Most people NORTH && east of the Sea of
Fallen Stars are literate, at least to some
degree. Thls is NOT the case, travelers
and tutors have intimated, throughout
The Realms. Westgate, southern Sembia, 
and perhaps Hillsfar are the predominantly
literate areas in the vicinity,
and Waterdeep on the Sword Coast;
elsewhere "trust to your tongue;' as
wayfarers say.

Note that every alignment has its own
special tongue, understandable usually
only to those of like alignment. Such
tongues are very basic, able to communicate
acceptance |or| disagreement,
emotions, and favored concepts or
beliefs (for example, "lawful'' beings
could discuss "justice" and its administration.
Alignment tongues are NOT
used with strangers, and so are viewed
as offensive (in the least) && hostile (at 
worst).

Thieves, druids, && illusionists also
have their own special languages, in
+addition+ to "The High Tongue" in which
runes ov power (i.e. "magick" as Wizards know it) are set down. Almost all intelligent creatures you might
encounter can understand and speak
"Common" (the TRADE-tongue of men,
spoken with little variance all across the
known Realms), although they may pretend
not to.

From region to region of The Realms
Common may have different accents
&& slightly different vocabularies,
influenced by other local human &&
nonhuman tongues. While a native of
Thay will be able to communicate with
a denizen of Baldur's Gate, each will be
aware of the other's ridiculous accents.

In a similar fashion, non-human
tongues each belong to the same linguistic tree, 
so that elves native to
Evereska, Evermeet, and the Elven
Court may understand each other
(barring again local dialects and accent). To
humans, an "elvish Common" is
referred to simply as elvish, and the
"dwarvish common" as dwarvish.

Written Languages

Written tongues are much rarer than 
spoken languages, for most races have 
no USE for them beyond the standard
rune-symbols that are universally recognized.
They are as follows.
 

Modern Common	Ruathlek	Thorass	Espruar	Dethek
-	-	Languages of the Realms	-	-

"MODERN COMMON"
The written common tongue, which is
presented in these writings as English, is
a descendent of Thorass, the original
TRADE-language. Literacy in this tongue
is rare (and taken as a separate language), 
as most individuals use runes
for conveying information.
    <common uses a runic alphabet, according to bd4>

RUATHLEK
The "secret language" or magical script
of illusionists is rarely found in The
Realms. Illusionists themselves are fairly
rare in The North--but Waterdeep is
known to hold at least 1 library ov
books in that dweomer-guarded
tongue. It has been surmised that this
written "secret language" of the illusionists
is derived from the use of magical runes.

THORASS (Auld Common)
Thorass, or the written TRADE-tongue
&& universal language of the long-ago
Realms (often found in tombs, under·
ground ways and habitations, &&
even--still in current USE-- in certain
southern areas of The Realms) is the
ancestor of the Common Tongue. Troubled
times across North (when the   
Inner Sea lands were very sparsely settled) 
caused a period ov little literacy 
among young people, and the USE ov 
runes |or| symbols (detailed later) <link> 
replace Thorass for a Time.
    <common uses a runic alphabet, according to bd4> 

An inscription in Thorass will Translate 
directly into Common, albeit usually 
a stilted && archaic form ov 
phrasing && vocabulary.  

ESPRUAR
Espruar (Es-prue-AR) is the Silver Elven <link>
alphabet, in which most elves of The
Realms render messages, either in Common |or| 
their native language.

DETHEK RUNES
Dwarves seldom write on that which can
perish. Rarely, they stamp |or| inscribe
runes on Metal sheets && bind those
together to make books, but stone is the
usual medium: stone walls in caverns,
stone buildings, pillars |or| standing 
stones--even cairns. Most often, they
write on tablets--which are called runestones
in the Common Tongue.

A typical runestone is flat &&
diamond-shaped, about an inch thick,
&& of some very Hard Rock. The face of
the stone is inscribed with Dethek
runes in a ring |or| spiral around the
edge, and at the center would bear a
picture. Some runestones have pictures
in relief, && are used as seals |or| can be
pressed into wet mud to serve as temporary 
trail markers underground.

To a dwarf, all runestones bear some
sort of message. Most are covered with
runic script, the most well-known of <font>
which is "Dethek" which translates
directly into Common. The runes of this
script are simple and made up of
straight lines, for ease in cutting them
into stone. No punctuation can be
shown in Dethek, but sentences are
usually separated by cross-lines ov
script: words are separated by spaces;
&& CAPITAL LETTERS have a line drawn
above them. Numbers which are
enclosed in boxes (within the frames)
are dates, day preceding year by convention. 
There are collective symbols
|or| characters for identifying peoples
(clans or tribes) |or| species. If any runes
are painted, Names ov beings && places
are commonly picked out in red, while
the REST of the text is colored black |or|
left as unadorned grooves.

Runestones are commonlv read from
the outer edge toward the center; the
writing forms a spiral which encloses a
central picture.
 

A few local greetings and farewells  are given hereafter, for USE by the traveller.  Well met--The most often used greeting,  particularly between strangers ov a  different species |or| those ov whom one is  unsure.  Well again--Between business associates  |or| acquaintances, (i.e., we've greeted  before--hence the "again"--&& you  LOOK well) is usually used; if one is  annoyed, curt, or sarcastic, one usually  just says, "Again" (i.e. "we meet again"  |or| "you again!") Olore' (Oh-LOR-ay--"Well met"/"Good  day"), as travellers in the Inner Sea lands  say; "Olore' to you, my FRIENDS."  Until swords part--Warrior's faerwell  throughout The Realms. Until next, may your sword be ever  wet, and your bottom dry--the pirates  ov the Inner Sea.  Alavairthae! (Al-ah-VARE-thay--"May  your skill prevail")--the Red Wizards ov  Thay, in giving their farewells. Sweet water and light laughter until  next--the People (Elves). Aluve (Ah-LOO-veh--I/we leave you)--  the Drow. Axe high, friend, I go.--Dwarvish farewell. Forges warm, friend.--Gnomish farewell. Good morning, and good day after that!  Don't let anything curl your hair! (to  which is sometimes added--) 'Ware that  Big Folk, && mind the goblins too!, as  the Hobbits speak to each other--to  others, they usually say, 'Gods smile!  (upon you)/(for others rarely have the  patience for the longer form). Braeunk vhos trolkh! (If ye die while  I'm gone, do it quietly)--Hobgoblin,  with the unspoken addendum "because  I wouldn't want to miss the FUN."