Hilarity has ensued multiple times, as discussion between the party never, EVER stays in one language.
Gnome Wizard: (Draconic) We need a wagon.
Kabold Leader: (Draconic) Why?
Gnome Wizard: (Draconic) Incase we need to carry stuff...
Kabold Dragon Shaman: (Draconic) *looks over to the Gargon* I think we're fine.\
Half-Dragon Barbarian: (Draconic) I can carry a lot as well.
Gnome Wizard: (Draconic) Well okay, how about if we have to carry an injured person?
Kabold Dragon Shaman: (Draconic) They won't be injured very long around me.
Gnome Wizard: (Draconic) True, but--
Human Class X (I dunno what he is exactly): (Bezin -- the language of one of the other empires) [to gnome wizard] I need to use your mortar and pastel.
Gnome Wizard: (Bezin) That's why I want a wagon!
Human Class X: (Bezin, didn't understand a bit of the draconic) Uhh, what?
Gnome Wizard: *sighs* (Draconic) Anyway, why not get a wagon?
The conversation continued, but that was the highlight. :P
Looking forward to the next gaming session.
Have you ever played any games where not all the characters speak the same language? What is your experience?
Thanks and I hope you enjoyed this.
-Personally speaking, a world without a trade language (Common) is unrealistic. Sure, there are spells, like Tongues, that allow you to understand and speak any language you hear, and items that allow you to understand and speak them, but not everyone in the world is a Wizard, or has access to such items. There is always going to be some kind of trading tongue, being as trade between different nations of people, who have different cultures and different languages, is always going to happen.
Hey, there was no 'trading togue' until the late 1800's when english went wild. People had to learn different languages depending on who they wanted to trade with. If each region has a different language it would be more like the middle ages.
We played a game where everyone had to have a region language plus their race language (humans and halflings didn't get race languages). It was pretty funny when we figured out that everyone only understood two other people in a group of seven. It was a weird game of telephone when our ranger spotted an ogre ambush and the halfling thought he wanted a bath.
"Why do you want a bath! Ogres are attcking!"
Hey, there was no 'trading togue' until the late 1800's when english went wild. People had to learn different languages depending on who they wanted to trade with. If each region has a different language it would be more like the middle ages.
-There were, however, linguas francas.
I believe the GM has a reason for the situation - he always seems to. I simply haven't inquired to him about it because I was more interested in playing. :P
Magic that breaks the language barrier would likely be used more often in such an campaign.
Be it Greek, Latin, Arabic, Aramean, Chinese, Turkish, Persian, Malay, Yoruba, the Sanskrit and related languages, Nahuatl, Incan, French, Russian, English... etc....
Mostly I had fun playing translator. Since I was playing a lazy hedonistic bard, he would simplify what she said to other people, and what other people said to her. And of course, it was great fun when he got to play barrister to get her out of jail. He spun a sweet little story about her being his braid-addled sister, and all sorts of sob story. Laid it on real thick. Then when she asked what he said to get her free he summed up 10 minutes of RP with "I told them you really liked animals."
But from time to time, I would also simplify to "and as the NPC goes on with plot exposition, I translate."
So... it can be fun and interesting, but it does seem a little strange for someone to be in a strange and foreign land without any reliable way to communicate with other people. So either they're glued at the hip to a friend, or they spend a lot of time playing charades.
Maybe not a WORLD-long common, but 'big languages', yes.
Hey, there was no 'trading tongue' until the late 1800's when english went wild. People had to learn different languages depending on who they wanted to trade with. If each region has a different language it would be more like the middle ages.
Bloody euro-centrics!!
Trade languages do not have to be spoken or charades. The American Indians used a series of signs that allowed them to communicate with tribes beyond their borders. Those who they were not at war with they traded with. while not every tribe had a completely different language, it adjusted through dialection and the signs reserved for trades were held to a standard to keep them from changing, which reduced the dialection of them.
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/17451
Suppose instead of Every Race Speaking Common, the individual societies only spoke their chosen race's Language. Common Rather than being Common would be Something like Human.
Trade Cities would Have an Exceedingly high demand for Translators and Spellcasters. Some of which may be imposters who merely want the money...
A magic item that would be common would be something like:
Neckalace of Tongues. Since anyone seems to understand how to use Magical Amulets (i'm running on the assumtion that since a Barbarian can use an Amulet of Protection, a goblin with a forth of his brain removed should be able to figure out the Ammy of Tongues)
in the real world a Common trade Language evolved out of neccessity, but if we had access to magicks (rather from our own bloodline or from hiring someone..) I would imagine that everything would be different. Perhaps the only means of Trade Came from the recruitment of wizards to create Expensive Magical Jewelry, or from hiring Shady People who Claim to speak many languages.
Where we have electricity, a DnD society may rely upon Magic.
Remember Wizards are people Taught to unlock their magic...Socerers are Born with it unlocked, Clerics and Pallys Pray for it, Druids learn it through Communing with nature...
So would it not make since that Empires seeking to trade would purchase these neckalaces.
in the real world a Common trade Language evolved out of neccessity, but if we had access to magicks (rather from our own bloodline or from hiring someone..) I would imagine that everything would be different. Perhaps the only means of Trade Came from the recruitment of wizards to create Expensive Magical Jewelry, or from hiring Shady People who Claim to speak many languages.
-As was mentioned, not everyone in every world has access to that kind of stuff. Joe Blow the trader from Nowheresville certainly doesn't, I'd say.
There ya go.
In one game one of the PCs got up in the middle of an inn and made a rousing speech. The player went on for like 10 minutes, some really great stuff. Finally he finishes and stand proud, waiting for the reaction from the inn's patrons…which turned out for the most part to be utter bewilderment. It was at this point that the player recalled that he didn't speak the local language and no one had any idea what he was saying.
Within one step (Northwestern Common to Western Common or Northern Common), it requires a straight DC 12 Intelligence check to decipher what someone is trying to say or to formulate a correct statement in said language. Note that this can also be altered due to geographic features/monster activity (example: nobody in the city of Gonhirrton speaks Northeast Common because nobody travels across the Dust Wastes).
Within two steps (Northwestern Common to Southwestern Common, Central Common, or Northeastern Common), it requires a DC 17 Intelligence check.
Within three steps (NW to S or E), it's a DC 22, and so on.
For languages with nothing in common, the character would have to use magic or spend time (read: "skill points") to learn the other language.
It makes for some interesting encounters, much like what the last poster had with the audience not understanding anything that was said.
- David (Rogue) spoke English and Hebrew
- Boris (Warrior) spoke English and Russian
- Miguel (Shaman) spoke Spanish and Russian
We did not realize this until halfway through a conversation between David and Miguel, when the Storyteller pointed it out and ruled that the only way we could be communicating directly was through Garou, the werewolf language of yips and howls. Both characters then looked around at the other patrons of the tiny cafe in which they were sitting with some embarrassment before deciding to take the conversation outside, to a nice secluded alleyway.