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Drow Culture, Psychology, & Lore

by Alec Wilson

“The windows of your pitiful home are but gaping mouths under the moon. I watch you sleeping. I know where your children rest. It is by my leave that you walk each day under the sun. Be ready with your tithe when the leaves come. Never forget who dwells beneath.”

– Lekkelian Zrakxuuln, Drow Shadow Stalker, in a note to Justen Woodborne, homesteader in the Avalian Wilds

Culture and Psychology

The Darrowdao are a race of nocturnal, ivory-skinned Elves. Their eyes are painfully sensitive to sunlight and their irises are most often colored icy blue, cobalt, emerald green, pale yellow, obsidian, or silver. Their hair is translucent blonde, black, or silver. They are slightly built and long of limb, but somewhat smaller than High or Grey Elves.

In the Old World the Darrowdao lived aboveground. They built their homes of stone and their largest settlements boasted towers, castles, walls, and moats. The Darrowdao city of Nezkelma was built over the black river Kelma and was known for its sweeping architecture. Nighttime visitors described a city of severe beauty, lit by the fluttering iridescence of starbeetle lamps.

The Darrowdao were recognized as master stoneworkers and savants with the magic of shadow, sleep, and dreams. They were known as healers of disease, infection, and victims of poisoning. They made masterwork ranged weapons, particularly crossbows, and their work often incorporated mechanical elements that predated modern Dwarven and Gnomish designs. Their smiths wrought darrowswords—hand-and-a-half blades somewhat longer than traditional longswords, and ground with vicious serrations. Many of these ancient swords were imbued with the magic of sleep, and some, made in the time of war just prior to the Abandonment, are enchanted with potent curses against High and Grey Elves.

In the Old World the Darrowdao kept themselves apart from the dealings of other Elves. Their nocturnal nature contributed to this distancing, and their interests and political leanings only reinforced it. The Darrowdao care little for the world outside their borders. Unlike High and Grey Elves, who tolerate and sometimes align with Humans, Halflings, Gnomes, and even Dwarves, the Darrowdao have long been known to shun other races and look down upon them. While at times in their history they have displayed a grudging respect for High and Grey Elves, they never made it their business to establish connections deeper than simple trade with these Elvish cousins. This tenuous connection was shattered during the War of the Bridge.

During the Age of the Moon in the year 384, the High Elven King Gulhalvian sought to build a great bridge to carry the Eastern Road over the River Kelma. The Darrowdao flatly denied the project. But the Eastern Road was the work of a hundred years for the King and spanned many thousands of leagues. It crossed countless rivers and wound through ancient forests. Even its passes through the high mountains were kept open in winter with magical lamps and warming huts. Gulhalvian would not be denied.

So he ordered that the bridge be built despite the refusal of the Darrowdao. Thus began a brutal and years-long war that saw the High and Grey Elves join together against their nocturnal cousins. The Darrowdao were decimated and forced to flee the Old World. They slunk from their homes under cover of night and made for the coast. It is said that they struck a deal with Sea Elves, bartering away a vast subterranean store of jewels, gold, and weapons for the ships they needed to cross the Tol Sea. They began their voyage in the bitter winter of 396 against gales and sleeting rain. Many assumed their ships were doomed.

But it was not to be. The Darrowdao landed in the Known World some months later, moved inland, and vanished. Their appearance in the Known World became a myth, and by the time they were seen again they had established a vast kingdom in the Undermere: A network of cities carved into deep caverns and linked by the Longdark Path. They were cruel with outsiders and brooked no trespassers into their domain. They enslaved Troglodytes, Goblins, Orcs, Ogres, and Duergar wherever they found them, and murdered adventurers of all races who ignored the warnings and braved the Undermere. They became known as Drow Elves.

The Drow are largely self-sufficient in their dark kingdom. They farm fungi and hunt many species of subterranean species for food. They fish in vast underground lakes and rivers. They possess excellent skills in engineering and stonework, and expand their beautiful cities deeper into the rock each year. Drow are known to levy taxes on outlying communities both above and below ground and carry out terrifying nighttime raids on villages that miss their payments. They occasionally establish trade with outsiders for much needed commodities, usually offering time-limited safe passage through their secret tunnels in exchange for valuable goods. These tunnels link the Undermere with the world of light in thousands of places unknown to surface dwellers, and have been used to carry out many coups and assassinations that would not have otherwise been possible.

The Drow distill their own spirits from mushrooms but have never lost their taste for true Elvish wine. They are known to trade for wine of good vintage, especially from Grey Elf vintners, but must use intermediaries to acquire it. A black market has sprung up to fill this need and deliveries of delicate blue bottles of Grey Elven wine are one of the few ways glareworlders see the Undermere unimpeded. Wine smugglers report caverns of dizzying depth and otherworldly splendor. They also tell of the intoxicating beauty of Drow females, and not a few have died trying to their entice their paramours to the surface.

Drow Elves fashion repeating crossbows that fire poisoned darts at high rates of speed. These weapons can quickly render large groups of humanoids helpless, and are not sold to outsiders. Similarly, the Drow do not sell their paralytic or sleeping poisons, but over time, all have been acquired by outsiders in battle. Drow crossbows are of masterwork quality. Their design has been endlessly copied, but only those of Dwarven or Gnomish make can claim to approximate the originals. Drow poisons are known for their potency and consistency. They are prized by assassins and alchemists alike.

Every three years, Drow Elves celebrate the Undersun, as do many inhabitants of the Undermere. When the Kol’em’kar fungus begins to bloom, lighting the caves and tunnels of their kingdom with unearthly glows, the Drow sing stories of their home in the Old World. They weep for the loss of Nezkelma and curse the High and Grey Elves who drove them from it. They tell of the great Abandonment, of their journey across the Tol Sea, and of the making of their new home under the ground. They drink huge quantities of stockpiled wine during this time, a practice which briefly makes them more tolerant of outsiders.

The Drow detest Duergar and war with them constantly for dominance of key areas along the Longdark Path. Historically, the Drow have gotten the better of these conflicts, slaughtering Duergar in masses. But the Duergar breed quickly and are a tenacious race. In comparison, the Drow reproduce much more slowly, and Drow Elves have learned patience in their campaigns against the Grey Dwarves. Adventurers may at times gain the ear of the Drow, if they can prove an antagonistic relationship with Duergar.

Special Tactics

Drow Elves are xenophobic in the extreme and guard their borders fervently. They commonly ambush trespassers with poisoned crossbow bolts, firing from behind secret portals in the rock. Drow poison most often causes sleep or paralysis, which allows the Drow either to enslave or to murder their victims, depending on their whim.

Drow Elves fashion cruel and sophisticated traps that are difficult to spot and even harder to disarm. Pit traps may drop unwitting adventurers into pitch black rooms with smooth walls and no exits, or into the vastness of an underground lake. Clouds of sleeping smoke may suddenly fill cramped tunnels. Or a poisoned needle may cause untimely sleep at the crest of a naked stone bridge or at the brink of a chasm.

The Drow can throw their voices when underground, and use this ability to mislead and confuse adventurers in the Undermere. They cast spells that manipulate darkness and shadow, and can snuff out dim lights. Heroes in Drow territory describe odd movements in the shadows and unpredictable failures of their torches and lanterns.

Drow almost never engage directly with foreigners unless they have overwhelming advantage. One may round the corner of an unremarkable tunnel deep underground, and find themselves standing in a cavern coliseum amidst 50 or more Drow, all with loaded crossbows. It is best to have a compelling offer at hand in order to survive confrontations like these.

Qualities

Ruthless. Slaughtered and forced from their ancestral home in the Old World during the Age of the Moon, the Drow have developed a merciless and unforgiving culture. They consider all outsiders enemies and make exceptions in the short term only for those who provide them with some immediate benefit.

Deceitful. The Drow will say and do anything to achieve their ends, especially when outnumbered. They keep just enough of their promises to inspire doubt in those who deal with them.

Strategic. Warfare and combat are a part of Drow culture from birth. They work together in unison on the battlefield and are difficult to outmaneuver, especially when in the Undermere.

Xenophobic. Trust is almost never extended to outsiders. The vast majority of Drow encounters begin with animosity and end in violence. Drow are slow to listen and extend their trust only in the extreme short term when they sense an immediate and tangible gain.

Weaponry

Melee 1. Bastard Swords. In the hands of the Drow, these darrowblades deal 1d10+3 damage, +1 damage per round due to blood loss, until the victim makes a DC 13 CON check, or takes one minute to bandage.

Melee 2. Notched Daggers. These fang-like daggers deal 1d6+3 damage, and are almost always coated with sleep or paralytic poison (see Poisoners special ability below.)

Ranged 1. Repeating Hand Crossbows. In the hands of the Drow, a Drow repeating crossbow fires 3 bolts per round for 1d6 damage apiece. These bolts are sometimes tipped with serrated razor heads that cause +1 damage per round due to blood loss, until the victim make a DC 13 CON check, or takes one minute to bandage.

Ranged 2. Poisoned Javelins. These thrown weapons deal 1d6+3 and are almost always coated with sleep or paralytic poison (see Poisoners special ability below.)

Special Units

Spider Acolytes. These reclusive Drow cast spells as 3rd-level Illusionists. Once per day, each can summon an intelligent Shadow Familiar (22 HP, 16 AC, +8 Stealth, 2 melee attacks per round, +6/+6 to hit, 1d10+4 damage per attack) that obeys all commands and fights to the death.

Undermere Rangers. These Drow Rogues patrol the Undermere, keeping Drow borders safe. They are difficult to evade and have a 22 passive perception while in Drow territory. As do most Drow, they wield crossbows and bastard swords. All have the Death Strike special ability.

Shadow Stalkers. These spies prowl the upper world, keeping tabs on surface-dwelling subjects and enemies of the Drow. All Shadow Stalkers have the Shadow Concealment special ability. They also deal +2d6 bonus melee damage when they attack with surprise.

Midnight Zealots. Versed in the magic of darkness and death, as well the art of melee combat, these Drow Fighter/Wizards act as 3rd-level Fighters and 3rd-level Wizards. Each Drow clan boasts only one Midnight Zealot per 30 Drow. They typically command at least 8 Drow warriors and fight with their troops in combat.

Special Abilities

Mirror Image. Once per day when in darkness, Drow may cast a spell similar to Mirror Image. A shadow appears within 10′ that resembles the caster, confusing opponents and granting the caster +4 AC for 1d6 rounds.

Shadow Concealment. Drow are extremely adept at hiding in shadows and darkness. At nighttime aboveground, they have +8 Stealth, in the Undermere they have +10 Stealth.

Death Strike. Highly trained Drow fighters score critical hits with their darrowswords (bastard swords) on a natural roll of 18-20.

Poisoners. The Drow use both sleeping and paralytic poisons on their crossbow bolts and blades. Sleeping poison: DC 14 CON Save or fall into a magical slumber for 1d4 rounds. Paralyzing Poison: DC 13 CON Save or become paralyzed for 1d6 rounds.

Movement

Run. Excellent. The Drow are fleet of foot and difficult to escape both below and above ground. The flag quickly in bright sunlight, but are tireless in the dark, or under the light of the moon. They can easily catch Men, Dwarves, Halflings, Orcs, and the like, on foot.

Climb. Good. Drow Elves are adept climbers on solid rock, and can hang upside down from stalactites using their legs. This allows them to fire poisoned crossbow bolts down at unsuspecting intruders from the the shadowed rooves of high caverns.

Swim. Average. The Drow are not overfond of water, but will swim to bathe, or when needed in the course of travel or battle. Their lightweight armor does not weigh them down when swimming.

Burrow. n/a. While the Drow have excellent skills in engineering and stonework, they do not lower themselves to burrow without tools and a well-mapped plan.

Fly. n/a

Grudges

Drow hate High and Grey Elves, and see Wild Elves as far beneath them. They detest all Dwarves, particularly Duergar, and are dismissive of Humans and Halflings. At times they make pacts with Mind Flayers, Beholders, and Liches.

Drow