A lot of animal communication is soundless, and most of that is through movement and posture. I've learned to understand that and make the appropriate motions in return. That much is obvious to anyone's eyes, though they may not realize that I intuitively understand the sounds animals make as well (which are easier to hear clearly, now that my hearing range is extended). When communicating to them I make as many of the right sounds in their speech as I can: whistling to a bird, meowing to a cat, chittering to a squirrel, and so on. They also seem to pick up on human language, at least when I say it, but it's like someone speaking with an accent. I prefer to only use human speech if I can't make the right sound, both for clarity and also to avoid humans overhearing and understanding my side of the conversation.
Anyhow, they get me and I get them, but if I take the form of a similar enough animal (or the same kind) then they understand me flawlessly. We can talk easier then, and also not be understood by humans when we do.
Some legends talk about humans learning the languages of animals, often from a mystical source like tasting dragon blood, but also as simple as being taught bird tongue by a bird. How did this ability spontaneously manifest? Honestly, it's through an inherent connection with animals that comes about from latent and innate shapeshifting abilities. It's in the blood, metaphorically anyway.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
You may understand and communicate to terrestrial animal as if you are fluent in a relevant language.
Goddamnit, that raccoon had managed to find its way into the shed with all of the feed again... It wasn't the end of the world, not like the little guy was gonna eat his way through a couple dozen cow's worth of feed anytime soon, but the raccoon would probably end up trapped in here if she didn't help him out, and if Rosie tried she was probably only gonna end up scaring him and getting bit.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are wearing this Artifact.
You may understand and communicate to Creatures and humans as if you are fluent in a relevant language.
I wrote out a 900 word story about how Salvator learnt to talk and then the gift didn't save (probably because I wrote so much) and I cant be arsed doing it again. Long story short, he believes he can do anything when he's wearing his cardigan.
You gain the following benefits as long as you are wearing this Artifact.
You may understand and communicate to Creatures and humans as if you are fluent in a relevant language.
The Komodo Dragon speaks with other people, unlike other animals that cannot speak.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
You may understand and communicate to humans as if you are fluent in a relevant language.
Possession of this Power grants the following Battle Scar: One Eye.
When activated, Wayne’s pupils dilate sharply as if adjusting to a sudden shift in light. They become still as their head tilts slightly, eyes scanning microexpressions and picking our minutiae of tone and detail. To observers, it feels like being under a microscope. Their gaze lingers too long. Their answers are just a beat off. There’s a sense they’re not listening, just decoding.
Somewhere along the way, he fell into a frequency that most dismiss as background noise. Wayne listened, and it speaks to him. People say he's just paranoid.
But he knows the truth: people leak. Not just the secrets they choose to share, but the messages between words. Body language, lunguistic anomalies, eye movements... each part of the lattice. These messages are constant, undeniable, and inescapable.
The only problem is... it can't be turned off...
You gain the following benefits at all times.
You may understand and communicate to humans as if you are fluent in a relevant language.
Possession of this Power grants the following Trauma at all times: Once per conversation using this power, you must roll Self Control to avoid interpreting a hidden meaning in their tone, word choice, or body language. On failure, you treat them as an unreliable or dangerous agent. regardless of evidence to the contrary.
Indiscreet Maid's Talisman is an amulet that allows Maggie to understand all spoken and written languages, provided she takes a moment to concentrate on the pendant. The pendant, crafted from rose quartz and sculpted into the shape of a tongue, bears the image of a tower on between the tongue and upper lip. When activated, the amulet grants her the ability to decipher even the most obscure and forgotten tongues, unlocking secrets and hidden meanings. However, the power requires focus—without taking a moment to concentrate, the knowledge remains elusive, as if the languages are still shrouded in mystery.
Exert your Mind and spend one minute.
You may understand and communicate to Creatures, humans, and Sapient beings as if you are fluent in a relevant language for the next hour.
This also includes understanding any recorded communications from the relevant targets, including writings, scent trails, etc.
While active and speaking to a single individual, you may choose to use glib tongue. When you do, anything you say to them (even gibberish) will be exactly what they want to hear. You gain no understanding of what that might be.
The Necromancer spits into the mouth of a recently deceased corpse. For the few minutes, the corpse's head comes back to life and speaks to the Necromancer.
Exert your Mind and spend an Action. Select a Dead target within 50 feet. Dead targets must have died within the past week, and you must have their remains in your possession.
The target can communicate in your language for the next hour.
The beastmaster can speak to and understand any animal.
You gain the following benefits at all times.
You may understand and communicate to terrestrial animal as if you are fluent in a relevant language.