| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Herkles |
Posted - 28 Jul 2007 : 00:27:30
I have been wondering about some of the rituals that the drow preform. I can only seem to find information about the bloodling and the graduation ceromany. now I am wondering is there info on some of the other types of rituals that the drow preform? if anyone came up with some ideas for rituals for some campaigns they had, I would like to hear them as well.
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| 21 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 24 Feb 2017 : 05:01:11
quote:
Originally posted by TBeholder
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
If it didn't involve harming a spider, I'd suggest that spider ichor could be forcibly ingested by a drow about to be turned into a spider.
They could use ground up dried exoskeletons. Which with their choice of pets got to be abundant, because spiders molt a lot.
That works, but thematically, I think spider ichor or venom would be more appropriate. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 24 Feb 2017 : 03:19:14
Not exactly proper drow, but I recall Ed stating that driders utilise the blood they take from victims in certain rituals. |
| TBeholder |
Posted - 24 Feb 2017 : 00:02:39
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
If it didn't involve harming a spider, I'd suggest that spider ichor could be forcibly ingested by a drow about to be turned into a spider.
They could use ground up dried exoskeletons. Which with their choice of pets got to be abundant, because spiders molt a lot. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 23 Feb 2017 : 20:43:07
If it didn't involve harming a spider, I'd suggest that spider ichor could be forcibly ingested by a drow about to be turned into a spider. |
| sleyvas |
Posted - 23 Feb 2017 : 20:10:14
Hmmmmm..... now you got me wondering if some cultures might use the blood of other creatures almost like a spice.... bleeding a genasi for instance and adding its blood into something you want spicy.... bleeding a winter wolf and adding its blood into something you want cold... |
| Cards77 |
Posted - 23 Feb 2017 : 20:03:29
Thank you that's what I thought. I could think of several instances where it was used but not consumed. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 23 Feb 2017 : 03:52:40
quote:
Originally posted by Cards77
Is there any evidence of Drow drinking blood in any ritual?
I think Ed's Drow of the Underdark stated something about drow worshippers of Ghaunadaur utilising blood in their rituals after just being freshly drawn from a victim. Though it didn't specifically state whether it was ingested or simply used in another way as part of the ritual, as I recall. |
| Kentinal |
Posted - 22 Feb 2017 : 19:15:14
quote:
Originally posted by Cards77
Is there any evidence of Drow drinking blood in any ritual?
I have never heard or read of Blood drinking. Now cut a heart out of a living person, yes. Even with that - they did not eat the heart.
I can not recall Drow eating or drinking anything intelligent. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 22 Feb 2017 : 18:22:03
quote:
Originally posted by Cards77
Is there any evidence of Drow drinking blood in any ritual?
None that I'm familiar with, though I'm far from an expert on things drow -- I try to avoid the topic, actually.
That said, this is a bunch that will sacrifice their own children. If there was some advantage to be gained, I could readily see them including blood drinking in a ritual. |
| Cards77 |
Posted - 22 Feb 2017 : 17:27:56
Is there any evidence of Drow drinking blood in any ritual? |
| Ergdusch |
Posted - 03 Aug 2007 : 23:38:11
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
It's fine Ergdusch. You've noted both the sourcebook's title and page references for the text you've quoted, so you're following the guidelines established for quoting content from FR sources as outlined in "Section B.3" of the Candlekeep Code of Conduct.
So long as you keep within those guidelines, you should be okay. 
Oh, great I remembered correctly! I have not become that old in the time of my forum absense, it seems. Thank thou for thou kind and reasuring words, oh Sage of Sages! 
Ergdusch |
| The Sage |
Posted - 03 Aug 2007 : 14:31:29
It's fine Ergdusch. You've noted both the sourcebook's title and page references for the text you've quoted, so you're following the guidelines established for quoting content from FR sources as outlined in "Section B.3" of the Candlekeep Code of Conduct.
So long as you keep within those guidelines, you should be okay.
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| Ergdusch |
Posted - 03 Aug 2007 : 11:01:39
_____________________________________________________________________
Note to the Moderators:
It's been a while since I have benn active here at Candlekkep, so I forgot the exact rules for quoting books (concerning the copyrights). so if there is anything inconsitend with the forum and copyright rules (which I have scanned briefly but was unable to find anything about this) I appologies.
_____________________________________________________________________
This is the part about rituals in the 2nd. Ed. Sourcebook The Drow of the Underdark, p. 37-38:
(In brackets [] additional info added by myself).
"Rituals:
Rituals to Lolth are customarily practiced in female-only company, in a sacred room or area. Rituals requiring extraordinary power or a public display may be celebrated in the open, and in mixed company.
Lolth requires homage - submission in prayer, plus offerings -regularly from her priestesses.
When Lolth's aid is required, sacrifices must be made. These sacrifices are traditionally faithful drow and/or captured foes, killed with a spider-shaped knife whose eight descending legs are blades (2d6 hp damage). In other cases, gems or other precious objects may be burned in braziers, as prayers of offering are chanted. The most powerful rituals to Lolth defy detailed description, and are seldom seen by non-drow.
Lolth enters the Prime Material Plane only when it pleases her to do so. Otherwise, Lolth's servant yochlol (fully detailed elsewhere in this sourcebook) [for a 3.x version see Monsters of Faerun, p. 34] are reached by means of ritual.
Such contact rituals require the use of a brazier of burning oils, coals or incense - burned in a vessel fashioned of a valuable black material (such as onyx, obsidian, or a golden bowl whose interior is studded with black pearls). The flames provide material which the magic transforms into an interplanar gate temporarily linking a certain layer of the Abyss with the Prime Material Plane. Through this link, the yochlol appear, using flame material to fashion semblances of themselves.
If called with sufficient force, a yochlol can emerge fully from its gate. Lolth usually orders her handmaidens to remain in the Prime Material Plane only so long as the flames that brought them remain - the dying of the summoning flame then allows a yochlol the safety of being sucked instantly back to the Abyss.
Yochlol who are summoned can keep the gate that brought them open while they communicate with Lolth and others in the Abyss. (Such communication demands their full attention, causing their Prime Material forms to go momentarily "blankfaced" and unhearing.)
They can also send one creature of the Abyss into the Prime Material Plane, loose of all control and against the wishes of the summoner. This act causes the destruction of the gate and the disappearance of the yochlol. Such 'sendings' are usually myrlochar (monsters of the Abyss, described in this book) [for a 3.x version see Monsters of Faerun, p. 66].
In large, important rituals, priestesses of Lolth customarily use eight braziers, to provide additional flame material and in homage to Lolth (the flames represent her eight legs)."
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| Herkles |
Posted - 02 Aug 2007 : 23:14:34
thanks drakul, that was helpful. do you have any more? |
| Drakul |
Posted - 01 Aug 2007 : 15:50:50
I found some in one of my books:
From Encyclopedia Arcane Drow Magic:
Bolstering and Weakening (DC 30+)
Magical ceremonies which enhance or reduce the
physical, mental or spiritual attributes of living
things, objects or concepts are considered to be using
bolstering or weakening effects. For example, the
black ceremony war, which increases the savagery
and combat prowess of an entire city-state’s worth of
drow warriors by leaching strength from their enemies,
is both a bolstering and weakening effect. Likewise,
a ceremony which weakens the concept of sunlight
so that it is no longer harmful to drow is a weakening
effect. The base DC of a bolstering or weakening effect
varies, as outlined below:
Raise or Lower Attributes: DC 30 + 3x the total
number of attribute points raised or lowered. +2 for
each attribute raised after the first.
Hardness: DC 30 + 3x the total number of hardness
points raised or lowered.
Crop Production: DC 45.
Concept bolstering or weakening: DC 30 – 60. This
effect can be used to halve the destructive potential of
fire, or to increase the darkness of midnight by twofold,
for example.
The bolstering and weakening effect is perhaps the
most open ended of all ceremonial magic effects.
What constitutes the bolstering of a god in battle
with another god and what exactly happens when the
black ceremony boundless sorrow weakens the will of
the surface elves is a matter of interpretation. When
determining the results of such open to interpretation
effects, the Games Master has final say, though he is of
course encouraged to take the player’s intentions into
consideration when making his decision as to what the
ceremony can accomplish.
Unless modified by a target element (see below) a
bolstering or weakening effect can only affect one
target – under no circumstances can a single bolstering
or weakening effect target more than a single concept.
Games Masters, particularly those who have especially
devious players in their group, are cautioned to be very
careful when allowing the creation of rituals which
bolster or weaken concepts and may wish to designate
that option as for the Games Master only (or at the least,
should directly create the ritual for the player).
Death, Destruction, Resurrection and
Reconstruction (DC 50 – 110)
This effect category includes not only the obvious result
of killing a living being or destroying a mountain, but
the killing of vegetation and even the destruction
of concepts like love, hate or passion. The more
spectacular the death or destruction, the higher DC;
the DC to kill a single elf hero, no matter his personal
power, is 50, while the DC to destroy an entire mountain
is 75 and the DC to annihilate the elven reverence for
the forest is 110. The DC to resurrect or reconstitute
beings, objects or concepts are the same as the DC
required to destroy them.
Unless modified by a target element (see below) a death,
destruction, resurrection or reconstruction effect can
only affect one target – under no circumstances can
a single death or destruction effect target more than
a single concept. Games Masters, particularly those
who have especially devious players in their group,
are cautioned to be very careful when allowing the
creation of rituals which destroy concepts and may
wish to designate that option as for the Games Master
only (or at the least, should directly create the ritual
for the player).
Unless otherwise noted, destruction and death effects
are permanent and irrevocable. A living being slain by
a magical ceremony cannot be raised or resurrected by
anything less than direct divine intervention or the use
of a major artefact of legendary power.
Summoning and Dismissal (DC 30 – 120)
This effect category covers not only the summoning
and dismissal of objects and living, and once living
beings, but the summoning or banishment of events and
concepts as well. So a summoning ceremony might
be used to call up the spirits of the dead, or it might be
used to draw in rain to end a crippling drought or even
cause luck to appear where there is none. The base DC
of the check depends on the strength and abstractness
of the being, object, concept or event to be summoned;
the DC to summon a particular demon lord is 50, the
DC to summon rain to relieve a short term drought
is 30 (40 – 50 to relieve a century long drought) and
the DC to directly summon a god’s avatar is 120. A
dismissed concept is not destroyed, merely removed
from the affected being or area for the duration of the
effect.
Unless modified by a target element (see below) a
summoning or dismissal effect can only affect one
target – under no circumstances can a single summoning
or dismissal effect target more than a single concept.
Games Masters, particularly those who have especially
devious players in their group, are cautioned to be very
careful when allowing the creation of rituals which
summon or dismiss concepts and may wish to designate
that option as for the Games Master only (or at the least,
should directly create the ritual for the player).
Transformation (DC 40 – 100)
This effect category covers evolution, devolution, shape
changing and transformations of all sorts, of the body,
of the mind and intangible spirit. A transformation
effect can change a desert into a tropical rainforest,
utterly transform a drow warrior into a pit fiend or
twist the concept of loyalty so completely as to make
it unrecognisable. The more spectacular and involved
the transformation, the higher the DC. For example,
the base DC of the black ceremony corruption,
which utterly transforms the mind, soul and body of
a surface elf into that of a drow is 50, while the base
DC to transform a desert into rainforest would be 75
and the DC to twist the concept of love to match the
concept of hate would be 100. Unless modified by a
target element (see below) a transformation effect can
only affect one target. Under no circumstances can a
single transformation effect target more than a single
concept. Games Masters, particularly those who have
especially devious players in their group, are cautioned
to be very careful when allowing the creation of rituals
which utterly transform concepts and may wish to
designate that option as for the Games Master only
(or at the least, should directly create the ritual for
the player). Transformation effects are sometimes
coupled with bolstering or weakening effects; while
a drow transformed via a magical ceremony into a pit
fiend automatically gains all the pit fiends powers and
weaknesses, a bolstering effect can make him even
more powerful.
Once the effect, or effects, of the magical ceremony
are chosen and the base DCs assessed by the Games
True Names and Ceremonial Magic
Astute readers will note that there is some similarity of concept between the possible effects of ceremonial magic
and the magic of true names (presented and fully detailed in Mongoose Publishing’s Quintessential Sorcerer),
particularly in the fact that both forms of magic can be used to seize control of, and transform, the very nature
of universal concepts.
Those with access to both books will find that combining ceremonial magic and the magic of true names will
create a more rewarding gaming experience, as it will add a more mythic, legendary and fantastical feel to your
campaigns. Here are a few sample ways to integrate the two systems. Use one, all or none as you see fit.
True Names as a Required Component
In order to affect any changes with ceremonial magic, true names must be invoked. Thus, in order to slay a
dragon (or all dragons) with ceremonial magic, the dragon’s true name must be known (when attempting to slay
all dragons, not only must the true name of every dragon be known, but the true name of dragons as an entity
must be known as well). Or, when attempting to awaken righteous fury with the black ceremony of war, the
dark weaver must know the true name of both betrayal and war. If the true name is not known, the ceremony
can be performed, but it will have no effect. Treat the true name(s) as a required ingredient which does not alter
the base DC of the ceremony.
Should you wish, you might instead rule that only certain types of effects require knowledge of a true name. So
while, for example, the true name of blood is not required to perform the black ceremony bloodletting, the true
name of love is required if you wish to pervert it with the black ceremony desecration.
True Names as a DC Reducer
It is not necessary to know a true name to perform any sort of ceremony, but knowledge of the appropriate true
name will make it easier to do so. Knowing the appropriate true name(s) reduces the base DC of the ceremony
by 20-50, though this reduction can never reduce the base DC below its minimum.
True Names as a Counter to Ceremonial Magic
Using this option, true names can be used to hinder, or even directly counter the effects of ceremonial magic,
making them a weapon or shield of sorts. For example, while an especially sadistic and extraordinarily powerful
dark weaver might successfully complete the black ceremony black sunrise, plunging the world into eternal night,
heroic adventures with knowledge of the true names of both sunrise and hope might, with the aid of a wish or a
god or two, reverse the effects of the ceremony. When using this option, be cautioned that providing too easy an
access to true names will make it exceptionally difficult to successfully implement permanent changes through
the use of ceremonial magic. |
| Zanan |
Posted - 28 Jul 2007 : 16:39:03
Look no further than Demihuman Deities. ;) |
| Herkles |
Posted - 28 Jul 2007 : 14:10:53
quote:
Originally posted by Drakul
I believe the Quintessential Drow by Mongoose Publishing has some rituals contained within. If you like, I can scour my Drow books on my external and copy down any ritual I find. You cool with that??
*nods* I am cool with that if you could do that. That is the type of info I am looking for.
thanks for all the help so far, people. |
| Drakul |
Posted - 28 Jul 2007 : 13:20:25
I believe the Quintessential Drow by Mongoose Publishing has some rituals contained within. If you like, I can scour my Drow books on my external and copy down any ritual I find. You cool with that?? |
| Ergdusch |
Posted - 28 Jul 2007 : 13:02:57
You might want to check on the following sourcebooks for more information:
2nd. Ed. Drow of the Underdark, esp. p. 37-38 for Rituals in general.
3.5 Underdark Sourcebook, p. 29 for a special ritual for the PrC of the Arachnomancer.
Other than that, IIRC, there are special rituals for the creation of driders (and for tose undead that Drizzt Do'URdens father was transformed inm, but I cannot remember its name anymore...)
thats all I can think of right now.
Ergdusch |
| Kentinal |
Posted - 28 Jul 2007 : 00:57:42
Live sacifices often the Lolth Priestess use an eight bladed tool, IIRC. This of course applies to any captive placed on the alter. It is pergerable to sac sentinal beings. |
| KnightErrantJR |
Posted - 28 Jul 2007 : 00:29:08
Well, Lolth requires some of her priestesses to ritually kill their male lovers if they get too attached to them, in order to prove their devotion. |
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