Languages on Novemterra

Novemterra: Languages

Variant Common Languages
After the War of Ultimates, races that may have once coexisted found themselves separated on different World Shells, initially facing isolation as they struggled to acclimate themselves to their new environments. Over time, the various accents and minute uniqueness of ancient regional variations Common tongue has evolved into complete dialects.

In-game, individuals have no problem generally understanding what is being said by indigenous peoples of other Shells for which they do not possess fluency in that particular Common tongue dialect. The distinction becomes pronounced, however, during times when attention to detail and the exchange of sensitive information becomes necessary – international council meetings, inter-Shell trade agreements, foreign royal banquets, and so forth.

Any time a character makes an opposed or opposable skill check involving the use of a Common variant language for which they do not have the skill for, apply a +5 modifier to the DC for the check. For example, if Bob from Miderth (Shell 5) wants to negotiate with Dylax the Mycean from Orbitus (Shell 1), he can make a normal Diplomacy check with no penalty if he knows High Common. If he doesn’t, he must use Miderthian Common to do so, and suffers a +5 DC to his Diplomacy check.

This only applies to the Common tongues on Novemterra, as well as any other language marked with the tag “[Common],” indicating that it is sufficiently similar to the Common tongue in general to be able to benefit from this rule.

The following list shows available Common dialects on Novemterra for each World Shell, in order from Orbitus (Shell 1) down to Dark Star (Shell 8):

1. High Common
2. Fieran Common* or Crystallan Common*
3. Sea Common
4. Gaian Common
5. Mid-Common
6. Dark Common
7. Kerenskian Common
8. Underworlder Common

*When applying the above rule to one of these languages for which the character knows the other one, the DC modifier is reduced to +2 instead.


Progenitor (Ancient) Languages
These languages are of the races that existed before the War of Ultimates whose languages have survived through either indigenous peoples or writings, and include the following complete list: Ancient Dwarven, Ancient Elven, Ancient Giant, Ancient Gnome, Savage. Usually only the above-average-educated are well-learned in these ancient languages. Most historians and archivists are as well. Savage is an extremely primitive language of simple slang and vocabulary, and is often used by primitive monster races.


Elemental Languages

This complete list of elemental languages are used by peoples of elemental descent, whether of an elemental energy, or philosophy: Ignan (fire), Aquan (water), Auran (air), Terran (earth), Infernal (evil), Celestial (good), Zendou (law), Chaon (chaos), Sylvan (forests beings).


Racial Languages

Many monster races typically have their own racial language, which will have the same names as their race names. A monster race that does not list such a language in its “Automatic Languages” entry does not have its own racial language, and uses another one instead (typically its regional Common tongue).


Secret Languages

Draconic, Druidic, Verdant, Wild. Note that these languages are also ancient languages, having existed prior to the War, like the Progenitor languages. This list is intentionally left incomplete.

Verdant refers to a language spoken between plants and plant-like creatures. Wild is "spoken" between animals of all types regardless of species, and some beasts and monstrous creatures that live in the wilderness know it as well. Both of these unique languages emerged after the War of Ultimates, and involves just as much body language and chemical scent usage as verbal elements. Thus, characters who can learn either of these two languages will be able to understand plants or creatures, but the Variant rule above applies when they attempt to communicate with such creatures.