Do you have to read the words of the spell, and the range is how far the words carry?
Or, alternatively, can you make some vocal noise which defines the range, while taking the -10 penalty for not saying the words of the spell?
The case at hand, is of course a magus bjornaer, who wants to use voice range spells in heartbeast form. He has quiet magic x2, so the -10 penalty isn't even an issue. The question is, does the heartbeast have a voice (eagle's screech) which can define the range? Or is intelligible speech required to constitute a voice?
I cannot find any sentence in the rules to decide.
Looking at the wording of Sensory Magic on p28 of HoH:MC where it says, "Use the Voice Range column of the Words and Gestures table on ArM5, page 83 to determine the area of effect around the magus."
This suggests the author of this chapter wanted to avoid arguments about how far this particular magic carries, and keep to standard ranges. This is not explicity for Voice Range in Heartbeast, but the Voice range description on p112 of the core book mentions magical enhancements don't affect voice range. It does mention that the distance the voice carries being important - but Bjornaer aren't using normal vocalisations, as they need quiet magic, deft form or to take the -10 penalty for spellcasting without words.
I'm sure I've seen people houserule it as using normal ranges before, but that may be out of fear of munchkin wolves. I'd need to search the forum way back in time, and these boards don't let you search very fast.
EDIT: Here's Doctorcomics thread from 2012:
[url]https://forum.atlas-games.com/t/silent-casting-voice-range-and-bears/6535/13]
There's a MuIm spell in Magi of Hermes (page 76), "The Kraken's Song":
"This simple effect changes any vocalisations made by the caster into a loud high-pitched click, whuch allows the vocalisations of his Voice-Ranged spells to carry through the water. See Voices in the Ocean sidebar."
(The sidebar talks about it not being possible to use words whilst casting underwater by default, amongst other things).
Based on that, I'd say it was possible to use animal vocalisations to carry Voice range (although obviously you still get the -10 casting penalty if you don't have another way round it). Note though that not everyone likes relying on Magi of Hermes for Rules judgements. I have a feeling I've seen something similar somewhere else, but I can't remember where.
This does seem to be the cleanest interpretation, and I do like it. Does that mean if my Tytalus uses 'silent' casting to not yell 'Creo Ignem' at you, but instead yells 'GOD STRIKE YOU DOWN' when he casts pilum of fire, he can still have extended range?
I agree that that must be the default interpretation.
However, it may be a reasonable house rule to say that non-word voice is only allowed for magi who normally do not use words (bjornaer, mute, vows of silence, etc.), because they learn (really reinvent) the spell under these conditions, and adapt their invention thereto. Magi who want to use words normally, need to use their normal words to define voice range. Personally, I would vote against such a house rule, but I would not consider it a violation of RAW.
It could be fun to see the Tytalus making such dramatic excesses from time to time.
Thank you, everybody, for your help. The discussion has been most illuminating.
Voice requires a sound to transmit further than touch. Music in performance or a non-standard voice transit as far as the sound uttered. PeIm effects which destroy sound can, if penetrating the caster's MR, can limit a voice spell's range. A vow of silence or mute character could use voice range spells if they have an initiation like Performance Magic: Music and use a an instrument.