Scholarly skills are the skills that pertain most to those who spend their lives thinking. It is nearly impossible to learn these skills without having Scholar, as reading and writing are usually necessary to advance in these skills.

Please note that as no player automatically knows how to read, a skill point must be spent on Scholar to be able to read and write one's own language. Advancement to Proficient Scholar is necessary in order to read and write a language you know other than your mother tongue.

For instance, Shylee the Goblin knows her own tongue and Human. She has Scholar at novice level and so she is able to read and write in Goblin. She will not be able to read and write in Human or in any other language she learns until she has advanced her Scholar to Proficient.

All characters automatically know their race's language, unless they have been 'raised by another race' in which case they do not know their own language, but the language of the race that raised them instead.

A point in Linguist must be spent for each additional language. These additional languages are the ones that require Proficient Scholar in order to be able to read and write them. There is no common language. Characters who travel outside their own kingdoms necessarily must learn that Kingdom's languages. However, since humans are the most populous and trading race, most trade cities have a couple of inns that speak a smattering of Human as well.