand and communicate using that Language if it falls within a Group of Languages they know.
Traditional Fantasy Language Groups
Within Traditional Fantasy Settings Language Groups may be dictated by common groups of people which frequently interact.
Such Groups can be many and varied but we propose the following Groups here:
Alliance Languages
The Alliance Languages would represent the Languages common among groups of people with distinct heritages who tend to co-operate. Common examples would be the languages of Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes and Halflings.
Outcast Languages
The Outcast Languages would represent the Languages common among groups of people of heritages which tend to leave them isolated. Common examples would be the languages of Orcs, Goblins and Animalfolk.
Subterranean Languages
The Subterranean Languages would represent the Languages common among groups of people who live within vast subterranean networks. Common examples might include the languages of Dwarves, Dark Elves and Goblins.
Future Fantasy Language Groups
Within Future Fantasy Settings Language Groups may be dictated by common groups of people which frequently interact.
Such Groups can be many and varied but we propose the following Groups here:
Trade Languages
The Trade Languages would represent the Languages common among groups of people who frequently interact through interstellar trade routes.
Empire Languages
The Empire Languages would represent the Languages common among groups of people who are loyal to a Galactic Empire.
Rebellion Languages
The Rebellion Languages would represent the Languages common among groups of people who co-operate in resisting the grips of the Galactic Empire.
Robotic Languages
The Robotic Languages would represent the Languages common among droids and robotic creatures of the setting.
Outer Rim Languages
The Outer Rim Languages would represent the Languages common among creatures who hail from the distant Outer Rim worlds of the setting.
Core Languages
The Core Languages would represent the Languages common among creatures who hail from the distant centralmost solar systems of the setting.
Esoteric Language Groups
Esoteric Language Groups represent sets of languages within a story which, while infrequently by most people, may have significance within the Story. Examples of such Language Groups are provided below:
Ancient Language Group
The Ancient Language Group represents languages which are seldom if ever used by existing cultures within the Story, but have significance due to their use in historical sites, documents, runes etc.
Within Modern Settings such languages might include Latin, Ancient Greek and Egyptian and Sanskrit.
In Traditional Fantasy such languages might include the languages of deceased civilizations, such as those of Dragons, Giants and Primordial beings.
In Future Fantasy Settings, such languages might include the languages of ancient creator races, or of peoples whose whole planets have long become extinct.
Extraplanar Language Group
The Extraplanar Language Group represents languages which are associated with beings who exist in different planes of reality.
Such languages may vary by setting, but common themes might include the languages of Gods, Angels and other Celestial beings, of Demons and Devils and of Seelie and Unseelie Fey.