This tattered book appears to have been compiled by an enslaved dwarf desperately trying to understand the speech of his grim masters. The binding is made of rough fabric, and the pages are covered in notes written in hurried, trembling handwriting. The margins show clear signs of rushed corrections and annotations, suggesting that this “phrasebook” was created hastily and under difficult conditions.
Inside, the book contains numerous basic words and phrases used by the Gray Dwarves (duergar): from commands in the ore mines to orders in the forge and battle cries on the field. Some sections are dedicated to short insults, commands, and expressions typical of the duergar’s slave-owning society.
A person (or any other race) with sufficient literacy and a sharp mind could, after spending a few days studying, learn to understand simple statements in Duergar and communicate using short phrases (giving orders, requesting water, expressing submission, etc.).
Requirements: It is recommended to have an Intelligence (INT) score of at least 8 to decipher the chaotic notes and grasp linguistic nuances. Basic literacy (the ability to read and write in Common) is also necessary.
Game Effect: After fully studying the phrasebook, the character can understand everyday conversations in Duergar and speak in simple phrases. For complex or specialized topics (such as rituals, blacksmithing technicalities, or secret codes), the book’s knowledge may be insufficient.