Possible PC Races:

• Bugbear:  Yes; Bugbears in Menzoberranzan are favored slave troops due to their power and stealth.  A few are also found are free servants of free individuals.  PCs must be the latter.
• Derro:  No; Derro rarely visit Menzoberranzan and none are known to live here (they primarily trade with Eryndlyn when they trade with drow at all).  The drow do not trust them and they are not enough of a power for the drow to be civil about it.
• Drow:
• Noble:  Yes; Drow noble PCs may not be any of the key members of the house (weaponsmaster, matron mother, patron, or head house wizard) or one of the matron mother's children (siblings leave the house or die when their sister becomes the new matron mother--some choose to move to other drow cities and form their own houses while others attempt to establish themselves in Menzoberranzan in some way such as forming their own house from scratch) unless they are the youngest adult child (and they have a number of older siblings).  Grandchildren of the matron mother are also considered nobles and occasionally a child from a destroyed house is adopted into the house and a PC may be either of these (since they aren't in line for the matron mother's position).  Noble PCs that come from any of the houses listed in the Menzoberranzan boxed set will be carefully scrutinized before being accepted.  Lesser houses, made up in part by the player at the time of submission (I expect to fill out the details like alliances, standing, and so on), are encouraged for noble PCs.  PCs may not be members of any of these houses:  Baenre, Oblodra, Symryvvin, Nurbonnis, Millithor.
• Noble Servant:  Yes; These are drow in the service of a house that are not actually nobles.  Only House Baenre is currently powerful enough to keep the matron mother's great grandchildren around (since they aren't considered nobles) and most granddaughters (since all lineage is traced solely through the mother) of a matron mother that have their own children sacrifice them, sell them into slavery, or leave to form their own house or pursue their own interests in some other way.  The same rules on houses apply to drow that serve a noble house as for drow noble PCs.
• Merchant Clan:  Yes; In Menzoberranzan, the merchant clans are dominated (and most were founded) by noble houses.  As such they are basically noble servants though not entirely.  PCs that are members of the clan are not considered part of the "inner" circle but as family do have greater standing than common soldiers, being about equal with the higher ranked soldiers (though the ranking soldiers get more respect if there's a dispute).  Merchant clans affiliated with restricted noble houses are restricted from PCs.
• Mercenary:  Yes; These drow are mercenaries.  They may be sponsored by a house to help defend the city (each house has to provide some of the city's watch and guard forces, most do so by hiring mercenaries in order to avoid weakening themselves) or they may serve a merchant clan or be free mercenaries, doing other work.  Free mercenaries are those that are members of established mercenary bands (for example, Bregan D'aerthe).  PCs may serve a clan or be free (they may not be members of Bregan D'aerthe, however).
• Commoner:  Yes; Also known as free drow or peasant drow, these are the average everyday drow of the city.  Many are craftsman (including magic-users) while others are hunters, guides, merchants, and so on.  Naturally, free priestesses of Lloth also exist and sell their services to the masses (or start their own mercenary companies or whatever).
• Slave:  No; While not a common practice, some drow are actually slaves.  Only noble drow may enslave other drow and the council encourages the sale of drow slaves in far cities if they are children or orders their deaths in the arena if they are old enough to be able to talk about the city (whether they know anything or not).  Most drow slaves purchased in Menzoberranzan are purchased by priestesses looking for better sacrifices than kobolds and goblins make (this is one of the traditional first acts of newly founded houses).  "Legally" only drow from other cities can be enslaved in Menzoberranzan so native drow slaves are either kept secret or destined for quick disposal or removal from the city.  Possessing a drow slave can be one of the greatest marks of prestige there is for a non-noble non-priestess but nobles and priestesses don't have them as it is seen as a sign of weakness (they have to keep drow slaves instead of being able to get the other drow around them to do their will).
• Dwarf:
• Gold (hill):  No; Gold dwarves live far to the south and thus are little seen in Menzoberranzan, even as traded-for slaves.  Otherwise they generally conform to the notes on shield dwarves, below.
• Duergar:  Yes; A few duergar craftsman do live in Menzoberranzan and occasionally an exile finds their way here, looking for work.  They are also known as excellent laborers, like their shield dwarf kin, but the nearby duergar empire has convinced the noble houses to ban the taking of duergar as slaves.  Of course, this just means it doesn't occur openly (though the decree is backed up by the full weight of the council, should a violation be found).  Nevertheless, their immunities and psionics make duergar difficult slaves and it is believed even most noble houses find it easier to trade for duergar crafts or hire one or more to work for them than try to keep one enslaved.  Duergar may kept openly as slaves in a few circumstances:  if the duergar is sold into drow slavery by official merchants of one of the duergar clans of Gracklstugh, the duergar is taken prisoner in a battle in which the duergar was attacking a drow patrol or caravan that had not violated duergar territory, or if they are born to a duergar slave.  Note that a duergar mercenary who's captured in an attack on drow must first be offered for ransom to his former employers, his mercenary company (if he has one), and his family or clan before he can be enslaved (usually a month time period is given after the duergar's identity and taking are openly proclaimed).  Only noble houses may keep duergar slaves though occasional exceptions are made, allowing duergar craftsmen to be purchased by one of the city's craftsmen or guilds.  All such purchases must be approved by the noble council.
• Shield (mountain):  No; None of the northern dwarves willing live in Menzoberranzan.  Were one to do so, they'd be quickly enslaved by greedy nobles as the dwarves are known as excellent workers and craftsman.  The few dwarves that do visit are invariably Abbathoran merchants who come in heavily armed bands with lots of guards to quickly trade their wares and leave.  They are usually successful.
• Firenewts:  No; Firenewts are prized slaves among the drow.  Combining excellent natural armor and a resistance to fire (their susceptability to cold is well known but not as much of a concern since there are many more fire-based spells than cold-based ones in Menzoberranzan) makes them formidable slave warriors in the internecine warfare between the houses.  Unfortunately all known firenewt lairs in the area were long ago wiped out and those slaves have died.  Importing new firenewt slaves from the Lake of Steam region isn't worth the effort or expense.  Still, occasionally a firenewt band migrates into the region once more, whereupon the drow quickly snap them up.
• Flind:  No; Flinds in Menzoberranzan are rare but are extremely prized additions to the slave forces of those few houses that use gnoll slaves.  As such, flinds in the city are quickly enslaved.
• Giant, Verbeeg:  Yes; Verbeeg are rare but valued slaves among the drow and some also come to the city on their own to trade.  They are known as natural leaders and at least one band leads ogres and hill giants (with orc and goblin slaves) in the nearby underdark.  They deal peacefully with the drow and are strong and wary enough that no one has bothered to enslave them or wipe out their settlement, yet.  They also trade ogrillons, orcs, and goblins along with other slaves they capture in battle in the drow city.  Some have whispered the settlement is actually controlled by an even greater power...
• Githyanki:  No; The githyanki are powerful and untrusted by the drow.  More importantly the drow's illithid neighbors hate the gith.  As such they are not allowed in the city and are killed if discovered here or in the nearby underdark (the drow want to remain friendly with the illithids and keep up their trade with them).
• Githzerai:  No; Just as with the githyanki, githzerai are not welcome in Menzoberranzan.  The fact that it's almost impossible for others to tell the two (sub)races apart is the main reason.
• Gnoll:  No; Few houses use gnoll troops and gnoll slaves aren't traded often here for that reason.  Bugbears and ogres are more capable and hobgoblins are more reliable.  Gnolls are generally run out of the city or hunted for sport by nobles.  Legends of gnolls carrying disease are common among the inhabitants of Menzoberranzan, drow and non-drow alike.  This is one of the main reasons none can find a place here as free creatures.  Even those who don't believe the myths will kill a gnoll or inform the watch patrols in hopes of getting some booty.
• Gnome:  No; Gnomes are mortal enemies of the drow.  Surface gnomes are encountered only as slaves and are valued for their abilities at mining and with gems.  Svirfneblin battle the drow mercilessly in the tunnels of the underdark and the only ones that survive in the city come here in disguise and rely heavily on magic (such as their non-detection and change self abilities) to survive.  Despite this those that stay long are found out and slain as spies by the drow.  The drow of Menzoberranzan don't keep svirfneblin slaves and none try to trade them in Menzoberranzan as the drow consider it ill luck (occasionally one is ordered to be brought in alive for sacrifice but a party is always sent to find one in these cases).  This history used to be different several damaging escapes by svirfneblin slaves over a century ago and over a span of a few decades (basically the first escape was ~190 years ago and the last just over 100 years ago).  The escapees took with them intel that led to the deaths of several patrols and prominent nobles and the destruction of more than one drow mining operation.
• Goblin:  Yes; Goblins in Menzoberranzan are favored slaves (but not troops) due to their numbers and how easily controlled and dominated they are.  They are never given complex or critical tasks.  Some are also found surviving in the city's slums as free servants or, more commonly, scavengers.  A goblin PC would be a scavenger.
• Grell:  No; The drow don't consider grell intelligent and when these rare creatures are captured (instead of just killed) they are always brought in for amusement and usually sold to some gladiatorial event or for a fight between monsters.
• Half-drow:  Yes; Half-drow of any sort are rare and stand out.  Most are sacrificed or enslaved, though a few manage to survive in the slums or as mercenaries.
• Half-ogre:  Yes; Half-ogres are extremely rare anywhere, though a few are found in Menzoberranzan.  At one time (a few decades ago) it was a fad to breed humans and ogres to create more capable troops.  After doing so for several years the progeny turned out not to have the increased intelligence desired and lacked the strength of a true ogre so the practice ended.  For some reason the drow breeders thought it was funnier to release them in the city to see if they survived rather than just killing them.  Most of these original ones banded together and now are breeding true, just as half-elves in Aglarond have done.  Still, their numbers are not enough and their fertility isn't great after accounting for infant mortality.  With the brutal slum life in Menzoberranzan, they are doomed and their numbers are dropping.  Among these free half-ogres, in addition to acting as hired guards, most have formed a small and relatively cheap mercenary company to bring money into their rough and tumble community.
• Half-orc:  Yes; It is the half-orcs that provided the idea for half-ogres.  Originally half-orcs were brought to Menzoberranzan as slaves among orc tribes and some wandered in on their own.  They are valued as intelligent (more intelligent than the troops they lead, anyway) commanders of slave forces.  Some also live free, either operating as mercenaries or laborers.  Most of the non-drow assassins in Menzoberranzan are half-orcs, though the guild only handles matters not involving influential drow.
• Hobgoblin:  Yes; Hobgoblins are excellent slave troops in drow eyes but all too rare.  The prices a hobgoblin brings are almost equivalent to and ogre or bugbear (which bring about the same).  They also make good mercenaries and a number of free hobgoblins have joined mercenary forces.
• Illithid:  No; Illithids in Menzoberranzan aren't trusted but they are traded with.  Those that stay long in the city are killed in accidents or by assassins.  Some do have secret dealings with noble houses and these generally make arrangements to stay at the noble compound for their own protection.  At least three illithid colonies in the nearby underdark have ambassadors to Menzoberranzan as well, though none of these communities trusts either of the others so they try to use the drow to gain an upper hand and the drow (particularly House Baenre though theoretically the council) play them off against each other.  The ambassadors avoid each other and usually aren't in the city at the same time.
• Kobold:  Yes; Even more numerous than goblins, kobolds are also [slightly] more valued due to their quick reproductive rates and the [slight] natural armor their scaly hides provide.  They are often the first slave troops of any newly formed noble house and the mercenary bands that use slaves always keep large numbers of them.  They are so common that many can be found as servants (generally slaves) in the slums and some are free scavengers.  PC kobolds would be scavengers.
• Kuo-Toa:  No; With no major waterways nearby, no aquatic races are regularly found in the city, even as visitors.
• Minotaur:  No; Minotaurs are extremely rare on and under Faerun, with most resulting from curses.  A few noble houses in Menzoberranzan have taken to breeding minotaurs as slaves, slaves that they do not sell.  Beyond these few, the race is unknown in the city.
• Myconid:  No; The drow have tried again and again to enslave the fungusmen but always failed.  While not especially dangerous they are immune to a number of drow defenses and weapons (drow poison doesn't affect them, their spores are unaffected by MR, etc.) so the drow simply clear them out of any fungal gardens they are found in.  With no interest in trade or dealing with humanoids, the myconids make no effort to visit the drow, either.
• Norker:  No; Due to their hard exoskeletons, norkers are considered prime slave troops and some command higher prices than ogres.  As such any norker found in Menzoberranzan is either a slave or is enslaved when found.
• Ogre:  Yes; Ogres in Menzoberranzan are favored slave troops due to their power.  A few are also found that are free servants or free individuals.  PCs must be the latter.
• Ogre-Magi:  No; Ogre-magi are both rare and highly prized.  Not only are they intelligent but their powers make them ideal troops (especially invisibility, fly, gaseous form, polymorph self, and cone of cold) while their abilities of darkness, sleep, and charm person are perfect for controlling lesser slaves.  This makes them the ideal slave leaders in drow eyes and any ogre magi found in Menzoberranzan is quickly enslaved or forced to escape.  Any that are here, remain in polymorphed form continually to avoid enslavement.
• Ogrillon:  Yes; While rare, more than a few houses breed ogres and the slightly more numerous orcs in hopes of producing these.  True to orcish form, most of the crossbreeds are orcs but because the ogre race is dominant in crossbreeding just as the orc race is, about 30% are ogrillons rather than orcs.  The ogrillon is a more valued slave than an orc, generally.  A few also live free in the city.
• Orc:  Yes; Orcs are almost as common as goblins in Menzoberranzan and their greater power makes them more valuable slaves.  Orcs are considered by most noble houses as the lowest type of acceptable slave troop and new houses strive to replace their kobolds with orcs as soon as possible.  Orcs are also found as free laborers and mercenaries in the city, possibly even in greater numbers than goblins.  PCs are of the latter.
• Quaggoth:  No; Quaggoths are rare in Menzoberranzan but those who have them, prize them as slaves.
• Troglodyte:  Yes; Troglodytes are considered exotic slave troops by most drow but their stench causes most noble houses to ignore them.  Those few are that are found in the city are generally found as mercenaries or in gladiatorial roles.  PCs must be mercenaries.
• Xvart:  No; Xvarts are much rarer and only about as capable as goblins.  Additionally at least three plagues in the city's history have been attributed to them (whether rightly or wrongly, none who know are saying) so for the last 40 years or so they've been driven out or captured and used to lure powerful monsters in the mantle.

Generating Characters by Race:

• Bugbear:  Bugbears can speak undercommon, bugbear, goblin, and hobgoblin and can learn one additional language.  They surprise on 1-3 in 6 and have 60' infravision.  Bugbears can hurl maces, clubs, hand axes, throwing axes, hammers, daggers, darts, morning stars, and spiked clubs to a 4" range (anything below 2" is considered medium range, however).  They can make an unarmed attack for 2-8 hps damage.
• Drow:  Drow roll for ability scores normally with a +2 to dexterity, a +1 to intelligence, a -1 to constitution, and a -2 to charisma with respect to all races (they are so distrusted they can't inspire confidence and loyalty even in each other).  PCs do not have magic resistance.  For other notes, see Unearthed Arcana.
• Dwarf, Grey (Duergar):  Duergar are generated as per Unearthed Arcana.  They must start at 1st level to have a chance of psionics and I will roll to see if they get it.  Duergar immunity to illusions doesn't make them immune to all illusion school spells, rather they are immune to illusionary attacks and direct affects (similar to magic resistance).  They cannot see through a hallucinatory terrain or invisibility but do automatically save against shadow monsters, phantasmal force used to directly affect them, etc.  Similarly their immunity to non-natural poisons only includes some poisons based on natural poisons.  For instance, they are immune to the most common form of drow sleep poison (which uses spider venom as a base) but many other derivative poisons will affect them.
• Giant, Verbeeg:  Verbeeg can speak undercommon, verbeeg giant, hill giant, giant common, and ogrish and can learn two additional languages.  They have 60' infravision, a base movement rate of 18", and gain strength damage bonuses with hurled spears.  Additionally they gain a range bonus with hurled spears equal to their strength damage bonus in inches (this bonus applies at all ranges, thus significantly increasing their short range as well as their long range so that a verbeeg that gains +3 to damage from strength can hurl a spear with ranges of 4/5/6 for 4-9 hps damage).  Verbeeg gain 1 additional attack per round with the spear in both missile and melee combat.  Classed verbeeg have double the usual number of HD at first level.  Despite their height, verbeeg use all weapons as a drow or human due to their unusually thin build.
• Goblin:  Goblins are generated as per Dragon Magazine issue 141.  Goblins speak undercommon, goblin, kobold, hobgoblin, and orcish and can learn one additional language.  They have infravision to 60', are -1 to hit in bright light, and can detect new or unusual construction 25% of the time.  They gain a +1 AC bonus vs. giant-class creatures in the same manner as dwarves and gnomes.  They can make an unarmed attack for 1-6 hps damage.  Goblins gain an effective +2 bonus to charisma when dealing with members of their own tribe.
• Half-drow:  Half-drow are exactly like half-elves in abilities except they also have the innate abilities of drow (neither PCs nor NPCs gain magic resistance, however).  Half-drow have the same starting languages as drow and can learn two additional languages.  They are literate.  See the PHB for further details.
• Half-ogre:  Half-ogres follow the rules in Dragon Magazine issues 29 and 73, reprinted in Best of Dragon II and IV.  Half-ogres can speak ogrish, orcish, trollish, and undercommon and can learn one additional language.  They have 60' infravision and gain twice the usual number of HD at 1st level.  Half-ogres gain the effectiveness of two-handed use from a bastard sword when used one handed and are only -2 to hit dwarves rather than -4 (they suffer no penalties to hit goblins) but have the usual penalties to hit smaller creatures (-4 to hit gnomes and -1 to hit kobolds).  They are large sized creatures.
• Half-orc:  Half-orcs are standard as per the Player's Handbook.
• Hobgoblin:  Hobgoblins can speak undercommon, hobgoblin, goblin, orcish, and carnivorous ape and can learn two additional languages.  They have 60' infravision and can detect new construction underground, shifting walls, and sloping passages 40% of the time.
• Kobold:  Kobolds are generated as per Dragon Magazine issue 141.  Kobolds speak undercommon, kobold, goblin, and orcish.  They can learn one additional language.  They have a natural AC of 8.  They can wear gnome-sized armor as long as it can accommodate their tails (armor stacks with their scaly hides).  Kobolds have infravision to 60', suffer a -1 penalty to hit in bright light, and have a base movement rate of 6".  When unarmed they can attack once/round for 1-4 hps damage.  Kobolds gain a +1 bonus to AC in the same manner as dwarves and gnomes against giant-class creatures.  They gain have an effective +1 charisma per level when dealing with members of their own tribe.  Armor adjusted for kobolds cost 150% of normal though a chainmail tunic doesn't have to be adjusted.
• Ogre:  Ogres speak undercommon, ogrish, orcish, trollish, and hill giant (I feel the reference to stone giant in the MM is a typo) and can learn an additional language.  Ogres have 60' infravision and can make an unarmed attack for 1-10 hps damage.  Ogres have twice the usual number of HD at 1st level.  They can wield two-handed swords, two-handed battle axes, bardiches, and similar weapons with one hand and when using bastard swords they use them one-handed but gain the effects of using one with both hands.  They cannot use exceptionally small weapons like daggers, knives, and darts.
• Ogrillon:  Ogrillons speak ogrish and undercommon and can learn one additional language.  They have 60' infravision and can attack without weapons once/round with each fist for 1-6 hps damage.  Ogrillon hands are overlarge, forcing them to use weapons that can be easily wielded with one hand but have a grip large enough for two (such as bastard swords, pole arms, and axes) or suffer a -2 penalty to hit unless the weapon is specially made to handle their grip requirements (this causes the weapon to cost twice normal).  Missile weapons other than hurled objects like spears and javelins are unusable by ogrillons.  Their stiff hands cause spells with somatic components to require twice the usual casting time and they suffer a -2 penalty on all dexterity based NWPs and ability checks involving the use of their hands.
• Orc:  Orcs are generated as per Dragon Magazine issue 141.  Orcs can speak undercommon, orcish, ogrish, hobgoblin, and goblin and can learn one additional language.  They have infravision to 60', suffer a -1 penalty to hit in bright light, have a 35% chance to detect new or unusual construction underground, and can detect sloping passages 25% of the time.  When fighting unarmed they can attack once for 1-8 hps of damage.  They gain an effective +2 bonus to charisma when dealing with members of their own tribe.
• Troglodyte:  Troglodytes can speak undercommon and troglodyte and can learn two additional languages.  They have 90' infravision, are +3 to hit with javelins, and can adjust their skin color through shades of gray, green, and brown to allow them to surprise on a 1-4 in 6 when not emitting their stench or wearing armor or concealing clothes.  They can emit a secretion that causes other humanoids, humans, and demi-humans to save vs. poison or lose 1 point of strength per round for 1-6 rounds.  Strength loss lasts 10 rounds after the final round of descrease and then is regained at 1 point/round.  Troglodytes have a natural armor class of 5 due to their scaly skins and can wear human-sized armor that is modified to accommodate their tails.  They gain one point less benefit from armor than usual (so they gain a -1 to AC from leather and -4 from chainmail).  They can attack with their claws and bite for 1-3/1-3/2-5 points of damage (strength bonuses apply only to claw hits and high level fighter classes due not gain additional attacks per round with their teeth, only with their claws).  Troglodyte armor generally costs 150% of normal (troglodytes that use armor favor chainmail tunics as no adjustments are necessary).

Bugbear

Drow:

Dwarf, Grey

Giant, Verbeeg:

Goblin:

Half-Drow:

Half-Ogre:

Half-Orc

Hobgoblin

Kobold:

Ogre:

Ogrillon:

Orc:

Troglodyte:

Height & Weight (all values are Female/Male):

Height and Weight Determination:

Age:

Use the following links for more on the game:

• Character Classes
• Creating a Player Character (PC)
• Proficiencies