Choosing a Language

So as you create your characters, you will also get to potentially pick additional languages that you will know. This article outlines the types of languages available to you and how they are relevant in the world.

DM's Note
D&D has dozens of languages, some racially based, others are location based, but often time languages don't really come up all to often until there is a piece of obscure text or an ancient/powerful being speaking in a very specific language in the moment. So I am changing how people know languages by basing not off your race or background choices, but by your intelligence score.

Languages will be broken down into three categories: Common, Exotic and Lost/Forgotten. Languages will vary from continent to continent, meaning that what may be an exotic language on one will be common on another and vice-versa. Speak to the DM for specifics.

What Languages Do I Know?

So when creating your character, before you can work out which languages you know, you must first work out your starting Intelligence score. Work out the modifier and that will determine the number of points you can spend on learning languages.
Spending Language Points:
Common Languages = 1 Point
Exotic Languages = 3 Points
Ancient/Forgotten = Speak to DM
So with a character with an intelligence score of 19, you will have 4 points to play with. You could learn 4 common languages, or 1 common language and a single exotic language.

• Ancient and forgotten languages can only be learned under specific circumstances, so you will need to discuss with the DM the hows and whys you may know those languages, as it is incredibly rare and difficult to come across an individual who speaks them and/or is willing to teach the language to you.

Common Languages

• Common - This will be the language common to your continent or country. Other continents will have their own specific languages. (Everyone knows the relevant common language of the area you are from) You may want to learn other common languages from other continents and countries to add to your repertoire. - If you have a negative intelligence score modifier, consider if you character is capable of reading and writing this language, even if its in a limited fashion for RP purposes.

• Dwarvish - Dwarves are usually a minority race in most places, but they are pretty much everywhere. It's easy enough to learn the basics of the dwarvish language.

• Elvish - While the elves are a reclusive race, their settlements hidden by magic and forgotten by time, some do venture out into the world to fulfil their lust for adventure and discovery. There are plenty of scholars who learn the language, and many elvish texts left behind from ages past. It's not too difficult to learn the basics of the elvish language.

• Gnomish - The language of the Gnomes.

• Goblin - Goblins are everywhere. Whether they are savage, uncultured tribes who are as likely to eat you as speak to you, or the individuals who have settled into civilisation, you will struggle to find a region without a goblinoid. As such, while it may be tricky to find a teacher who won't eat you, it is definitely possible to learn this language. Different regions may have differing dialects, but the language itself is fairly simple, so a little practise and you will be able to speak to any goblin, no matter where they are from.

• Halfling - The language of the halfling race. (DM always imagines this as cokney rhyming slang)

• Orc - The language of the orc races.

• Thieves' Cant - The secret language of the criminal underground. Not so much a language in of itself, but a way of speaking in code using everyday speach, symbology and gestures to convey hidden meanings to those who understand this language.

• Under Common - The common language spoken by the denizens of the Underdark.

Exotic Languages

• Abyssal - The language of demons.

• Celestial - The simplified form of Gappelspiel, a language spoken by most celestial beings.

• Draconic - Spoken exclusively by dragons. It's harsh gutteral sounds are difficult to master. - Lizardfolk and Dragonborn do not have access to this language by default

• Druidic - The language of the druids, the language of the land itself.

• Elemental Languages
  Aquan - The primary language of the elemental plane of water.
  Auran - The primary language of the elemental plane of air.
  Ignan - The primary language of the elemental plane of fire.
  Terran - The primary language of the elemental plane of earth.

• Giant - The language of giants.

• Infernal - The language of devils.

• Primodial - Primodial is a language that has been derived by visitors and travellers of the elemental planes. It is different enough to be its own language, but is incredibly complex due to the fact it has been made from four different languages. Speaking primordial will allow you to speak to a creature - albeit with difficulty - that speaks one of the four primary elemental langauges. (Aquan/Auran/Ignan/Terran)

• Sylvan - The primary language of the Fey Wild.

Ancient/Forgotten Languages

• Deep Speech - The language of strange eldritch entities from the great beyond.

• Gappelspiel - The true language of the gods. This language is incredibly difficult to master, and researchers have spent decades of their lives to studying the proper pronounciation of and individual phrase. It is said that some of the most powerful spells in history are derived from this language. (Power Word Spells)