Idalos is home to a number of languages that are used throughout every race and region. As you've noticed while looking through the knowledge base, each race has it's own language that it practices, but what about the rest of the world? Just like the real world, different languages have sprung up from areas where mortals had clustered together to form their own civilizations. Due to this, we have a number of different dialects and languages that players can begin with or learn throughout the game.

Learning Languages

Learning and leveling languages is different than learning and leveling skills. Though they both follow the same process of the point buy system, languages are easier or harder to learn depending on which language it is.

When you encounter a new language within an RP, be sure to let your reviewer know. It is up to them to reward you with the knowledge, Language: _____. Once your character has been introduced to this language, they may begin studying this as they would any other skill. However, just because your character has been introduced to the language doesn't mean they can speak it just yet. These language-specific knowledges can either be learned as non-skill knowledge, or under the skill Linguistics, depending on the wishes of the player.

For instance say your PC learns that Lorien sounds like an avriel laying an egg, if you want it to be non-skill knowledge that counts toward learning the language, you'll list it as follows: Language: Lorien: sounds like an avriel laying an egg.

If you wish to learn this language as part of the Linguistics skill, you can list request it from the reviewer as follows: Linguistics: Lorien: sounds like an avriel laying an egg.

In both cases, these knowledges count toward the amount of knowledges needed to learn a new language, or improve one's use of a language they already have

Broken

Easy: To level an easily learned language to 'Broken', you must have 1 Knowledge gained from practicing/learning about the language, and you must spend 25 skill points to purchase this rank.

Medium: To level a medium learned language to 'Broken', you must have 2 Knowledge gained from practicing/learning about the language, and you must spend 35 skill points to purchase this rank.

Hard: To level a hard learned language to 'Broken', you must have 3 Knowledge gained from practicing/learning about the language, and you must spend 40 skill points to purchase this rank.

Conversational

Easy: To level an easily learned language to 'Conversational', you must have purchased the 'Broken' rank, acquire 2 Specific Knowledge gained practicing the language, and you must spend 30 skill points to purchase this rank.

Medium: To level a medium learned language to 'Conversational', you must have purchased the 'Broken' rank, acquire 3 Specific Knowledge gained practicing the language, and you must spend 40 skill points to purchase this rank.

Hard: To level a hard learned language to 'Conversational', you must have purchased the 'Broken' rank, acquire 4 Specific Knowledge gained practicing the language, and you must spend 50 skill points to purchase this rank.

Fluent

Easy: To level an easily learned language to 'Fluent', you must have purchased the 'Conversational' rank, acquire 3 Specific Knowledge gained practicing the language, and you must spend 35 skill points to purchase this rank.

Medium: To level a medium learned language to 'Fluent', you must have purchased the 'Conversational' rank, acquire 4 Specific Knowledge gained practicing the language, and you must spend 45 skill points to purchase this rank.

Hard: To level a hard learned language to 'Fluent', you must have purchased the 'Conversational' rank, acquire 5 Specific Knowledge gained practicing the language, and you must spend 55 skill points to purchase this rank.

Swear Words

"By the Fates.." or "...if the Fates will..." Really anything about the fates makes sense.
"Rynmere's fire!" Referring to what's called the 'white fire' of the giant beast Rynmere.
"By the Seven.." or "What the Seven..?" Refers to the Sacred Seven, the original seven lords of the noble houses. Those not familiar with Rynmere history may also interpret these expressions as talking about the seven original beings who supposedly shattered after the Immortals creation.
"Peace to the Athivel." An expression than means rest in peace.
"Rookid" A title for someone who is morally lacking. A common insult.
"Wagon Nagger" An expression for someone who 'gets around'. A common insult.
"Bogs!" An expression for 'crap'.
"Fek" or "Fark" I'm sure you all can figure this one out.
"Sard" Another expression for the term above. Also means to have intercourse.
"Syroa's bloody fury..." A phrase that mean 'oh my god' or 'what the heck'.
"Fod-sack" A good-for-nothing individual.
"Foul born" A title for an individual who's existence is less than dirt.
"Skich" Pertaining to an unpleasant situation, person, or thing.
"Wago" An individual who spends time with or has had intercourse with someone of the same gender.
"This is a fire fight..." or "Bloody fire fight!" A phrase used when regarding aggression, a complicated or hostile situation or person.
"Koyar" Pertaining to an individual who gossips, or enjoys adding to gossip, for personal gain. Can sometimes mean 'Harlet' as well.
"________'s Balls!" Another expression of 'crap!'.

Benefit of the Skill, Linguistics

Having and using the Linguistics skill goes hand in hand with languages. Therefore, characters benefit from not only learning languages but studying the rhetoric, dialect, origins, and similarities between languages.

Novice Linguistics: Select 2 easy level languages. You may rank up to 'Broken' in these languages for free. You may learn a maximum of 4 languages.

Competent Linguistics: Select 2 easy or medium level languages. You may rank up to 'Broken' in both of these languages for free. As a second option, if you have 2 languages at the 'Broken' level, you may upgrade both of them to 'Conversational'. As a third option, you may choose 1 language to level to 'Fluent' for free. You may learn a maximum of 8 languages.

Expert Linguistics: Select any 2 languages to level to 'Broken' for free. As an option, you may choose 2 languages you've learned already to level from 'Broken' to 'Conversational' or 'Conversational' to 'Fluent' for free. You may learn a maximum of 12 languages.

Master Linguistics: Select any 2 languages to level to 'Broken' for free. As an option, you may choose 2 languages you've learned already to level from 'Broken' to 'Conversational' or 'Conversational' to 'Fluent' for free. You may learn a maximum of 16 languages.

Legendary Linguistics: Select any 2 languages to level to 'Broken' for free. As an option, you may choose 2 languages you've learned already to level from 'Broken' to 'Conversational' or 'Conversational' to 'Fluent' for free. You may learn a maximum of 20 languages.

In addition to the bonuses listed above, the Linguistics skill also confers an additional bonus. For each Skill Level of Linguistics, the PC gains the ability to buy points for languages at a discount. At Novice, each skill point purchased towards a languages counts only as one skill point, but at Competent, they get two skill points for every one they spend. At Expert, they get three skill points for every one they spend, and at Master, they get four. At the highest tier, their skill points count for five times the normal amount, meaning it takes the PC one-fifth the skill points to master a language. 

As an example: If the PC wants to buy a language that costs 35 points to level from nothing to Broken, the advantages would be thus:

Novice = 35 points. Competent = 18 (17.5 rounded up). Expert = 12 (11.6 rounded up). Master = 9 (8.75 rounded up) Grandmaster = 7.

Languages F.A.Q

Q. With this new update, where does a 'basic' language fall?
A. 'Basic' Language = 'Broken' Language.

Q. Can players assume there are NPCs in cities to teach languages they're looking for, regardless of whether the language is listed or not with the city and/or NPC?
A. Yes, players can assume this, however, it is recommended that players send the prophets of that city a PM or post in that city's OOC forum or questions forum regarding which NPC may know the language or if it needs to be moderated.

Q. Can I learn more than 2 languages without the linguistics skill?
A. No, unfortunately not. You must put points into linguistics if you wish to learn more languages.

Q. In leveling up languages, is it additive or total in the numbers listed? For instance, to reach a Hard language to Fluent, do you have to acquire Conversational then 5 new knowledge and 55 new points, which would total to 12 knowledges and 145 skill points to take the language from unknown to fluent? Or is it simply 5 knowledges and 55 points total to go from unknown to fluent?
A. It is additive. To purchase Fluent for any language, you must have the Conversational rank for that same language. The knowledge and points for each rank are separate from one another, so the 5 knowledge and 55 points are in addition to whatever you spent to purchase the Conversational rank.

Q. When leveling a language using methods other than the system described in Learning Languages above, do the skill points and specific knowledge requirements stated for leveling a language still apply?
A. No. When leveling a language using another method, the skill points and specific knowledge for that language are waived.

Example 1. A PC is awarded a fluent language and a broken language of their choosing upon start. The skill points and the specific knowledge usually needed to level the languages are waived because the languages have been awarded as part of character creation. Please note, however, that only the broken-level requirements are waived for the broken language.

Example 2. A PC uses their linguistics skill to level a hard language from broken to conversational for free. The fifty skill points and four specific knowledge usually needed to level that language to conversational are waived through the use of linguistics.

Example 3. A PC uses the Xypha ability Intuitive Linguist to level an easy language from broken to fluent. The 90 skill points and six specific knowledge usually needed to level that language to fluent are waived through the use of the Xypha ability.

Example 4. A PC is awarded fluency in a medium language in a modded thread. The skill points and specific knowledge usually needed to level that language to fluent are waived because they have been awarded fluency.

Buying Languages

The purchase of Languages needs to be put on the PSF. Simply note in your PSF ticket which languages you want to buy and how much they cost (with all the relevant math please). Title your post 'Language: [Language Name]([Fluency])'. For instance, 'Language: Common Sign (Conversational)'. We will change the title if you don't put it in this format, but please make our lives easier and do it yourself. Limit yourself to one language per ticket please

You will then be awarded negative XP in your XP ledger for that thread, and that XP will be spent. Make sure you have enough free xp in your ledger before you put in the ticket.

Language Bonus

In order to promote and encourage long-term involvement in a location that a PC is invested in, a PC may opt in to a "Loyalty Bonus" for the local language of their area. This reflects the PC picking up colloquialisms and other tidbits of the language in their everyday dealings in the location. The more time they spend in the area around the local language, the more they would recognise its quirks and intricacies.

If the PC spends a total of two (2) separate seasons in the area, they may take the local language of that area up to the level of "Broken" for FREE. If they spend a total of six (6) separate seasons in the area, they may take the local language of that area up to "Conversational" for FREE. If they spend a total of twelve (12) separate seasons in the area, they may take the local language of that area up to "Fluent" for FREE.

These seasons do not need to be consecutive in order to qualify for the local language "Loyalty Bonus". Each season can only be used to count towards the improvement of one local language.

Players must link each local language request in their CS. These requests can either be placed in the Wealth Submissions Thread, or in the Local Language Submissions Thread, both of which are located in the PSF. For example, a PC with a combined total of six (6) wealth requests and/or local language requests located in Scalvoris would be considered to have acquired Scalveen to a "Conversational" level.

Additionally, a PC who is "Fluent" in a local language may add a +1 WP bonus to their wage in that location. This bonus is NOT cumulative. Each season that you are in the location, you get +1 WP to your wage for that Season. For example, for a PC who is fluent in Ith'ession and works in Etzos, any Wealth Threads completed in that location would be eligible for the +1WP bonus. However, if the same PC moves to Rhakros, the +1WP bonus is lost, and the PC would have to learn Xanevic to be eligible for the +1WP bonus in Rhakros. This reflects the employers and merchants of the area looking more favourably upon those who speak the local language.