Languages of the Great Beyond

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Given the size of the multiverse, there are bound to be countless languages spoken within it. What follows is but a small sampling of languages spoken on other planes and planets, both within and from outside of Golarion's solar system.

Abyssal

Main article: Abyssal

Some believe that Abyssal was the first language developed by the inhabitants of the Outer Sphere.1 Given the incredible rate of change within the tongue, this is very difficult to prove. Although it is the native language of the demons of the Abyss, it is also spoken by many devils, daemons, or others who have frequent dealings with races of the lower realms.2 Abyssal is spoken on Golarion in the Worldwound, a region in northern Avistan with a direct connection to the Abyss that is overrun by demons.3 In Tian Xia, Abyssal is most commonly spoken among the oni and other evil spirits.4

Androffan

For other meanings of "Androffan", please see Androffan (disambiguation).

Androffan is the native language of inhabitants of Androffa, including the creatures and robots that crewed the Divinity spaceship that crashed into Numeria during the Rain of Stars. Many of Numeria's ruins are inscribed in this complex language, and few Golarion natives outside of the Technic League can speak or read it;5 indeed, the League actively hides documentation and teaching methods for learning the language. Nevertheless, it has been proved that magic, such as the spell comprehend languages can successfully decipher the script.6

To the ear, Androffan is clipped and sharp; in written form it is quite alien to other forms of writing on Golarion, using multiple dots to supplement a curved and graceful script.6

Aquan

Aquan, from the Plane of Water, grew from a proto-elemental language which was the progenitor of all elemental languages. Much of its vocabulary is taken up with water-related terms.2 It is a guttural language with many long syllables made up of dense, throaty sounds,1 with affixes and inflections providing subtle shifts in meaning.7 Aquan is spoken in Tian Xia in the kraken-ruled underwater nation of Xidao and by those who wish to do business with this strange realm. It is sometimes known as the "tongue of the sea" there.8

Auran

Auran is a soft-spoken, breathy language which shares a similar grammar with the other elemental languages. It is primarily spoken by those of the Elemental Plane of Air,2 and occasionally by the inhabitants of the Wall of Heaven Mountains and the nation of Zi Ha in Tian Xia, where it is sometimes referred to as the "tongue of the heavens".8

Brethedan

Brethedan is the language spoken by the large, jellyfish-like natives of the gas giant planet Bretheda, also called Brethedans. The language is extremely difficult for humanoids to understand or to use for communication.9

Celestial

Celestial is spoken by all benevolent races of the Outer Sphere. It shares aspects of its structure with both Sylvan and Draconic,2 with few voiced consonants and lightly voiced vowels.7 In Tian Xia, Celestial is the official language of the aasimar nation of Tianjing, and is growing in popularity in Kwanlai as well.8

Cyrunian

A language spoken by witchwyrds.10

Daemonic

Main article: Daemonic

Daemonic is the language spoken primarily by daemons of Abaddon.11

D'ziriak

The d'ziriak are insect-like natives of the Shadow Plane who communicate using a language of their own also called D'ziriak. The language sounds quite simply like insect noises: a buzzing and a chittering noise. Fortunately, the creatures can communicate with other races using telepathy.12

Languages of Planet Earth

It seems that the humans of the planet Earth have many languages, and this list is unlikely to be comprehensive:

Balachka

Balachka is a dialect of the Cossacks.1314

Church Slavonic

Church Slavonic is the primary liturgical language of the Russian Orthodox Church.1516

Cimmerian

A language of an ancient civilization on Earth.1718

Czech

Czech is the language of the Kingdom of Bohemia,19 but it is also spoken by certain mandragora.20

Greek

Greek is the language of the Kingdom of Greece,19 as well as the adjective for describing someone or something from Greece.21

Polish

Polish is the language of the Polish people of eastern Europe. This language is known to be understood by Baba Yaga.22

Proto-Indo-European

Proto-Indo-European is an early form of many modern languages of Earth.2324

Russian

Russian is the language of the people of Russia, a large country on the distant planet of Earth.25 This language is known to be understood by Baba Yaga.22

Sarmatian

A language of an ancient civilization on Earth.17 This language is the first language of Baba Yaga.2226

Scythian

A language of an ancient civilization on Earth.1727

Elder Thing

The super-intelligent elder things, or "old ones", speak their own language also called Elder Thing. Due to the creature's alien form, the language is extremely difficult for other creatures to speak; it consists of high pitched shouts and doleful woodwind sounds. The written language is equally alien, being spun in circular patterns looking like nonsensical dots.28

First Speech or Feycommon

Almost all creatures in the First World that can speak do so in the First World's ubiquitous, but unnamed, tongue. Outsiders have dubbed this common language as "First Speech" or "Feycommon". The language is similar to both Sylvan and Aklo to such an extent that those fluent in either language can generally understand First Speech as well, so First Speech may have been the root of both of those languages.2930

Grioth

Grioth is both the name of the language and of the batlike humanoid creatures who speak it.31

Ib

Ib is the language used by beings of Ib. These creatures are unable to speak in the fashion understood by, say, humans but their language uses facial expressions and hand movements to communicate. They can also learn and understand other species' languages.32

Ignan

The language of the Elemental Plane of Fire, Ignan is a quick, percussive language, said to emulate the popping of a fire.233 In Tian Xia, Ignan is also known as the "tongue of fire" and is most commonly spoken in the volcanic mountains of central Nagajor and the Valashmai Jungle.4

Infernal

Spoken predominantly in Hell and by those who traffic with it, Infernal is a concise language which requires precise speech. It contains many homophones in its vocabulary, leading to great confusion among novice speakers, as similar-sounding words can have widely varying meaning.233 In Tian Xia, Infernal is sometimes spoken by oni and other evil spirits.4

Jandelayan

Jandelayan is the supposed language spoken by the inhabitants of the mythical realm of Jandelay. The only creature known to have ever spoken it is the one most closely related to that place: the Oliphaunt of Jandelay.34

Lashunta

The humanoid race who live on the planet Castrovel known as the lashunta speak their own language. Most lashunta also speak elven and can communicate with others via telepathy.35

Mi-Go

The unique language of the extraterrestrial plant life known as Mi-go consists of clicks of their pincers and subtle colour changes of their heads. This inseparable connection of the language with elements of a Mi-go's body makes it an almost impossible language to be mastered by non-Mi-go creatures.36

Ningese

Ningese is a language spoken on the planet Triaxus, the seventh planet in Golarion's solar system. It is spoken by the people of the island continent and independent empire called the Immortal Suzerainty of Ning.37

Protean

Protean is the ever-changing language of the proteans, who are natives of the Maelstrom. The language's mutability makes it very difficult to record or study in either its hissed vocalized form or its written form.38

Reptoid

Reptoids are mysterious reptilian creatures from another planet or even another plane that use their own language, Reptoid, to communicate.39

Shae

Shae is the language spoken by and named after the mysterious humanoids of the Shadow Plane called shae.40

Shobhad

Shobhad is the language spoken by and named after the four-armed giant inhabitants of the planet Akiton: shobhads.41

Terran

Like the other elemental languages, Terran sentences always begin with the subject, followed by the object and the verb.[citation needed] It is an extremely slow language and not meant to be rushed.2 In Tian Xia, Terran is also known as the "tongue of earth" and is commonly spoken in their Darklands.4

The Plane of Earth's oldest earth elementals speak a version of Terran that is so ancient it is incomprehensible to any others, including native Terran speakers. It is believed this form of the language is that spoken when the Plane of Earth formed, and maybe from even before that time.42

Triaxian or Triaxian Common

Triaxian Common, or simply Triaxian, is a language spoken on the planet Triaxus, the seventh planet in Golarion's solar system. It is a trade language spoken by many more creatures than the Triaxian humanoids who dominate the planet. Only draconic is as widely spoken and understood on the planet.43 This language is known to be understood by Baba Yaga.22

Truespeech

While not a language per-se, truespeech is a magical form of communication possessed by angels, archons, and azatas, which allows them to speak with any creature that possesses a language.44 Mortals are not known to be capable of using truespeech, although on very rare occasions, empyreal lords have been known to bestow this power on worthy paladins in their service.45 Truespeech is also spoken by the undead personifications of death known as grim reapers,46 and the divine servitor race of Abadar's called the orsheval.47

Utopian

Utopian is the language of Axis, aeons, inevitables, and axiomites. Aeons demonstrated to axiomites after the Convergence that the language is a combination of aeon principles and formulaic mathematical expression.48

Yaddithian

Yaddithian is spoken by and named after the race of alien aberrations called yaddithians.49

Yithian

Yithian is the language spoken by, and named after, the alien aberrations called yithians.50

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 James Jacobs et al. (2011). "Life". The Inner Sea World Guide, p. 251. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-269-2
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Erik Mona et al. (2008). "The World". Campaign Setting, p. 220. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-112-1
  3. ↑ James Jacobs et al. (2011). "The Inner Sea". The Inner Sea World Guide, p. 198. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-269-2
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 James Jacobs, Dave Gross, Rob McCreary. (2011). Dragon Empires Gazetteer, p. 49. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-379-8
  5. ↑ James Jacobs and Russ Taylor. (2014). Technology Guide, p. 5. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-672-0
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Neil Spicer. (2014). Fires of Creation. Fires of Creation, p. 33. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-673-7
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Benjamin Bruck, et al. (2015). Inner Sea Races, p. 6. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-722-2
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 James Jacobs, Dave Gross, Rob McCreary. (2011). Dragon Empires Gazetteer, p. 50. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-379-8
  9. ↑ James L. Sutter. (2012). Distant Worlds, p. 36, 59. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-403-0
  10. ↑ Ashavan Doyon, Mike McArtor, Rob McCreary, Erik Mona. (2008). Bestiary. Children of the Void, p. 88. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-127-5
  11. ↑ Logan Bonner, Jason Bulmahn, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Mark Seifter, et al. (2019). Bestiary (Second Edition), p. 348. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-64078-170-2
  12. ↑ Wolfgang Baur et al. (2010). Bestiary 2 (First Edition), p. 113. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-268-5
  13. ↑ Brandon Hodge. (2013). NPC Gallery. Rasputin Must Die!, p. 58. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-496-2
  14. ↑ For more information, please see Wikipedia: Balachka
  15. ↑ Brandon Hodge. (2013). NPC Gallery. Rasputin Must Die!, p. 56. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-496-2
  16. ↑ For more information, please see Wikipedia: Church Slavonic language
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Greg A. Vaughan. (2013). NPC Gallery. The Witch Queen's Revenge, p. 60. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-497-9
  18. ↑ For more information, please see Wikipedia: Cimmerians
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Please note that this term is not mentioned in the text and so is not canon; however, in his Foreword to Rasputin Must Die!, Brandon Hodge states that the Earth portrayed in this adventure 'has to be our world', so we have extrapolated a little to give context in order to aid DMs.
  20. ↑ Brandon Hodge. (2013). Rasputin Must Die!. Rasputin Must Die!, p. 12. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-496-2
  21. ↑ Brandon Hodge. (2013). Rasputin Must Die!. Rasputin Must Die!, p. 42 & 52. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-496-2
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 Adam Daigle. (2013). Baba Yaga. The Witch Queen's Revenge, p. 75. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-497-9
  23. ↑ Greg A. Vaughan. (2013). The Witch Queen's Revenge. The Witch Queen's Revenge, p. 52. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-497-9
  24. ↑ For more information of the real-world concept, please see Proto-Indo-European language
  25. ↑ Jim Groves. (2013). NPC Gallery. The Shackled Hut, p. 58. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-493-1
  26. ↑ For more information, please see Wikipedia: Sarmatians
  27. ↑ For more information, please see Wikipedia: Scythians
  28. ↑ James Jacobs and Greg A. Vaughan. (2011). Bestiary. Wake of the Watcher, p. 83. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-311-8
  29. ↑ James L. Sutter. (2010). The First World. Sound of a Thousand Screams, p. 67. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-253-1
  30. ↑ James L. Sutter. (2016). "First World Adventures". The First World, Realm of the Fey, p. 7. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-909-7
  31. ↑ Mike Shel. (2013). The Dragon's Demand, p. 62. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-527-3
  32. ↑ James Jacobs and Amber Stewart. (2016). Bestiary. Dreams of the Yellow King, p. 87. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-899-1
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 Benjamin Bruck, et al. (2015). Inner Sea Races, p. 7. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-722-2
  34. ↑ Benjamin Bruck, Jason Bulmahn, Amanda Hamon, et al. (2013). Mythic Realms, p. 58–59. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-567-9
  35. ↑ Jim Groves, James Jacobs, Rob McCreary, et al. (2012). Inner Sea Bestiary, p. 25. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-468-9
  36. ↑ James Jacobs and Greg A. Vaughan. (2011). Bestiary. Wake of the Watcher, p. 87. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-311-8
  37. ↑ Matthew Goodall. (2013). NPC Gallery. The Frozen Stars, p. 56. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-495-5
  38. ↑ Amber Stewart. (2009). Keepers of Chaos. The End of Eternity, p. 56. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-173-2
  39. ↑ Dennis Baker et al. (2015). Bestiary 5, p. 202. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-792-5
  40. ↑ Jesse Benner et al. (2011). Bestiary 3 (First Edition), p. 242. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-378-1
  41. ↑ James L. Sutter. (2012). Distant Worlds, p. 63. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-403-0
  42. ↑ John Compton, Paris Crenshaw, Eleanor Ferron, Thurston Hillman, and Jessica Price. (2016). Planes of Power, p. 24. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-883-0
  43. ↑ James L. Sutter. (2013). Planet of Dragons. The Frozen Stars, p. 65. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-495-5
  44. ↑ Jason Bulmahn. (2009). Bestiary (First Edition), p. 310–311. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-183-1
  45. ↑ Jason Bulmahn, et al. (2011). Ultimate Combat, p. 62. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-359-0
  46. ↑ Adam Daigle, Crystal Frasier, F. Wesley Schneider. (2011). Bestiary. Shadows of Gallowspire, p. 87. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-313-2
  47. ↑ Sean K Reynolds et al. (2014). "Servitors". Inner Sea Gods, p. 277. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-597-6
  48. ↑ Logan Bonner, Jason Bulmahn, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Mark Seifter, et al. (2019). Bestiary (Second Edition), p. 8–11. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-64078-170-2
  49. ↑ Robert Brookes et al. (2017). Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 6, p. 285. Paizo Inc. ISBN 978-1-60125-931-8
  50. ↑ Jesse Benner et al. (2011). Bestiary 3 (First Edition), p. 286. Paizo Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-1-60125-378-1
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Languages of the Pathfinder Campaign Setting
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