Tongues of Vathak

The issue of language came up in my home game, when one of my players wanted to invest his wizardly character heavily into languages. The problem is, there's not a whole lot of languages that are particularly common in Vathak.

 Finally, a quill on The Captain's Quill! How meta!

The Common tongue (actually Vindari) is spoken pretty much everywhere thanks to the imperialistic and crusader-ly tendencies of the titular people. Aklo is equally common, thanks to the maddening influences of the Old Ones and bhriota tradition. Beyond that, the romni still hold onto the language passed down to them by their masters (Sylvan) and the svirfneblin that made their way to the surface still speak to one another with their ancient tongue (Undercommon).

There's a few leftover tomes from the old races, and occasionally an outsider will make an appearance with their home plane's language... but there's not a whole lot beyond that. Part of this is by design. It puts a greater focus on what I would consider the central conflicts in Vathak (the titular Shadows, and where they may spread and fester), but that doesn't really do anything for a player who wants to become the master of languages.

So I added more. 

I looked for places my players had already shown interest and added a few more details about those peoples' respective languages... and another two I've seeded in as future problems for them to encounter. Maybe these non-canon solutions to my player's problem will help flesh out your own Shadows over Vathak game!

Bhriota Skin-Script

The name of this language translates poorly into Vindari, but the name stuck as an insult to the bhriota people. Deriving from the inscrutable script of Aklo, Skin-Script is a strictly nonverbal language and is most typically only applied directly upon skin. Almost all bhriota tattoos hold some greater meanings to those fluent in Skin-Script. Those with full-body tattoos carry the legacy of grand tomes written upon them for those that can understand it.

Bhriota may select Skin-Script as a bonus language.

Caravanner's Cant

There are no shortage of thieves' cants or local dialects in the wide lands of Vathak, but those that continually travel its dangerous roads have developed a method of speaking with one another. Not entirely dissimilar to a pidgin of Sylvan and Vindari, the Caravanner's Cant has enough of its own uniquely created words (such as those referring to gullible patrons or excessively suspicious guardsmen) that is has become a new tongue in and of itself.

Romni and witchwolves may select Caravaner's Cant as a bonus language.

Whatta'ya buying? (Image courtesy of the Fattest Goblin's Patreon)

 

Goblinoid

Despite efforts to secure Vathak against its plentiful horrors, the fecundity of goblins means that eliminating the brutish creatures is nearly impossible. Even more clever and sadistic than goblinoids of other regions, the goblins of Vathak creep through the shadows armed with weapons pilfered from the vindari. Their manic language is unfitting of their increasing reverence of their bugbear masters—who, unlike others of their kind, have turned their pastimes of murder and torture into a way of life for their people.

Necril

While Sylvan was the tongue the Vampire Lords passed down to their livestock, Necril was the tongue used amongst themselves. Once considered to be the tongue of the dead, the Vampire Lords went to great lengths to ensure that only the most noble among them would recall the complex and nonstandard phonetics of this haughty language. If any Vampire Lords yet live—or, perhaps, their servants—this language may still be spoken in Vathak.

Othertongue

Although humans are the most populous group in any city of Vathak, the grim times facing the land have seen increasing numbers of “other” forms of life. These questionably living humanoids are too often looked upon with unwarranted suspicion, leading to them being treated as second-class citizens. Among these people—the cambions, dhampirs, hauntlings, and wretched that dwell in Vathak's cities—a secret language has begun to emerge as a means of communicating beneath the ever-listening ears of both the vindari and their Church.

Cambions, dhampirs, hauntlings, and wretched may select Othertongue as a bonus language.