Drow Language 🕷️ Glossary from Drow of the Underdark (2e)
Drow glossary from Drow of the Underdark (E. Greenwood, 1991), a supplemental rules book for use with AD&D (2e). Around two hundred canon words that allow to create simple sentences, messages and the like.
I organized the terms from the glossary into categories, so that the range of topics and the variety of vocabulary for each of them could be seen more clearly. Unsurprisingly, categories with the most words are connected to dealing with people, stealth and fight, travel and exploration, also magic and spirituality.
🕷️ To Be
tlu – be, to be
phuul – are
zhah – is
🕷️ Pronouns
usstan – I, self (literally, "this one")
usstil – one in my place
dos – you
dosst – yours
dosstan – yourself
nind – they, them, their, theirs*
nindyn – those
vel’uss – who
*In fan-created drow language sources, "them", "their" and "theirs" are usually translated differently to avoid confusion.
🕷️ People, Professions, Titles
dobluth – outcast
faern – wizard, magic-worker of any race or gender
ilharn – patron, title of matron mother’s chosen mate
ilhar – mother, to mother*
ilharess – matron or matron mother, title of a female ruling a noble drow House
ilharessen – matrons
jabbuk – master, male in charge of some task or office
malla – honored, term of respect
qu’ellar – House, titled noble family
sargtlin – (drow) warrior
valsharess – queen**
yathrin – (drow) priestess
yathtallar – (drow) high priestess
*Only in a biological sense - "to mother" as in "to give birth to", not "to nourish and comfort".
** Title typically reserved for Lolth.
🕷️ Friends, Enemies, Relationships
abban – ally, not-enemy
abbil – comrade, trusted friend*
akh – band, group
inthigg – agreement, treaty
khaless – trust**
maglust – apart, alone
nau – no
ogglin – rival, opponent, enemy***
qua’laelay – argument, disagreement, confrontation, but not yet open conflict
quarth – order, exercise of authority
quarthen – ordered, commanded
ssinssrigg – passion, lust, greed, longing, love****
thalra – meet, encounter
talthalra – meeting, council, parley
thalack – war, open fighting
xal – may, might, perhaps
* At least as trusted as possible in drow terms (see khaless).
** Especially foolish or misplaced kind of trust, since drow do not really believe in genuine trust.
*** "Active"; all creatures are considered potential ogglin until proven otherwise.
**** Not a selfless, unconditional, romantic kind of love.
🕷️ Non-Drow, Monsters
darthiir – faeries, surface elves, traitors
gol – goblin
goln – goblins
haszak – illithid, mind flayer
haszakkin – illithids
rivvil – human
rivvin – humans
orbb – spider
phindar – monster, dangerous being, especially a non-intelligent creature
🕷️ Insults
iblith – offal, excrement, carrion*
wael – fool
* Often used in reference to non-drow and slaves.
🕷️ Battle, Life, Death
bautha – dodge, to dodge
dro – life, alive
elgg – kill, slay, destroy
elghinn – death
honglath – clever thinking, calm, bravery, good behavior
jivvin – fun, play, but in sense of amusing cruelty, "animal spirits"
kulg – snag, hitch, blockage*
kulggen – deliberate rampart, shield, or other barrier
luth – cast, throw, hurl
phalar – grave, battle-marker
plynn – take, size
sargh – confidence in weapons, battle-might, strength-at-arms, valor
sarn! – beware!, warning!
sreen – danger
streea – suicide, death in the service of Lolth, a House, or a community
streeaka – reckless(ness), fearless(ness)
thalackz’hind – raid, attack from afar
ultrinnan – conquering, victory, to win or prevail
velve – blade, dagger, knife, sword
z'ress – power, strength, force, dominance**
* Impediment to will or to plans, but also an actual, material blockage, like debris in a shaft or passage.
** Especially strength of the will that allows a person, for example, to successfully manipulate others.
🕷️ Schemes, Stealth, Shadows
brorn – surprise
brorna – surprises
golhyrr – surprise, ruse, trap
ilindith – aim, goal, hoped-for event
inth – plan, stratagem, scheme
kyone – alert / alertly, wary / warily, careful / carefully
kyorl – watch, wait, guard
kyorlin – watching, waiting, guarding
olist – caution, stealth
oloth – darkness, utter natural darkness or magical darkness
ssussun – light, brightness
veldrin – shadows, concealment afforded by varying light
velkyn – unseen, hidden, invisible
waela – foolish, unaware, unwary
🕷️ Magic, Faith, Destiny
elamshin – destiny, the will of Lolth*
elend – usual, traditional
faer – magic
faerl – magical
faerbol – magical item
orthae – holy, sacred
Quarvalsharess – Goddess (title of Lolth)
quar’valsharess – goddess (other than Lolth)
ul-ilindith – destiny
yath – temple, also property, work or decree of the temple
Yorn – power, will or servant-creature of the Goddess (Lolth)
* Destiny as unique purpose, connected to the intent of higher power (Lolth).
🕷️ Work, Learning, Exploration
colbauth – path, known way
mrimm – guide, key, inspiration
noamuth – wanderer, lost, unknown
obsul – opening, door, gap or chink
ragar – find, discover, uncover
talinth – think, consider
xun – do, to complete or accomplish
xund – striving, effort, work
xundus – doing, achievement, work completed or manifested in some concrete result
zhaunil – learning, wisdom, knowledge
z'hin – walk
z'hind – trip, journey, expedition
z'orr – climb
🕷️ Wealth, Goods, Gifts
belaern – wealth, coinage, treasure
belbau – to give
belbol – gift
bol – item, thing, an unknown, unidentified, mysterious or important object
cahallin – food, but only produced or harvested, including raid-spoils; not hunted game or cooked food
🕷️ Numbers, Quantity
uss – one
ust – first
draa – two
drada – second
llar – three
llarnbuss – third
tuth – both
mzild – more
jal – all
🕷️ Comparisons
alur – better, superior
alurl – best, foremost
taga – than
ultrin – supreme, highest, conqueror
ultrine – supreme, highest (applied to Lolth only)
🕷️ Relations In Space And Time
alust – in front, facing, in the forefront
bauth – around, about
dal – from
del – of
doeb – out
elendar – continue, continued, continuing, enduring
harl – down, under, below
izil – as
lil – the
lueth – and
natha – a
pholor – on, upon
rath – back
ratha – backs
rathrae – behind
ulu – to
wun – in
wund – among, within, into
For more of my drow lore ramblings, feel free to check my pinned post 🕷️
41 notes
·
View notes