Languages of distant worlds

From PathfinderWiki

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

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;1 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.2

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.2

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.34

Languages of Earth

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

Balachka

Balachka is a dialect of the Cossacks.56

Church Slavonic

Church Slavonic is the primary liturgical language of the Russian Orthodox Church.78

Cimmerian

A language of an ancient civilization on Earth.910

Czech

Czech is the language of the Kingdom of Bohemia,11 but it is also spoken by certain mandragora.12

Greek

Greek is the language of the Kingdom of Greece,11 as well as the adjective for describing someone or something from Greece.1314

Polish

Polish is the language of the Polish people of eastern Europe. This language is known to be understood by Baba Yaga.1516

Proto-Indo-European

Proto-Indo-European is an early form of many modern languages of Earth.1718

Russian

Russian is the language of the people of Russia, a large country on the distant planet of Earth.19 This language is known to be understood by Baba Yaga.15

Sarmatian

A language of an ancient civilization on Earth.9 This language is the first language of Baba Yaga.1520

Scythian

A language of an ancient civilization on Earth.921

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.22

Grioth

Grioth is both the name of the language and of the batlike humanoid creatures who speak it.23

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.24

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.25

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.26

Reptoid

Reptoids are mysterious reptilian creatures from another planet or even another plane that use their own language, Reptoid, to communicate.27[citation needed]

Shobhad

Shobhad is the language spoken by and named after the four-armed giant inhabitants of the planet Akiton: shobhads.28

Sign languages

Several groups use sign and gesture languages to communicate.

Aballonian sign language

Because of Aballon's thin atmosphere, most of its inhabitants speak via either a mechanical wave-based telepathy or their own sign language.29

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.30 This language is known to be understood by Baba Yaga.15

Yaddithian

Yaddithian is spoken by and named after the race of alien aberrations called yaddithians.31[citation needed]

Yithian

Yithian is the language spoken by, and named after, the alien aberrations called yithians.32[citation needed]

References

  1. James Jacobs & Russ Taylor. “Technology in the World” in Technology Guide, 5. Paizo Inc., 2014
  2. 2.0 2.1 Neil Spicer. “Fires of Creation” in Fires of Creation, 33. Paizo Inc., 2014
  3. James L. Sutter. “Chapter 1: The Solar System” in Distant Worlds, 36. Paizo Inc., 2012
  4. James L. Sutter. “Chapter 3: Aliens” in Distant Worlds, 59. Paizo Inc., 2012
  5. Brandon Hodge. “NPC Gallery” in Rasputin Must Die!, 58. Paizo Inc., 2013
  6. Balachka on Wikipedia.
  7. Brandon Hodge. “NPC Gallery” in Rasputin Must Die!, 56. Paizo Inc., 2013
  8. Church Slavonic language on Wikipedia.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 Greg A. Vaughan. “NPC Gallery” in The Witch Queen's Revenge, 60. Paizo Inc., 2013
  10. Cimmerians on Wikipedia.
  11. 11.0 11.1 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.
  12. Brandon Hodge. “Rasputin Must Die!” in Rasputin Must Die!, 12. Paizo Inc., 2013
  13. Brandon Hodge. “Rasputin Must Die!” in Rasputin Must Die!, 42. Paizo Inc., 2013
  14. Brandon Hodge. “Rasputin Must Die!” in Rasputin Must Die!, 52. Paizo Inc., 2013
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 Adam Daigle. Baba Yaga” in The Witch Queen's Revenge, 75. Paizo Inc., 2013
  16. Polish language on Wikipedia.
  17. Greg A. Vaughan. “The Witch Queen's Revenge” in The Witch Queen's Revenge, 52. Paizo Inc., 2013
  18. Proto-Indo-European language on Wikipedia.
  19. Jim Groves. “NPC Gallery” in The Shackled Hut, 58. Paizo Inc., 2013
  20. Sarmatians on Wikipedia.
  21. Scythians on Wikipedia.
  22. James Jacobs & Greg A. Vaughan. “Bestiary” in Wake of the Watcher, 83. Paizo Inc., 2011
  23. Mike Shel. “Appendix 2: New Monsters” in The Dragon's Demand, 62. Paizo Inc., 2013
  24. Jim Groves, et al. Inner Sea Bestiary, 25. Paizo Inc., 2012
  25. James Jacobs & Greg A. Vaughan. “Bestiary” in Wake of the Watcher, 87. Paizo Inc., 2011
  26. Matthew Goodall. “NPC Gallery” in The Frozen Stars, 56. Paizo Inc., 2013
  27. Jason Bulmahn, et al. “Monsters A to Z” in Bestiary 5, 202. Paizo Inc., 2015
  28. James L. Sutter. “Chapter 3: Aliens” in Distant Worlds, 63. Paizo Inc., 2012
  29. James L. Sutter. “Chapter 3: Aliens” in Distant Worlds, 66ff. Paizo Inc., 2012
  30. James L. Sutter. “Planet of Dragons” in The Frozen Stars, 65. Paizo Inc., 2013
  31. Paizo Inc., et al. “Monsters A to Z” in Bestiary 6, 285. Paizo Inc., 2017
  32. Jason Bulmahn, et al. “Monsters A to Z” in Bestiary 3, 286. Paizo Inc., 2011