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Drow

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The Drow are a minor[2] spacefaring race in the Spelljammer campaign setting.[8][1][3][9][10]

"Where the drow go, death quickly follows."
- Ancient elven proverb[11]

Overview[]

Drow are dark hearted elves who abandoned the surface of their respective homeworlds ages ago and took to inhabiting a subterranean world of dark caverns and winding tunnels hidden far beneath the earth.[10] Contrary to conventional belief, the drow do have a presence in wildspace, and have been sighted with increasing frequency over the past few decades. The drow (or void elves as they refer to themselves) are organized into independent confederations known as "nations" - groups of varying size based around a single matriarchal clan.

Each spacefaring drow nation typically has its own goals and agenda, and while these sometimes align, more often they are completely independent of each other, and even occasionally work at cross purposes. Most nations have fairly limited goals: to set up an isolated outpost in a small crystal sphere or to grow in size and power until their fleet dominates local space. The only commonality between nations is the near universal desire to destroy the Elven Imperial Fleet and to spread the influence of their goddess Lolth throughout wildspace.[1][12]

Description[]

Drow have black skin and pale, usually white hair, and seldom reach more than 5 feet in height. Male drow can weigh between 80 to 100 pounds, while female drow can weigh as much as 95 to 120 pounds. Drow have finely chiseled features, and their fingers and toes are long and delicate. Drow typically wear black, functional clothing that may feature unique properties without being enchanted. For example, drow-made boots and cloaks exhibit the same abilities as cloaks and boots of elvenkind. The material used to make these cloaks does not cut easily and is resistant to fire. Drow-made clothing can only be worn by those who are the same size and physique as an elf. Drow speak their own dialect of elven, as well as Common and Undercommon. They may also learn Gnomish and the various dialects spoken by their elven cousins. Drow also use a silent language composed of both signed hand motions and body language.[10]

Personality[]

Spacefaring drow are philosophically and psychologically quite different from their groundling cousins. Rather than considering themselves a hunted race that must survive and prosper through stealth, and then only against overwhelming odds, void elves believe they have a destiny towards which they are inexorably moving. However, each nation has a different view of this destiny.[1]

Combat[]

The Drow live in a world of perpetual violence and conflict, and are constantly alert and ready to fight. Drow wear finely crafted, non-encumbering, black mesh armour made from an incredibly strong alloy of steel and adamantite. When worked by drow craftsman, this material results in mail armour that exhibits all the properties of enchanted chain mail, though it does not radiate any magic. Dark elves may also carry small shields or bucklers made of adamantite.

Most drow carry a long dagger and a short sword made from this adamantite alloy, while some may also be armed with hand-crossbows that fire a bolt coated in a poison which renders the victim unconscious. A few drow prefer to carry an adamantite mace instead of a blade, while others prefer to carry light javelins coated with the same sedative as the crossbow bolts.

Drow are incredibly stealthy and can see in the dark up to 120 feet. They have the same intuitive sense about their subterranean world as dwarves do, and their vision is as keen as that of their surface-dwelling cousins. All dark elves receive instruction in magic and have access to a small selection of spells, including dancing lights, faerie fire, and darkness. Experienced drow can also use levitate, know alignment and detect magic, while those who have received some religious training can also cast detect lie, clairvoyance, suggestion and dispel magic. Drow are highly resistant to magic, possibly as a result of their constant exposure to magic in their society.

Dark elves have one significant weakness - bright light. Because they have lived for so long in a world of perpetual darkness, they are incapable of enduring bright light of any kind. Drow within natural sunlight, as well as the effects of light or continual light spells are severely hampered in their ability to function effectively, be it casting magic or fighting. Because of the serious negative effects of strong light, drow are likely to flee an area of bright light, unless they are in battle. Light sources such as torches or lanterns have no effect on drow.[10]

Unfortunately, this extreme sensitivity to light has hampered their ability to operate in wildspace. At first the drow overcame this problem by fitting opaque crystal domes over the exposed decks and weapon emplacements on their ships. However, once they had established a presence in space, they were approached by the arcane, who offered to supply them with specially modified vessels, such as a damselfly with wings which could be operated from within,[13] as well as a supply of tinted glassteel which is translucent when viewed from one side and opaque when viewed from the other. The arcane also supply the drow with helmets of light-seeing which allow them to operate on a ship's open deck without being adversely affected by bright light.[2]

Society[]

At one time the dark elves were part of the elven race that roamed the world's forests. However, when they turned to the tenets of evil, they were driven deep underground, into the depths of the earth, to live within the bleak lightless caverns and the winding tunnels of the underworld. The drow may have become one of the dominant races beneath the earth, but they still resent the elves and fae who drove them away, and scheme constantly against those who live above ground in the light of day.

Groundling drow typically live in magnificent cities deep in the subterranean world that few humans or elves ever see. They construct their buildings entirely out of stone and minerals, carved into weird and fantastic shapes. Those few surface dwellers who have seen a dark elf city (and lived to tell the tale) describe it as the stuff that nightmares are made off. Drow society is fragmented into opposing noble houses and merchant families, all scrambling for power. All drow carry brooches inscribed with the symbol of the noble house or merchant group they are aligned with, though most choose to hide these insignia and do not display them often. The drow believe that the strong should rule the week: their rigid class system and hierarchy is predicated on this idea.

Most drow worship the dark goddess Lolth, and her priestesses dominate drow society. Because most drow priests are female, women tend to occupy all positions of importance. Most male drow are fighters and go through rigorous from when they are young. Those drow who fail the frequent tests are slain at the conclusion of their training. Drow frequently employ bugbears and troglodytes as servants, and keep slaves of all types, including past allies that have not lived up to expectations.[10]

Ecology[]

The drow craft unusual weapons, armour and clothing with quasi-magical abilities. Some sages speculate that these unusual effects are the result of the strange radiations that surrounds most subterranean drow cities, also known as faerzress. Others suggest it is the fine craftsmanship and superior materials that give drow-crafted items their unique attributes. Whatever the case, the drow have discovered a way of imbuing clothing and weapons with special abilities without using magic.

However, direct sunlight completely destroys drow-crafted clothing, armor and weapons. When such an item is exposed to the light of a sun, it begins to decay irrevocably. Within 2 to 12 days the item begins to rot and loses its abilities, becoming completely useless. If a drow-crafted item is protected from direct sunlight, and exposed to the radiations of the subterranean world the drow inhabit, it will retain its abilities indefinitely.[10]

Because the slightest ray of sunlight may destroy their equipment, most spacefaring drow do not use drow-crafted items. However, certain drow nations possess items or relics that produce (within a limited radius) the radiation necessary to rejuvenate drow-crafted items. In addition, the arcane have developed a variant of the deadbox, known as a darkbox, which preserves the quasi-magical abilities of drow-crafted equipment stored within.[2]

Elrohar[]

The Elrohar are a spacefaring race of albino elves descended from the drow and native to Pirtelspace.[12] It's likely that the Elrohar are the same group known as Frost elves, a race of cold-resistant drow native to the planet Century in Pirtelspace.[5]

Notable Drow[]

  • Aunrae Dalael is the matriarch of the spacefaring Black Widow Nation in Realmspace.[14]
  • Chessintra Luen is a drow priestess and first officer of the man-o-war Sunless Scather.[15]
  • Darkeyes Dalael-Afinstre is the half-drow daughter of Aunrae Dalael and third officer of the man-o-war Sunless Scather.[16]
  • Dostrealt is a blind mage who was cursed and abandoned on the flitter Erevan's Clutch.[17]
  • Drisinil Dalael is a younger daughter of Aunrae Dalael and helmsman and commander of the damselfly Elamshin.[18]
  • Larth Darkcloud is the commander of a small Drow task force from the Nation of Eternal Twilight.[19]
  • Lililth Darkmane is the Empress-Priestess of the Drow nation on Kule in Greyspace.[20]
  • Prrind Rrostarr is a junior officer and helmsman on the man-o-war Sunless Scather.[16]
  • Selene Darkcloud is the helmsman of a wasp under the command of her brother Larth, commander of a task force from the Nation of Eternal Twilight.[19]
  • Szordrin Filifar is the Drow commander of the asteroid base Oloth Kulggen located in Pirtel.[21]
  • Tanthalyn Rrostarr is the current consort of Aunrae Dalael and captain of the man-o-war Sunless Scather.[22]
  • Tathis Spiderheart is a member of the Council of Priests of the Drow nation on Kule in Greyspace.[23]
  • Teela Darkcloud is the matriarch of the spacefaring Nation of Eternal Twilight.[8]
  • Xerolan'th is the Speaker for the Council of Advisors of the Drow nation on Kule in Greyspace.[24]

Signature Spelljammers[]

Each spacefaring drow nation operates a small fleet of captured or salvaged ships, many of which are of elven design and have been refitted and heavily modified. The fleet's flag-ship is typically an archaic monarch armada[25] or man-o-war.[26] A drow fleet may also include vessels of other configurations, usually acquired through piracy, including mosquitoes, flitters, wasps[19] and damselflies.[13] However, certain drow nations have begun constructing their own unique designs, including the jade spider attack craft[27] and the great jade spider command ships.[28]

Appendix[]

External Links[]

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Nigel D. Findley, SJA2 Skull & Crossbows, 1990, (TSR Inc.), Drow in Space section, page 34
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Steve Kurtz, "An Artist's Errand", Dungeon Magazine issue 45, January/February 1994, (TSR Inc.), Dark Elves in Space section, page 11
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Nigel D. Findley, SJR6 Greyspace, 1992, (TSR Inc.), Kule chapter, pages 12-16
  4. ↑ J. Paul LaFountain, SJA3 Crystal Spheres, 1990, (TSR Inc.), chapter 3: Mratzal Drow section, Races of Armon, page 21
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Steve Kurtz, "The Sea of Sorrow", Dungeon Magazine issue 36, July/August 1992, (TSR Inc.), Century section, page 47
  6. ↑ Andy Collins, "Spelljammer: Shadow of a Spider Moon", Polyhedron Magazine issue 151, May 2002, (Wizards of the Coast Inc.), The Spider Moon: Reminder of a Dark Past section, chapter 4: Setting, pages 58-59
  7. ↑ Nigel D. Findley, SJR4 Practical Planetology, 1992, (TSR Inc.), Guide to the Groundlings section, pages 8-9
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Nigel D. Findley, SJA2 Skull & Crossbows, 1990, (TSR Inc.), Drow in Space section, pages 34-42
  9. ↑ Steve Kurtz, "An Artist's Errand", Dungeon Magazine issue 45, January/February 1994, (TSR Inc.), pages 8-31
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 Tim Beach et al, Monstrous Manual, 1993, (TSR Inc.), Elf, Drow entry, pages 112-113
  11. ↑ Steve Kurtz, "An Artist's Errand", Dungeon Magazine issue 45, January/February 1994, (TSR Inc.), page 10
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Steve Kurtz, "An Artist's Errand", Dungeon Magazine issue 45, January/February 1994, (TSR Inc.), Dark Elves in Space section, pages 11-12
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Steve Kurtz, "An Artist's Errand", Dungeon Magazine issue 45, January/February 1994, (TSR Inc.), pages 16-17
  14. ↑ Steve Kurtz, "An Artist's Errand", Dungeon Magazine issue 45, January/February 1994, (TSR Inc.), The Black Widow Nation, page 12
  15. ↑ Steve Kurtz, "An Artist's Errand", Dungeon Magazine issue 45, January/February 1994, (TSR Inc.), pages 25-26
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Steve Kurtz, "An Artist's Errand", Dungeon Magazine issue 45, January/February 1994, (TSR Inc.), page 25
  17. ↑ Dale "Slade" Henson, SJR2 Realmspace, 1991, (TSR Inc.), Scenario 8, Adventure Ideas chapter, pages 67-68
  18. ↑ Steve Kurtz, "An Artist's Errand", Dungeon Magazine issue 45, January/February 1994, (TSR Inc.), page 17
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Nigel D. Findley, SJA2 Skull & Crossbows, 1990, (TSR Inc.), Void Elves section, pages 32-34
  20. ↑ Nigel D. Findley, SJR6 Greyspace, 1992, (TSR Inc.), Important NPCs section, Kule chapter, pages 14-15
  21. ↑ Steve Kurtz, "An Artist's Errand", Dungeon Magazine issue 45, January/February 1994, (TSR Inc.), page 21
  22. ↑ Steve Kurtz, "An Artist's Errand", Dungeon Magazine issue 45, January/February 1994, (TSR Inc.), page 26
  23. ↑ Nigel D. Findley, SJR6 Greyspace, 1992, (TSR Inc.), Important NPCs section, Kule chapter, page 16
  24. ↑ Nigel D. Findley, SJR6 Greyspace, 1992, (TSR Inc.), Important NPCs section, Kule chapter, pages 15-16
  25. ↑ Nigel D. Findley, SJA2 Skull & Crossbows, 1990, (TSR Inc.), Monarch Armada, pages 35-41
  26. ↑ Steve Kurtz, "An Artist's Errand", Dungeon Magazine issue 45, January/February 1994, (TSR Inc.), pages 25-30
  27. ↑ Dale "Slade" Henson, War Captain's Companion, Ship Recognition Manual, 1992, (TSR Inc.), Ships of the Spelljammer Universe, page 28
  28. ↑ Dale "Slade" Henson, War Captain's Companion, Ship Recognition Manual, 1992, (TSR Inc.), Ships of the Spelljammer Universe, page 29
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