| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Berkthgar |
Posted - 27 Dec 2013 : 22:23:34
What would have happened.
I know Tos'un Armgo married Sinnafai and had kids. But a human and a drow? Has that ever been done before?
Would they're lives be nothing but racism? |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Barastir |
Posted - 21 Mar 2014 : 10:35:29
quote:
Originally posted by Chosen of Asmodeus
I can't imagine half-drow are terribly uncommon in drow cities. Human females kept as slaves probably serve one primary function and I don't imagine drow wasting the magic that the priestesses use to control their own pregnancies on slaves.
Maybe this could be true in drow cities were Lolth is not so strong, or males are not so oppressed. But I can see drows seeing half-breeds as a nuisance, and interrupting pregnancies by "gentler" (giving the slaves some kind of concoction) and not-so-gentle ways. |
| Eilserus |
Posted - 20 Mar 2014 : 15:15:18
Half-drow in drow society would most likely have it terrible, at least in Lolth ruled communities. Most of them would probably be killed outright, sacrificed, or lead very short lives in whatever city slums that are available. Of course there could be exceptions, but by and large it would be bad for them. |
| Eltheron |
Posted - 20 Mar 2014 : 14:53:18
quote:
Originally posted by Chosen of Asmodeus
I can't imagine half-drow are terribly uncommon in drow cities. Human females kept as slaves probably serve one primary function and I don't imagine drow wasting the magic that the priestesses use to control their own pregnancies on slaves.
Hm, this doesn't strike me as very likely, really.
Drow males on a surface raid might be tempted to torture captured females and possibly impregnate them. But in cities, drow males are rather controlled and seen as property of their house or as playthings for noble females.
In a city, tormenting a slave and impregnating them would probably be extremely rare. If a matron or noble female found out about the male's activities, they'd likely stop it. Not because of the poor slave, but because they wouldn't want their males to get ideas about having sexual power over any female - slave or not. Additionally, pregnancy in a slave would slow down their work. I'd bet that a male drow would be punished for getting a female slave pregnant.
Whippings, beatings, even outright killings of slaves would all be "part of the system" of control and ultimately ordered and expected by the priestesses and female nobles. But I just don't see drow males getting any "kick" out of having sex with slaves. If they're really in need of a sexual outlet, a drow male would much more likely visit a pleasure house where they could take advantage of a lower class drow female (or male, depending on their personal proclivities).
I do think you're right about drow females not wanting to bother with half-drow pregnancies. Even if they might have a taste for "taming" a captured powerful surfacer, a female drow in an ordinary drow city wouldn't carry a half-drow baby to term. At least not by choice. Wouldn't make sense for her house or the personal difficulties it would cause.
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| Barastir |
Posted - 20 Mar 2014 : 14:26:33
Actually, the 1e reference says they are half-drow, and the 2e reference says they are a mix of half-moon and half-drow. Tianna herself would have either human, elven and drow blood. |
| TBeholder |
Posted - 20 Mar 2014 : 14:04:01
quote:
Originally posted by Chosen of Asmodeus
I can't imagine half-drow are terribly uncommon in drow cities. Human females kept as slaves probably serve one primary function and I don't imagine drow wasting the magic that the priestesses use to control their own pregnancies on slaves.
Did you just go with "generic e-e-evil" list or assume that the Drow are like Protestants with all their typical hangups and immaturity (like complete lack of self-control to the point when being hysterical sometimes is considered a virtue)? 
While the Drow did start to a degree as a parody on some branches of these, they have far too many serious concerns and hangups of their own.
Let's take a look. For one, the habitable area and vital resources are limited, thus there's popultion pressure. So much that constant raids or similar activities may be seen as necessary - simply to weed out the unfit, which makes any sense strategically only if the productive, but less fit part of population would not be "better than nothing", because scarce resources are too valuable for upkeeping it. Take this and competitiveness, and it's obvious that a drow with any power can't afford to waste limited resources on useless luxuries or, in the same vein, decrease the performance of anyone working for her. Again, remember that the whole setup is Macchiavellian at best and "spiders in a jar" at worst. Everyone must work for improvement of the House/Clan/Company, and for those who neither do nor run away (where?) - "beatings will continue until morale improves". Slaves get the same, only worse: have to row hard and get thrown to the sharks when they can't anymore.
For that matter, the job of overseeing slaves is likely to be very low in the pecking order - why rate it more than a notch above driving pack lizards?
Also, the Drow are very haughty, which means normally they set the aim above "lesser beings" in choice of bed-warmers (think how civilized humans may look at typical orcs), and even in enjoying their power over someone.
So, actually this doesn't look all that common.
quote:
Originally posted by Barastir
There are also half-drow leaded by a kind of bandit queen in the Dire Wood section of the High Forest, both in 1e and 2e. I'm not sure she was cited afterwards. Her name is Tianna Skyflower.
Including some half-drow (there are Vhaerunite settlements the next door, IIRC), but mostly half- moon elves. Looks like pretty much the same case as earlier in Dambrath, just didn't have a chance to entrench properly.  |
| Barastir |
Posted - 20 Mar 2014 : 10:25:59
There are also half-drow leaded by a kind of bandit queen in the Dire Wood section of the High Forest, both in 1e and 2e. I'm not sure she was cited afterwards. Her name is Tianna Skyflower.
And welcome back, Zireael. 
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| Zireael |
Posted - 20 Mar 2014 : 08:32:21
quote:
Originally posted by Chosen of Asmodeus
I can't imagine half-drow are terribly uncommon in drow cities. Human females kept as slaves probably serve one primary function and I don't imagine drow wasting the magic that the priestesses use to control their own pregnancies on slaves.
Good point.
As for Drizzt & Cattie, I think I have stats for their kid floating somewhere... |
| Chosen of Asmodeus |
Posted - 31 Dec 2013 : 03:53:54
I can't imagine half-drow are terribly uncommon in drow cities. Human females kept as slaves probably serve one primary function and I don't imagine drow wasting the magic that the priestesses use to control their own pregnancies on slaves. |
| Veritas |
Posted - 31 Dec 2013 : 01:52:39
I just wonder if they'll have the Do'Urden name or walk away as Battlehammers. My money is on the dwarf's daughter. They should probably be dark-skinned half elves and strongly favor the father but I imagine that if it was ever written, they'd probably favor the mother. Subjecting the kids to perpetual racism wouldn't be reading that sells well. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 31 Dec 2013 : 00:30:18
quote:
Originally posted by Zealot
Half surface elf blood? The Crinti were half drow and half human. The nation of Dambrath was notorious for persecuting surface elves.
There was a significant amount of half-elven blood in the original mix.
quote:
Intermarriage between Cathyr's followers and drow was common, and today almost all of Dambrath's Crinti (a drow word meaning "noble ones") share a distinctive set of characteristics that blend the drow, half-elf (mostly of moon elf stock), and human barbarian. The Crinti tend to be tall and strong, with dark gray skin, hair of light gray or silver, and blue eyes. No full-blooded elves live in Dambrath, but the degree of elf blood is a major determinant of social class. Physical appearance is also important: pointed ears and dark skin are accepted signs of nobility, and half-elves who are human in appearance are afforded a lesser status. There are a few fair-skinned half-elves, and the females usually attempt to pass as descendents of Cathyr, whatever their actual lineage might be.
You can Google "history of the crinti" and see the article on WotC's site (it is, inexplicably, on an https page), or you can read it on the main Candlekeep site: History of the Crinti |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 30 Dec 2013 : 23:18:22
I recall an albino half-drow who (aside from extreme light sensitivity) was generally accepted as a a generic half-elf.
This scroll compels me to ask: would a normal half-elf (moon, gold, etc) with a dark-skinned human parent (from Chult or wherever) be mistaken as half-drow?
Can elves of every type instantly and unmistakenly sense accursed drow blood in those they meet, or must they rely on case-by-case judgement? |
| Zealot |
Posted - 30 Dec 2013 : 16:46:17
Half surface elf blood? The Crinti were half drow and half human. The nation of Dambrath was notorious for persecuting surface elves. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 29 Dec 2013 : 00:46:38
quote:
Originally posted by The Arcanamach
Ye gods how did I forget about DAMBRATH!? A nation run by half-drow female priests of Loviatar!
Yeah, but those half-drow also had some half- surface elf blood in them too. So, it is forgivable the oversight. |
| Berkthgar |
Posted - 28 Dec 2013 : 21:58:47
Yea in the 1400's , it seems drow have become quite prominent in the north. especially in luskan, jarlaxle even has his own tavern haha. |
| Thauranil |
Posted - 28 Dec 2013 : 12:37:19
It could have worked out. After all both of their parents are justly famous and Drizzt has managed to earn the respect of most people in the Silver Marches. |
| Fellfire |
Posted - 28 Dec 2013 : 11:30:38
Neveren Darkdance was also half-drow though it didn't really show in his descendent Myrin apart from dusky skin. |
| The Arcanamach |
Posted - 28 Dec 2013 : 10:10:46
Ye gods how did I forget about DAMBRATH!? A nation run by half-drow female priests of Loviatar! |
| TBeholder |
Posted - 28 Dec 2013 : 00:59:02
Also, Ravenaar "for some strange reason" tend to be only peery and not act like complete Clueless. They had a handful open or superficially disguised drow, and when found out that some locals worked with followers of Eilistraee and merchants from down there for years, the surprise was but mildly unsettling, and not for everyone at that.
And then there's Dambrath.  |
| The Arcanamach |
Posted - 27 Dec 2013 : 23:23:59
There's also a half-drow in the Menzo (2e) boxed set in the adventure book. I forget his name but he is a surface merchant procuring products for the city. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 27 Dec 2013 : 22:51:17
The offspring likely would have had to deal with a lot of racism.
But yes, it has been done before. Lord of Waterdeep and Blackstaff Kyriani Agrivar was a half-drow, though due to her unique circumstances, she looked like a regular half-elf (until they did artwork of her in 3E, at least).
Shindia Darkeyes, first mentioned in FR1 Waterdeep & The North (as a councilor to the original Xanathar), was also a half-drow. |
