Languages Spoken in Menzoberranzan
All races start out with a set number of languages and can learn more as given on the Races page. Duergar and drow begin able to read and write all the languages they know in the common script. Other races must (if the character is to be literate) devote one language slot to be able to read/write the common script and gain it for all languages they know and learn in the future. Learning any script takes as much time as learning a language. In addition to languages, there are a variety of common symbols that characters will know that require no language or proficiency slots (just as most people are familiar with road and hazard warning signs, even if they are illiterate).
Alignment: Alignment languages are the languages of the outer planes and are not automatically known by characters (assassins learn any language rather than alignment languages at high levels).
Alzhedo: Too far away from Calimshan to trade with that surface nation regularly, it's native tongue is basically unknown in Menzoberranzan. Calishites that do travel here to trade have learned undercommon or use magic to communicate.
Beholder: Beholders visit the city very rarely and when they do the drow always keep a close watch on them. For their part, the beholders take the opportunity to conduct business with more than just the drow. Most of the beholders are lone individuals or parts of small groups, not connected to any major hive or city. Generally they travel individually, though they always bring slaves along. When rival beholders are in the city they are told to take any trouble past the mantle. Failure to do so has led to the quick destruction of both offenders on every occasion. Nevertheless, the beholders usually bring a lot of wealth and often unusual slaves when they visit so several houses (most notably Baenre and all the other primary trading houses), costers, and individuals make sure they have someone around who can speak the beholder language.
Bugbear: The bugbear language is spoken by those slave handlers and traders that deal with bugbears frequently. Like other slaves, bugbears are taught simple commands in undercommon or [less commonly] drowic and then forbidden to use their native tongue. Over time most pick up undercommon even as slaves. Free bugbears living in the city also speak bugbear but bugbear's brought up as slaves learn undercommon as their base language (and usually pick up drowic through observation).
Common: The common tongue is rarely spoken in the World Below, which has its own trade tongue, undercommon. Nevertheless, some do speak it for a variety of reasons. It's rareness in the city has even made it attractive to some as a secret language of sorts.
Derro: The derro language is spoken by some duergar and a few other traders. As infrequent visitors to the city and lacking any stable nations or cities, the derro aren't considered major trading partners and few choose to learn this language.
Dethek: The written script of the dwarves is, of course, used by duergar and visiting dwarves. The duergar are the closest, most important trading partners the drow have so many of the city's other merchants also choose to learn this alphabet.
Drowic: A highly modified version of elvish, the two are nearly indistinguishable now. Besides undercommon, this is the most commonly spoken language in the city and while all drow learn both while growing up there are some (usually matron mothers) who refuse to speak anything other than drowic as a matter of pride.
Drow Hand Sign: Hand Sign is actually a misnomer as the silent tongue of the drow also relies on body stance, facial expression, and other subtle gestures to communicate as well as any spoken language used by a highly animated speaker. It's not illegal to teach this language to others but by custom is generally not done so few non-drow know it. Teaching it to slaves is punishable by death (for both slave(s) and instructor). Only drow can ever master this language, it is said.
Dwarvish: As with Dethek, this is the language of both the shield and gold dwarves that occasionally visit the city and the language of the duergar that live here and visit. It is thus spoken by many of those who wish to do business with them as well.
Elvish: Some drow still speak elvish, though the form they learn along with drowic is very archaic and stilted. The language is preserved for a variety of reasons based on vengeance and hatred.
Espruar: Drow no longer use the ancient elven script, instead using the modern common script. Espruar is even less preserved that the version of spoken elven some drow keep up and has become dangerous for drow to know in the last few decades as an increasing number of Vhaeraun worshippers are reported to be learning it in preparation for Vhaeraun's planned reunification with the surface elves.
Ettin: Ettin may be known by a couple slave handlers in the city but the rare ettin slaves that are brought in are usually dealt with using magic to facilitate initial communication.
Firenewt: Few slave handlers speak firenewt any longer as they have been so long absent from the city in any numbers. A few houses have imported drow slave handlers from far southern cities near the Lake of Steam just in case, however.
Giant: The various giant languages are known to few slave handlers in Menzoberranzan. Verbeeg is the most common and sometimes free stone giants are hired to do work so some merchants know that language as well. Other giants brought into the city are communicated with magically.
Gnoll: Despite the reputation of gnoll slaves, many slave handlers know the gnoll language. Once a gnoll learns simple commands, however, they are forbidden to speak it and gnoll slaves raised here speak undercommon natively with many also picking up drowic through frequent exposure.
Gnomish: Gnomish is generally spoken by merchants in the city and most drow are taught the language of their closest and most effective enemies.
Goblin: Goblins are common enough that even many other types of slaves, such as orcs, know their language. Most slave handlers do as well for this reason, though the slaves are forbidden to use it once they've learned basic commands. Native goblin slaves grow up knowing undercommon though a few also learn drowic through exposure. Free goblins almost all speak goblin.
Hobgoblin: Hobgoblin is also spoken by most slave handlers as the race is so valued. It is rumored that some houses even reward their hobgoblin slaves by allowing them to continue speaking the hobgoblin language.
Illithid: Few in the city speak the difficult language of the mind flayers, though few mainly being the few merchants that actually travel to trade with them. Since illithids can usually speak undercommon this is rarely an issue.
Kobold: Fewer slave handlers speak kobold than goblin as most of the city's kobold slaves are raised here rather than brought in. In fact, most slavers and patrols consider capturing kobolds to not be worth the time. Kobolds raised here usually speak undercommon as well as their own language since they are often hard to keep track of (just ask House Oblodra).
Kuo-Toan: Some traveling merchants speak kuo-toan but since they are so rarely encountered in the city no others do.
Naga: Unlike giants and dragons that also have a common tongue of their own, there is no naga common. Water, spirit, and dark nagas are all occasionally encountered in Menzoberranzan and its environs and can be dealt with peacefully by the drow (at least one spirit naga and its charmed minions is a traveling merchant that visits Menzoberranzan frequently). All three types of nagas are accepted in Menzoberranzan, the dark nagas the most so. Despite this almost no one speaks any of the naga languages. Instead magic is used to communicate or the nagas themselves learn to speak other languages (most of the dark and spirit nagas speak undercommon).
Ogre-Magian: Many slave handlers learn this language as a mark of prestige, whether or not they've ever had the opportunity to oversee an ogre-magi slave. As well, while it may seem odd, many ogre magi are allowed to continue speaking their language after becoming slaves and learning undercommon or drowic (usually both) commands.
Ogrish: Some slave handlers learn ogrish, mainly due to their value. Once the ogres learn basic commands, however, they must stop speaking it. Natively raised ogre slaves learn undercommon instead. Most free ogres still speak ogrish as well.
Orcish: Orcs are much rarer than goblins in the local underdark but still common enough that many slave handlers learn their language. Some simply refuse to, however. Orcish slaves are forbidden to speak orcish once they learn basic commands and natively raised orc slaves learn undercommon and sometimes drowic due to exposure. Free orcs usually know their racial tongue, however.
Thorass: The ancient human script is known only by a few drow scholars and the occasional visiting explorer or drow adventurer/treasure hunter.
Troglodyte: Troglodyte is spoken by very few slave handlers as very few are willing to work with troglodyte slaves, even though they can be valuable. Free troglodytes are much more common and keep their language.
Troll: Trolls are extremely valuable slave troops but also very, very unruly. Free trolls speak their language as do a number of slave handlers willing to take the risk of dealing with regenerating slaves. Theoretically once a troll slave learns basic commands they are forbidden to speak their native tongue but this is only occasionally enforced successfully. Natively raised trolls (trolls can die from old age so just cutting a troll up and keeping the pieces apart until they spawn into multiple creatures does not generate the most valuable slaves) usually don't speak their language, however, instead learning undercommon and learning drowic by being around it.
Undercommon: Without question, the common tongue of the underdark is the most commonly spoken language in Menzoberranzan. Almost every visitor and native speaks it and most slaves brought in learn it over time. This language is mostly made up of elvish, dwarvish, and gnomish words, though since being incorporated into the language most have changed form some and even meaning so while it has its roots in those languages, speakers of all three cannot understand undercommon.
Xvart: Given the rarity of xvarts in the city and the taboos against them, it is no wonder their language is only known to a few slave handlers. As they haven't had a reason to speak it for decades, even these speakers are forgetting it.
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