Assasins and The Drow [Archive] - Wizards Community

Assasins and The Drow [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Stule
05-30-07, 01:08 PM We are beggining a new campaign. We are going to try a darker game because for the last few years we have played basically a good one. My players want to try a game as Drow and Orcs (one of them is even playing a goblin.). My Drow player wants to make a Rogue / Assassin. I have no problem with this.

My question is this.

With all the references I have looked at, Drow females rule the cities where Lolth is the chief religion (as it will be in the city I am creating.). I can not seem to find a reference for Drow Assassins nor whether they are predominately male or female. I also can not find what position they hold (if any) in the Drow social structure. I am aware I can just make this up, but I would like to stay within the literary structure of the genre if I can.

My player wants to play a male Drow Rogue / Assassin. So would he fall under the House Weapon Master? Firstboy? Are they freelance like Jarlaxle in the Forgotten Realms books? Are they personal servants of the Matron Mothers?

Can anyone point me in the right direction?
Geraturatu
05-30-07, 01:32 PM Drow can do about anything as long as they don't get caught. Like in the Drittz (did I spell that right, don't think so) books, the Do'Urdan house attacks another house and kills them all. Then later, one of the houses that had tried to attack another one but left some survivors had been killed off.

An answer to one of your other questions is: yes, the males are less dominant than the females. Young males have to constantly stare at the ground, and avert their gaze if a spider walks up. If a male is ever rude to a female, they are severely punished. A male drow is basically seen as the foot soldier in most cases.

Anyways, I forgot what the other questions you had were.:D
Geraturatu
05-30-07, 01:36 PM Oh and yes, Drow are very often assassins, since they want to take their enemies out quickly and silently.
Stule
05-30-07, 01:42 PM I guess my question is this:

1) Can a male Drow be an Assassin? Or do females make up most of the Assassination Class?

2) If so, what position would they hold in the Drow Social Order? House Assassin like the House Weapon Master? Or do they come under the direct control of the Matron Mother?
Renvale999
05-30-07, 03:15 PM I guess my question is this:

1) Can a male Drow be an Assassin? Or do females make up most of the Assassination Class?

2) If so, what position would they hold in the Drow Social Order? House Assassin like the House Weapon Master? Or do they come under the direct control of the Matron Mother?

It would depend on the house, or better the matron mother. Since "technicaly" one house cannot attack another, assasins are the go between until a house to house war opens up. Now, if the matron mother was smart, she would send males, as if they get caught, they are expendable, but....if you have a matron mother who takes pride in her females, they might have female assasin under her(to make the kill more personal, my daughter killed your daughter and the like), but both male/female would most assuredly have "other" positions in the house and their status as house assasin would be covered up.

Just my two cents.
byakuganbrawler
05-30-07, 03:38 PM THe names spelling is drizzt dourden
jesters89
05-30-07, 03:59 PM Not to pitch the new book or anything, but you'll likely find your answer in the Drow of the Underdark sourcebook released this month. They've created a few prestige classes like "Dread Fangs of Lolth" and "Eyes of Lolth" The former are assassins. They are largely males who are used as silent enforcers. They are the enforement arm of the church.
The Eyes of Lolth are more like spies. They can even be found on the surface spying and reporting back to the underdark.

The book provides a great deal of detail about the norms of drow society-- I'd recommend picking it up if you're going to have a drow-heavy campaign.
Voran
05-30-07, 07:28 PM In a sense, most male drow (especially if 'noble' blood) are assassins. As drow society rewards treachery and "Gee, how convenient that my brother died the way he did, I wonder how that happened?" and the time most of them spend learning the drow martial trade, many take on an assassin like bent.

If we use the Drizzzziiittt related books, Artemis Entradadadaditty was quite astonished when he found himself in Menzobaranzen and realized his skills as a fighter/assassin were almost mirrored by almost all the drow he encountered. Sure he was technically better, but its kinda like the whole "I'm Lestat" vamp thing, then going to a convention and running into another 122 Lestats.

In terms of Drow society, as a male, your class/profession is secondary to your gender. You can be super-archmage of the Drow academy, and get bossed around by most females. Some degree of protection is given due to your house rank, and birth order, but generally speaking, males are seen as almost fodder type renewable resources.

That being said, the ability to hide your actions/deflect scrutiny, would be highly regarded. Being the 'best there is at what you do" is also useful, but don't get full of yourself, or you might end up being turned into a Drider.
Mather
05-30-07, 08:40 PM Someone is going to have to help me out with the exact names as it has been sometime since I last read the books, but...

Somewhere along in the R.A. Salvatore books (aka Drizzit books) there is a great deal said about the mercenary group in the Drow capital (begins with M, escaping me at the moment) that primarily acts as assassins when the Noble house's don't want to risk their involvement being known. The mercenary group, whose name escapes me, is almost all males (runaways, those left houseless from House wars) and is lead by a bald headed Drow whose name also escapes me. I believe they recently spun this character off with another from the Drizzit series into a new lines of books (which, as you guessed, names escape me).

This male commanded almost as much respect as a Matron mother and the Archmage of the academy. Bottom line: Have someone fill in the name gaps and you have all your answers as per the forgotten realms setting. I can't remember exactly where it was hidden, but their base of operations wasn't publicly known though they certainly had a hand in most affairs within the city.

Hope that helps besides all the blanks. Cheers :D
primemover003
05-30-07, 10:16 PM The City is Menzoberranzan, the Mercenary group is Bregan D'Aerth, it's leader is Jarlaxle.

FR drow aside, in all worlds the Assassin PrC is the most popular choice of prestige classes for drow. Neither male nor female dominate Assassins like females do the Clerical roles in drow society. I don't have Drow of the Underdark but I'm sure you'll find it different if you're used to the FR version of drow, but refreshing if you're used to the drow of Greyhawk. The city detailed in DotU is Erelhi-Cinlu a metropolis that lies within the vast Vault of the Drow, the largest society of drow on Oerth. It's a city made up of drow, goblinoids, undead, troglodytes, trolls, minotaurs, and outsiders such as tieflings, rakshasa, & githyanki. Beyond the walls of the city it's drow noble estates and small enclaves of merchant houses (like guilds), mercenary companies, and schools of assassins, shadowdancers, etc.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Stule 05-30-07, 01:08 PM	We are beggining a new campaign. We are going to try a darker game because for the last few years we have played basically a good one. My players want to try a game as Drow and Orcs (one of them is even playing a goblin.). My Drow player wants to make a Rogue / Assassin. I have no problem with this. My question is this. With all the references I have looked at, Drow females rule the cities where Lolth is the chief religion (as it will be in the city I am creating.). I can not seem to find a reference for Drow Assassins nor whether they are predominately male or female. I also can not find what position they hold (if any) in the Drow social structure. I am aware I can just make this up, but I would like to stay within the literary structure of the genre if I can. My player wants to play a male Drow Rogue / Assassin. So would he fall under the House Weapon Master? Firstboy? Are they freelance like Jarlaxle in the Forgotten Realms books? Are they personal servants of the Matron Mothers? Can anyone point me in the right direction?
Geraturatu 05-30-07, 01:32 PM	Drow can do about anything as long as they don't get caught. Like in the Drittz (did I spell that right, don't think so) books, the Do'Urdan house attacks another house and kills them all. Then later, one of the houses that had tried to attack another one but left some survivors had been killed off. An answer to one of your other questions is: yes, the males are less dominant than the females. Young males have to constantly stare at the ground, and avert their gaze if a spider walks up. If a male is ever rude to a female, they are severely punished. A male drow is basically seen as the foot soldier in most cases. Anyways, I forgot what the other questions you had were.:D
Geraturatu 05-30-07, 01:36 PM	Oh and yes, Drow are very often assassins, since they want to take their enemies out quickly and silently.
Stule 05-30-07, 01:42 PM	I guess my question is this: 1) Can a male Drow be an Assassin? Or do females make up most of the Assassination Class? 2) If so, what position would they hold in the Drow Social Order? House Assassin like the House Weapon Master? Or do they come under the direct control of the Matron Mother?
Renvale999 05-30-07, 03:15 PM	I guess my question is this: 1) Can a male Drow be an Assassin? Or do females make up most of the Assassination Class? 2) If so, what position would they hold in the Drow Social Order? House Assassin like the House Weapon Master? Or do they come under the direct control of the Matron Mother? It would depend on the house, or better the matron mother. Since "technicaly" one house cannot attack another, assasins are the go between until a house to house war opens up. Now, if the matron mother was smart, she would send males, as if they get caught, they are expendable, but....if you have a matron mother who takes pride in her females, they might have female assasin under her(to make the kill more personal, my daughter killed your daughter and the like), but both male/female would most assuredly have "other" positions in the house and their status as house assasin would be covered up. Just my two cents.
byakuganbrawler 05-30-07, 03:38 PM	THe names spelling is drizzt dourden
jesters89 05-30-07, 03:59 PM	Not to pitch the new book or anything, but you'll likely find your answer in the Drow of the Underdark sourcebook released this month. They've created a few prestige classes like "Dread Fangs of Lolth" and "Eyes of Lolth" The former are assassins. They are largely males who are used as silent enforcers. They are the enforement arm of the church. The Eyes of Lolth are more like spies. They can even be found on the surface spying and reporting back to the underdark. The book provides a great deal of detail about the norms of drow society-- I'd recommend picking it up if you're going to have a drow-heavy campaign.
Voran 05-30-07, 07:28 PM	In a sense, most male drow (especially if 'noble' blood) are assassins. As drow society rewards treachery and "Gee, how convenient that my brother died the way he did, I wonder how that happened?" and the time most of them spend learning the drow martial trade, many take on an assassin like bent. If we use the Drizzzziiittt related books, Artemis Entradadadaditty was quite astonished when he found himself in Menzobaranzen and realized his skills as a fighter/assassin were almost mirrored by almost all the drow he encountered. Sure he was technically better, but its kinda like the whole "I'm Lestat" vamp thing, then going to a convention and running into another 122 Lestats. In terms of Drow society, as a male, your class/profession is secondary to your gender. You can be super-archmage of the Drow academy, and get bossed around by most females. Some degree of protection is given due to your house rank, and birth order, but generally speaking, males are seen as almost fodder type renewable resources. That being said, the ability to hide your actions/deflect scrutiny, would be highly regarded. Being the 'best there is at what you do" is also useful, but don't get full of yourself, or you might end up being turned into a Drider.
Mather 05-30-07, 08:40 PM	Someone is going to have to help me out with the exact names as it has been sometime since I last read the books, but... Somewhere along in the R.A. Salvatore books (aka Drizzit books) there is a great deal said about the mercenary group in the Drow capital (begins with M, escaping me at the moment) that primarily acts as assassins when the Noble house's don't want to risk their involvement being known. The mercenary group, whose name escapes me, is almost all males (runaways, those left houseless from House wars) and is lead by a bald headed Drow whose name also escapes me. I believe they recently spun this character off with another from the Drizzit series into a new lines of books (which, as you guessed, names escape me). This male commanded almost as much respect as a Matron mother and the Archmage of the academy. Bottom line: Have someone fill in the name gaps and you have all your answers as per the forgotten realms setting. I can't remember exactly where it was hidden, but their base of operations wasn't publicly known though they certainly had a hand in most affairs within the city. Hope that helps besides all the blanks. Cheers :D
primemover003 05-30-07, 10:16 PM	The City is Menzoberranzan, the Mercenary group is Bregan D'Aerth, it's leader is Jarlaxle. FR drow aside, in all worlds the Assassin PrC is the most popular choice of prestige classes for drow. Neither male nor female dominate Assassins like females do the Clerical roles in drow society. I don't have Drow of the Underdark but I'm sure you'll find it different if you're used to the FR version of drow, but refreshing if you're used to the drow of Greyhawk. The city detailed in DotU is Erelhi-Cinlu a metropolis that lies within the vast Vault of the Drow, the largest society of drow on Oerth. It's a city made up of drow, goblinoids, undead, troglodytes, trolls, minotaurs, and outsiders such as tieflings, rakshasa, & githyanki. Beyond the walls of the city it's drow noble estates and small enclaves of merchant houses (like guilds), mercenary companies, and schools of assassins, shadowdancers, etc.