I am about to start Dming my first campaign this sunday, to a bunch of equally new players. I have a member of the party who is exceptionally flaky due to their job, and may only be able to turn up semi-frequently at best. However, they are the ones most excited about playing where possible, so i would like to include them by giving one of my other players an unusual scroll containing a phrase that, when read aloud, will summon a semi-tangible spirit(or something of that llk, i don't have anywhere near enough knowledge to think of the best fitting tpye here) that our flaky player will be able to control during sessions the that they are there and can be easily explained to be missing when they are not. Similarly, i plan to write in a side quest to make this character permenant should they be able to attend more frequently.

However, i'd like the scroll to make "sense". The phrase i would like on it, if given to my elf, would be written in elvish (or something that sounds like it), if its my dragonborn, then something in draconic. So on and so forth. Are there any resources out there that can provide some phrases that would work in this context? 

I also realise i could just as easily make the mechanic non-verbal, but im trying to get a couple of my players out of their shell so id like to give them things that require them to talk a little more, but at least make sure its useful and/or meaningful for them to do so.

If anyone has any other ideas that would accomplish all of these tasks but in a different way, then im more than happy to hear them.

Simplest version might be to just write the phrase in your version of real-world-common, and narrate the elvish language. I would hope that you're not going to write in a language that potentially doesn't exist and expect someone to read it.

That said, there are example alphabets in the PHB for a couple different languages, run a simple substitution and write down the runes/glyphs in order to spell out what's needed.  Then you have the almighty Google-Fu. A simple search for dwarven/draconic/elvish translatort should net you several choices, not all of them are great working copies. 

There are numerous online translators, which don't do everything in the english language but with a bit of tweaking to your wording can be suitable for your needs. Alternatively, write up your phrase in google translate and go through the languages until you find one which looks suitably fantasy-y, then make that draconic. I've seen other people do exactly this -someone once said that Orcish was Mongolian in their world, so they could easily translate stuff without worrying about the word not existing in orcish!

Bonus points if you make the phrase something amusing which they can unwittingly say, or contain a secret about the occasional player which the other players can find out if they get bored and try to translate it between sessions! Something like "The man with an overly large nose summons forth the spirit of >name< to assist him on this day, should he be here!", or "Let the darkness overtake the light, I summon forth the architect of destruction to help devastate this mortal world", and *ping*, Jimothy the friendly bard appears to help with todays quest.

I quite like this idea, and have incorporated this into my scroll. To be honest i was expecting a bit less flexibility with this and more people ending up arguing over the correct pronunciation of some arbitrary word in elvish.

AAnd, incase you  were wondering, ive chosen the phrase. "Awhina, kei te hiahia ahau ki tetahi pakeke". It should google translate back into english from Maori "Help, i need an adult"

Quote from normanlove >>

I quite like this idea, and have incorporated this into my scroll. To be honest i was expecting a bit less flexibility with this and more people ending up arguing over the correct pronunciation of some arbitrary word in elvish.

 

AAnd, incase you  were wondering, ive chosen the phrase. "Awhina, kei te hiahia ahau ki tetahi pakeke". It should google translate back into english from Maori "Help, i need an adult"

That sounds perfect, it looks suitably arcane, and if any of your players google it, it comes up as a translation (if you put "in english" afterwards!) and will form a perfect easter egg for them! Just don't blow the joke too early!