Languages

Ara does not use racial languages in the same sense that they are used in the standard rules. When selecting a character’s language, use the following rules.

• If a character’s Intelligence score is 10 or higher at creation, they are fluent in Common and a language native to their homeland.
• If a character’s Intelligence score is below 10 at creation, they are fluent in EITHER of the two options listed above, but not both
• If a character’s Intelligence score is less than 6 at creation, they speak one of the two options listed above, but do so poorly and are illiterate.
• If a character has an Intelligence score of 12 or higher at creation, they may learn an additional language for each point of Intelligence bonus they possess
• If a character’s Intelligence increases during the course of a campaign, they may gain fluency in another language, provided the GM rules they have had enough exposure to it in order to learn it.

While most of the major languages in Ara are derived from early languages spoken by its earliest settlers, they have since diverged into related, but distinct languages of the present day. A character fluent in several languages of the same family may use these similarities to communicate in other languages. If a character chooses proficiency with enough languages in a certain family (which depends on the family), they are considered proficient with all languages in that family.

Language Families

Listed below are each language family, the languages which comprise it, and the number of languages one needs to be fluent in to be considered fluent in the entire family and what its real-life inspiration is. Some languages are no longer spoken and are, as such, labeled as dead. These languages cannot be learned. Similarly, some languages are secret and can only be learned through specific class features or in association with specific organizations. If you meet these requirements, you automatically become fluent in the language. These languages cannot be selected when determining the languages you know. Your DM may further restrict certain languages, such as those of outsiders as they see fit.

Please Note that many of these languages are currently unnamed and are using the names of the region they are spoke in as placeholders. Such Languages are Italicized

No Family:

Common (Esperanto): The language designed by the Empire to facilitate multinational communication
Aran (Indo-European) (dead): A theoretical language spoken by the Old Races' precursors
Abyssal: The language of demons
Infernal: The language of devils
Old Speech (dead): The language spoken by strange, ancient entities
Celestial: The language of angels, celestials, and divas.
Thieves' Cant (secret): A code language used by Rogues and other criminals
Draconic (Sumerian): The language of dragons. Some cultures also speak this language, especially cultures with many Akki or Kobolds.
Giant: The language of giants. How and why giants who have had no contact with each other and are separated by thousands of miles (and possibly as many years) are still able to speak the exact same language as if they lived next door is unclear.
Sylvan: The language of the Fey.

Elven (Romance) (3)

Iniciel-Reines: The official language of O Reino Inicial and Santa Maristela.
Lobuno: The official language of El Guardia Lobuno.
Geravallo: The official language of El Regne Gerarvall.
Pietranese: The official language of Pietranico.
Terre de Collines: Spoken in western Terre de Collines.
Arani: Spoken in southern Arani.

Troll (Norse/Finnish) (3)

Urgumagist: The official language of Urumagi.
Western Swamps: The language spoken in the swamplands on the western coasts of Koikospaikka.
Lowlands: The language spoken in the lowlands of Koikospaikka.
Highlands: The language spoken in the highlands of Koikospaikka.
Eastern Coast: The language spoken along the eastern coast of Koikospaikka and the western coast of Zemlya Sneg.

Goblinoid (Indo-Aryan)

Northern: The Goblinoid language spoken among the northern continents.
Southern: The Goblinoid language spoken among the southern continents.

Human (Germanic) (2)

Imperial: The official language of the former Agindun Empire. It is now mostly spoken on Terre de Collines.
Karrvolker: The language spoken among the Karrvolk and other Human tribes in Karthland.
Arani: The language spoken among the Human tribesmen in Arani.
Northern: The language spoken by the northern Human tribes.

Dwarven (Iranian) (2)

Northern Zemlya Sneg: The language spoken by the Dwarven settlements along the northern arctic coasts of Zemlya Sneg.
Central Zemlya Sneg: The language spoken by the underground holds in central Zemlya Sneg.
Oceanic: The language spoken in the Dwarven sailing cities.

Ogre (Balto-Slavic) (2)

Mainland: The official language of the Ogre Empire, spoken throughout the mainland of Zemlya Sneg.
NW Island and Coast: The language spoken along Zemlya Sneg's outlying northwestern island and the surrounding coastline.
SE Island: The language spoken on Zemlya Sneg's outlying southeastern island.

Akki (Hellenic) (2)

Kokkinosian: A language spoken in Kokkinosia, but not the official language.
Drakongian: The language spoken among Drakongi.
Éthnonite: The language spoken in Éthnonakki and south eastern Terre de Collines.

Orcish (Celtic)

Beo: The language spoken by the Beo clans of western Karthland.
Terre de Collines: The language spoken among the Orcs in central Terre de Collines.

Children of Ara

The languages of the Children of Ara all have some similarities (and share similarities with Druidic), however they are not as closely linked as the other language families and it's unclear what their connection is. As such, each of these languages must be learned individually.
Druidic (Secret): The language spoken by the Primal Coven.
Hounanzu: The language spoken by the Hounanzu of Nyusokotsu.
Nasir: The language spoken by the Nasir.
Gnoll: The language spoken by the Gnoll tribes.
Togg: The language spoken by the Togg clans.
Khava: A rare language spoken by the Khava among each other.
Kreen: The language spoken among the Kreen.
Oniga: The language spoken in Fengzi Haang and Huanzen Tu.