I'm now in the middle of page 34, having taken the Dungeon Master's Guide to work today, to read during my lunch hour.Alignment Languages
"Alignment language is a handy game tool which is not unjustifiable in real terms. Thieves did employ a special cant. Secret organizations and societies did and do have certain recognition signs, signals, and recognition phrases - possibly special languages (of limited extent) as well." Dungeon Masters Guide - page 24.True enough and if we assume a milieu with real gods, which have a direct impact on the day-to-day affairs of mortals and mortal society, then this sort of social interaction is, indeed, plausible. And this is the sort of campaign, which Mr. Gygax is envisioning for AD&D:
"Whether or not the character actively professes some deity, he or she will have an alignment and serve one or more deities of this general alignment indirectly and unbeknownst to the character." Dungeon Masters Guide - page 25.As described by the author, these languages are limited in scope, mainly dealing with matters directly related to the ethos they serve. Seen in this light and in a culture so heavily influenced by the gods, Alignment Languages don't seem so ridiculous, at all. If you're still not on board, imagine two Religious Fundamentalists having an in-depth theological discussion. Or, better yet, two Hermetic Qabalists. Even better, two Physicists. If you're not into the same thing, you might understand some of it and may be able to identify their "alignment," but a lot of the terminology and meaning would go right over your head.
Other highlights, include:
- Hirelings, lackeys, men-at-arms and how much they'll set you back! And a pseudo NPC Class: The Sage.
- Mr. Gygax has done a lot of work on the AD&D economy. It would be worth while, using it, even if I run S&W instead.
- If a player wants to run a Monster PC, he's probably just being a power-gaming dick. It is to be discouraged.
- The Weapons vs. AC table is for actual armor only, save for in special cases. It is also an optional rule.
I never used that table and didn't remember if Gary considered it an optional rule, or not. Now, I won't feel bad about ditching it the next time I run AD&D. :)
I remember using alignment languages early on.
ReplyDeletePaladins used sort of a masonic order lingo. Clerics used a form of religious speak akin to "High-Latin", normally only used in church services, but followers of the same pantheon could use it amongst themselves. Followers of different gods, but of the same alignment had a percentage of fully understanding each other with slight chance of failure.
Very interesting chain of articles. Makes me want to carry my DM book & read it. I'm too used to scanning my pdf of it.
Ciao!
GW
There's a lot of info in the old DMG. Very usable and an interesting read. I pick it up every now and then for a few dozen minutes and it never ceases to have something cool.
ReplyDelete@ Grendelwulf - I like the idea of Paladins using a Masonic form of code language. Maybe, because a friend of mine, who likes to play Paladins, is also a Mason.
ReplyDelete@jgbrowning - Yes!
That's an interesting read on alignment languages, but while it's one thing to say that specialists have jargon, or folks worshiping the same god/goddess have the same secret language, but why would different lawful cults have the same language? To use the analogy above it's like Muslims, Jews and Christians being able to speak to each other just because they all worship a lawful Semitic deity (let's just say he's lawful for the sake of example). So while your two Hermetic Qabbalists have a lot of common jargon, or may actually have independently learned a common secret language directly from an angel or whatever, how would those mentioned above, that don't even believe in a deity, still know the alignment language? If even those atheistic folks knew an alignment language, wouldn't they eventually start saying "Why do I know this language, and how come there's these chaotic people that talk jibberish everywhere?" And then they might start wondering if there is a cosmic force that somehow implants this non-racial, non-national, non-craft, non-guild language in millions of people's heads.
ReplyDeleteI mean, I guess that would be the mechanic that rationalizes alignment language.
@Brendan - Culture would be the agency, here. I'm not a Christian, but I can discuss the concepts, like a reverend. Ok, years of studying religion and living in Alabama have a lot to do with that, but it points in the right direction. Another example: I have no interest in hip-hop culture, at all. But I recognize and understand some of the lingo. East Coast Rappers would probably understand most or all of what West Coast Rappers were saying. That last may be a great example, or a horrid one. I don't know enough about that particular "alignment language" to tell. :)
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ReplyDeleteP.S. Again, we're also assuming that the gods are real. So, manipulation of human society by the powers of the Outer Planes, comes into this as well. Not by "thought control," but rather a more comprehensive version of "Priestcraft."
ReplyDelete@James: They can, sort of. I imagine alignment languages in this context as being more of a "dialect". For example, I have a hard time understanding people from the deep south, especially old people. And sometimes, people misunderstand what I'm saying since I'm a Navy brat and have (I guess) a funny accent sometimes.
ReplyDeleteJust goes to show you, I suppose.
@N. Wright - Yup! And a Value Judgements are often deeply entertwined with jargons and even dialects.
ReplyDeleteOne fascinating comparison comes from Hunan province in China - Nushu, "women's writing". Women were forbidden from learning to read & write, so they invented their own secret form of writing. They passed it down from mother to daughter, or between "sworn sisters", and kept it a secret for centuries. So much so that now that the last proficient readers have died it's feared that the language will be lost completely.
ReplyDeleteAnd, of course, this ties back into to Qabalistic ideas. A culture is strongly impacted by its religion and its literary heritage, by its Holy Texts. The ideas and nuances, especially if they are truly a divine revelation, could create just the sort of "Alignment Language" in question. When taking the flow of History and Ideas into account, this would explain why those of the "Lawful Good" alignment, might share a bank of symbols, which were at least partially in common.
ReplyDelete@ PCB - yes. There's a rich, collection of historical precedents, which support the idea for the sort of thing Mr. Gygax envisions, here.
ReplyDeleteThose are good points James. I guess the thing I get stuck on is that the Rappers, the Paladins, the Clerics, are all classes, so those examples invoke some common source for the language (training, schooling, common toolkits, etc). So while I buy the idea that your 5th level East Coast Rapper can talk to my 7th Level West Coast Rapper because of their Class jargon, I find it hard to believe that one can rap in Lawful Evil and the other in Chaotic Good and neither understands each other, while some totally unrelated Chaotic Good half-orc magic-user who happens to be walking by turns and says "That's some dope ####, man!".
ReplyDelete@ Brendan - The LE Rapper would understand a little of what the CG Rapper was saying. Enough to find the latter's social gaff of blurting it out, distasteful. See the DMG section for more on this. It's apparent that members of the various alignments know a enough of the other languages to recognize them. The two Rappers would have developed a sufficiently different jargon, due to their symbology being based on such radically different value judgments, that they would only understand a little. A CG Heavy Metal fan, (and my Rapper example may break down, here) would share enough of an understanding of the meaning behind his Rapper counterparts lingo, to communicate. This is due to his own experience with the meaning within his own CG symbolism. It takes one to know one. Again, do remember we're speaking of a society and culture, heavily influenced by the gods. Also, a multiverse where "alignments" represent actual "Truths."
ReplyDeletePS again: We can also assume, that both the CG Rapper and the CG Heavy Metal Fan, would already share certain, fundamental symbols in common. Both the Rapper and the HM "Classes," are means through which a CG individual expresses, himself. The "Truths" are of divine origin, as would be at least some of the core symbols. So, not only an indelible part of the psyche, but reinforced by divine will.
ReplyDelete@Brendan 1e half orcs can't be magic users, which is strange because humans can and orcs can (as witchdoctors), but I agree with you about alignment languages. I am thinking about having magic be cast and written using 'magic' alignment languages, ie, Demonic for CE, Druidic for N, etc. This would preclude normal men and women, fighters, etc. from using an alignment language, however.
ReplyDeleteWould alignment language be more playable as a gestural/stylistic language (or dialect)?
ReplyDelete'He moves with the controlled smoothness of the disciplined black heart!'
'This script has the taint of chaos in it! Look at the mad brush strokes on this piece parchment she left behind!'
Hi scottsz! It does include non-verbal aspects and I like the direction you're taking it, here. :)
ReplyDeleteI always viewed alignment languages as magical constructions placed atop all sentient creatures by the nature of the universe itself. You can speak LG because there is an actual LG force in the universe gifting you that ability with the same rational as gravity, but just a different order.
ReplyDeleteMy problem with Alignment languages is that alignment is a dynamic personality trait and can be changed throughout the game by players performing severe actions or just over time. Would that mean a Paladin that commits and evil act would lose his ability to speak the Lawful Good language and would then be able to speak Neutral Good or Lawful Neutral?
ReplyDeleteI always say alignment as the character's personality and moral compass rather than something that would generate some sort of skill.
Hi Brian - Conceivably, his ability to speak the old language would be hampered (See the comment by scottsz above - body language and gestures are part of Mr. Gygax's conception.) jgbrowning's idea, above, would be the easiest way to cover this particular hole. I would suggest that it would take some time, before the character could speak his new language. This would involve religious rites, etc.
ReplyDeleteI pretty much think Alignment tongues = Shibboleths. In the real world, people in the know can probably figure out if you are a Mason, or Scientologist, or Fundamentalist Xian, or whatever, by how you talk about certain things. Just ramp that up a thousand percent and you have alignment tongues. Someone already suggested that if the gods and planes are everyday facts of existence, it would be reasonable to have them play a bigger role in daily reality than the imaginary stuff does in our world. I also tend to think of Black Speech in LOTR and Latin in the Middle Ages, although neither is a perfect analogy.
ReplyDeleteRegarding changing alignments, I think Scottsz's model would cover that pretty well. You just can't fake it, alignment affects your core being. On second thought I guess assassins might learn to fake it, which is why they alone can learn other alignment tongues.