If you are using D&D Beyond to track your character, you will need to determine which languages the following system gives your character then go in and manually update your character sheet. Do this by clicking the little gear next to the "Proficiencies and Languages" block then use the "Custom Language" option from the "Add New Proficiencies" drop down. Note that the program will have added some default languages. As far as I can tell, there is no way to delete them so ignore them. Just be sure to add everything you have including Margul.
The cultures and history of Murgulmuir are reflected in the many languages that are spoken there.
When creating your character you get Margul (the common tongue) and if you are nonhuman whatever racial language that is associated with your characters race. You also get whatever
During character creation every nonhuman character gets proficiency with the language associated with their race, as summarized on the list below.
The cultures and history of Murgulmuir are reflected in the many languages that are spoken there.
When creating your character you get Margul (the common tongue) and if you are nonhuman whatever racial language that is associated with your characters race. You also get whatever
Racial Languages
During character creation every nonhuman character gets proficiency with the language associated with their race, as summarized on the list below.
- Bullywug - Gupgup
- Centaur (horse) - Ulde
- Centaur (stag) - Draesh
- Dwarf (Gray) - Iohl
- Dwarf (Hill) - Heshtar
- Dwarf (Mountain) - Telktar
- Dragonborn - Oghal
- Eebix - Reesk
- Elf (Dark) - Iohl
- Forest Gnome - Jae
- Gnome (Rock) - Zeterat
- Gargoyle - Ulde
- Giant - Broken Skurn
- Halfling - Oha
- High Elf - Adria
- Minotaur - Ethul
- Pixie - Fey
- Tiefling - Infernal
- Undying - Ulde (pre-maelstrom NPCs)
- Wood Elf - Draesh
- Wilder Elf - Draesh
Foreign Lands
- Cereborn (a Kingdom to the east of Kael) - Cerul
- Norvald (a continent in the far north) - Skurn
Trade Languages
These languages are automatically known to those who have learned certain skills or who are of certain character classes. They don't have to be "bought".
- Arcana - Arcane
- Cleric: Divine or Infernal
- Merchant - Eler
- Sailor - Larcissa
- Rogue - Daggervile (class Feature Thieves' Cant)
Academic Languages
The following languages are mostly of interest to academics of one sort or the other. They are seldom used for actual communication. They are found in formal texts or used in rituals.
- Arcane
- Esvulthi (Ancient Imperial)
- Divine
- Infernal
- Niaj
Monstrous Lanuages
Many monstrous species have their own languages but two languages are more widely used.
- Goblinoids (Orcs, Goblins, Ogres) - Gharj
- The Deep Dark (Dark Elves, Gray Dwarves) - Iohl
Master List
- Adria: Traditional elven, spoken by High Elves. Complex but beautiful. Difficult for non elves to speak without an accent. Robust written form.
- Arcane: The language of magic. Most texts about magic are written in Arcane. Runic written form.
- Cerul: Dialect of Common spoken in Cereborn, a Kingdom to the west of Kael. Written form.
- Daggervile: An argot used by rogues. Sometimes known as "thieve's cant".
- Divine: The language once spoken by the messengers of the Gods. When the Gods sent mortals a message it was often conveyed in this language. Some of the oldest and most revered religious tomes were written in the divine script. Runic written form.
- Draesh: A dialect of Adria (high elven) spoken by Wood Elves and Wilder Elves. No written form.
- Eler: An argot used by merchants. A written form that incorporates a kind of shorthand that allows records to be kept quickly and efficiently..
- Esvulthi: Ancient Imperial. The Empire fell hundreds of years before the Maelstrom at the end of what historians call the Second Cycle. Written form. Academics can only guess at pronunciation of the spoken form.
- Fey: Spoken by the fey races, including Pixies. Animals find the sound of it soothing. No written form.
- Gharj: Primitive language spoken by the various goblinoid races such as the orcs, goblins and ogres. Spoken throughout Kestrig (their homeland). No written form. Some Orc pand Goblin shaman serve demons and know Infernal.
- Gupgup: Racial language of the Bullywug. Gutteral and loud. No written form.
- Heshtar: The language spoken by Hill Dwarves is a dialect of Telktar (mountain dwarf). Limited (runic) written form.
- Infernal: The language of hell. Spoken by demons and those who concern themselves with them. Many consider it dangerous to know. Runic writtten form. Texts written in Infernal are often cursed.
- Iohl: The language of the denizens of the deep dark such as Dark Elves and Gray Dwarves. Written form.
- Jae: The language spoken by Forest Gnomes is a dialect of both Draesh (wood/wilder elf) and Zeterat (rock gnome). No written form.
- Larcissa: A simple argot used by sailors. No written form.
- Margul: Dialect of Common spoken in Kael and throughout the known lands. Written form.
- Niaj: A specialized language that is a limited dialect of all other spoken languages. It can only be used to issue brief spoken commands for use with spells. There is no written version.
- Oghal: Spoken by the Dragonborn in the Overkeep and in Oghalin (their homeland). Very difficult for those who are not Dragonborn to pronounce. Runic written form.
- Oha: Spoken by Halflings (of all sorts). More different words for various kinds of food than any other language.
- Ohlir: A Dialect of Oghal spoken by human slaves in Oghalin. No written form.
- Reesk: Racial language of the Eebix (mouslings). Written form.
- Savaran: Dialect of Heshtar (hill dwarf). Written form.
- Skurn: Spoken in Norvald, a continent in the far north. Limited runic written form.
- Telktar: Traditional dwarven, spoken by mountain Dwarves. Written version is an elaborate runic form.
- Ulde: Antiquated form of Margul. Limited (runic) written form.
- Zeterat: Spoken by Rock Gnomes. Complex written form.
Notes
Common: There is no language called "common" but Margul is effectively the common tongue and is the default. Anything that references "common" is a reference to Margul.
Dialects: When a language says that it is a "dialect" of another language that means that there is enough in common between the two languages to allow simple communication. Subtlety and nuance are lost, but the basic message can be conveyed. Roleplaying tip: When using dialects speaking in broken phrases like Frankenstein's monster gets the point across. "Danger ahead", "No take treasure", "Surrender or Die" are the kinds of exchanges that can be shared using a dialect.
Argot: Simple languages used by those who share a background such as sailor or thief to allow them to communicate even if they have no other language in common.
