This is a special cascade skill which does not function according to the normal cascade rules. Receipt of the Language skill allows the character to select either a particular language (French, German, Vilani), or the cascade Linguistics.

All characters are assumed to already automatically have a skill level of 10 in their native language. However, this level 10 skill is considered separate from the Language skill, and does not give the player knowledge at half this level of any other language cascades.

Communicating in a language which is shared by both characters, but which is not the native language of both characters, is a Difficult task vs. the average of the two characters' Language skill levels. If one of the characters does not speak the language, but is trying to communicate by drawings or sign language, the task becomes Formidable vs. the average of the two Charisma attributes. Both of these tasks become one level easier if only simple concepts are being communicated ("I'm hungry").

Identifying a Language is Easy if the identifying character speaks it, Formidable: CHR if the identifying character has at least heard it spoken.

Linguistics as a cascade of Language also does not follow the normal rule for cascade skills. Like other skill cascades, Linguistics may be selected as a specialty separate of other languages already chosen. However, characters who have not selected Linguistics do not use it at one-half the level of the highest specialty of the Language cascade. Rather, players who have skill in two or more languages other than their native language take the average of those languages (round to the nearest whole number; thus 10÷4 = 3) and cut the result in half (again rounding to the nearest whole number). This is the default level of Linguistics skill for the character. Any selections of the Linguistics specialty are added to this number. For example, a character has received Language eight times, breaking it down as:  Vilani 4, Aslan 2, Vargr 1, and Linguistics 1. Her level of Language (Linguistics) is therefore 4+2+1=7, 7+3=2, 2+2=1, plus the Linguistics level 1 equals an effective Linguistics skill of 2. If she had no foreign languages, the Linguistics level would be simply 1.

An individual with the Linguistics cascade has the ability to quickly learn and understand an unknown language based on understanding the common structures of languages.