Languages
Changes and extensions to the OSE language rules
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Languages
OSE operates under the assumption that each monster speaks their own language - goblins speak Goblin, orcs speak Orc, and medusa speak... Medusa. This is not only hard to explain, it makes bonus languages a very niche benefit and reduces the utility of Reaction rolls to allow characters to bargain with (rather than fight) others they meet on their journeys. The languages below fully replace the languages described in OSE.
- Common: More of a creole language than one with a rich, singular tradition. Contains words, concepts and ideas from many languages and may vary by region or culture, but not so much as to prevent communication. Spoken by humans, heflin and a wide number of other cultures. It is an amalgamation of many languages that grew to be dominant over time as its utility outweighed the richer but now dead languages associated with its various cultural contributors
- Dwarvish: The ancient language spoken by Dwarves
- Elvish: The ancient language spoken by Elves
- Draconic: An ancient language spoken by dragons and sometimes by lizardfolk, kobolds and other scaled creatures when they do not speak or have not been introduced to Low Common
- Giant: A rich language spoken by various Giant peoples, though those with lower intelligence or less structured culture speak it in a degraded form
- Low Common: A highly modified version of Common sprinkled liberally with an ever-shifting patois of tribal and regional terms. Low Common is spoken by sapient tribal creatures like orcs, goblins, bugbears, gnolls, ogres, and similar creatures. The languages of such beings contributed to the shape of Common, but their societal structures, goals and institutions have not documented, propagated nor promulgated the language with any purpose or direction. It has drifted so far from its shared roots with Common that it is a language unto itself. It is still rich, but is in constant flux and spoken with such variation that it is at times difficult for different tribes of speakers to truly understand the nuances each is trying to convey without time and effort.
- Primordial: An exceptionally ancient language (so much so that elvish is new by comparison) spoken now only by creatures present at the dawn of time like gods, elementals and creatures from other planes of existence
- Sylvan: An offshoot of ancient elvish, now spoken only by fey creatures (pixies, sprites) and some intelligent plant species
- Undercommon: A pigin language used to communicate the bare essentials (especially trade and political basics) between the strange peoples and beings that dwell deep under the earth