Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Alignment languages miscommunication

Inspired by KNOCK #4, I decided to try to blog weekly again. Here is a first post. :)

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I feel like the alignment languages are a fun way to emphasize the characters alignment without limiting their roleplay or actions. They provide characters with a vector of interaction, how they use this tool is up to them. 

Their broad use may seem a bit unbalanced, why learn speaking Goblin or Troll while you can just learn to speak chaotic?


A way to balance things is to make the alignment languages prone to innuendos and miscommunication. This could be due to these languages being similar to designed simplified languages like Toki Pona, having a limited vocabulary and needing a lot of contextualization with the additional complication of being mired in confusing double meanings.


When a character uses an alignment language, roll a d6 at the end of the discussion. 


Chaos:

  1. Impy something is coveted or feared

  2. Imply something is wretched or powerful 

  3. Imply secrecy or connivance

  4. Imply dominance or submission

  5. Imply personal initiative must be taken

  6. No miscommunication 


Balance:

  1. Imply patience and waiting

  2. Imply something is natural or cyclic

  3. Imply something must be balanced or reciprocal

  4. Imply two things are equivalent

  5. Imply mutual help or trade

  6. No miscommunication


Law:

  1. Imply hierarchy, ranks or authority 

  2. Imply a debt

  3. Imply something is fixed, sealed, unchangeable

  4. Imply judgment or a test

  5. Imply unity or cohesion is needed or must be enforced

  6. No miscommunication 


Don't forget to name each language, speaking the Changing Tongue, the Green Speech or the Silver Way is more inspiring than speaking chaotic, neutral or lawful.


2 comments:

Glenn Robinson said...

Brilliant! 😃

Smito said...

Fun approach to alignment languages.