DM Q&A: Languages: maps and languages

[Paragon]

Hello, I'm one week new to your server, and it's been awhile since I played D&D. I was wondering if there was a website or in-game document where I could access a map of Cormyr and it's relationship to other places in the Forgotten Realms, including Waterdeep, Amn, Baldur's Gate etc.?

Also in relation to that question, is there a list of languages spoken?

Thanks in advance.

[DM Valkyrie]

For starters, you can look in the Lore of the Lands Thread on these forums under "Full size maps of Faerun and the underdark."
Each section of the map can be clicked on and expanded, and clicking on the Anaroch Desert Map, will give you a nice idea of the layout of Cormyr.

For languages available, I'll let DM Munroe, our resident languages specialist, answer that question.

Welcome to FRC

[Munroe]

*sticks his head out* Oh, there's my shadow, can't talk, six more weeks of winter.

Hmm... Languages. I'm not aware of a web resource that lists the Faerunian languages. I'm sure there is one, I'm just not aware of it. However, there are 18 regional languages and a number of racial languages in Forgotten Realms. FRC uses the DMFI language widgets, which includes a number of racial languages and thieves cant by default, as well as 9 blanks for servers to add their own.

We have approximately half of the 18 regional languages created as widgets on the blank ones the DMFI provides. Unfortunately, the DMFI only provides 9 blank ones and we have not looked into figuring out how to create more. (Or if someone has, I don't know about it.) My impression is that it would be very complex to add more languages beyond those nine provided for customization.

Because we have only 9 possible regional languages to offer, we tried to choose the ones players were most likely to have, either because the areas were geographically close to Cormyr or because we knew of characters in-game who should have the language already.

Because your character can know regional languages other than the ones we offer, I prefer not to state openly which ones are available as widgets. Stating which ones are available as widgets would influence your character design.

However, I can state the regional languages of the Forgotten Realms. This is the list I typed up in the DM forum when we were trying to decide which of these languages to impliment, I'm copy & pasting.

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The list of living/dead languages in FR is on pg. 85 of the campaign setting. (It doesn't include racial languages.)

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Living Languages:
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Aglarondan (Espruar alphabet)

Alzhedo (Thorass alphabet)

Chessentan (Thorass alphabet)

Chondathan (Thorass alphabet)

Chultan (Draconic alphabet)

Common (Trade Language) (Thorass alphabet)

Damaran (Dethek alphabet)

Dambrathan (Espruar alphabet)

Durpari (Thorass alphabet)

Halruaan (Draconic alphabet)

Illuskan (Thorass alphabet)

Lantanese (Draconic alphabet)

Midani (Zakhura, the Bedine) (Thorass alphabet)

Mulhorandi (Celestial alphabet)

Mulhorandi (variant in Thay) (Infernal alphabet)

Nexalan (Maztica) (Draconic alphabet)

Rashemi (Thorass alphabet)

Serusan (aquatic trade language, used in Inner Sea) (Aquan alphabet)

Shaaran (Dethek alphabet)

Shou (Kara-Tur) (Draconic alphabet)

Tashalan (Dethek alphabet)

Tuigan (Thorass alphabet)

Turmic (Thorass alphabet)

Uluik (Thorass alphabet)

Undercommon (Underdark trade language) (Espruar alphabet)

Untheric (Dethek alphabet)

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Dead Languages:
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Aragrakh (Draconic alphabet) (Old High Wyrm)
Hulgorkyn (Dethek alphabet) (Archaic Orc)
Loross (Draconic alphabet) (Netherese Noble Tongue)
Netherese (Draconic alphabet) (A precursor to Halruaan)
Roushoum (Imaskari alphabet) (A precursor to Tuigan)
Seldruin (Hamarfae alphabet) (Elven High Magic)
Thorass (Thorass alphabet) (Old Common)

[Munroe]

As for the regions where those languages are spoken, I didn't want to go back and type all that out. If you want to speak the language of a particular region, you can speak to the DM about that when you get your widget(s). The information is also available on the list on page 30 of the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting.

[Munroe]

Language questions get asked a lot. I'm bumping this.