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Erdrick Stormedge
Learned Scribe
132 Posts |
 Posted - 23 Dec 2010 : 17:01:56
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When in Menzoberranzan!
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Originally posted by Therise
quote:
Originally posted by Erdrick Stormedge
Ho ho! I catch your meaning, but nae!
Drow females secrete a particular humour which causes their ebon skin to be far softer than that of males. Having bedded many drow of both genders (usually in polymorphed form), and also having dissected nearly as many, I can assure you that the females are indeed softer!
The life of toil that the men of Menzoberranzan endure also harden their skins, as well!
Now, as to the my familiarity with the drowish lash, I have certainly been flogged by many drow, and flogged quite a few myself, but this was all in love-play.
This is really disturbing. In about five different ways.
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Erdrick Stormedge
Learned Scribe
132 Posts |
Posted - 23 Dec 2010 : 17:05:06
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I was once served illithid brain, sauteed in witchweed and mushrooms...
Too die for!
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Originally posted by Arik
Maybe he ran into some mind-flayers while he was down in Menzo ... 
Or maybe those "drow secretions" were some sort of hallucinogenic neurotoxin, that makes sense to me.
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Lady Fellshot
Senior Scribe
USA
379 Posts |
Posted - 23 Dec 2010 : 21:33:06
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I am quite sure we can guess what kind of mushrooms you had.  |
Rants and reviews that interest no one may be found here. |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
8041 Posts |
Posted - 23 Dec 2010 : 21:57:29
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(Interesting rants, LF)
But back to drow society ...
Aside from dragons, drow have perhaps the longest lifespan of any race in D&D, exceeding the lifespans of even other elven flavours. Does drow society offer any special recognition or treatment for their elders? Or are drow elders expected to fare for themselves (and likely get themselves killed on a bad day) as would any other drow adult? Other elven races are noted for treating their elders with immense respect as these have accumulated vast wisdom and provide important continuity with elven things from centuries past.
I assume that not every elf nor every drow is going to master advanced magic and fighting skills, nor develop levels in any "class" career - the vast majority are simply "0-level" normals who have nothing exceptional to offer their society beyond their charming good looks, mundane job skills, bonds of friendship (and enmity), and incredibly long lifetimes of experience. |
[/Ayrik] |
Edited by - Ayrik on 23 Dec 2010 22:06:59 |
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Lady Fellshot
Senior Scribe
USA
379 Posts |
Posted - 23 Dec 2010 : 22:26:55
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I seem to recall something about elderly drow being expected to fend for themselves at the upper levels of society. At that point, they probably have created a saftey net for themselves that would cause untold amounts of personal ruin for the drow who have to support them. Something about old age and treachery winning out over youth and vigor... until someone decides it's worth the risk to try assassinating them.
For the lower classes, I think that as long as the elder had some value to his or her offspring, they would not get chucked out. Maybe there are details about their craft that the elder has hinted at but not disclosed to their offspring or a really lucrative trade contact that is only willing to deal with the elder and no one else.
In any case, while the whole of drow society might be characterized as self "serving opportunistic bastards," I think that the more rampant familial murder-for-status occurs mostly among the upper classes. It just isn't profitable for the lower classes to do the same on a large scale. |
Rants and reviews that interest no one may be found here. |
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Therise
Master of Realmslore
1272 Posts |
Posted - 23 Dec 2010 : 22:31:21
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quote:
Originally posted by Arik
(Interesting rants, LF)
But back to drow society ...
Aside from dragons, drow have perhaps the longest lifespan of any race in D&D, exceeding the lifespans of even other elven flavours. Does drow society offer any special recognition or treatment for their elders?
Envy, maybe? Surviving until old age in drow society likely means you have power or status.
quote:
Or are drow elders expected to fare for themselves (and likely get themselves killed on a bad day) as would any other drow adult?
This is true, I think.
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Other elven races are noted for treating their elders with immense respect as these have accumulated vast wisdom and provide important continuity with elven things from centuries past.
Definitely, although the good-aligned elves are way more likely to care for the weak and infirm.
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I assume that not every elf nor every drow is going to master advanced magic and fighting skills, nor develop levels in any "class" career - the vast majority are simply "0-level" normals who have nothing exceptional to offer their society beyond their charming good looks, mundane job skills, bonds of friendship (and enmity), and incredibly long lifetimes of experience.
Master craftsmen, builders, chefs, artists... those would all get respect of a sort, in the form of envy - or having highly desirable products or skills to be bought. I don't think caring and compassion play into it at all for the drow.
One of the most defining moments I've read, and I can't remember if it was a Drizzt or a Liriel novel, was a point at which Lolth found out about a female's actual love and caring for a sibling (or if it wasn't Lolth, then it was an older priestess who found out).
Anyway, Lolth or the older priestess required the sacrifice of young sibling by the elder female sibling's hand (i.e. kill your brother to show you love Lolth more than a family member), just to teach an object lesson in emotion. It wasn't considered out of the norm by the other female priestesses, either.
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Female, 40-year DM of a homebrew-evolved 1E Realms, including a few added tidbits of 2E and 3E lore; played originally in AD&D, then in Rolemaster. Be a DM for your kids and grandkids, gaming is excellent for families! |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
8041 Posts |
Posted - 23 Dec 2010 : 22:52:47
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Sounds familiar ... and Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son ... of course Lolth wouldn't offer a ram conveniently caught in the nearby thicket to serve in the stead of the sacrifice; she would probably be angered if the sacrifice was botched through the incompetence of love.
I agree, drow can't all be heartless bastards if the race is to survive - treachery and murder aimed at close kin is probably only a privilege practiced by aggressively ambitious nobility, clergy, leaders, etc. The vast majority of drow are probably quite affectionate, even steadfastly loyal, to their close friends and family (at least in private, where such weakness cannot be as readily exploited by enemies). |
[/Ayrik] |
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Lady Fellshot
Senior Scribe
USA
379 Posts |
Posted - 23 Dec 2010 : 23:51:58
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They don't need "nice" reasons to be civil in the middle to lower classes either. It would hurt their profits if they acted exactly as the priestesses do. It would also seem to foster the more ambivalent pragmatic views that the few middle/low class drow in the books seem to exhibit (the few times we see them anyway).
Actually, I don't seem to recall much about middle to lower class drow social interactions in any of the sourcebooks. It does seem like they would use a very unregulated form of capitalism economically though, which would make sense given the nature of the theocracy involved. |
Rants and reviews that interest no one may be found here. |
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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader
USA
3750 Posts |
Posted - 24 Dec 2010 : 02:02:48
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Arik, regarding drow society in general- don't forget that most drow are pragmatic more than anything, and do not consider such altruistic emotions like love and loyalty or even affection or friendship when it comes to familial or peer relationships. A good case in point- Ryld and Phaeraun in Dissolution were "good friends", yet Phaeraun abandoned Ryld after the two were captured and later managed to escape, leaving him behind to face their captors while he got clean away, all of this while a major up-rising among the slaves was going on. He did later come back for him- and least, that was his pretext, though he returned for his gear as much as for Ryld- and the friendship between the two was never the same. Because they both knew from the beginning that it would last only until it was convenient for one of them to turn on or abandon the other, and Ryld would have done the same thing if given half a chance. Incidentally, he was a common-born, while Phaeraun was noble, and the only reason they were friends to begin with was because both were Masters in the Academy (Phaeraun was in Scorcere, Ryld was in Melee;Magthere).
When it comes to affection, Fellfire is absolutely right. They show it on occasion, mostly to favored "playmates" or siblings (like Quarlynd and his sister Hallistra), but it is almost always with the knowledge that that same object of affection might need to be discarded at any time, so they generally DON'T get too attached even to lovers or family members. Even Vierna's affection for Drizzt only lasted until her mother Malice (and by extension, Lolth) wanted him dead.
Also, as a note on drow aging- they do not as a rule live longer than other elves- in fact, most don't live much beyond their fifth century, and that's if they're lucky. Baenre was an exception, being over 2000, but generally (it has been stated in canon) they live about as long as Moon elves. |
The Goddess is alive, and magic is afoot.
"Where Science ends, Magic begins" -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491
"You idiots! You've captured their STUNT doubles!" -Spaceballs
Lothir's character background/stats: http://forum.candlekeep.com/pop_profile.asp?mode=display&id=5469
My stories:
http://z3.invisionfree.com/Mickeys_Comic_Tavern/index.php?showforum=188
Lothir, courtesy of Sylinde (Deviant Art)/Luaxena (Chosen of Eilistraee)
http://sylinde.deviantart.com/#/d2z6e4u |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
8041 Posts |
Posted - 24 Dec 2010 : 02:23:34
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I was mistaken about drow natural lifespan: 1E max is 1399 years, 2E max is 525 years, shorter than all other elven subraces in both editions - oops. 
I suppose I'd need to read more drow fiction to get a better grasp of their culture. Your explanations make drow seem more callous and indifferent toward the fate of their kin than even orcs, gnolls, and goblinoids. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader
USA
3750 Posts |
Posted - 24 Dec 2010 : 02:29:29
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| Bingo! Family is a "relative" term for them. Also, as an interesting side-note: they have over a dozen words dealing with killing and/or death, but only one for love. The word normally used to refer to "love" is actually their word for lust or pleasure. (ssinssrig= lust/pleasure; chev= love) If you're interested in their view on family and friendships, Homeland, Dissolution, and Daughter of the Drow are the three best sources of lore. |
The Goddess is alive, and magic is afoot.
"Where Science ends, Magic begins" -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491
"You idiots! You've captured their STUNT doubles!" -Spaceballs
Lothir's character background/stats: http://forum.candlekeep.com/pop_profile.asp?mode=display&id=5469
My stories:
http://z3.invisionfree.com/Mickeys_Comic_Tavern/index.php?showforum=188
Lothir, courtesy of Sylinde (Deviant Art)/Luaxena (Chosen of Eilistraee)
http://sylinde.deviantart.com/#/d2z6e4u |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
8041 Posts |
Posted - 24 Dec 2010 : 02:53:18
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lol, Homeland is a lot of sustained exposure to Drizzt in full-emo mode, more than I think I can endure re-reading - ever. I'll look at the other novels, though I'll admit I don't like the drow fanfic enough to hack through the War of the Spider Queen double trilogy. Daughter of the Drow looks hopeful, since Elaine never disappoints.
I think I'll generally stick with tanar'ri, shades, liches, illithids, and (my favourite) the gith races - my kind of people, more pleasing to me than the icky drow. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader
USA
3750 Posts |
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Hooch9
Acolyte
USA
20 Posts |
Posted - 24 Dec 2010 : 08:36:01
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Drow society is indeed one of extremes. While it seems to be portrayed as this balls to the wall cutthroat group of people, no one society can operate in an extreme 100%. Even if they truly are this pure evil group with no ethics, they apparently see the value of an organized society. While treachery is in the blood of some drow, no civilization survives an indefinite civil war.
It almost sounds like a system of checks and balances like in America. The difference of course is instead of voting, insurrection seems to be the way of politics for the drow.
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Sheriff: Oh one other thing Earlie. Your boy needs to be in school.
Earlie Cuyler: School? Ain't dat da damn place where they got all dem uhh lets see, whatcha call um uhh? Fold outs covered in scriblins wrote up all over.
Earlie Cuyler: uhh? Books?
Earlie Cuyler: uh-uh, uh-uh, No they square like a magazine.
Sheriff: Books Earlie.
Earlie Cuyler: Noo not not that, but something like that, I wanna say boooooo...
"Don't you start with me. I have hobbies. I collect autographs. I don't Judge you for all those books you read!"
-Both of those quotes are from Squidbillies. |
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Zireael
Master of Realmslore
Poland
1190 Posts |
Posted - 24 Dec 2010 : 09:23:16
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I was wondering, how do the drow (and other underground races) keep the time? The only thing ever referenced in lore was Narbondel in Menzo...
If I don't get a definite answer I'll head off to ask Ed and Elaine, but I wouldn't like to cause too much clutter in their scrolls.
Zi |
SiNafay Vrinn, the daughter of Lloth, from Ched Nasad!
http://zireael07.wordpress.com/ |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
8041 Posts |
Posted - 24 Dec 2010 : 09:55:31
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| Assassination is the ultimate no-confidence vote. Assuming some means of resurrection isn't possible ... a possibility which could offer Lolth's priestesses much greater political power and influence. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Sill Alias
Senior Scribe
Kazakhstan
588 Posts |
Posted - 24 Dec 2010 : 10:10:52
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| And I believe it is controlled resurrection. Moreover, no drow helps the defeated one. |
You can hear many tales from many mouths. The most difficult is to know which of them are not lies. - Sill Alias
"May your harp be unstrung, your dreams die and all your songs be unsung." - curse of the harper, The Code of the Harpers 2 ed.
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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader
USA
3750 Posts |
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Drow Society
