Ah, Dungeons and Dragons, the game where you can be anything you want and go on epic adventures with your friends. But what happens when you want to play a character with a unique accent, and you can’t find a pre-made one that fits the bill? Fear not, my fellow adventurer, because I’m here to give you some simple steps to create an accent from scratch!
Step 1:
Pick a region or country for your accent inspiration. Is your character from a magical land far, far away? Maybe they hail from a mystical city tucked away in the mountains? Once you have a general idea of where your character is from, you can start researching the local dialects and accents to draw inspiration from.
Step 2:
If your character is a non-human race, look at the physiology of your chosen character and try to think about how that would affect the sound or limit speech. For example, Aaracocra are bird people, so what does a bird sound like? Would they be able to make human consonants or vowels? How about an Orc, would those large teeth affect speech? Pretend you are the creature, find the physicality and make some sounds!
Step 3:
Experiment with consonant sounds. Consonants can also play a big role in creating an accent. Try choosing a set of consonant sounds (or maybe take away some of your own ones) to create a distinct sound “brand”.
Step 4:
Explore vowel sounds. Vowels are the building blocks of any accent, and they’re what really make it stand out. Try experimenting with elongated or shortened vowel sounds to give your accent a unique flavor.
Step 5:
Play around with the rhythm and pacing. The way a person speaks can be just as important as what they say. Try varying the speed and rhythm of your character’s speech to create a unique cadence. Maybe they speak quickly and excitedly when they’re nervous, or they slow down and enunciate carefully when they’re trying to make a point.
Step 6:
Practice, practice, practice. The key to creating a convincing accent is practice. Try recording yourself speaking in your new accent and listen back to it. Pay attention to areas where you need to improve and keep practicing until you feel confident in your new speech pattern.
And there you have it
A simple guide to creating an accent from scratch for your Dungeons and Dragons character! Remember, the most important thing is to have fun with it and don’t take it too seriously. After all, this is a game where you get to be whoever you want to be, so why rely on real life? Happy adventuring!
