Languages

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 (i.e. *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.

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. Your character's comprehension of language is based on their lore score. When another character speaks a language that your character doesn't have access to by default, a d20 is rolled against your character's Lore score. Scoring at least a 41 allows you to understand what is being said. For example:

Lore Skill: 24

d20 roll: 18

24 + 18 = 42.

42 ≥ 41, thus, your character will understand the line of text being spoken.

A few notes regarding this:

Items increasing Lore Skill or Intelligence score do not count towards your Lore score as it pertains to Language. Adding +2 Lore or +1 Intelligence to all of your items won't increase your character's chances of understanding other languages.
Natural Ability Modifier, Feats, Spells like Fox's Cunning, Legend Lore, Identify, Bardic Knowledge bonus to lore and items like the Legendary Mirror will affect your character's chances of understanding other languages.
1 is not auto-fail, 20 is not auto-succeed. You must simply beat a DC of 41. (confirmed by Fire Boar from code)
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 game. You can learn new languages by finding their phrasebooks. With a phrasebook in your inventory, if you RP learning a language with native speakers, you will gradually over time learn to both understand and speak it. Please note: this is not a quick process. (Long time players will recall that gaining a token used to take around 9 RL months of consistent RP: the new process is similar but automated).
You can make a 5% roll (upon Jjjerm's approval) and, if successful, gain the use of a new language on a current character.

Bonus languages learn via phrasebooks are limited to 1 per point of natural INT bonus. If character have exceeded that number already, they will lose some of the ones they already have. Racial and class languages are not counted against the limit. This means that character needs at least 12 intelligence to learn a language, anyone with an intelligence of 6 isn't going to be able to do it. There is no limit to how many languages one characer may learn, so long as your natural int bonus is high enough to take on all of the languages.

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).

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 (and this may not be the first one you acquired). But you can have Elven, Draconic and Hin phrasebooks in your inventory without any conflicts.

Progress is tied to the book AND the character. When a phrasebook is removed out of inventory and then returned, characters' progress is not reset to 0. However, if character takes new phrasebook and loses the old one, all progress would be lost. Phrasebooks can be copied with printing presses like other books.

Example: A character has almost full phrasebook and stores it in chest for few days. In that time it gets stolen by a thief. The thief would have to start over as they can't understand other characters' notes and don't have their practice. But without his notes the original character is stuck as well and with new phrasebook will have to start learning from beginning.

Character has fully learned a language once the language becomes green on the Mith's Virtual Console. At that moment the phrasebook can be removed from inventory without loss of the language.

The system supports learning Animal language, Sign language, and Thieves cant through phrasebooks, but the books themselves are not available in game.