In the current D&D system, if a character spends skill points on a language, it’s assumed that they can speak the language fluently. So you get characters able to speak a newly learned language fluently like a native, after only a few weeks/ one month’s study.
To remedy this, the more skill points a character puts into a language, the more fluent the character is.
These are the four basic langauge levels introduced by Rucht Lilaviat in the WE:
1 rank - you can speak basic phrases e.g. “three beers please”, ask directions, booking inn accommodation etc. Enough to survive and get around. You have an extremely strong accent and may have difficulties in being understood at times. i.e. Basic tourist level language skills.
2 ranks - You have a basic conservational level and can have simple conversations about common subjects (e.g. the weather). You have a strong accent. For those living in the UK, if you got a decent grade at "O" level, you'd have level two in a language.
3 ranks - relatively fluent. You can discuss more complex subjects including politics and science and can read popular "literature" in the language. You have a slight, but recognizable accent. e.g. Abraham Van Helsing in Dracula (definitely not the Hugh Jackman version).
4 ranks - Scholarly or superior level. You have no accent whatsoever, unless you choose to. You can discern and master accents and dialectic variations. You also understand archaic versions of the language. e.g. Chaucer and Shakespeare would be an easy read reads. Kenneth Brannah and members of the Royal shakespeare company would have a level 4 in English.
Now - my tweaks...
For a Ravenloft campaign to purchase a rank of a language, including the first rank generally costs 2 skill points (a cross-class skill) for most classes. Language ranks only cost 1 skill point for Bards and some prestige classes (e.g. spymaster, loremaster).
Starting Languages:
A starting character has typically one or two automatic languages (e.g. common (domain langauge in Ravenloft) and dwarvish for a dwarf). These automatically are considered to be spoken at Rank 4, unless the character has penalties due to low intelligence – these apply to the maximum starting language rank of the character e.g. a character with an intelligence of 8 or 9 starts with a language rank of 3 in their automatic languages. A character with an intelligence of 6 or 7 has rank 2, 4 or 5 has rank 1. A character with an intelligence of 3 has a rank of “0.5” - their accent is almost impenetrable, and their spoken language skills are nearly non-existent (i.e. "Mungo hungry" is about the level used). They are also functionally illiterate.
Skill points can be spent, however, to improve linguistic skills, e.g. a character with an intelligence of 7 (and starting language rank of 2) can spend 2 skill points (or 1 if a bard) to increase their language level to 3.
A starting character also has a number of bonus languages equal to their intelligence modifier.
The fluency of the character in these languages is also equal to their intelligence modifier, e.g. a character with an intelligence of 12 (+1 INT modifier) speaks one bonus language at level 1. A character with an intelligence of 18 (+4 INT modifier) speaks 4 bonus languages at a fluency level 4.
Literacy:
This level of understanding does not necessarily apply to writing and reading skills. Literacy was a relatively rare skill to possess until the reformation and the advent of printed books. For lands of a technological level of less than 8 or 9 (prior the 1650s) characters from a lower-class background, and average intelligence (10-11) or less should take the special trait “illiterate” (see unreathed arcana) unless there is a reason why the character has been taught to read (e.g. the character was raised by monks/nuns, the family made sacrifices to send the character to a local church school).
Characters with above average intelligence (12+) from a lower class background may also “self taught” themselves to read/write, when a child or youth, if they so wish, but they may also take the “illiterate” special trait if they wish.
Illiterate: you cannot read nor write. You do however gain a +1 bonus to the skill of your choice. This may be typically be a craft or profession, but not necessarily so. It costs 2 skill points to become literate, but you still keep the +1 bonus to the chosen skill.
Ravenloft languages families:
Souragnian is a based on real world French, like High Mordentish. Characters speaking Souragnian can speak High Mordentish at two levels/ranks lower than their Souragnian fluency. This is because there are a number of shared or similar sounding words in the vocabularies of the two languages.
As High Mordentish and Low Mordentish are based on real world French and English respectively, I threat them as two separate languages. A character living in Mordentshire would choose which language was their primary language depending on their social class.
Draconic:
The celestial dragons brought language to the Middle Kingdom (China). In my campaign I assume Draconic is similar to chinese/japanese character systems with some Sanskrit/Tibetan characters mixed in. Oriental domains may use draconic characters as a writing system. Frequently magical texts use draconic as a written language, hence the common use of this language by mages.
Anyway, I'd be interested in comments....
Dr Evil
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