Do Chalaxians have an accent? And if so, what real-world equivalent would it sound like? I'm looking to add a bit of flavor to my Council of Thieves character since he's likely to be doing most of the talking.
They have a german/british accent.
Because they're villains.
They have a german/british accent.
Because they're villains.
And also because they dress like Victorian goths.
What sort of Chelaxian, upper class noble sorts? Working class stiffs? Soldiers? Sailors? Poor folk? From what part of the empire?
Think of Cheliax as you would any varied, large nation. Regional dialects will be very common, and vary by social class, occupation, and peers.
(I don't tend to slap a real world accent onto them, the richer and better-educated ones just tend to sound, well, richer and better educated, etc etc)
Do Chalaxians have an accent? And if so, what real-world equivalent would it sound like? I'm looking to add a bit of flavor to my Council of Thieves character since he's likely to be doing most of the talking.
Given that Westcrown is a lot like Venice, I would make them Italian. Taldoran's have more of a British accent, Andoran's American, Ghalt is French of course.
How about Jamaican?
They sing "Succubus went uhh and she caress me down,
Uhh, and Succubus make that lovin' sound!"
Well since Taldor is bacically British, and Cheliax is a brit.. um I mean Taldan colony.. And they Speak Common(Taldan) and they are the evil devil worshippers just like the French of the helfire club era I go with French... I see Taldor as the Empire Crumbling. I see Andoran as the Empires child (US), and Absalom as the Empire at its Height... and the one country under constant revolution as France during the revolutionary period... But yeah, Cheliax is so French... and Italian and Spanish... ;)
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Cheliax is Roman and Venetian. Chelaxians honor this best with the following accents:
1) New York Italian descendant.
2) Mafia Don.
3) Modern Italian.
If your character is from the lower classes, I recommend the mafia don accent. From the upper-classes, real Italian. These accents work especially well and are especially fitting in the Council of Thieves game. Pretty much any character from The Godfather has a great accent for you to use.
Taldor is British?
Hmmm... I was thinking Byzantine: Crumbling Empire, corrupt/inbred Royal Family and most especially the Varangian, er, Ulfen Guard...
Yeah, I see Cheliax as pretty much Renaisance style Italy.
I also enjoy 'finding' the inspiration for Fantasy nations... as was pointed out: America/Andor; Ghalt/France... :D
GNOME
Taldor is British?
Hmmm... I was thinking Byzantine: Crumbling Empire, corrupt/inbred Royal Family and most especially the Varangian, er, Ulfen Guard...
Yeah, I see Cheliax as pretty much Renaisance style Italy.
GNOME
Agree with the above.
Greg
Taldor is a bit byzantine, but also a bit High Fantasy France/Britain. Because it is the knights and peasants fantasy nation, though frankly that's not the best indicated.
An important thing about using the british accent there is not that their british analogues, its that in almost all english speaking nations, nothing says aristocracy like the english accent.
Make sure the traits you associate with your accent are intended for the people your ataching it too if you use a real world one, and it is nice to do so if your good at accents. It adds variety, like rping a modern game and having the jamaican accountant and russian gunrunner sound different. Don't do it if your exceptional slow or shaky though, thats just hard to listen to and ultimately gaming is a performance.
An important thing about using the british accent there is not that their british analogues, its that in almost all english speaking nations, nothing says aristocracy like the english accent.
Or, and let's be clear about this, 'nob with head inserted into own rectum living in the past' as well. I'm a Brit, I can say this.
Good point of Taldan having a bit o'tha Byzantium mix... I see Cheliax as the entire Holey Roman Empire... France, Italy and Spain...
Gnome... Irish ;)
An important thing about using the british accent there is not that their british analogues, its that in almost all english speaking nations, nothing says aristocracy like the english accent.Or, and let's be clear about this, 'nob with head inserted into own rectum living in the past' as well. I'm a Brit, I can say this.
I meant the 1940's BBC Standard British accent, obviously a liverpudlian or yorkshire accent won't have the same oomph.
As and Irishman with the rural Iriish accent I can honestly say my accent sounds like I'm carrying a sack of potatoes at all times. Accents have stereotypes attached. Sad but true, and a an easy way to break versimilitude.
I lean towards a spanish accent for Chelish folk. I think it has something to do with my uncultured brain bridging the religious opression themes to the spanish inquisition. Inevitably it leads to Monty Python quotes about lack of expectation and comfortable chairs...
Good point of Taldan having a bit o'tha Byzantium mix... I see Cheliax as the entire Holey Roman Empire... France, Italy and Spain...
Gnome... Irish ;)
Leprechaun maybe! Just think of gnomes having eerie childrens voices and a random patchwork of accents!
I meant the 1940's BBC Standard British accent, obviously a liverpudlian or yorkshire accent won't have the same oomph.An important thing about using the british accent there is not that their british analogues, its that in almost all english speaking nations, nothing says aristocracy like the english accent.Or, and let's be clear about this, 'nob with head inserted into own rectum living in the past' as well. I'm a Brit, I can say this.
Oh no, Yorkshire is a good dwarf accent, Welsh is good for elves, liverpudlian for half-orcs ...
I love the idea of the Chelaxians having a strong west country accent
"you'll burn in the fiores of 'ell moi lover!"
West country? Good grief no, I'm from Gloucestershire originally, and dear me no - maybe rural lower-class Taldane, but not Chelaxian. Actually I think the pirates of Riddleport may have more of a West Country / Bristol accent ... Yarrr!
Ya I see the Chelaxian Chirch as Italian, the Hellknights as Spanish(Inquisition) and the Nobles as French... and the pesants as revolting ;) "Marie Antoinette, the pesants are revolting!" "They certainly are..."
The Gnomes of 3.5 and Pathfinder are plug and play... they take the place of Brownies, Leprachauns, and Gnomes of 2nd Edition, depending on how you depict their backgrounds and if you add facial hair and what personalities you give. Put bierds on them, and give them the craft wooden toys or arms and armor and give them the feat of talking with animals and you have gnomes. Give them craft shoes and give them the feat of extra spells and class them as Illusionist and you have a leprechaun.... with a few well placed feats and Traits and you can design various fey :)
How about Jamaican?
They sing "Succubus went uhh and she caress me down,
Uhh, and Succubus make that lovin' sound!"
That would be the long beach accent. Interesting thought though, does that mean that my tiefling rogue who two-hands has double the G.I. Joe kung-fu grip?
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West country? Good grief no, I'm from Gloucestershire originally, and dear me no - maybe rural lower-class Taldane, but not Chelaxian. Actually I think the pirates of Riddleport may have more of a West Country / Bristol accent ... Yarrr!I love the idea of the Chelaxians having a strong west country accent
"you'll burn in the fiores of 'ell moi lover!"
Nah I wasn't being serious. Realistically I would do a bit of an Alan Rickman accent for Chelaxians. That's suitably impressive.
Mr. Potter.
Yeess
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Posh Chelaxian villains need to speak with an innate and constant sneer... so upper-class English is a good fit. The posh Scottish accent is good for an ingrained sense of superiority as well.
I like the idea of Taldan peasants as West Country. In Oxfordshire all of the little-lords in the city sound terrifyingly posh but the local accent in the villages is a soft west country-esque burr. It's a satisfying contrast.
You could probably do every species and nation with a different British regional accent. We're weird like that.
PErsonally,
I prefer something more sinister... So I used greedo's accent from starwars for flunkies, and Jabba for the big bosses.
our kobolds and goblins sound like jawas.
Orcs, ogres etc sound like sebulba the dug.
so for other countries? what star warsian accents could we use for taldorian or andorian accents?
(we had some of the islanders on smugglers shiv talking like ewoks because no one spoke their language)
echewta? sey nub nub!
Its not intentional, but my orcs always end up sounding like Klingons.
The Cheliaxians speak like Newfs. ;)
Wow, thanks for the responses. Looks like the majority are saying Italian and that seems about right. Unfortunately I have a terrible time doing an Italian accent without it degenerating into an awful Mario Brothers impression. Second highest looks to be British and I can maintain a British-sounding accent for a good length of time, so I think I'll aim for that. Maybe throw a little Alan Rickman in there to taste as suggested.
Thanks everyone.
assassins creed 2 has some good examples of chelexian accents too. the lead character is a really good example. and the game is mostly based in rennaissance italy.
If you want to try a 'fake' Italian accent for Chelaxian, I think Amy Walker's video guide helps alot.
Greg
EDIT: I am going to use it myself :P
Do Chalaxians have an accent? And if so, what real-world equivalent would it sound like? I'm looking to add a bit of flavor to my Council of Thieves character since he's likely to be doing most of the talking.
I treat Cheliax as Venice, as the concept seems to fit perfectly: A nation dominated by inner circles within inner circles, everyone seems to have a hidden agenda (while actually they have *another* hidden agenda), where family ties to the old houses are crucial in political life, highly religious but at the same time very practical about it, et cetera.
As for Taldor, a lot of people see them as British, but personally I take them as the Spanish Empire in the late days of the Golden Century (late 1600's). In fact, when I started reading the setting, the first thing that came to mind with Taldor was "This is just like XVII century Spain".
You have this huge, old empire that colonized everything that could be colonized, became filthy rich through the wealth of the new lands, which at the same time spiraled the nation into a web of corruption, bureaucracy and excessive centralism, exactly like the Spanish Empire.
Just like Spain, the tremendous influx of wealth undermined the economic development of the metropoli, which when the colonies began revolting showed its ugly effects by stagnating the country, but still keeping it wealthy enough to pay for all the excesses they grew accustomed to.
Like Spain, the nobility expanded to ridiculous levels, with everyone being Marquee of Somesuch, Baron of Over There, Duke-Bishop of Around Here and Count-Emeritus of Somewhere. Many titles are bought, and extremely old families engage in perpetual court wars for recognition.
Also, there are the close ties to Qadira, which has a lot of similarities to the time before the Reconquista.
Even the wording of names and places has a more Spanish sound to my ear than British.
Hence, I interpret Taldor (which plays a big role in my current campaign) as 1600's Spain, using Castillian accent when I play Taldan NPCs, and I've also added a good amount of references to Capitan Alatriste (sort of the Spaniard D'Artagnan). Seems to fit perfectly.