4th ed vet-- how different is 5eR?

[BubbaDave]

Re: 4th ed vet-- how different is 5eR?

 

In the 15th century the big kabbalists were sephardic. Give him judeo-arabic and ladino!

 

I thought about adding kabbalist magic to my campaign, but decided that four distinct magic systems were enough and kabbalist could just be another flavor of sorcerer.

 

And I'll admit I don't have any idea what judeo-arabic and ladino are. This particular fellow was born in Cologne but fled after an incident involving a couple of thuggish sons of the leading families of the city (one died), and studied medicine and sorcery in Alexandria for a number of years before returning to Mainz. Right now his languages are Yiddish (native), German, Hebrew, Arabic and Latin plus a smattering of Italian and French. Any others that leap out as ought-to-haves?

[JmOz]

Re: 4th ed vet-- how different is 5eR?

 

I thought about adding kabbalist magic to my campaign, but decided that four distinct magic systems were enough and kabbalist could just be another flavor of sorcerer.

 

And I'll admit I don't have any idea what judeo-arabic and ladino are. This particular fellow was born in Cologne but fled after an incident involving a couple of thuggish sons of the leading families of the city (one died), and studied medicine and sorcery in Alexandria for a number of years before returning to Mainz. Right now his languages are Yiddish (native), German, Hebrew, Arabic and Latin plus a smattering of Italian and French. Any others that leap out as ought-to-haves?

 

I'd add Greek

[Vondy]

Re: 4th ed vet-- how different is 5eR?

 

And I'll admit I don't have any idea what judeo-arabic and ladino are.

 

Ladino is to Spanish as Yiddish is to German. Judeo-Arabic never got its own name, but it is to Arabic as Yiddish and Ladino are to German and Spanish. Ladino was primarily used in Spain, but followed the Sephardic Jews to Turkey, The Balkans, South America, and to a much lesser extent North Africa after expulsion of 1492. Judeo-Arabic was largely in use North Africa, the Fertile Cresent, and Yemen. Both languages are slowly dying out, though historically they were very signficant. A good deal of ladino poetry survives, and ladino terms run throughout the Aramaic kabbalistic texts of the high middle ages. Miamanodies actually wrote his magnum opus on Jewish Law and his philosophical works in Judeo-Arabic - they were translated into Hebrew later in his life because it served as the lingua franca of Jewish communities who did not share a common vernacular.

[Vondy]

Re: 4th ed vet-- how different is 5eR?

 

I'd add Greek

 

Agreed.

 

And if he's a real language hound with obscure linguistic abilities: ancient assyrian / persian.

[BubbaDave]

Re: 4th ed vet-- how different is 5eR?

 

I'd add Greek

 

I thought about that, but at this point (c. 1420) the Western world mostly knew Greek literature from Arabic translations, especially for the medical works that would be of primary interest to this character. It may be on his "when I get more experience" list.

 

Ladino is to Spanish as Yiddish is to German. Judeo-Arabic never got its own name' date=' but it is to Arabic as Yiddish and Ladino are to German and Spanish.[/quote']

 

OK, so Ladino is outside the scope of his travels (he's spent his life in the Holy Roman Empire) but he'd have encountered Judeo-Arabic in Alexandria. Back to the character sheet...

 

Oh, and thanks for the help. My medieval history background is OK, but generalized; now I know where to go for expertise on Jewish medieval history!

[Vondy]

Re: 4th ed vet-- how different is 5eR?

 

Oh, and thanks for the help. My medieval history background is OK, but generalized; now I know where to go for expertise on Jewish medieval history!

 

My pleasure.