PF 2e Languages

[Koric]

Please see the linked document.

docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BhzJukzCsoHMZK41P2-yBOsu00RieuGVE1oIIdF8BPo/edit?usp=sharing

Things of note:

There is no Common nor Undercommon language.
There are not currently any dialects of the demi-races languages.
At character creation you may choose any languages on the INT Mod choices list for you Ancestry.

This is meant to open up conversation so we can finalize this.

As it stands, Human is not Common. If at some point (maybe now) it is decided that we want regional dialects (Irrydrian, Larkian, Plainsmen) as variations on Human and Human will become Common let's hear the pros/cons.

With the size of Severall I would not think a universal language would exist. And certainly not the same one across all Three Worlds.

[Koric]

Questions to think about:

Is there an Undead language on Severall and if so what is it called?
Is there a Shadowtongue on Severall and if so what is it called?

Gnothic exists as the language of Magic on Severall - are we maintaining that in PF2e?

[Sardinal]

I am not a fan of universal languages. It's laziness run amuck.

My preference would be the Human tongue having evolved into regional languages (and smaller regional dialects) with "Ancient Human" being an uncommon language of scholars/historians/wizards.

Yes to Gnothic.
Language of undeath....not to my knowledge, though regionally The Undead Kingdoms may have developed their own language.

Language of Shadows, it would make sense to me for there to be one, possibly two. One older one native to the original inhabitants of the shadow plane and one that is a blend of Ancient Human and the Shadow language that evolved in Obtenebrae.

[Koric]

As Gnothic is the language of magic, and as PF2e does not seem to add languages to the starting list when you choose a class, how do we want to handle that?

Arcane/Occult casters get granted Gnothic as a default?

Clerics can choose one of the Extraplanar languages depending on diety alignment?

Primal casters get access to Sylvan?

Is is a bad call to leave Human off of the Drow list?

I am fine with adding the languages for Undead and Shadow - what do you want them called? Necril and Shadowtongue make it easy and compatible with the new system.

[Sardinal]

Necril seems fine for the Language of the Undead Kingdoms, spreading to other undead. Although i assume most undead just speak the languages they spoke while alive.

Shadowtongue is a good name for the language of the plane. Obtenebreen for Obtenebrae

As Gnothic isnt a language that can be spoken to convey meaning, just to trigger magic, I dont think we need to worry about giving Arcane/Occult classes as a bonus language. It's knowledge is implicit in their casting ability. Therefore we also dont have to worry about giving the Divine/Primal casters one either.

I dont think it's bad to leave Human off the drow list.

Frankly, Gnomes on the mainland are rare and the only race that interacts with them on a broad level culturally are the Elves. I'd take gnomish of every list BUT elves and take Dwarven off the Gnome list. I'd add Terran to Gnome.

These are my initial thoughts, anyway. Happy to discuss them.

[Koric]

Sounds good - Gnomes are the only race to have 2 starting languages (Gnomish and Sylvan). Do they have Earth ties or Nature (small animal) ties more?

Would it make sense for Gnomish to be an Uncommon language? Even though they are a PC race?

Also - I did not do the Goblin/Kobold/Tiefling/Aasimar/ETC list. Thoughts on those?

EDIT: Planar Scions do not have a different list than their Base Ancestry.

I added Orc to the spreadsheet.

Whoever brings in the animal people can work out those languages.

[Koric]

Added Drow Hand Cant to the starting languages for Drow and Duergar after being reminded (thanks Wubba!) that the kids are taught this now.