Writing Languages

[Flowera]

With the combination of classes and race a character can have, the language system offers a wide variety of spoken languages... I assume that once you create a character you are allowed to roleplay them knowing language X, but what about writing?

Can all languages be written in as well as they are spoken, or is it simply up to the discretion of the player? Many people who are multilingual can speak things clearly but haven't had much practice writing it. I would assume some languages like Mage and Elven are known to be written in, but are there any that simply don't exist in written form? Gnoll, Abyssal, sylvan, ANIMAL is kind of an obvious one, etc.?

Lastly, could you please implement a language widget similar to parcel tongue but distinct from lizardman? I want to roll up a Harry Potter character who is a far descendant of Salazar Slytherin and has washed up on Nuvar. Is that copyright infringement?

[Chris_Robin]

Use common sense. "Animal" is obviously not a written language due to the fact that it is means of communicating with creatures that normally do not have a written language. (For a good example of speaking "animal", watch "Talk to the Animals" from the 1967 "Dr. Doolittle" with Rex Harrison). Most sentient creatures in D&D have some form of written language (even if it may look like lines or pictures to most other creatures).

As far as adding new languages, our "languages" are coded via a system which has entries for existing languages most commonly found in D&D. Not being familiar with scripting, I cannot say if we can add a new entry. However, I would advise against having a background that is not from a standard D&D module or your own imagination.