hey-o this is blog. Mumford or Mumf is chill. || aro/ace/agender || they/them || 30 flirty n not feelin so good || find me on bsky @ toonestoons - I use this to dump art and keep references/inspo. memes happen too
I was organizing my charts for languages in my setting. Especially to give reference that was more playing facing for my tables. I might be deep in the conlang mines, but unfortunately my players would not have fun with me making them sort out grammar and other things to decipher my language puzzles. So I have made some of these into a font for my own uses.
One of the main thing I did was break up primordial again. I always disliked how it was just "oh these are different dialects but they can all understand each other no problem". Meanwhile they're described as having very different patterns and sounds. So primordial is the parent language that you can kind of feel out with any of the child languages, but the child languages aren't going to 1:1 translate and you can try to discern say Aquan when you only know Terran, but the DC is higher, so there is more risk of getting it wrong.
I really like cultures in dnd settings having distinctness but also overlapping. Language is a fun way to do that but also give weight and incentivize exploration - or rather that's what I think. I know my play-style it incentivizes me to be more curious and its another puzzle.
Anyways, there isn't a lot of elaboration, mainly just:
Language
(Script)
Typical Speakers
Flavour Text/Descriptor
Common Languages
[ALT: A chart listing out languages, scripts, and their typical speakers.]
Common
(Alsennian Script)
Typical speakers: Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, Goliaths, Halflings, Humans, Orcs
A language created by the god Alsen to allow mortals to communicate and trade. It eventually turned into more complex language than a simple trade language. Not every sentient species is fluent.
Draconic
(Iokharic Script)
Typical Speakers: Dragons, Dragonborn, Kobolds, Lizardfolk, Wyverns
A language that consists of hissing and hard consonants and sibilants, paired with throaty sounds similar to clearing one's throat.
Dethek (Dwarvish)
(Dethek Script)
Typical Speakers: Dwarves
A language that consists of a lot of hard consonants and hard stops. Sometimes described as rumbling boulders.
Elvish
(Espruar Script)
Typical Speakers: Elves, Drow
A fluid language that is rich and varied. Known for its expansive vocabulary and being well suited for magical theory and artistic expression.
Gnim (Gnomish)
(Gnimek Script)
Typical Speakers: Gnomes, Scholars
A language known for its simple structure and fluid tones as well as its robust vocabulary. It is one of the preferred languages for academic and scholarly circles.
Ghulkail (Gobblin)
(Klaik Script)
Typical Speakers: Goblinoids, Hobgoblins, Bugbear, Gobbocs, Rakin
A language known for its inflections ranging from punctuating grunts, to the stressing of consonants with sharp emphasis.
Jotun (Giantish)
(Jotunek Script)
Typical Speakers: Giants, Goliaths, Ogres
A language that fluctuates based off dialect, but is noted for the rolling consonants and throaty sounds that resemble thunder.
Lurienal (Halfling)
(Luric Script)
Typical Speakers: Halfling
A language that is rare outside of halflings, it is an adaptive and vibrant language that was heavily influenced by the cultural trade during the beginning of the Vulgar Era. Modern Lurienal contains a lot of borrowed words or inflections.
Orcish*
(Orcish Script)
Typical Speakers: Orcs
A language that consist of minimal soft sounds that, and primarily of harder or more throaty phonetics. It is common for there to be clicks or throaty "chuffs" interspersed to add tonal meaning.
* - I want to rename this, however at this time I don't have a good one that feels right so its a placeholder
Rare Languages
[ALT: A chart listing out languages, scripts, and their typical speakers.]
A collection of chirps, deep-throated hoots, and whistles that are paired with specific postures. Not a language that most humanoids are able to speak but can be taught to understand.
Dependent on the speaker, it ranges in inflections from barking-like sounds to the soft, consistent drone of the ocean waves and the buzzing of angry hornets.
* - typo on the chart but I'm honestly too lazy to update the image lol
A deep, throaty language that is often associated with a gravelly tone. Not easily learned by most humanoids as it also incorporates deeper tones not easily replicated as well as chuffs, and deep chest noises.
Often described as a very "wet" language, it features a lot of pops, whistles, and clicks. Often punctuated with chirps that differ in pitch and tone.
Antharic
(Antharic Script)
Typical Speakers: Black Dragons, Lizard Folk
A language that consists of sharp consonants, growling, and jaw snapping. Additional meanings are conveyed with body language, and tonal inflections.
Aquan
(Aquan Script)
Typical Speakers: Water Creatures, Water Elementals, Water Genasi
A flowing language with subtleties, when spoken it has a fluidity to it and lacks abrupt, sharp sounds.
Auran
(Auran Script)
Typical Speakers: Air Creatures, Air Elementals, Air Genasi
A breathy language that is described as a slow exhaling of air. It can feature whistles and rumbles as well.
Celestial
(Celestial Script)
Typical Speakers: Celestials, Deities, and Aasimar
A sonorous language that produces layered echoes in a way often described as beautiful and at times haunting.
Deep Speech
(Iuventar Script)
Typical Speakers: Aberrations
A language difficult for most mortals to speak, though they can learn to understand. Deep, haunting tones with various hums, whistles, and other notes similar to some instruments.
Drowic
(Iuventar Script)
Typical Speakers: Drow
Fluid, rich, and breathy. It is spoken with little sharp sounds, designed to be spoken and not echo in caves.
Ignan
(Ignan Script)
Typical Speakers: Fire Creatures, Fire Elementals, Fire Genasi
A primordial language comprised of sharp clicks and hisses.
Specialized Languages
[ALT: A chart listing out languages, scripts, and their typical speakers.]
A sign language that is derived from common and thieves cant. If one knows thieves cant they can discern this language as well.
Druidic
(Druidic Script)
Typical Speakers: Druids
A language created for druids that is forbidden to others.
Druidspeak
(Druidspeak Script)
Typical Speakers: Druids of the Verdant Wood
A special language similar in structure to Thieves' Cant but dotted with ecological references and druidic vocabulary. Can take a year or more to master.
A pidgin language influenced by elvish and common. It is difficult to interpret, and while listeners may get the general idea, it will often come with confusion. The dominant elven language adds an additional layer of complication to it.
Explorer Markers
(Aarranic Script)
Typical Speakers: Druids, Paladins (Oath of the Ancients), Rangers
Less of a spoken language and more of a script, it is a system of symbols used to navigate the wilds.
Litherna Sign
Typical Speakers: Dwarves and Gnomes
A sign language created by dwarves and gnomes.
Lurispeak
Typical Speakers: Members of The Lorists
Similar to Silent Tongue, but distinct enough it cannot be interpreted by Drow. Incorporates arcane spellcraft, ancient lore, and expressions or gestures to communicate, rendering it secure against Comprehend languages.
Maiden's Tongue
(Lovik Script)
Typical Speakers: Priestesses of Loviatar
A secret ceremonial language used for priestesses of Loviatar.
Silent Tongue
Typical Speakers: Drow
A sign language created by the Drow that rely on hand and finger placement. As well as the angle of the hand from the body, facial expressions, stance, and other body language.
The charts I made to see which languages can be used to decipher feel out another language. A high simplified flow chart of proto languages and the like. The colours denote difficulty and have assigned DCs.
Language Chart:
Scripts Chart:
I am totally not to far into the weeds with this... why do you ask.
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