LANGUAGE RULES ‘The rules of language are not one of the major topics of | Dungeons and Dragons in any addition, and less so in Se. This supplement has been created to address some of the oversimplifications ofthe system, while not averburdening it into becoming bloated. To do this, the mechanical rules follow Se's design philosophy as much as possible. Additionally, except when noted otherwise, existing rules associated with language are kept in place. LANGUAGE CHECKS Your Intelligence (Language) check covers your attempts to Aéecipher linguistic meaning in a language you don't understand. The DM might call foran Intelligence (Language) check when trying to determine what an ancient piece of text means that you might be familiar with, but in a language you don't speak, or when you attempt to with « creature than doesn't share a language with you. An Intelligence (Language) check could also be tuted to translate a text between two languages you know or tolook for details hidden in a contract. PASSIVE LANGUAGE SKILL Your Passive Language is the capacity to understand linguistic detail without a roll Places where Passive Language might come into play include whether or not a character recognizes if symbols contain linguistic meaning or torrecognize what script is being used by a particular text Lancuaces in D&D In Dungeons and Dragons, languages can be split into three major categories: standard exotic, and secret. Standard languages are languages that are used every day by the ‘mortal races. They operate in the same way that languages fon Earth do. There is nothing unuswal or magical about a standard language, and any character can learn any standard, language from an appropriate source. Exotic languages are rare and special Spoken by creatures of magical power, the languages themselves are filled with their own magic. To learn such a language, a mortal either needs to inherit it by ancestry (eg, an Aasimar is taught Celestial by their Deva as a child) or spend considerable cffort learning it later. When given options to learn a anguage via a feat or background, exotic languages should be discouraged as options, unless a narrative purpose is being served ‘Secret languages are the rarest category of language and. are used by groups that actively discourage outsiders from Tearning the language. Such languages should not be available to learn by character other than as classjracial features or as specific narrative points, LANGUAGE SELECTION Standard Exotic Secret Common Abyssal Drow Sign Language Dwarvish Celestial Druigic Ehish Draconic Runes Gnomish Deep Speech Qualith Goblin Giant Halling Orcish Primordial Thieves' Cant Infernal Undercormmon Sylvan ‘LEARNING A LANGUAGE te ‘The rules presented here replace rules for learning a language during downtime found in Xanathar's Guide to Everything. —_— A character can spend downtime learning a language. Learning a standard language to fluency takes a total of nine workwecks, while learning an exotic language takes a total of cighteen workwecks. A secret language cannot be learned without a specific teacher who knows that language (and potential teachers are reluctant to reveal the mysteries of a secret language) However, with DM approval a secret language would take eighteen workweeks to learn to fluency. For each workweek spent learning a language, 25 gp must be paid for a teacher. ——————— ‘A workweek is defined as five days with eight hours spent working on a task. ry After a characteris fuent ina standard language, they ean spend another nine weeks of downtime to gain expertise in that language. For an exotic or secret language, the time required is eighteen workwecks. For each workweek, 25 ep ‘mist be paid to the teacher hiredWhile a characteris learning a language, there are afew benefits that apply to a partially learned language. The skills are broken into two parts, oral skills and literacy skills. A character that is learning a language from a teacher will earn both skills, and it is assumed that a character who knows a language is both proficient in oral and literacy skills However, talk to your DM to determine ifa character you have would only be proficient in one of these two skills and to ‘what degree they are proficient. “Mer a character has learned a language to the fluent level, you can spend additional time and money to master the language further. To reach the Expert level ina language, you must spend nine workweeks of downtime studying the language with a teacher fora standard language. For an exotic or secret language, you must spend eighteen ‘workweeks. For each workweek, you must pay the teacher 25 e. LANGUAGE PROFICIENCIES Level ral Skils Literacy Skills Half Speaks in simple Can recognize Proficient sentences. written signs and Proficient Can hold abasic Can read and write basic materials such ‘as short books and letters Fluent Able to speak and Able to read and understand most formal write at a consistent ‘and informal level on all general ‘conversations. topics. Expert Can speakin an erudite Can read and write fashion, holding complex legalistic texts, and detailed conversation magical treatises, or ‘on specialized topics. ancient religious seripture. conversation with a friendly speaker. HALF-PROFICIENT After three weeks learning a standard language (or four ‘weeks learning an exotic language) they are considered partially proficient. When making. an Intelligence (Language) check involving the language being learned, the character adds half oftheir proficiency bonus to the roll PROFICIENT [After six workweeks spent learning a standard language (or twelve weeks learning an exotic language) the character adds their ful proficiency to Intelligence (Language) checks to rolls. FLUENT After nine workweeks have been spent learning standard language (or eighteen workweeks learning an exotic language) the character is considered fully fluent in the language. This is the level at which the character has ‘finished’ learning « language. Note that for a non-native speaker of a language, this does not necessarily meant that they sound like a native, Fora native speaker of the language, this is what you would expect the average person to be able to accomplish, EXPERT A character that has learned a language can invest time and money to become a master of their language. This involves being able to do more than just speak the language luently, bbut have knowledge on the history, cultural associations, and other related information about the language and its use. This is the level of understanding a well-educated person ‘would have on the language's use. While you have Expertise in a language, you can add double your proficiency to any Intelligence (Language) check involving that language. Additionally, you ean roll an Intelligence (Language) check with half your proficiency ‘modifier on any language related tothe language you have become an expert on. ATTEMPTING ADVANCED LANGUAGE TASKS: You can attempt to perform a language task that is one level ‘more difficult than what you are trained in by performing an Intelligence (Language) check. For example, a wizard that is half proficient in Gnomish could attempt to hold a conversation with a Gnome shopkeeper, or a character that is, fluent in Infernal could attempt to read a complex devil's contract, ‘The DC forthe Intelligence (Language) check is 15 +5 for ceach level above the skill ofthe character. For example, the wizard who is half proficient in Gnomish is attempting a task that could be done at a proficient level so the DC is 20 The character who is fluent in Infernal is attempting an Expert level task, and so their DC is also 20. (Ona failure, the character makes a minor faux pas that can ead to misunderstanding. On a failure of § or more below the DC, the faux pas becomes grievous, and the consequences for the mistake greatty improve. A simple misunderstanding ‘of the Gnomish shopkeeper might be getting a price incorrect, while a major one could involve insulting their motherCURRENT RULES AND INTERACTIONS The rules ofthe Directory of Languages do not exist in a vacuum. There are currently spells, class features, and feats that interact with the rules in various ways, and itis worth considering how they interact with the expanded rules. First, consider any language that is learned at level 1 (or during character creation). This includes languages learned as a result of your race, class, or background. also includes any feats (auch as the Linguist feat) you take at level 1 (or during character creation) You are fluent in those languages. [Next ets look at the ways to learn a language after 1st level Macic ITEMs Magic items that grant a language to their wielder do not need to be changed, as the item is the one that 'knows' the language for you. Master OF INTRIGUE (MASTERMIND ROGUE SUBCLASS FEATURE) ‘You learn two languages of your choice when you take this| subclass. You can either take this to mean that you are given training by your criminal contact or retcon this as languages that you always knew. Either way, you learn these languages atthe fluent’ level, Lincourst Feat ‘You learn three languages instantly in addition to creating your own cipher. There are a couple of ways to handle this. Bither you learn the languages as written, instantaneously, and handwave the nature of it as being magic, and are instantly fluent in them, oF you take some downtime when ‘you learn the feat to justify it. No matter how you handle i, ‘you are fluent’ in these languages. (COMPREHEND LANGUAGE ‘When using the spell Comprehend Languages, note that the spell specifies "the literal meaning of any spoken language’, Far too often, the spell is used to justify complete understanding of what is said. However, simply getting a literal translation can and should lead to miscommunication between speakers, ‘Additionally, this is why Comprehend Language doesn't work on Thieves’ Cant. You get the literal meaning, but Thieves! Cant works on the subtext. LANGUAGE FEATURES While languages should not bog down the game to the point of spending the entire game translating a text, far too often players will treat every language as equal, The rumblings of Deep Speech, the language of beings not from this or any other world, are treated as a passing curiosity that is picked upin school ‘To differentiate between the Standard Languages and the more magical languages, rules have been included here to fenhance both the Exotic languages and the Secret languages, Keep these rules in mind when using these languages, especially when casting magic in those languages, lh Languages presented here all either come from a Se sourcebook (usually the Player's Handbook) or are common enough to the larger world of Dungeons and Dragons that felt they merited mention, regardless of setting, Personally, | add other Standard languages to my setting (based on geography instead of race) and recommend that other Dungeon Masters do the same. eae)Exotic LANGUAGES ‘What can be noted about the Exotic Languages of the Player's Handbooks that they are special and rare for the average individual to pick up. Barring some specific bit of backstory, your average character int likely to know one of these languages. To add weight to this, I've added a bit of mechanies to each ofthe languages to set them apart from, other languages. Apyssat (Scrtrr: INFERNAL) “The words you speak come out without any apparent grammar, Due tothe chaotic nature ofthe language, the ‘Comprehend Language spell does not work on Abyssal While i does return the literal words of the language, all that is heard is nonsense and gibberish Cxresriat (Scrrer: CeestiAt) ‘The harmonic voices of Celestial give your voice an ethereal «qsality Lies cannot willy be told inthis language, though truth can be withheld Draconic (Sorter: Draconto) Wisps of elemental energy tral from the comers of your ‘mouth while you speak the language. Your voice travels three times as far while speaking, making it impossible to whisper. Deep SpeecH (Scrtrr: NONE) ba Fundamental aspects of language do not apply to deep speech. Sounds that do not exist in language are used, syntactic structures that are impossible exist, and linguistic universals are broken. Anyone that uses an Intelligence (Language) check to understand, Deep Speech without knowing the language must succeed on. a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw or be incapacitated until the end of their next turn, Giant (Scrrrr: DWARVISH) ‘The spoken language of Giant is difficult for the smaller races, and often magic is employed to augment the sounds of, the language to sound more "authentic’. You cannot speak in Giant quieter than Shouting. When you speak in Giant, you can extend the range of your woice to be heard up to three times the distance that you normally can be heard at InFeRNAL (Scrrrr: INFERNAL) The intricacies ofthe language are an enigma to mortals, designed to trap those unfaniliar with itn endless loopholes. For the rained user, however, Infernal offers the most precise way of being understood, with no room for misunderstanding or ambiguity,‘When you are fluent in Infernal, you gain an additional d4 on any Intelligence (Language) checks to create ar ind foopholes in a contract or similar agreement. When you have expertise in Infernal, the d4 becomes a do when you make such an Intelligence (Language) check. PRIMORDIAL (ScRIPT: PRIMORDIAL) ‘Your language is built into fundamental parts that allow you to understand the related languages with greater case. When a creature speaks or writes in Terran, Aquan, Ignan, or ‘Auran, you have advantage on all Intelligence (Language) checks to understand them, When you learn Primordial choose one of the four dialects (Aquan, Auran, Ignan, or Terran) that you learn, You can understand all dialects of Primordial, but you can only speak in one of them. AQUAN ‘Your language allows you to hear words from bodies of water, echoes of the elementals that have passed through them. You can make a DC 20 Intelligence (Language) check to learn of creatures that have passed through the water in the last 24 hours. AURAN ‘You can hear the words in the air that speak broken phrases that have been spoken in other tongues. You can make a DC 20 Intelligence (Language) check to hear in Auran what someone is saying in a different language up to 300 feet away. IGNAN You can sometimes hear words in the crackling fire. While holding a flame, you can whisper a message up to 25 words, in Ignan to it and have it repeat the message as long as the flame endures. TERRAN ‘You can whisper to the earth in Terran and hear the resonance it makes with gems and crystals. While you speak in Terran to itin this way, you learn ifthere are any crystals or gems within 30 feet of your buried in the earth. You know how far they are and in what direction, Sytvan (Sorrer: SyLvAN) dichotomy of expression and deception i interwoven into the language. When using this language, you can attempt an Intelligence (Language) check with a DC of 10, On a success, you can augment your language with an auditory illusion, such as rain falling or the sounds of animals. These sounds do not impede other creatures attempts to understand you if they also understand Sylvan, but al other Intelligence (Language) checks have disadvantage to understand you However ifyou attempt to speak inthis language for more than I minute, you must succeed on a DC 10 Language (Chariema) check t control your emotional tate. On a failure, you reveal your emotions toward the creature(s) you ate speaking to, Ona failure ofS or greater, you reves! your deepest feelings about the ereature(s)to them. SrcreT LANGUAGES A secret language isa language only known to a few individuals. Such languages are hidden from the world at large, only spoken between members of a cult, circle of faithful or a community. Each of these languages is special and has advantages in its use that make it important where it ‘matters. A character should only be able to learn the language with a specific natrative reason for it, For example, ‘a nomdruid should not know Druidic. a nondruid knows the language, there is likely a very important reason they know it ‘The following languages will more often find use in the hands of a Dungeon Master than in a player (though rouges: and druids will find their respective languages helpful)Drow SIGN LANGUAGE Deep in the Underdark sound travels well. It is dangerous to be too loud in those caves and tunnels, lest dangerous foes get altracted Because ofthis, the Drow have developed a series of body gestures that can be communicated wordlessly, Originally these mostly involved battle symbols, but over time, the signs became more complex, weaving together facial expressions and other gestures to express the full range of language needed. The Drow consider these signs to be special and use them to communicate a variety of messages, though they have no written form. In the darkness, it ean be dificult o even tell that they are communicating ing. Drow Sign Language can be fully expressed at a distance of 120! and with a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check used against the passive Perception of others, commisnication ean be hidden in front of other individuals, Deuwic The hidden language of the Druids, Druidicis a language taught only to those people who join tothe circles of Druids, uardians of nature. This language is used for the rituals performed in the meetings between druids, as well as to send. hidden messages across the world Those who understand Druidic automatically recognize the written symbols of the language and the spoken sounds in the air All other individuals need to make a DC 15 Wiscom (Perception) check to notice the message but cannot understand it except by magic, Roni While the Giant language is found among all the tribes of Giants, the script used by modern Giants isthe same script used by dwarves, goblins, and ores. But it has not always, been so. In ancient times, the Giant kingdoms used the Runic scripts, a logographic system that held a piece of meaning in ‘single character. Most Giants themselves do not know any runes today, but some may knaw a few of the runes, Hidden in ancient ruins of the Giant kingdoms, knowledge of such runes allows you to cast magic associated withthe rune. Crafting such a rune requires a5 foot by foot square and takes 1d4 hours to craft properly. Once completed it functions as a glyph of warding spell ‘Tuieves' CANT ‘The Thieves’ Cant is a conglomeration of phrases, jargon, and code that exist as part of other languages. Not a language by itself, it requires a language spoken in common between the speakers. It takes four times longer to transmit information in Thieves’ Cant, but it ean be hidden as subtext underneath a seemingly normal conversation. Because of the nature of the speech, magic that translates the literal meaning of words, such as the spel Comprehend Languages, do not reveal the hidden information. There is no written form of Thieves’ Cant, though many rogues use a series of symbols to pase along basic linguistic information about locations. Quaurrn Qualith is the written language of the Illithids, which has no spoken counterpart. Four parallel lines broken at varying imtervals, nearly imperceptible tothe eye, re imbedded nto ronmagieal nonlving material Packed into stanzas, they can be read by touching them snd absorbing the psychic rllilayered thoughts contained within Ifthe crestore is not fluent in Qualith, it makes an Intelligence (Language) check. On a siceess the creature derives some insight into the inscription'a meaning. failed attempt rest in a rushing headache, On failure of5 or more below the DC; roll onthe Short-Term Madness table found inthe Dungeon Master's Guide on page 259.MISCELLANEOUS RULES LANGUAGE AND MAGIC When casting a spell often verbal components are necessary. ‘These words, tones, and pitches vary from language to language. Magic can be cast in any language, but a magic caster will use a language they already know. For players, this should be done at character creation and will apply to all ‘magic cast by the character. For NPCs, the DM determines ‘what language is used for the spelleaster. Any spelleaster that knows the language that a spell with ‘Verbal components is cast in automatically knows what spell, is being cast. (.c., dragon will know that a spellcaster casting Fireball in draconic is casting Fireball) Any spelleaster that does not understand the language that a spell is being cast in can make an Intelligence (Arcana) check as a reaction to determine the spell being east as per Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. AuprTory D1stANCE The distance that you can be heard from while talking ‘normally can vary greatly depending on how loud you want to be and how loud the area around you is. The table below shows maximum distances a creature ean be heard from while making different levels of sound. Outside of these distances, a creature will not be able to perceive sounds being made: ‘Soft environments include areas such as the Underdark, cemeteries, and deserted ruins. Normal environments include forests, shops, and roadways, Loud environments include raucous taverns, raging storms, and large crowds SPEAKING DISTANCE Loudness Soft Normal Loud Whisper SOfeet —30fect 5 feet Normal Speech 100feet 60feet 10 feet Shouting 300 feet 180feet 30 feet SNEAKY SPELLCASTING A creature casting a spell with a verbal component counts as having a loudness of Normal Speech or Shouting (caster's, choice) Ifa character wishes to try and disguise the verbal andjor somatic components ofa spell have them roll a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check against the passive perception of everyone within auditory range for verbal components and visual range for somatic components. If both verbal and somatic components are required. roll at sisadvantage. Any ability that removes the need for verbal and somatic components also removes the need for the Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check, Truz NAMES In many languages, the name of a creature is an identifier of who that creature i. Boblin the Goblin is Boblin. That's what he is known as, However, for Celestials, Fiends, and Fey there exist names used to describe a creature's true essence. This name, known as a true name, may be known or unknown to the creature and isa single word that describes the creature perfectly. The word is given in the language associated with the creature (ie., Sylvan for Fey, Infernal for Devils, ete) Knowledge is power, and with true names there is no greater power than knowing the true name of a creature. When you give a command to a creature by invoking its true name, it reacts as if you had cast the spell geas with the ‘command. Charisma is your spelleasting ability for this, ability CrepITs ih Artwork: 881: by Anna Helme Artwork: Kightso‘the Mind: by Aleksander Karez Artwork: Wizard's Spellbook by iis Compiet Artwork: Seductive Secrets by Joel Chaim Holtzman ‘Artwork: The Book of Exalted Deeds by Daniel Lungren ‘Artwork: Cram Sessio by Marta Nael Artwork: Wall of Funes by Zezhou Chen Artwork: Watercolor Stains by /u/flamableconerete AKA Jared Ondricek Ve——___—_———— The Directory of Language is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by ‘Wizards Portions of the materals used are property of Wizards of the Coast. 2Wizards of the Coast LLC