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**Ithildur** · 03-03-2007, 04:56 AM

History
Most of the Ilythiiri settled throughout the southern lands on the single continent of Abeir-Toril. Several smaller septs chose to settle in the more northerly climes, and amongst these were said to reside the most powerful Elven High Mages ever seen. The southern tribes, for the most part, were content to war upon each other and some of the other sentient beings that dwelt there. There is some evidence that they might have had a hand in helping some of the Iquar'Tel'Quessir (Creator races) along with their final demise. The Northern group allied themselves with the local green Elves, for mutual protection. The Green Elves had many centuries of experience in these new lands, and the held a grudging respect for the newcomer?s knowledge and power. Together, they formed one of the brightest and most independent Elven nations of the old world, the realm of Miyeritar. Somewhere around this time the Gold Elves in their prideful stupidity managed to destroy our ancestral home of Tintageer, and many of them came to Abeir-Toril as well, renaming it Faer?n. The mages of the dark Elves built great and wondrous cities, while the forest peoples protected their borders from intrusions. The power and beauty of the kingdom of Miyeritar did not go unnoticed, and the greedy Elven nation of Aryvandaar, composed of the descendents of the fleeing Gold and Silver Elves, made several overtures toward the inclusion of Miyeritar into their own realm. The people of that nation strongly felt that Elves must be united if they were ever to defeat the various threats that still plagued them (dragons, and to some extent giants).

This situation persisted for four thousand years, with many of the Green Elves abandoning their kingdom of Miyeritar and Moon Elves leaving Aryvandaar to form a new realm called Keltormir, away from the strife of their warring brethren. This acted to exacerbate the situation between the rival nations, leading to the eventual invasion and annexation of Miyeritar by Aryvandaar forces. This single moment in history would be known as the start of what surface Elves call The Crown Wars; but the Drow know it as The Wars of Betrayal. Many refugees fled to the safety of Keltormir and Illefarn, where they acted in secret to undermine the further encroachment of the Gold Elf Empire. It is the supposition of the surface Elves that the Dark Elves of Keltormir had always acted in a clandestine fashion, and had even gone so far as to later blame them for the War of Three Leaves. The Underdark Drow vehemently deny such allegations, stating that it was actually spies from Aryvandaar that had worked to put an end to the peace talks of those peoples in order to further weaken their rivals. Either way, the loss of the Great Dark Elven nation to the north was just the catalyst needed to unite the warring southern Ilythiiri tribes into a unified and cohesive fighting force. After the cataclysm (the Sundering) caused by the Aryvandaar Elves destroyed much of the land and many of the Southern Ilythiiri people, most of these Dark Elves turned from their racial Gods and sought divine inspiration elsewhere. Long had these peoples been separated because of their fierce independence and religious views, but their new found hatred for there northern neighbors spurred followers of Ghaunadaur, Vhaeraun, and Lolth to fight together for the first time. Aryvandaar next put pressure on Shantel Othreier to join with them, which resisted, and soon after that Elven nation was attacked and put to flame by several dragons. Suspicious of the timely dragon attack, and fearing that they would be the next target, the Ilythiiri carried out a pre-emptive strike against Orishaar, a powerful trading partner of the aggressive Aryvandaar. Orishaar quickly fell to the warlike and powerful Dark Elves, and the Ilythiiri next attacked Sy?rpiir. During the battle, the forests of Chondalwood and Ankhwood were burned to the ground. Many Elves died in the fires, and the Ilythiiri were blamed. The Drow maintain their innocence in this matter as well, proclaiming further dragon involvement in the fires.

The truth of the matter is lost to history, but it was this tragedy more then anything else that sparked the series of events that led to the cursing of the Drow. The realms of Thearnytaar and Eiell?r, long time enemies of Sy?rpiir and each other, formed a secret alliance and attacked the Ilythiiri, declaring it a ?holy crusade? against the Dark Elven murderers and hoping to draw the northern realms into the conflict. This is where things began to go terribly wrong for my long lost cousins, and they bring about the eventual doom of our people. Thinking to get the upper hand against their combined foes, the Ilythiiri tribes except the aid of Lolth, in the form a balor lord named Wendonai. With the malignant creature?s help, the Ilythiiri high mages unleashed an incredible display of foul magics on their enemies. Unfortunately, the evil corruption destroyed not only half of the invading forces, but their own souls as well. Green Elves, who had been in hiding since the fall of Miyeritar, chose that moment to exact their own revenge, sacking the city of Eiell?r. The evil Gold Elves of Aryvandaar, now the Vyshaanti Empire, found themselves a patron as well, a fallen solar by the name of Malkizid. They invaded Shantel Othreier, and laid waste to lands of ancient Miyeritar, killing all the remaining Dark and Green Elves in that realm in an event known as the dark Disaster. The Drow tell a tale of how Lolth aided them at this time, by convincing Gruumsh to send an Orc horde to destroy the armies of both Shantel Othreier and the Vyshaanti Empire; the validity of this fable is, of course, hard to prove. In any event, Keltormir, the last ?free? Elven kingdom, pulled its remaining forces aside, allowing the two mighty nations to finally confront each other directly. As High mages and Clerics of Illefarn prayed for salvation, the Ilythiiri destroyed Shantel Othreier. The Seldarine arrived just in time to see the destruction of the Elven city and lent their power to the prayers of their priests. They cursed the Dark Elves, who were transformed; their skin became like polished obsidian and their hair snow white, and their eyes took on a sickly pale hue that could no longer tolerate the light of the sun. They became known as Dhaeraow (traitor), and were driven underground, thus ending the Fourth Crown War. I had heard stories during my travels in the Underdark that the Green Elves that assisted their Dark brethren fled in terror from Corellon?s wrath and entered the Underdark along with the Drow, and the few that survived became a race known only in tales as the Rockseer.

The Seldarine, shocked by what their people had wrought, ordered the Elves to make peace and then returned to Arvandor. But no peace would come for the Dhaeraow, later known as Drow, nor for all of the other Dark Elves throughout the worlds that were unknowingly cursed along with their star-crossed cousins. My own people, the dark Elves of Kule, became Drow that fateful day, not knowing why their gods had punished them. It is for that reason that so many Dark Elves turned from the Seldarine and became Lolth?s children.

After their Exile below ground, the Drow at first lived as nomads, scavengers, and feral beasts. Seeing at how her recently acquired worshippers were about to become extinct, Lolth intervened. She gave them a unique ?gift?, the ability to see in the dark using heat sources. Eventually their eyes evolved to adjust to the darkness on their own, but they never lost their gift from Lolth. She also taught them how to anoint their children in mystical oils and rare Underdark herbs, to grant them certain protections and benefits that other races did not have. She guided them to band together and create their own civilization, away from the prying eyes of the Seldarine. Their first civilization was Telantiwar, and they built great schools of the fighting and magical arts, where they could teach future generations abilities and techniques that would eventually make them the unrivaled masters of their new domain. Eventually, being Drow, they took to fighting amongst themselves once again. The great cavern of Bhaerynden, where their city was located, caved in during a magical civil war. The various powerful noble houses each scattered in different directions, founding their own cities. Menzoberra, a priestess of Lolth, founded the most famous Drow city, but dozens of other cities were founded throughout the Underdark as well. Each has its own unique culture, but all display their dark Elven heritage in one way or another.

It is interesting to note that when they were first cursed, approximately one out of every hundred or so children born would have pure white skin, with either black or white hair. At first many of these children were killed off, thinking they were malformed. Over time, however, some groups used these unique individuals as spies in the over world. Unfortunately, they still had the Drow?s aversion to sunlight, and were soon found out. In other places, groups of these ?mirror Drow? were kept penned up, and used as either slaves at Lolth?s temples or used for sacrifices to their dark gods. Some managed to escape, and it is rumored they have their own secret enclave somewhere in the Underdark. Although that is hard to imagine as fact, there is a group of pure white evil sea Elves living in the Moonsea that are referred to as ?Sea Drow?. It is doubtful however, that these creatures known as Marels have any connection to the Drow what-so-ever. The albino Drow are now even rarer, with births being closer to the one-in-ten thousand range, and usually don't live to adulthood do to the brutal nature of their Underdark home.

**Ithildur** · 03-03-2007, 04:57 AM

Outlook
Originally, the Dark Elves were simply Elves who held more with the tenets of might than those of justice. If surface Elves could be said to have a ?thirst? for power, then Drow have an addiction. They have always strived to display their superiority to others, even before the Descent (as the events surrounding the curse are formally known). Perhaps this obvious need to prove themselves dates back to the time of Araushnee?s betrayal. After she was labeled Ta?nari, the Dark Elves were left without a Seldarine patron, and perhaps they have held this feeling of inadequacey in their hearts for all these uncounted millenia? Who is to say what drives the Drow to the brink of madness? and at times beyond. They have always been a warlike people. at times fighting each other just as often as outsiders. Although some other Elven clans allowed their women to become warriors, the Illythiri had always held women as physical equals to their men, and when they went to war their women fought right beside them. Competetivness has always been their way, from our earliest records. Even when persuing the goals of Arcane manipulation or devine worship they feel the need to out-perform all those around them. Always they have turned their minds to war, weather through the use of combat magic, or perfecting themselves physically. They are the only Elven race that embraces the use of artificial limbs, seeing them as just another route to ?bettering? themselves. Unlike other Elves, Drow do not look at them as physical imperfections, and are in fact even proud of their battle-scars. A Dark Elf will always strive to get the upper hand, weather that means becoming leader of a house or simply getting a larger portion of food then others. This trait can go from amazing in their aspirations, to downright petty. Conversely, Drow are the most like their ancient ancestors in F?erie in some ways. They enjoy hosting social functions, usually in hopes of winning new supporters and one-upping hated rivals. They use these parties in a clandestine fashion, often forming alliances or arranging trade agreements. Even among their own kind there is little room for love and friendship however; although they value alliances with other family members and acquaintances no Drow truly trust another. They are extremely prideful, much like other Elves, but also have a perverse sense of humor that their surface cousins have lost since leaving F?erie. Practical jokes are commonplace at Drow social events, often times taking a turn toward cruelty. This is just one more example of they are constantly trying to make themselves appear superior. Another is dancing, and revelry; surface Elves would be quite shocked to learn just how much their evil kin enjoy a good party. In Drow society, being an excellent dancer brings much social prestige, and young Drow often put as much effort into this skill as they do the more practical ones. Unfortunately, like the F?eries of old, their gatherings often turn to drunken debauchery. The Dark Elves are not so much as opposites of the surface Elves, but rather a dark and twisted reflection of them.

Drow Characters

To excel at all things is the ultimate goal of every Drow, even the few ?good? ones. There is no greater feeling then to defeat a hated rival. Weather in combat, or merely embarrassing them, this is the one true joy of a dark Elven heart. All Drow feel this way, even though some, like the followers of Eilistraee, try to deny this taint on their soul. Since the Descent, most Drow have chosen to remain hidden beneath Toril?s surface, occasionally raiding for fun and slaves. Recently however, the Drow have begun to extend their influence to the surface in greater numbers. They have started to move into abandoned Elven homelands, and have re-established themselves in places like Calimport (albeit secretly).

With the notable exception of Paladins, Drow excel at any single path they choose to pursue, with fighters, Priests, and Mages being forefront amongst them. Rangers are also well received, with rogues being another; assassination is a favorite pastime among the dark Elves. They rarely follow the path of the bard, but Dark Elven Minstrels are not unheard. Neither are the deep druids, who use their earthen powers for the good of the Underdark. Hand-to-hand fighting is not popular in most cities, but several do have schools dedicated to the Monastic (Monk) arts. Drow do not often multiclass, as their society tends to reward specialization in their strict caste system. Paladins are completely unheard of, but with so many young Drow turning from Lolth?s teachings who knows what tomorrow may bring?

Favored Class
Centuries of tradition and social pressure have resulted in a schism between male and female Drow in regards to their favored class. Do to the favoritism shown females by Lolth?s religion their favorite class is Cleric, whereas the male Drow favor the Elven standard, Wizard.

Prestige Classes
Drow cities almost always have academies dedicated to the Assassins art. Also, most other classes relating to death and torture suit them very well. Blackguards are popular, as are other divine classes such as divine champion, divine disciple, and divine seeker. Any class that enables a Drow to be tied to Lolth only enhances their desire for upward social mobility. Also, the Drow Paragon class is a good option for someone who wants to regain some of the abilities Drow have recently lost.

Drow Society
Strangely, although individual Dark Elves tend to be chaotic, there society is most often controlled by a very strict caste system. In fact, many scholars postulate that the Drow NEED more laws and structure because of their chaotic nature. Without an explicit set of guidelines, and threats to back them up, they probably would have annihilated each other centuries ago. All Drow social systems have at their heart a military basis, with everyone knowing their ?rank? and who they take orders from (and who they can give them to). This is a tradition that dates back to the warlike early Ilythiiri, who prized combat expertise above all else. Most Drow societies are also matriarchal, ruled by the priestesses of Lolth. This is not always the case though, and there are cities that have nearly every form of government including Oligarchies that follow gods other then the Spider Queen. One can find patriarchal societies as well, most often ruled by wizards, and several republics that are ruled by councils, sometimes of men and women! This is why it is so very hard to define a single society among Drow. Some surface communities have even reverted to a tribal level of governance. Whatever system the Underdark Drow use however, its rulers are always selected from a small group of ruling noble (c'rintri) houses. This is a hold-over from the early days as well, with social standing originating from your birth. Once a Dark Elf reaches her adolescent years she will begin to attempt to ?move up? the ladder, as it were. Killing those directly above you in the pecking order is the most common way to rise through the ranks, closely followed by distinguished military service or magical power. However, the power structure shifts daily, with in-fighting amongst all of the ruling houses, and occasionally a minor house is elevated to a position in the top ten overnight. Normally, the top five houses are very stable, and very rarely are there any major changes in them. Normally, the Matron Mother of the first house rules the city, and is also the head of the local temple of Lolth.

Unlike their class structure, Drow cities tend to be highly disorganized affairs, with the most powerful families seizing all of the best territory. The lesser houses divide up what is left, and the commoners and slaves are relegated to the most unsafe zones, usually near the outskirts of the city. Poverty, desperation, and oppression are the rule in a Drow city. There is almost always a huge temple to Lolth located in a centralized location, and also military and magic academies near by. The city itself is usually a tangled chaotic mess of hundreds of architectural styles. Despite the seeming randomness of it all, many of the buildings are works of art as well as function. The estates of the noble houses are prime examples of the Dark Elves appreciation for beauty, with many of the more elaborate features lit by permanent faerie fire spells. Usually, they will keep dangerous creatures nearby as well, like their riding and pack lizards, and even form alliances with creatures such as Beholders and Nagas to live in adjacent caverns. This system builds a living ?wall? of protection around the more inhabited parts of the city. Because of the strife that led Drow to scatter to different parts of the Underdark, coupled with their own back-stabbing tendencies, the Dark Elves find it just as hard if not harder to trust other Drow as they are other races. Part of this is due to them feeling superior to most others (with the notable exception of the Illithids), so they do not recognize non-Drow as a serious threat. Another Drow, however, is always regarded as a threat, even if well below their station. One must remember that their also were other Dark Elves living on Abeir-Toril that had no part in the conflict that cursed them, and the descendents of those cities hold quite a bit of ancient animosity for the Drow that caused the conflict.

**Ithildur** · 03-03-2007, 04:59 AM

Language and Literacy
Most Drow speak Elven, Undercommon, and a language appropriate to their current region. Initially, the Ilythiiri had difficulty communicating with the other races of the Underdark, and most encounters were met with hostility. Eventually, the Drow learned the languages of their new neighbors, and even developed a new one of their own called Drow sign language, which use a series of hand gestures to communicate silently up to 120 feet away. Those with the time and inclination, particularly warriors, learn it along with many other tongues, including Abyssal, Common, Draconic, and Goblin. Also, most Drow learn the languages of the surface cultures above them, as well as how to write in Elven. Today, all Drow speak Undercommon, but each city has it?s own local dialect, and Drow from other cities can usually tell from whence another Drow came.

Drow Magic and Lore
Drow have a natural affinity for levitation magic, and often build their defenses and structures with that in mind. Also, they have developed a special kind of magic called a Spell Web, which they use to enclose and protect their enclaves, houses, and important bases. This magic is related to the surface Elves? Mythals, but is much weaker and smaller in the effective area they may cover. Also, Spell Webs are more aggressively defensive then Mythals, and rarely provide defenders any benefits. Drow nobles, along with other important and influential Drow, often carry House Insignias which contain enchantments which allow them to bypass the Spell Webs defenses. These insignias usually carry further protections as well, and also allow the use of levitation within a Drow household, something normally not allowed to outsiders. The Spell Webs themselves are vast and complicated magical constructs, usually being added to by each successive House Wizard. These amazing arcane weaves link together various forms of detection magic with powerful and destructive consequences. Normally, the ones around places are a simple affair of a few dozen spells woven together, but the Great Houses of a city may have hundreds of inter-locked magics that have been assembled over the centuries. It is this nigh-on impregnable defense that allows for some stability within the upper houses. Also, many unique spells have been developed by the Dark Elves, and many of these unexpected effects are included as well. There is one more thing ? some Drow houses practice an odd form of magic known as psionics that deals with powers of the mind. Thankfully, this is a rather rare talent amongst the Dark Elves, and House Oblodra, one of the most powerful, was destroyed in Menzoberranzan following the Time of Troubles.

Spells and Spellcasting

Drow have an affinity for magical glyphs and runes, which form the basis for many of their Spell Web detective magic. Without the proper house insignia, passing through warded doorways becomes a deadly game of chance. These Glyphs are similar to Glyphs of Warding, except that they do vanish after discharging. Drow Glyphs fall into three categories, which include way-marker runes used in patrol areas, Sacred Glyphs used to protect religious items and places, and House Defense Glyphs which have already been discussed. Normally, Drow clerics who have become runecasters place these glyphs, but they have been known to work with Wizards to create powerful combinations of arcane and divine magic, especially when erected defenses for their houses. Drow also specialize in spells that have a spider theme, thanks to their close relationship to their goddess. Most often one finds common spells that have been altered to suit the Drow, as in the case of Spider Missiles ( a variant of Magic Missiles that simply appears to be glowing spiders flying at their target) or Spider Messenger (Animal Messenger) or the ever-popular Spider Swarm (Summon Swarm). However, there are also many unique spider-themed magics, such as Spiderskin, Spidereyes, and Death Spider.
Drow Magic Items
Drow, perhaps more then any other single race, use and own magical devices in abundance. Even the lowest members of Drow society usually have at least one magic item on them. Drow nobles and other important personages might have as many as a dozen or more, including Drow House Insignias, piwafwis (cloaks of Elvenkind), and Greater piwafwis. In the past, Drow manufactured weapons and other magic items that were greatly enhanced in the presence of faerzress (Underdark radiation). However, in recent years they have come to realize that the drawbacks outweigh the benefits, especially since many Drow now live in areas that are free of the faerzress radiation. These devices were manufactured along the same lines as the ancient Netherese quasimagical items, except that they needed to be within a mile of faerzress rather then a Mythalar to operate. Like other quasimagical devices, they could be created without the need of a magic-user to give up part of his life-force. Some sages believe that the Drow uncovered long-buried secrets of the Netherese, so similar were the two magical processes. Weather true or not, older Drow items not only lose their enchantments when away from the radiation, but are so unstable that they often crumble to dust.

**Ithildur** · 03-03-2007, 04:59 AM

Drow Deities
The Drow worship a pantheon of deities known as the Dark Seldarine, led by Lolth, the Demon Queen of Spiders. It is a rather bitter and unhappy family, resembling their human worshippers in that respect.

Eilistraee ? Also known as ?The Dark maiden?, she is the daughter of Lolth and the only good member of the pantheon. Normally only worshipped by surface Drow, she is a goddess of music and beauty. Her ceremonies always include song and dance, usually under the stars on a moonlit night. Eilistraee encourages her followers to accept others and treat them with kindness, and not to participate in the ruthless power struggles and wars other Drow enjoy.

Ghaunadaur ? Also known as ?The Elder Elemental God?, or ?That Which Lurks?. Aside from Drow, it is the god of slimes, oozes, jellies, etc, not to mention other semi-amorphous creatures such as gibbering mouthers, ghaunadans, and ropers. It is believed that this entity was once a much more powerful being, but in a fit of rage it killed many of it?s worshipers and destroyed the intellect of most of the others. It?s new place in the cosmic scheme of things is as an underling to Lolth, a position which infuriates it further and drives it to cause harm to Lolth?s worshippers. The god?s Drow followers do not number many, because this bizarre alien being forces most of them to sacrifice themselves before middle-age. There is a very small group however, who have managed to obtain the god?s favor and have become Thralls of Ghaunadaur (Use the Thralls of Juiblex class from the BoVD).

Kiaransalee ? This goddess was originally a mortal necromancer who has ascended to become the Drow goddess of vengeance and undeath. It is said that she sacrificed the entire population of her home world of Threnody to achieve godhood, before Araushnee herself fell from Corellon?s grace. She is a petty, vindictive god, and has had very little interest in the Realms in the past. Recently things have changed, and she is looking to gain followers both among humans and the surface Drow.

Lolth ? This powerful goddess has many other names, most common of which is ?The Demon Queen of Spiders?. Among the people of Menzoberranzan she is called Lloth, and in that city every aspect of Drow life revolves around her worship. She is the absolute ruler of her pantheon, as well as the Dark Elves. She was once a lesser power of the Seldarine, and the paramour of Corellon Larethian, but her dark ambitions led to her eventual downfall. Cursed by the Elvish gods, she spent untold millennium rebuilding her power and plotting her revenge. She projects her hatred of the Seldarine to their mortal followers, the surface Elves, and has made her own worshippers into her instrument of vengeance. She considers all non-Lolth worshipping Drow traitors, and has no love for the Orcish race either. Even amongst other dark gods she is alone, having only her Selvatarm stand by her side. She is a bitter deity, forever plotting revenge against the surface world that shuns her.

Selvetarm ? Also known as ?The Champion of Lolth? and the ?Prince of Aranea?, he is the offspring of Vhaeraun and a minor deity called Zandilar the dancer. Alas, the story of Selvetarm is a sad one indeed. Originally appearing as a tall and beautiful dark Elf, he wandered alone and aimlessly in the world for many centuries. He came under the tutelage of Eilistraee, who looked at him as a possible way of redeeming the Dark Elves in the eyes of the Seldarine. She taught him the ways of kindness though her selfless acts, and he was well on the path of becoming a good and noble power in his own right. His grandmother, Lolth, did not approve. Hating her own daughter and fearing what Selvetarm was becoming, she tricked the na?ve young god into absorbing the essence of an Abyssal Lord, Zanassu, and the corrupting influence of the Demon?s dark power change Selvetarm forever. He now appears as a horrific giant spider with a human head, and serves Lolth as her protector, even though he hates her, as do all the Dark Seldarine.

Vhaeraun ? ?The masked Lord?, Drow god of thievery and the furthering of Drow interests in the ?Night Above?, as the surface world is known. Vhaeraun?s followers are typically Dark Elves who have cast off the yoke of Lolth and wish to retake their rightful place in the surface world. They excel at stealth and subterfuge, and often win the day by playing their enemies against one another. Strangely, he hates both his mother Lolth and his sister Eilistraee, the former for her mistreatment of males and the latter he views as a rival for surface Drow?s worship. Although an evil deity, he allows surface Elves to join his ranks, and even encourages his followers to intermarry with other Elven races! His followers hate Lolth worshippers above all, and will side with surface races to hunt them down and kill the ?Spider Kissers?, as they are known to followers of Vhaeraun.

Relations with Other Races
Drow do not play well with others. They fight with most surfaces races, as well as many Underdark types. They tolerate the presence of some creatures, such as Duergar or Slyth, and occasionally work with others such as the Kua-Toa and Illithids. Although they treat the Mind Flayers with grudging respect, they have very low opinions of their other erstwhile allies. The warlike mentality of Dark Elves makes it very hard for them to interact in a peaceful fashion, even and especially with their fellow Drow. Most creatures captured in battle become slaves, including Orcs, goblinoids, Minotaurs, Quaggoth, and just about any other sentient species. Drow slaves from other cities, known as battle-captives, are treated fairly well, but all others are treated so badly that they do not last very long. The slave-trade is a thriving business in Drow cities, because all menial labor is done by slaves. Occasionally, Drow raid the surface for slaves and other valuables, but NEVER take surface Elves captive. The Drow hatred for their surface cousins is so fierce that they attack on sight. They do not try to kill them however, at least not quickly, preferring to bring pain, suffering, and torment on them for as long as possible to satisfy their own sick pleasures.

Drow Equipment
Drow often make use of poisoned weapons, their favorite of which is a powerful knockout toxin they use to capture, rather then kill, other creatures. Drow poison makers keep this substance a well guarded secret, extracting it?s ingredients from rare Underdark flora. They make quite a few other poisons as well, including ones they extract from scorpions, spiders, and other dark denizens of the night Below.

Arms and Armor

Drow prefer to use weapons that take advantage of their speed and reflexes, such as rapiers. They prefer armor made from Mithril, when they can get it, and weapons made from Adamantine for its strength. The hand crossbow is another Drow favorite, and most fighters take these, along with poisoned tipped quarrels, on raids and other missions.

Animals and Pets

As disgusting as it may seem, most Dark Elves keep other sentient races as pets. They will usually pick out one truly unique slave to be their favorite for awhile, even going so far as having the poor creature crawl around behind them on a leash. This slave receives slightly better treatment then most, but it hardly makes up for the utter humiliation that must be felt. Spiders are another favorite, and there are literally hundreds of varieties, from tiny to huge, that Drow love to surround themselves with. Depending on the city, some species have religious significance. In those rare cities where Lolth is out of favor, vipers, reptiles, and even scorpions serve the same positions as elsewhere. Another creature kept by dark Elves are lizards. They have two main types ? the two legged riding lizard and the four legged pack lizard. They are well treated for animals, and both are vicious predators, often making a light snack of a slow-moving slave. Some cities breed their own specific varieties, and its been said that Menzoberranzan has managed to successfully crossbreed the two species, creating a much heavier and more powerful form of riding lizard. These battle lizards, as they are called, combine the best of both creatures, and are capable of walking on two legs and running on all four.

Afterword:

"It is with great regret that I inform you, the reader, of the unforeseen problems surrounding friend Lazarus?s contribution to Queen Amlaruil?s history of the Elvish people. It seems much of his work was considered too controversial to be included, and what you have before you is an edited version approved by the royal library of Leuthilspar. In fact, his treatise on the myths of pre-Faer?nian Elven culture caused quite a stir, and the Queen went so far as to call them ?blasphemous?. Never have I seen her in such a rage; she tore out the offending pages herself and handed them back to the Kulian scholar, and asked that he return to his own world immediately. Although we only spent a few weeks together before his momentous journey into the Night Below I had grown to like him very much, and this sudden change of heart on my Queens part I fear has driven a rift even further between our two peoples. I had entertained hopes of eventual being allowed to peruse the libraries on his homeworld someday, but alas, I feel that is now impossible for several reasons. You see, the Imperial Elven Navy has reported his ship missing, with all hands lost, soon after leaving Abeir-Toril. Although no wreckage was found, I fear the worst for my new friend, and pray to the Seldarine to forgive him his sins and grant him final rest in Arvandor."

**Ithildur** · 03-03-2007, 05:03 AM

Keep in mind a lot of this knowledge will not be commonly available IC unless you're a knowledgable PC, drow, elf, etc, and even ones that know a lot of this, they may not wish to acknowledge it. This is for background/enrichment of RP by Drow and non drow players and plus it's a fairly interesting read.

**GodBeastX** · 03-03-2007, 02:59 PM

Originally posted by Ithildur View Post

Keep in mind a lot of this knowledge will not be commonly available IC unless you're a knowledgable PC, drow, elf, etc, and even ones that know a lot of this, they may not wish to acknowledge it. This is for background/enrichment of RP by Drow and non drow players and plus it's a fairly interesting read.

We'll be getting information out there better to players soon enough.

**Guywise** · 03-03-2007, 07:37 PM

Most people who live along the Sword Coast know of Drizzt Do'Urden, master of the two scimitars. The foolish and ignorant might assume that his style of fighting is the most common style among drow of the Underdark. But drow come from many different cities, worship many different gods, and have just as many varied influences in their lives as humans, surface elves, or dwarves. As such, their fighting styles vary from city to city and from individual to individual. Since most drow cities have a martial academy that all warriors must attend, all drow gain a basic familiarity with many styles of combat, from subtle twists of a blade to disarm a foe to overpowering strikes made to bite deep into enemy flesh. Here's an overview of the most common fighting styles used by the dark elves. Most drow focus on one particular style in their studies, but more experienced fighters often dabble in other styles so that they are more versatile

Bautha Z'hin: The bautha z'hin style, which means "dodge and walk," relies on the natural agility and light armor the dark elves favor. The drow surround their foes and attack foes from all sides, and they use this style particularly against strange monsters with many attacks and a long reach. The style emphasizes dodging blows and high maneuverability, and practitioners of this style often learn the early elements of the orb alur style, bragging that they never are touched in a fight. Warriors of this style are usually paired with those using the z'ress a'thalak style, especially since the latter act as an anchor and the former position themselves to flank the enemy. This style is favored by drow rogues and fighter/rogues, as well as clerics of Eilistraee and Vhaeraun.
Draa Velve: Only a few dark elves in each city practice the draa velve style because the natural ability needed for this style is very rare. The name means "two sword," and it involves an amazing balance of control between the two hands. Followers of this style fight with a weapon in each hand and use one of the weapons to parry as well as attack, which means the parrying weapon also acts much like a shield. Some dark elves without perfect balance in both hands study the basics of this style, hoping to eventually master it through intense training or magic. Drizzt Do'Urden is a master of this style since he has the natural talent and also because he received training by a house weapon master.
Jivvin Golhyrr: Similar in some ways to the kyorlin plynn style, the jivvin golhyrr style is a defensive style that relies on weaknesses in the enemy's performance to cause them to stumble and fall, making them more vulnerable to later attacks and emulating a position of weakness. The name means "amusing trick" and comes from the cruel drow's appreciation for placing another in the humiliating position of a slave or other subservient being. Very skilled drow like to humble their enemies before making the killing stroke, and clerics of Lolth are fond of this style for that reason. Students of the jivvin golhyrr often study the kyorlin plynn, and vice versa.
Kyone Veldrin: All dark elves have the ability to create darkness as a spell-like ability, and while all of them learn how to use it to surprise, annoy, and separate foes, as few of them study the style kyone veldrin, which means "alert in the shadows." Students of this style can pinpoint the location of enemies in the middle of absolute darkness and strike them with amazing accuracy despite their effective blindness. Normally teams of specialists from this style and the luth alur style group together to form special attack teams, with the kyone veldrin fighting within the globes of darkness and the luth alur shooting to death any enemies that leave the darkness.
Kyorlin Plynn: Conservative dark elf fighters and those who either need to capture opponents alive (usually for interrogation) or just enjoy humiliating their opponents use the kyorlin plynn style, which means "watch and take." The style uses defensive tactics and efficient methods of disarming to delay opponents and negate their ability to fight effectively. Many drow fighting groups have at least one kyorlin plynn practitioner on hand to deal with the most powerful member of an enemy team; that drow keeps the tough opponent busy until his allies have dealt with the rest of the enemy forces and can then team up to defeat the difficult opponent. Many priestesses of Lolth learn this style because they like taking captives for torture and sacrifice.
Luth Alur: Dark elves are as frail as surface elves, and some prefer to stay out of immediate danger when there is fighting. The luth alur style, which means "superior shooting," is perfect for them since it allows them to strike down foes with deadly accuracy without ever being in harm's way themselves. This style requires a sharp eye and steady hands. The rare drow that use a conventional bow sometimes even learn to fire more rapidly than normal, but since such a trick is very difficult with the standard dark elf ranged weapon (a hand crossbow) that such feats are rarely seen. Most dark elf war parties have at least two luth alur warriors, and in full-scale wars there are entire squadrons of warriors using this style. These warriors usually attack enemy forces from ambush.
Orb Alur: The orb alur style combines the best elements of bautha z'hin and kyorlin plynn, and it takes a long time to master. Called the "superior spider," the style emphasizes great sweeping maneuvers that allow its practitioners to strike many opponents with minimal effort. Normally they tumble or leap their way into the middle of a group of enemies and (if successful) cut them all down with a single stroke. This has a debilitating effect on enemy morale and often leads to retreats by enemy forces; as such, practitioners of the orb alur are greatly valued by drow noble houses and receive many privileges.
Phindar Streeaka: The phindar streeaka style is not technically a combat style, but it's more of a mindset when entering combat. It means "mindless recklessness," and it is the name that dark elves give to the rare drow berserkers. Because it lacks finesse and exposes the underlying chaos in drow society for all to see, it is an unpopular style. Normally only smaller and more primitive colonies of drow or those who worship the strange dark elf god Ghaunadaur, master of oozes and slimes, use it. The phindar streeaka cannot use abilities that require intellect over brute force, and so many of them use the techniques common in the z'ress a'thalak style, although to say they study that style is a misnomer.
Sargh'elgg: The sargh'elgg style has simple elements but requires extensive training to master. It is used with light weapons or the traditional drow rapier, and it is designed to get the most out of these weapons and the naturally superior dark elf dexterity. The name means "valor in slaying," which is an overly-inflated title created to give some measure of confidence to those whose poor skills leave this as their only choice. Some martially-minded sorcerers and wizards learn the basics of this style, and because Kiaransalee, Lolth, and Vhaeraun all have favored weapons suitable for the sargh'elgg, it is practiced by many clerics as well. This is the most common fighting style used by a typical low-rank drow guard. (Essentially, that's anyone with no more than the standard amount of training given to a dark elf common soldier.)
Ust Sreen: The simple combat style called ust sreen, which means "first danger," emphasizes fast reactions to the appearance of enemies. Because vigilance is a constant state in drow society, this is normally a basic series of lessons taught at drow academies and is usually combined with another style, since fast reflexes aren't terribly useful when not backed up by other skills. Normally at least one drow trained in this style is present in any scouting group and carries a hand crossbow loaded with sleep poison to eliminate one opponent early before the drow's allies can react.
Z'har Thalack: The z'har thalack style, which means "riding war," was developed for the mounted dark elf patrols and deals with the difficulties and opportunities of fighting while mounted. As drow normally ride wall-crawling lizards, special tricks available to those who can maneuver in a three-dimensional manner through the Underdark put the mounted soldiers at an advantage compared to grounded troops. Berg'inyon Baenre, head of the lizard riders of house Baenre, fights with this style, which makes his death lance (a long lance crafted with powerful death magic) even more lethal.
Z'ress A'thalak: The z'ress a'thalak style, which means "force of war," is uncommon among dark elves because few have the physical strength needed to learn all of the necessary maneuvers. Students of this style sacrifice accuracy for power and learn how to cut through the body of a falling foe to strike another enemy, or even shatter enemy weapons with a single blow. Menzoberranzan's Uthegental Del'Armgo, weapon master of house Del'Armgo, was a practitioner of this style. Drow that fight this way normally prefer heavier weapons such as longswords, hammers, and axes to the lighter weapons (such as rapiers) used by most drow. Devout worshipers of Selvetarm (a male drow deity of combat worshipped only in cities that worship Lolth; he is completely overshadowed by the Spider Queen) commonly use this style.

**Grigori** · 03-15-2007, 12:18 AM

Drow Names

The following was taken from this website and edited:
http://www.angelfire.com/rpg2/vortex...drownames.html
These tables were created with dice-rolling in mind, but the definitions are useful for creating that specific drow name needed for roleplay. For the full dice-rolling information, see the website.

Prefixes
Akor/Alak : Beloved, best, first
Alaun/Alton : Lightning, powerful
Aly/Kel : Legendary, singing, song
Ang/Adin : Beast, monstrous, savage
Ardul/Amal : Blessed, divine, godly
Aun/Ant : Crypt, dead, deadly, death
Bae/Bar : Fate, fated, luck, lucky
Bal/Bel : Burned, burning, fire, flame
Belar/Bruh : Arrow, lance, pierced
Briz/Berg : Graceful, fluid, water, wet
Bur/Bhin : Craft, crafty, sly
Chal/Chasz : Earth, stable
Char/Kron : Sick, venom, venomed
Chess/Cal : Noble, lady/lord
Dhaun : Infested, plague
Dil/Dur : Cold, ice, still
Dirz/Div : Dream, dreaming, fantasy
Dris/Riz : Ash, dawn, east, eastern
Eclave/Elk : Chaos, mad, madness
Elvan/Kalan : Elf, elven, far, lost
Elv/Elaug : Drow, mage, power
Erel/Rhyl : Eye, moon, spy
Ethe/Erth : Mithril, resolute
Faer/Selds : Oath, sworn, vow
Felyn/Fil : Pale, thin, weak, white
Filf/Phar : Dwarf, Dwarven, treacherous
Gauss/Orgoll : Dread, fear, feared, vile
G?eld : Friend, spider
Ghaun : Accursed, curse, unlucky
Gin/Din : Berserk, berserker, orc, wild
Grey/Gul : Ghost, pale, unloving
Hael/Hatch : Marked, trail, way
Hal/Sol : Deft, nimble, spider
Houn/Rik : Magic, trail, way
Iliv/Dip : Liege, war, warrior
Ilm : Life, living, spirit, soul
Illiam/Im : Devoted, heart, love
In/Sorn : Enchanted, spell
Ilph : Emerald, green, lush, tree
Irae/Ilzt : Arcane, mystic, wizard
Irr/Izz : Hidden, mask, masked
Iym/Ist : Endless, immortal
Jhan/Duag : Shield, warded
Jhael/Gel : Ambitious, clan, kin, family
Jhul/Jar : Charmed, rune, symbol
Jys/Driz : Hard, steel, unyielding
Lael/Llt : Iron, west, western
Lar/Les : Binding, bound, law, lawful
LiNeeer/Mourn : Legend, legendary, mythical
Lird/Ryld : Brand, branded, owned, slave
Lua}Lyme : Bright, crystal, light
Mal/Malag : Mystery, secret
May/Mas : Beautiful, beauty, silver
Micar : Lost, poison, widow
Min/Ran : Lesser, minor, second
Mol/Go : Blue, storm, thunder, wind
Myr/Nym : Lost, skeleton, skull
Nath/Mer : Doom, doomed, fate
Ned/Nad : Cunning, genius, mind, thought
Nhil/Nal : Fear, horrible, horror, outraged
Neer : Core, root, strong
Null/Nil : Sad, tear, weeping
Olor/Omar : Skin, tattoo, tattooed
Pellan/Relon : North, platinum, wind
Phaer/Vorn : Honour, honoured
Phyr/Phyx : Bless, blessed, blessing
Qualn/Quil : Mighty, ocean, sea
Quar : Aged, eternal, time
Quav/Quev : Charmed, docile, friend
Qil/Quil : Foe, goblin, slave
Rauv/Welv : Cave, rock, stone
Ril/Ryl : Foretold, omen
Sabal/Szor : Amber, yellow
Sab/Tsab : Abyss, empty, void
Shi`n/Kren : Fool, foolish, young
Shri/Ssz : Silk, silent
Shur/Shar : Dagger, edge, stiletto
Shynt : Invisible, skilled, unseen
Sin/Szin : Festival, joy, pleasure
Ssap/That : Blue, midnight, night
Susp/Spir : Learned, skilled, wise
Talab/Tluth : Burn, burning, fire
Tal/Tar : Love, pain, wound, wounded
Triel/Taz : Bat, winged
T?riss/Teb : Blade, sharp, sword
Ulviir/Uhls : Gold, golden, treasure
Umrae/Hurz : Faith, faithful, true
Vas/Vesz : Blood, body, flesh
Vic : Abyss, deep, profound
Vier/Va l : Black, dark, darkness
Vlon/Wod : Bold, hero, heroic
Waer/Wehl : Deep, hidden, south, southern
Wuyon/Wruz : Humble, third, trivial
Xull/Url : Blooded, crimson, ruby
Xun : Demon, fiend, fiendish
Yas/Yaz : Riddle, spinning, thread, web
Zar/Zakn : Dusk, haunted, shadow
Zebey/Zek : Dragon, lithe, rage, wyrm
Zes/Zez : Ancient, elder, respected
Zilv/Vuz : Forgotten, old, unknown

Suffixes
-a}-agh : Breaker, destruction, end, omega
-ace/-as : Savant, scholar, wizard
-ae/-aun : Dance, dancer, life, player
-aere/-d : Blood, blood of, heir
-afae/-afein : Bane, executioner, slayer
-afay/-aufein : Eyes, eyes of, seeress}seer
-ala/-launim : Healer, priestess}priest
-anna/-erin : Advisor, counsellor to
-arra/-atar : Queen}prince, queen of}prince of
-aste : Bearer, keeper, slaver
-avin/-aonar : Guardian, guard, shield
-ayne/-al : Lunatic, maniac, manic, rage
-baste/-gloth : Path, walker
-breena/-antar : Matriarch}patriarch, ruler
-bryn/-lyn : Agent, assassin, killer
-cice/-roos : Born of, Child, young
-cyrl/-axle : Ally, companion, friend
-da/-daer : Illusionist, trickster
-dia/-drin : Rogue, stealer
-diira/-diirn : Initiate, sister}brother
-dra/-zar : Lover, match, mate
-driira/-driirn : Mother}father, teacher
-dril/-dorl : Knight, sword, warrior
-e : Servant, slave, vassal
-eari/-erd : Giver, god, patron
-eyl : Archer, arrow, flight, flyer
-ffyn/-fein : Minstrel, singer, song
-fryn : Champion, victor, weapon, weapon of
-iara/-ica : Baron, duke, lady}lord
-ice/-eth : Obsession, taker, taken
-idil/-imar : Alpha, beginning, creator of, maker
-iira/-inid : Harbinger, herald
-inidia : Secret, wall, warder
-inil/-in : Lady}lord, rider, steed
-intra : Envoy, messenger, prophet
-isstra/-atlab : Acolyte, apprentice, student
-ithra/-irahc : Dragon, serpent, wyrm
-jra/-gos : Beast, biter, stinger
-jss : Scout, stalker
-kacha/-kah : Beauty, hair, style
-kiira/-raen : Apostle, disciple
-lay/-dyn : Flight, flyer, wing, wings
-lara/-aghar : Cynic, death, end, victim
-lin : Arm, armour, commander
-lochar : Messenger, spider
-mice/-myr : Bone, bones, necromancer, witch
-mur?ss : Shadow, spy, witness
-na/-nar : Adept, ghost, spirit
-nilee/-olil : Corpse, disease, ravager
-niss/-nozz : Chance, gambler, game
-nitra/-net : Kicker, returned, risen
-nolu : Art, artist, expert, treasure
-olin : Ascension, love, lover, lust
-onia}-onim : Rod, staff, token, wand
-oyss}-omph : Binder, judge, law, prison
-qualyn : Ally, caller, kin
-quarra}-net : Horde, host, legion
-quiri}-oj : Aura, cloak, hide, skin
-ra}-or : Fool, game, prey, quarry
-rae}-rar: Secret, seeker, quest
-raema}-orvir: Crafter, fist, hand
-raena}-olvir: Center, haven, home
-riia}-rak: Chaos, storm, tempest
-ril: Bandit, enemy, raider, outlaw
-riina}-ree: Enchanter, mage, spellcaster
-ryna}-oyn : Follower, hired, mercenary
-ryne}-ryn : Blooded, elder, experienced
-shalee}-ral : Abjurer, gaze, watch, watcher
-ssysn}-rysn : Artifact, sorcerer, spell
-stin}-trin : Clan, house, merchant, of the house
-stra}-tran : Spider, spinner, weaver
-tana}-ton : Darkness, lurker, prowler
-thara}-tar : Glyph, marker, rune
-thrae/-olg : Charmer, leader, seducer
-tree/-tel : Exile, loner, outcast, pariah
-tyrr : Dagger, poison, poisoner, scorpion
-ual/-dan : Speed, strider
-ue/-dor : Arm, artisan, fingers
-uit/-dar : Breath, voice, word
-une/-dinn : Diviner, fate, future, oracle
-uque : Cavern, digger, mole, tunnel
-urra/-dax : Nomad, renegade, wanderer
-va/-ven : Comrade, honour, honoured
-vayas : Forge, forger, hammer, smith
-vyll : Punishment, scourge, whip, zealot
-vrae/-vyr : Mistress/master, overseer
-wae/-hrae : Heir, inheritor, princess
-wiira/-hriir : Seneschal of steward
-wyss/-hrys : Best, creator, starter
-xae/-zaer : Orb, rank, ruler, sceptre
-xena/-zen : Cutter, gem, jewel, jeweller
-xyra/-zyr : Sage, teller
-yl: Drow, woman/man
-ylene/-yln : Handmaiden/squire, maiden/youth
-ymma/-inyon : Drider, feet, foot, runner
-ynda/-yrd : Captain, custodian, marshal, ranger
-ynrae/-yraen : Heretic, reel, riot, void
-vrae: Architect, founder, mason
-yrr : Protector, rival, wielder
-zyne/-zt : Finder, hunter

House Name Prefixes
Alean : The noble line of
Ale : Traders in
Arab : Daughters of
Arken : Mages of
Auvry : Blood of the
Baen : Blessed by
Barri : Spawn of
Cladd : Warriors from
Desp : Victors of
De : Champions of
Do? : Walkers in
Eils : Lands of
Everh : The cavern of
Fre : Friends to
Gode : Clan of
Helvi : Those above
Hla : Seers of
Hun : The sisterhood of
Ken : Sworn to
Kil : People of
Mae : Raiders from
Mel : Mothers of
My : Honoured of
Noqu : Sacred to
Orly : Guild of
Ouss : Heirs to
Rilyn : House of
Teken' : Delvers in
Tor : Mistresses of
Zau : Children of

House Name Suffixes
-afin : The web
-ana : The night
-ani : The widow
-ar : Poison
-arn : Fire
-ate : The way
-ath : The dragons
-duis : The whip
-ervs : The depths
-ep : The Underdark
-ett : Magic
-ghym : The forgotten ways
-iryn : History
-lyl : The blade
-mtor : The abyss
-ndar : Black hearts
-neld : The arcane
-rae : Fell powers
-rahel : The gods
-rret : The void
-sek : Adamantite
-th : Challenges
-tlar : Mysteries
-t?tar : Victory
-tyl : The pits
-und : The spider?s kiss
-urden : The darkness
-val : Silken weaver
-virr : Dominance
-zynge : The ruins

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