lunastrophe

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Drow tend to be small supposedly but my current run in BG3 is a male Seldarine one and he’s 6’5 and being that tall, a Drow like that would stand out most definitely.

Yup, he would stand out very much!

According to lore, a drow male being almost six feet tall would already be considered exceptionally tall, to the point of getting stares - especially from females, probably. Typically, drow females are taller and stronger than drow males (default drow height in BG3 can be a bit misleading 😉).

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #drow #dnd lore #drow lore #dark elves

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I wonder how it is for Seldarine Drow in the Underdark. I imagine most would stay away from Menzoberannzan or any of the other Lolth cities if they can.

Seldarine drow / Lolth-sworn drow concept introduced in BG3 is a huge oversimplification, but yes - generally, drow who do not follow Lolth avoid heavily Lolth-oriented cities. Visiting Menzoberranzan as a drow who does not worship Lolth would be a risky business, since open worship of any other deity is forbidden there.

On the other hand, servants of other divine powers sometimes infiltrate cities of Lolth-sworn drow. For example, Jhelnae Horlbar, a noble from House Horlbar from Menzoberranzan, was secretly a follower of Eilistraee - and she was officially priestess of Lolth and the First Priestess of her House! This discovery started a war between several noble houses.

In every major city of Lolth-sworn drow, there are most likely followers of Eilistraee, Vhaeraun and other drow gods who work undercover - to gather information, or to guide and support new followers, for example.

In Rilauven, followers of Vhaeraun ultimately gained so much power that they managed to overthrow matriarchy of Lolth - although later, drow from Rilauven began to worry that Menzoberranyr drow will send their army and destroy them one day, to punish them for apostasy.

#drow #dnd lore #drow lore #lolth sworn drow #drow culture #seldarine drow

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This GIF is inspired by endless cat videos. People need an average of eight hours of sleep. Elves need much less time for rest or meditation.

#drizzt do'urden

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Half drow bard anon!

Oh yeah. His dad told him so many stories. In canon, his Dad was a slave to Matron who was very cruel to him. As well as her daughters. One day he finally had enough, (he’s a wizard) and with some deep gnome slaves help. He poisoned the matron her daughters and her son who he grew close with left with him and well. He may have blew up the place 🤣 that Matron’s home which was a noble house but not the highest but close. And somehow he and the others escaped.

After returning home, it will probably be your bard's turn to tell a few scary stories to his family, the Underdark part included 😉 His dad's backstory certainly sounds interesting!

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Playing as a half drow Bard in BG3. His story is his father is a Seldarine Drow who escaped the Underdark fell in love with a human woman and had kids.

My Bard ended up in the under dark (canon story is he has never been to the Underdark) and after that spectator battle (Dhourn got killed though) the other Drow were surprisingly polite to him despite his heritage.

Also my Bard is not a fan of giant spiders XD

Aww, your character sounds fun! 😃 I imagine that for a half-drow, the first trip to the Underdark is no small thing. Drow parents probably tell their half-drow children lots of scary stories about this place and are generally like "you know, just stay away from the Underdark, you probably wouldn't survive there".

#half drow

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Hello, can you make a post about drow's importance of fashion and moreover their braids and overrall hairstyle? What kind of styling they did, products they used... I would love that. You're truly a source of inspiration. Keep it going please! Thank you ❤️ Merci beaucoup.

Hello! Drow fashion is a delightful topic - I think I am going to create a few more detailed posts about drow clothes and beauty care in general. Thank you so much for inspiration! ❤️

For now, here are some basic information:

🕷️ Drow Clothing - in drow society, clothes reflect the drow's station and rank, especially among nobles. The best fabrics, like gossamer-like spider silks, are the most expensive, as well as intricate fabrics that resemble spider webs in their structure. Such web-like fabrics in clothing are often adorned with jewellery.

Leather is an easily available material in the Underdark, and it is often used by drow to produce various items of clothing. Top quality black leather is especially popular among nobles.

Some more common fabrics in the Underdark are made of mushroom fibers. Fabrics made of plant fibers or wool are naturally less common and more expensive, since they need to be obtained from the surface - as merchants' goods or as spoils from raids.

🕷️ Dress To Impress - surfacers often consider drow sense of fashion scandalous, but among drow, it is more about showing off their physical perfection and manifesting their self-confidence.

Drow generally take great care to conceal their physical flaws. In consequence, revealing clothing can be read as a message "I have no flaws to conceal" - or "I have flaws, so what? I am powerful enough not to care!", depending on one's attitude, station and power.

Piwafwi (drow cloaks) of nobles are often marked with specific colours and patterns, to indicate the owner's station and house.

🕷️ Hairstyles - drow usually wear their hair long, but many warriors crop their hair or even shave their heads (shorter hair = less chance for the enemy to grab it). Uthegentel of House Barrison Del'Armgo was wearing his hair short and spiked, most likely styled with some Underdark equivalent of hair gel.

For long hair, some drow use hairpins. It is quite popular among drow to make hairpins that are sharp enough to be used as weapons, or even hairpins that can store spells, like small wands.

Drow also braid their long hair. Triel Baenre, for example, was wearing her hair braided into a tight braid that was wrapped around her head like a crown - simple and practical.

One of young noble females from House Fey-Branche, adept in Arach-Tinilith, was described with her hair braided into three long braids.

Some drow like to braid their hair into many thin braids. Such braids could be used to create elaborate, durable hairstyles, often with help of a skilled servant. Liriel's party hairstyle was of this kind.

In Menzoberranzan, single-braided hair was a mark of a commoner (at least for a young drow male - as far as I remember, it was mentioned in description of only one character in Starlight and Shadows, so I am not really sure if it applies also to females or to older drow).

I also very vaguely remember that at least among Menzoberranyr drow, some hairstyles were reserved only for nobles from specific houses or of specific ranks - but I do not remember details, I would need to look it up.

#drow #dnd lore #drow lore #drow culture #dark elves #lolth sworn drow

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Drow Lore 🕷️ Drow First Mentioned (1e)

Drow officially became part of DnD universe in 1977, mentioned in Monster Manual by Gary Gygax. Their first description was very brief, presenting them simply as polar opposites of light-loving, good-natured elves from the surface:

Drow: The "Black Elves," or drow, are only legend. They purportedly dwell deep beneath the surface in a strange subterranean realm. The drow are said to be as dark as faeries are bright and as evil as the latter are good. Tales picture them as weak fighters but strong magic-users.

In another fragment, it is mentioned that drow might be responsible for creation of the sahuagin:

The tritons, however, are purported to have stated that sahuagin are distantly related to the sea elves, claiming that the drow spawned the sahuagin.

And... nothing more.

Things like the first version of the history of the drow, first proper descriptions of drow abilities and equipment, first descriptions of drow city, mentions of Lolth and her evil cult - all this stuff was published a bit later, in 1978, in several Dungeon Modules for Greyhawk setting.

The World of Greyhawk is also a DnD setting, but different from Forgotten Realms. Basically, it is a part of Realmspace, but on a different planet than Faerûn (Greyhawk - planet Oerth, Forgotten Realms and Faerûn - planet Abeir-Toril). Forgotten Realms setting officially became a thing after 1987.

By the way, the first drow city ever mentioned in official DnD sources was...

...NOT Menzoberranzan 😉

It was Erelhei-Cinlu, located in Greyhawk's Underdark:

#drow #dnd lore #drow lore #dark elves

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I'm curious if you know of how the other casting classes, like Bards, Sorcerers, and Warlocks are seen in Loth-sworn societies? If it's mentioned at all.

Oh, this is a really interesting topic! 😃 There are some information on drow bards, sorcerers and warlocks in Drow of the Underdark (3.5e) - I find especially the concept of drow bard totally awesome.

🕷️ Drow Bards - surfacers often do not realize that drow have an ancient bardic tradition, "one that transforms the traveling entertainer, trickster, and storyteller of the surface into one of the most horrific taskmasters and assassins of the Underdark".

Drow bards are somewhat uncommon in drow societies and they often do not travel the world, but usually connect themselves to some noble House, join a theatrical troupe or become employees in various city locations for artistic performances.

Performing can be deadly dangerous to a drow bard, especially since drow tastes are notoriously fickle - bards who fail to amuse their clients sometimes find themselves a part of the next performance: "disappointed audiences are not shy about taking out their frustrations on those who fail to provide suitable entertainment. The fatality rate among performers is high."

Many drow bards study various means of death-dealing, including the use of poisons, and are skilled spies and assassins. Sornafein, patron of Matron Mother Zhindia Melarn from Menzoberranzan, was a bard - he was known to kill his rivals with strings of his instruments.

Drow artists in general are considered "even more decadent than typical members of their race".

🕷️ Deathsinger is a specific type of a bard, unique to drow culture. Deathsingers are rare and they combine their bardic skills with necromancy - they are able, for example, to control the dead through their songs.

🕷️ Drow Sorcerers - their position in drow societies is usually similar to that of drow wizards and arcane spellcasters in general. "Wizards and sorcerers are found in nearly equal numbers among the drow (...) and sorcerous talent runs strong through the chaotic and inherently magical drow."

🕷️ Drow Warlocks - "warlocks are not unknown among the drow, but they are seen as something of an oddity. The race's affinity with and connection to the Lower Planes is too great for them to not exhibit some sort of taint from beyond, and demonbinders are among the most common examples found."

Drow warlocks have "strong links to the Abyss and to Lolth, but those ties more directly bind them to Lolth's servants - her demons - than to the Spider Queen herself."

Also, I just found a curious thing about female drow warlocks:

If powers of a female drow warlock come from bargains with (or descent from) demons associated with Lolth, she can be considered blessed by the Spider Queen. If such a female meets all the other priesthood requirements, she can have the status of a priestess, even though she is technically an arcane spellcaster.

Apparently, this is one exception to the rule that all drow priestesses must be divine spellcasters. Such "warlock priestessess" are rare, though. They are also expected to serve the church and the noble houses rather than to run them.

#drow #lolth sworn drow #drow lore #drow culture #dnd lore #dark elves

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In regards to the last ask, about the cleric thing

Couldn't they be like... A paladin? Not just multiclass. Just a thought

Sorry for bothering, you're awesome!

The shortest answer to this would probably be: this is D&D, so you can do whatever DM allows 😉

Paladin class was not available for drow characters in earlier editions of D&D and since a lot of drow lore comes from older sources, drow priestesses mentioned in these sources simply could not be paladins - cleric (priestess) class was technically the only option for them.

Later things changed and drow paladins of Lolth started to appear as homebrew subclasses, but I cannot really remember seeing them in official sources (that is why Minthara's class in BG3 was a bit of a surprise to me).

On the other hand, in Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes for 5e we have Drow Inquisitor - judging from the description and statblock, a paladin of Lolth under a different name, or at least a very paladin-ish kind of priestess:

Still, I suppose that an average drow priestess of Lolth would have more in common (in terms of character's class) with cleric than with a paladin. Priestesses of Lolth gain their power through devotion to Lolth and to her teachings - the goddess is the source of their power.

For 5e paladins, the source of their power is their oath - the way they are bonded to it, their sheer force of will and dedication. They are not necessarily doing things for the sake of their deity, but for the sake of their oath, their ideals.

A priestess of Lolth, being a pure paladin of Lolth in terms of character's class, would probably have a very specific way of seeing things. For such a character, Lolth would probably be mainly an embodiment of some ideals she is willing to fight for.

...Well, again - whatever DM allows 🙂

#drow #drow lore #dnd lore #lolth sworn drow

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Like many others, I'm so thankful for this wonderful source of information on all things drow! I've grown so fascinated by them since playing BG3, though I do have a question. To become a priestess of Lolth, do you have to be a cleric? Are all priestesses clerics by default, or can you be another class?

Hello and thank you for reading! 🙂 In terms of D&D character class - yes, I suppose a priestess of Lolth has to be a cleric, although it does not necessarily mean "pure" cleric. She can be a multiclassed character. Some Matron Mothers of Menzoberranzan were described as multiclassed (for example, Mez'Barris Armgo was priestess/fighter).

#drow #drow lore #lolth sworn drow

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Hi! 🩶 Super specific question, but do U have any info/reading/books on drow clerics, like how they are perceived, their status among drow etc.? Either to Lolth or Eilistraee, with the latter obviously being secretive.

I'm planning a story about a cleric drow and began to think that they might be at an extreme end of the spectrum... Either super respected and valued, or seen as particularly weak and disposable... I'm new here so 😅 any help is appreciated, thank you!!

Hello! The church of Lolth is very different from church of Eilistraee - in a way, they represent the opposite end of the spectrum of drow spirituality.

In a very, very general sense, clerics of Lolth are respected and valued in Lolth-sworn drow societies, and clerics of Eilistraee are respected and valued in Eilistraean drow societies. They both wield power and they are often leaders of their communities. Also, they can be formidable opponents, able to fight with their weapons and divine spells - their skills also make them valuable.

The main difference is, clerics of Lolth are typically feared and despised in their communities. If they show weakness or fail their duties, or lose the Favor of Lolth for any other reason, they are instantly marked as disposable - and they can even end up being sacrificed. There is also a lot of rivalry among priestesses of Lolth.

Clerics of Eilistraee are much kinder. They can be dangerous to their enemies, of course - but they do not want members of their own communities to be afraid of them or to mindlessly obey them. They are not as cruel, capricious and controlling as Lolthites, and they do not encourage ill-natured rivalry.

Some general information on drow priests and their status in drow societies can be found, for example, in Demihuman Deities (2e):

🕷️ About priests of Lolth:

"Lolth's priests are the rulers, police forces, judges, juries, and executioners of drow society. They wield power daily, and most do so in a manner in keeping with the cruel and capricious nature of Lolth herself."

"Priests of Lolth strive to act as Lolth wishes and to manipulate (often by brutal force) their fellow drow to do so too. The ultimate aim of every priest is to achieve and keep the Favor of Lolth."

"The duties of a good priest, then, are to do whatever is necessary to gain and to keep the Spider Queen's favor. Although treachery and cruelty are often rewarded, Lolth does not look kindly on those who let personal grudges and revenge-taking bring defeat or shame to their House, clan, city, or band."

🕷️ Lolth's Dogma:

"Fear is as strong as steel, while love and respect are soft, useless feelings that none can lean on. All drow who do not worship Lolth must be converted or destroyed. All weak and rebellious drow must be weeded out. All who impugn the faith must perish."

"Males or slaves of other races who act independently of Lolth's dictates (and those of her priests) must be sacrificed to Lolth. Those of the faithful whose loyalty is weak must be eliminated. Children are to be raised as loyal worshipers of Lolth, and each family should produce at least one priest to serve the Spider Queen better than his or her parents. Arachnids of all sorts are to be revered, and anyone who mistreats or kills a spider must die."

"Such are the commands of Lolth - but the priest who follows them blindly is on a slippery path leading to swift death. Success in the service of Lolth lies with those who are attentive to the ever-changing, often contradictory will of Lolth. Lolth's capricious nature makes hard-and-fast rules few and uncertainty great. Of course, questioning Lolth's motives or wisdom is a sin."

"Aiding non-drow against drow is a great sin, as is ignoring the Spider Queen's commands in favor of love. (Lolth often tests her priests by ordering the sacrifice of a favored consort.) Drow who lose the favor of Lolth are always given a single chance to redeem themselves. This is usually a dangerous or difficult mission, though Lolth may test certain individuals by setting no task at all and observing what they do. Those who willfully fail are destroyed. Lolth commands other worshipers to do this (in turn, testing them). Those who fail through mischance or poor planning or execution are usually transformed into driders."

"Lolth often plays favorites among her drow worshipers, but those who ride high one season are warned that Lolth can turn her dark face upon them without warning and undoubtedly will sometime soon."

🌙 About priests of Eilistraee:

"Whenever and wherever possible, faithful of Eilistraee encourage drow to return to the surface world and work to promote harmony between drow and surface-dwelling races in order to establish the drow as rightful, nonevil inhabitants of Faerun. They nurture beauty, music, the craft of making musical instruments, and song wherever they find it, assist hunters and hunting, and help others in acts of kindness whenever they see ways to do so. Priests must be skilled in the playing of at least one of the Dark Maiden's favored instruments - horn, flute, or harp; be adequate singers; and be fit, graceful dancers. They gather songs and musical knowledge constantly and acquire training in the use of the sword when they can."

"Priests of the goddess are allowed to keep and accumulate money given them as offerings - with the understanding that this wealth is to be used to buy food, musical instruments, and other tools (such as good swords) to serve the will of the goddess. Priests of Eilistraee are allowed to go adventuring, so long as they feed, aid, and defend the needy along the way. They are encouraged to aid adventuring parties, with the price of their aid to be provision of some sort of beneficial magical armor they can use (or failing that, an enchanted sword of some sort)."

🌙 Eilistraee's Dogma:

"Aid the weak, strong, grateful, and churlish alike; be always kind, save in battle with evil. Encourage happiness everywhere; lift hearts with kind words, jests, songs, and merriment. Learn how to cook game and how best to hunt it. Learn new songs, dances, and ways with weapons, and spices, and recipes, and pass this learning on whenever possible. Learn how to play, make, and repair musical instruments. Practice music and sword-work. Defend and aid all folk, promoting harmony between the races."

"Strangers are your friends. The homeless must be given shelter from storms, under your own roof if need be. Repay rudeness with kindness. Repay violence with swift violence, that the fewest may be hurt and danger fast removed from the land. The faithful must aid drow who are in distress. If the distressed are fighting with other drow, the combat is to be stopped with as little bloodshed as possible."

"So long as the drow met with are not working evil on others, they are to be aided and given the message of Eilistraee: "A rightful place awaits you in the Realms Above, in the Land of the Great Light. Come in peace, and live beneath the sun again, where trees and flowers grow."

Hope this information will help you in some way 🙂

#drow culture #drow #lolth sworn drow #eilistraee #lolth #drow lore #dnd lore #dark elves #seldarine drow

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Drow Lore 🕷️ Drow And Sunlight

🕷️ Sun: The Searing Horror - young drow often hear that drow are not meant to live on the surface. During several decades of their education, their teachers, instructors and priestesses of Lolth tell them that surface sun is "the searing horror" that instantly blinds the drow, weakens their magic and makes their weapons, armor and clothing crumble to dust, leaving them completely defenseless. In some stories, drow are even supposed to fall victim to strange diseases due to sunlight exposure.

Many of these stories are deliberately exaggerated, of course - to discourage young drow from leaving Underdark and travelling to the surface on their own.

More worldly-wise drow, though, know that dark elves are perfectly able to survive on the surface, and the ones who regularly visit the World Above can get accustomed to sunlight... well, after some time, at least. And not without some difficulties.

🕷️ Blinded And Sunburned - according to Drow of the Underdark (2e): "Initial daytime exposure to the surface world usually blinds drow. (...) Initial dayligth surface exposure is also likely to give a drow horrific sunburn. After initial attack, this burning quickly lessens, but drow will always prefer to keep their skin and heads covered during daylight hours."

(sounds like a strong incentive to invent drow sunscreen and sunglasses)

🕷️ Too Hot - Underdark is not exactly cold - in most regions, the temperature is moderate and fairly stable - but still, being in the sun can make a drow uncomforably hot after some time. In Sacrifice of the Widow, drow wizard Q'arlynd spent his first days on the surface "sheltering under his piwafwi (drow cloak) and fanning himself", complaining about the heat, and it was not even summer.

🕷️ Concentration Problems - "the presence of strong light hampers drow concentration". In consequence, sunlight exposure can affect the drow's combat and spellcasting abilities, especially in case of young and untrained drow.

🕷️ Adaptation - "drow can, through training, experience, and repeated exposure, become accustomed to light (…) This process takes about ten years." It is best for a drow to start with short periods of sunlight exposure and gradually increase the duration over time.

"The detrimental effects of light on drow fade slowly (...) for every year of continuous surface-dwelling, until they cease. If the drow remains on the surface for at least one year after all negative effects cease, they will never return, and the individual can thereafter operate freely both underground and aboveground." To achieve this, though, the drow cannot avoid sunlight exposure while living on the surface.

🕷️ "Drow who adapt to the surface always remain comfortable in darkness, and able to see at night as well as a cat does. They also retain a lithe agility, a dislike of bright lights, open sky and loud noises. They also have an unparalleled viciousness in battle."

For more of my drow lore ramblings, feel free to check my pinned post 🕷️

#drow #drow lore #dnd lore #lolth sworn drow #dark elves

[lunastrophe]

Drow Language 🕷️ Glossary from Drow of the Underdark (2e)

Drow glossary from Drow of the Underdark (E. Greenwood, 1991), a supplemental rules book for use with AD&D (2e). Around two hundred canon words that allow to create simple sentences, messages and the like.

I organized the terms from the glossary into categories, so that the range of topics and the variety of vocabulary for each of them could be seen more clearly. Unsurprisingly, categories with the most words are connected to dealing with people, stealth and fight, travel and exploration, also magic and spirituality.

🕷️ To Be

tlu – be, to be phuul – are zhah – is

🕷️ Pronouns

usstan – I, self (literally, "this one") usstil – one in my place dos – you dosst – yours dosstan – yourself nind – they, them, their, theirs* nindyn – those vel’uss – who

*In fan-created drow language sources, "them", "their" and "theirs" are usually translated differently to avoid confusion.

🕷️ People, Professions, Titles

dobluth – outcast faern – wizard, magic-worker of any race or gender ilharn – patron, title of matron mother’s chosen mate ilhar – mother, to mother* ilharess – matron or matron mother, title of a female ruling a noble drow House ilharessen – matrons jabbuk – master, male in charge of some task or office malla – honored, term of respect qu’ellar – House, titled noble family sargtlin – (drow) warrior valsharess – queen** yathrin – (drow) priestess yathtallar – (drow) high priestess

*Only in a biological sense - "to mother" as in "to give birth to", not "to nourish and comfort". ** Title typically reserved for Lolth.

🕷️ Friends, Enemies, Relationships

abban – ally, not-enemy abbil – comrade, trusted friend* akh – band, group inthigg – agreement, treaty khaless – trust** maglust – apart, alone nau – no ogglin – rival, opponent, enemy*** qua’laelay – argument, disagreement, confrontation, but not yet open conflict quarth – order, exercise of authority quarthen – ordered, commanded ssinssrigg – passion, lust, greed, longing, love**** thalra – meet, encounter talthalra – meeting, council, parley thalack – war, open fighting xal – may, might, perhaps

* At least as trusted as possible in drow terms (see khaless). ** Especially foolish or misplaced kind of trust, since drow do not really believe in genuine trust. *** "Active"; all creatures are considered potential ogglin until proven otherwise. **** Not a selfless, unconditional, romantic kind of love.

🕷️ Non-Drow, Monsters

darthiir – faeries, surface elves, traitors gol – goblin goln – goblins haszak – illithid, mind flayer haszakkin – illithids rivvil – human rivvin – humans orbb – spider phindar – monster, dangerous being, especially a non-intelligent creature

🕷️ Insults

iblith – offal, excrement, carrion* wael – fool

* Often used in reference to non-drow and slaves.

🕷️ Battle, Life, Death

bautha – dodge, to dodge dro – life, alive elgg – kill, slay, destroy elghinn – death honglath – clever thinking, calm, bravery, good behavior jivvin – fun, play, but in sense of amusing cruelty, "animal spirits" kulg – snag, hitch, blockage* kulggen – deliberate rampart, shield, or other barrier luth – cast, throw, hurl phalar – grave, battle-marker plynn – take, size sargh – confidence in weapons, battle-might, strength-at-arms, valor sarn! – beware!, warning! sreen – danger streea – suicide, death in the service of Lolth, a House, or a community streeaka – reckless(ness), fearless(ness) thalackz’hind – raid, attack from afar ultrinnan – conquering, victory, to win or prevail velve – blade, dagger, knife, sword z'ress – power, strength, force, dominance**

* Impediment to will or to plans, but also an actual, material blockage, like debris in a shaft or passage. ** Especially strength of the will that allows a person, for example, to successfully manipulate others.

🕷️ Schemes, Stealth, Shadows

brorn – surprise brorna – surprises golhyrr – surprise, ruse, trap ilindith – aim, goal, hoped-for event inth – plan, stratagem, scheme kyone – alert / alertly, wary / warily, careful / carefully kyorl – watch, wait, guard kyorlin – watching, waiting, guarding olist – caution, stealth oloth – darkness, utter natural darkness or magical darkness ssussun – light, brightness veldrin – shadows, concealment afforded by varying light velkyn – unseen, hidden, invisible waela – foolish, unaware, unwary

🕷️ Magic, Faith, Destiny

elamshin – destiny, the will of Lolth* elend – usual, traditional faer – magic faerl – magical faerbol – magical item orthae – holy, sacred Quarvalsharess – Goddess (title of Lolth) quar’valsharess – goddess (other than Lolth) ul-ilindith – destiny yath – temple, also property, work or decree of the temple Yorn – power, will or servant-creature of the Goddess (Lolth)

* Destiny as unique purpose, connected to the intent of higher power (Lolth).

🕷️ Work, Learning, Exploration

colbauth – path, known way mrimm – guide, key, inspiration noamuth – wanderer, lost, unknown obsul – opening, door, gap or chink ragar – find, discover, uncover talinth – think, consider xun – do, to complete or accomplish xund – striving, effort, work xundus – doing, achievement, work completed or manifested in some concrete result zhaunil – learning, wisdom, knowledge z'hin – walk z'hind – trip, journey, expedition z'orr – climb

🕷️ Wealth, Goods, Gifts

belaern – wealth, coinage, treasure belbau – to give belbol – gift bol – item, thing, an unknown, unidentified, mysterious or important object cahallin – food, but only produced or harvested, including raid-spoils; not hunted game or cooked food

🕷️ Numbers, Quantity

uss – one ust – first draa – two drada – second llar – three llarnbuss – third tuth – both mzild – more jal – all

🕷️ Comparisons

alur – better, superior alurl – best, foremost taga – than ultrin – supreme, highest, conqueror ultrine – supreme, highest (applied to Lolth only)

🕷️ Relations In Space And Time

alust – in front, facing, in the forefront bauth – around, about dal – from del – of doeb – out elendar – continue, continued, continuing, enduring harl – down, under, below izil – as lil – the lueth – and natha – a pholor – on, upon rath – back ratha – backs rathrae – behind ulu – to wun – in wund – among, within, into

For more of my drow lore ramblings, feel free to check my pinned post 🕷️

#dnd lore #drow #drow lore #lolth sworn drow #drow language #drow culture #dark elves

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Drow Lore 🕷️ Sorn and Nadal, Drider Brothers (part 2)

(Part 1 can be found here)

Drider's life in the Underdark is not easy. It is not exactly known what happened to Sorn and Nadal after they were transformed, but given what typically happens to driders - they were most likely driven away from the city and joined other driders that lived beyond the borders of Rilauven.

One thing is certain, though: the brothers stayed together. Their bond, whatever it might look like before the trasformation, was most likely reinforced by shared fate, suffering and need to survive.

🕷️ Life In Dorn’s Deep – in 13th century DR, there was already a number of driders transformed and driven away from Rilauven. They most likely inhabited areas around the city, probably even creating some kind of a community.

Sometime after 1281 DR, the packs of Rilauven driders move further away from the city, claiming the lower areas of Dorn’s Deep as their territory (the same area the player characters can visit and clean in the first Icewind Dale game). Soon there were dozens of driders there, spread throughout the entire region. Sorn and Nadal were among them.

🕷️ Driders' Community And Drow – around 1292 DR, driders from Dorn’s Deep were (re)discovered by the drow from Rilauven who, having stabilized the situation in the city after the revolt, were seeking to expand their influence in the Underdark.

Rilauvenian drow followed Lolth no longer, so they did not necessarily hate the driders - they blamed the curse of Lolth and the previous Lolthite rulers of the city for the driders' horrible state. Despite of that, they saw driders as monsters and at least some of the former priestesses of Lolth still thought that driders deserved their fate.

There was no true friendship between driders from Dorn's Deep and drow from Rilauven - it was more like a strained non-aggression pact, at best, that lasted for about two decades. Soon it became clear that driders were not content to live off of scraps offered them by Rilauvenian drow. They sought to be recognized and treated as equals. The drow were reluctant to do so, though.

According to Sorn, driders were generally seen as ...freaks to be laughed at or killed out of fear.

🕷️ Alliance With The Legion Of The Chimera – around 1312 DR, driders from Dorn’s Deep led by Ginafae, former priestess of Lolth transformed into a drider, formed an alliance with the Legion of the Chimera. They saw it as their chance to finally be perceived and treated as equals, not as monsters.

On the request of the Legion's leaders, driders openly turned against the Rilauvenian drow. They left Dorn’s Deep to secure the strategic locations in the Underdark and prevent the drow from Rilauven from interfering with the Legion’s plans.

Driders moved to the caves near the old drow stronghold, Z’hinda citadel in the Underdark, somewhere below the Spine of the World. There Sorn and Nadal were appointed with guarding the entrance to the Drider Lair - the place the player characters can meet them and talk to them in game.

Soon it became clear, though, that the Legion did not really care about driders and their cause - they were only using them to achieve their own goals 😔

🕷️ About Sorn - Sorn is an example of a drider who managed to retain most of his sanity after transformation. He sometimes hisses, but only when agitated or angered and most of the time, he expresses himself fluently and coherently.

He also retained a lot – or maybe even the entirety – of his drow personality and memories, as well as at least some of his spellcasting abilities. He keeps his drider instincts in check remarkably well and when necessary, he is even able to restrain his brother who possesses far less control over his hunger.

Sorn is intelligent, cautious and suspicious of the outsiders. He does not hesitate to attack the enemy, but at the same time, he is smart enough not to risk his and his brother’s lives without being given a good reason to do it. He is also loyal to his leader Ginafae and to the driders’ cause. For once in our dismal existence, we driders can deal with others as equals, he states. He also does not care that the driders’ allies, the Legion of the Chimera, pose a threat to the inhabitants of the Ten Towns on the surface. He says: I would not give a drop of blood to save one of those pathetic humans in need.

Sorn shows a great amount of honesty towards the outsiders and unlike many other driders in the nearby caves, he is not hell-bent on killing them on sight. He even warns them that he may be “the most amiable drider” they are likely to meet. Still, he has no mercy for arrogant drow who try to boss him around, or for drow allies who seek to harm his leader or to destroy the Legion. He also loses his patience when somebody calls the driders abominations in his presence, or tries to appeal to the authority of the gods while dealing with him. He seems to be disgusted by gods in general, as well as by their servants – which is probably not surprising, considering the divine source of his curse.

🕷️ About Nadal – Nadal is an example of a drider who had lost most of his drow personality and sanity. He communicates mostly in hisses and clicks, having trouble with articulated speech. He apparently retained some memories of his past – for example, he seems to remember that he had only two legs once – but it is not really known how much of his old self resisted the trauma of transformation.

Nadal does not control his drider instincts very well and typically …drains the blood out of humanoids on sight. When he is hungry, he is ill-tempered and the thirst for blood consumes his mind. Nonetheless, he obeys his brother, even to the point of refraining himself from attacking an outsider.

Similarly to his brother, Nadal does not sympathize with humans from the Ten Towns and, in fact, he would not mind to see them all killed. He is loyal to the Legion of the Chimera, convinced that its survival is connected to the survival of driders.

• So... yeah. These two guys are just clusters of pixels in a relatively old game, but since BG3 (and Kar'niss) apparently made many people interested in drider lore, I thought that it might be nice to share their stories here 🙂

For more of my drow lore ramblings, feel free to check my pinned post 🕷️

#dnd lore #drow lore #lolth sworn drow #drow #drider #Icewind Dale 2 #dark elves

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I want to thank you so much for all the information you put together! It's been so helpful for me, as a new BG3 player (and thus relatively new to D&D). I was wondering what the drow word for 'survive' is? I've seen the drow phrases but wasn't quite sure which one meant that.

Thank you! I am glad to know you find the information from my posts useful 😊

As for "survive" in Drowic, from what I remember, no canonical lore source on drow language mentions this word. But in phrases from Drow of the Underdark for 2e, you may find some useful synonyms:

Xun izil dos phuul quarthen, lueth dro – Do as you are ordered, and live.

Kyorl jal bauth, kyone, lueth lil Quarvalsharess xal belbau dos lil belbol del elendar dro - Watch all about, warily, and the Goddess [Lolth] may give you the gift of continued life.

In popular fan-made The Drow Dictionary by Larenil, "survive" is dro'xun (dro "life", "alive" + xun "do", "to complete", "to accomplish") and "survival" is dro'xundus.

#drow language #drow

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Drow Lore 🕷️ Drow Phrases from IWD2

Some drow phrases from Icewind Dale 2 with translations, collected from two drow sound sets for player characters.

Lines from these sound sets are mainly in Common - er... English - with an occasional addition of Drowic word or short phrase.

Drowic in IWD2 is sometimes gramatically confusing, at best, or plainly incorrect, at worst. I guess that game creators just did not care that much 😅 Still, it generally makes sense - at least it is not as nonsensical as some of Viconia's lines from BG1 and 2.

🕷️ Phrases in drow language from IWD2 sound sets, with their in-game translations :

Aluve ust - I go first (aluve is apparently translated here as "I go", "I leave" instead of more lore appropriate "I / we leave you", a typical farewell)

Bautha tan - Dodge this

Elendar - Continue

Elghinn ulu darthiir - Death to traitors

Ish zhah usstha ilindith - It is my goal (usstha used here is apparently a variant of more appropriate ussta - "my")

Plynna usstha velve - Take my blade (plynna - apparently from plynn - "take"; plynna - made-up imperative variant...?)

Rothé iblith - Bovine crap (bullshit)

Usstan elgga dos - I will destroy you (elgga - apparently from elgg - "kill", "slay", "destroy"; made-up future simple variant...? Meh, whatever)

Usstan quartha dos elghinnan - I order you to die (quartha - apparently from quarth - "order" or quarthen - "ordered"; elghinnan - from elghinn - "death")

Usstar ilindith zhah ussta ilindith - Your goal is my goal (usstar - incorrect, should be dossta - "your", or at least something similar)

Usstar quarth? - Your orders? (usstar - again, incorrect, should be dossta)

🕷️ Nice detail - both drow voice sets have unique lines when a character is made a party leader. In such case, a female drow is (ominously) pleased:

Usstan tlu valsharess? Mwah-ha-ha-ha-ha! (For non-drow heathens: "I am to be queen?" Patented evil laughter as per humans)

In-game translations of drow lines in IWD2 appear in dialogue window like this, preceded by "for non-drow heathens" 🙃

When a male drow is made a party leader, on the other hand, he is suitably bashful about it:

I... I am not fit for such a role.

Also, male drow refers to the player / party leader as ilharess ("Matron Mother"), while female drow uses the term jabbuk ("master").

For more of my drow lore ramblings, feel free to check my pinned post 🕷️

#drow #drow lore #drow language #lolth sworn drow #dnd lore #dark elves #icewind dale 2

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BG Lore 🌙 Possible Cure For Astarion

When I watch the scene of Cazador's death, I cannot help but wonder if after all this stabbing, there is something left of this bastard's heart. I really, really hope there is.

Because according to Baldur's Gate 2 lore, the vampire master's heart is a crucial component in the ritual that can un-vampire a vampire spawn.

It is really a shame that this piece of lore is never mentioned in Baldur's Gate 3. Especially since Jaheira - who was one of the protagonist's companions in BG2 - should totally remember this ritual and should be able to provide Tav and Astarion with all the necessary details...!

*sigh* At least I can have this headcanon:

🌙 The Vampiricus Omnibus - it is one of the ancient tomes that in Baldur's Gate 2, can be found in the vampire's lair. It contains information about something called "Plague of Teeth".

Apparently a long time ago, in the area of Umar Hills in Amn, there was a great battle against "restless dead" - vampires. The vampires were defeated, but at a great cost: many people who fought against them were turned into vampire spawns:

"Mornat de'pas Golvana Fathorn: Battles when came the dead: There came we, the army of light, armed with faith and conviction, and we did march unto the tombs of the restless dead during hours of day. With wooden edge, we struck down master and slave, though many paid for each thrust with their lives. In the fallen, there was the danger of a scourge anew, and many of the newly infected seemed doomed to walk again with dire purpose."

🌙 The people who survived the battle were desperate to save and un-vampire their comrades. They collected hearts of vampires who had turned them, and they brought them to the temple of Amaunator - ancient deity of sun, order, law and time - that happened to be located near the Umar Hills area:

"Aegato Davon: The plea: 'No more,' cried we! No more would we lose to the plague. These new fallen could not be abandoned. We had fought for our lives and theirs, and they would not be taken. To the Temple we went, to the god of Sun and Light. Amaunator would save them. Amaunator, whose touch turns shadows to fire. In the arms of the Sun god were the infected placed, and the hearts of their dark masters were laid there with them. Blood did burn, and the dead returned, but not as undead or unliving, but alive and freed from taint. Many did walk the light side home, when last the plague did fall."

🌙 The Ritual In BG2 - at some point in BG2, the protagonist's love interest can end up kidnapped by a vampire, turned into a vampire spawn and killed during one the main battles. However, the protagonist can figure out how to resurrect (and un-vampire) their lover, using the ritual from The Vampiricus Omnibus.

In BG2, the temple of Amaunator is ruined and Amaunator's power is fading - but still, it is enough to successfully un-vampire one person.

In time of BG3, Amaunator is back as a greater deity and his cult is fully restored - as is his temple, most likely - so the ritual could still work!

🌙 The procedure would be simple:

kill the vampire master and obtain his heart,

take the heart and the vampire spawn to the temple of Amaunator near Umar Hills in Amn,

place the vampire spawn in the arms of holy statue of Amaunator, along with the heart of vampire master who turned them.

And who knows... Since all the spawns in the Cazador Palace were created by the same vampire master, maybe the ritual could work not only for Astarion - but by extension, for every one of them?

So... I really hope that Astarion did not make too many holes in Cazador's heart... Just in case 🥺

#bg3 #bg2 lore #baldur's gate 3 #astarion #astarion ancunin #astarion headcanons #pale elf