Languages
Languages
Languages
Like skills, languages have ranks from 1-3. Unlike skills, ranks are named:
| Rank | Name | Ability |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smattering | Simple words and sentences; common topics, names |
| 2 | Knowledge | Normal conversation; wide range of topics, opinions, directions |
| 3 | Fluency | Complete mastery; read, write, listen, and speak without misunderstanding |
- You rarely need to roll - languages are used to draw on cultural knowledge and gain information
- Dialects: the one case where the Firefly may call for a roll - encountering a dialect far removed from the language you know; even fluent speakers can be confused
Language Reference
| Language | Description | Lore |
|---|---|---|
| Low Sour | Common tongue of the waves | |
| Chthonic | Language of the ardent | Cultural knowledge of the ardent, spirits, ancient humans |
| Saprekk | Language of the ektus | Cultural knowledge of the ektus, deserts, heat, winds |
| Gaudimm | Language of the gau - complex concepts require pheromones | Cultural knowledge of the gau, caves, rot, tunnels |
| Knock | Language of the tzelicrae - outsiders use a simplified gestural form | Cultural knowledge of the tzelicrae, insects, arachnid habits |
| Brasstongue | Language of traders | Cargo routes, negotiation tactics |
| Raka Spit | Language of hunting-families and leviathaneers | Beasts & birds of the waves, great hunts |
| Lyre-Bite | Language of poets and songwriters | Pre-verdant songs, whispers |
| Old Hand | Sign language | Descriptions of long-lost relics |
| Signalling | Flag, flare, and signal-lamp code | Ships, weather, seagoing hazards |
| Highvin | Pre-verdant language, primarily written | Pre-verdant history (fragmentary) |
Wildsea, page 86-87