Linguist beta

Description

Linguistics, in a word or two, can connect the infinite worlds of the manifold by breaking down one language barrier at a time. Those who study and utilize it, LINGUISTS, are the ones so tasked. They have a passion and a taste for words of all colors and flavors, they just have to decipher it.

When designing a mission for a LINGUIST, let there be another local language or two that they have to work with. Their abilities and their kit could lend themselves to deciphering runes or ancient glyphs as well, making puzzles a fun addition to the mission obstacles. Even if Metro is the only language present on mission, let words fly that may have power for the Linguist to use.

Grounded in the polyglots, the wordsmiths, and the universal translators that have helped connect the world(s) and its peoples to their history.

Edition: Advent v1

Public: Yes

Gear

Base Gear

Decoder’s Dictionary

Base

Well-maintained book held in a holster, containing a proxy and very basic index for many languages. While observing a language (reading a written language, hearing a spoken one, etc.), reference the book for a contextual translation of select words Pitched by the user.

Printer’s Loupe

Base

Handheld magnifier, capable of revealing smaller hidden details in any work (i.e. watermarks, corrections, etc.). Equipped with a low-intensity light source.

Author’s Pipe

Base

A squat, stout pipe, lit with a simple hand movement. Smoking while contemplating a phrase and its meaning gives you a boosted Insight related to it, visualized as a literal thought cloud that allies can observe. (Mid Cooldown).

Elective Gear

BA-B3L Earpiece

Elective

An experimental in-ear translation device, with early-stage prototype translation software. Will give a VERY ROUGH spoken estimation of phrases uttered in any language you hear into a language you understand (not necessarily Metro). Accuracy improves with time spent listening, but will never be perfect.

Phonics Flash Cards

Elective

Flash cards with words in many languages and their respective pictures printed on them. Up to 5x/mission, pull a card. It reveals a meaningful word in a given language with significant cultural impact, decided by the conduit, and a detailed visual representation of that word.

Clay Tablets

Elective

3 expandable, malleable canvases of non-distinct rubberized material. Can be inscribed upon manually, even without proper linguistic understanding, or held to a surface to create an inscription. Can be folded up and stored in a pocket, maintaining its latest inscription. Can stretch up to about a foot wide.

Abilities

Between the Lines

Find the hidden meaning in a metaphorical phrase… quite literally.
Paired Action: Read or repeat a message to the best of your ability, and Pitch the effect you’d like to result from it based on what it sounds like it should mean.

Once the ability resolves, the requested change has taken place.
The effect can BACKFIRE if you are not specific enough in transliterating your meaning.

Essence Cost: Mid
Cooldown: Low

Lingua Franca

Achieve understanding between yourself and another character in a language you can both speak.
Paired Action: Notice a subtle accent or speech mannerism in a target and Pitch the language it is based in.

Once accepted, the language is shared fluently between you and the target.
Increase the essence cost to include immediate friends or family members of the pitched target or yourself (up to 3 total).
Roleplay-wise, you and your fellow players/conduit can communicate plainly, outside of your character voice, to simulate understanding a new language perfectly. (Funny “language approximation” is only funny for so long).

Essence Cost: Low-Mid
Cooldown: Mid

Speaking in Tongues

Create an aura of linguistic division.
Paired Action: Encourage misunderstanding amongst at least two “groups” of people who are communicating differently from each other by deepening the confusion between them.

A faint visible aura (blurriness and color shifting) expands out from you the longer this confusion lasts, affecting any caught in its radius to choose the group that they agree with.
Characters will have understanding with their group, but difficulty understanding anyone else.
This includes you and your allies as one group.

Essence Cost: Mid
Avg. Duration: Low
Max Range: Mid
Cooldown: Mid