When I started playing RQ, back before Starbrow began that rebellion, I had a standard rule that besides the native tongue each member of the Lightbringers and Sartar cults as well as the residents of Pavis all talked Tradetalk at INTx3. In HQ2 it would be at 14, or more likely in the Keyword of the Lightbringer, Sartar or Pavis cults.
My reason was I didn't want to deal with the BS of the characters misunderstanding each other. But, I did have several games in which Praxins gave the horse-types a hard time by refusing to learn "Trashtalk". So, it comes down to "how does this help or hinder the story?"
Remember, too, that picking up a new Ability is not hard at all, so if it is an issue have them spend a week and some Lunars and learn it from a temple. (And if they are trolls it is better of the Lunars are still alive... ;) )
Bo
On 4/24/2012 9:22 AM, Ashley Munday wrote:
>
> Not everything in HQ is predicated on contests. If Harek the Berserk
> is asked by Gunda to get that jar of jam open you're not going to roll
> the dice. Maybe Jars of Eels but that's another story.
>
> So the point here is that languages aren't unusual: they're abilities
> - only roll when it's interesting. Which with languages is when the GM
> want's to have fun with people misunderstanding.
>
> As to what languages someone speaks - it's really up to your
> conception of how the world works. I'm happy that the Goldentongue
> initiate can get through to most people even if it's unsophisticated
> and the rest of the bunch can get by in Tarshite as they're Sartarite.
> Neither seem much of a stretch to me for basic understanding but other
> people might have different interpretations.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Ash
>
> ________________________________
> From: David Cake <dave_at_...
> <mailto:dave%40difference.com.au>>
> To: HeroQuest-rules_at_yahoogroups.com
> <mailto:HeroQuest-rules%40yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, 24 April 2012, 15:55
> Subject: Languages
>
> Languages are an unusual ability. Because while everything in HW
> is predicated on contests, I think in play the vast majority of the
> time language abilities are going to be used as a binary - you either
> have the ability (and can be treated as mutually intelligible) or not.
> Sure, you might roll to see how well you comprehend that myth written
> in that tome of old forgotten lore, but most of the time, all that
> matters to the plot is a basic level of mutual intelligibility.
>
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