Languages Languages Overview Language Type / Rarity Who Knows Player Learns Written Spoken Mastery Range Notes Common Common Everyone Character or NPC that speaks Yes Yes 1-2 Trade language. Dwarven Common Dwarf ancestry, scholars Character or NPC that speaks Yes Yes 1-2 Standard PF2e Elven Common Elf ancestry, scholars Character or NPC that speaks Yes Yes 1-2 Standard PF2e Gnomish Common Gnome ancestry Character or NPC that speaks Yes Yes 1-2 Standard PF2e Halfling Common Halfling ancestry Character or NPC that speaks Yes Yes 1-2 Standard PF2e Orcish Common Orc ancestry Character or NPC that speaks Yes Yes 1-2 Standard PF2e Goblin Common Goblin ancestry Character or NPC that speaks Yes Yes 1-2 Standard PF2e Sylvan Common Druids, Fey researchers Character or NPC that speaks Yes Yes 1-2 Fairly common around older forests Moonrest Tongue Regional / Common Moonrest locals Character or NPC that speaks Yes Yes 1-2 Born in Moonrest Fishermen Coastal traders Refugees who have lived there several years It is essentially Common with enough unique words that outsiders immediately sound foreign. High Imperial Regional / Common Old Language - Fallen Kingdoms Character or NPC that speaks Yes Yes 1-2 Used in: Government records Noble houses Historical texts Old military writings A noble from elsewhere would almost certainly know this. Northern Speech Regional / Common Spoken throughout the northern settlements. Character or NPC that speaks Yes Yes 1-2 A traveller arriving from the mainland north would likely know it. Giant Uncommon   Character or NPC that speaks Yes Yes 1-3   Draconic Uncommon   Character or NPC that speaks Yes Yes 1-3   Priomordial Uncommon / Very Rare   Character or NPC that speaks Yes Yes 1-6   Celestial Uncommon   Character or NPC that speaks Yes Yes 1-3   Infernal Uncommon   Character or NPC that speaks Yes Yes 1-3   Tide Cant Uncommon A sailor's shorthand. Part spoken language. Part coded phrases. Part hand signs. Tidewarden Maera Partial Yes 1-3 Known by: Sailors Smugglers Pirates Harbourmasters Useful for: Secret messages Ship logs Hidden caches Verdant Speech Uncommon The language of the oldest druids. Shrinekeeper Torv Rarley Yes 1-3 Known by: Circle Druids Ancient Wardens Certain Leshies Not commonly written. Many rituals are oral only. Stone Cant Uncommon An old mining language. Blacsmith NPC doesn’t exist yet Yes Yes 1-3 Known by: Master miners Ancient dwarven clans Tunnel explorers Very useful underground. Hearth Sign Uncommon A silent sign language developed by isolated settlements during harsh winters and hunting expeditions. Garric Fen ?? Poss someone else No Yes 1-3 Known by: Moonrest hunters Rangers Scouts Allows communication without speaking. Scholar's Script Uncommon Less a spoken language than a standard written system. Will Tosscobble - also possibly Herbalist Yselle Marr Yes Rarley 1-3 Likely Inscription specialisation player will want to know Used in: Libraries Universities Arcane colleges A wizard might know it despite never having visited Moonrest. REDACTED LANGUAGE TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC TBC Warden Signs Uncommon Trail markers, warnings and silent communication TBC - When they start to encounter elements / symbols of the language Yes No 1-3   Yes Circle Glyphs Uncommon Ritual markings and sacred sites TBC - When they start to encounter elements / symbols of the language Yes No 1-3 Likely Druid will want to learn Yes Ash Cant Uncommon Funeral symbols and tomb markings Gravekeeper Lysa Venn Yes Yes 1-3 Likely Death Cleric will want to learn Yes Heartwood Rare The "language" of the forest. Learnt - Players possibly may start learning level 1   No Yes 1-5 Not truly spoken. Instead it consists of: pulses vibrations rhythms root patterns harmonic tones Creatures touched by the Heartwood gradually begin to understand fragments. No player can normally start with this. It is earned. Yes First Speech Rare The language spoken before civilisation. TBC - When they start to encounter elements / symbols of the language Yes Yes 1-6 Legends say: Animals Spirits Mountains Storms Trees all understood it. Very little survives. Mostly inscriptions. Further Entries Remain Unknown....         Language Categories Languages are intended to be an exploration mechanic within Ashes of the Shrouding. While many are available during character creation, others can only be discovered through adventure, research and interaction with the world. Tier 1 - Everyday Languages These languages function exactly as standard Pathfinder 2e languages and may be selected during character creation through ancestry, background or Intelligence. Common Dwarven Elven Goblin Orcish Halfling Gnomish Sylvan Moonrest Tongue Northern Speech High Imperial Tier 2 - Specialist Languages These require an appropriate background, mentor, organisation, specialised training, or significant in-game justification.  These cannot simply be chosen because you have high Intelligence. Instead you must justify them. For example: "I grew up on merchant ships." → Tide Cant. "My mentor was one of the last Wardens." → Warden Signs. "I'm a druid of the Emerald Circle." → Verdant Speech. Professional and Specialist Tide Cant Verdant Speech Stone Cant Scholar's Script Ash Cant Hearth Sign Organisational Warden Signs Circle Glyphs REDACTED Ancient Languages Giant Draconic Celestial (Empyrean) Infernal Primordial Ancient languages are seldom encountered in the modern world. While some are still spoken by their original peoples, most survive only through specialist scholars, ancient orders, or the few creatures that continue to preserve them. Tier 3 - Lost Languages These languages lie beyond the knowledge of almost all modern societies. They cannot be selected during character creation and cannot normally be taught by conventional means. Characters may only begin to understand them through exploration, research and major campaign discoveries. Heartwood First Speech Whisper Speech Further entries remain unknown Learning New Languages Unlike standard Pathfinder 2e, languages are not limited to those chosen during character creation. Characters can discover, study and learn additional languages throughout the campaign through downtime, exploration, roleplay and research. For more information, see Learning Languages . Learning Languages Unlike standard Pathfinder 2e, languages in Ashes of the Shrouding form part of the campaign's exploration and discovery systems. Characters are expected to encounter, study and gradually master new languages throughout their adventures. Learn Language ( Downtime Activity) (This covers Tier 1 and Tier 2 languages.) Requirements To learn a new language you must have access to one or more of the following: A fluent teacher Suitable books or reference material Ancient inscriptions or written texts Prolonged exposure to speakers of the language Learning a language normally takes 4 weeks of Downtime , modified by your Intelligence modifier. Intelligence Modifier Time +0 4 weeks +1 3½ weeks +2 3 weeks +3 2½ weeks +4 2 weeks +5 10 days Example Study a Draconic grimoire → +1 progress. Spend two weeks researching in a library → +1 progress. Speak to an ancient dragon → +2 progress. Recover a lost lexicon → Automatically unlock the next Mastery Stage. Cast Comprehend Languages on a forgotten inscription → Grants insight but not permanent mastery. Researching Ancient Languages Whenever you successfully Decipher Writing, Recall Knowledge or perform Research involving a language you are currently learning, the GM may award additional progress towards its next Mastery Stage. Specialist and Lost Languages Specialist and Lost Languages are not learnt normally. Instead they are progressed. Different specialist and lost languages have different numbers of Mastery Stages depending on how complex or mysterious they are. For Example  Primordial : Mastery Stage Knowledge Gained I Recognise the script.  II Identify repeated words. III Read simple phrases IV Translate historical texts. V Speak the language VI Understand idioms and hidden meanings. Other Ancient and Lost languages follow similar progressions, although the number of stages and the knowledge gained may differ. Some languages, such as Heartwood , do not have written or spoken forms. Their progression represents increasing understanding rather than linguistic fluency. Gifted Linguist (New Skill Feat) This feat reduces the time required to learn Tier 1 and Tier 2 languages. It does not affect Ancient or Lost language progression unless specifically stated by the GM. Available at Level 2. Benefits: Learn new languages in half the normal time. Can hold simple conversations after only one week of exposure. Gain a +1 circumstance bonus when Deciphering Writing in an unfamiliar language.