D&D 5E How do outsiders understand Barovian writing and speech?

[spectacle]

Since Strahd has been alive and ruling Barovia for all of those 400 years the language can't drift too much. Strahd still speaks the way he learned when young, so the Barovian elite also maintain the same way of speaking. Their continued use of traditional speech patterns then means that language changes do not spread too much among the general population.

 

[Charles Rampant]

There's an old concept in D&D, about how languages are innate to those who speak them. By this theory, a Draconic language (for example) does not develop independently on each world that has dragons; rather, dragons can all speak the same Draconic because it's part of the universal identity of what it means to be a dragon.

By that same token, Common could actually be common, regardless of the world you're on. If every world has Elves and Orcs and Pixies, then there's obviously something guiding them in this direction - quite possibly actual gods - so there's no reason why everyone can't speak the same languages everywhere you go.

Do you have a source for that? I'd be pretty interested to see this laid out. I mean, I always wondered how on earth Primes were meant to go to Planescape settings (Sigil, Great Wheel, whatever) and actually understand anyone, outside of casting Comprehend Languages...

 

[Warmaster Horus]

"Hello, I would like a reum."

"A reum?"

"What?"

"You just said you would like a reum."

"Yes, a reum. This is an inn, is it not?"

"Oh, a ROOM. I see."

"That's what I said, you incredible imbecile. A reum."

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Do you have a source for that? I'd be pretty interested to see this laid out. I mean, I always wondered how on earth Primes were meant to go to Planescape settings (Sigil, Great Wheel, whatever) and actually understand anyone, outside of casting Comprehend Languages...

If you go back to Basic (IIRC), everyone automatically spoke the language associated with their alignment - so if you were Chaotic, then you spoke the Chaotic language and could speak with anyone else who was Chaotic.

I feel like that was expanded out later, somewhere in AD&D, but unfortunately I don't have a specific source for that. It might be in one of the dragon books.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[the Jester]

Do you have a source for that? I'd be pretty interested to see this laid out. I mean, I always wondered how on earth Primes were meant to go to Planescape settings (Sigil, Great Wheel, whatever) and actually understand anyone, outside of casting Comprehend Languages...

Early Dragon Magazine articles make mention of things like horses speaking Equine.

EDITED TO ADD: Also, many (but probably not all) plane-hopping adventures assume that the pcs can communicate easily with the natives.

 

[lowkey13]

*Deleted by user*

 

[designbot]

In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are under-written, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, etc.

Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine our selves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape Cod, the eleventh of November [New Style, November 21], in the year of the reign of our sovereign lord, King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Dom. 1620.

Technically, it's more like:

In ye name of God Amen· We whose names are vnderwriten, the loyall ſubjects of our dread ſoueraigne Lord King James by ye grace of God, of great Britaine, franc, & Ireland king, defender of ye faith, &c

Haueing vndertaken, for ye glorie of God, and aduancemente of ye christian faith and honour of our king & countrie, a voyage to plant ye first colonie in ye Northerne parts of Virginia· doe by these preſents ſolemnly & mutualy in ye preſence of God, and one of another, couenant, & combine our ſelues togeather into a ciuill body politick; for ye our better ordering, & preſeruation & furtherance of ye ends aforeſaid; and by vertue hearof, to enacte, conſtitute, and frame ſhuch just & equall lawes, ordinances, Acts, conſtitutions, & offices, from time to time, as ſhall be thought most meete & conuenient for ye generall good of ye colonie: vnto which we promise all due ſubmission and obedience. In witnes wherof we haue herevnder ſubscribed our names at Cap= Codd ye ·11· of Nouember, in ye year of ye raigne of our ſoueraigne Lord king James of England, france, & Ireland ye eighteenth and of Scotland ye fiftie fourth. Ano: Dom ·1620·|

 

[happyhermit]

It's just like Star Trek. Everyone speaks deus ex machina.

Except when the GM (writers) feel like it adds to the story; "Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra". Most of the time, "common" just makes sense because it facilitates the story and it is entirely "possible" within an imaginary so why not, unless that is cool.

 

[Mouseferatu]

I don't know about their spoken language, but all Barovians write in...

The Cursive Strahd.