Languages and Literacy

(note -- article re-written on May 3, 2010)

First, forget about "Common". In Bluvardy, "Common" (as a language) means a pidgin trade lingo for usable for basic communication. "How much?" (along with hand gestures) isn't too far from as sophisticated as it gets. Mergan is the "trade lingo" of the area that the Charactes will start in.

In Bluvardy, characters all know their "milk language" and Mergan plus some others. They will know their "milk language" at the higher of their INT or WIS stats (examples, Qeel 12 or Snero 13).

Mergan will be known at one point less if their "milk language" was from the Mergan group; if it was not, Mergan will be known at three points less (examples Qeel 12 = Mergan 11, Snero 13 = Mergan 10).

All Characters may know up to four other languages (plus any INT bonuses). No language may be known at a better rate than their "milk language".

Characters should list their languages in descending order (i.e., each one will be less well-known than the previous one.  Ignoring Mergan for the moment, Characters start with their milk language at the better of their INT or WIS score.  The next language that they know will be at one point less than their milk language IF it is in the same "Alphabet Group" OR two points less if it is from another Alphabet Group.

(For example -- the Snero 13, Mergan 10 character could choose his next language to be Brovish 11 (since it is in a different Alphabet Group) or something like Onaks 12 (because it is in the same Alphabet Group as Snero).

Thus the general rule is that the next language will be one point lower if you already know that alphabet; or two points lower if it is a new alphabet to the character . . . and remember that Mergan (even though it is ignored for the language sequence) does mean that you can read the Mergan Alphabet.


Often several different languages use the same alphabet (think English, French and Latin, etc. for example). If your character knows the alphabet, he/she may read what is written. And if they don't know the particular language, they can attempt to sound words out but won't know what they mean.

Here are some common "tongues" in Bluvardy:

• MERGAN ALPHABET GROUP:
  
  
  • Mergan -- common "trade language" of the area
  • Tilan -- "dead" language used by spellcasters
  • Izzo -- Human language of the Izzo Clan
    
  • Qeel -- Human language of the Qeel Clan
    
  • Utti -- Human language of the Utti Clan
    
  • Xelt -- Human language of the Xelt Clan
    
  • Yarp -- Human language of the Yarp Clan
    
  • Zuff -- Human language of the Zuff Clan
  
  
• RUNIC ALPHABET GROUP:
  
  
  • Runic -- "dead" language used by spellcasters
    
  • Snero -- Human language of the Snero Clans
    
  • Onaks -- Hobbit language
  • Rokish -- Warf language (part-dwarf)
    
  • Irontongue -- Dwarvish language 
  • Gelvish -- language of the Gelfs
  • Taltish -- language of the Jantz
  • Falgtongue -- language of the Vrall
  
  
• KREGE ALPHABET GROUP:
  
  
  • Krege -- "dead" language used by spellcasters
    
  • Grenis -- language used by Dryads, Fauns and others
    
  • Eqwa -- Centaur language
    
    
• ELDISH ALPHABET GROUP:
  
  
  • Eldish -- High Elven language
    
  • Sylvish -- Wood Elf language
  • Brovish -- language of other Elvish types (including Common Elves)
    
  • Wyrdish -- Faerie language
  • Yalfish -- Half-Elven language
    
  
  
• ELIN ALPHABET GROUP:
  
  
  • Elin -- "dead" language used by spellcasters
    
  • Saurg -- Desert Saurig language
    
  • Swaash -- Marsh Saurig language
    
  
  
• BARAIK ALPHABET GROUP:
  
  
  • Baraik -- "dead" language used by spellcasters
  • Koor -- Human language of the white-turbaned Koor Clan
  • Romoshi -- Human language of the color-turbaned Romoshi Clans
  • Orkix -- Ork language
  
  
• LETORIAN ALPHABET GROUP:
  
  
  • Letorian -- "dead" language used by spellcasters
    
  • Jachin -- Oriental language used by the Jachin Clan
    
  • Chinja -- Oriental language used by the Chinja Clan
  • Gobb -- language of the Goblins
    
  
  
  

In addition to the "alphabet" groups mentioned above, spellcasters generally specialize in certain languages. Here are some common choices:

• Baraik -- many Magic-user spells are in Baraik
  
• Tilan -- many Magic-user spells are in Tilan
  
• Talorian -- some Magic-user spells are in Talorian
  
• Eldish -- some Magic-user spells are in Eldish
  
• Wyrdish -- some Magic-user spells are in Wyrdish
  
  
• Runic -- Clerics of the Norse Pantheon use this language for their spells; also some MU spells
  
• Krege -- Clerics of the Greek Pantheon use this language for their spells; also a few MU spells
  
• Elin -- Clerics of the Egyptian Pantheon use this language for their spells; also a few MU spells
  

It should be noted that characters with a "milk language" other than one of the "Mergan" group will not be as fluent in that "trade language" as those who belong to one of the "six clans". On the other hand, those "Mergan" characters will not be as fluent in non-Mergan languages. A variety of languages within a party is always an advantage since an adventure may well take characters well afield.

About "Read Magic"

First, characters other than Magic Users or Swordmages will not be able to make any sense from any magical writing other than a scroll (which generally only has a "trigger word"). Even Magic-Users and Swordmages can only make sense out of writings from a Magic User or Swordmage of their own Element . . . otherwise it doesn't seem to quite make sense no matter how long or hard they study it.


This is because magical writings are only semi-complete . . . parts of them exist in a manner that is only understandable to one committed to their own Element. Thus even an Air Mage (for example) who also has two Quarters of Water would not be able to understand a magical writing by a Water mage.


Similarly, Clerics may only truly understand clerical writings dedicated to their own Goddess or God. In this case, it is not their Elemental nature, but the action of their deity that allows them to comprehend.


Thus, the "Read Magic" spell is broken down into a series of smaller scope spells -- Read Air Magic, Read Fire Magic, etc. If the writing is of an Element other than the Mage's own, he/she will at least be able to determine which type of mage wrote it . . . and have a general idea of what it is . . . but they wouldn't be able to use it.


"Detect Magic" (whether magical or clerical) will show what Element the magic is by the color of the glow:


Yellow . . . is Air Magic
Red . . . . . is Fire Magic
Blue . . . . . is Water Magic
Green . . . . is Earth Magic
White . . . . is "Spirit" (i.e., Clerical) Magic
Purple . . . is Dragon Magic
Black . . . . is Death Magic
other . . . . ??????




-- Jeff