I think Pedro should make a clarification statement about what "national" means for bonus racial languages

Umm the languages on that nations table.. under your nation

:::looks at you strangely:::

When a race says "National Language" or "Native Language" do you get *all* the languages in your nation's listing or just 1?

John

Casts "Gaze Reflection" ( real 3.5 spell thank you) its not me pete, they seem to think it means only one of those languages *points at John*(cause its always john hehe)

For example: "Automatic Languages: High Coryani, Native Nation" in the Hinterlands, where you could choose Milandesian, Erudene, Yhing Hir, etc. for your native language. What some are arguing is that it doesn't say "only one Native Language", which means a Val could in theory gain 5 languages because there are 4 'native languages' in the Hinterlands.

I think this is stupid, and that it clearly implies one, but there is JUST ENOUGH leeway that someone could argue otherwise.

hey now lets leave the name calling out of it

I agree it's not right to assume you get all those languages as free bonus languages. I also think it's not right to force people to take 5 languages before they get to pick one they want.

John

So, having a Yhing Hir tribesman who can speak Kio makes sense from a game perspective, even though they would have almost no contact with them? While the current errata is restrictive, it makes more sense to me from a realism (both within the universe and without) perspective. Also, the most restrictive would be the Hinterlands, and having to learn Yhing Hir, Milandesian, and Low Coryani seems less of a restriction to me than it does to other people. Those are all very useful languages, so they seem like good ones to choose from anyway. The only 'dud' there is Erdukene and Skohir, which I can see as being more restrictive (especially now that we've left the Hinterlands).

That said, not all character builds are going to be the same. If you are from Grand Coryan (the political centre of the Known Lands) or in one of the main realms, you are exposed to more languages than you are as a Tribesman near the Plain of Falling Stars.

If the backstory for said character is a Yhing hir tribesman that traveled to the Kio lands to improve his sword fighting skills - yes. The system should NOT dictate the role play in such a manner.


Tell me something Cody, you obviously speak English but do you also speak French and the various Aboriginal languages found in areas of Canada? If you don't, I guess it would make sense that you're not allowed to learn German, Latin, Chinese, etc...


Just because something is deemed "useful" doesn't mean it fits the character concept.

Honestly, I don't see why it's so hard to say:

"Characters start with a number of languages equal to their Passive Logic, plus any bonus languages granted by their race. Characters must know at least one language from their home region / nation, all other languages are optional."

OR

"Characters start with a number of languages equal to their Passive Logic, plus any bonus languages granted by their race. Characters must know at least the common language from their home region / nation, all other languages are optional." Then have a common language specified for each region / nation that have more than one language listed.