Across Ansalon, language is an expression of upbringing and exposure. Before the Cataclysm, Common served as a language of commerce under the empires of Ergoth, Solamnia, and Istar. After the Cataclysm, migrating refugees communicated using Common, and today it’s spoken in every corner of the continent. Nevertheless, the local languages of most lands still flourish, and Common is used primarily in markets and in dealings with travelers.
A Note On Common: Unlike in some settings, where “Common” is an alias for a region’s most widely-spoken language, in Ansalon, Common is its own language, created from an amalgam of the other primary languages used in trade. In linguistics, this is known as a “pidgin language.”
You may exchange a language granted by your character’s race with one of the below languages, if it makes sense for your character. Additionally, a character of any race that does not learn Common by default may take it in addition to the languages granted by their race, if the character would reasonably have engaged in trade within the world.
Standard Languages of Ansalon #
| Language | Main Speakers | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Common | Trade language of Ansalon | Common |
| Abanasinian | Abanasinia | Common |
| Dwarvish | Abanasinia, Kayolin, Thoradin, Thorbardin | Dwarvish |
| Elvish | Qualinesti, Silvanesti, Southern Ergoth | Elvish |
| Ergot | Northern Ergoth | Common |
| Gnomish | Sancrist | Common |
| Kenderspeak | Goodlund, Hylo | Common |
| Kharolian | Plains of Dust, Tarsis | Common |
| Khur | Khur | Istarian |
| Nordmaarian | Nordmaar | Istarian |
| Solamnic | Sancrist, Solamnia | Common |
Rare Languages of Ansalon #
| Language | Main Speakers | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Draconic | Dragons | Draconic |
| Goblin | Taman Busuk | Dwarvish |
| Istarian | Ancient Istarians | Istarian |
| Kothian | Minotaurs | Kothian |
| Nerakese | Neraka | Istarian |
| Ogre | Blode, Kern | Ogre |
| Primordial | Elementals | Primordial |
| Sylvan | Fey creatures | Sylvan |