Questions about Drow Cities [Archive] - Wizards Community

Questions about Drow Cities [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
GhoX
06-13-07, 07:02 AM I'm planning on making a mod of a gigantic drow city in NWN2, in the time before the time of troubles and of course the year of wild magic. (years before the birth of Drizzt really, don't want to get him involved, it's simply a bit too sick that you can kill Drizzt and all his friends in BG2)

Although I've did many researches, read many books about drows, their culture, their cities and finally found a map of Underdark, I still fear to get things wrong. Right now I have two options: either make up a new city(is that alright?), or use a existing city with almost no storyline, Sheoloth.(I'm not sure whether it's in the realms or not though, since it didn't say anything about the realms on the open game content book's cover)

As far as I know, for mods of drow cities the closest thing is probably "A Hunt Through Darkness" for NWN... a good mod indeed, with nice storyline and backgrounds. The main problem with that mod I(and many others) have found is the lack of freedom, and the undrow balance of male and female. (the PC will do the same thing, say the same thing regardless the sex) I tend to make that better.

So, I'm here in need of advices and some help. Some questions first:
1. What do drow cities exactly look like? Are they filled with high towers(Ust Natha, more of an outpost though), or are they built on solid ground(Menzo, from the looks of the map it should be on the ground, right?).
2. Do drow city fight drow city? (not just sending spies, but sending large armies.)
3. I know many drow cities are not all-Lolth, are the Lolth cities distributed randomly in the Underdark, or are they all in a certain area(e.g. the Sword Coast). Are there many Lolth cities in areas below Thay or Shar?(I know there are many drow cities there, but can't find out much info about them)
4. What do drow commoner buildings look like? What do out-of-favour drow commoner buildings look like(slums)?
5. How many good drows should there be in every drow cities? So far, it would seem every drow city has some(if not many) good guys.
6. Jarlaxle is known to have connections in many drow cities, just how many? What's the range of his influence 100~200 years before Drizzt's birth? Was he as powerful as he was a few years ago? Is it possible for him to have connections in drow cities as far as Dambrath, in cities such as Llurth Dreir and T'Lindhet, of the Great Bhaerynden? And is it common for Bregan D'aerthe to have "outposts" in other drow cities?
7. Are time indicators(such as Narbondel) common in drow cities? (Didn't see any in Sheoloth)
8. Is there any thing notable 100~200 years before the birth of Drizzt that affected the entire drow race?

Answer what you can, and you will have my gratitude. Also, please point out any flaw in my plan and feel free to give me any advices.

I will start construct my mod after the release of NWN2: Mask of Betrayal (hopefully it will have drow buildings, underdark props and giant mushroom models which I terribly need for a drow city mod). In the meantime I shall do the planning work. Thanks.
(PS. I don't need much help with drow language/names)
Boda
06-13-07, 06:29 PM 1. What do drow cities exactly look like? Are they filled with high towers(Ust Natha, more of an outpost though), or are they built on solid ground(Menzo, from the looks of the map it should be on the ground, right?).
2. Do drow city fight drow city? (not just sending spies, but sending large armies.)
3. I know many drow cities are not all-Lolth, are the Lolth cities distributed randomly in the Underdark, or are they all in a certain area(e.g. the Sword Coast). Are there many Lolth cities in areas below Thay or Shar?(I know there are many drow cities there, but can't find out much info about them)
4. What do drow commoner buildings look like? What do out-of-favour drow commoner buildings look like(slums)?
5. How many good drows should there be in every drow cities? So far, it would seem every drow city has some(if not many) good guys.
6. Jarlaxle is known to have connections in many drow cities, just how many? What's the range of his influence 100~200 years before Drizzt's birth? Was he as powerful as he was a few years ago? Is it possible for him to have connections in drow cities as far as Dambrath, in cities such as Llurth Dreir and T'Lindhet, of the Great Bhaerynden? And is it common for Bregan D'aerthe to have "outposts" in other drow cities?
7. Are time indicators(such as Narbondel) common in drow cities? (Didn't see any in Sheoloth)
8. Is there any thing notable 100~200 years before the birth of Drizzt that affected the entire drow race?

1-The style of the city architecture varies with the resouces and traits of the cavern(Menzo is ground based, Ched Nasad wasnt)

2-Sure, if they kill each other within, why not outsiders. Maybe that why drow cities tend to be far apart.

3-Lolth worshiping depends on the history of each cities. You mean Undrek'troz(or something like that). The guidebook Underdark has pretty good info on it.Shaar you mean? Problably not since it's to close to the Great Rift(and all those dwarfs).

4-If there are merchants or guilds of craftmen, maybe a poor version of the noble ones. The out of favour live whereever they can, and slums(or shantytowns) are as good depiction as any.

5-There are good guys in Guallidurth, Maemidriya? I think good drow are a fashion trend. It wont last...

6-Just because he says he as connections, that doesnt mean that he actually does. He problably doesnt know that those cities even exist.Agents maybe, outpost are a like to visible(and vunerable).

7-Maybe others like sandclocks or soundbased...

8-If it has, i never heard of....
Lord Karsus
06-14-07, 11:11 PM -See Underdark, Drow of the Underdark (2e) and Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark.
Zanan
06-15-07, 05:03 AM So, I'm here in need of advices and some help. Some questions first:
1. What do drow cities exactly look like? Are they filled with high towers(Ust Natha, more of an outpost though), or are they built on solid ground(Menzo, from the looks of the map it should be on the ground, right?).

Best source on this is the Menzoberranzan boxed set (available as PDF via Paizo.com). Complete lay-out of that famed city. Another one could be Dezzavold (Green Ronin, add-on to Plot & Poison), with an in-build campaign. Finally, there is a write-up of Greyhawk's Erelhei-cinlu in the new Drow of the Underdark. If you'd ask me, I would use the books in that order.

2. Do drow city fight drow city? (not just sending spies, but sending large armies.)

Rarely, but not unheard of. Unless I am mistaken, no major battles have been fought in the last few decades, though there have been skirmishes between various cities for dominance in certain regions. DdUGttUD as well as the Menzo box have some clues. It has also been said that a crusader order of Lolth, the Daughters of the Yochlol, have assembled in days gone by to attack and destroy entire drow cities that have fallen away from Lolth.

3. I know many drow cities are not all-Lolth, are the Lolth cities distributed randomly in the Underdark, or are they all in a certain area(e.g. the Sword Coast). Are there many Lolth cities in areas below Thay or Shar?(I know there are many drow cities there, but can't find out much info about them)

There are about 40 drow cities known by name within the Realms, about half of which also by location ...

Abaethaggar – * - no info bar name
Abburth – * - no info bar name
Baereghel – no info bar name
(Blingdenstone – strongholds)
Chaulssin – (a former city, now no longer drow) 100 miles west of citadel Adbar
Charrvhel’raugaust - no info bar name
Ched Nasad – below Graypeak Mountains
Cheth Rrhinn – no info bar name
(Cormanthor – strongholds)
(Dallnothax belongs to Sarenestar "realm" , stronghold)
Dusklyngh (200 miles north of Frozen Forest & 100 miles east Anauroch)
Eryndlyn – beneath High Moor, 120 miles east of Illefarn
Faeneadar – * - no info bar name
Guallidurth – beneath Calimshan, 70 miles WNW of Calimport
Haundrauth – * - no info bar name
(Holldaybim – Done - belongs to Sarenestar "realm")
(Iskasshyoll – likewise)
Ithilaughym – no info bar name
Jhachalkhyn – (somewhere between Menzoberranzan and Maeralyn)
Karsoluthiyl – 200 miles west of Baldur's Gate
(Kyorlamshin – stronghold in Undermountain)
Llurth Dreir – beneath Shaar
Luihaulen’tar – no info bar name
Maeralyn – 20 miles to the west of Tharsult island (no other info bar an attack on Jhachalkhyn)
Maerimydra - beneath the Dalelands, 100 miles west of Zhentil Keep
(Mantol Derith – Underdark trading place)
Menzoberranzan - beneath Surbrin Vale, 100 miles west of Silverymoon
Orlytlar – * - no info bar name
Rilauven – (some info in BG II - Throne of Bhaal)
Sarenestar (surface, Forest of Mir) – * - the actual "realm" in the Forest of Mir, no city
Sshamath - beneath Far Hills, 200 East of Scornubel
Sschindylryn - 220 miles north of Elversult
Szith Morcane - outpost of Maerimydra
Telantiwar – ancient realm
Tlethtyrr - no info bar name
T’lindhet - (beneath Dambrath)
Tyrybblyn - no info bar name
Uluitur - no info bar name
Undraeth
Undrek’Thoz - actually ten cities / realms - not listed
Ust Natha - beneath Sword Coast, Amn region
V’elddrinnsshar - beneath West Galena Mountains
Waerglarn - no info bar name
Waethe Hlammachar – no info bar name
Yuethindrynn – * - no info bar name

Drow Realms of the past ... actually, all bar Bhaerynden are cities:
Bhaerynden (a realm)
Cloibbra
Clorlyth'naa'tsheen
Golothaer - "mother" of Menzoberranzan and Ched Nasad
Obbolor

4. What do drow commoner buildings look like? What do out-of-favour drow commoner buildings look like(slums)?

Hard to tell. Most likely stalagmite buildings too, but worn down and less well-worked.

5. How many good drows should there be in every drow cities? So far, it would seem every drow city has some(if not many) good guys.

First, the plural of drow is drow. There might be some "good" guys in every drow city, but IMHO, "good" in a drow city could well mean "neutral". I would keep this as vague as possible, saying that the large majority is indeed "evil", some are neutral and very few are "good". It is likely that drow may accept the odd "good" character in a city, e.g. a low level Ilmaterian to check on the slaves or deal with surface visitors not accustomed to the drow way of life. Good drow will be persecuted and the inquisitors and devotees of Lolth are always on guard.

6. Jarlaxle is known to have connections in many drow cities, just how many? What's the range of his influence 100~200 years before Drizzt's birth? Was he as powerful as he was a few years ago? Is it possible for him to have connections in drow cities as far as Dambrath, in cities such as Llurth Dreir and T'Lindhet, of the Great Bhaerynden? And is it common for Bregan D'aerthe to have "outposts" in other drow cities?

Bregan D'aerthe is a infamous mercenary company. They are known and respected in places which have dealt with Menzoberranzan before, but I would not overstretch this.

7. Are time indicators(such as Narbondel) common in drow cities? (Didn't see any in Sheoloth)

Sheoloth is no FR city. Methinks there were time indicators in other drow cities too, but they where not described in detail

8. Is there any thing notable 100~200 years before the birth of Drizzt that affected the entire drow race?

Does this imply that the birth of Drizzt had any effect on the drow race? :D
Nope, nothing that I can think of. Essentially, apart from the Descent, nothing has affected the "entire" drow race. People like to argue that the events involving Liriel Baenre (Daughter of the Drow etc.) and her Windwalker amulet changed something with regard to the use of drow magic and drow items and the surface, but I would be hesitant to say so.

(PS. I don't need much help with drow language/names)

You don't? Well, in any case, FR specific, only The Drow of the Underdark by Ed Greenwood has a glossary of drow and drow names. You can find a list of official FR drow NPCs (and their names) following the link to my "homepage". Just in case ...
Lord Karsus
06-15-07, 11:28 PM -Zanan, you forgot Ir'Sylin, mentioned in Champions of Ruin.
GhoX
06-16-07, 01:26 AM Thanks, those are some very valuable infos! Saved me from falling into a death trap for using Sheoloth(no wonder the history of the city has a male leader in it...). I'll certainly check out Menzo and Drizzt's guide, heard alot about the latter.

The reason I don't need help with language and names is that I already have a translator here: http://www.grey-company.org/Maerdyn/resources/translator/index.cgi (should be accrute I think...)
name generator, and a page for meanings of names: http://drowcampaign.roleplaynexus.com/drowlanguage.html

I thought you might want to add them to your homepage, they're pretty useful in my opinion.
GhoX
06-16-07, 01:57 AM Another question just came across my mind, how will the residence of a drow city reacts to a drow noble male/female?

How will these people react to a noble male/female, especially when talking to them(or at least trying to)
Matron Mother of a higher house/highest house
Matron Mother of the house
Matron Mother of a lower house
Matron Mother of a minor house
Daughters of the house
Daughters of a higher house/lower house(but not minor)
Daughters of a minor house
Prietesses of the house
Prietesses of another house
Prietesses of a minor house
Sons of any house
Soldiers of any house
Wizards of any house
Weapon Masters of any house
Masters while in mages' school
Masters while in fighters' school
Prietesses while in prietesses' school
Fellow students while in school
Rich drow merchants
Rich non-drow merchants
Rich drow commoners
Mercenaries
Normal drow Commoners
Poor drow commoners, merchants, craftsmen, labourers and etc.
Non-drow commoners who ain't slaves
Slaves such as human, drow, dawrves, gnomes and tieflings.
Slaves such as orcs, gnolls, goblins, ogres and bugbears.
Shiftkitty
06-16-07, 02:08 AM According to the 2e Drow of teh Underdark, different cities have different methods for marking the passage of time, but only Menzoberranzan's Narbondel was mentioned specifically. It runs on a 24 hour day, but it was mentioned that not every city has that same schedule.

You Might Find This Helpful: When deprived of any indicators of the passage of time, such as the sun or a clock, human beings fall into a 32 hour cycle. Elves, having longer life-spans, might fall into an even longer cycle. The Drow might mark it entirely differently, as so many generations have passed since they lived on the surface.

In our game, the Drow of Menzoberranzan don't refer to days. They lost that concept long ago. They count narbs. They don't even know that it marks the passage of 24 hours. They'd never know if Narbondel got a late start. The "day" starts when Narbondel starts. Gromph could make everybody open up for business early if he wanted. ("Damn, I want a good, stiff drink, but Vath doesn't open up his bar for quite some time...unless I say so...")
Zanan
06-16-07, 06:46 AM -Zanan, you forgot Ir'Sylin, mentioned in Champions of Ruin.

I might have forgotten it if I had claimed to post a complete list :cool:
Lord Karsus
06-16-07, 08:38 PM I might have forgotten it if I had claimed to post a complete list :cool:

-Why didn't you include it in your abbreviated list, then? Eh? Eh? :P
Zanan
06-18-07, 04:46 PM -Why didn't you include it in your abbreviated list, then? Eh? Eh? :P

Just a short copy & paste from an older answer. Can't reveal all the secrets about the drow time and again, you know.
seibermaki
06-20-07, 07:11 PM I've been reading up on the Drow myself lately. Thanks for the great info from those who replied to the OP.
The Ranger
06-21-07, 01:13 AM Zanan, as always I'm impressed by your grasp of the drow. Great info.
Dr_Tough
06-21-07, 09:57 PM Looks like some pretty good answers so far. I might as well add in my two cents. First of all, it's your game and your mod, so it's perfectly alright to make up what you want. If people don't like it, they don't have to play it.

1. Generally speaking, the cities are built in large caverns with the "towers" being stalagmites and stalagtites (or however they're spelled) that have grown together. But there are exceptions, one city was built on a giant web suspended over a chasm (and it, of course, ended up falling into said chasm).

2. Of course drow fight wars against each other. Like any state they have goals and when those goals come into conflict armed force can be used.

3. I think they're distributed more or less randomly, remember with placing that the Underdark is three dimensional (according to the source book there are three levels)

4. I would imagine they look more or less like surface dwellings.

5. lol

6. I think you could just make up that part and no one will notice

7. Again I think you can make up that part and no one will be the wiser.

8. Not that I know of.
captaincarot
06-22-07, 02:42 AM and if anyone has trouble remembering which one is which out of stalagtites and stalagmites.

just remember tites hang down, you will never get it wrong then.:)
bludmarine
07-21-07, 11:53 AM That's one letter away from being naughty... but very helpful just the same. I doubt if I will ever forget which is which now. As to the subject on hand.... I 'd have to agree and say again that it is your campaign. While it's all well and good to try and get everything "right" it's always going to be your campaign. It's often more fun to take a concept or idea that already exists in this game and make it your own ie. making males the dominant sex in your drow city. You could even just have one city like this and the rest would be female ruled. And I must agree that all the responses have been extremely helpful. I have learned something today.
Shiftkitty
07-21-07, 08:03 PM Isn't there a drow city run by the wizards? Sshamath or something like that. (Uppity males!)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
GhoX 06-13-07, 07:02 AM	I'm planning on making a mod of a gigantic drow city in NWN2, in the time before the time of troubles and of course the year of wild magic. (years before the birth of Drizzt really, don't want to get him involved, it's simply a bit too sick that you can kill Drizzt and all his friends in BG2) Although I've did many researches, read many books about drows, their culture, their cities and finally found a map of Underdark, I still fear to get things wrong. Right now I have two options: either make up a new city(is that alright?), or use a existing city with almost no storyline, Sheoloth.(I'm not sure whether it's in the realms or not though, since it didn't say anything about the realms on the open game content book's cover) As far as I know, for mods of drow cities the closest thing is probably "A Hunt Through Darkness" for NWN... a good mod indeed, with nice storyline and backgrounds. The main problem with that mod I(and many others) have found is the lack of freedom, and the undrow balance of male and female. (the PC will do the same thing, say the same thing regardless the sex) I tend to make that better. So, I'm here in need of advices and some help. Some questions first: 1. What do drow cities exactly look like? Are they filled with high towers(Ust Natha, more of an outpost though), or are they built on solid ground(Menzo, from the looks of the map it should be on the ground, right?). 2. Do drow city fight drow city? (not just sending spies, but sending large armies.) 3. I know many drow cities are not all-Lolth, are the Lolth cities distributed randomly in the Underdark, or are they all in a certain area(e.g. the Sword Coast). Are there many Lolth cities in areas below Thay or Shar?(I know there are many drow cities there, but can't find out much info about them) 4. What do drow commoner buildings look like? What do out-of-favour drow commoner buildings look like(slums)? 5. How many good drows should there be in every drow cities? So far, it would seem every drow city has some(if not many) good guys. 6. Jarlaxle is known to have connections in many drow cities, just how many? What's the range of his influence 100~200 years before Drizzt's birth? Was he as powerful as he was a few years ago? Is it possible for him to have connections in drow cities as far as Dambrath, in cities such as Llurth Dreir and T'Lindhet, of the Great Bhaerynden? And is it common for Bregan D'aerthe to have "outposts" in other drow cities? 7. Are time indicators(such as Narbondel) common in drow cities? (Didn't see any in Sheoloth) 8. Is there any thing notable 100~200 years before the birth of Drizzt that affected the entire drow race? Answer what you can, and you will have my gratitude. Also, please point out any flaw in my plan and feel free to give me any advices. I will start construct my mod after the release of NWN2: Mask of Betrayal (hopefully it will have drow buildings, underdark props and giant mushroom models which I terribly need for a drow city mod). In the meantime I shall do the planning work. Thanks. (PS. I don't need much help with drow language/names)
Boda 06-13-07, 06:29 PM	1. What do drow cities exactly look like? Are they filled with high towers(Ust Natha, more of an outpost though), or are they built on solid ground(Menzo, from the looks of the map it should be on the ground, right?). 2. Do drow city fight drow city? (not just sending spies, but sending large armies.) 3. I know many drow cities are not all-Lolth, are the Lolth cities distributed randomly in the Underdark, or are they all in a certain area(e.g. the Sword Coast). Are there many Lolth cities in areas below Thay or Shar?(I know there are many drow cities there, but can't find out much info about them) 4. What do drow commoner buildings look like? What do out-of-favour drow commoner buildings look like(slums)? 5. How many good drows should there be in every drow cities? So far, it would seem every drow city has some(if not many) good guys. 6. Jarlaxle is known to have connections in many drow cities, just how many? What's the range of his influence 100~200 years before Drizzt's birth? Was he as powerful as he was a few years ago? Is it possible for him to have connections in drow cities as far as Dambrath, in cities such as Llurth Dreir and T'Lindhet, of the Great Bhaerynden? And is it common for Bregan D'aerthe to have "outposts" in other drow cities? 7. Are time indicators(such as Narbondel) common in drow cities? (Didn't see any in Sheoloth) 8. Is there any thing notable 100~200 years before the birth of Drizzt that affected the entire drow race? 1-The style of the city architecture varies with the resouces and traits of the cavern(Menzo is ground based, Ched Nasad wasnt) 2-Sure, if they kill each other within, why not outsiders. Maybe that why drow cities tend to be far apart. 3-Lolth worshiping depends on the history of each cities. You mean Undrek'troz(or something like that). The guidebook Underdark has pretty good info on it.Shaar you mean? Problably not since it's to close to the Great Rift(and all those dwarfs). 4-If there are merchants or guilds of craftmen, maybe a poor version of the noble ones. The out of favour live whereever they can, and slums(or shantytowns) are as good depiction as any. 5-There are good guys in Guallidurth, Maemidriya? I think good drow are a fashion trend. It wont last... 6-Just because he says he as connections, that doesnt mean that he actually does. He problably doesnt know that those cities even exist.Agents maybe, outpost are a like to visible(and vunerable). 7-Maybe others like sandclocks or soundbased... 8-If it has, i never heard of....
Lord Karsus 06-14-07, 11:11 PM	-See Underdark, Drow of the Underdark (2e) and Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark.
Zanan 06-15-07, 05:03 AM	So, I'm here in need of advices and some help. Some questions first: 1. What do drow cities exactly look like? Are they filled with high towers(Ust Natha, more of an outpost though), or are they built on solid ground(Menzo, from the looks of the map it should be on the ground, right?). Best source on this is the Menzoberranzan boxed set (available as PDF via Paizo.com). Complete lay-out of that famed city. Another one could be Dezzavold (Green Ronin, add-on to Plot & Poison), with an in-build campaign. Finally, there is a write-up of Greyhawk's Erelhei-cinlu in the new Drow of the Underdark. If you'd ask me, I would use the books in that order. 2. Do drow city fight drow city? (not just sending spies, but sending large armies.) Rarely, but not unheard of. Unless I am mistaken, no major battles have been fought in the last few decades, though there have been skirmishes between various cities for dominance in certain regions. DdUGttUD as well as the Menzo box have some clues. It has also been said that a crusader order of Lolth, the Daughters of the Yochlol, have assembled in days gone by to attack and destroy entire drow cities that have fallen away from Lolth. 3. I know many drow cities are not all-Lolth, are the Lolth cities distributed randomly in the Underdark, or are they all in a certain area(e.g. the Sword Coast). Are there many Lolth cities in areas below Thay or Shar?(I know there are many drow cities there, but can't find out much info about them) There are about 40 drow cities known by name within the Realms, about half of which also by location ... Abaethaggar – * - no info bar name Abburth – * - no info bar name Baereghel – no info bar name (Blingdenstone – strongholds) Chaulssin – (a former city, now no longer drow) 100 miles west of citadel Adbar Charrvhel’raugaust - no info bar name Ched Nasad – below Graypeak Mountains Cheth Rrhinn – no info bar name (Cormanthor – strongholds) (Dallnothax belongs to Sarenestar "realm" , stronghold) Dusklyngh (200 miles north of Frozen Forest & 100 miles east Anauroch) Eryndlyn – beneath High Moor, 120 miles east of Illefarn Faeneadar – * - no info bar name Guallidurth – beneath Calimshan, 70 miles WNW of Calimport Haundrauth – * - no info bar name (Holldaybim – Done - belongs to Sarenestar "realm") (Iskasshyoll – likewise) Ithilaughym – no info bar name Jhachalkhyn – (somewhere between Menzoberranzan and Maeralyn) Karsoluthiyl – 200 miles west of Baldur's Gate (Kyorlamshin – stronghold in Undermountain) Llurth Dreir – beneath Shaar Luihaulen’tar – no info bar name Maeralyn – 20 miles to the west of Tharsult island (no other info bar an attack on Jhachalkhyn) Maerimydra - beneath the Dalelands, 100 miles west of Zhentil Keep (Mantol Derith – Underdark trading place) Menzoberranzan - beneath Surbrin Vale, 100 miles west of Silverymoon Orlytlar – * - no info bar name Rilauven – (some info in BG II - Throne of Bhaal) Sarenestar (surface, Forest of Mir) – * - the actual "realm" in the Forest of Mir, no city Sshamath - beneath Far Hills, 200 East of Scornubel Sschindylryn - 220 miles north of Elversult Szith Morcane - outpost of Maerimydra Telantiwar – ancient realm Tlethtyrr - no info bar name T’lindhet - (beneath Dambrath) Tyrybblyn - no info bar name Uluitur - no info bar name Undraeth Undrek’Thoz - actually ten cities / realms - not listed Ust Natha - beneath Sword Coast, Amn region V’elddrinnsshar - beneath West Galena Mountains Waerglarn - no info bar name Waethe Hlammachar – no info bar name Yuethindrynn – * - no info bar name Drow Realms of the past ... actually, all bar Bhaerynden are cities: Bhaerynden (a realm) Cloibbra Clorlyth'naa'tsheen Golothaer - "mother" of Menzoberranzan and Ched Nasad Obbolor 4. What do drow commoner buildings look like? What do out-of-favour drow commoner buildings look like(slums)? Hard to tell. Most likely stalagmite buildings too, but worn down and less well-worked. 5. How many good drows should there be in every drow cities? So far, it would seem every drow city has some(if not many) good guys. First, the plural of drow is drow. There might be some "good" guys in every drow city, but IMHO, "good" in a drow city could well mean "neutral". I would keep this as vague as possible, saying that the large majority is indeed "evil", some are neutral and very few are "good". It is likely that drow may accept the odd "good" character in a city, e.g. a low level Ilmaterian to check on the slaves or deal with surface visitors not accustomed to the drow way of life. Good drow will be persecuted and the inquisitors and devotees of Lolth are always on guard. 6. Jarlaxle is known to have connections in many drow cities, just how many? What's the range of his influence 100~200 years before Drizzt's birth? Was he as powerful as he was a few years ago? Is it possible for him to have connections in drow cities as far as Dambrath, in cities such as Llurth Dreir and T'Lindhet, of the Great Bhaerynden? And is it common for Bregan D'aerthe to have "outposts" in other drow cities? Bregan D'aerthe is a infamous mercenary company. They are known and respected in places which have dealt with Menzoberranzan before, but I would not overstretch this. 7. Are time indicators(such as Narbondel) common in drow cities? (Didn't see any in Sheoloth) Sheoloth is no FR city. Methinks there were time indicators in other drow cities too, but they where not described in detail 8. Is there any thing notable 100~200 years before the birth of Drizzt that affected the entire drow race? Does this imply that the birth of Drizzt had any effect on the drow race? :D Nope, nothing that I can think of. Essentially, apart from the Descent, nothing has affected the "entire" drow race. People like to argue that the events involving Liriel Baenre (Daughter of the Drow etc.) and her Windwalker amulet changed something with regard to the use of drow magic and drow items and the surface, but I would be hesitant to say so. (PS. I don't need much help with drow language/names) You don't? Well, in any case, FR specific, only The Drow of the Underdark by Ed Greenwood has a glossary of drow and drow names. You can find a list of official FR drow NPCs (and their names) following the link to my "homepage". Just in case ...
Lord Karsus 06-15-07, 11:28 PM	-Zanan, you forgot Ir'Sylin, mentioned in Champions of Ruin.
GhoX 06-16-07, 01:26 AM	Thanks, those are some very valuable infos! Saved me from falling into a death trap for using Sheoloth(no wonder the history of the city has a male leader in it...). I'll certainly check out Menzo and Drizzt's guide, heard alot about the latter. The reason I don't need help with language and names is that I already have a translator here: http://www.grey-company.org/Maerdyn/resources/translator/index.cgi (should be accrute I think...) name generator, and a page for meanings of names: http://drowcampaign.roleplaynexus.com/drowlanguage.html I thought you might want to add them to your homepage, they're pretty useful in my opinion.
GhoX 06-16-07, 01:57 AM	Another question just came across my mind, how will the residence of a drow city reacts to a drow noble male/female? How will these people react to a noble male/female, especially when talking to them(or at least trying to) Matron Mother of a higher house/highest house Matron Mother of the house Matron Mother of a lower house Matron Mother of a minor house Daughters of the house Daughters of a higher house/lower house(but not minor) Daughters of a minor house Prietesses of the house Prietesses of another house Prietesses of a minor house Sons of any house Soldiers of any house Wizards of any house Weapon Masters of any house Masters while in mages' school Masters while in fighters' school Prietesses while in prietesses' school Fellow students while in school Rich drow merchants Rich non-drow merchants Rich drow commoners Mercenaries Normal drow Commoners Poor drow commoners, merchants, craftsmen, labourers and etc. Non-drow commoners who ain't slaves Slaves such as human, drow, dawrves, gnomes and tieflings. Slaves such as orcs, gnolls, goblins, ogres and bugbears.
Shiftkitty 06-16-07, 02:08 AM	According to the 2e Drow of teh Underdark, different cities have different methods for marking the passage of time, but only Menzoberranzan's Narbondel was mentioned specifically. It runs on a 24 hour day, but it was mentioned that not every city has that same schedule. You Might Find This Helpful: When deprived of any indicators of the passage of time, such as the sun or a clock, human beings fall into a 32 hour cycle. Elves, having longer life-spans, might fall into an even longer cycle. The Drow might mark it entirely differently, as so many generations have passed since they lived on the surface. In our game, the Drow of Menzoberranzan don't refer to days. They lost that concept long ago. They count narbs. They don't even know that it marks the passage of 24 hours. They'd never know if Narbondel got a late start. The "day" starts when Narbondel starts. Gromph could make everybody open up for business early if he wanted. ("Damn, I want a good, stiff drink, but Vath doesn't open up his bar for quite some time...unless I say so...")
Zanan 06-16-07, 06:46 AM	-Zanan, you forgot Ir'Sylin, mentioned in Champions of Ruin. I might have forgotten it if I had claimed to post a complete list :cool:
Lord Karsus 06-16-07, 08:38 PM	I might have forgotten it if I had claimed to post a complete list :cool: -Why didn't you include it in your abbreviated list, then? Eh? Eh? :P
Zanan 06-18-07, 04:46 PM	-Why didn't you include it in your abbreviated list, then? Eh? Eh? :P Just a short copy & paste from an older answer. Can't reveal all the secrets about the drow time and again, you know.
seibermaki 06-20-07, 07:11 PM	I've been reading up on the Drow myself lately. Thanks for the great info from those who replied to the OP.
The Ranger 06-21-07, 01:13 AM	Zanan, as always I'm impressed by your grasp of the drow. Great info.
Dr_Tough 06-21-07, 09:57 PM	Looks like some pretty good answers so far. I might as well add in my two cents. First of all, it's your game and your mod, so it's perfectly alright to make up what you want. If people don't like it, they don't have to play it. 1. Generally speaking, the cities are built in large caverns with the "towers" being stalagmites and stalagtites (or however they're spelled) that have grown together. But there are exceptions, one city was built on a giant web suspended over a chasm (and it, of course, ended up falling into said chasm). 2. Of course drow fight wars against each other. Like any state they have goals and when those goals come into conflict armed force can be used. 3. I think they're distributed more or less randomly, remember with placing that the Underdark is three dimensional (according to the source book there are three levels) 4. I would imagine they look more or less like surface dwellings. 5. lol 6. I think you could just make up that part and no one will notice 7. Again I think you can make up that part and no one will be the wiser. 8. Not that I know of.
captaincarot 06-22-07, 02:42 AM	and if anyone has trouble remembering which one is which out of stalagtites and stalagmites. just remember tites hang down, you will never get it wrong then.:)
bludmarine 07-21-07, 11:53 AM	That's one letter away from being naughty... but very helpful just the same. I doubt if I will ever forget which is which now. As to the subject on hand.... I 'd have to agree and say again that it is your campaign. While it's all well and good to try and get everything "right" it's always going to be your campaign. It's often more fun to take a concept or idea that already exists in this game and make it your own ie. making males the dominant sex in your drow city. You could even just have one city like this and the rest would be female ruled. And I must agree that all the responses have been extremely helpful. I have learned something today.
Shiftkitty 07-21-07, 08:03 PM	Isn't there a drow city run by the wizards? Sshamath or something like that. (Uppity males!)