The majority of Suelo's native tongues derive, ultimately, from either the tongue of the Ymir, or Auld Wyrmish, the original language of the dragons.
It is possible for someone to understand something spoken or written in a different language, if they are familiar with a close relative of that language. In game terms the character must make an intelligence check of DC 25 + 10 for each intervening language. To attempt to decipher writing, you must also be familiar with a language that uses the same alphabet. Success allows general comprehension of what was spoken or written, but allows no means of speaking or writing the language oneself, only learning the language allows that.
Further complicating matters, several languages have multiple dialects (indicated with []) or alternate names (indicated with ()). Speakers of different dialects may comprehend each other with a succesful intelligence check against a DC 10.
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The following table lists the languages of Dragon Home, and the alphabets which they use.
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On the following tables, each column represents a single path of linguistic evolution. When counting intervening languages for purposes of attempting to understand an unfamiliar language, it is necessary to count up to the most recent shared root, and then back down to the desired language, with one exception: if two languages (such as Khmer and Troglodyte) share the same root language (i.e. Hurwaeti) then the root language may be skipped when counting (this exception only aplies if both languages share their immediate root, for example a speaker of Imtali, must still count Auld Wyrmish, when atttempting to decipher a scripture in Wak'tan). Languages not shown on the same table, are not related, and intelligence checks cannot be attempted.
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Use this skill to piece together the meaning of the creature burbling at you urgently in an unknown language, to get the gist of an intercepted letter written in the Infernal language, to follow the directions on a treasure map written in a forgotten alphabet, or to interpret the mysterious glyphs painted on a cave wall.
Check: You can decipher writing in an unfamilar language, a message written in an incomplete or archaic form, or the words spoken by an unknown creature. You can also attempt to write something in a language of which you have a sample, or speak a few words in a language you have just heard. Unlike an untrained attempt to understand written text, you don't need to know the alphabet of the message you're trying to decipher, but it helps.
| Linguistics DC | Action |
| 10 | Decipher script |
| 15 | Understand spoken words |
| 20 | Write script |
| 25 | Speak language |
| Modifier | Source |
| +0 | Simple message |
| +5 | Standard text |
| +10 | Intricate or exotic content |
| +10 | Per language removed from known language |
| +20 | Script in an unknown alphabet |
| +90 | No knowledge of any language in same family |
| -1 | Per 8 hours spent studying before making the check |
| -2 | Per additional language known in family |
If the check succeeds, you understand the general content of the statement or of a piece of writing about one page long (or the equivalent). If the check fails, the DM makes a DC 10 Wisdom check for you, to see if you avoid drawing a false conclusion. (Success means that you do not draw a false conclusion; failure means that you do.)
The DM secretly makes both the Linguistics check and (if necessary) the Wisdom check, so that you can't tell whether the conclusion you draw is true or false.
Action: Deciphering the equivalent of a single page of script takes 1 minute (ten consecutive full-round actions). Interpreting a spoken statement is a free action, but the check must be made for each statement. The DC of the check drops by 1, for every 8 consecutive hours spent studying before attempting the check, no more than 8 hours per day can be spent studying; such 8 hour blocks do not need to be conducted on consecutive days.
Try Again: No.
Special: A character with the Diligent feat gets a +2 bonus on Decipher Script checks.
Synergy: If you have 5 or more ranks in Linguistics, you get a +2 bonus on Cryptography.