Languages

There are various languages and dialects used all over Arceiron.

Language Rules

Auditory Distance

The distance that you can be heard from while talking normally can vary greatly depending on how loud you want to be and how loud the area around you is. The table below shows maximum distances a creature can be heard from while making different levels of sound.

Quiet

Areas such as the libraries, cemeteries, and deserted ruins.

Normal

forests, shops, and roadways.

Loud

raucous taverns, raging storms, and large crowds.

Volume	Quiet	Normal	Loud
Whisper	30 ft.	15 ft.	5 ft.
Normal	120 ft.	60 ft.	15 ft.
Shouting	300 ft.	150 ft.	30 ft.

Scripts

Most languages use one of a few selected scripts for the written form of their langauge. If you know a language and the script it is using, you can write and read the language, otherwise you might be able to speak and understand it, but can't read or write it, as you can't read the script.
If a Race or grants you a language, you automatically also learn the associated script.

Dialects

A language is comprised of its root and dialect. If you know the root language then you can understand, but not speak or write, all of the dialects of that language to a passable degree, unless stated otherwise. Some dialects are locked for narrative reasons and cannot be chosen.
Your dialect matters as actually knowing it can make a subtle but impactful difference when interacting with other speakers of a language. When a character talks to you in foreign dialect or you try to read a document written in an unknown dialect, the DM can decide to make you roll an Intelligence (Linguistic) check to see how well you can understand the speech or text, even if you are fluent in another dialect of the same language. The DC for this equals: 10 + Dialect Difficulty + Dialect Morphology.
If a Race or grants you a language, you are considered to know the root of that language. If a dialect is not specified with it, you may choose one of them. If you'd learn the same dialect twice, you can instead choose another dialect of the same language. When learning a language at a later point you will always learn the root of the language, and might learn the dialect of your tutor.

Dialect Mechanics

Each dialect has 4 main statistics:

• Difficulty: How hard is it to learn this dialect? This influences how difficult Linguistics checks are to speak, read, understand or write this dialect. It can also influence the time/cost of learning this dialect. Sometimes this might also list an additional requirement to learning this Dialect. Such a dialect is only available to you if you meet all its requirements (even during character creation), unless a feature specifically says otherwise.
• Morphology: How much does this dialect differ from the language root? This influences the difficulty of speaking, reading , understanding or writing something in this dialect when you are only proficient/fluent in another dialect of this language.
• Spread: This value describes how commonly this dialect is spoken among native speakers of the root language, but has no mechanical influence.
• Foreign Influence: If a dialect has been influenced by another language, it will be listed here. If you are fluent in at least the root of that language, the Difficulty and Morphology ratings are decreased by 1 for you (to a minimum of 0).

If you are a native speaker of the language root, the Difficulty and Morphology ratings of all its dialects are decreased by 1 for you (to a minimum of 0).

Learning a Language

Learning a new language consists of three parts:

• Learning the Root of the Language
• Learning a Dialect of the Language
• Learning the Script of the Language

A character can spend downtime learning a language. Learning a standard language to fluency takes a total of ten workweeks (plus the Dialect difficulty in weeks), while learning an exotic language takes a total of twenty workweeks (plus the Dialect difficulty in weeks). For each workweek spent learning a language, 25 sp (Exotic: 35 sp) must be paid for a teacher.
You can only ever learn a single dialect of a language at a time, doing so automatically teaches you the language's root, should you not know it already. Learning a dialect of a language you already know the root of, reduces the base time (either 10 or 20 workweeks) by half. This means learning an additional dialect of a basic language you already know, takes an amount of workweeks, equal to 5 + Dialect Difficulty.
Learning the script of a language takes an additional 10 workweeks, costing 25 sp per workweek for a tutor. If you already know the Script of that language, you can skip this last part. Otherwise you can decide to learn it as well, or not learn it. Only if you also know a language's script, can you read and write it.

A workweek is defined as five days with eight hours spent working on a task each day.
This training time for each of these parts is reduced by a number of workweeks equal to the character’s Intelligence modifier (an Intelligence penalty doesn’t increase the time needed). The total time needed to learn a language/dialect can never be reduced below 1 workweek.

Fluency Levels

While a character is learning a language, there are a few benefits that apply to a partially learned language. The skills are broken into two parts, oral skills and literacy skills. A character that is learning a language from a teacher will learn both skills, and it is assumed that a character who knows a language is both proficient in oral and literacy skills (as long as they also have learned the appropriate script). However, talk to your DM to determine if a character you have would only be proficient in one of these two skills and to what degree they are proficient.

Level	Oral Skills	Literacy Skills
Half-Proficient	Speaks in simple sentences.	Can recognize written signs and common names.
Proficient	Can hold a basic conversation with a friendly speaker.	Can read and write basic materials such as short books and letters.
Fluent	Able to speak and understand most formal and informal conversations.	Able to read and write at a consistent level on all general topics.
Expert*	Can speak in an erudite fashion, holding complex and detailed conversation on specialized topics.	Can read and write legalistic texts, magical treatises, or ancient religious scripture.

*Expert language skills are rare, even among native speakers, and can only be attained by spending an additional 20 workweeks studying the language at an academy, university or with anoter expert in that language.

Half-Proficient

After three weeks (Exotic: 4 weeks) learning a language, they are considered partially proficient. When making an Intelligence (Linguistic) check involving the language being learned, the character adds half of their proficiency bonus to the roll.

Proficient

After six workweeks spent learning a standard language (Exotic: 12 weeks), the character adds their full proficiency to Intelligence (Language) checks to rolls.

When you are fluent in another dialect of the same language you're making a roll for, you are automatically considered proficient.

Fluent

After 10 workweeks (Exotic: 20 weeks) have been spent learning a language, the character is considered fully fluent in the language. This is the level at which the character has ‘finished’ learning a language and no longer needs to rolls checks to understand, speak, read or write in this language (apart from especially difficult situations). Note that for a non-native speaker of a language, this does not necessarily mean that they sound like a native. For a native speaker of the language, this is what you would expect the average person to be able to accomplish.

Attempting Advanced Language Tasks

You can attempt to perform a language task that is one level more difficult than what you are trained in from your fluency, by performing an Intelligence (Lingustic) check. For example, a wizard that is half proficient in Gnomish could attempt to hold a conversation with a Gnome shopkeeper, or a character that is fluent in Infernal could attempt to read a complex devil's contract.
The DC for the Intelligence (Lingustic) check is usually 10 + 5 for each level above the skill of the character. For example, the wizard who is half proficient in Gnomish is attempting a task that could be done at a proficient level, so the DC is 15. The character who is fluent in Infernal is attempting an Expert level task, and so their DC is also 15.
On a failure, the character makes a minor faux pas that can lead to misunderstanding. On a failure of 5 or more below the DC, the faux pas becomes grievous, and the consequences for the mistake greatly improve. A simple misunderstanding of the Gnomish shopkeeper might be getting a price incorrect, while a major one could involve insulting their mother.

Definition

Language is a system that consists of the development, acquisition, maintenance and use of complex systems of communication, particularly the humanoid ability to do so; and a language is any specific example of such a system.

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Learning

Basic Language

To learn a basic language, you need to find a mentor and spend at least ten workweeks learning the laguage. Training costs 25 sp per workweek.

Exotic Language

To learn an exotic language, you need to find a mentor and spend at least twenty workweeks learning the language. Training costs 35 sp per workweek.

Script

To learn the script of a language, you need to find a mentor and spend at least five workweeks learning the script. Training costs 25 sp per workweek.

This training time is reduced by a number of workweeks equal to the character’s Intelligence modifier (an Intelligence penalty doesn’t increase the time needed).

Special Languages

Two languages of note are not listed in most language encyclopaedias, but are commonly used amongst select members of the populace.

Thieves' Cant

Thieves' Cant is the secret language of rogues, burglars and ne'er-do-wells. It's a mish-mash of slang, sign languages and symbols placed in strategic locations to alert other thieves of news without being caught.

Druidic

Druidic is the secret language of Druids, and it is as much of a language as it is a sort of spiritual headspace. Druidic is said to be taught by ancient nature spirits and archfey one word at a time, and thus the older and more experienced the Druid, the more complex their speech.

True Names

In many languages, the name of a creature is an identifier of who that creature is. Boblin the Goblin is Boblin. That's what he is known as.
However, for Celestials, Fiends, and Fey there exist names used to describe a creature's true essence. This name, known as a true name, may be known or unknown to the creature and is a single word that describes the creature perfectly. The word is given in the language associated with the creature (i.e., Sylvan for Fey, Infernal for Devils, etc.).
Knowledge is power, and with true names there is no greater power than knowing the true name of a creature.

Basic Languages

Language	Script	Dialects	Typical Speakers
Common	Thoralic	-	International Trade Language, spoken by most people
Dune	Iokharic	Common, Marquandtar, Nehekan, Sargusi, Shendori, Ulda	Most humans of Dune culture
Dwarvish	Dethek	Common, Duergar, Koroboku, Traditional	Dwarves, Runesmiths
Elvish	Espruar	Astral, Dark, Frost, High, Moon, Primal, Sun	Elves, Bards, Poets, Mages
Gnomish	Dethek	Deep, Forest, Rock	Gnomes
Goblin	Dethek	Gobspeak, Bug, Hob,	Goblins, Hobgoblins, Bugbears
Gothic	Thoralic	Breton Bürgach, Charneault, Low Reikspiel	Most humans of Thoralian culture
Gretanian	Thoralic	Common, Ancient, Noraxian	Most humans of Gretanian culture, Noraxian Empire
Halfling	Espruar	Green, Marsh, Stone	Halflings
Ivailan	Thoralic	Castinellan, Demagon, Insulan, Ivailic, Scum, Spailic	Most humans of Ivailan culture
Jadan	Kanji	Common, Central, High, Narya, Shusui,	Most humans of Jadan culture
Norse	Dethek	Icelandic, Norscan, Thamerian Veliki,	Most humans of Nordhanian culture
Orcish	Dethek	Common, Blackspeech, Gutterspeech	Orcs
Thoralian	Thoralic	Aurunian, Dûadain, Eponi, Vaslorian	Most humans of Thoralian culture
Undercommon	Dethek	-	Most denizens of the Underdark
Valacian	Thoralic	Ancient, Kezlav, Vostoyan, Wyldemian, Xhorhas	Most humans of Valacian culture

Exotic Languages

Language	Script	Dialects	Typical Speakers
Abyssal	Infernan	Demonic, Oni, Tenebrous	Demons, Oni, Dark Entities, other Otherworldly Beings
Beastspeech	Iokharic	Aves, Canine, Feline, Reptilia, Rodent, Simian, Taurus, Ursine	Skinwalkers
Caelish	Thoralic	Academic, Prose	Dead Language, mostly spoken by scholars or poets
Celestial	Espruar	High, Kami, Lesser, Solar	Celestials, Deities, Divine Spirits, other Otherworldly Beings
Darakhul	Infernan	Blood, Raven, Shadow	Denizens of the Shadowfell and the Domains of Dread, Undead
Deep Speech	-	Outer, Inner	Aberrations, Mindflayers, Beholders, Denizens of the Far Realm
Draconic	Iokharic	Ancient, Chromatic, Gem, Kami, Kobold, Metallic	Dragons, Dragonborn, Kobolds, Lizardfolk, Scholars, Mages
Giant	Dethek	Amazon, Fire, Frost, Hill, Jötun, Ogre, Storm	Giants, Goliaths, Amazons, Firbolgs, Ogres, Runesmiths
Giff	Dethek	-	Giff
Infernal	Infernan	Least, Lesser, Greater, Mabrahoring	Devils, Tieflings, Warlocks, other Otherworldly Beings
Primordial	Iokharic	Aquan, Auran, Ignan, Terran	Genasi, Elementals, Triton, Denizens of the Elemental Planes
Sylvan	Espruar	Seelie, Unseelie, Changing, Winter, Wyld	Fey, Elves
Threek	Iokharic	-	Thri-Kreen

Exotic Language Special Rules

The exotic and often otherworldly nature of these languages carries some special rules with them, which are detailed below:
Show Details

Abyssal

The words you speak come out without any apparent grammar. Due to the chaotic nature of the language, the Comprehend Language spell does not work on Abyssal. While it does return the literal words of the language, all that is heard is nonsense and gibberish.

Beastspeech

This language is heavily influenced by the sounds and mannerisms of related animals. When speaking this language you can communicate simple thoughts and ideas to animals of a related group. You gain advantage on Wisdom (Animal Handling) when interacting with this group of animals. It is ultimately up to the DM to determine if a beast or similar creature belongs to your language group or not.

Caelish

Caelish is the language of sages and scholars. Some even say it is interwoven with ancient magic. When writing or reading a document in this language, the text carries a much deeper understanding about the written topic than the words alone. It also carries the experience, knowledge and take the emotions of the writer into account, even if not explicitly written in a way to explain those.

Celestial

The harmonic voices of Celestial give your voice an ethereal quality. Lies cannot willfully be told in this language, though truth can be withheld.

Darakhul

The language of the Shadows and the Undead. When speaking this language every dead soul, spirit, undead and other inhabitant of The Shadowfell can understand you, no matter what languages they knew in life, and even if they do not speak Darakhul themselves. But they can still only answer in a language they can speak and you might not be able to understand that.

Draconic

Wisps of elemental energy trail from the corners of your mouth while you speak the language. Your voice carries power and majesty, bolstering the strong and cowering the weak.

Deep Speech

Fundamental aspects of language do not apply to deep speech. Sounds that do not exist in language are used, syntactic structures that are impossible exist, and linguistic universals are broken. Anyone that uses an Intelligence (Linguistic) check to understand Deep Speech without knowing the language must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or be incapacitated until the end of their next turn. The DC for this saving throw is usually 5 + 5 for each fluency level of the speaker / writer above the skill of the character.

Giant

The spoken language of Giant is difficult for the smaller races, and often magic is employed to augment the sounds of the language to sound more "authentic". You cannot speak in Giant quieter than Shouting. When you speak in Giant, you can extend the range of your voice to be heard up to three times the distance that you normally can be heard at.

Infernal

The intricacies of the language are an enigma to mortals, designed to trap those unfamiliar with it in endless loopholes. For the trained user, however, Infernal offers the most precise way of being understood, with no room for misunderstanding or ambiguity.

Primordial

• Aquan. Your language allows you to hear words from bodies of water, echoes of the elementals that have passed through them. You can make a DC 20 Intelligence (Linguistic) check to learn of creatures that have passed through the water in the last 24 hours.
• Auran. You can hear the words in the air that speak broken phrases that have been spoken in other tongues. You can make a DC 20 Intelligence (Linguistic) check to hear in Auran what someone is saying in a different language up to 300 feet away.
• Ignan. You can sometimes hear words in the crackling fire. While holding a flame, you can whisper a message up to 25 words in Ignan to it and have it repeat the message as long as the flame endures. Only other fluent speakers of Ignan can hear and understand these messages.
• Terran. You can whisper to the earth in Terran and hear the resonance it makes with gems and crystals. While you speak in Terran to it in this way, you learn if there are any crystals or gems within 30 feet of you buried in the earth. You know how far they are and in what direction.

Sylvan

A dichotomy of expression and deception is interwoven into the language. When using this language, you can attempt an Intelligence (Linguistic) check with a DC of 10. On a success, you can augment your language with an auditory illusion, such as rain falling or the sounds of animals. These sounds do not impede other creatures attempts to understand you if they also understand Sylvan, but all other Intelligence (Lingustic) checks have disadvantage to understand you.
However, if you attempt to speak in this language for more than 1 minute, you must succeed on a DC 10 Charisma (Linguistic) check to control your emotional state. On a failure, you reveal your emotions toward the creature(s) you are speaking to. On a failure of 5 or greater, you reveal your deepest feelings about the creature(s) to them.

Other Languages

These languages can not be learned by mortals, without the use of powerful magic.

Language	Dialects	Typical Speaker
Words of Creation	-	The Gods
Void Speech	-	Eldritch Horros