Necklace of Tongues

[Omegaxicor]

They sound like good ideas, summoning might be too magical for a low magic campaign but the players might be OK with that, the mask might be difficult to work into the campaign ("You happen to stumble onto a supply of four 'Crystal Masks of Languages' in a cave") not impossible though

 

[Belzbet]

Since this is a low magic campaign there maybe some nonmagical solutions to your problem. Most dwarves speak common (and maybe even elven); most dragons speak common or elven, wizards/sorcerers get draconic as a bonus language; im sure a high percent of the most common underdark creature (the drow) probably speaks either elven or common or both. I am sure you have thought of this so there may be some other reason why you want the PC's to know dwarven, undercommon, and draconic (other reasons aside from the ability to actually speak with these creatures, since presumably the PC's can use common to speak with dwarves, drow or dragons).

 

[Belzbet]

Ohh i see you want to PC's to understand the ENEMY (even when the enemy doesnt want the PC's to understand them). PC's with high INT do get bonus languages though. Humans can gain any language as a bonus language. So unless the lowest INT out of all your PC's is 12 then at least one PC should know 3 languages (the PC with 14 INT or more). If a PC is playing a human rogue that PC should have a relatively high INT and should know quite a few languages automatically. If you are restricting the languages available to your PC's based on their home town (it was human settlement next to an elven settlenment, so it seems reasonable to that the PC's only had the opportunity to learn human and elven) then I suggest maybe relaxing that restriction (think about your geeky PC that hit the books just the learn dwarven growing up). Or you could allow a PC with high INT to learn a language REALLY fast (a couple of weeks around the dwarves or something).

 

[Omegaxicor]

Intelligence isn't the problem, growing up in an Isolated community is. you are right that the PCs have had no contact with Dwarves but it isn't MY restriction the players agreed that it seems unlikely that they would speak several languages if they had no contact...

I like the idea of the high Intelligence players learning languages faster than usual, I might say that studying a Dwarven language primer (which they can find easily in the "children's" section) allows them to gain basic knowledge of a language and they can study up further to become competent, the problem is that being able to speak a language is easier than understanding a native speaker (I know that from my schools French lessons) so they would have to be highly trained in a language to understand people...

 

[nijineko]

Crystal Mask of Languages (2,500 gp, MIC) gives the wearer the ability to read, speak and write 5 different languages. Whomever makes the mask picks the languages.

add a limit per day, and you drop the price, plus make it more limited, since that seems to be what is desired...


(PS: a different opinion)

(awesome does not trump rules. if awesome is not allowed, a slight change is justified, as the rules should have been awesome from the start.)
(story does not trump rules, that is called railroading. stories should be designed with the rules in mind, after all, the rules are the universal physics.)
(roll for the people who do not know how to, or are simply not good at, role. it is the dm's job to fill in and teach until they can role on their own.)

 

[Omegaxicor]

What would be the cost of an item that grants the wearer the ability to understand any language, not speak, read or write just understand? Continuous, 5/3, day/week, 100 charges...etc

 

[Loren Pechtel]

Pearl of Speech. Make 1 for each language.
Magic Item Compendium p.118

Note the command 1/day. That's most of the cost right there. This item is way overpriced for just granting the language.