BiggusBeardus
Minstrel
Hello!
I'm working on a story that involves the MC traveling through lands of other races that speak different languages. There's no such thing as "common."
The MC comes from a highly developed and civilized land - they have technology, education, science, "modern" medicine, etc. Magic is prominent, but it is less mystical and more a branch of science to them. And this civilization is small and closed off mostly from the rest of the world. There's no trade or anything between lands. This civilization keeps to itself, mostly because the world was "destroyed" thousands of years ago and civilization never really recovered. This civilization has never ventured out to learn of other people, so they don't know languages that aren't a part of their civilization.
Most of the rest of the world is tribal and "primitive" and has had little to no contact with anyone from a civilized land for thousands of years. The lands are wild and untamed.
So I'm struggling with communication for this story. My MC is a magic-user so right now he is using magic to communicate, but I'm not sure I like that. I mean, it makes sense for the character, but it sounds a little contrived as far as good writing goes. This is important, because in the beginning of the story he saves a character that is from one of the tribal settlements and this character becomes the MC's companion/side kick. If not through magic at first, how do they communicate?
How do you handle communication/language in your worlds?
I'm working on a story that involves the MC traveling through lands of other races that speak different languages. There's no such thing as "common."
The MC comes from a highly developed and civilized land - they have technology, education, science, "modern" medicine, etc. Magic is prominent, but it is less mystical and more a branch of science to them. And this civilization is small and closed off mostly from the rest of the world. There's no trade or anything between lands. This civilization keeps to itself, mostly because the world was "destroyed" thousands of years ago and civilization never really recovered. This civilization has never ventured out to learn of other people, so they don't know languages that aren't a part of their civilization.
Most of the rest of the world is tribal and "primitive" and has had little to no contact with anyone from a civilized land for thousands of years. The lands are wild and untamed.
So I'm struggling with communication for this story. My MC is a magic-user so right now he is using magic to communicate, but I'm not sure I like that. I mean, it makes sense for the character, but it sounds a little contrived as far as good writing goes. This is important, because in the beginning of the story he saves a character that is from one of the tribal settlements and this character becomes the MC's companion/side kick. If not through magic at first, how do they communicate?
How do you handle communication/language in your worlds?