Does Language Matter?

[CombatWombat51]

Does anyone use any type of RL-style languages? For example, English is an offshoot of German, so learning one aids the other? Or maybe Sylvan to Elven? Does anyone even bother with languages?

I've been using the same languages and basic world map forever. After tons of gaming, I'm putting in stone the relations the languages have to each other. My words seem clunky, so I'll just show the picture

 

[3catcircus]

I use the Speaking in Tongues article in my FR campaign, I will then pick a real-world equivalent.

For example, the party is now in Silverymoon, having journeyed there from Neverwinter. The 3 main languages in this section of The North are Illuskan (for those from Luskan), Bothii (Uthgardt), and Northern (for civilized Northmen.) I chose to represent these three languages with Norwegian, Swedish and Danish (I picked Icelandic for Reghedjic.)

When passing through a town, I'd have the business signs in Northern and possibly Illuskan, depending on how close to Luskan the town was. I'd hand those players who tried to read the signs a sheet of paper folded in thirds. If they didn't speak Northern or *any* language using the Thorass alphabet, they'd only get the 1/3 that was written in the Thorass font. If they didn't speak the language, but spoke other languages that used the same alphabet, they'd get the 1/3 of the sheet written in Norwegian. If they *did* speak Northern, then they got the 1/3 written in plain English.

If a player actually attempts to translate, they get bonus xp. If they relegate it to a die roll, no bonus xp. Knowing languages in the same sub-group or family would lower the DC of the appropriate roll (speak language, read language, or write language.)

I've also implemented a different skill mechanic for learning languages - languages can be learned for only 1/2 a skill point. Of course, it takes a full skill point to be completely fluent and 2 skill points to speak the language like a native.

 

[MerricB]

I said that I use the PHB languages, but that's not strictly true - I use the World of Greyhawk, so additional human tongues are used. Those languages or dialects are often very important to the plot, but they don't come up in every adventure.

For instance, I sent the PCs on a quest to find a oracle dedicated to Istus, a Baklunish deity. While they were there, all inscriptions were in the Ancient Baklunish language.

Cheers!

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

usually, we just play it "if it's not on your character sheet, you can't understand a word (written or spoken)". We don't put too much emphasis on it.

AR

 

[MrFilthyIke]

Being a Rolemaster fan, I can let rules for simple things like languages get out of hand... So I keep it simple per 3rd ed, with a few extra languages thrown in for diversity.

 

[CombatWombat51]

Being a Rolemaster fan...

Oh? Does... this ring a bell?

Rank Fluency
1 You know a few basic words (man, yes, hello, the)
2 You can construct a few simple phrases (I want water; Where is the house?)
3 You can have basic conversations (It should rain today; How many pigs for 4 silvers?)
4-6 You can converse with average ability. Most common folk speak with this ability.
Additionally, you can recognize closely related languages. Closely related languages are
ones that are only separated by one “branch”. So Rythe is related to Shelian, but Rythe isn’t related to Sylvan.
7-9 You’re an expert at your language. Most aristocrats and nobility speak with this ability.
Additionally, you can gain 1 bonus rank in closely related languages, and you can recognize languages two “branches” away.
10+ You’ve mastered your language. Some scholars and linguists speak with this ability.
Additionally, you gain another bonus rank in closely related languages, and you can recognize any language in your tree (Fairy, Demonic, or Manish languages).


That's a snip of what I'm working on using IMC.

 

[talinthas]

As a linguist, allow me to say that Hell yes, language matters in my game =)

 

[Mouseferatu]

"Explain in post"

I use a combination of core book languages and world/region-specific ones. We have little focus, but not because the campaign is all about Sharp Object Diplomacy. Rather, languages rarely come up because usually every major language is represented by someone in the party, and those that aren't can be fixed through various spells. Only rarely does the language barrier prove to be an actual barrier, though the few times it has have proved rather interesting.

 

[Nightfall]

Mostly since SL languages aren't completely like PHB languagues, I tend to favor making them regional in nature, much like there are variant dialects in the Chinese, Japanese and even Korean languages.

 

[Wombat]

The closest thing to "Common" in my games is a scholarly tongue (works more or less like Latin) and a Trade Patois (the latter is great for describing goods and roads, but horrible for philosophy, sentiment, and the like).

Learning languages, and even earlier versions of languages, is important; I used HarnMaster as a baseplate to start from for devising language groups and the various "versions" of the languages, along with local dialects (dialect isn't important unless you are dealing with something on the level of American Media Neutral vs. Old Detroit Jive or Queen's English vs. Broad Scots Dialect). Also reading is a separate skill from speaking.

Why do all this?

It's just more fun in the game

My players love this to tears, including one guy who was otherwise a "straight by the rulebooks" 2nd ed AD&D person.