Language

Languages on the Mainland have slightly different mechanics than the languages of standard D&D.

Mechanics

Starting Languages

Each player character of a non-Servitor race (except Lizard Men) starts with Ubrekti and the language of her homeland, plus a number of bonus languages equal to Intelligence modifier (which languages can be chosen is determined by background and GM fiat). Those characters who originate in Ubrekt begin play with and Hakni.

SRD Language Equivalents

Ubrekti serves as a stand-in for Common; it is spoken among people of any amount of learning on the Mainland, but is not completely universal, and may not be understood by commoner, or more isolated, people. Many of the demihuman races have a language named after their race (Gnomish for the Gnomes, Dwarvish for the Dwarves), but Human languages are generally regionally named (Odessan,Flanneri).

Learning Language

Whenever a new language is learned, a teacher of the language must somehow be procured, and some amount of storyline-appropriate time must past before the language is actually learned. Learning a language learns it both in spoken and written form, if applicable (some languages have no alphabet, and some languages are no longer spoken), unless the character is a Barbarian, in which case only spoken variants are learned (assuming the Barbarian has not acquired literacy from some source).

Related Languages

Some languages are related closely enough that speakers of one can understand speakers of another. If communication is attempted, an Intelligence check is rolled against the DC determined by the table below.

DCs for Intelligence check for understanding related language

	Dialects	Closely Related	Related	Distantly Related	Not Related
Simple Message	-	5	10	20	30
Complex Message	5	10	20	30	40

Reference

The SRD reference (the Speak Language skill page) is here.

Refer to the List of Languages for details on specific languages, and a list of available languages.