[2E] Uratha and languages

[wyrdhamster]

Is there some power for Uratha - like Gift or Rite - to understand other languages they did not before? Or should they pact with some spirit for this boon? Maybe Spirit of Speech or Knowledge?

You can always can communicate with foreign Uratha by using First Tongue. But what about Vikings raiders that comes to the new places - Like how they can communicate with humans form Finns, Khazars or Slavs people - and not be attacked on sight? Learning their language in normal way will takes weeks at least...

[Malus]

Talens or a fetish that modifies a Knowledge facet.

[Acrozatarim]

Yeah, I'd do a Fetish that reworks Skin Thief into letting you cut out someone's tongue and consume it to gain access to the languages they were able to speak for a month or so.

[wyrdhamster]

So Pack Rite giving understaning of all languages for one week based on First Tounge 'root of all languages' would be to easy?

Tounge Stealing Fetish is also nice ( and wicked)...

[Acrozatarim]

I could see a pack rite that worked along the lines of 'share a language that one pack member knows with all other pack members'.

[wyrdhamster]

Yeah, I'd do a Fetish that reworks Skin Thief into letting you cut out someone's tongue and consume it to gain access to the languages they were able to speak for a month or so.

Would this Fetish need for character to have previously Skin Thief? Cause I do not grasp this idea of 'Fetish working as Gift Facet'.

[Acrozatarim]

Indeed. Fetishes that allow alternate uses of Facets do require you possess the Facet in the first place.

[wyrdhamster]

So could Fetish and Rite be combined? Skin Thief steals the language of natives with Fetish - and then share it by the Pack Rite?

I will try to write both later on...

[wyrdhamster]

Okay, my first takes on Acrozatarim ideas...

Fetish – Tongue Splitter (••)
This knife is splitting tongues – both physically and metaphorically. It’s often used in infiltration of foreign territory, by various werewolves.
Effect: Tongue Splitter let’s a user with Skin Thief Facet to cut a tongue of his victim with Splitter and then eat it. This marks a user to use all languages victim knew for one full lunar month.

Pack Rite - Shared Tongue (•)
This rite invokes ancient laws of Shadow Realm that Pack speak in one voice. Ritemaster’s languages become known to all Pack members – even First Tongue.
Symbols: Tongue, sharing, pack, First Tongue
Sample Rite: Ritemaster makes invocations to Gods of Shadow Realm in First Tounge. Pack is joining in chorus of invocations. Then Ritemaster is splitting sacrificed tounge of the being and gives to all pack members on ceremony. Everyone swallow their parts and continue invocations. (Presence + Expression)
Action: Extended (5 successes; each roll represents 1 minute);
Success: This rite shares all known languages by ritemaster to all pack members. For one full lunar month all participants know those languages. If ritemaster know First Tongue, they also know it – but without non-human forms physicality they may not be able to articulate words in it. Howevere they understand what ritemaster understand.

[Second Chances]

At a quick glance, they both look pretty solid. Nicely done!

[SunlessNick]

It seems like something a language spirit could grant. Might even be eager to - presumably they would want the language they represent to have more speakers.

[Master Aquatosic]

It seems like something a language spirit could grant. Might even be eager to - presumably they would want the language they represent to have more speakers.

On that note, I'd rule that the Strengthening [LANGUAGE] Influence could provide a discount on obtaining that language as a merit in either XP or downtime needed to learn

[Tessie]

On that note, I'd rule that the Strengthening [LANGUAGE] Influence could provide a discount on obtaining that language as a merit in either XP or downtime needed to learn

Definitely downtime. XP discounts are a bit more touchy (as in, not all tables wants to use them) and even more so when Language and Multilingual both are one dot Merits.

Here's a few suggestions for how language spirits (both for those based on a specific language and on language as a concept) can use their Influence:

• Increase the equipment modifier for lexicons, thesauri and other translation/writing help, as well as granting a bonus to Academics/Expression for language based rolls
•• Change the tone of speech or writing without changing the actual content, such as causing a love letter between lovers to come off as creepy, or make suggestions seem like demands
••• Rewrite texts, redefine words, control what people say and write (but only if they actually do speak or write)
•••• Grant the Language or Multilingual Merits
••••• Use the permanent effect to create a whole new language from scratch, Tolkien style

[Master Aquatosic]

Is 4 dots permanent or temporary?

[Tessie]

Only Mass Create can inherently create something permanently. Instead of creating [Rank] examples you can choose to create just one example and make it permanent.
You can also increase the duration to permanent by "splitting" dots over the Influence effect and Influence Duration. Since it requires four dots for the duration only Influence 5+ can use that, and Influence 5 can only increase the duration to permanent on Strengthen.

Technically you'd be able to temporarily create a whole new language using Create instead of Mass Create, but it makes little sense for it to not be permanent so I specified it on Mass Create.