Languages

Languages

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Languages are different methods of speech used by characters and NPCs on Arelith. The default language for most humanoids is Common, but other languages are represented with the Language System on Arelith. This changes text into a garbled version for characters who do not know the language being spoken.

Using languages

To use any language that your character has access to, simply type the corresponding command before speaking the language. To return to Common, simply type "--". Console command -language shows player all the languages available to their current character.

When putting an emote or speech on quick slot, don't forget to put /tk before it. More details are listed in article about communication in game.

When character speaks in a different language, player can surround parts of text with square brackets to speak those parts in common. Example: -el This is elven [and this is common].

Even when speaking a non-common language, anything written between star characters or double colons (i.e. *emotes* or ::emotes::) come out untranslated. The same is true for anything written in square brackets "[ ]", though the brackets are themselves not printed. So, for example, typing in Celestial "I pray.. *sighs heavily* the heavens will end the corruption in [Cordor] soon", prints "I qnaz. *sighs heavily* yrel relajelcl find elct yrel vunnoquiuc ic Cordor luuc." This allows third parties to pick out place names, or anything else that your PC speaks directly in common. It is also possible to write an emote between double brackets (i.e. [[emotes]]) will come out untranslated and surrounded in single brackets, making it possible to easily use that emote style.

Chat Format

There are three commands to change the way the chat is relayed, most of it related to the languages. Mind that "untranslated" refers to the raw text, regardless whether the character can translate the language or not.

Colour:

colour_mode [number(0, 1, 2, 3)]

Variant 0: Both translated and untranslated text are coloured.

Variant 1: Untranslated text is not coloured but translated is.

Variant 2: Untranslated text is coloured but translated is not. [Recommended]

Variant 3: Neither is coloured.

Label:

prefix_mode [number(0, 1, 2)]

Variant 0: Render all language prefixes.

Variant 1: Render all language prefixes except Common. [Recommended]

Variant 2: Doesn't render any language label.

• The prefix has a DC 21 lore check to recognize the language being spoken. Otherwise it will appear as [unknown].

Mode:

console_mode [number(0, 1, 2, 3, 4)]

Variant 0: No untranslated text is not relayed to combat chat.

Variant 1: All untranslated text is relayed to the combat chat.

Variant 2: All untranslated text is relayed to the combat chat, except Common. [Recommended]

Variant 3: All untranslated text is relayed in the main chat, and the translation goes to the combat chat.

Variant 4: All untranslated text is relayed in the main chat, and the translation goes to the combat chat, excluding Common.

Understanding languages

Characters can speak any language given to them by their subrace or class, as well as any languages learned through other methods (see below). These are the only ways to speak languages.

Understanding languages that you can't speak is possible through several different methods. If your character has made progress learning a language (see below), you will understand lines of that language at a frequency corresponding to your current progress.

Otherwise, your character's comprehension of a language is based on their Lore skill. When another character speaks a language that your character doesn't have access to by default.

Lore contributes to language understanding, effectively giving a 1% chance of understanding any given utterance for every 2 Lore points, capping at 25% + monk levels + bard levels + harper levels.

Language recognition scales at a rate of 10% per 2 Lore points, capping at 100%.

Finally, a 1d20 skill check roll is added to your chance to translate. [1d20 + BASE lore + monk level + bard level + harper level + lore skill feats + old backgrounds]/ 2

A few notes regarding this:

• Items increasing Lore do not count towards your Lore skill as it pertains to Language. Adding +2 Lore to all of your items won't increase your character's chances of understanding other languages.
• Natural Ability Modifier, Feats (Skill Focus, Epic Skill Focus, Courteous Magocracy) and Bardic Knowledge will affect your character's chances of understanding other languages. A spell of Fox's Intelligence, for example, would assist in understanding a language thanks to an increased natural INT modifier.
• Your character will make the above roll each and every time a line of text in another language is given. Understanding one line doesn't mean he'll understand the next.

Learning languages

Characters can learn to speak and understand new languages in one of two ways:

• Language learning system is based around phrasebooks that can be found in bookshelves in the modules. With a phrasebook in your inventory, you will slowly progress in the learning of the language when you listen to the language. The roll to understand a language your character doesn't speak (see above) is separate the roll to update your progress learning it.

Rolls to learn a language are hidden. A plethora of little mechanical or semi-random factors exist, but they are meant to remain secret. Please note: this is not a quick process.

The amount of bonus languages you can learn is equal to your natural intelligence modifier. Free, bonus languages (Common, racial languages, class languages) do not count toward the cap. If you take the Gift of Tongues, then your intelligence modifier counts as +4 higher, allowing you to learn more languages, and faster. Bards get +1 language per 10 levels. Harpers get +1 language per (at) 5 levels. Monks get +1 language per 10 levels.

If you fully learn more languages than what your intelligence score can support, the oldest language will be forgotten. You can, however, start learning and abandon as many languages as you want.

Natural ability bonus is gained on character creation, by increasing ability on leveling up or from epic feats. It is not counting effects that temporary increase or decrease this number (such as temporary spell effects or bonuses from items).

Soft intelligence helps to learn languages faster. As with understanding languages, Fox's Intelligence is your friend.

Phrasebook

Phrasebooks allow characters to learn new languages. Phrasebook will still work with weight reduction, changed name or changed description. They work even when character is polymorphed/wildshaped. They do not disappear after their purpose has been fulfilled.

High-INT characters will learn languages faster. If you have three Draconic phrasebooks then only one will be used. But you can have Elven, Draconic and Hin phrasebooks in your inventory without any conflicts (This also means you can have different language books in your inventory and it will not slow the speed that you learn any one language).

Progress is saved in the character, not the phrasebook. This means that if you lose, sell or gift the phrasebook, you can acquire a new one at a later date and continue progressing through the language where you left it.

You can check your progress through the languages using the -language command. While you can't tell the exact progress, you can see a rough indicator measured in Unknown, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Fluent, where Fluent represents a completely learnt language.

The system supports learning Animal language, Sign language, and Thieves cant through phrasebooks, but the books themselves are not available in game making them impossible to learn through this method. They will still be granted automatically with the proper race or class.

Available languages

Listed also here.

• -- ... Common
• -ab ... Abyssal
• -an ... Animal language
• -ce ... Celestial
• -dr ... Draconic
• -dw ... Dwarven
• -el ... Elven
• -gi ... Giant
• -gn ... Gnome language
• -go ... Goblin language
• -ha ... Halfling language
• -in ... Infernal
• -or ... Orc language
• -si ... Sign language
• -th ... Thieves cant
• -un ... Undercommon
• -xa ... Xanalress

Languages by race

Note - All races speak Common by default.

Race	Language
Aasimar	Celestial
Deep Imaskari	Undercommon
Dragon	Draconic
Drow	Xanalress Undercommon Sign language
Duergar	Dwarven Undercommon
Dwarf	Dwarven
Elf	Elven
Fey	Animal language Elven
Firbolg	Elven
Forest Gnome	Animal language Gnome language
Genasi	No Additional Languages
Gnoll	Abyssal
Goblin	Goblin language Undercommon
Half-Elf	Elven
Half-Orc	Orc language
Halfling	Halfling language
Hobgoblin	Goblin Undercommon
Human	No Additional Languages
Imp	Infernal Undercommon
Kobold	Draconic Undercommon
Minotaur	Abyssal
Ogre	Giant Undercommon
Orog	Orc language Undercommon
Rock Gnome	Gnome language
Svirfneblin	Gnome language Undercommon
Tiefling	Infernal if Lawful Abyssal if Chaotic or Neutral
Wild Dwarf	No Additional Languages
Yuan-ti	Abyssal Draconic

Languages by class

Class	Language
Wizard	Draconic
Harper Priest	Celestial
Harper Mage	Draconic
Harper Paragon	Celestial
Druid	Animal language
Paladin	Celestial
Ranger	Animal language at 6 levels
Red dragon disciple	Draconic
Rogue	Thieves cant at 7 levels
Cleric	Celestial if any Good Infernal if Lawful Evil Abyssal if Chaotic Evil or Neutral Evil
Blackguard	Infernal if Lawful Abyssal if Chaotic or Neutral
Warlock	Infernal with Infernal Pact Abyssal with Abyssal Pact Animal language with Unseelie Fey Pact