Complete List of Languages

[noparlpf]

Does anybody know if there's a "master list" of languages available for characters in D&D 3.5e?

If not, let's make one!

So far I have:

Aboleth
Abyssal
Aquan
Armandish
Asherati
Auran
Battle Signals, Flag
Battle Signals, Hand (very limited sign language, DC 15 Int to interpret a message up to three words in length even if you don't know it)
Beholder
Bhuka
Blink Dog
Buommi
Celestial
Common
Common, Gutterspeak (basically, the hip-and-happening teenage slang of D&D; may or may not require its own ranks in Speak Language)
Common, Planar Trade (Planescape setting)
Darfellan
Demodand
Desmodu
Diabolan (Dragon Compendium)
Draconic
Drow Sign Language
Druidic (secret language)
Dvati (requires two speakers)
Dwarven
Elven
Feline
Formian
Ghost Elven (combination of Infernal and Elven, more or less)
Giant
Gith (Githyanki and Githzerai are technically different languages)
Gnoll
Gnome, Forest (basic communication with forest animals)
Gnome, Rock (standard gnome)
Goblin
Gol-Kaa (Goliath)
Grell (half verbal, half electrical impulses)
Grimlock
Hadozee
Hugenemnon, aka Protean (language evolves so quickly that non-proteans can't learn it)
Halfling
Ibixian
Ignan
Illumian
Infernal
Kaorti
Kenku
Khen-zai
Kuo-toa
Leskylor
Loxo
Lumi
Lupin (Dragon Compendium)
Maenad
Marru
Modron
Mongrel
Neraph
Nerra
Nycter
Odopi
Orc
Qualith (written only, Mind Flayer)
Rhek
Rimlani
Sahuagin
Shadowswyft
Silthilar
Slaad
Sphinx
Stonesinger
Suloise
Sylvan
Terran
Thri-Kreen
Tirbana
Treant
Tsochar (primarily written)
Tusk Terror
Tuilvalanuue (Raptoran)
Undercommon (Drow, Mind Flayers, etc)
Urskan
Varrangoin
Windsong
Worg
Xeph
Yuan-ti
Zern

Thanks to Kumori for alphabetizing this! I'll be sure to put new additions in alphabetically. n.n

I'll try to get sources and page numbers on here over the next day or two.

Does anybody know of any others?

Note: I don't own any Forgotten Realms books, so any languages in the below list are likely things I have never heard of. When posting a language, please specify if it's from Forgotten Realms.

Some Forgotten Realms languages and dialects:
Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting:
Algarondan
Alzhedo
Chessentan
Chondathan
Chultan
Damaran
Halruaan
Illuskan
Latanese
Mulhorandi
Netherese
Rashemi
Shaaran
Tashalan
Tuigan
Turmic
Utheric

Underdark:
Roushoun

Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, Dead Languages
Aragrakh
Hulgorkyn
Loross
Seldruin
Thorass

Monsters of Faerun:
Malaugrym
Nishruu (Maybe this exists, maybe not)
Phaerimm (Not listed as a language, but they do communicate with wind currents)
Tanarukk (A pidgin of Orc and Abyssal)
Tomb Tapper (They communicate by vibrating)

This list by Honest Tiefling.

[Ksheep]

Drow and Drow Sign-Language

EDIT: Apparently Drow falls under Undercommon in 3.5. Silly me.

[noparlpf]

Drow speak Undercommon, they don't have an independent language.
I forgot about their sign language though. I'll add that.

[noparlpf]

Drow and Drow Sign-Language

EDIT: Apparently Drow falls under Undercommon in 3.5. Silly me.

Yeah. It's kind of weird, considering the drow mentality, but they have a few paragraphs on it in Drow of the Underdark.

[Delcor]

I'm not sure, but perhaps there are specific branch languages for each kind of elf (wood elf, high elf) im not sure if they even exist in DnD however. Also, maybe Duergar or Svifneblin have their own language, unless they fall under undercommon as well.

[noparlpf]

I'm not sure, but perhaps there are specific branch languages for each kind of elf (wood elf, high elf) im not sure if they even exist in DnD however. Also, maybe Duergar or Svifneblin have their own language, unless they fall under undercommon as well.

The various elves all just speak Elven in 3.5. Duergar speak Undercommon and Dwarven. Where are Svifneblin?

[Ksheep]

Yeah, I'm currently reading through the Drizzt books, which has Drow using their own language. Doesn't quite convert over to 3.5 though.

Anyway, here are a couple others that it looks like you missed:
Illumian
Mongrel (not TRUE language, just a pidgin language used to confuse non-mongrels)

[Ksheep]

The various elves all just speak Elven in 3.5. Duergar speak Undercommon and Dwarven. Where are Svifneblin?

Svirfneblin, aka Deep Gnomes, are in the Forgotten Realms setting. I wouldn't be surprised if the Forgotten Realms has multiple different languages for the different "sub-races".

[noparlpf]

Yeah, I'm currently reading through the Drizzt books, which has Drow using their own language. Doesn't quite convert over to 3.5 though.

Anyway, here are a couple others that it looks like you missed:
Illumian
Mongrel (not TRUE language, just a pidgin language used to confuse non-mongrels)

I'm looking through Lords of Madness. Aboleth is a language, but I think Mind Flayers speak Undercommon.

Thanks, I did miss Illumian. I'll stick in Mongrel too.

[noparlpf]

Svirfneblin, aka Deep Gnomes, are in the Forgotten Realms setting. I wouldn't be surprised if the Forgotten Realms has multiple different languages for the different "sub-races".

Ah. I don't have the Forgotten Realms books, so I can't really look up any of their languages. I bet that if that's the case, their sub-race dialects would make a list as long as the one I've got up now.

[Ruinix]

Illumian. Glyph language of illumians. Races of Destiny.

[noparlpf]

I added in Illumian.

Beholders also have their own language. That's in there too now.

Edit: Yeah, mindflayers speak Undercommon. They also have a purely written language for their telepathy, similar to braille.

[Ksheep]

Looking into the Forgotten Realms languages, I found a couple resources:

http://www.badgerworks.net/hobbysite/fr3/language.html
This has all the languages from the book series, along with a short description of each.

http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Languages
This is from the official wiki, with all of the languages from the game. I'm not entirely sure if it focuses on the 3.x version or the 4e version, so not sure how accurate it is. Still, it'll give you some idea.

[Wardog]

Mongrel (not TRUE language, just a pidgin language used to confuse non-mongrels)

Doesn't that completely defeat the purpose of a pidgin?

[Kumori]

I had to do this for you. I couldn't look at it the way it was:

Aboleth
Abyssal
Aquan
Auran
Beholder
Buommi
Celestial
Common
Diabolan (Dragon Compendium)
Draconic
Drow Sign Language
Druidic
Dwarven
Elven
Feline
Ghost Elven (combination of Infernal and Elven, more or less)
Giant
Gith (Githyanki and Githzerai are technically different languages)
Gnoll
Gnome
Goblin
Gol-Kaa (Goliath)
Grell (half verbal, half electrical impulses)
Halfling
Ignan
Illumian
Infernal
Kuo-toa
Lupin (likewise)
Maenad
Modron
Mongrel
Neraph
Orc
Qualith (written only, Mind Flayer)
Rhek
Shadowswyft
Silthilar
Slaad
Sylvan
Terran
Thri-Kreen
Tsochar (primarily written)
Tuilvalanuue (Raptoran)
Undercommon (Drow, Mind Flayers, etc)
Xeph

[noparlpf]

I had to do this for you. I couldn't look at it the way it was:

Aboleth
Abyssal
Aquan
Auran
Beholder
Buommi
Celestial
Common
Diabolan (Dragon Compendium)
Draconic
Drow Sign Language
Druidic
Dwarven
Elven
Feline
Ghost Elven (combination of Infernal and Elven, more or less)
Giant
Gith (Githyanki and Githzerai are technically different languages)
Gnoll
Gnome
Goblin
Gol-Kaa (Goliath)
Grell (half verbal, half electrical impulses)
Halfling
Ignan
Illumian
Infernal
Kuo-toa
Lupin (likewise)
Maenad
Modron
Mongrel
Neraph
Orc
Qualith (written only, Mind Flayer)
Rhek
Shadowswyft
Silthilar
Slaad
Sylvan
Terran
Thri-Kreen
Tsochar (primarily written)
Tuilvalanuue (Raptoran)
Undercommon (Drow, Mind Flayers, etc)
Xeph

Sweet deal. Thank you very much! (I was too lazy to do it on my own.)

[Ksheep]

Doesn't that completely defeat the purpose of a pidgin?

RoD states "Mongrelfolk have their own pidgin language, known as Mongrel, but they only use it when other races are watching". I read this as "they speak this to keep people guessing as to their race", as it says that, to the average Elf, a Mongrelfolk may appear as a human. To a human, however, they may appear as an elf. The are a bastard race that, to the observer, appears to be a different race then that of the observer. They just use their pidgin language to make it sound like they are speaking [insert language other than hearers language].

[Honest Tiefling]

Blink Dogs and Forest Gnomes have their own languages. Svirfneblin on the SRD do not have a new language for them.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/blinkDog.htm
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/gnome.htm

And Forgotten Realms adds in about 20 different languages for the humans ethnicities. I don't suggest adding them in, as there are a lot and they are pretty setting specific.

[Squiggles]

A few more


[MM2] Desmodus from speak Desmodu
[MM2] Loxos speak their own language, I'm assuming Loxon/Loxan
[MM3] Armandish (Spoken by Armands)
[MM1] Sahuagin
[MM3] Goatfolk speak Ibixian
[MM3] Kenku
[MM3] Lumi speak Lumi
[MM3] Nycters Speak Nycter
[MM3] Odopi have their own language
[MM1] Yuan-ti
[MM3] Stonesingers have their own language
[Fiend Folio] Khen-Zai (spoken by Ethergaunts)
[MM4] Windsong (Spoken by Windblades from Pandemonium)
[MM4] Zern speak Zern
[MM1] Worg
[MM1] Treant
[MM5] Tirbana speak Tirbana
[MM5] Tusk Terror
[MM1] Formian (Myrmarchs and Queens)
[MM1] Grimlocks speak their own language
[MM1] Sphinx
[Fiend Folio] Demodands speak their own language
[Fiend Folio] Kaortis speak their own language
[Fiend Folio] Nerra speak their own language
[Fiend Folio] Rilmani speak their own language
[Fiend Folio] Spriggans speak Kobold
[Fiend Folio] Varrangoin speak their own language
[Frostburn] Urskans speak Urskan
[LOM] Tsochari have their own language
Silthilar speak their own language you already had it
Asherati
[Sandstorm] Bhuka
[Sandstorm] Marru
[Stormwrack] Darfellan
[Stormwrack] Hadozee
[BOED] Leskylor have their own language
[S]Rheks have their own language you already had them as well

[Thurbane]

AFB, but don't Catfolk have their own language? Feline?

I believe that's on the list already
Indeed it is...I must have been looking under C instead of F.

[Squiggles]

AFB, but don't Catfolk have their own language? Feline?

I believe that's on the list already

[WolfieDM]

This may be a little off-topic, but if you're ever a Drow Wizard/Sorcerer, choose a Raven Familiar and make it speak Drow Sign-Language.

[noparlpf]

Thank you very much, Honest Tiefling, Squiggles. I'll get those onto the list in a minute.

Edit: Squiggles, do you have sources for those? I'm going to be going through all the monster manuals more carefully over the next couple of days, but it would help a lot to know where to look.
Oh, and did Kobolds speak their own language in 3.0? Because the 3.5 MM says they speak Draconic. (I think most reptilian humanoids speak Draconic in 3.5.)

[Squiggles]

Thank you very much, Honest Tiefling, Squiggles. I'll get those onto the list in a minute.

Edit: Squiggles, do you have sources for those? I'm going to be going through all the monster manuals more carefully over the next couple of days, but it would help a lot to know where to look.
Oh, and did Kobolds speak their own language in 3.0? Because the 3.5 MM says they speak Draconic. (I think most reptilian humanoids speak Draconic in 3.5.)

I'll dig up the sources and post em.

Spriggans, erm, I'll see if that sourcebook is 3.0 or 3.5

[noparlpf]

I'll dig up the sources and post em.

Spriggans, erm, I'll see if that sourcebook is 3.0 or 3.5

If you can, that would be wonderful. Thank you very much.

Are they in Fiend Folio? I think that's a 3.0 book. So they'd probably just speak Draconic in 3.5, I guess.

[JoshuaZ]

Suloise, the language of ancient Suel. Mentioned in Complete Arcane as one of the requirements for the Suel Arcanamach PrC.

[noparlpf]

Suloise, the language of ancient Suel. Mentioned in Complete Arcane as one of the requirements for the Suel Arcanamach PrC.

Cool, thanks.

[LaughingRogue]

Greyhawk Languages are usually neglected --- idk if you did but i suspect alot won't be on your list

http://www.canonfire.com/wiki/index.php?title=Greyhawk_languages

[noparlpf]

Greyhawk Languages are usually neglected --- idk if you did but i suspect alot won't be on your list

http://www.canonfire.com/wiki/index.php?title=Greyhawk_languages

I'm not familiar with them, no. Is Greyhawk another campaign setting?

[Squiggles]

If you can, that would be wonderful. Thank you very much.

Are they in Fiend Folio? I think that's a 3.0 book. So they'd probably just speak Draconic in 3.5, I guess.

I did skip over a few that stated you couldn't reproduce them as a humanoid, mostly earth creatures who spoke Terran and their own languages and sonic/screeching critters.

[noparlpf]

I did skip over a few that stated you couldn't reproduce them as a humanoid, mostly earth creatures who spoke Terran and their own languages and sonic/screeching critters.

That's fine. I'm going to be going over everything during the next few days. It just really helps to get such a big list sent in. Thanks again!

[Kumori]

I'm not familiar with them, no. Is Greyhawk another campaign setting?

Greyhawk is sort of the default setting.

A quote from this page (http://www.canonfire.com/wiki/index.php?title=Greyhawk):
Historically, direct links between the core D&D rules and any particular campaign setting have been limited. Through all editions of the game however, Greyhawk has had a strong influence over the core rules, such as serving as the source for names of many well-known spells and magic items. The current D&D "Core Setting" is largely based on Greyhawk, and the default pantheon of deities for D&D is largely taken from Greyhawk. The current edition of the Dungeon Master's Guide (3.5 edition) pays visual tribute to Greyhawk's influence on the game, featuring on its cover a small map of the continent of Oerik etched onto the globe of Oerth.

[noparlpf]

Huh. Well, I've never heard of it. The DMs in my group usually just make up their own worlds.

I'll check those languages out later and probably add them to the list.

[gorfnab]

Beguilers from Shining South speak Beguiler (technically is says they speak their own language).

[noparlpf]

Beguilers from Shining South speak Beguiler (technically is says they speak their own language).

What's Shining South?

[LaughingRogue]

What's Shining South?

Forgotten Realms region

[noparlpf]

Forgotten Realms region

That would do it. I don't have any Forgotten Realms books. The list I do have up there for Forgotten Realms dialects is from a link someone posted earlier.

[ericgrau]

I made a bard who saved character sheet space by writing "every PHB language and these 3 languages custom to the campaign." I was frustrated when we met all kinds of exotic creatures with their own language. Now I see with a mere 83 skill points from 11 levels, my next bard can overcome this problem. :smallbiggrin:

You'd think comprehend languages would solve all that, but it's not 24 hours and terrible, terrible things happened when I tried it on a plot macguffin / artifact. My DMs are so particular that it just never seems to work out.

[noparlpf]

I made a bard who saved character sheet space by writing "every PHB language and these 3 languages custom to the campaign." I was frustrated when we met all kinds of exotic creatures with their own language. Now I see with a mere 83 skill points from 11 levels, my next bard can overcome this problem. :smallbiggrin:

Wait, Speak Language doesn't have a maximum number of ranks?
*checks PHB*
Technically it doesn't because you don't purchase ranks, you just learn a new language.
Sweet. That makes the world a much more beautiful place.

[begooler]

The Expedition to the Demonweb Pits adventure includes a brief visit to Sigil and it has stats for Dabus (from Planescape.)
In their entry, it doesn't say there is a language called Dabus per se, but they speak through glyphs that are visual only. The actual entry is:
Language- visual only, telepathy.

I don't know if that counts for your purposes, or if its too much a stretch.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/demonweb_gallery/103918.jpg

Question- are you or are you not including 3.0? I would include anything from 3.0 for the purpose of being inclusive, and just mark it with a note. Particularly for Fiend Folio, since they made a downloadable 'update' and it's encouraged to be used in 3.5.

I noticed Modron on there. I've never seen Modrons actually statted anywhere in 3.5. There was a supplement for the Manual of the Planes that had Modron stats, but I've never seen them anywhere else in 3.anything. The 3.5 Planar Handbook doesn't even have them!
I ask for my own selfish reasons, because I have some in a campaign and I'm currently using the aforementioned 3.0 stat blocks.

[noparlpf]

The Expedition to the Demonweb Pits adventure includes a brief visit to Sigil and it has stats for Dabus (from Planescape.)
In their entry, it doesn't say there is a language called Dabus per se, but they speak through glyphs that are visual only. The actual entry is:
Language- visual only, telepathy.

I don't know if that counts for your purposes, or if its too much a stretch.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/demonweb_gallery/103918.jpg

Question- are you or are you not including 3.0? I would include anything from 3.0 for the purpose of being inclusive, and just mark it with a note. Particularly for Fiend Folio, since they made a downloadable 'update' and it's encouraged to be used in 3.5.

I noticed Modron on there. I've never seen Modrons actually statted anywhere in 3.5. There was a supplement for the Manual of the Planes that had Modron stats, but I've never seen them anywhere else in 3.anything. The 3.5 Planar Handbook doesn't even have them!
I ask for my own selfish reasons, because I have some in a campaign and I'm currently using the aforementioned 3.0 stat blocks.

I have no clue if Modron is an official language in 3.5. But I saw it used once in a game, so I see no reason for it not to be viable. Isn't it essentially binary? (Besides, the silly monsters like gelatinous cubes and modrons are my favorite part of D&D.) Is the Manual of the Planes supplement a downloadable supplement?
I'm planning to include as many 3.0 languages as I can from the books I have. Of course, I mostly have 3.5 books, so that's a little hard for me to do. I guess I'm mostly doing 3.5 languages, and 3.0 languages not overridden by 3.5 which are viable in 3.5. If I had 3.0 material, I would make a separate list with only the languages that are different from 3.5.
Do you have a link for that Fiend Folio update?
And (apparently I'm working backwards up your post) I don't have Planescape. It seems like that language can only be expressed in images? I guess it could be written instead of projected telapathically, and I've included a couple of written-only languages, like the Mindflayers' written language.

[begooler]

I think you should definitely include Modron! They have been left out enough. I was just mentioning that they were absent in 3.5 in case you were being a stickler for no 3.0 material.

I will browse for both of those supplements and edit this post when I find them. They are both available free from WoTC.

Edit 1- Modrons:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20010921a

Edit 2- FF Update:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20030718a

[noparlpf]

I think you should definitely include Modron! They have been left out enough. I was just mentioning that they were absent in 3.5 in case you were being a stickler for no 3.0 material.

I will browse for both of those supplements and edit this post when I find them. They are both available free from WoTC.

Edit 1- Modrons:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20010921a

Edit 2- FF Update:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20030718a

I think I have some 3.0 languages in here already. I'm not sure. I got a long list earlier from another poster and I'm not sure what sources half of them are from. (Presumably MMs, Fiend Folio, and other sources of monsters and races.)

Awesome, thanks.

[Honest Tiefling]

I think you need to doublecheck your Faerunian languages. Its a bit nitpicky, but Bedine isn't a language, it is Midani. Unless Dalespeak is something related to the Great Dale, I believe most Dalelanders from the Dales actually speak Chondathan, which is spoken in many different regions and not on the list. Chulti is also I believe not a language in the realms, and I believe the modern version is Tabaxi. Latani should be Lantanese, I think, but I am not 100% sure.

EDIT: I don't think the Uthgardt have their own language, I think it is Illuskan.

[noparlpf]

I think you need to doublecheck your Faerunian languages. Its a bit nitpicky, but Bedine isn't a language, it is Midani. Unless Dalespeak is something related to the Great Dale, I believe most Dalelanders from the Dales actually speak Chondathan, which is spoken in many different regions and not on the list. Chulti is also I believe not a language in the realms, and I believe the modern version is Tabaxi. Latani should be Lantanese, I think, but I am not 100% sure.

EDIT: I don't think the Uthgardt have their own language, I think it is Illuskan.

Oh my goodness.

That's even more complicated than I ever imagined.

Like I think I said, I don't have Forgotten Realms, Faerun, etc. All of those came from a website linked above the list in the Forgotten Realms languages spoiler tag.

[Honest Tiefling]

Alright, just gimme a moment. Lemme dig up Races of Faerun. I'll be adding in where these things come from, because I don't think Beguilers entered Forgotten Realms except on the web.

And as I am not the guy who wrote Forgotten Realms, everyone else please smack me if I make a mistake before I confuse this guy. For instance, I was wrong on the Tabaxi thing. I will be adding to this, as I dig through more books.

Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting:
(Page 85)
Algarondan
Alzhedo
Chessentan
Chondathan
Chultan
Damaran
Dambrathan
Durpari
Halruaan
Illuskan
Latanese
Midani
Mulhorandi
Netherese
Rashemi
Serusan
Shaaran
Shou
Tashalan
Tuigan
Turmic
Uliuk
Utheric

Races of Faerun:

Kir-Lanan (Page 139)
Narfelli (Might be a dead language) (Page 106)
Nexalan (Page 107)
Rauric (Might be a dead language) (Page 106)
Raumvira (Page 108)
Shanatan (Page (22)
Talfiric (Might be a dead language) (Page 109)



Underdark:
Roushoum (Page 9)

Ones that Probably Do not Exist:
Uthgardt (They speak Illuskan)
Dalespeak (Not associated with either the Great Dale or the Dalelands)
Mulani (It is the people, not the language)
Sossal (They just speak Damaran. Whoops)
Sossrim

Do you want the written scripts of Faerun as well?

[noparlpf]

Alright, just gimme a moment. Lemme dig up Races of Faerun. I'll be adding in where these things come from, because I don't think Beguilers entered Forgotten Realms except on the web.

And as I am not the guy who wrote Forgotten Realms, everyone else please smack me if I make a mistake before I confuse this guy. For instance, I was wrong on the Tabaxi thing. I will be adding to this, as I dig through more books.

Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting:
Algarondan
Alzhedo
Chessentan
Chondathan
Chultan
Damaran
Halruaan
Illuskan
Latanese
Mulhorandi
Netherese
Rashemi
Shaaran
Tashalan
Tuigan
Turmic
Utheric


Underdark:
Roushoun

Ones that Probably Do not Exist:
Uthgardt (They speak Illuskan)
Dalespeak (Not associated with either the Great Dale or the Dalelands)
Mulani (It is the people, not the language)

Do you want the written scripts of Faerun as well?

That would be cool. I'm including these largely because I was provided with links containing lists of them, otherwise I was going to stick to general setting-less 3.5 (which apparently is called Greyhawk; you learn something every day).

[Honest Tiefling]

I would honestly put the Faeruian ones off to the side rather then mix them in. Faeruian ethnicities cause headaches and are confusing for fans of the setting, so lets not confuse the heck out of people.

[noparlpf]

I have two spoiler tags going now. Are you saying I need a third?
*wondering what kind of epic quest I've gotten myself into*

[Honest Tiefling]

Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, Dead Languages
(Page 85)
Aragrakh
Hulgorkyn
Loross
Seldruin
Thorass

Should I include repeats, or no?

[Honest Tiefling]

Can you link me where you got the other language list from? I'm looking at the book so I know for a fact that Chondathan exists (And it's only the major language for most of where the events of the campaign setting and books take place!) so I wonder if you got your hands on a second edition site.

I know that Tuigan in second edition was something like five separate languages, so it is very likely to be different then 3.5

[Kefkafreak]

There's also Thorass (old common), but that's a dead language.

Edit: Swordsage'd:smalleek:

[noparlpf]

Can you link me where you got the other language list from? I'm looking at the book so I know for a fact that Chondathan exists (And it's only the major language for most of where the events of the campaign setting and books take place!) so I wonder if you got your hands on a second edition site.

I know that Tuigan in second edition was something like five separate languages, so it is very likely to be different then 3.5

I think I posted a link in the spoiler. (Ordinarily I would go copy and repaste it, but it's past 2 AM and I got up at 7 this--yesterday morning. And have to today too. So I'll be back tomorrow.)

[Honest Tiefling]

I don't think that is canon, actually. I am not trying to rain on your parade, but it does contradict what I have found in the campaign setting for Forgotten Realms. There are also a few other problems...

1) There are no grey elves. Grey Elves are Greyhawk, and the closest you have to a Grey Elf in Faerun are the Moon Elves, which use normal elf stats from the PHB. They are not the same, for Moon Elves are very widespread as a race, and even live in human settlements

2) Drow do not have their own language in Forgotten Realms.

3) Silvanesti, Qualinesti, Lyranesti and Cudynesti, terms for the elven races from that page sound more like Dragonlance then they do Forgotten Realms. These subraces do not match up with the Campaign Setting, Unapproachable East or Races of Faerun.

And if you poke around the site, there seem to be other errors. For instance, Uthgardt do not always take the fact that other people are moving in well. Unless stabbing counts as taking it well.

4) The Elven Court is abadoned and mostly inhabited by Drow. So the elves there are probably speaking Being Stabbed, not what this site cooked up.

5) Dethek is a script, not a spoken language. It is dwarven, but I have never seen Dwarven being called that. Also, it says that Dwarven is not written in Dethek, which is contradicted by Races of Faerun.

6) Dalespeak does not exist. Dalelanders use Chondathan. Similarly, Krenite is not the language of the regions listed, which all speak Damaran.

7) The document references Theive's Cant, which is I believe not a language in 3rd edition.

8) This document says that halflings do not have their own language and this is outright contradicted by the Campaign Setting.

7) The Sossal do not speak Akalan, they speak Sossrim.

8) There is no such thing as a Dark Dwarf, unless they mean Duergar. Duergar are completely seperate from the Derro, however.

A few human ethnicities, elven, dwarven, gnomish and halfling races appear to not be mentioned. True, the author says that not being included doesn't mean that they don't exist, but that there's not information on them. But these aren't really rare and obscure people that aren't being mentioned, these are peoples, like the Tethyrians, Illuskans, and the Condathans, that populate most of where the setting is focused. As in, Neverwinter, Waterdeep, Illusk, Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, and Amn.

Those names might not mean much to anyone who doesn't know anything about Forgotten Realms, but pretty much the well known games and novels set in this setting have been forgotten by this website. These aren't areas you can just remove, they are some of the largest peoples and cities in the Western part of Faerun.

Tl:dr; Think of a portal wiki that failed to mention Glados and instead mentioned a computer that runs on cake.

[ericgrau]

7) The document references Theive's Cant, which is I believe not a language in 3rd edition.
Ah I forgot about 2e thieves cant. If I ever learn 83 languages I'm going to get thieve's cant whether it's an official language in the setting or not.

Btw isn't there some kind of feat that gives languages in a way different from skill points?

[Feytalist]

Btw isn't there some kind of feat that gives languages in a way different from skill points?

Epic Feat Polyglot? It's essentially a permanent (Ex) tongues spell.

As far as I could see, Honest Tiefling's FR languages lists is correct. Also, Faerunian dialects isn't all that difficult to a fan :smalltongue:

[Honest Tiefling]

I've found people get confused on where races come from, what do they look like, what is their culture, etc. all the time. I used to help people out by researching it for them, so maybe my group was lazier.

And I don't think I am done with that list, I didn't get to Lost Empires of Faerun or Monsters of Faerun.

[Feytalist]

Hmm, I don't even have LEoF. I doubt there would be many more languages. Perhaps a few dead ones. Have you checked Serpent Kingdoms? There might be one or two hiding in there. I'm AFB, otherwise I would. MoF will have a few more monster ones though.

As to the confusion, it helps if you know the history of the races, where they come from and how they originated. And to think of them in real world terms. Illuskan = vaguely Viking, etc.

[Honest Tiefling]

The racial history is very dense. And last I checked, vikings never interbred with the low-class second citizens of a magical empire. It also gets really confusing when the real world analogues are debatable, or its hard to piece together what time period is being referenced. Still, even if we disagree a list of languages for Faerun can't hurt.

Monsters of Faerun:
Malaugrym (Page 64)
Nishruu (Maybe this exists, maybe not) (Page 67)
Phaerimm (Not listed as a language, but they do communicate with wind currents) (Page 70)
Tanarukk (A pidgin of Orc and Abyssal) (74)
Tomb Tapper (They communicate by vibrating) (Page 82)

[Larpus]

Since this immeasurable effort is already being put together, I'd like to suggest to put little insights on what you do with these languages (as in, which creature uses that language, for the non-obvious ones) and/or how useful they usually are in campaigns.

I mean, there are a bunch of languages there that I never heard of and have absolutely no idea who in hell speaks them.

[Feytalist]

The racial history is very dense. And last I checked, vikings never interbred with the low-class second citizens of a magical empire. It also gets really confusing when the real world analogues are debatable, or its hard to piece together what time period is being referenced. Still, even if we disagree a list of languages for Faerun can't hurt.

Fair enough. I was mostly joking, of course. The history of FR races is quite bewildering in any case, and a list such as this can only help.

These lists are simply for the sake of being; a comprehensive list of all canonical languages. Many of these are monster languages: Tanarukk speaking Tanarukk, Beholder speaking Beholder etc. The rest are mostly human regional languages.

[noparlpf]

Since this immeasurable effort is already being put together, I'd like to suggest to put little insights on what you do with these languages (as in, which creature uses that language, for the non-obvious ones) and/or how useful they usually are in campaigns.

I mean, there are a bunch of languages there that I never heard of and have absolutely no idea who in hell speaks them.

I am planning to go back through and cite sources, including page numbers. This is going to be my big project for the week.

@Honest Tiefling, thanks for the lists. I don't own any Faerun books, like I think I said, so I was working off of apparently faulty data from online.

[noparlpf]

A few more

[MM2] Desmodus from speak Desmodu
[MM2] Loxos speak their own language, I'm assuming Loxon/Loxan
[MM3] Armandish (Spoken by Armands)
[MM1] Sahuagin
[MM3] Goatfolk speak Ibixian
[MM3] Kenku
[MM3] Lumi speak Lumi
[MM3] Nycters Speak Nycter
[MM3] Odopi have their own language
[MM1] Yuan-ti
[MM3] Stonesingers have their own language
[Fiend Folio] Khen-Zai (spoken by Ethergaunts)
[MM4] Windsong (Spoken by Windblades from Pandemonium)
[MM4] Zern speak Zern
[MM1] Worg
[MM1] Treant
[MM5] Tirbana speak Tirbana
[MM5] Tusk Terror
[MM1] Formian (Myrmarchs and Queens)
[MM1] Grimlocks speak their own language
[MM1] Sphinx
[Fiend Folio] Demodands speak their own language
[Fiend Folio] Kaortis speak their own language
[Fiend Folio] Nerra speak their own language
[Fiend Folio] Rilmani speak their own language
[Fiend Folio] Spriggans speak Kobold
[Fiend Folio] Varrangoin speak their own language
[Frostburn] Urskans speak Urskan
[LOM] Tsochari have their own language
Silthilar speak their own language you already had it
Asherati
[Sandstorm] Bhuka
[Sandstorm] Marru
[Stormwrack] Darfellan
[Stormwrack] Hadozee
[BOED] Leskylor have their own language
[S]Rheks have their own language you already had them as well

Thanks very much for the sources!

[Honest Tiefling]

I am planning to go back through and cite sources, including page numbers. This is going to be my big project for the week.

@Honest Tiefling, thanks for the lists. I don't own any Faerun books, like I think I said, so I was working off of apparently faulty data from online.

I'll do the same later today, and note which are monster languages. Tomb Tapper, which is just them vibrating at each other probably isn't too useful for PCs. I wonder if alternate forms of communication should exist for those cases. And for some reason, that page is the first one to pop up for Forgotten Realms languages for Google.

[noparlpf]

I'll do the same, and note which are monster languages. Tomb Taper, which is just them vibrating at each other probably isn't too useful for PCs. I wonder if alternate forms of communication should exist for those cases. And for some reason, that page is the first one to pop up for Forgotten Realms languages for Google.

You mean the badgerworks site?


Last Modified: 09/26/2004 10:04:38

Yeah...wow. I can't imagine something seven years old is very accurate.

[Ksheep]

You mean the badgerworks site?



Yeah...wow. I can't imagine something seven years old is very accurate.

Wouldn't be surprised if they were mostly extrapolating from the 2e campaign setting... or just giving what they thought were reasonable names for regions that they didn't know the actual language for. After all, that last update was just after Races of Faerun came out, and the original page is probably a few years older.

[Honest Tiefling]

Half of it doesn't even follow the Campaign Setting, however. It could be 2nd edition, if 2nd edition was real different. I doubt it, as I'm sure I've seen Illuskans in 3nd edition. Given the Dragonlance-esque terms I think someone just took forgotten realms and ran with it in some new direction.

The idea that any edition has more elven subraces then 3rd makes me want to cry.

[Necroticplague]

Planar Trade Common, a Planescape language that uses a mix of common and the outsider languages.

Also, proteans list them as having their own language, however it evolves so quickly that it is spoken only and is only spoken by proteans.

[noparlpf]

Planar Trade Common, a Planescape language that uses a mix of common and the outsider languages.

Also, proteans list them as having their own language, however it evolves so quickly that it is spoken only and is only spoken by proteans.

Where are proteans from?

[Andorax]

Just another note for those who don't have 83 skill points to spare, but can afford 12 and one feat.

Wanderer's Diplomacy (PHB II) allows you to make a Sense Motive check to get the "basic gist" of what a creature is saying.

[Necroticplague]

Where are proteans from?

Epic level handbook.

[Honest Tiefling]

Just another note for those who don't have 83 skill points to spare, but can afford 12 and one feat.

Wanderer's Diplomacy (PHB II) allows you to make a Sense Motive check to get the "basic gist" of what a creature is saying.

Does it only work on speech? Not all of the languages are verbal.

[noparlpf]

Does it only work on speech? Not all of the languages are verbal.

WANDERER'S DIPLOMACY
Many halflings journey far and wide across the world, spending no more than a few months in one place. You have spent time among the halflings, or you are a halfling yourself. Your exposure to that race's nomadic way of life has taught you several useful methods of dealing with strangers.
Prerequisites: Halfling or 4 ranks in Bluff, Diplomacy, and Sense Motive.
Benefit: You excel in using your words and wit to make your way in the world. This feat grants you three separate abilities.
Canny Merchant: ...
Intuitive Communication: When you are faced with a creature whose language you do not understand, you can attempt to communicate with it by making a successful Sense Motive check. This check requires that you spend at least 1 minute listening to the creature and watching its gestures and demeanor. The check's base DC is 20. If the creature is not the same type as you, the DC is 30.
With a successful check, you learn the basic gist of the creature's speech. This ability gives you no special talent to speak the creature's tongue.
Social Agility: ...

Player's Handbook II page 85.

Since it says "listening and watching its gestures and demeanor", I would read it as allowing you to interpret sign languages too. This isn't going to be able to replace Decipher Script, though. Written-only languages are out, and weird ones that involve vibrating or electrical impulses are probably out.

[Honest Tiefling]

Yeah, it probably would not work. Through the idea of big giant stone creatures vibrating at each other angrily probably sounds a bit silly as well.

[Greenish]

Heroes of Battle has Combat Signs, that you can learn as a language, but I seem to recall it not being a full-fletched language, only being usable for simple commands and the like.

[noparlpf]

Heroes of Battle has Combat Signs, that you can learn as a language, but I seem to recall it not being a full-fletched language, only being usable for simple commands and the like.

I'll stick it in anyhow. There are a few nonstandard languages on the list already. Thanks!

[Necroticplague]

I'm not sure, but gutterspeak might count, it's in races of destiny, and it is to common what ebonics is to english.

[Squiggles]

Hmm, I don't even have LEoF. I doubt there would be many more languages. Perhaps a few dead ones. Have you checked Serpent Kingdoms? There might be one or two hiding in there. I'm AFB, otherwise I would. MoF will have a few more monster ones though.

As to the confusion, it helps if you know the history of the races, where they come from and how they originated. And to think of them in real world terms. Illuskan = vaguely Viking, etc.

I thumbed through LEoF and I didn't see any extra dead languages listed but I'll check more in depth later

[noparlpf]

I'm not sure, but gutterspeak might count, it's in races of destiny, and it is to common what ebonics is to english.

Are you sure that's Races of Destiny? It seems to fit the Cityscape theme better, and when I went through RoD I looked through it pretty thoroughly.

[Necroticplague]

Are you sure that's Races of Destiny? It seems to fit the Cityscape theme better, and when I went through RoD I looked through it pretty thoroughly.

Apparently not as closely as you would have thought. It has its own little subheading under Language, it goes into specific about Gutterspeak on page 26.

[noparlpf]

Apparently not as closely as you would have thought. It has its own little subheading under Language, it goes into specific about Gutterspeak on page 26.

Wow, I totally missed that. *embarrassment*
Thanks! I think it can count as a dialect of Common, although it doesn't make any mention that it counts as a separate language. I'm imagining it like when I listen to modern teenagers (despite the fact that I am one, I don't understand half the words kids use these days). So it might be worth counting as a separate language.

[Ksheep]

Has anyone mentioned Phanaton yet? Spoken by (you guessed it) Phanatons, a race of flying squirrel-like humanoids from Dragon magazine issues 339 and 351.

[noparlpf]

Has anyone mentioned Phanaton yet? Spoken by (you guessed it) Phanatons, a race of flying squirrel-like humanoids from Dragon magazine issues 339 and 351.

No, I had only gone through the Dragon Compendium. I don't even have all of the 3.5 Dragon Magazines. I think I have those two, though.

I'm about a third of the way through all of the books I have. Right now I'm double-checking for missed languages and adding in citations. I didn't get anything done today because I was away all day.

[Heliomance]

You're missing Kython, apparently a bastardised version of Infernal. Non-kythons don't have the vocal equipment to speak it.

Also Sigil Cant, that counts as a different language, right?

[noparlpf]

You're missing Kython, apparently a bastardised version of Infernal. Non-kythons don't have the vocal equipment to speak it.

Also Sigil Cant, that counts as a different language, right?

Do you have sources for those?

[Squiggles]

The Khython is from BOVD, looks like pg 178

[noparlpf]

The Khython is from BOVD, looks like pg 178

Oh yeah, I do have that. I have a more updated list saved on my computer which I'll upload when it's finished.

[Honest Tiefling]

Updated with page numbers.

[Snowbear22]

I recently created a Tinker Gnome, only to realize it has some languages I hadn't recognized and are not on this list. The two I know, but there are probably many more are: Ergot and Solamnic. This information comes from the Dragonlance campaign setting.

[noparlpf]

I recently created a Tinker Gnome, only to realize it has some languages I hadn't recognized and are not on this list. The two I know, but there are probably many more are: Ergot and Solamnic. This information comes from the Dragonlance campaign setting.

I don't have any access to the Dragonlance books, hence those languages' absence from this list. I don't want to put up only two languages from Dragonlance, but if you want to assemble a list of Dragonlance-specific languages (preferably including sources and page numbers) and post it, that would be wonderful.

[Ksheep]

Similarly, there is Quor, Riedran, and Argon, from Eberron Campaign Setting pg. 133

[noparlpf]

Similarly, there is Quor, Riedran, and Argon, from Eberron Campaign Setting pg. 133

I do currently have a copy of Eberron Campaign Setting, but I haven't looked into it yet.
(There are a lot of books. Dude. I have 60-something books, and I haven't even gotten to the Dragon Magazines yet.)

[Ksheep]

I do currently have a copy of Eberron Campaign Setting, but I haven't looked into it yet.
(There are a lot of books. Dude. I have 60-something books, and I haven't even gotten to the Dragon Magazines yet.)

Sounds like quite a project. Now if there was only a "search" function for books.

[noparlpf]

Sounds like quite a project. Now if there was only a "search" function for books.

That's the purpose of this project, really. I found a complete (or at least nearly so) index of feats online, and I'm sure people have made indexes of spells and the like, but I couldn't find a list of languages.

[Volthawk]

Ah I forgot about 2e thieves cant. If I ever learn 83 languages I'm going to get thieve's cant whether it's an official language in the setting or not.

Btw isn't there some kind of feat that gives languages in a way different from skill points?

Master Linguist from Races of Eberron. Gives you a new language every time you level up (including the level you get the feat, but it doesn't work retroactively).

[Ksheep]

That's the purpose of this project, really. I found a complete (or at least nearly so) index of feats online, and I'm sure people have made indexes of spells and the like, but I couldn't find a list of languages.

I know that the old Crystal Keep indexes had a table of the languages spoken by most races, but it didn't have the various monster languages nor those of Eberron, Forgotten Realms, or Dragonlance. Looks like you've already got those languages covered tho.

[noparlpf]

I know that the old Crystal Keep indexes had a table of the languages spoken by most races, but it didn't have the various monster languages nor those of Eberron, Forgotten Realms, or Dragonlance. Looks like you've already got those languages covered tho.

I think I use their base classes index occasionally to find ACFs, but I haven't looked at their others in a while. I don't think I liked the format enough to use them regularly.

[Snowbear22]

If I get time, I'll look for the other languages in the Dragonlance campaign. I'm actually confused as to what the languages are, but that's why I guess I'll have to read. Too bad there isn't an index in the books with this stuff.

[noparlpf]

If I get time, I'll look for the other languages in the Dragonlance campaign. I'm actually confused as to what the languages are, but that's why I guess I'll have to read. Too bad there isn't an index in the books with this stuff.

Yeah. It would save all of us the trouble of compiling these lists.

[Dark Kerman]

What about Ravenloft languages? :smallbiggrin: (I only play ravenloft, I have none of the source materials i'm afraid. :smallmad:)

[Snowbear22]

I don't know if you are still keeping track of this, but I finally got the time to look in the campaign setting book for Dragonlance for the languages.

Languages (excluding the ones that are obvious on the original list like Common):
Abanasinian
Camptalk
Dargoi
Dargonesti
Dimernesti
Ergot
Gullytalk
Kalinese
Kenderspeak
Kharolian
Khur
Kothian
Nerakese
Nordmaarian
Saifhum
Solamnic

[squidfur-]

mm2
avolakia (speak their own language, a gutterual, slobbering tongue -p28)
boggle (have their own rudimentary language of grunts and whistles -p33)
clockwork horror (communicate in their own language of mechanical sounds -p48
jermlaine (speech amounts to high-pitched chitters and squeaks -p131)


btw...suloise (more correctly known as ancient suloise), as LaughingRogue tried to point out, is a language specific to the Greyhawk campaign setting.

the Greyhawk specific languages (found in the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer p.11-12...this is a 3.0 product, though this information has not been changed for the 3.5 itteration) include:
Amedi
Baklunish, Ancient
Cold Tongue
Ferral
Flan
Keolandish
Lendorian
Lendorian Elven
Nyrondese
Oeridian, Old
Olman
Ordai
Rhopan
Suloise, Ancient
Ulagha
Velondi


Languages unique to the Eberron setting (Campaign Setting p46-47, as well as 282 - checked several other sources with no additional languages) include:
Argon
Daan
Daelkyr
Dolgaunt sign?? (speak Common and Undercommon, but "They have also developed a mode of communication that uses subtle movements of their skin tendrils..")
Irial
Kythric
Mabran
Quori (also spelled Quor)
Riedran
Risian
Syranian

I don't know if you are still keeping track of this, but I finally got the time to look in the campaign setting book for Dragonlance for the languages.

Languages (excluding the ones that are obvious on the original list like Common):
Abanasinian
Camptalk
Dargoi
Dargonesti
Dimernesti
Ergot
Gullytalk
Kalinese
Kenderspeak
Kharolian
Khur
Kothian
Nerakese
Nordmaarian
Saifhum
Solamnic

Is Qualinesti and Silvanest (spelling??) absent?

[Sdonourg]

Found another one.
Blood Elementals (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/sb/sb20030208a) have their own language.

[Alex12]

This is great. We came up with a really simple houseruled Truenamer fix that turns them useful by giving them a +1 bonus to Truespeak for each language they speak. Now that I know just how many languages there are, I can actually playtest this. I expect the Illuminian Truenamer to suddenly become awesome.

EDIT: Guh, thought this was new. Teach me to look at dates. Sorry for the necro.

[brodskales]

Do any of you happen to know what alphabet the Ibixian language uses?

The Monster Manual doesn't say, but if it uses for example the Dwarven Alphabet, then anyone who could read Orc, Goblin, or Dwarf would at least recognize the runes.

I assume it has its own unique alphabet though.