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Common is just a #DnD handwave that lets everyone communicate, like Star Trek’s universal translator.
But I want a campaign about how Common is maintained, from the Académie Française-like academics who keep it unified to the adventurers who help spread it around the world.
But I want a campaign about how Common is maintained, from the Académie Française-like academics who keep it unified to the adventurers who help spread it around the world.
I feel like a campaign detailing how a truly global universal language was created using medieval technology would be a lot of fun for fans of Terry Pratchett.
Imagine the infighting among a huge group of academics representing every race in the world! The elves pushing for words with phonemes that hobgoblins can’t easily pronounce, the humans trying to fork the language, the exasperated dragon commissioner trying to keep the peace.
YES
https://twitter.com/bgsteph/status/1293897450768535557?s=21 https://twitter.com/bgsteph/status/1293897450768535557
https://twitter.com/bgsteph/status/1293897450768535557?s=21 https://twitter.com/bgsteph/status/1293897450768535557
And then there are the folks who have to actually spread the language around the world, groups that are part traveling acting troupe, part Peace Corps, part LDS missionaries.
Excited young linguimancers fresh out of the Academy, eager to do the good work of spreading the language.
Cynical older volunteers who see Common as just a tool for cultural hegemony.
Grizzled “handlers” tasked with keeping the party safe.
Cynical older volunteers who see Common as just a tool for cultural hegemony.
Grizzled “handlers” tasked with keeping the party safe.
“Welcome back to Qith’colurian, beloved scholars.”
“Your Elvish hospitality is always appreciated.”
“Well, we do our best…especially since you just left such a BRUTISH human kingdom. Is it true the monarchy there is unstable?”
“You know we must be neutral, your highness.”
“Your Elvish hospitality is always appreciated.”
“Well, we do our best…especially since you just left such a BRUTISH human kingdom. Is it true the monarchy there is unstable?”
“You know we must be neutral, your highness.”
[using placards to teach this year’s updates in an orcish village]
“And this…is an ornithopter. Or-NI-thop-ter.”
“What IS it!?”
“A new mechanical flying device.”
“How does it work?”
“I…don’t know.”
“Typical human nonsense.”
“It’s dwarven, actually.”
[raucous laughter]
“And this…is an ornithopter. Or-NI-thop-ter.”
“What IS it!?”
“A new mechanical flying device.”
“How does it work?”
“I…don’t know.”
“Typical human nonsense.”
“It’s dwarven, actually.”
[raucous laughter]
(Getting a lot of great replies that I’m going to fold into this thread so they’re all in one place. As always, click through and give the original tweet some love.)
NIH on the sort of chicanery that would be going on behind the scenes:
https://twitter.com/notinventedhere/status/1293901572980617218?s=21 https://twitter.com/notinventedhere/status/1293901572980617218
NIH on the sort of chicanery that would be going on behind the scenes:
https://twitter.com/notinventedhere/status/1293901572980617218?s=21 https://twitter.com/notinventedhere/status/1293901572980617218
Speaking of Pratchett, this feels like a plotline worthy of Sir Pterry himself:
https://twitter.com/unmech/status/1293902500752273408?s=21 https://twitter.com/unmech/status/1293902500752273408
https://twitter.com/unmech/status/1293902500752273408?s=21 https://twitter.com/unmech/status/1293902500752273408
