The following rules are optional. For the sake of flow and gameplay, you can ignore language if you prefer, or assume that the player characters have picked up all the important languages during their travels. Or you can require characters to buy language proficiencies.

Language Proficiencies

Languages are purchased the same way as Magic Paths, but under the Abilities > Mental ability. In other words: Every character starts with 1 free language, his mother tongue. A 2nd language costs 1 character point, a 3rd costs 2 cp, a 4th 3 cp and so on.

Languages in 500 A.D.

Gaul

#AI
Around 500 AD in Gaul, the linguistic landscape was quite diverse due to the historical events and cultural interactions taking place in the region. The most common spoken languages in Gaul during this period were:

1. Vulgar Latin: Following the Roman conquest of Gaul in the 1st century BC, the dominant language of administration, commerce, and everyday life became Vulgar Latin. Vulgar Latin was a colloquial form of Latin that evolved and diverged from Classical Latin, incorporating local linguistic elements and influences from the native Celtic languages.
2. Gaulish: While Gaulish had declined in usage by 500 AD, it is possible that pockets of the population still spoke Gaulish, particularly in more remote or rural areas. However, Gaulish was likely limited to a small number of speakers and gradually gave way to Vulgar Latin.
3. Germanic Dialects: Following the migrations and invasions of Germanic tribes, such as the Franks, Visigoths, Burgundians, and Vandals, Germanic languages gained prominence in certain regions of Gaul. These Germanic tribes brought their own dialects and languages, which were likely spoken by their communities and may have influenced local linguistic variations.
4. Brythonic Celtic: In parts of western Gaul, particularly Armorica (modern-day Brittany), a Brythonic Celtic language related to Welsh and Cornish, known as British or Old Breton, was likely spoken. Brythonic Celtic was brought to Gaul by Celtic-speaking peoples who migrated from Britain to Armorica during the decline of Roman rule in Britain.
5. Romance and Celtic Lingua Franca: In regions where different linguistic groups interacted, a linguistic "melting pot" may have emerged. It is possible that a Romance and Celtic lingua franca, a simplified and mixed language, was used for communication between speakers of different languages.

It is important to note that the linguistic situation in Gaul around 500 AD was highly complex and varied across different regions. Language use would have depended on factors such as social class, urban versus rural areas, and the extent of Romanization or Germanic influence.

Brittania

Around 500 AD in Britannia (the Roman province comprising much of present-day England and Wales), the linguistic landscape was also diverse due to the historical events and cultural interactions taking place in the region. The most common spoken languages in Britannia during this period were:

1. Old English: In the eastern and southern parts of Britannia, the language that would later develop into Old English was spoken. This early form of English, also known as Anglo-Saxon, was brought to the region by Germanic tribes, primarily the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, who migrated and settled in Britain during the 5th and 6th centuries. Old English was gradually adopted by the local population and became the dominant language over time.

2. Brythonic Celtic: In the western parts of Britannia, particularly in what is now Wales, a Brythonic Celtic language was spoken. This Celtic language, known as Old Welsh or British, was related to the languages spoken in other Celtic regions, such as Cornwall and Brittany. The native Celtic-speaking populations in Wales continued to use their Brythonic Celtic language throughout this period.

3. Latin: Latin was the language of the Roman administration and the official language of the Roman Empire. After the Roman conquest of Britannia in the 1st century AD, Latin was widely used by the Roman officials, the military, and the educated elite. While Latin continued to have some influence, its everyday usage likely declined over time as Roman authority waned in Britannia.

4. Pictish and Cumbric: In the northern parts of Britannia, in what is now Scotland, Pictish was spoken by the Pictish people. The language of the Cumbric-speaking Britons, a Celtic language closely related to Welsh, may have also been spoken in some regions of northern England, particularly in the Kingdom of Rheged.

It is important to note that the linguistic situation in Britannia around 500 AD was highly dynamic, with significant changes occurring due to the migration and settlement of Germanic tribes. Old English gradually displaced the native Celtic languages in most of England, but pockets of Celtic-speaking populations persisted in Wales, Cornwall, and parts of Scotland.

#TODO