Speaking Abyssal inherently evil?

[Voadam]

Is speaking abyssal inherently evil? An act that would have mechanical consequences for a paladin, an exalted or a good cleric?

 

[fredramsey]

I would say no. No more than speaking Yiddish makes you Jewish, or speaking German makes you German...

 

[green slime]

Of course it does. But you then just speak a few words of Celestial, and then your soul is saved!

 

[Sejs]

Is speaking abyssal inherently evil?

No.

 

[Greatwyrm]

I don't have the MM with me, but aren't there Celestials that can speak Abyssal? If it were inherently evil, why would they speak it?

 

[Voadam]

I don't have the MM with me, but aren't there Celestials that can speak Abyssal? If it were inherently evil, why would they speak it?

If it were inherently evil they would know it to understand their enemies but refrain from speaking it themselves.

 

[Kyrail]

Unless the language involves the slaughter of innocent souls... no

But most demons speak telepathically, and if a demon doesn't want to speak, theres no point speaking to it... so I wouldn't bother with the language personally

 

[Umbran]

Good and Evil are determined by the weal or woe brought by the action. Merely speaking words in Abyssal does no harm, so it would nto be inherently evil.

 

[johnsemlak]

Not to disagree with the general opinion here, but I certainly think uttering words in Abyssal could be perceived as evil, and certainly offensive. Good creatures would avoid uttering words in the language unless absolutely necessary.

That said, it doesn't mean a good creature doens't understand abyssal.

A very close paralell is the langauge of Morder in Middle Earth. Gandalf refuses to say words in the language several times, but he understands the langauge well as a scholar.

I would mainly make it a roleplaying issue, not something with game effects. I certainly think a Paladin would have issues with speaking anything in Abyssal.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

Of course not. But do not be surprised if some NPCs (or PCs) suspect it does.