Expanding an Idea: Knowledge Culture Skill [Archive] - Wizards Community

Expanding an Idea: Knowledge Culture Skill [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
zambuka
09-06-05, 11:23 PM Some time ago someone posted an alternate idea to language skills (so credit where credit is due so let me know who you are).

I have been playing about with it and have come up with the following rough draft which covers languages by region of origion (rather than by race or class).

Knowledge Culture.

A new skill set to replace languages and area knowledge.
When making an area knowledge roll the DC for the non-native wil be higher than the DC for a native by 5. Otherwise the skill works the same as area knowledge.

Each character gets 2 KC ranks in their region of origin plus their intelligence bonus in additional ranks that can be spent on other regions or their region of origin. After character creation these culture skills can be improved using skill points, just like normal skills. A character's region of origin counts as a class skill so costs a single skill point to raise a rank. A character's other culture skills count as cross class, requiring 2 skill points to raise 1 rank.

Special: Bards and Changelings count all culture skills as class skills. Barbarians use a separate language table.

Uneducated commoners and residents of less civilised areas (like Droaam) can use the barbarian table instead.

5 ranks gives a +2 synergy bonus to bluff, diplomacy, gather information, local geography and local history.
5 ranks also gives a +2 synergy bonus to knowledge skills when researching using a library in the region (provided you have enough ranks to read the language to begin with).

The ranks you have in each culture skill determine how well you can speak and read the primary, secondary and tertiary languages. Some languages may only be spoken languages, in this case ignore any ability to read the language.

Table 1: Language skills
Primary Languages:
Rank 1: Speak well enough but with heavy accent if not native. Read with difficulty
Rank 2:Speak like a native (with slight accent if not a native) Can read quite well.
Rank 3:Can read some ancient documents with difficulty.
Rank 4:Intimate knowledge of the language. Can read ancient documents with ease.
Rank 5:-
Rank 6:-

Secondary Languages:
Rank 1: Recognise a few words. Can communicate only at a basic level.
Rank 2: Speak with heavy accent Can read with difficulty
Rank 3: Speak like a native (with slight accent if not racial tongue) Can read quite well.
Rank 4: Can read some ancient documents with difficulty.
Rank 5: Intimate knowledge of the language. Can read ancient documents with ease.
Rank 6:-

Tertiary Languages:
Rank 1: No skills with the language
Rank 2: Recognise a few words. Can communicate only at a basic level.
Rank 3: Speak with heavy accent Can read with difficulty
Rank 4: Speak like a native (with slight accent if not racial tongue) Can read quite well.
Rank 5: Can read some ancient documents with difficulty.
Rank 6: Intimate knowledge of the language. Can read ancient documents with ease.

Table 2: Barbarian Languages (or for less educated groups)
Primary Languages.
Rank 1: Speak well enough but with heavy accent if not native.
Rank 2: Speak like a native (with slight accent if not a native)
Rank 3: Read with difficulty.
Rank 4: Can read quite well.
Rank 5: Can read some ancient documents with difficulty.
Rank 6: Intimate knowledge of the language. Can read ancient documents with ease.

Secondary languages:
Rank 1: Recognise a few words. Can communicate only at a basic level.
Rank 2: Speak well enough but with heavy accent if not native.
Rank 3: Speak like a native (with slight accent if not a native)
Rank 4: Read with difficulty.
Rank 5: Can read quite well.
Rank 6: Can read some ancient documents with difficulty.

Tertiary Languages:
Rank 1: Recognise a few words. Can communicate only at a basic level.
Rank 2: Speak well enough but with heavy accent if not native.
Rank 3: Speak like a native (with slight accent if not a native)
Rank 4:
Rank 5: Read with difficulty.
Rank 6: Can read quite well.

Notes: Read with difficulty means that texts more complicated than "See spot run, run spot run" leave you struggling and needing help. Wanted posters and price tags are the peek of your literary prowess.
zambuka
09-06-05, 11:24 PM Regions of origin and languages for use with Knowledge Culture skill.
Note there are some comments specific to my campaign here. It is also, as with the knowledge culture skill itself, a work in progress I am posting for feedback.

Regions of Origin and languages.
ADAR
Primary: Riedran
Tertiary: Quori, Common*
*The inspired and the Quori have pretty much unified the culture of Sarlona. Those few non-human races still living in Sarlona speak Riedran almost exclusively. Common is added as a tertiary language because Khorvairen common is based on ancient Riedran.

AERENAL
Primary: Elven
Secondary: Common, Draconic
Tertiary: Giant* *Giant is spoken and written in Aerenal as some ancient records are still in the giant's script. Only a native Aerenal elf can learn to read and write giant.

AUNDAIR
Primary: Common
Secondary: Elf, Halfling, Draconic
Tertiary: Celestial, Infernal

BRELAND
Primary: Common, Gnome
Secondary: Elven, Dwarven, Halfling, Goblin
Tertiary: Orc, Sahaugin, Giant*
*Giant is only available to those who have spent time in Xen'drik or have closely studied ancient giant artifacts. Can never get above read with difficulty level.

CYRE
Primary: Common
Secondary: Halfling, Gnome, Dwarf
Tertiary: Elf, Draconic

DARGUUN
Primary: Goblin
Secondary: Common
Tertiary: Draconic, Elf

THE DEMON WASTES
Primary: Orc, Common
Secondary: Infernal
Tertiary: Draconic

DROAAM
Primary: Undercommon*, Gnoll
Secondary: Orc, Goblin, Gnoll*
Tertiary: Demonic, Ogre, Giant**
*Gnolls start with Gnoll, other races use Undercommon and their racial tongue gain Gnoll as a secondary language. Undercommon is a corrupted pidgin based on Gnoll and Common with heavy Ogre and Orcish influence.
**Giant is a spoken tongue only in Droaam.

THE ELDEEN REACHES
Primary: Common
Secondary: Orc, Sylvan, Halfling
Tertiary: Infernal, Celestial

KARRNATH
Primary: Common
Secondary: Dwarven, Elven, Halfling
Tertiary: Draconic

LHAZAAR PRINCIPALITIES
Primary: Common
Secondary: Gnome, Dwarven, Elven, Halfling
Tertiary: Sahaugin

THE MOURNLAND
Primary: Common

THE MROR HOLDS
Primary: Dwarven
Secondary: Common, Gnome, Orc
Tertiary: Terran, Undercommon

Q'BARRA
Primary: Common or Draconic*
Secondary: Dwarven, Halfling, Common, Draconic*
Tertiary: Riedran,
* Humans and other core races start with common. Native races, Lizardfolk, Kobolds etc have Draconic as their primary language.

THE SHADOW MARCHES
Primary: Orc
Secondary: Common, Goblin
Tertiary: Sylvan

THE TALENTA PLAINS
Primary: Halfling
Secondary: Common, Dwarven
Tertiary: (not certain yet)

THRANE
Primary: Common
Secondary: Draconic, Dwarven
Tertiary: Elven, Halfling, Celestial

VALENAR
Primary: Elven
Secondary: Common*
*Common is not spoken too often in Valenar, all official documents are in Elven and the few schools that cater to the human population are required to do their teaching in Elven.

Z1LARGO
Primary: Gnome
Secondary: Common, Dwarven, Goblin
Tertiary: (probably the elemental tongues, Ignan, Auren, Terran and Aquan)
zambuka
09-06-05, 11:52 PM Examples of use:
Kym
Kym is a fighter who grew up in Wroat. With her basic 2 points in Knowledge culture she is reasonably literate. She can speak Gnome and Common as well as most Brelish people, although her gnomish has a thoroughly Brelish accent with a lot of colloquialisms and a bit of common mixed in that you wouldn't find in Zilargo. She is pretty literate in both languages.
She knows a few words in Elven, Dwarven, Goblin and Halfling. Not enough to hold a conversation but enough to swear a bit in those languages, order a meal from a restaurant and ask where the nearest bathroom is.

Bran
Bran is a bard from Aundair. he has travelled a bit and has invested some skill points into his native culture and a few others. He has 3 points in Aundair, 2 in Brealand and 1 each in Droaam and Darguun.
Bran can speak Elf, halfling and Draconic with reasonable ease. He is eloquent with Common and well versed with local lore.
He can struggle through texts written in Elf, halfling and Draconic, getting the meaning through guesswork and interpolation, he won't always translate or even understand but knows enough for basic writing.
He can understand a few spoken words in Celestial and Infernal.
He knows as much Brelish lore as Kym but speaks with a slight Aundaran accent (rather than the heavy accent he would otherwise have).

He can speak Undercommon and Goblin well enough but will have some troubles with his accent. He can read and write a few simple words in these languages.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
zambuka 09-06-05, 11:23 PM	Some time ago someone posted an alternate idea to language skills (so credit where credit is due so let me know who you are). I have been playing about with it and have come up with the following rough draft which covers languages by region of origion (rather than by race or class). Knowledge Culture. A new skill set to replace languages and area knowledge. When making an area knowledge roll the DC for the non-native wil be higher than the DC for a native by 5. Otherwise the skill works the same as area knowledge. Each character gets 2 KC ranks in their region of origin plus their intelligence bonus in additional ranks that can be spent on other regions or their region of origin. After character creation these culture skills can be improved using skill points, just like normal skills. A character's region of origin counts as a class skill so costs a single skill point to raise a rank. A character's other culture skills count as cross class, requiring 2 skill points to raise 1 rank. Special: Bards and Changelings count all culture skills as class skills. Barbarians use a separate language table. Uneducated commoners and residents of less civilised areas (like Droaam) can use the barbarian table instead. 5 ranks gives a +2 synergy bonus to bluff, diplomacy, gather information, local geography and local history. 5 ranks also gives a +2 synergy bonus to knowledge skills when researching using a library in the region (provided you have enough ranks to read the language to begin with). The ranks you have in each culture skill determine how well you can speak and read the primary, secondary and tertiary languages. Some languages may only be spoken languages, in this case ignore any ability to read the language. Table 1: Language skills Primary Languages: Rank 1: Speak well enough but with heavy accent if not native. Read with difficulty Rank 2:Speak like a native (with slight accent if not a native) Can read quite well. Rank 3:Can read some ancient documents with difficulty. Rank 4:Intimate knowledge of the language. Can read ancient documents with ease. Rank 5:- Rank 6:- Secondary Languages: Rank 1: Recognise a few words. Can communicate only at a basic level. Rank 2: Speak with heavy accent Can read with difficulty Rank 3: Speak like a native (with slight accent if not racial tongue) Can read quite well. Rank 4: Can read some ancient documents with difficulty. Rank 5: Intimate knowledge of the language. Can read ancient documents with ease. Rank 6:- Tertiary Languages: Rank 1: No skills with the language Rank 2: Recognise a few words. Can communicate only at a basic level. Rank 3: Speak with heavy accent Can read with difficulty Rank 4: Speak like a native (with slight accent if not racial tongue) Can read quite well. Rank 5: Can read some ancient documents with difficulty. Rank 6: Intimate knowledge of the language. Can read ancient documents with ease. Table 2: Barbarian Languages (or for less educated groups) Primary Languages. Rank 1: Speak well enough but with heavy accent if not native. Rank 2: Speak like a native (with slight accent if not a native) Rank 3: Read with difficulty. Rank 4: Can read quite well. Rank 5: Can read some ancient documents with difficulty. Rank 6: Intimate knowledge of the language. Can read ancient documents with ease. Secondary languages: Rank 1: Recognise a few words. Can communicate only at a basic level. Rank 2: Speak well enough but with heavy accent if not native. Rank 3: Speak like a native (with slight accent if not a native) Rank 4: Read with difficulty. Rank 5: Can read quite well. Rank 6: Can read some ancient documents with difficulty. Tertiary Languages: Rank 1: Recognise a few words. Can communicate only at a basic level. Rank 2: Speak well enough but with heavy accent if not native. Rank 3: Speak like a native (with slight accent if not a native) Rank 4: Rank 5: Read with difficulty. Rank 6: Can read quite well. Notes: Read with difficulty means that texts more complicated than "See spot run, run spot run" leave you struggling and needing help. Wanted posters and price tags are the peek of your literary prowess.
zambuka 09-06-05, 11:24 PM	Regions of origin and languages for use with Knowledge Culture skill. Note there are some comments specific to my campaign here. It is also, as with the knowledge culture skill itself, a work in progress I am posting for feedback. Regions of Origin and languages. ADAR Primary: Riedran Tertiary: Quori, Common* The inspired and the Quori have pretty much unified the culture of Sarlona. Those few non-human races still living in Sarlona speak Riedran almost exclusively. Common is added as a tertiary language because Khorvairen common is based on ancient Riedran. AERENAL Primary: Elven Secondary: Common, Draconic Tertiary: Giant Giant is spoken and written in Aerenal as some ancient records are still in the giant's script. Only a native Aerenal elf can learn to read and write giant. AUNDAIR Primary: Common Secondary: Elf, Halfling, Draconic Tertiary: Celestial, Infernal BRELAND Primary: Common, Gnome Secondary: Elven, Dwarven, Halfling, Goblin Tertiary: Orc, Sahaugin, Giant Giant is only available to those who have spent time in Xen'drik or have closely studied ancient giant artifacts. Can never get above read with difficulty level. CYRE Primary: Common Secondary: Halfling, Gnome, Dwarf Tertiary: Elf, Draconic DARGUUN Primary: Goblin Secondary: Common Tertiary: Draconic, Elf THE DEMON WASTES Primary: Orc, Common Secondary: Infernal Tertiary: Draconic DROAAM Primary: Undercommon, Gnoll Secondary: Orc, Goblin, Gnoll* Tertiary: Demonic, Ogre, Giant** Gnolls start with Gnoll, other races use Undercommon and their racial tongue gain Gnoll as a secondary language. Undercommon is a corrupted pidgin based on Gnoll and Common with heavy Ogre and Orcish influence. Giant is a spoken tongue only in Droaam. THE ELDEEN REACHES Primary: Common Secondary: Orc, Sylvan, Halfling Tertiary: Infernal, Celestial KARRNATH Primary: Common Secondary: Dwarven, Elven, Halfling Tertiary: Draconic LHAZAAR PRINCIPALITIES Primary: Common Secondary: Gnome, Dwarven, Elven, Halfling Tertiary: Sahaugin THE MOURNLAND Primary: Common THE MROR HOLDS Primary: Dwarven Secondary: Common, Gnome, Orc Tertiary: Terran, Undercommon Q'BARRA Primary: Common or Draconic Secondary: Dwarven, Halfling, Common, Draconic* Tertiary: Riedran, * Humans and other core races start with common. Native races, Lizardfolk, Kobolds etc have Draconic as their primary language. THE SHADOW MARCHES Primary: Orc Secondary: Common, Goblin Tertiary: Sylvan THE TALENTA PLAINS Primary: Halfling Secondary: Common, Dwarven Tertiary: (not certain yet) THRANE Primary: Common Secondary: Draconic, Dwarven Tertiary: Elven, Halfling, Celestial VALENAR Primary: Elven Secondary: Common* *Common is not spoken too often in Valenar, all official documents are in Elven and the few schools that cater to the human population are required to do their teaching in Elven. Z1LARGO Primary: Gnome Secondary: Common, Dwarven, Goblin Tertiary: (probably the elemental tongues, Ignan, Auren, Terran and Aquan)
zambuka 09-06-05, 11:52 PM	Examples of use: Kym Kym is a fighter who grew up in Wroat. With her basic 2 points in Knowledge culture she is reasonably literate. She can speak Gnome and Common as well as most Brelish people, although her gnomish has a thoroughly Brelish accent with a lot of colloquialisms and a bit of common mixed in that you wouldn't find in Zilargo. She is pretty literate in both languages. She knows a few words in Elven, Dwarven, Goblin and Halfling. Not enough to hold a conversation but enough to swear a bit in those languages, order a meal from a restaurant and ask where the nearest bathroom is. Bran Bran is a bard from Aundair. he has travelled a bit and has invested some skill points into his native culture and a few others. He has 3 points in Aundair, 2 in Brealand and 1 each in Droaam and Darguun. Bran can speak Elf, halfling and Draconic with reasonable ease. He is eloquent with Common and well versed with local lore. He can struggle through texts written in Elf, halfling and Draconic, getting the meaning through guesswork and interpolation, he won't always translate or even understand but knows enough for basic writing. He can understand a few spoken words in Celestial and Infernal. He knows as much Brelish lore as Kym but speaks with a slight Aundaran accent (rather than the heavy accent he would otherwise have). He can speak Undercommon and Goblin well enough but will have some troubles with his accent. He can read and write a few simple words in these languages.