Light in Drow cities [Archive] - Wizards Community

Light in Drow cities [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
LucaCherstich
07-27-07, 02:05 PM How much light is in a Drow City?
I understand that all the drows have Darkvision but it is also well known that other races visit such cities.
No official supplement of 2nd (Drizzt's guide) or 3rd edition (Underdark, Drows of teh Underdark) clarify the matter.
Underdark page 181 says that no light is admitted in Drezz'Lynur (a portion of Undrek'Thoz) sice light damage a precious species of mushrooms.
This situation looks like excpetional and due to exceptional conditions, therefore it looks not to be the norm.
One must add the fact that in any illustration of Drow cities in the last 15 years there are always kinds of torches.
My opionion is that, unless particular conditions happen (as in Drezz'Lynur), Drow cities are partly in darkness (e.g. in privatre houses) and partly in light (e.g. some major roads, foreign quarters or where are slaves without darkvision).
What do ou think about this issue?
Aaron Highcolor
07-27-07, 02:34 PM Well, there was mention in one of the Drow of the Underdark books that the Houses were lit with fairie fire and such.

And I would assume that (at least in 2nd Ed, since there was no darkvision) that wizards would need light to study by.
Lord Dracul
07-27-07, 02:41 PM Well, there was mention in one of the Drow of the Underdark books that the Houses were lit with fairie fire and such.

And I would assume that (at least in 2nd Ed, since there was no darkvision) that wizards would need light to study by.

There might have been no Darkvision in 2E, but they were able to see in the heat spectrum.
Aaron Highcolor
07-27-07, 04:25 PM There might have been no Darkvision in 2E, but they were able to see in the heat spectrum.

Yeah, but one couldn't use infravision to read, so they would need light to read by.
Lord Dracul
07-27-07, 06:07 PM Yeah, but one couldn't use infravision to read, so they would need light to read by.

Never said they could, bruh.
Smilin_Bandit
07-27-07, 06:21 PM Menzorberranzan is dark enough to where Artemis needed magical assistance to be able to see while he was a captive of the city. In many of the novels and sourcebooks, it specifically states that the city is constantly lit by faint faerie fire dweomors and that spellcasters and scholars require candlelight to read by, but these are not sufficient enough for surface dwellers who do not have dark vision to functional proficiently.

~Smilin_Bandit~ :D
Shiftkitty
07-27-07, 08:21 PM And I've always decribed it to my players as being like midnight on a moonless night with severe cloud cover, every other streetlamp is broken and the best light you can get to supplement this is from a nearly expended lighter.

They get the idea that it's a very dark place and that the guys calling the shots (i.e., the drow) can see everything.
Ramenth
07-27-07, 10:22 PM I generally illuminate everything with a faint blueish glow ala dark caves in morrowind. There's no real reason for it, but some how it feels right with the images in my head. :o
MarkusTay63
07-27-07, 10:44 PM Depends on the city. Drow light their homes because they are vain and want them to stand out. Also, as was pointed out, wizards require light for reading and fire for various alchemical processes. I would say anyone with low-light vision should be okay when inside of most drow settlements (but not neccesarily inside the buildings).

Other Underdark races races would not use light though, with gnomes and dwarves being the exception.

Surface races do need some light, so in setlements that regularly get visitors from topside they might keep things lit just to accomadate their guests. Also, those races that use surface slaves may keep things lit just so their slaves could function.
ElberethSilverleaf
07-27-07, 11:25 PM Remember luminescent fungi and mushrooms. To someone with darkvision they probably act like torches to some extent.
Zanan
07-28-07, 04:32 AM Sometimes you do have to read between the lines. In the description of Menzoberranzan (A Walking Tour of the Dark Dominion) it is said that people looking from the Qu'ellarz'orl (that plateau of the higher Houses) can view the grandeur of the whole city. Neither dark- nor infravision goes on for more that 120 feet, so there. Yet, Houses and places are lit with faerie fire and dancning lights, one can also assume that there are many "torches" and street lamps lit with darkfire, so essentially, the whole city is "ablaze" with magical and a bit of natural light - all toned down not to hurt the eyes of a drow, yet sufficient enough to show the might and power of the place to drow and stranger alike.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
LucaCherstich 07-27-07, 02:05 PM	How much light is in a Drow City? I understand that all the drows have Darkvision but it is also well known that other races visit such cities. No official supplement of 2nd (Drizzt's guide) or 3rd edition (Underdark, Drows of teh Underdark) clarify the matter. Underdark page 181 says that no light is admitted in Drezz'Lynur (a portion of Undrek'Thoz) sice light damage a precious species of mushrooms. This situation looks like excpetional and due to exceptional conditions, therefore it looks not to be the norm. One must add the fact that in any illustration of Drow cities in the last 15 years there are always kinds of torches. My opionion is that, unless particular conditions happen (as in Drezz'Lynur), Drow cities are partly in darkness (e.g. in privatre houses) and partly in light (e.g. some major roads, foreign quarters or where are slaves without darkvision). What do ou think about this issue?
Aaron Highcolor 07-27-07, 02:34 PM	Well, there was mention in one of the Drow of the Underdark books that the Houses were lit with fairie fire and such. And I would assume that (at least in 2nd Ed, since there was no darkvision) that wizards would need light to study by.
Lord Dracul 07-27-07, 02:41 PM	Well, there was mention in one of the Drow of the Underdark books that the Houses were lit with fairie fire and such. And I would assume that (at least in 2nd Ed, since there was no darkvision) that wizards would need light to study by. There might have been no Darkvision in 2E, but they were able to see in the heat spectrum.
Aaron Highcolor 07-27-07, 04:25 PM	There might have been no Darkvision in 2E, but they were able to see in the heat spectrum. Yeah, but one couldn't use infravision to read, so they would need light to read by.
Lord Dracul 07-27-07, 06:07 PM	Yeah, but one couldn't use infravision to read, so they would need light to read by. Never said they could, bruh.
Smilin_Bandit 07-27-07, 06:21 PM	Menzorberranzan is dark enough to where Artemis needed magical assistance to be able to see while he was a captive of the city. In many of the novels and sourcebooks, it specifically states that the city is constantly lit by faint faerie fire dweomors and that spellcasters and scholars require candlelight to read by, but these are not sufficient enough for surface dwellers who do not have dark vision to functional proficiently. ~Smilin_Bandit~ :D
Shiftkitty 07-27-07, 08:21 PM	And I've always decribed it to my players as being like midnight on a moonless night with severe cloud cover, every other streetlamp is broken and the best light you can get to supplement this is from a nearly expended lighter. They get the idea that it's a very dark place and that the guys calling the shots (i.e., the drow) can see everything.
Ramenth 07-27-07, 10:22 PM	I generally illuminate everything with a faint blueish glow ala dark caves in morrowind. There's no real reason for it, but some how it feels right with the images in my head. :o
MarkusTay63 07-27-07, 10:44 PM	Depends on the city. Drow light their homes because they are vain and want them to stand out. Also, as was pointed out, wizards require light for reading and fire for various alchemical processes. I would say anyone with low-light vision should be okay when inside of most drow settlements (but not neccesarily inside the buildings). Other Underdark races races would not use light though, with gnomes and dwarves being the exception. Surface races do need some light, so in setlements that regularly get visitors from topside they might keep things lit just to accomadate their guests. Also, those races that use surface slaves may keep things lit just so their slaves could function.
ElberethSilverleaf 07-27-07, 11:25 PM	Remember luminescent fungi and mushrooms. To someone with darkvision they probably act like torches to some extent.
Zanan 07-28-07, 04:32 AM	Sometimes you do have to read between the lines. In the description of Menzoberranzan (A Walking Tour of the Dark Dominion) it is said that people looking from the Qu'ellarz'orl (that plateau of the higher Houses) can view the grandeur of the whole city. Neither dark- nor infravision goes on for more that 120 feet, so there. Yet, Houses and places are lit with faerie fire and dancning lights, one can also assume that there are many "torches" and street lamps lit with darkfire, so essentially, the whole city is "ablaze" with magical and a bit of natural light - all toned down not to hurt the eyes of a drow, yet sufficient enough to show the might and power of the place to drow and stranger alike.