My players will likely be delving into the Catacombs of Wrath in the next session. As it happens, three of the five characters in the party speak Thassilonian--the sorcerer and the wizard both have a scholarly interest in the ruins, and the Varisian rogue began studying the language in an effort to understand more of the strange powers his birthmark runes granted him--Dancing Lights, as a matter of fact, meaning his Magic Legacy comes from the Evocation school, the magic of Wrath.
So, my plan is that when they first encounter the Sihedron Rune, it will be surrounded by the seven runes of the seven runelords, as it is illustrated in the back of the book. Which raises a question: how do those runes translate? Do they actually say 'Wrath', 'Greed' 'Sloth', and so forth? Or would they read as the virtues of rule? If they read as the sins, would they read similarly to the virtues? I presume any character who has visited Thassilonian ruins as part of their backstory is likely to have at least seen the Sihedron Rune, even if they don't yet understand it's significance?
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There are significant differences between the good and the evil Thassilonian runes. The early Thassilonian (good)runes are more smooth, and the late Thassilonian (evil) runes are more spiky. The runes for the virtues are probably more smooth versions of the sin runes.
It has not, however, been established if the thassilonian runes are ideograms or syllograms, where every rune is an entire word, like the Chinese , or if the runes are like our letters, like the Norse runes. The Sin and Virtue runes suggests the first, but they might be the excption. The runes we have seen look more like letters than ideograms, again with the sin runes as a possible exception (the rune of Greed actally looks like a hand grapping a gem).
There are significant differences between the good and the evil Thassilonian runes. The early Thassilonian (good)runes are more smooth, and the late Thassilonian (evil) runes are more spiky. The runes for the virtues are probably more smooth versions of the sin runes.
It has not, however, been established if the thassilonian runes are ideograms or syllograms, where every rune is an entire word, like the Chinese , or if the runes are like our letters, like the Norse runes. The Sin and Virtue runes suggests the first, but they might be the excption. The runes we have seen look more like letters than ideograms, again with the sin runes as a possible exception (the rune of Greed actally looks like a hand grapping a gem).
Meaning that when they look at the Sihedron Rune, the runes at each point will indeed read Wrath, Greed, Sloth, etc.?
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Yes, I would think so. Or at least, they would translate so to the mundane. If your wizard was to cast comprehend languages, they might translate as something more complex, such as "Mighty Wrath that brings doom to all enemies of the strong", or "The glorious Greed that brings wealth to the deserving few", etc. Stuff that is normally lost in translation.
Excellent. Any other general notes I should keep in mind for characters who know the language? Also, is there an explanation anywhere of exactly which runes correspond to which Sin?
Ah, so it is. Thanks!