Serpent's Skull Languages


Serpent's Skull


Hey all,
I'm starting a Human Wizard for an upcoming campaign and would like to know what languages would come in handy?
He has an 18 Intelligence and took the Cosmopolitan feat from the APG (giving him essentially 6 bonus languages known).

Here are his choices so far:
Common
1)Azlanti
2)Draconic
3)Elven
4)???
5)???
6)???
7)Polyglot (Mwangi Scholar trait)

Does anyone know od any other languages that would be helpful, without metagaming something that the character wouldn't have any clue about?

Thanks

RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16, 2011 Top 32, 2012 Top 4

Well, if your wizard is a scholar of ancient lore, he might find Aklo useful (cough, cough).

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2009, RPG Superstar Judgernaut

Oh, just go with whatever you think is best.

.
.
.

Hold on. I feel a sneeze coming on.

.
.
.

Aaaah...aaahhh...Ak...lo!

::sniffle::

Excuse me.

;-)


Hmmm, Somehow I think Aklo would be appropriate.

That leaves two more.

Oh, by the way, Tom you should get that cough checked before it turns into a full blown cold, like Neil's.

Bless you, Neil.


Since Sargava is a former Cheliaxan colony maybe Infernal? Some tribes in Mwangi are known to be demon worshipers so maybe Abyssal as well. There is also the possibility that one might run into the other races from the core rulebook, so gnomish, halfling, dwarven and orcish might be useful. A jungle is also bound to have some fey creatures protecting it so Sylvan could become useful as well. For a list of the most common languages in Golarion you might want to check out This page


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
Mortagon wrote:
Since Sargava is a former Cheliaxan colony maybe Infernal? Some tribes in Mwangi are known to be demon worshipers so maybe Abyssal as well. There is also the possibility that one might run into the other races from the core rulebook, so gnomish, halfling, dwarven and orcish might be useful. A jungle is also bound to have some fey creatures protecting it so Sylvan could become useful as well. For a list of the most common languages in Golarion you might want to check out This page

Remeber that influence of Hell on Cheliax never really reached Sargava.


Zaister wrote:
Mortagon wrote:
Since Sargava is a former Cheliaxan colony maybe Infernal? Some tribes in Mwangi are known to be demon worshipers so maybe Abyssal as well. There is also the possibility that one might run into the other races from the core rulebook, so gnomish, halfling, dwarven and orcish might be useful. A jungle is also bound to have some fey creatures protecting it so Sylvan could become useful as well. For a list of the most common languages in Golarion you might want to check out This page
Remeber that influence of Hell on Cheliax never really reached Sargava.

That is true. I totally forgot, didn't have the books with me when I wrote the post yesterday. My mistake.


Where can I find more info on Aklo? It's not in the Campaign book and I wasn't sure where else to look.

Contributor, RPG Superstar 2009, RPG Superstar Judgernaut

Look under Linguistics in the Pathfinder Core Rulebook. And, obviously, you can search through the Pathfinder Bestiary to see which beasts have it among their languages. It's also described in Into the Darklands as...

Into the Darklands wrote:
"...An otherwordly tongue from some realm beyond Golarion's reality that can still be found in isolated nooks and corners spoken by creatures both strange and fantastic. It is the language spoken by the serpentfolk."

That's why it's fairly relevant to the Serpent's Skull AP. FYI, though, Aklo is also attributed to the derro, evil fey, and a host of otherworldly monsters. So, it's got plenty of range.


Ah, thanks, I don't have into the darklands and didn't think to check the bestiary. Thanks for the quick response!

Paizo Employee Creative Director

TerraZephyr wrote:
Ah, thanks, I don't have into the darklands and didn't think to check the bestiary. Thanks for the quick response!

For the actual source of the Aklo language, check out its entry on Wikipedia by clicking this link! :-)


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
James Jacobs wrote:
For the actual source of the Aklo language, check out its entry on Wikipedia by clicking this link! :-)

That's interesting; I didn't know that.


Okay-- now that I know that Aklo isn't just "the language of evil fey" and actually has its roots in mythos, I'll stop throwing out the Evil Fey Queen* walk whenever I start speaking Aklo at people.

*Hand on hip, arm out pointing, head back, walking on tip toes, in an "evil" manner. Punctuate sentences with high pitched evil laughter. Previously thought to be required to speak Aklo.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

Zaister wrote:
James Jacobs wrote:
For the actual source of the Aklo language, check out its entry on Wikipedia by clicking this link! :-)
That's interesting; I didn't know that.

Yup; that's why a lot of the creepier monsters in the Bestairy, such as the aboleth and the shoggoth, speak Aklo.

Liberty's Edge

Why learn an entire language (much less 6), when you need only know one sentence ? ;-)

Spoiler:
Ka nama kaa lajerama!

Liberty's Edge

Huh, I thought you were going to go here instead...

Spoiler:
Explosive Runes...


If playing without "Common", what human languages would the NPCs speak?


Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber
TLO3 wrote:
If playing without "Common", what human languages would the NPCs speak?

Since Serpent's Skull is set in the Mwangi Expanse, the most used "other" language is Polyglot.

Also, with

Spoiler:
Vaults of Madness and The Thousand Fangs Below focused on finding and exploring Ilmurea,
Undercommon could prove useful.

IIRC, James Jacobs stated in another thread that Aklo, Azlanti, Polyglot, and Undercommon are among the most "useful" languages to know for this AP.


TLO3 wrote:
If playing without "Common", what human languages would the NPCs speak?

Common is Taldane, which is the default language for folks from both Taldor and Cheliax (and most places that used to be under control by either of these empires). So, it depends on where the NPCs are from. Sargava is populated by Mwangi (who speak Polyglot) and the colonies who speak "common" which is Taldane. So, just replace Common to Taldane and you're set to go.

Grand Lodge

The black raven wrote:

Why learn an entire language (much less 6), when you need only know one sentence ? ;-)

** spoiler omitted **

Well played sir. Well played.


Dragonchess Player wrote:

IIRC, James Jacobs stated in another thread that Aklo, Azlanti, Polyglot, and Undercommon are among the most "useful" languages to know for this AP.

awh... my rogue just picked up Aklo since someone mentioned in game what it was, will most likely pick up Azlanti next level or... haven't played yet so can sacrifice a precious HP that might make the difference between living and dying with our die rolls and learn it before we get to Sargava. Have an in game reason to, as well, and apparently she's made friends with Gelik over a cruel prank.

I have two essentially useless languages, though... Tengu and Tian. Tengu to speak with Pezock, who she hit it off with, because she liked to play hide and go seek with him, and Tian for her various dealings with the party paladin. And apparently every other Tian sailor on the face of Golarian. Why a CHA 10 Tiefling gets more attention from sailors than a CHA 17 paladin FACE I wish I knew.


Hu5tru wrote:
Dragonchess Player wrote:

IIRC, James Jacobs stated in another thread that Aklo, Azlanti, Polyglot, and Undercommon are among the most "useful" languages to know for this AP.

awh... my rogue just picked up Aklo since someone mentioned in game what it was, will most likely pick up Azlanti next level or... haven't played yet so can sacrifice a precious HP that might make the difference between living and dying with our die rolls and learn it before we get to Sargava. Have an in game reason to, as well, and apparently she's made friends with Gelik over a cruel prank.

I have two essentially useless languages, though... Tengu and Tian. Tengu to speak with Pezock, who she hit it off with, because she liked to play hide and go seek with him, and Tian for her various dealings with the party paladin. And apparently every other Tian sailor on the face of Golarian. Why a CHA 10 Tiefling gets more attention from sailors than a CHA 17 paladin FACE I wish I knew.

From Hu5tru's DM: LOL, I didn't realize you're charisma was only ten, I had always assumed it was above average. Probably has to do with your exotic looks and social skills, not to mention that most male sailors would probably try to hit it off with ANY female humanoid they could find, especially those that undress right in front of them. I guess the Tian cook on the Red Gull was sort of fascinated by you from the stories about spiritfolk he grew up with while he was young since and mistook you for being one.

As for languages, definitively Aklo and Azlanti for the first part at least.

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