Languages for a scholar

[Kobamw]

Hello everyone,

Recent RCR allows me to select the languages again. The PC in question is an educated guy with thirst for knowledge. He is a merchant and not full time scholar, but he has at least basic knowledge from virtually any lore area. This includes arcane knowledge supported with spellcraft and UMD skills.

To reflect his ability to obtain this knowledge I would like to select appropriate languages. I am thinking about Thorass which, I understand, is kind of the ancient human language. In PnP (and BGTSCC so far) I also take Draconic to reflect the ability to read magical scripts and more obscure lore sources. However, recently I noticed that there is “Arcane” language as well. Which would you suggest is better in my case? Also, any other language choices for my PC are also more than welcome

Thanks in advance!

[Tantive]

arcane language is granted automaticly as a wizard. I am uncertain arcane is selectable by a class any other then that.

[Hoihe]

Elven is the tongue of magic and philosophy, arts.

Dwarven is the tongue of engineering and mineralogy.

Gnomish is the tongue of magic and engineering.

[Rhifox]

Draconic is the language of magic. Arcane doesn't exist in PnP, but if one had to give it a conceptualization I'd treat it like Animal is for druids: That is, it's a way of reading spells and such intuitively rather than directly. I'd view Arcane as the "language" of Spellcraft, knowing what gestures mean what, what material components are used in what spells, etc, and not something you actually speak. For actual written spells, and the verbal components, Draconic is the proper language.

Other scholarly languages? Elven, of course. Halruaan and Mulhorandi are also important if your scholarly field is in magical subjects (as they are languages spoken in major magocracies in FR). Thorass is useful, yup. If you want other 'older' languages, then look into Old Illuskan, Netherese, Auld Chessic and Thresk, Halardrim, and so on.

http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/F ... _languages

[Tsidkenu]

Arcane in our PW = PnP magical notation. It is the written form of a magic spell and has no defined form, grammar, etc. Each spellcaster learns their own method of magical notation (usually heavily influenced by their tutor/s) which can only be understood by others with the use of the Read Magic spell or a DC 20 + spell level spellcraft check (plus time to decipher the text). Wizards & sorcerers receive the Arcane language on our server as a bonus free language to reflect this, but it has no RP use (because it is -not- a spoken language) except in the custom book creation system in which you can specify a certain language.

Thorass is definitely a go-to archaic language for the Western Heartlands and is still used for official documentation in Amn. Continuing with the merchant theme you might also want to consider Chondathan (regional dialect of the Sword Coast) and Illuskan (Luskan/northern dialect). Elven is a common go-to choice as well, but you might also consider other regional trade languages.

Scholarly (dead) languages are things like Netherese (Netherese common), Loross (Netherese nobility), Imaskari (ancient Imaskar; used as a living language only by the Deep Imaskar of the Underdark or the inhabitants of the City of Shade), as well as the languages of the ancient kingdoms of Raumathar (now Rashemen) and Narfell.

You can actually examine the details for each language in-game (right click) and if you want to get more info, just do an FR wiki search for additional basics and come up with a selection most suited to your RP.

[Kobamw]

Thanks for all the suggestions and clarification of Arcane language. I actually started with BG wiki and found Arcane language there. I didn't even notice I can't select it IG...

So I decided to go for Thorass and Draconic (I have +2 intelligence) + I have elven as a racial language. But now I read we are to be granted 1 extra local language. Having stong ties with Amn, I wonder what should I take. Alzhedo for Southern lore & magic? Chondathan, language of largest trade centres in Heartlands and Inner Sea? Or maybe Halfling from trading with inland Amn around Lake Esmel? Any ideas and suggestions?

Thanks in advance!