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I've been looking around and can't seem to find a solid comprehensive list of languages for Ravenloft. Is there a specific book, regardless of edition, or net resource or anything like that anyone knows about?

You might want to look at Mistipedia: https://fraternityofshadows.com/wiki/Category:Language

IanFordam wrote: Wed Mar 19, 2025 8:48 pm You might want to look at Mistipedia: https://fraternityofshadows.com/wiki/Category:Language

I....feel foolish. lol. I might spend some time putting together a table or something that shows what languages are common for different domains. I'm trying to get something easy for my players to have access to, so they can see what languages are useful where at a glance. This is going to be helpful in making something like that though. Thank you very much, and my apologies the answer was so readily available.

Teravala wrote: Wed Mar 19, 2025 8:59 pm Thank you very much, and my apologies the answer was so readily available.

I did slave for hours over a hot keyboard to copy/paste that link, you know...

Seriously, though, no worries whatsoever. You're very welcome.

Teravala wrote: Wed Mar 19, 2025 8:59 pm

IanFordam wrote: Wed Mar 19, 2025 8:48 pm You might want to look at Mistipedia: https://fraternityofshadows.com/wiki/Category:Language

I might spend some time putting together a table or something that shows what languages are common for different domains.

Most common languages in Ravenloft are the following but most merchants will speak one or two other languages from neighbouring domains.


Mordentish (High and Low) is used in more cultured domains such as Mordent, Richemulot, Dementlieu (maybe Ghastria as well). Also the less civilised Verbrek speak Low Mordentish and the people of Souragne have a specific dialect.

Barovian is mostly used in the centre of the Core Barovia (including annexed Gundarak who also speak Luktar),Invidia, Borca (Dorvinia before the Grand Conjunction), Markovia.

Vaasi is spoken in the south part of the Core to the domains that originate from the Forgotten Realms. Nova Vaasa, Hazlan, Valachan as well as a dialect spoken in Kartakass that also uses elements of elven.

From Feast of Goblyns

The people speak a strange dialect which sounds very elven (Sithican) due to its musical qualities. In truth, however, this dialect is actually a variant of standard common(meaning nowadays Vaasi) and the PCs will be able to pick it up more quickly than most other languages. There is a base 5% chance for any player character (speaking Vaasi or elven) to understand the gist of a statement or conversation. This chance increases by 1% for each day in which a PC spends more than half of his time in areas where the language is spoken.

However, just as the PCs are beginning to understand things, they will be in for something of a shock when they find that many of the members of this domain speak an old language which is unlike anything they know. When the locals want to converse without risk of prying ears, they will slip into this ancient mode of speech. (Old Kartakan)

I believe Tepestani is spoken in Tepest and are understood by the undead of Keening and the Shadow elves of Arak/Shadow Rift.

IanFordam wrote: Thu Mar 20, 2025 4:56 am

Teravala wrote: Wed Mar 19, 2025 8:59 pm Thank you very much, and my apologies the answer was so readily available.

I did slave for hours over a hot keyboard to copy/paste that link, you know...

Seriously, though, no worries whatsoever. You're very welcome.

Lmao I truly appreciate it. My ravenloft education has been pretty cobbled together and I feel like I have so many questions for the community, especially since it seems like several people on here are well versed in 2e and the associated adventure modules from it.

Mephisto of the FoS wrote: Thu Mar 20, 2025 5:23 am
Most common languages in Ravenloft are the following...

Thank you for the in depth answer! I just noticed that languages seems to always be the bumpiest part of character creation for my group, and I never really had a great answer as to what languages they would probably be fluent in or familiar with. So we ended up seeing a lot of the same 5 or 6 floating around in the group. Patterna, vaasi, balok, and usually a few racial languages as well depending on party comp. This should help smooth that out a bit.

Teravala wrote: Wed Mar 19, 2025 8:59 pm I might spend some time putting together a table or something that shows what languages are common for different domains. I'm trying to get something easy for my players to have access to, so they can see what languages are useful where at a glance.

Funny, doing the same myself for my setting overhaul based on a timeline progression from the 2e-3e version of Ravenloft; because I'm insanely detail-obsessed I'm also adding two specific columns to the table: one to indicate where the language originates on the Prime Material Plane (if known/applicable - for instance, Barovian originates from prime material Barovia, but as prime material Barovia isn't from any known, published setting, I write "unknown"; whereas Darkonian is Greyhawk/Oerth Common -also called Oeridian- so I type that in) and one to indicate which real-life language it sounds/is inspired by (taking the previous examples, Barovian -obviously- sounds like IRL Transylvanian Romanian, while Darkonese sounds like vulgar Latin).

paireon wrote: Sun Mar 23, 2025 7:38 am

Teravala wrote: Wed Mar 19, 2025 8:59 pm I might spend some time putting together a table or something that shows what languages are common for different domains. I'm trying to get something easy for my players to have access to, so they can see what languages are useful where at a glance.

Funny, doing the same myself for my setting overhaul based on a timeline progression from the 2e-3e version of Ravenloft; because I'm insanely detail-obsessed I'm also adding two specific columns to the table: one to indicate where the language originates on the Prime Material Plane (if known/applicable - for instance, Barovian originates from prime material Barovia, but as prime material Barovia isn't from any known, published setting, I write "unknown"; whereas Darkonian is Greyhawk/Oerth Common -also called Oeridian- so I type that in) and one to indicate which real-life language it sounds/is inspired by (taking the previous examples, Barovian -obviously- sounds like IRL Transylvanian Romanian, while Darkonese sounds like vulgar Latin).

Ooh, if it isn’t too much of an ask please share when you finish? I also was going to try making a chart that shows what domains are analogous to real world places or societies. Like how rich lot is clearly French inspired.

Teravala wrote: Sun Mar 23, 2025 12:11 pm

paireon wrote: Sun Mar 23, 2025 7:38 am

Teravala wrote: Wed Mar 19, 2025 8:59 pm I might spend some time putting together a table or something that shows what languages are common for different domains. I'm trying to get something easy for my players to have access to, so they can see what languages are useful where at a glance.

Funny, doing the same myself for my setting overhaul based on a timeline progression from the 2e-3e version of Ravenloft; because I'm insanely detail-obsessed I'm also adding two specific columns to the table: one to indicate where the language originates on the Prime Material Plane (if known/applicable - for instance, Barovian originates from prime material Barovia, but as prime material Barovia isn't from any known, published setting, I write "unknown"; whereas Darkonian is Greyhawk/Oerth Common -also called Oeridian- so I type that in) and one to indicate which real-life language it sounds/is inspired by (taking the previous examples, Barovian -obviously- sounds like IRL Transylvanian Romanian, while Darkonese sounds like vulgar Latin).

Ooh, if it isn’t too much of an ask please share when you finish? I also was going to try making a chart that shows what domains are analogous to real world places or societies. Like how rich lot is clearly French inspired.

Sorry, was away from the forum for a while due to... distractions (I HATE REAL LIFE I HATE REAL LIFE I HATE REAL LIFE). But yeah, I'll definitely post it here, and likely on the Ravenloft subreddit too.

Probably not canon, but in the real world it isn’t unusual for pidgins and jargons to develop in areas where multiple languages come together. In general you aren’t going to find much creative effort going into these languages artistically, but by their nature they facilitate functional communication about every day matters and tend to be easy to learn. Just in case you need a player to know how to talk with someone without working up an extensive explanation for it.

Mordentish is basically a pidgin of Anglo-Saxon and French - which is, funnily, what English was at some point (ish?). So I like to think it's just Middle English.