NodLanguage

There is only one language in Nod, but it's too large for most people to know all of it. Instead, peoples have the vocabulary they use, the metaphores, turns of phrase, and coloquialisms. Add changes in prnunciation, and there's a decent illusion of multiple languages...especially if you include the way nonhumans speak.

Everyone knows their own language as part of their CultureKeyword.

Any language can be used to try to understand any other at a penalty of -5 to -20. All "mountain" languages default to each other at -10. MountainAramite and PlainsAramite default to each other at -5. Cultures that share aspects of religion, such as which of the ThreePaths they are on, often have less difficulty understanding each other.

Scholars learn more of the base language, the ur-tongue. As such, anyone with the ScholarKeyword can default to any language at -10, although communication is likely to be somewhat slow at the start.

Language at 5: large gestures, very basic concepts like Food, Danger, Hurt, Follow Me, I'll Hurt You, etc.

Language at 10: primitive words. Noun Verb something something something. Grog like rocks. Complex or very abstract concepts are extremely hard to get across.

Language at 15: coversational fluency. Talk is a little disjointed, with weird phrasings and bad accents.

Language at 20: full mastery of the language as spoken by these people, including an idiums that aren't explicity obtuse.