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 How do Eilistraeen and Vhaerunites self identify?
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Delnyn
Senior Scribe

USA
958 Posts

Posted - 10 Jul 2022 :  22:03:46  Show Profile Send Delnyn a Private Message  Reply with Quote  Delete Topic
Scribes,
While others call them "drow", I doubt they consider themselves "dhaerow". Would they call themselves Ssri-Tel'Quessir or simply Tel-Quessir? Or would they call themselves something entirely different?

Edit: I consider this thread from the perspective of a N'Tel-Quessir addressing a Eilistraeean or a Vhaerunite.

Edited by - Delnyn on 10 Jul 2022 22:47:22

Delnyn
Senior Scribe

USA
958 Posts

Posted - 10 Jul 2022 :  22:48:28  Show Profile Send Delnyn a Private Message  Reply with Quote
[quote]Originally posted by Delnyn

Scribes,
While others call them "drow", I doubt they consider themselves "dhaerow". Would they call themselves Ssri-Tel'Quessir or simply Tel-Quessir? Or would they call themselves something entirely different?

Edit: I consider this thread from the perspective of a N'Tel-Quessir addressing a Eilistraeean or a Vhaerunite.


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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore

USA
1289 Posts

Posted - 10 Jul 2022 :  22:48:29  Show Profile Send TheIriaeban a Private Message  Reply with Quote
There are other options using the Elven dictionary on the FR Wiki for Eilistraeans like Coldhaerow (not drow) or N'irinal'Tel'Quessir (the not forsaken people) or shortened to nirinal (the redeemed).

This is also making me wonder what kind of greeting they would have among themselves. Perhaps something simple like Adon (peace).

Edit: Well, based on your edit, I would say a human might call them night elves. Dark has connotations of evil and drow is definitely evil. Night is not necessarily evil and night elf is one of the terms used for drow (perhaps it is the actual term used for non-evil drow).

"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."

My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents

Edited by - TheIriaeban on 10 Jul 2022 22:57:33
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Delnyn
Senior Scribe

USA
958 Posts

Posted - 10 Jul 2022 :  23:00:14  Show Profile Send Delnyn a Private Message  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by TheIriaeban

There are other options using the Elven dictionary on the FR Wiki for Eilistraeans like Coldhaerow (not drow) or N'irinal'Tel'Quessir (the not forsaken people) or shortened to nirinal (the redeemed).

This is also making me wonder what kind of greeting they would have among themselves. Perhaps something simple like Adon (peace).


This is a great starting point. The game issue is the campaign has only humans. They want to greet Eilistraeean in Elvish without causing offense. None of the party has Sha-Quessir status.
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Kentinal
Great Reader

4689 Posts

Posted - 11 Jul 2022 :  01:26:10  Show Profile Send Kentinal a Private Message  Reply with Quote
Well Moon Dancers or Dancers in the Moonlight might be a human description for followers of Eilistraee

Thieves of the Night for followers of Vhaeraun

I have always referred to Lolth followers as Spider Kissers.

Elven terms for followers of different patron likely would vary some , from traitor to misguided, depending of which faith talking about another.

Some of the printed lore has indicated that many humans do not believe that Drow are different, that Eilistraee is a trick of Lolth.

"Small beings can have small wisdom," the dragon said. "And small wise beings are better than small fools. Listen: Wisdom is caring for afterwards."
"Caring for afterwards ...? Ker repeated this without understanding.
"After action, afterwards," the dragon said. "Choose the afterwards first, then the action. Fools choose action first."
"Judgement" copyright 2003 by Elizabeth Moon
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Irennan
Great Reader

Italy
3806 Posts

Posted - 11 Jul 2022 :  07:40:00  Show Profile Send Irennan a Private Message  Reply with Quote
It would obviously change from individual to individual, but generally speaking it would make sense for them to just identify themselves as drow, no strings attached, because that's what they were born as and have always been. In their writeups, all their efforts are towards building a place for *row* on the surface, not towards separating themselves from being drow. They don't see being drow in the same way Lolthites or elves or whoever else does, it would only make sense for them to see being drow like we see being human.

As for what non-elves would call them, it depends on the knowledge and interests of the person. Why would most people use anything different from "drow" (outside of specific titles given to the clergies and whatever, for those who know)? At most you'd get something like "the ok drow" (or "the dancing drow" or whatever) and the "the enemy drow". I mean, we're talking about people who are way too busy with their lives to think up this sort of names IMHO. It's not like most non-elves have in-depth knowledge (or, more importantly, care) of elven history and its nuances. You might get some sages or historians trying to address them more politely, with the Eilistraeans' and Vhaeraunites' reactions ranging from not caring, to appreciating the kindness (but probably adding that it's just unnecessary to avoid using "drow" as if it was some kind of slur), to even being pissed.

Mathematics is the art of giving the same name to different things.

Edited by - Irennan on 11 Jul 2022 07:45:33
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bloodtide_the_red
Learned Scribe

USA
302 Posts

Posted - 12 Jul 2022 :  03:02:34  Show Profile  Visit bloodtide_the_red's Homepage Send bloodtide_the_red a Private Message  Reply with Quote
I think most would just accept the Drow label, as they are physically drow after all. They might just consider themselves Elves. Or more to the point: Drow Elves.

Or the list of Night Elves, Dark Elves, Shadow Elves, Deep Elves or Black Elves.

As the vast majority of Eilistraeen and Vhaerunites have to at least partly hide in and around drow society.....it would not be a good idea for them to give themselves and easy to spot word that reveals who they are to everyone.
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