Unearth Arcana - Revised Langues

OverviewThis document presents playtest material for advanced language rules in Dungeons & Dragons. These mechanics offer a more nuanced approach to communication in your campaign world, replacing the standard language rules found in the Player's Handbook. This system is designed for campaigns where linguistic diversity, cultural barriers, and the challenge of Newtranslation Langueplay Systema significant role. As playtest material, these rules aren't fully balanced and might change. We welcome your feedback!

Unearthed Arcana: Expanded Languages

Language shapes adventures. Each tongue speaks of unique cultures, ancient histories, and distant lands. In our,this languageexpanded ruleset, there is a product of culture, history, and geography. There is no universal Common"Common" tongue.tongue. Instead,Characters variousinstead rely on a diverse tapestry of languages are spoken across different nations and peoples. The languages you know are determined by yourtheir origin, upbringing,background, and backgroundexperiences.

choices.

1.

Fluency Levels

WeCharacters' use fluency levels to represent varying degreesunderstanding of languagelanguages mastery:is defined by fluency:

None:None: No understanding.comprehension. Basic (Phrasebook): Can understand/speakUnderstands simple greetings, common phrases, keywords,and numbers,rudimentary greetings,instructions. warnings. High chance of misunderstanding nuance or complex sentences. Often reliesRelies heavily on context and gestures. Conversational:Conversational: CanComfortable holdin day-to-dayeveryday conversations,dialogue, askable questions,to understandbarter, directions,navigate, haggleand simply.grasp ordinary speech. Struggles with technicalspecialized terms, philosophy, fast speech, strong accents,vocabulary or complex literature.discourse. Fluent:Fluent: Near-native proficiency. Understands idioms, subtle nuances, and speakscomplicated liketopics. aReads nativeand inwrites mostproficiently. situations.Academic/Native: GraspsMastery idioms,at nuance,the highest level, including archaic forms, complex topics.texts, Candialects, read/write proficiently.Academic/Native: Perfect mastery, includingand deep cultural context,context. historical forms, complex literature, and potentially multiple dialects.

2.

Starting Languages

• Origin: Based

  Characters gain initial languages based on wheretheir yourorigins:

  character
  was
• Origin: born and raised, you gain 

Fluent proficiency in the primary language(s) of thatyour regionhomeland or upbringing (discussDM withdiscretion). yourBackground: DM).Background:Often Yourgrants background may grant you anone additional language choice, typically starting at Fluent. proficiency. Class/Race:Race: SomeCertain classes (like Druid) or races might(such as Druids, Elves, or Dwarves) grant specific languagesFluent (likelanguages. Druidic, Elvish, Dwarvish) at Fluent proficiency.

3.

Language Families & Related Languages

LanguagesMany oftenlanguages belongshare tocommon families,roots, sharingaiding rootscomprehension andof similarities.related tongues.

• Mechanic:Mechanic: IfFluent you are Fluentproficiency in aone language, youlanguage might gaingrant Basic fluencyproficiency inor Advantage on Intelligence checks when interacting with closely related languageslanguages.

  within the same family (DM's discretion). Alternatively, you gain Advantage on checks made to understand or learn related languages.

  • Example:Example Being: Fluent proficiency in ArcanaCommon mightDelphic grantgrants Advantage onwhen checksinterpreting to understandAncient Delphic if they share a historical root,texts or Basic fluency in arelated minordialects.

    dialect of Delphic.

4.

Learning Languages

You can learn new languagesLearning or improveimproving yourlanguage fluencyskills throughoccurs during Downtime:

Time:Basic Requires study and practice:

• Basic:: 5 workweeks minus INTyour Intelligence modifier.

Conversational:Conversational: 10 workweeks minus INTyour Intelligence modifier (starting from Basic or None). Fluent:Fluent: 10 workweeks minus INTyour Intelligence modifier (starting from Conversational). Academic:Academic: Requires specialextensive quests,study, tutors,a dedicated tutor, or extendedspecial timequests (DM'sDM discretion).

Cost:Cost: RequiresTypically resources (tutor fees, books) - typically 252525 gp per workweek.workweek, Rareadjusted languagesby rarity or expertavailability of tutors mayand costmaterials.

more.

Immersion:Immersion: Spending significantprolonged time immersed in a culture language-speaking thecommunity language can reduce the time needed ormay grant Advantage on learningprogress progress.

5.or Languagereduce Table

Here'srequired yourtime.

table,

Languages expanded withof the systemWorld

elements.(Notes:I'vemadeLanguage someOrigin logicalSpeakers assumptionsFamily forScript missingReal-World familiesAnalog and scripts basedonyourArfordirian input;Arfordir feelHumans, freeElves toArf-Haroldian adjust!)

LanguageCommon OriginsFrench and

Speakers

Language	National Origin	Typical	Beccin

SpeakerBec Humans, Elves Beccian Beccin Script Russian

Arfordirian

Arfordir

Human, Elf

Beccin

Bec

Human, Elf

Common Delphic

Athenaeum

Arcane users, Human,Scholars

ElfClassical Delphic Script Greek/Latin

Modern Elvish

Last Elven State

Elf

Elves Elven Elven Elvish

Haroldian

Harold-Ford

Human,Humans, Elf

Elves Arf-Haroldian Common English

Auran

(Unknown

Origin)Dwarves, Elementals

Dwarf

Dwarven Dwarven Runes Dwarvish

Ironic

Iron Bash

Dwarf,Dwarves, Elf

Elves Dwarven Dwarven Runes Dwarvish

Cavosian

Great Cavern

Dwarf

Dwarves

Ikbesh

Dwarven

Icebeach

Human, Elf

Linguistic Classification

Language	Family	Script	Conceptual Flavor
Arfordirian	Arf-Haroldian	Common	French
Beccin	Beccian	Beccin Script	Russian
Common Delphic	Classical	Delphic Script	Late Greek/Latin
Modern Elvish	Elven	Elven	(Elvish)
Haroldian	Arf-Haroldian	Common	English
Auran	Dwarven	Dwarven Runes

(Dwarven)

Dwarvish

Ironic

Ikbesh

Dwarven

Icebeach

DwarvenHumans, Runes

Elves

(Dwarven)

Ikbesh

Cavosian

Common

Dwarven

Dwarven Runes

(Dwarven)

Ikbesh

Ikbesh

Common

English/Icelandic

Language Usage and Notes

Language	Notes/Typical Use
Arfordirian	Major language of Arfordir region
Beccin	Major language of Bec region
Common Delphic	Scholarly, magical texts, old empire
Modern Elvish	Primary language of remaining Elves
Haroldian	Widespread trade language in many areas
Auran	Possibly related to earth elementals?
Ironic	Spoken in Iron Bash, potential creole?
Cavosian	Primary language of Great Cavern Dwarves
Ikbesh	Language of the northern Icebeach area

(Add otheradditional languagesstandard or exotic languages—like Undercommon, Giant, Orcish, Goblin, Draconic, Sylvan, Primordial dialects, Celestial, Infernal, Abyssaland Abyssal—as needed for your world)campaign.)

6.

Scripts

 & Literacy

TheEach writinglanguage systemtypically (script) used byuses a languagespecific isscript. important.Fluent Knowing a language fluentlyproficiency usually includes literacy in its primary script.literacy. Deciphering unfamiliar scripts mayrequires require checksIntelligence (Investigation, History)Investigation) or specific(History) toolchecks, proficienciespossibly (Calligrapher'aided by Calligrapher’s Supplies).Supplies proficiency.

7.

Exotic & Secret Languages

Exotic:Exotic Languages: fromRepresent veryrare distant lands,or ancient civilizationstongues—Draconic, (likePrimordial, CommonAbyssal—often Delphicrequiring mightspecial be),circumstances or non-humanoid creatures (e.g., Draconic, Abyssal). May be harder or take longer tolearning learn.times. Secret:Secret Languages like Druidic or: Thieves' Cant or Druidic, which cannot typically be learned through normal downtimenormally and require specific class features or in-gamestory-based circumstances.

How

Gameplay Impact

This Impactsexpanded Gameplay:

system emphasizes linguistic diversity:

Social Encounters:Encounters: Communication challenges enhance roleplaying. Misunderstandings are morefrequent likely.without Translationshared mightlanguages. be needed. Knowing the right language (and fluency) can grant access or build trust. Accents and dialects can provide clues or challenges.Exploration & Investigation:Investigation: Reading signs, ancient texts, captured notes,maps, or mapsmessages requiresdepends knowingon thelinguistic languageproficiency. and script. Fluency affects how much detail you understand.Character Identity:Development: Language choices reflectenrich acharacter character's historybackgrounds and connections.cultural ties. Downtime:Downtime Activity: Learning languages becomes aProvides meaningful downtimeand activity.thematic activities between adventures, enhancing immersion and depth of play.

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