Thematic opposite of drow... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Thematic opposite of drow... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
thorr_kan
08-29-07, 03:10 PM I'm looking for a race, or maybe for inspiration.

You've got your basic drow: a race of dark beauty. They're steeped in magic, have a bunch of handy powers, and exist to put fear in players. Theirs is a chaotic race.

Is anybody aware of an opposite? Regular elves don't count.
Naderion
08-29-07, 03:13 PM Mybe the Furbolgs of Warcraft.

They are calm big humanoid bears. Really good of heart and deep thinkers, but also very strong. They prefer simple lifes and don't take part in the power strugles of others.
Melpomene
08-29-07, 03:25 PM Dwarves, I'd think. Lawful, stoic, practical.
ToastedAmphibian
08-29-07, 09:26 PM Dwarves, I'd think. Lawful, stoic, practical.

So..... if Dwarves are the true anti-drow, does that make Elves the true anti-druegar? (druegars? erm...)
KriegsaffeNo9
08-29-07, 11:19 PM If we look at the drow as a homogeneous race that fell from glory and became wicked, spreading evil deliberately, perhaps the thematic opposite would be a heterogeneous race that transcended the base and became pure, while accidentally leaving behind a nasty, wicked mess.

Perhaps something like the husk, if you want an antagonist. A husk (to coin a beastie--if there's a monster already called a husk, I beg pardon) is what remains of a member of the Walking, a group of pilgrims of various races that took to the road and never stopped, not even to rest, eat, or drink. The Husks are their physical remains, overflowing with the sensations the Walking cast off on ascension, and have quite a bit of hate they want to exercise on living things.

A bit of background on the Walking: what began as a single, charismatic madman stretched into what seemed to be a small, mobile village, and though they kept marching and never did stop, they kept their numbers high, only a few finally dying after years spent on the road running through a large country.

When they completed the 333rd lap around the country, years after the first walker had finally died, the Walking ceased their walking--and left this world behind, sacrificing any semblance of mortal life to become something greater. Whatever it was that drove them and transcended them left this world with the last Walker. All they left behind were the husks.

A husk resembles a floating corpse with the back of its body blown open, revealing an inner cavity full of ash and dust that wafts out in a fog yet never seems to fully dissipate. They drag their overworked-in-life legs along the ground, groaning in agony they denied themselves in life. Husks have a few modes of attack--aside from a heavy slam from an arm, the dust creates a choking miasma that a husk can direct at a victim. The miasma saps the victim's strength, lashing them with the fatigue the Walkings' bodies were denied reprieve of in life. Unconscious victims are usually suffocated in the miasma.

Where the Walking were patient, purposeful, and inexhaustible, the Husks are lethargic, aimless, and literally exuding exhaustion and physical weakness. They are all the parts the Walking cut away.

Huh, I kinda like this... might do something with it later.
strenoth
08-30-07, 01:16 AM And here I was going to say Goth Chicks, you know, black hair and white skin instead of white hair black skin... :-D
StevenO
08-30-07, 01:32 AM I consider the Winged Elves found n the Forgotten Realms to be the mirror opposite of the Drow. They take to the sky and light like the Drow take to the earth and shadows.
elvegaro
08-30-07, 06:18 AM I'm looking for a race, or maybe for inspiration.

You've got your basic drow: a race of dark beauty. They're steeped in magic, have a bunch of handy powers, and exist to put fear in players. Theirs is a chaotic race.

Is anybody aware of an opposite? Regular elves don't count.

Aasimar?
Quite a few boons and certainly very far from evil.
Though as half-breeds I guess they don't count.
Templario
08-30-07, 04:05 PM Mybe the Furbolgs of Warcraft.

They are calm big humanoid bears. Really good of heart and deep thinkers, but also very strong. They prefer simple lifes and don't take part in the power strugles of others.

Even so, Ursinals in D&D? :)
Lord Karsus
08-30-07, 06:30 PM I consider the Winged Elves found n the Forgotten Realms to be the mirror opposite of the Drow. They take to the sky and light like the Drow take to the earth and shadows.

-The Avariel, however, are also a Chaotic Elven race "steeped" in magic.
Rinian2
08-30-07, 07:29 PM The opposite of the Drow is the Word. :D

I suppose another tricky question would be what is the opposite of a spider?
Nephlite
08-30-07, 07:40 PM The opposite of the Drow is the Word. :D

I suppose another tricky question would be what is the opposite of a spider?

Repids? Rapids! So water elfs!
thorr_kan
08-30-07, 10:32 PM Winged elves are possibility...

But the star elves from Unapproachable East are tickling my fancy.

Much thanks, folks.
Lord Karsus
08-30-07, 11:41 PM But the star elves from Unapproachable East are tickling my fancy.

-More information on the Star Elves can be found in my article on them in Elves of Faerūn.
Rogue Shadows
08-31-07, 09:34 AM You've got your basic drow: a race of dark beauty. They're steeped in magic, have a bunch of handy powers, and exist to put fear in players. Theirs is a chaotic race.

Kobolds?

No powers worth mentioning, ugly as sin, and unless their name is either Meepo or Pun-pun, they aren't even considered a challenge by 1st-level players?

They're also lawful.
Sir Aurik
09-06-07, 07:57 AM Well, as Drow are basicly elves, a traditional "good" race that has fallen from grace, there oppasit would be a traditional "evel" race that has transended to become good-so...pick an inherintly evel race and make them good.
ToastedAmphibian
09-06-07, 07:04 PM Well, as Drow are basicly elves, a traditional "good" race that has fallen from grace, there oppasit would be a traditional "evel" race that has transended to become good-so...pick an inherintly evel race and make them good.

Half-Celistial mind flayer?
Angel Black
09-06-07, 07:49 PM I'm looking for a race, or maybe for inspiration.

You've got your basic drow: a race of dark beauty. They're steeped in magic, have a bunch of handy powers, and exist to put fear in players. Theirs is a chaotic race.

Is anybody aware of an opposite? Regular elves don't count.

Aasimar (paladins that cast Light), or Goliath (strong and big).
The_Shaman
09-06-07, 08:03 PM - Goliath - big, hulking, by-and-large good
- half-giants - likewise, also associated with an evil-ish race (though afaik they are not related to giants)
- dwarves - traditional elf opposites, doubly so as drow are CE instead of CG
- Hellbred - heard of those, supposedly "living" for redemption. Could work
- Orcs/half-orcs - a lot of brawn and no style; a non-evil orc can be VERY different from a drow
- Couatl / couatl-blooded aasimar. At least in the FR, couatl are descended from an evil race (the creator race, iirc mentioned in Serpent Kingdoms), they are staunchy LG, and they definitely don't look ANYTHING like drow.

- Edit: Werebears might be a good choice, too. While the HD and LA make it unfavorable at best, an afflicted drow/werebear could be a strange character to play.
Prak, the Mad
09-06-07, 08:18 PM Well, as Drow are basicly elves, a traditional "good" race that has fallen from grace, there oppasit would be a traditional "evel" race that has transended to become good-so...pick an inherintly evel race and make them good.

risen orcs?
Lord Karsus
09-07-07, 09:45 AM risen orcs?

-They, too, are Chaotic.
nonsi
09-07-07, 04:41 PM Irda ?
http://www.dlnexus.com/fan/rules/11604.aspx
Angel Black
09-09-07, 06:00 PM " Also birds, lizards, geckos, scorpions and centipedes catch spiders from the ground or out of their web.
There are wasps specialized in spider hunting, the spider wasps (Pompilidae), use the captured spider to lay their eggs in. The larvae hatched inside, feed on the paralyzed spider."

From http://www.xs4all.nl/~ednieuw/Spiders/InfoNed/enemies.html

So Raptorans (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20050106b&page=1), Bladebacks (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20040717a),Scorpionfolk(MM2), Thri-kreen,and Dromite (Expanded Psionics Handbook (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20040402a)) can become natural enemies of the followers of Lolth (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cc/20021020c)
Prak, the Mad
09-09-07, 10:40 PM -They, too, are Chaotic.

so? the drow are, for all intents and purposes, a separate race from normal elves, hell, iirc, they were lawful in 3.0, so one could take orcs, say they arose they honor and courage and cunning and the like and say they became lawful.

or..... do things the way they were originally, and make orcs lawful in the campaign, and risen orcs' alignment merely changes to good.

" Also birds, lizards, geckos, scorpions and centipedes catch spiders from the ground or out of their web.
There are wasps specialized in spider hunting, the spider wasps (Pompilidae), use the captured spider to lay their eggs in. The larvae hatched inside, feed on the paralyzed spider."

From http://www.xs4all.nl/~ednieuw/Spiders/InfoNed/enemies.html

So Raptorans (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20050106b&page=1), Bladebacks (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20040717a),Scorpionfolk(MM2), Thri-kreen,and Dromite (Expanded Psionics Handbook (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20040402a)) can become natural enemies of the followers of Lolth (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cc/20021020c)

so how about redeemed scorpionfolk? dromites would be nice too, because psionics can be seen as a thematic opposite of magic, though I think supernatural abilities counter the spell likes of drow better... at least as far as thematics go...
Lord Karsus
09-09-07, 11:45 PM so? the drow are, for all intents and purposes, a separate race from normal elves, hell, iirc, they were lawful in 3.0, so one could take orcs, say they arose they honor and courage and cunning and the like and say they became lawful...

-Drow, clasically, have always been Chaotic Evil. Recently, their alignment was changed to Neutral Evil. Their society, however, is still very much chaotic.

-For a race to be the thematic opposite of the Drow (CE), they would have to be very much good and very much lawful.
pigknight
09-28-07, 10:45 PM Dwarves. Cause they're ugly, rather dislike magic, have a bunch of anti-powers, and exist to help good and law. Lawful.

Now look at my post then look at the first post and tell me dwarves aren't the anti-drow. (Just for fun once I made a dwarf Drizzet clone, and it owned everything.)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
thorr_kan 08-29-07, 03:10 PM	I'm looking for a race, or maybe for inspiration. You've got your basic drow: a race of dark beauty. They're steeped in magic, have a bunch of handy powers, and exist to put fear in players. Theirs is a chaotic race. Is anybody aware of an opposite? Regular elves don't count.
Naderion 08-29-07, 03:13 PM	Mybe the Furbolgs of Warcraft. They are calm big humanoid bears. Really good of heart and deep thinkers, but also very strong. They prefer simple lifes and don't take part in the power strugles of others.
Melpomene 08-29-07, 03:25 PM	Dwarves, I'd think. Lawful, stoic, practical.
ToastedAmphibian 08-29-07, 09:26 PM	Dwarves, I'd think. Lawful, stoic, practical. So..... if Dwarves are the true anti-drow, does that make Elves the true anti-druegar? (druegars? erm...)
KriegsaffeNo9 08-29-07, 11:19 PM	If we look at the drow as a homogeneous race that fell from glory and became wicked, spreading evil deliberately, perhaps the thematic opposite would be a heterogeneous race that transcended the base and became pure, while accidentally leaving behind a nasty, wicked mess. Perhaps something like the husk, if you want an antagonist. A husk (to coin a beastie--if there's a monster already called a husk, I beg pardon) is what remains of a member of the Walking, a group of pilgrims of various races that took to the road and never stopped, not even to rest, eat, or drink. The Husks are their physical remains, overflowing with the sensations the Walking cast off on ascension, and have quite a bit of hate they want to exercise on living things. A bit of background on the Walking: what began as a single, charismatic madman stretched into what seemed to be a small, mobile village, and though they kept marching and never did stop, they kept their numbers high, only a few finally dying after years spent on the road running through a large country. When they completed the 333rd lap around the country, years after the first walker had finally died, the Walking ceased their walking--and left this world behind, sacrificing any semblance of mortal life to become something greater. Whatever it was that drove them and transcended them left this world with the last Walker. All they left behind were the husks. A husk resembles a floating corpse with the back of its body blown open, revealing an inner cavity full of ash and dust that wafts out in a fog yet never seems to fully dissipate. They drag their overworked-in-life legs along the ground, groaning in agony they denied themselves in life. Husks have a few modes of attack--aside from a heavy slam from an arm, the dust creates a choking miasma that a husk can direct at a victim. The miasma saps the victim's strength, lashing them with the fatigue the Walkings' bodies were denied reprieve of in life. Unconscious victims are usually suffocated in the miasma. Where the Walking were patient, purposeful, and inexhaustible, the Husks are lethargic, aimless, and literally exuding exhaustion and physical weakness. They are all the parts the Walking cut away. Huh, I kinda like this... might do something with it later.
strenoth 08-30-07, 01:16 AM	And here I was going to say Goth Chicks, you know, black hair and white skin instead of white hair black skin... :-D
StevenO 08-30-07, 01:32 AM	I consider the Winged Elves found n the Forgotten Realms to be the mirror opposite of the Drow. They take to the sky and light like the Drow take to the earth and shadows.
elvegaro 08-30-07, 06:18 AM	I'm looking for a race, or maybe for inspiration. You've got your basic drow: a race of dark beauty. They're steeped in magic, have a bunch of handy powers, and exist to put fear in players. Theirs is a chaotic race. Is anybody aware of an opposite? Regular elves don't count. Aasimar? Quite a few boons and certainly very far from evil. Though as half-breeds I guess they don't count.
Templario 08-30-07, 04:05 PM	Mybe the Furbolgs of Warcraft. They are calm big humanoid bears. Really good of heart and deep thinkers, but also very strong. They prefer simple lifes and don't take part in the power strugles of others. Even so, Ursinals in D&D? :)
Lord Karsus 08-30-07, 06:30 PM	I consider the Winged Elves found n the Forgotten Realms to be the mirror opposite of the Drow. They take to the sky and light like the Drow take to the earth and shadows. -The Avariel, however, are also a Chaotic Elven race "steeped" in magic.
Rinian2 08-30-07, 07:29 PM	The opposite of the Drow is the Word. :D I suppose another tricky question would be what is the opposite of a spider?
Nephlite 08-30-07, 07:40 PM	The opposite of the Drow is the Word. :D I suppose another tricky question would be what is the opposite of a spider? Repids? Rapids! So water elfs!
thorr_kan 08-30-07, 10:32 PM	Winged elves are possibility... But the star elves from Unapproachable East are tickling my fancy. Much thanks, folks.
Lord Karsus 08-30-07, 11:41 PM	But the star elves from Unapproachable East are tickling my fancy. -More information on the Star Elves can be found in my article on them in Elves of Faerūn.
Rogue Shadows 08-31-07, 09:34 AM	You've got your basic drow: a race of dark beauty. They're steeped in magic, have a bunch of handy powers, and exist to put fear in players. Theirs is a chaotic race. Kobolds? No powers worth mentioning, ugly as sin, and unless their name is either Meepo or Pun-pun, they aren't even considered a challenge by 1st-level players? They're also lawful.
Sir Aurik 09-06-07, 07:57 AM	Well, as Drow are basicly elves, a traditional "good" race that has fallen from grace, there oppasit would be a traditional "evel" race that has transended to become good-so...pick an inherintly evel race and make them good.
ToastedAmphibian 09-06-07, 07:04 PM	Well, as Drow are basicly elves, a traditional "good" race that has fallen from grace, there oppasit would be a traditional "evel" race that has transended to become good-so...pick an inherintly evel race and make them good. Half-Celistial mind flayer?
Angel Black 09-06-07, 07:49 PM	I'm looking for a race, or maybe for inspiration. You've got your basic drow: a race of dark beauty. They're steeped in magic, have a bunch of handy powers, and exist to put fear in players. Theirs is a chaotic race. Is anybody aware of an opposite? Regular elves don't count. Aasimar (paladins that cast Light), or Goliath (strong and big).
The_Shaman 09-06-07, 08:03 PM	- Goliath - big, hulking, by-and-large good - half-giants - likewise, also associated with an evil-ish race (though afaik they are not related to giants) - dwarves - traditional elf opposites, doubly so as drow are CE instead of CG - Hellbred - heard of those, supposedly "living" for redemption. Could work - Orcs/half-orcs - a lot of brawn and no style; a non-evil orc can be VERY different from a drow - Couatl / couatl-blooded aasimar. At least in the FR, couatl are descended from an evil race (the creator race, iirc mentioned in Serpent Kingdoms), they are staunchy LG, and they definitely don't look ANYTHING like drow. - Edit: Werebears might be a good choice, too. While the HD and LA make it unfavorable at best, an afflicted drow/werebear could be a strange character to play.
Prak, the Mad 09-06-07, 08:18 PM	Well, as Drow are basicly elves, a traditional "good" race that has fallen from grace, there oppasit would be a traditional "evel" race that has transended to become good-so...pick an inherintly evel race and make them good. risen orcs?
Lord Karsus 09-07-07, 09:45 AM	risen orcs? -They, too, are Chaotic.
nonsi 09-07-07, 04:41 PM	Irda ? http://www.dlnexus.com/fan/rules/11604.aspx
Angel Black 09-09-07, 06:00 PM	" Also birds, lizards, geckos, scorpions and centipedes catch spiders from the ground or out of their web. There are wasps specialized in spider hunting, the spider wasps (Pompilidae), use the captured spider to lay their eggs in. The larvae hatched inside, feed on the paralyzed spider." From http://www.xs4all.nl/~ednieuw/Spiders/InfoNed/enemies.html So Raptorans (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20050106b&page=1), Bladebacks (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20040717a),Scorpionfolk(MM2), Thri-kreen,and Dromite (Expanded Psionics Handbook (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20040402a)) can become natural enemies of the followers of Lolth (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cc/20021020c)
Prak, the Mad 09-09-07, 10:40 PM	-They, too, are Chaotic. so? the drow are, for all intents and purposes, a separate race from normal elves, hell, iirc, they were lawful in 3.0, so one could take orcs, say they arose they honor and courage and cunning and the like and say they became lawful. or..... do things the way they were originally, and make orcs lawful in the campaign, and risen orcs' alignment merely changes to good. " Also birds, lizards, geckos, scorpions and centipedes catch spiders from the ground or out of their web. There are wasps specialized in spider hunting, the spider wasps (Pompilidae), use the captured spider to lay their eggs in. The larvae hatched inside, feed on the paralyzed spider." From http://www.xs4all.nl/~ednieuw/Spiders/InfoNed/enemies.html So Raptorans (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20050106b&page=1), Bladebacks (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20040717a),Scorpionfolk(MM2), Thri-kreen,and Dromite (Expanded Psionics Handbook (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20040402a)) can become natural enemies of the followers of Lolth (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cc/20021020c) so how about redeemed scorpionfolk? dromites would be nice too, because psionics can be seen as a thematic opposite of magic, though I think supernatural abilities counter the spell likes of drow better... at least as far as thematics go...
Lord Karsus 09-09-07, 11:45 PM	so? the drow are, for all intents and purposes, a separate race from normal elves, hell, iirc, they were lawful in 3.0, so one could take orcs, say they arose they honor and courage and cunning and the like and say they became lawful... -Drow, clasically, have always been Chaotic Evil. Recently, their alignment was changed to Neutral Evil. Their society, however, is still very much chaotic. -For a race to be the thematic opposite of the Drow (CE), they would have to be very much good and very much lawful.
pigknight 09-28-07, 10:45 PM	Dwarves. Cause they're ugly, rather dislike magic, have a bunch of anti-powers, and exist to help good and law. Lawful. Now look at my post then look at the first post and tell me dwarves aren't the anti-drow. (Just for fun once I made a dwarf Drizzet clone, and it owned everything.)