Drow as PC's [Archive] - Wizards Community

Drow as PC's [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Arendon
11-29-04, 04:35 AM Hi all,

Although it is said that drow aren't the best to play in Eberron, I couldn't refuse one of my friends to play one.

The Guy has lost every glimpse of memory he had. He was saved on the shores of the Kraken bay and brought back home by a Valenar elf (another PC) a few years ago.

Everyone kept silence about his skin color and ability. He has a strange mark on the hand. I was wondering what would you set for such player ?

I was thinking he was dump by jealous enemy off a boat and almost drawn in the bay. They will soon realize he's still alive and will start hunting him. Of course the story has to lead him in Xen'drik after a while but I was looking for some more advanced game master's point of view.

Thanks a lot
Arendon
Save-vs-DM
11-29-04, 04:59 AM *thinks*

For heroic flair, what if he was bansihed by his tribe for ______________, and managed to grab the hull of a passing boat and ride it all the way to Sharn. He then collapsed and nearly drowned.

Out of curioustiy, what level are your other players?

Cheers,
SvD
Arendon
11-29-04, 05:10 AM They are currently Level 3 all of them.

The Idea of him banished or rejected isn't bad. Thanks
I really would like to make him search his past and also make him manipulated by it.

I was thinking that someone know perfectly who he is and will play with it.

Drow after all were some kind of experiment weren't they ? If so I can maybe let him discover he's some kind of assassin waiting to be awaken for the good moment. (Then he's ll have to accept it or reject it by a will saving throw)

I tried to have them play the forgotten forge but they went completely other way (doesn't matter I am used to it with them :D )
Save-vs-DM
11-29-04, 05:15 AM By all means use his background to highlight adventures.

As far as I know, the drow were not any sort of experiment.

I caution you about hinging his character development on a single will save - it
's unfair to the Player (though hidden messenges of his him being a brainwashed assassin are good - give him strange dreams of his "training"

Cheers,
SvD
Arendon
11-29-04, 05:26 AM Dreams ... hummm, yes, didn't think about it.

Thanks for the tip and I'll keep the caution in mind as well. ;)
Maelflux
11-29-04, 06:55 AM I'd no doubt try and drag the wonderful Giants into this as well, as I love their background. There's plenty of ideas here, if you for example have the drows he belonged to, be a part of either willing devotees to a group of giants, or even as slaves to the same.

Then he could have fled the group, either because of the slave-background. Or alternately to try and find some help elsewhere than his "brainwashed" drow-families, as he learned of the giants plot to either build a new construct of terrible design - or to excavate an ancient construct of same capacity.

This could lead to plenty of adventures:

1) Getting back his memories. Maybe the giants sent some conjurer braindisturbing mosnters after him, he just managed to kill of before collapsing. That could involve finding some legendary psionic masters, that could involve the Inspiried and the hidden Kalashtar.

2) Finding people to help vs the giants. This could be other drow, or maybe even Elves or whatever you fancy.

3) Getting back to Xen'drik and either freeing his people, or try and talk some sense into them, while avoiding other drows, giants, and whatnot.

Anyways, that was just a few ideas of the top of my head..

Cheers :)
Arendon
11-29-04, 09:21 AM OK great Ideas.

Anothr question though,

how should the rest of Khorvaire treat him ? What should be their attitude ?
Beside Xen'drik explorer I think very few people are aware of the drow (besides the elfs of course)

He has a mark on his hand, some kind of tatoo, I was thinking then about Vol. Would it be too exagerate the he would be the little dark little secret ? Someone bearing the mark of death ? (he wouldn't know of course and it's not active either)
debatedeus
11-29-04, 09:39 AM how should the rest of Khorvaire treat him ? What should be their attitude ?Beside Xen'drik explorer I think very few people are aware of the drow (besides the elfs of course)
How do people generally treat something they are not used to? With fear and blind hatred? Rational curiousness? Caution? I think that this is dependent. Maybe someone from Sharn or another big city will be more likely to accept him, but that someone from a rural community will fear/hate him. Some people may not be able to tell the difference between him and another elf. He could take ranks in disguise (or a hat of disguise) and make himself look like an elf or something, but then there are some people who look at elves (especially Valenar) with distrust.

He has a mark on his hand, some kind of tatoo, I was thinking then about Vol. Would it be too exagerate the he would be the little dark little secret ? Someone bearing the mark of death ? (he wouldn't know of course and it's not active either)
You're giving this character a lot of story-line capital.

In my game, the mark of Death is only obtainable by Elves and Half-Dragon Elves.

You know what is interesting about Drow? They have spell-like abilities to begin with, and those abilities are awefully similar to the ones granted by the Mark of Shadow. This could be another direction to take this Drow's
marking. Just a thought.
BuddyL33
11-29-04, 09:41 AM I do recall hearing something about how the Drow are different in Eberron but don't remember if I heard it or read it. Could someone refresh me on just how they are different, if they in fact are?
Arendon
11-29-04, 09:48 AM How do people generally treat something they are not used to? With fear and blind hatred? Rational curiousness? Caution? I think that this is dependent. Maybe someone from Sharn or another big city will be more likely to accept him, but that someone from a rural community will fear/hate him. Some people may not be able to tell the difference between him and another elf. He could take ranks in disguise (or a hat of disguise) and make himself look like an elf or something, but then there are some people who look at elves (especially Valenar) with distrust.

You're giving this character a lot of story-line capital.

True, i'll note this attitudes people might have with him.

about giving many a lot of story line capital, he did the same with us when he was game master for Fading Suns and Nephilim. But as I have not so many XP as GM I should pull this Idea back in the box... if it gets out of hand I may blow the entire campaign ...
Isran_Imrador
11-29-04, 09:56 AM inn my group we have planed that the drow migth have som traits from their giant creators, depending on what giants you like or the pc he could have something it has that mark being the reason he has it! A giantmark...could be other spell.abi ect...he dosent know this until he has some pre. req for which is up to the DM! a lesser Giant mark feat or.....
Arendon
11-29-04, 10:03 AM I think I'll leave the mark outcome for later in the game. The most important is what to do with him for the next coming 7 levels.

Anyway thanks every one for your time and ideas. ;)
Beleriphon
11-29-04, 10:52 AM I think a fun idea might be that while he was some how banished from Xen'drik its not for some noble or righteous purpose. He was banished because he's a greedy vicious nutter that tried to wrest control from the leader of his tribe. As punishment he is beaten and tossed into the ocean, where he then grabs ahold of a passing ship after drifting for a day or two. As the ship finally pulls into harbour in Khovaire he lets go and is washed up on the shore. Oh, and he has the nasty tendancy of trying to always get into a position of more power.
Isran_Imrador
11-29-04, 11:00 AM what class is he? convert him to silver flame and send him back to xen`drik as a missionary...
Arendon
11-29-04, 11:15 AM He's a rogue but I am sure hewon't convert to the Silver Flame althoug I may try to set him on a quest and as gratitude they will offer him a place in their rank ... I'll see this point as a possibility but I am pretty sure he'll refuse. I know him for more than 11 years.
Isran_Imrador
11-29-04, 11:21 AM !-) he could be used a a guide to XD by lyrandar and the other DM houses!
Arendon
11-29-04, 11:35 AM Well it's quite hard for an amnesic Drow to guide people in a land he doesn't even remeber it exists. ;)
Ranaku
11-30-04, 11:36 PM Unless he trained long and hard and got to the point where he knew the entirety of at least one area by instinct. Of course, he would still have this 'gut' feeling about where he is and where 'good' things are and 'bad' things (which may have changed or even reversed, especially if he did launch a failed coup, unless a compatriot managed to gain control later). He wouldn't know why or how he knows these things or know them on a consious level, but he would know.
ThanisKartaleon
12-01-04, 05:25 PM I do recall hearing something about how the Drow are different in Eberron but don't remember if I heard it or read it. Could someone refresh me on just how they are different, if they in fact are?
Indeed they are, according to Keith. Drow are not elves. They might have been at one point in time, but they are no longer. They were bred by giants to be assassins. Other than that? The dark skin, fetish for scorpions, powerful innate spell-like abilities, greater cunning and presence, darkvision, spell resistance, and sensitive eyes. They're a great deal different than elves.

They indeed share many traits with elves though, the most important being that they do not sleep (and thus do not dream). Why is this important? The Giants, being creatures who sleep, needed protection against the invading Quori. To combat them, they had the elves, the drow, and the warforged. All three are immune to the attacks of the Dreaming Dark.

give him strange dreams of his "training"
I'll have to respectfully disagree with SvD here. Drow don't sleep, and thus don't dream. Only FR drow can do that, because they're lame :P

Visions, however, are another story.

If so I can maybe let him discover he's some kind of assassin waiting to be awaken for the good moment. (Then he's ll have to accept it or reject it by a will saving throw
Don't force it on him. Just let him know at some point around 5th level that he can take levels as an assassin if he wants, without having to fulfill the prerequisites. He can choose to embrace or deny this heritage if he wants.

how should the rest of Khorvaire treat him ? What should be their attitude ?
Probably somewhat similar to how the British treated native American "savages" when they first discovered them. People will always be staring at him, treating him as a sideshow exhibit. They'll probably think at first that he is incapable of speech, and they'll keep trying to put him in "civilized" clothing.

Someone bearing the mark of death ?
Resist, resist, resist. As I've said, drow are not elves. There's no correlation.

Eberron dragonshards are not found in Xen'drik, or anywhere else for that matter except Aerenal and Khorvaire. Dragonmarked characters do not come from Xen'drik (House Vol appeared *after* the elves left Xen'drik), or anywhere else for that matter except Aerenal and Khorvaire.

He has a mark on his hand, some kind of tatoo
Suggestions:
A slave mark
A mark of a prophecied leader
A map
His true name
The key to a puzzle
The symbol of his tribe
A cool tattoo
A mark of banishment
A message from himself (he knew he was going to be brainwashed)

So, all that being said; You are the DM. If you wanna do something, go right ahead. As long as you're all having fun, you're doing just fine. :whatsthis
Delazar
12-02-04, 06:57 AM A message from himself (he knew he was going to be brainwashed)

this one's my favourite!!!

it reminds me of "Memento", and that was one hell of a good movie!!!
Gilliard DeRosan
12-02-04, 11:42 AM Okay. the Drow turned renegade, and began turning on his people. Banishment was discussed, but instead a powerful Psion performed Psychic Surgery and wiped his mind. So far, so good. Now, you have a Drow who is once again amiable with his people. He works for them, studies under them again, they basically remake him for their purpose. But, slowly, for whatever reason, his old memories begin to resurface. He begins questioning his people again, fighting against his masters. So they sentence him to death. Instead of killing him, the Powerful Psion decides once more (on their own) to wipe him again. Maybe during his brainwashed life he fell in love with her or something, and she doesn't want him dead... So she wipes his mind AGAIN, and packs him up and puts him on a ship. "Take him somewhere. Anywhere, and dump him" Captain is payed a lot, so he agrees. Except, as he is reaching Sharn he begins having second thoughts. Well, she did say dump him *anywhere*, so he dumps him off the side of the ship.

Drow survives, washes up on the shore. This is where the visions begin coming into play. The fact that he was mindwiped twice, means bits and pieces of each set of memories are surfacing. Maybe he has the desire to return to Xen'drik because the second set of memories is dictating that he needs to return home for something. Maybe he has a feeling that he is some great assassin in the making because his second set of memories is emerging. But he has a good heart because of his first set. Whatever, go with it as you see fit.

Eventually, you get to Xen'drik. He's home. He's evolved. Maybe he walks into home as some great combatant, and they think that it is a sign, because he has fought death and turned out to be who they wanted him to be, but hints emerge that prove that he is no such thing, which could lead to conflict with othre Drow, Giants, whatever. . . . Gads, certain aspects are sounding so Drizztsish.... Anyway, whereever you are leading it to, you can also throw in the Psion that loved him, and for whatever reason she decides to undo the mind wiping, which makes all those memories clash back into his head, causing confusing, and all that.

Ahh well. Just some ideas.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Arendon 11-29-04, 04:35 AM	Hi all, Although it is said that drow aren't the best to play in Eberron, I couldn't refuse one of my friends to play one. The Guy has lost every glimpse of memory he had. He was saved on the shores of the Kraken bay and brought back home by a Valenar elf (another PC) a few years ago. Everyone kept silence about his skin color and ability. He has a strange mark on the hand. I was wondering what would you set for such player ? I was thinking he was dump by jealous enemy off a boat and almost drawn in the bay. They will soon realize he's still alive and will start hunting him. Of course the story has to lead him in Xen'drik after a while but I was looking for some more advanced game master's point of view. Thanks a lot Arendon
Save-vs-DM 11-29-04, 04:59 AM	thinks For heroic flair, what if he was bansihed by his tribe for ______________, and managed to grab the hull of a passing boat and ride it all the way to Sharn. He then collapsed and nearly drowned. Out of curioustiy, what level are your other players? Cheers, SvD
Arendon 11-29-04, 05:10 AM	They are currently Level 3 all of them. The Idea of him banished or rejected isn't bad. Thanks I really would like to make him search his past and also make him manipulated by it. I was thinking that someone know perfectly who he is and will play with it. Drow after all were some kind of experiment weren't they ? If so I can maybe let him discover he's some kind of assassin waiting to be awaken for the good moment. (Then he's ll have to accept it or reject it by a will saving throw) I tried to have them play the forgotten forge but they went completely other way (doesn't matter I am used to it with them :D )
Save-vs-DM 11-29-04, 05:15 AM	By all means use his background to highlight adventures. As far as I know, the drow were not any sort of experiment. I caution you about hinging his character development on a single will save - it 's unfair to the Player (though hidden messenges of his him being a brainwashed assassin are good - give him strange dreams of his "training" Cheers, SvD
Arendon 11-29-04, 05:26 AM	Dreams ... hummm, yes, didn't think about it. Thanks for the tip and I'll keep the caution in mind as well. ;)
Maelflux 11-29-04, 06:55 AM	I'd no doubt try and drag the wonderful Giants into this as well, as I love their background. There's plenty of ideas here, if you for example have the drows he belonged to, be a part of either willing devotees to a group of giants, or even as slaves to the same. Then he could have fled the group, either because of the slave-background. Or alternately to try and find some help elsewhere than his "brainwashed" drow-families, as he learned of the giants plot to either build a new construct of terrible design - or to excavate an ancient construct of same capacity. This could lead to plenty of adventures: 1) Getting back his memories. Maybe the giants sent some conjurer braindisturbing mosnters after him, he just managed to kill of before collapsing. That could involve finding some legendary psionic masters, that could involve the Inspiried and the hidden Kalashtar. 2) Finding people to help vs the giants. This could be other drow, or maybe even Elves or whatever you fancy. 3) Getting back to Xen'drik and either freeing his people, or try and talk some sense into them, while avoiding other drows, giants, and whatnot. Anyways, that was just a few ideas of the top of my head.. Cheers :)
Arendon 11-29-04, 09:21 AM	OK great Ideas. Anothr question though, how should the rest of Khorvaire treat him ? What should be their attitude ? Beside Xen'drik explorer I think very few people are aware of the drow (besides the elfs of course) He has a mark on his hand, some kind of tatoo, I was thinking then about Vol. Would it be too exagerate the he would be the little dark little secret ? Someone bearing the mark of death ? (he wouldn't know of course and it's not active either)
debatedeus 11-29-04, 09:39 AM	how should the rest of Khorvaire treat him ? What should be their attitude ?Beside Xen'drik explorer I think very few people are aware of the drow (besides the elfs of course) How do people generally treat something they are not used to? With fear and blind hatred? Rational curiousness? Caution? I think that this is dependent. Maybe someone from Sharn or another big city will be more likely to accept him, but that someone from a rural community will fear/hate him. Some people may not be able to tell the difference between him and another elf. He could take ranks in disguise (or a hat of disguise) and make himself look like an elf or something, but then there are some people who look at elves (especially Valenar) with distrust. He has a mark on his hand, some kind of tatoo, I was thinking then about Vol. Would it be too exagerate the he would be the little dark little secret ? Someone bearing the mark of death ? (he wouldn't know of course and it's not active either) You're giving this character a lot of story-line capital. In my game, the mark of Death is only obtainable by Elves and Half-Dragon Elves. You know what is interesting about Drow? They have spell-like abilities to begin with, and those abilities are awefully similar to the ones granted by the Mark of Shadow. This could be another direction to take this Drow's marking. Just a thought.
BuddyL33 11-29-04, 09:41 AM	I do recall hearing something about how the Drow are different in Eberron but don't remember if I heard it or read it. Could someone refresh me on just how they are different, if they in fact are?
Arendon 11-29-04, 09:48 AM	How do people generally treat something they are not used to? With fear and blind hatred? Rational curiousness? Caution? I think that this is dependent. Maybe someone from Sharn or another big city will be more likely to accept him, but that someone from a rural community will fear/hate him. Some people may not be able to tell the difference between him and another elf. He could take ranks in disguise (or a hat of disguise) and make himself look like an elf or something, but then there are some people who look at elves (especially Valenar) with distrust. You're giving this character a lot of story-line capital. True, i'll note this attitudes people might have with him. about giving many a lot of story line capital, he did the same with us when he was game master for Fading Suns and Nephilim. But as I have not so many XP as GM I should pull this Idea back in the box... if it gets out of hand I may blow the entire campaign ...
Isran_Imrador 11-29-04, 09:56 AM	inn my group we have planed that the drow migth have som traits from their giant creators, depending on what giants you like or the pc he could have something it has that mark being the reason he has it! A giantmark...could be other spell.abi ect...he dosent know this until he has some pre. req for which is up to the DM! a lesser Giant mark feat or.....
Arendon 11-29-04, 10:03 AM	I think I'll leave the mark outcome for later in the game. The most important is what to do with him for the next coming 7 levels. Anyway thanks every one for your time and ideas. ;)
Beleriphon 11-29-04, 10:52 AM	I think a fun idea might be that while he was some how banished from Xen'drik its not for some noble or righteous purpose. He was banished because he's a greedy vicious nutter that tried to wrest control from the leader of his tribe. As punishment he is beaten and tossed into the ocean, where he then grabs ahold of a passing ship after drifting for a day or two. As the ship finally pulls into harbour in Khovaire he lets go and is washed up on the shore. Oh, and he has the nasty tendancy of trying to always get into a position of more power.
Isran_Imrador 11-29-04, 11:00 AM	what class is he? convert him to silver flame and send him back to xen`drik as a missionary...
Arendon 11-29-04, 11:15 AM	He's a rogue but I am sure hewon't convert to the Silver Flame althoug I may try to set him on a quest and as gratitude they will offer him a place in their rank ... I'll see this point as a possibility but I am pretty sure he'll refuse. I know him for more than 11 years.
Isran_Imrador 11-29-04, 11:21 AM	!-) he could be used a a guide to XD by lyrandar and the other DM houses!
Arendon 11-29-04, 11:35 AM	Well it's quite hard for an amnesic Drow to guide people in a land he doesn't even remeber it exists. ;)
Ranaku 11-30-04, 11:36 PM	Unless he trained long and hard and got to the point where he knew the entirety of at least one area by instinct. Of course, he would still have this 'gut' feeling about where he is and where 'good' things are and 'bad' things (which may have changed or even reversed, especially if he did launch a failed coup, unless a compatriot managed to gain control later). He wouldn't know why or how he knows these things or know them on a consious level, but he would know.
ThanisKartaleon 12-01-04, 05:25 PM	I do recall hearing something about how the Drow are different in Eberron but don't remember if I heard it or read it. Could someone refresh me on just how they are different, if they in fact are? Indeed they are, according to Keith. Drow are not elves. They might have been at one point in time, but they are no longer. They were bred by giants to be assassins. Other than that? The dark skin, fetish for scorpions, powerful innate spell-like abilities, greater cunning and presence, darkvision, spell resistance, and sensitive eyes. They're a great deal different than elves. They indeed share many traits with elves though, the most important being that they do not sleep (and thus do not dream). Why is this important? The Giants, being creatures who sleep, needed protection against the invading Quori. To combat them, they had the elves, the drow, and the warforged. All three are immune to the attacks of the Dreaming Dark. give him strange dreams of his "training" I'll have to respectfully disagree with SvD here. Drow don't sleep, and thus don't dream. Only FR drow can do that, because they're lame :P Visions, however, are another story. If so I can maybe let him discover he's some kind of assassin waiting to be awaken for the good moment. (Then he's ll have to accept it or reject it by a will saving throw Don't force it on him. Just let him know at some point around 5th level that he can take levels as an assassin if he wants, without having to fulfill the prerequisites. He can choose to embrace or deny this heritage if he wants. how should the rest of Khorvaire treat him ? What should be their attitude ? Probably somewhat similar to how the British treated native American "savages" when they first discovered them. People will always be staring at him, treating him as a sideshow exhibit. They'll probably think at first that he is incapable of speech, and they'll keep trying to put him in "civilized" clothing. Someone bearing the mark of death ? Resist, resist, resist. As I've said, drow are not elves. There's no correlation. Eberron dragonshards are not found in Xen'drik, or anywhere else for that matter except Aerenal and Khorvaire. Dragonmarked characters do not come from Xen'drik (House Vol appeared after the elves left Xen'drik), or anywhere else for that matter except Aerenal and Khorvaire. He has a mark on his hand, some kind of tatoo Suggestions: A slave mark A mark of a prophecied leader A map His true name The key to a puzzle The symbol of his tribe A cool tattoo A mark of banishment A message from himself (he knew he was going to be brainwashed) So, all that being said; You are the DM. If you wanna do something, go right ahead. As long as you're all having fun, you're doing just fine. :whatsthis
Delazar 12-02-04, 06:57 AM	A message from himself (he knew he was going to be brainwashed) this one's my favourite!!! it reminds me of "Memento", and that was one hell of a good movie!!!
Gilliard DeRosan 12-02-04, 11:42 AM	Okay. the Drow turned renegade, and began turning on his people. Banishment was discussed, but instead a powerful Psion performed Psychic Surgery and wiped his mind. So far, so good. Now, you have a Drow who is once again amiable with his people. He works for them, studies under them again, they basically remake him for their purpose. But, slowly, for whatever reason, his old memories begin to resurface. He begins questioning his people again, fighting against his masters. So they sentence him to death. Instead of killing him, the Powerful Psion decides once more (on their own) to wipe him again. Maybe during his brainwashed life he fell in love with her or something, and she doesn't want him dead... So she wipes his mind AGAIN, and packs him up and puts him on a ship. "Take him somewhere. Anywhere, and dump him" Captain is payed a lot, so he agrees. Except, as he is reaching Sharn he begins having second thoughts. Well, she did say dump him anywhere, so he dumps him off the side of the ship. Drow survives, washes up on the shore. This is where the visions begin coming into play. The fact that he was mindwiped twice, means bits and pieces of each set of memories are surfacing. Maybe he has the desire to return to Xen'drik because the second set of memories is dictating that he needs to return home for something. Maybe he has a feeling that he is some great assassin in the making because his second set of memories is emerging. But he has a good heart because of his first set. Whatever, go with it as you see fit. Eventually, you get to Xen'drik. He's home. He's evolved. Maybe he walks into home as some great combatant, and they think that it is a sign, because he has fought death and turned out to be who they wanted him to be, but hints emerge that prove that he is no such thing, which could lead to conflict with othre Drow, Giants, whatever. . . . Gads, certain aspects are sounding so Drizztsish.... Anyway, whereever you are leading it to, you can also throw in the Psion that loved him, and for whatever reason she decides to undo the mind wiping, which makes all those memories clash back into his head, causing confusing, and all that. Ahh well. Just some ideas.