[RPG] root language from which multiple Forgotten Realms languages were derived

dungeons-and-dragonsforgotten-realmslanguageslore

I am looking for an analogue to Latin for the world of D&D. To modern English speakers, Latin is not well known, but since it is still taught in some areas and it supplies a lot of vocabulary to English, English speakers can have some luck puzzling Latin out. On top of that, many other modern languages are much more closely related to Latin than English, so if someone knows e.g. Spanish or French, they may have an advantage here.

Is there any language that might serve a similar role for the languages spoken in D&D? I am playing 5e in a homebrew setting, and I would like to create some language puzzles that doesn’t just involve having a player who happens to know the language used.

Basically, if Common is English, what language would be Latin? What languages would be closer to that language, like Spanish or French?

Best Answer

Thorass was a human language that became the basis for Common, in Forgotten Realms lore. (The Wikia article for the language cites the Campaign Setting 3rd Edition and Campaign Set as the basis of this information.)

The Forgotten Realms Wikia also shows where Thorass lies on a language family chart. See "Faerûnian Languages by Grouping" especially, which presents this for the Thorass language family:

  • Thorass
    • Central Thorass
      • Jhaamdathan • Thorass • Chondathan • Common • Maiden's Tongue
    • North Thorass
      • Auld Tharian • Tharian • Zhentarim Argot
    • East Thorass
      • Telpi
    • Turmic
    • Aglarondan

Emphasis provided to make Common appear more obviously in the chart

You're the DM of a homebrew campaign, however. If you want your players to have a particular ancient/root language at the start, make sure that they include the language as one of their starting languages. You can call it whatever you like. If the lore of your world includes a source language from which other languages are derived (or have evolved from), go for it.