Thread: Ideas for Yrth
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Old 10-12-2020, 06:54 AM   #3
Fred Brackin
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Default Re: Ideas for Yrth

Quote:
Originally Posted by TGLS View Post
Hm...

Anglish seems to cover too much of Ytarria. It's also a little weird that an empire formed by a Byzantine has no Greek... So:

-> Pontin, a language popular with the Megalan court and south of Megalos. Learned by many who seek to advance socially. Descended from Pontic Greek.
-> Jutt, common north of Megalos and in parts of the Nomad Lands. Descended from Norse.
-> Anglik, common west of the Blackwoods and in most of Caithness. Descended from Old English.
-> Axon, common between the Blackwoods and Emperor's Forest, as well as Western Cardiel. Descended from Old Saxon.
-> Caltan, common along the Mare Medium. Descended from Catalan.
-> Provensal, which replaces Aralaise (though Aralaise is still the demonym), and is also common in Eastern Cardiel. Descended from Occitan.
This change may be a matter of where you stand depending upon whihc hat you're wearing.

If I put on my worldbuilding hat I can say 'Yes, this is more realitic and about as likely as anything else.". This point is conceded with remarks about Real World Europe being even more complicated.

Then I put on my characterbuilding hat and groan. I can only take one of these as my Native language but I potentially need all the others (plus Arabic with possibilities for realistic dialects there as well as Elvish). So that's 5 languages at 2 pts apiece (assuming they'll have little written presence) for Accented Spoken level. Then you add 2 more for Written Latin at the same level and 8 more for spoken and written Arabic and Elvish (again at Accented).

That's 20 pts spent just for being able to speak and use social Skills without penalty. That's quite a cp tax on a far-travelling face man (who's given up on Sahud and those snooty Dwarves). It's also not quite enough to break even on Language talent.

So this is an example of the root of 3e's solution of cheap languages or the "common" (pun intended) of a universal language seen in most other systems. While wearing the chargen hat this is just too many points spent on languages. Soem sort of heavy-hitting warrior from the Nomad Lands can stick with his Native tongue (forcing some one else to translate for him or just pointing and asking "Bashen noo?") and buy 2 more levels of ST.
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Fred Brackin
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