Drow lore - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Drow lore

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
crzyhawk
Nov 20, 2011 15:20:54 This has been bugging me for a while...how exactly does the curse on the drow work? Before the Lady Penitant series, I didn't have a problem with how things worked. Then Lady Penitant came along, with this whole taint of Wendonai thing, and a ritual to release the pure Miyeritari dark elves, who weren't really so bad anyways. OK, so, now all of the remaining drow, suffering under the taint of Wendonai are compelled to return to the underdark due to the curse, right?

That's why the sharn who weren't eligible to become "dark elves" remained sharn, yes? Because they would have become drow and been forced into the decent? I believe this was from the novel Blackstaff.

So what about the drow on the surface? In addition to the legion of PCs (guilty as charged), there's House Jaelre, Drizzt, Liriel (you can make an argument about her because of the whole windwalker thing), Jarlaxle, Tos'un Armgo, Kimmuriel Oblodra, and any other number of Bregan d'Aerthe members you want/need on the surface.

Why aren't they compelled to return to the underdark? How exactly is the curse supposed to be working these days? Maybe the drow on the surface are Illythiiri, and somehow do not have the taint? Perhaps the spellplague removed or changed the conditions of the curse? How does this work?
#2
the_ubbergeek
Nov 20, 2011 17:19:54 As far I know, the curse is ONLY on the look (and light sensitivity, but this can be defeated in theory). They are more or less branded to look 'evil'. Simply.
#3
crzyhawk
Nov 20, 2011 17:54:42 So why then would the sharn choose to remain in form rather then be "drowified"? That reference is what's really getting me confused...as if the curse carries some kind of compulsion to live near faerzress.
#4
Stigger
Nov 21, 2011 16:55:10 Looking at it from a sourcebook-only perspective, I astiduously avoid the novels by and large, it could be surmised that the exact nature of the curse leveled at the Drow isn't really known, since what it was supposed to do, and what it actually did are two very different things.

My opinion is that the High Mages of Aryvandaar sabotaged the whole thing, and tried to pin the blame for that on Corellon's Will. That's debatable though. Suffice to say however, the exact details of the curse are unknown, and that's left authors and developers a lot of room to make up any old thing to stick in there, that isn't always coherent or complementary, often quite the contrary.
#5
the_ubbergeek
Nov 21, 2011 20:49:00
So why then would the sharn choose to remain in form rather then be "drowified"? That reference is what's really getting me confused...as if the curse carries some kind of compulsion to live near faerzress.

The novels don't always follow the rules - rulesets who changed over the years, decades even at times (Dragonlance, I am looking at you).

Drow's curse is kinda more cosmetic than anything else. Maybe those Sharns are kinda like a bloodline.
#6
crzyhawk
Nov 22, 2011 7:20:38 Fair enough, thanks for your answers
#7
toharvestthestorm
Dec 22, 2011 10:29:25 Shame, these drow did not die off in the war of the spider queen. Was rather lame plot as well. I'd rather see an army of Paladins serving Lathander raiding the Underdark. I'm so sick of the "bad guys" always being on the offensive. Why can't authors be more creative like me?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 crzyhawk Nov 20, 2011 15:20:54	This has been bugging me for a while...how exactly does the curse on the drow work? Before the Lady Penitant series, I didn't have a problem with how things worked. Then Lady Penitant came along, with this whole taint of Wendonai thing, and a ritual to release the pure Miyeritari dark elves, who weren't really so bad anyways. OK, so, now all of the remaining drow, suffering under the taint of Wendonai are compelled to return to the underdark due to the curse, right? That's why the sharn who weren't eligible to become "dark elves" remained sharn, yes? Because they would have become drow and been forced into the decent? I believe this was from the novel Blackstaff. So what about the drow on the surface? In addition to the legion of PCs (guilty as charged), there's House Jaelre, Drizzt, Liriel (you can make an argument about her because of the whole windwalker thing), Jarlaxle, Tos'un Armgo, Kimmuriel Oblodra, and any other number of Bregan d'Aerthe members you want/need on the surface. Why aren't they compelled to return to the underdark? How exactly is the curse supposed to be working these days? Maybe the drow on the surface are Illythiiri, and somehow do not have the taint? Perhaps the spellplague removed or changed the conditions of the curse? How does this work?
#2 the_ubbergeek Nov 20, 2011 17:19:54	As far I know, the curse is ONLY on the look (and light sensitivity, but this can be defeated in theory). They are more or less branded to look 'evil'. Simply.
#3 crzyhawk Nov 20, 2011 17:54:42	So why then would the sharn choose to remain in form rather then be "drowified"? That reference is what's really getting me confused...as if the curse carries some kind of compulsion to live near faerzress.
#4 Stigger Nov 21, 2011 16:55:10	Looking at it from a sourcebook-only perspective, I astiduously avoid the novels by and large, it could be surmised that the exact nature of the curse leveled at the Drow isn't really known, since what it was supposed to do, and what it actually did are two very different things. My opinion is that the High Mages of Aryvandaar sabotaged the whole thing, and tried to pin the blame for that on Corellon's Will. That's debatable though. Suffice to say however, the exact details of the curse are unknown, and that's left authors and developers a lot of room to make up any old thing to stick in there, that isn't always coherent or complementary, often quite the contrary.
#5 the_ubbergeek Nov 21, 2011 20:49:00	So why then would the sharn choose to remain in form rather then be "drowified"? That reference is what's really getting me confused...as if the curse carries some kind of compulsion to live near faerzress. The novels don't always follow the rules - rulesets who changed over the years, decades even at times (Dragonlance, I am looking at you). Drow's curse is kinda more cosmetic than anything else. Maybe those Sharns are kinda like a bloodline.
#6 crzyhawk Nov 22, 2011 7:20:38	Fair enough, thanks for your answers
#7 toharvestthestorm Dec 22, 2011 10:29:25	Shame, these drow did not die off in the war of the spider queen. Was rather lame plot as well. I'd rather see an army of Paladins serving Lathander raiding the Underdark. I'm so sick of the "bad guys" always being on the offensive. Why can't authors be more creative like me?