A small stall sells a confectioners treat of spun web and sweet fungus powder called Icky Sticky. This is a list of the drow houses of the notable drow cities Menzoberranzan and Ched Nasad and their ranks over time. Darkvision Others turned to better ways either out of guilt or simply because they were no longer forced to obey Lolth's dogma. To stick a dagger in the back of a rival during the chaos of a larger battle or in the quiet shadows of an alley, however, is quite acceptableeven applauded. 18. (A new driving layer will automatically appear.) Female [114] Good artisans, especially innovative ones (which made up about 0.1-0.4% of the population), were highly sought after by the noble Houses. Drawing an exterior-only city had me a little worried, since the last one I did was this piece of white-hot garbage. Sparsely populated and largely wild, the Deep Wastes are home to the now-ruined drow city of Maerimydra, which once held Shadowdale as a conquered surface land. They frequently included spider motifs, such as the curtains positioned to emulate spider webs that often adorned noble Houses. [32] It would be easy to imagine, therefore, that drow females, had it much easier compared to males, but this was merely an illusion. Physically, Menzoberranzan is located in the northern region of the Underdark, within a giant cavern illuminated by luminous fungi and a massive spire named Narbondel. Ironically, commoners had a greater number of multi-generation households, since their relatives had less to gain from their death, resulting in families who had many living generations of members. A purple opal in the shape of a snake. [28] If a drow was not where they believed they should be, their pride demanded they blame someone else (sometimes everyone else) for their incorrect position. Tier Breche is the Academy of Menzoberranzan. 46. While the exact equipment and size of drow warbands varied from place to place, it was possible to make some general assumptions about the composition. They had lesser resistance, in descending order, to the following kinds of toxins: non-drow sleep poisons, drugs, insect venom, and injected poisons. Too safe. In a cruel twist of fate, she was caught just outside her mother's room. I love the portrayal of Menzoberranzan as a parallel to the Godfather 5 families. A drow child cries out for help; they are lost and look for their mother. 45. [43] Nonetheless, noble drow valued commoners more than slaves, and usually sacrificed them only if a slave was not at hand. [74] Their famous (or infamous) assassin schools doubled as assassins' guilds. Size [78] The radiation was also uniquely capable of causing mutations in other creatures; a flying roper, for example, could be born in a faerazress-rich environment. [28] ,[30] All unskilled labor in drow cities was carried out by slaves, and for that reason the slave trade was a booming business. Take your time as you travel through the city. Alignment Size A 30-foot high wall of seamless, polished basalt surrounds . 66. Oh, I . When I say I'm drawing a "city map," it usually means something like Brazenthrone or Finbarr's Marsh. . There were three categories of drow runes and glyphs: the house defense glyphs, used by the most powerful drow to defend their houses and treasures, the way-marker runes, used to guard places with drow traffic but no permanent population, and the sacred glyphs, only found in sacred sites of Lolth. Fey Ancestry. [74] They also had darkvision up to the same range, but not the low-light vision characteristic of other elves. [73], As a general rule, the inhabitants of Toril's surface knew very little about the drow. D&Dis D&D because it isn't one of those games. While they were still socially inferior to female drow, they werent in real danger of being killed by a priestess, while even accomplished male war commanders were in danger of being executed for perceived insults. Nonetheless, certain items had been developed by the drow, or based on magic from before the Descent,[230] and most of those items were created to be only usable by drow, due to their paranoia. [21][42], Given the scarcity of resources in the Underdark and the limited chances for advancement within their society, most drow had to be aggressively competitive. Pointed ears, slim but athletic build, beautiful, affinity to darkness, able to enter fully aware sleep state. This reddit is for posting battle maps for tabletop RPG's and related content, such as map creating tips, map ideas, or map play tests. [Encounter] An abandoned warehouse filled with egg-sacs of various sizes. 65. 5e A massive tree-shaped fungus at the entrance to a tunnel leading away from town has thousands of origami spiders hanging from it. A drow offers the party riches beyond their wildest dreams if they entertain her desires for 1d6 days. [67], Lolthtouched powers, the result of Lolth's blessing, were perhaps the most distinctive abilities of the drow. If a priestess particularly liked the products, this could cause a business to go bankrupt despite the owners' efforts, leaving the destitute workers with no choice but to enter a contract that essentially made them slaves to the priestess. [118][88], It was considered a violation of the Way of Lolth to defy the hierarchy of their society in any way. Milby's Maps, The Deep Spire: The Grotto Also, the next big project: The Black Loch Milby's Maps, The Black Loch: A Map Full of Maps Milby's Maps, Ptarmigan Bluff: A Mining Village on a Cliffside. 30. 67. The adventure begins in seeming serenity as we find Drizzt Do'Urden enjoying a rare state of peace. An oddity shop filled with mundane surface items. You can also let fate decide and roll a d100. Disclaimer: The views expressed in the following links do not necessarily represent the views of the editors of this wiki, nor does any lore presented necessarily adhere to established canon. But all of them? While attacking a House in short succession wasn't technically punished by law, the offending Houses's priestesses would lose Lolth's favor and be unable to cast spells until they performed a great deed to regain it. share. The scent smells pleasant to carnivores and creatures who enjoy drinking blood. [46] Lolth claimed that, in order to achieve such goals, the drow had to be in a state of perpetual infighting and violent competition, the constant training serving to make them stronger and smarter while breeding out indolence and other weaknesses. Wealthy human traders might even be permitted, but any surface elves or half-elves will be taken and sacrificed to Lolth. 16. 93. Its not uncommon for houses to wage war against each other in a mad effort to win the approval of Lolth, with stronger houses absorbing weaker ones or, occasionally, vice versa. 180k. But the Great Breach a 300 (100m) hole in the roof of the cavern leading to the surface sea above makes this possible. Ghaunadaur had no gender restrictions,[32] while Vhaeraun's faith had a gender barrier that made it harder for women to become his clerics. He wears chain mail and wields a battle axe and shield. They had long, slender fingers and a keen tactile sense, to the point of being able to read subtle markings on stone as if they were Braille. You can build an entire functional town in about an hour. [118][88], In truth, drow law was nothing more than a formal excuse for cruelty, an ironic parody of order made only to disguise the chaotic, ruthless, murderous ambition of the drow and their infighting. Males weighed between 87 to 157pounds (39 to 71.2kilograms), averaging 109.5pounds (49.67kilograms), while females were a bit lighter, weighing between 82 to 152pounds (37 to 68.9kilograms) and averaging 104.5pounds (47.4kilograms). [52], Drow were more agile than most humanoid races,[23] which, much like their higher intellects and force of personality, was a result of selective breeding over several generations. Adventures set in Menzoberranzan are perfect for a group of evil D&D characters, easily offering a heavy dose of political machinations a la Game of Thrones. Vault of the Drow is a 1st Edition AD&D Module designed for a party of 8 to 9 player characters of around level 10. Matron mother is a strange title for a cruel tyrant, but given what drow consider to be a goddess, perhaps we shouldn't be surprised. Draw the major lines of your composition. Menzoberranzan the City of Intrigue, the City of Spiders. This tower is the center of arcane power in Drow City. The map is small and easy to follow so you should be able to navigate this fairly easily. [22], Drow hair could be stark white,[22][15] pale yellow[9][24] and, more rarely, silver or copper in color. Wait for Mind Flayers to arrive and kill them. A sign reads bare feet only. In fact, the drow responded poorly to social norms being turned into written rules, obeying them primarily out of fear and social pressure (but obeying them nonetheless). [259], Drow eyes were sensitive to heat, possessing infravision up to a range of 120feet (37meters). Her innocence was stripped away as she learned the art of assassination, torture and crime. At a Glance Overview Cities Sources Underdark [88581] Drow of the Underdark [95726] (3e) Drow of the Underdark [FOR2/9326] (2e) page 98 Menzoberranzan [1083] Candlekeep thread Underdark Locations Other Resources Drow cities on the FR Wiki Disclaimer Dark elves from Norse mythology; trow from Scottish folklore Your email address will not be published. We're right in the middle of a slave revolt :) Vive la revolution! A young male begs to see the surface world. [114], Due to their competitive society, drow tried to instill the ideals of tenacity, cruelty, ambition,[43] self-reliance, and independence in their children. Someone shouts Run. An angry mob bursts from a nearby street. [62][63] Such drow made up the noble class of their society, and among them this was a dominant trait. [74], In contrast to creatures such as dwarves or deep gnomes, who had a deep, intutive sense of stone and subterranean conditions, the drow race's specialty laid in the sculpting of stone, the cutting and shaping of rock into smooth-flowing forms. Privacy Policy. They were incredibly secretive in nature and virtually unknown, even by the oldest elves of Toril, living in their icy home of Callidae. Cities were normally independent and not part of a larger drow nation, and though some had trade agreements, most frequently fell to war with one another. It is in the Old City, which doubles as the undead/necromancers district. [58] Reports varied if it could also be cast once per day, as with the other base powers, or at will. 27. Whoever touches it begins to grow pink feathers over their skin. Erelhei-Cinlu looks out like a degenerate lover upon the homeland of the drow, as it has for countless centuries. [28], For a race so chaotic in a society focused on individual advancement at the expense of others, the majority of drow strangely leant towards being neutral evil in alignment. [58] They could further enhance the spell-like ability to cast it more often, and learn to deepen it so that a daylight spell could not overpower it any more. Heroic Maps produces high quality, full colour battlemaps and tiles for RPG games and miniatures. -I know about the two different Arena's in the inn are there other stuff like . $2.99. 81. This made it easier for individual drow to enter surface communities without meeting hostility as long as they didn't do or say something that could catch attention and lead people who had real knowledge about the drow to cleanse their community of the threat the drow represented.[43]. 4: The Iron Globe. A tavern entrance made of bone caltrop flooring. Neutral evil Up to 750 years 91. A necklace of mimic teeth. [94], The drow also had a knack for responding to their enemies' actions, including spellcasting. There is a party of Drow guarding the sphere. These warbands normally included a mix of both male and female drow, with a homogenous patrol likely indicating that the tension between the sexes in their city was reaching a critical point. [145] Slaves, in general, were not allowed to look into the eyes of a drow or to carry weapons without permission (a rule that was mostly enforced when the slave was a gladiator of some kind). Exile. [264], Drow who could afford a lifestyle that spared them hardships, like matron mothers, could live more than 1000 years (though, by that point, they would be withered by age). They arrive expecting the unexpected, and Area X deliversthey discover life forms that surpass understanding. They have an . [109], However, the drow's relationship with faerazress could be as much a weakness as it was a strength. Vision [67] Despite Eilistraee guiding Liriel, speculations were that Lolth also had a hand in the matter. [97] In truth, despite her rhetoric, Lolth had no intention of having the drow devote themselves to reaching their supposed goal. The Black Sapphire, a famous thief was spotted near the slums. Other Underdark races, such as duergar, illithids and svirfneblin, can be found within the city, but typically only as merchants within the trading quarters. A narrow spiral staircase carved from the stone leads down into the darkness. [9][24][10] Due to a process of selective breeding that lasted for several generations,[9] the drow (especially nobles)[24] looked attractive[23] even in comparison to other elven subraces. FREE SIGN-UP! Technically the only rule was "might makes right",[118] and the priestesses were judge, jury, and executioner (or whatever other punishment they saw fit to enact). Other ways to improve these abilities included training to cast the cloud of darkness faster in response to harm, or to turn the darkfire into a flickering protective shroud that made the beneficiary harder to hit. [93] An elite patrol was usually led by a female cleric with female bodyguards, and her "acolytes" were also female clerics of the same church. However, with the exception of the First House, insignias weren't openly displayed except when inside the House territory or the clan's base. [43] Given that they couldn't do anything effectively in bright light, drow were inactive on the surface during the day. These priestesses of Lolth that normally reigned over drow societies were poor rulers who tossed their cities into a haphazard organization. $2.39 . Any actual affection was usually the result of the male being attractive, servile, and never embarrassing the female. The outcome was either a painful death or expulsionusually the former. For sake of simplicity, this article covers D1-2 and it's component modules together. Low Drowic: Lolth be praised all victory is her doing! Such equipment could not withstand sunlight,[78] but was cheap and easy to produce. surveyor. Includes a full-color, fold-out poster map of Menzoberranzan, the fabled drow city. For lack of better terminology, one simply couldn't truly feel the Divine Dance of Eilistraee "properly" except as a female, and so her rare and secretive male priests had to spend some time as a female, not just for the duration of a ritual called the Changedance, but in everyday ways. 74. generally unknown to other races.[237]. What do you think? ADD TO WISHLIST > Watermarked PDF. [259], Drow had excellent hearing, a trait developed by necessity given the paramount importance of foreseeing rock shifts, collapses, and other hazards in the Underdark. "Justice" was a senseless and arbitrary institution with no due process or appeals system (unless one counted leveraging their connections) capriciously enforced at the cruel whims of the ruling tyrants. [48] In fact, the mere inconvenience of maintaining the bond could be a reason to end it. A drow impersonating a member of the party keeps showing up where the party is. The eight crimson petals and center resemble a spider. As a result, the other races learned to anticipate betrayal and always had counters to the treachery prepared. It lasts for 1d4+2 days before dissipating. [118][88], Drow society also had a strict fashion code (which included rules about hairstyles) meant to allow easy identification of a drow's social station and House (if any). [87], Drow practitioners of path magic organized their spells in the so-called Path of the Drow, also known as Lolth's Road, or the Spider Road. LOI . Gems of silvery hues were used as contrast when it couldn't be provided by metal. It is the calling of theirof ourreligion, the incessant pulling of hungering heartstrings. This was a slightly unusual map for me. The drow as a whole held to many different religions outside of those accepted by most of their society. Their sphere of influence, however, was much larger. Instead of enhancing Stealth they grant advantage on Athletics checks made to climb. Drow names are, like many elven names, quite melodic. An unguarded cart filled with bolts of hardened spider silk interwoven with filaments of precious ore. [32] In general, rising through the ranks too quickly was dangerous for any drow, as the usual reaction was the formation of temporary alliances among those who believed they wronged to take the upstart down and such alliances were often successful. Spells like dispel magic could end a base power's effect. They enter the city is this fashion. [231] For example, the vipergout spell was originally developed by the scalykind,[232] but was still considered drow. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Dungeons & Dragons D&D Miniatures Underdark DROW ARACHNOMANCER #46 NC at the best online prices at eBay! D1-2: Descent Into the Depths of the Earth is a compilation module of the first two modules in the D (Drow) series: D1 of same name and D2: Shrine of the Kuo-toa. tr. Upon finding a vein, like dwarves or deep gnomes, they had a sense of its direction, richness, and dimensions. An exhaustive guide to a Drow city in Dungeons & Dragons. 97. [119][118] The priestesses saw it as their right to arrest and punish people for assumed offenses via methods they made up on the spot, and the only way to lessen a punishment was for the presumed criminal to have connections to those that the punishing priestess or priestesses considered a threat. They are restored after a few seconds. Awesome article! [22][28] It thinned and changed color with age, turning pale yellow for women, and silver or grey for men. Drow normally went into engagements of this sort expecting the worst,[30] and alliances were always under scrutiny for signs of treachery, often ending violently. We have updated our privacy policy. A tiny cage with a phosphorescent spider. The second greatest power group inside a given drow city were the merchant clans,[239] whose success was important for the survival of the drow race. [114] Since traits like kindness or compassion were considered dangerous and exploitable,[30] children who showed such weakness were punished. For example, it was a commonly accepted gesture to drop held weapons and fall on a knee as a sign of surrender. [58][15] Particularly intelligent and powerful drow could maintain two inborn abilities, or one inborn ability and one normal spell, simultaneously, using levitate and darkness at the same time for example. 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