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Arion Elenim
Senior Scribe
933 Posts |
 Posted - 12 Jul 2004 : 19:10:26
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I need an assist...
Are Auto-Langs just given to the PC freely, or are they the languages they may choose based on Int. Modifier?
I've never really understood that..
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My latest Realms-based short story, about a bard, a paladin of Lathander and the letter of the law, Debts Repaid. It takes place before the "shattering" and gives the bard Arion a last gasp before he plunges into the present.http://candlekeep.com/campaign/logs/log-debts.htm |
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Icewolf
Learned Scribe
USA
214 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2004 : 20:33:34
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Automatic Languages are given to the player based on starting choices. An elf, for example, knows Common and Elven.
Bonus Languages are the languages given based on Int. Modifier. |
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Arion Elenim
Senior Scribe
933 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2004 : 22:38:26
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| So, except in strange circumstances, automatic languages are just that: automatic. The character starts out with them no matter what...right? |
My latest Realms-based short story, about a bard, a paladin of Lathander and the letter of the law, Debts Repaid. It takes place before the "shattering" and gives the bard Arion a last gasp before he plunges into the present.http://candlekeep.com/campaign/logs/log-debts.htm |
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Icewolf
Learned Scribe
USA
214 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2004 : 22:56:21
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quote:
Originally posted by Arion Elenim
So, except in strange circumstances, automatic languages are just that: automatic. The character starts out with them no matter what...right?
Short answer: Yes.
Long, long answer:
Common is the Trade Language of Faerun. Every race who interacts with the vast majority of Common speakers gets this(i.e. adventurers, diplomats, and pretty much anyone else who has regular interaction with humans). Races besides humans get one additional language--their native languages. |
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Arion Elenim
Senior Scribe
933 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2004 : 23:32:55
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Yeah, Common I understand. Basic language of the game...
I'm just trying to figure out why being from Waterdeep means you automatically speak Chondathan.... |
My latest Realms-based short story, about a bard, a paladin of Lathander and the letter of the law, Debts Repaid. It takes place before the "shattering" and gives the bard Arion a last gasp before he plunges into the present.http://candlekeep.com/campaign/logs/log-debts.htm |
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Icewolf
Learned Scribe
USA
214 Posts |
Posted - 12 Jul 2004 : 23:56:21
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Took a look through my FRCS, and Chondathan is one of the four oldest human languages, along with Imaskari, Nar, and Netherese.
It depends on which region you're from. In this case, it would be Waterdeep, which is in the Chondathan speaking region. Notice, this is along with common, and any racial languages you can speak. |
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brjr2001
Learned Scribe
106 Posts |
Posted - 15 Jul 2004 : 23:48:47
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| i personally don't like the languages |
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Bookwyrm
Great Reader
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - 16 Jul 2004 : 09:00:11
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And why is that? You like the unrealistic feel of everyone everywhere speaking the same language, no matter their nationality, species, or planar origin?
On the other hand, it works on Star Trek. 
If you're in the Realms, you get first Common, then your racial language (which is nothing for humans), and then your regional language(s). This is irrespective of Intelligence. If you have a negative modifier for Intelligence, you still get these. Then for every point of Int bonus, you get an extra language. For a human, half-elf, or planetouched, this can be any language; the Bonus Languages list is for either guidance or for the possibility for another character race taking that region (say, an elf who was raised by the Rashemi). Or, DMs can rule that these races have to use the Bonus list for their region, but that takes away one of the few advantages humans have.
The reason why you automatically get Chondathan if you're from Waterdeep is that if you're born and raised in a land where Chondathan is the dominant language, it becomes your dominant languaged -- unless, of course, you have an imigrant culture, like is common in the US. (Mostly Spanish-speaking these days, but just a few years ago you could easily find all sorts of languages that American children were reared in.)
In the "United States region" I created for Jack Archer, I gave it only one automatic language: American English. Despite efforts by the proponents of Esperanto, we have no "universal" language. (Well, there's a partial as far as English -- both British and American -- is concerned, but it isn't wide enough that everyone knows it. Personally, I don't like Common for that reason.) |
Hell hath no fury like all of Candlekeep rising in defense of one of its own.
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Automatic Languages
