
Flarx |
So... I've got new players, some older players, etc.
As a DM, this is my first campaign in Golarion.
The Pathfinder Players handbook doesn't mention half the languages I'm seeing in the campaign.
(Thassilonian, Varisian are two that pop to mind.)
Players are only one session in, so not too late to change some details on character sheets, especially since none of them came up with backstory. So instead of loading up on draconic, abyssal, celestial and other languages via the high int starting bonus that the longer term players did, any tips for explaining the language situation of Golarion/the area immediately around Sandpoint?
Is there a language guide somewhere by any chance?
(Currently running with a Bestiary, RotR anniversary book, player's handbook, and a bestiary 3.)

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The languages for the major Human ethnic groups in Golarion would all be found in the Inner Sea World Guide. There is probably an alternate source for them as well, but that's the book I'm familiar with.
For Rise of the Runelords, the campaign is set in Varisia, so some of the more commonly spoken languages in the area would include Varisian and Shoanti, along with the common tongue. Thassilonian is an ancient (basicly dead) language that was spoken at the time of the Runelords. It's possible that some scholarly types would know it but it wouldn't be widespread.
Some of the other human languages that might interest your players:
Skald: Language of the people of the Land of the Linorm Kings to the North of Varisia
Osiriani: Spoken by the people of Golarion-Egypt
Hallit: Spoken by the Kellids (another northern racial group, but from farther east)
Some others that don't likely tie in as closely with any of that campaign are Kellish, Polyglot, and Vudran. I don't have access to my books right now so that's all I can really think of offhand, but there are certainly more.

Ring_of_Gyges |
The Thassilonian empire fell ~10,000 years ago and had it's own language. Their descendants became the Shoanti and Varisians who each have their own languages.
"Common" is Taldane, the language of a southern Taldan empire that broke apart into the modern nations of Taldor, Cheliax, Andoran, Molthune, Galt, and Nimrathas (maybe some others too). All those nations speak Taldane, so it serves as the common language the core rules assume exists.
Many human nations have their own languages, Osirion has Osiriani, Quadira (founded by the Kellish empire) has Kellish, the northern barbarians speak Skald, Vudra has Vudran, etc...
Non-humans tend to get one language per species (Elven, Dwarven, Goblin, Draconic, etc...). Thassilon was an offshoot of the Azlanti empire (who had their own language), but that language is likewise 10,000 years dead.

Basillicum |

You can use both the languages and the ethnicities to help your players get a feel for Varisia and the campaign. Human characters may be shoanti, chelaxian, or varisian, (the three most common in Varisia) which should give them a bonus language depending on their upbringing. Throughout the campaign they'll also come across several garundi humans, who often hail from the Garund continent, and usually know how to speak Osiriani.
During the exploration of the catacombs beneath Sandpoint, they came across Ancient Thassilonian runes on the walls in the cathedral and some other places. One character in our group knew Thassilonian, but I decided that the version of the language taught today had grown slightly apart from the written Thassilonian from 10000 years ago. Because of this, he could only make out fragments of what was written, and needed to spent time and a Linguistics check to decipher the rest of of it. Knowledge of Varisian and Shoanti would help deciphering the runes.
This being my first ever campaign to DM, it unfortunately didn't work out quite as fun as I had hoped, but I still have a summary of the rules I made for the writings. Thay may not make as much sense as I thought then, but the idea might be useful for others anyhow.
Ancient Thassilonian:
A character familiar with Thassilonian would automatically recognise the runes as such, and be able to read some fragments clearly, but the texts appear to be of a wholly unknown dialect with confusing grammar.
Studying the runes for 1d6 hours and making a DC 15 Int check would allow them to realise that these old writings only appear to use two of the three runic systems that the complex Thassilonian alphabet is generally known to consist of.
Afterwards, 1d4+1 days of study and a DC 20 Linguistics allows a character to clearly read the writings on the wall. Being able to read Varisian and/or Shoanti each give +4 on this check. A successful check also gives the character "Ancient Thassilonian" as a bonus language, which can be useful later in the campaign.

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Also, I'd reccomend you give them Rise of the Runelords player's guide to read if you didn't already. Its free and available on this site
I'm 3/4 through one RotR campaign and starting a second. Having done this twice and having my players really enjoy the journey to figuring out what's going on and who the real villain is, the player's guide contains some spoilers for people coming in cold. I shared some of the first couple pages with my party and the campaign traits, but did not have them read the entire player's guide.

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I've heard this a few times, Tom, but I've never really been able to put my finger on where the spoilery stuff appears in the Guides. Can you share what you believe is too much information?
It's not huge spoilers. It's things that, if your players aren't familiar with Golarion lore and enjoy uncovering the world, just hands them that stuff. None of it is story, it's all background and lore.
Some of the things the players guide reveals:
Skull's Crossing is Thassilonian and built by giants. That the giants were enslaved by and built monuments for the runelords is knowledge check material in the Library of Thassilon.
It references Rimeskull, which I pictured as a mostly forgotten place. And I love that scene so much I commissioned miniatures for the statues and wanted them to not have much foreknowledge of what's there. It also reveals that Arkrhyst is waiting there. This was really the only one I'd consider an outright spoiler, if someone were to go back and review the players guide once they learn they're going to Rimeskull.
It describes how the Varisian Gulf was formed when part of Thassilon sank. The general outline of ancient Thassilon was something I held back until they researched in the Library.
None of this is a big deal. It comes down to knowing what your players enjoy and how they want to learn things. My group has definitely enjoyed coming in with zero knowledge about Thassilon and piecing together the history as they go.

LankyOgre |
One aspect about regional languages is that you can include them as much or as little as you want. If it's not an aspect that you find very enjoyable, you can easily discard the different languages and call Italy common. The ancient language is the only thing I think is really necessary, and that can be done with or without specifically calling it Thassilonian.

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Tian should probably be mentioned as a language, considering how close the Kaijitsu family is to the early plot. If I remember right, Tsuto writes in his journal in Tian, but it could be that I put that in so that the Tian speaker had some bonus for taking it as a starting language.
Tsuto writes in common. He doesn't even speak Tian because he was abandoned by Lonjiku(due to not being his child) and raised by the Turandarok Academy(apparently they also work as orphanage) iirc