Primitive Screwhead
First Post
I had an errant thought regarding the handling of languages. I already have a HR that sets up regional languages, but I did not include 'Druidic'.. a class feature that I never really liked. A thread some time back gave me the fluff behind this HR, it just took some time to come up with the crunch.
Please, take a gander and let me know what you think!
HR Secret Languages
In the core rules there are some portions of society that have ‘secret’ languages. The rules on these languages are weird, to say the least. The thought that a druid can cross the entire continent and converse freely with another druid in a culture never before discovered breaks verisimilitude. The following rules change the paradigm on ‘secret’ languages while retaining their usefulness.
Over the years, like minded individuals have developed a means to communicate without disclosing their intent to others. In all cases, this communication is simplistic. These are not languages in which you discuss philosophy or politics. Instead they are used to mark areas as dangerous, identify safe-havens, or announce your membership in a guild.
Mechanically all secret languages work the same. A class, or classes, grant access and skill in the language equal to the level gained in the class. As a rule of thumb the skill level is the number of words that can be included in a message. Most messages are ‘written’ in glyphs or patterns while some secret languages include hand-signs. Non-members can determine the intent of the sign using skill checks.
Those with the skill can read any message of an equal skill level or below. They must succeed at the related skill check to read higher level skills. However they gain a bonus to this check equal to their skill level in the language.
Each language has a particular skill that can be used to read the messages. First the non-member has to be able to recognize a message, beating a DC 20 check, and then decipher it. The decipher check is against a DC of 20 plus the skill level the message was written in. Writing a message has the same DC.
‘Thieves Cant’ is a language known by Rogues and Assassins. It can be used in written glyph form or used as hand-sign. Non-members may use Knowledge: Underworld.
‘Druidic’ is a language known by Druids. It can only be ‘written’ and is composed of patterns. Messages are often written in an arrangement of stones, although more permanent messages can be written in carefully tended groves of trees or the windings of a river. Non-Druids can use Knowledge: Nature to read Druidic.
‘Draconic Prophecy’ is a language known by Dragons. It can only be written and usually presents as complex glyphs. Non-Dragons can use Knowledge: Arcana to read the Prophesy. In Eberron, Dragonmarks are Prophecy written at a skill level of 30, making the DC to read them a 50.
Feats:
For those who really really need in on the secret, they can take a Feat of ‘Secret Language’. They gain a skill level in the chosen language equal to their WIS modifier. This skill level stacks with any skill level gained by levels in a class.
Examples
Smiley the 5th level Rogue needs to mark a business as protected by the guild so other thieves’ won’t violate the Guilds promise...and ruin the protection racket. He has 5 skill levels and can write up to a 5 word message. However he doesn’t want people to mess up, so instead he uses a glyph the states ‘Guild Paid’… a skill level 2 message.
Furfred the Druid wants to help errant travelers. He sets up some simple markers to lead the way to shelter and fresh water. The message reads ‘shelter water east’. A passing ranger would need a Knowledge: Nature check of 20 to notice the message, and them a check of 23 to read it.
At the shelter, Furfred places a longer message of “Avoid western valley, home of dread spirits. Eastern hills protected by Furfred” This takes a skill of 10 {not counting ‘of’ and ‘by’}, making it a DC 30 to read. Furfred could have spread his message out into two messages {DC 6 and 4 respectively} but would need a larger space to ‘write’ and the Ranger would need to notice both messages.
Please, take a gander and let me know what you think!
HR Secret Languages
In the core rules there are some portions of society that have ‘secret’ languages. The rules on these languages are weird, to say the least. The thought that a druid can cross the entire continent and converse freely with another druid in a culture never before discovered breaks verisimilitude. The following rules change the paradigm on ‘secret’ languages while retaining their usefulness.
Over the years, like minded individuals have developed a means to communicate without disclosing their intent to others. In all cases, this communication is simplistic. These are not languages in which you discuss philosophy or politics. Instead they are used to mark areas as dangerous, identify safe-havens, or announce your membership in a guild.
Mechanically all secret languages work the same. A class, or classes, grant access and skill in the language equal to the level gained in the class. As a rule of thumb the skill level is the number of words that can be included in a message. Most messages are ‘written’ in glyphs or patterns while some secret languages include hand-signs. Non-members can determine the intent of the sign using skill checks.
Those with the skill can read any message of an equal skill level or below. They must succeed at the related skill check to read higher level skills. However they gain a bonus to this check equal to their skill level in the language.
Each language has a particular skill that can be used to read the messages. First the non-member has to be able to recognize a message, beating a DC 20 check, and then decipher it. The decipher check is against a DC of 20 plus the skill level the message was written in. Writing a message has the same DC.
‘Thieves Cant’ is a language known by Rogues and Assassins. It can be used in written glyph form or used as hand-sign. Non-members may use Knowledge: Underworld.
‘Druidic’ is a language known by Druids. It can only be ‘written’ and is composed of patterns. Messages are often written in an arrangement of stones, although more permanent messages can be written in carefully tended groves of trees or the windings of a river. Non-Druids can use Knowledge: Nature to read Druidic.
‘Draconic Prophecy’ is a language known by Dragons. It can only be written and usually presents as complex glyphs. Non-Dragons can use Knowledge: Arcana to read the Prophesy. In Eberron, Dragonmarks are Prophecy written at a skill level of 30, making the DC to read them a 50.
Feats:
For those who really really need in on the secret, they can take a Feat of ‘Secret Language’. They gain a skill level in the chosen language equal to their WIS modifier. This skill level stacks with any skill level gained by levels in a class.
Examples
Smiley the 5th level Rogue needs to mark a business as protected by the guild so other thieves’ won’t violate the Guilds promise...and ruin the protection racket. He has 5 skill levels and can write up to a 5 word message. However he doesn’t want people to mess up, so instead he uses a glyph the states ‘Guild Paid’… a skill level 2 message.
Furfred the Druid wants to help errant travelers. He sets up some simple markers to lead the way to shelter and fresh water. The message reads ‘shelter water east’. A passing ranger would need a Knowledge: Nature check of 20 to notice the message, and them a check of 23 to read it.
At the shelter, Furfred places a longer message of “Avoid western valley, home of dread spirits. Eastern hills protected by Furfred” This takes a skill of 10 {not counting ‘of’ and ‘by’}, making it a DC 30 to read. Furfred could have spread his message out into two messages {DC 6 and 4 respectively} but would need a larger space to ‘write’ and the Ranger would need to notice both messages.
