Suggesting Languages without Spoiling

[Beelzebub1111]

I am about to start a pre-written module and reading thorugh it, one language would be particularly useful to have that isn't one that is typically taken (undercommon). How would I recommend a language without making it seem like I gave them the language information for the module ahead of time?

[TyGuy]

I am about to start a pre-written module and reading thorugh it, one language would be particularly useful to have that isn't one that is typically taken (undercommon). How would I recommend a language without making it seem like I gave them the language information for the module ahead of time?

Players should know what kind of setting they're going to make their characters for. At least two sentences of description. If there's a fluff intro for the players (most modules have that) they should be given it. If that intro/ blurb/ hook has hints to the fact that undercommon will come up, i.e. mentions of the underdark/abyss. Then that's all that's needed.

[LibraryOgre]

Is this a module that will be run on its own, or is it a part of an ongoing campaign?

If you're going to run the module more or less independently... new characters for that module... then being a little explicit isn't that bad, provided there's a reason the language might be known (eg you might suggest to the player of a dwarf PC that Undercommon is a language no one has, and is kind of common near his clanhome).

If this is part of ongoing play, then they might be SOL, and part of their adventure can be finding ways to acquire the language they need, or the fun of translating (which can be fun, if played right).

If I'm running a 1930s gangster game, there's very little reason for any given character to know ancient Egyptian. Sure, Little Tony knows some Italian, Mike knows a bit of Irish, and Father Vincent of course speaks Latin, but there's no reason for a group of Chicago mobsters to know Egyptian. If I decide to run an adventure about an Egyptian mummy being stolen from the museum and coming to life, figuring out what it's saying in ancient Egyptian can be part of the game. But if I'm running a game that's specifically to play The Mummy (with Rachel Weisz and Brendan Frazier), it's pretty much mandatory that a couple characters know it.... that's part of the story itself.

An example of "We don't know the language and that's part of the fun"? Stargate SG-1. Daniel is along to help decipher all the alien languages they encounter, and he usually can get some of it... but there's always gaps and mistranslations, when they add to the fun. It lets the nerd PCs shine if they have to figure things out.

[Duff]

I'd be in favor of the blatant approach. Even say "You'll want at least one of you to speak undercommon".

But you could also give each PC a bonus language which you choose.
Maybe they draw cards. 5 PCs, 5 cards with one giving undercommon and the others giving other languages.

You could also give an undercommon language item as treasure. A translation stone or ring of undercommon or a Tome of Undercommon

Or have some kind of prophesy/oracle/vision etc give one or all of them a nudge

[Pauly]

I am about to start a pre-written module and reading thorugh it, one language would be particularly useful to have that isn't one that is typically taken (undercommon). How would I recommend a language without making it seem like I gave them the language information for the module ahead of time?

Assuming characters are generated for the campaign:
1) Give undercommon as the default for appropriate races, who then have to buy common at a discounted rate. Something along the the line of telling the players that in this setting Dwarves, Gnomes, whatever receive undercommon as their mother tongue, but because common is ubiquitous it is widely studied and learned they can acquire it at 1/2 or 1/3 of the normal cost.
2) State that because of trade undercommon is well known in the area and tell players that undercommon will help to negotiate the best prices with certain merchants.
3) In the background information - hostile spies have been found, and it is known they use undercommon to communicate amongst themselves.

If you don’t want to telegraph it completely you can sprinkle some hints about other languages too.

[Beelzebub1111]

I should have been more specific that it's an adventure path from 1-10. half of a megadungeon.

I guess that knowing the language would be useful but not 100% necessary. It is mentioned in passing in the player's guide paizo provided for the path but we'll see if they pick up the hint.

[Lord Torath]

It is mentioned in passing in the player's guide paizo provided for the path but we'll see if they pick up the hint.They won't.

Player's almost never pick up on hints. You need to be more explicit if you want any of them to take Undercommon. Remember the Three-Clue rule? It applies here as well. Unless the players are more excited about this adventure path than you are, not one of them is going to read the Player's Guide. Even then, it is only "mentioned in passing". No one is going to take Undercommon without additional pointers.

Do you anticipate a more fun game if no one in the party speaks Undercommon? Great, do nothing. If you think it will be more enjoyable if at least one party member can easily communicate, then make that known - explicitly, not just in passing - to the players.

[MoiMagnus]

I am about to start a pre-written module and reading thorugh it, one language would be particularly useful to have that isn't one that is typically taken (undercommon). How would I recommend a language without making it seem like I gave them the language information for the module ahead of time?

How much do you player tie their language to their background? I know that some players see language as an important part of the background while other see it more like a feature disjoint from their character.

For the former, you can say that it would help you if one or more characters comes from [insert place that talk undercommon] because one of the PNJ they'll meet will also come from there and it will make the plot feels more natural. Alternatively, after looking up to some background draft, you can ask the player "Does it make sense if this character your character knew only spoke undercommon? Obviously that would require you to speak undercommon too, but I have a role in mind for them if the answer is yes." More generally, you can try to find a reason why they would want undercommon as part of their character background that doesn't spoil your campaign.

For the latter, you can just allow the players to keep a "joker language" that they can select latter.

[Mastikator]

I second that players won't pick up on hints.

If you don't want to spoil then some options:
1) throw in an NPC that speaks the language and is friendly to the players
2) throw in a magic item, like a scroll that lets them speak and read the language so they can use it when it become apparent they need it
3) throw in a translation book
4) let the language barrier be bypassed through some other skill or guess work

You could always just accept that they won't penetrate the language barrier and see what happens. Players are sometimes creative, say "yes and" to cultivate that. Say "no" if you want to squash creativity.

[Faily]

Eh, I wouldn't worry too much.

Comprehend Languages is a first level spell, so that should help some. Share Language is second level.

Learning Undercommon during play is just one skill point put into Linguistics. Unless the players absolutely refuse to learn as they go...?

[Reversefigure4]

For a long, pre-written module, I'm heavily in favour of 'spoiling' aspects in order to get characters that are appropriate, particularly if you're only spoiling things that will come out immediately in the first session of play anyway. I actively give the players a primer for the campaign giving them character building rules (start at 2nd level with 900gp, 28 point buy, core races only, etc. Then a descriptor of the campaign.

"Your old friend Professor Bumblesnort has sought you out because his brother has gone missing while exploring a new cave uncovered in the recent earthquakes. Our heroes will find the cave leads to a rich mining vein of the Underdark, where treasures beyond their wildest dreams await... yet greater threats remain, and all that glitters is not gold..."

"PCs should have some sort of ties to make them want to protect the neighbouring mining town of Hopesburg. Greed, a desire to explore, and a strong connection to Professor Bumblesnort's brother are all good motivations.

Hopesburg is primarily populated by Dwarves and Gnomes. Rangers can expect Aberrations, Oozes, Elves, and Magical Beasts would be good favoured enemies. Undercommon is the most commonly spoken language in the Underdark, although Elvish, Dwarven, Gnome, and Infernal are useful too. PCs start with Taldane as a common language.

Hopesburg is founded around the large church of Erastil, making it the dominant religion..."

Etc, etc, etc. I'm not going to tell PCs that they have to take Undercommon - if they want to not, they can make do without - but I am going to tell them it's useful in a way that Celestial probably won't be. Importantly, I want characters who fit the module. "Wandering Samurai who wants to return to Fantasy Japan" isn't going to find any plot hooks here that grab him, but "Fallen Dwarven Noble desperate to return his house to wealth and power" will find several hooks to hang his hat on.

And I'd actively go out of my way to pre-warn players if somebody showed up with, say, a Mummy-fighting Ranger that there are very few undead to battle as a favoured enemy, and no opportunity to speak Ancient Egyptian.