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Originally posted by Zanan

On a sidenote, in the Pathfinder setting drow society has a similar outlook as in D&D, but less dominated by just one faith. Furthermore, there are so called Fighter Societies (remember those of Ust-Natha in BG II?) and once a drow joins up, s/he can forfeit membership of his/her House and become a member of the society instead, which, much like the French Foreign Legion (Legion Etrangere (sp?) makes sure that no harm comes to the "renegade". (That's how I read it.) These Fighter Society work much like mercenary troops.

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Originally posted by Zanan

On a sidenote, in the Pathfinder setting drow society has a similar outlook as in D&D, but less dominated by just one faith. Furthermore, there are so called Fighter Societies (remember those of Ust-Natha in BG II?) and once a drow joins up, s/he can forfeit membership of his/her House and become a member of the society instead, which, much like the French Foreign Legion (Legion Etrangere (sp?) makes sure that no harm comes to the "renegade". (That's how I read it.) These Fighter Society work much like mercenary troops.

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Originally posted by Ozzalum

GDQ?

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Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

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Originally posted by Zanan

On a sidenote, in the Pathfinder setting drow society has a similar outlook as in D&D, but less dominated by just one faith. Furthermore, there are so called Fighter Societies (remember those of Ust-Natha in BG II?) and once a drow joins up, s/he can forfeit membership of his/her House and become a member of the society instead, which, much like the French Foreign Legion (Legion Etrangere (sp?) makes sure that no harm comes to the "renegade". (That's how I read it.) These Fighter Society work much like mercenary troops.

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Those are both cool ideas.

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Originally posted by Herkles

What of cosairs and similar navel fighting for the drow? I was reading about towns in paizo's Into the darkland book, and it mentioned about a drow town that was an underground port town and home for assassins, and cosairs and the like. I know there are a few Underground seas and the like in FR, I am wondering about them.

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Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

Having boats and needing water does not mean that there is enough shipping going on to make piracy profitable.

For one thing, rival groups have to have access to the body of water in question, and the ships being attacked have to have weak enough defenses for the attacker to overwhelm.

There could certainly be intra-city rivalries, but if shipping that supports the entire community is threatened, then the entire community is going to respond.

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Originally posted by Ranak

I disagree piracy is also about raiding of ports and control over waters. The Drow would make fierce night-pirates. I could see them sailing under a new moon in total darkness on unsuspecting surface ships. All they would require is a portal from an Underdark body of water to the surface and back.

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Originally posted by Ozzalum

I know there has already been some discussion of female followers of Vhaeraun but I assume stealthy rogue types are not necessarily the most devout of people to begin with. How does a female come to be a thief or assassin in Drow society? A thief seems likely to come from low society, poor commoners as opposed to nobles or those of the merchant class. I could see a scrawny female quickly learning how to move through life unnoticed.

If any society should be able to support dedicated assassins, it woudl be the Drow. Is it generally frowned upon to depend on another to do your dirty work or is hiring a killer considered fair game?

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Originally posted by Ozzalum

I agree with your take on assassins. They would be better used for strategic missions as opposed to purely personal vendettas/promotion.

So where does someone learn the assassin's trade? Obviously, they all learn how to kill each other, to one extent or another, but actually gaining assassin level, where would that happen? Did you work up a backstory for your NPC, Wooly?

Thanks for explaining the GDQ reference.

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Originally posted by Ozzalum

I've noted, from my admittedly somewhat limited reading, that most all of the named Drow fighters are male? Drizzt takes on a few females here and there but it seems whenever a really tough fighter is being described, it's always a guy.

First off, is that a true characterization of things or have I misread?

Secondly, if that's the case, why? Females are bigger and stronger than males, and they can't all be priestesses, can they?

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Originally posted by Kiaransalyn

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Originally posted by Ozzalum

I've noted, from my admittedly somewhat limited reading, that most all of the named Drow fighters are male? Drizzt takes on a few females here and there but it seems whenever a really tough fighter is being described, it's always a guy.

First off, is that a true characterization of things or have I misread?

Secondly, if that's the case, why? Females are bigger and stronger than males, and they can't all be priestesses, can they?

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It's to do with class and status. There isn't much status (station) associated with being a fighter, whereas there is great status associated with being a cleric. Given that clerics have fairly good martial skills too there is little need to specialise as a fighter.

Given that drow selectively breed, and that those children that do not make the grade are killed off, there are even less females becoming fighters.

And then there is the cultural expectations that males are either fighters or wizards, serving their matrons, whose daughters, like them, are clerics.

There are exceptions, Matron Mez'Barris being a good example but even then she is a fighter/cleric.

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Originally posted by Ranak

I am truly puzzled - what do you mean by selective breeding?

Drow are mostly chaotic and Lolth is the epitome of chaotic. Wouldn't it be more likely that they went for a survival of the fittest approach to procreation?

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Originally posted by Kiaransalyn

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Originally posted by Ranak

I am truly puzzled - what do you mean by selective breeding?

Drow are mostly chaotic and Lolth is the epitome of chaotic. Wouldn't it be more likely that they went for a survival of the fittest approach to procreation?

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Survival of the fittest is natural selection, and therefore chaotic, but in a few of the source-books (and since it's mid-night for me I'll asleep soon and not finding the exact reference but I seem to recall as such) it says drow selectively breed. For example, a female will have sex with a strong fighter if she wants strong fighters for sons, or a clever wizard if she wants clever wizards for sons.

Edit: Obviously, ideally she wants daughters. It's worth noting that killing of rivals and weak offspring is selective breeding since the gene pool is being reduced.

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