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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
8066 Posts |
 Posted - 19 Feb 2011 : 21:40:22
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| Good idea. Markus. I was trying to provide examples which demonstrate fine applications of infravision; every single item has a different "colour" in infravision (when exposed to heat), just as it does in the visual spectrum (when exposed to light). There's really no need for specially prepared papers and inks, though drow can probably make such materials for spellbooks and artful illustration. |
[/Ayrik] |
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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader
USA
3750 Posts |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 21 Feb 2011 : 23:02:35
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quote:
Originally posted by Arik
I doubt drow eyes naturally glow; light sensors made from lit tissue would be very inefficient, assuming the sensor and glow spectra overlap. Of course, magics (like wizard sight) can make their eyes glow for a time.
They do have reflective eyeshine, as do cats and many other animals, mentioned frequently through various novels. This is not at all the same thing as having invisible beam emitters in their eyes.
RAS's drow definitely have been described as having telltale glowing red eyes. In The Legacy, those red eyes were the only thing that could be seen in the pitch black of some of Mithral Hall's lower tunnels.
How about this: Instead of IR beam emitters in their eyes, what if they had red laser beam emitters? Now, now, I know that initially sounds cheesy and clichéd. But think about it: their eyes could indeed be emitting red visible light, in highly concentrated form, and yet their infra-rods and infra-cones would actually be sensing IR radiation from objects in their surroundings.
As I understand it, most of the energy that gets to Earth from the sun is VL--not heat. The heat that we feel on the surface is the result of all that VL radiation being absorbed by objects on the surface, converted into IR radiation, and then being re-radiated back out into the atmosphere.
A laser works in a similar manner, in that it concentrates light into a narrow beam, strikes an object, and then the object absorbs some of the laser radiation, and then the concentrated VL is converted into IR, or heat.
This would allow drow eyes to have the glowing red eye effect, and avoid the problems from overlapping spectra, which you mentioned, Arik. |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36996 Posts |
Posted - 21 Feb 2011 : 23:19:37
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quote:
Originally posted by BEAST
quote:
Originally posted by Arik
I doubt drow eyes naturally glow; light sensors made from lit tissue would be very inefficient, assuming the sensor and glow spectra overlap. Of course, magics (like wizard sight) can make their eyes glow for a time.
They do have reflective eyeshine, as do cats and many other animals, mentioned frequently through various novels. This is not at all the same thing as having invisible beam emitters in their eyes.
RAS's drow definitely have been described as having telltale glowing red eyes. In The Legacy, those red eyes were the only thing that could be seen in the pitch black of some of Mithral Hall's lower tunnels.
How about this: Instead of IR beam emitters in their eyes, what if they had red laser beam emitters? Now, now, I know that initially sounds cheesy and clichéd. But think about it: their eyes could indeed be emitting red visible light, in highly concentrated form, and yet their infra-rods and infra-cones would actually be sensing IR radiation from objects in their surroundings.
As I understand it, most of the energy that gets to Earth from the sun is VL--not heat. The heat that we feel on the surface is the result of all that VL radiation being absorbed by objects on the surface, converted into IR radiation, and then being re-radiated back out into the atmosphere.
A laser works in a similar manner, in that it concentrates light into a narrow beam, strikes an object, and then the object absorbs some of the laser radiation, and then the concentrated VL is converted into IR, or heat.
This would allow drow eyes to have the glowing red eye effect, and avoid the problems from overlapping spectra, which you mentioned, Arik.
Dunno... Wouldn't Narbondel be too far away, from most parts of the city, for it to be used as a timepiece if this was the case? Also, wouldn't this mean that two drow staring into each other's eyes would blind each other? |
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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader
USA
3750 Posts |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2011 : 23:22:37
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Dunno... Wouldn't Narbondel be too far away, from most parts of the city, for it to be used as a timepiece if this was the case?
I don't know if IR energy dissipates any faster than visible light (VL). If it does, then Narbondel might be too far away for most drow to see. But if IR basically behaves the same way that VL does, then I don't see why it would be too far. IR heat energy would radiate off of the pillar, and drow infra-rods/-cones would receive that IR energy, seeing the image.
I'm not sure how you're perceiving a problem there, Wooly.
quote:
Also, wouldn't this mean that two drow staring into each other's eyes would blind each other?
Well, yeah, if they are lasering their eyes really intently! 
I imagine that they wouldn't activate their laser emitters all the time. Usually, they could just detect the IR energy that is already being given off by their surroundings. Lasers require a lot of energy to power them, too, so that would have to be very taxing on an individual drow. I'm guessing they would only activate their laser eye emitters when there wasn't enough heat in the area, or if they wanted to get more contrast, etc.
It would be like shining a flashlight on something (except with IR instead of VL), when you already have low light, but you'd like to see it even better. You might distort your night vision in the process, but sometimes it's worth it. It's a judgment call. |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 23 Feb 2011 : 00:07:55
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I doubt Drow 'stare dreamily into each others eyes', regardless.  |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader
USA
3750 Posts |
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Zireael
Master of Realmslore
Poland
1190 Posts |
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Drow Skin Colour
