Learning Druidic

[Question]

In theory couldnt one spy upon a new druidic initiate as he/she learns the language? I mean with magic there are tons of way this could be done.

 

[atomn]

But that wouldn't accomplish what you are trying to do if you are wanting a language to keep information in for your character alone.

Yeah, but it would go much further than if I wrote it in any of the regular bonus languages.

 

[atomn]

In theory couldnt one spy upon a new druidic initiate as he/she learns the language? I mean with magic there are tons of way this could be done.

Ah, I like that idea! Definitely not right off of the bat. But once my character got more powerful and thirstier for knowledge, that sort of spying could be a neat side project.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Ignoring the whole druidic language thing: I have a better idea.

You want to learn druidic so your lore won't fall into the wrong hands. It doesn't prevent an evil druid translating it.

Instead, create a cypher. Obfuscate your writings, encrypt it. Then you're the only one who can translate it. No druid or wizard knows your own personal language. They'd have to decypher it, which, depending on the ingeniousness of your code, should be a lot more difficult than to hire a druid to translate these texts that have certainly not been written by a druid.

 

[atomn]

Good idea, Kae'Yoss! Are there rules for that or would it just be something I'd pitch to my GM?

 

[Darren Ravenshaw]

In Complete Adventurer they list that you can use Decipher Script to create a private Cipher, along with the rule for how it works.

 

[Bad Paper]

This is mostly flavor, but...

...the Druidic language likely does not have the vocabulary and grammatical structure to support the arcane world. The saying goes that Eskimos have thirty words for snow.

Druidic probably has that many for snow, but for arcane stuff, Druidic probably uses the same umbrella term for such widely variant concepts as magic missile and golem. In the same vein, arcana likely refers to natural-world stuff with handwaving and calls all those plants and animals "creatures." I do not think Druidic is an appropriate language to describe arcana. This loremaster's version of Druidic will probably carry a lot of cognates, making it rather easier for a spy to decipher his work.

I would go for the create-your-own-cipher rules. Maybe whip up a fat limited wish to create a code with a DC of like 50 or something. Try putting spell resistance on the text to resist attempts at comprehend languages.

 

[Tessarael]

Our DM allowed a take 20 on the Decipher Script roll to create a cipher, providing twenty times the time was taken (20 weeks in total I think). It seems quite reasonable for someone who is absolutely paranoid about others reading their stuff.

Note that someone with Decipher Script or Comprehend Languages could still read Druidic.

 

[Allegro]

If druids don't want their languages learnt by any nondruids they need to be very careful not to speak in druidic in front of anybody. Any PC with 15+ ranks in languages would be a gifted linguistic sponge and likely be able learn another language with relative ease. The exception to this is the druidic language itself is magical in nature and requires the ability to cast first level druidic spells. Following this line of reasoning the ability to speak druidic could possibly be suppressed in an antimagic field. Another possible reason nobody else speaks druidic is that druids kill anybody they find speaking the language or the language is ludicrous and humiliating and consists of baboon squeals and lice picking.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

I don't think that you can easily pick up druidic, especially if the druids aren't trying to teach you are be understood by you. They won't point to their bow when speaking the druidic word for bow, and so on.