Drow

Size: Medium
Speed: 30 feet
Lifespan: Functionally infinite
Alignment: Drow are as varied as their surface cousins in alignment, though their exile into the Underdark and different cultural pressures have shaped their societies in unique ways.
Languages: Tanglish, Elvish, Undercommon

Note: Drow (Dark Elves) are treated as a separate race from other elves in this setting. They come in two distinct varieties: Scylithene (deep drow) and Themynrite (near-surface drow).

Overview

TBD — DM

Physical Description

Drow are dark-skinned elves who have adapted to life in the Underdark. They range from under 5 to over 6 feet tall and have slender builds similar to their surface cousins. However, their skin coloration sets them apart and varies by subrace.

Scylithene (Deep Drow) have significantly blacker skin, closer to obsidian, reflecting their deeper dwelling and isolation from surface influences.

Themynrite (Near-Surface Drow) have greyer skin from years of mixing with humans and living closer to the surface. This lighter coloration reflects their more integrated existence and contact with surface cultures.

Society and Customs

Drow are as much magical as biological, sharing the same fundamental nature as other elves. They exist in a unique state where their biology and magic are deeply intertwined, creating a people who are fundamentally different from humans in both their needs and their capabilities.

Drow society is divided into two distinct groups with very different cultures, religions, and political structures:

Scylithene (Deep Drow)

The Scylithene drow are followers of Scylith, the Elder Goddess of Light, Beauty, and Cruelty. They are the deep drow, dwelling in the deepest reaches of the Underdark. Their society, as it existed before the Third Hell War, was run by Priestesses of Scylith. Casual cruelty and innate violence permeated the society, with murder often considered a form of sport and environments filled with lethal traps.

Since Scylith's defeat and binding during the Third Hell War, the structure of Scylithene Drow society has changed dramatically, though many still maintain their allegiance to the Lady of Light. They are aggressive and pose a significant threat to surface dwellers, with their societies characterized by harsh, unforgiving practices.

Unique Magical Ability: Scylith is uniquely able to provide her deep drow worshipers the ability to wield both Divine and Infernal magics at the same time—a feat that is normally impossible due to the catastrophic interaction between these opposing magic systems. This dual-magic capability makes Scylith's deep-drow worshipers particularly dangerous, as they can channel both types of power simultaneously without the violent clashes that would normally occur when both mana types are present in a caster's aura.

Themynrite (Near-Surface Drow)

The Themynrite drow are devotees of Themynra, the goddess of judgment and mind who left the Pantheon peacefully. They live near the surface rather than in the deepest Underdark, and have established city-states that serve as protective barriers, preventing the more malevolent Scylithene drow from reaching the surface.

Historically, the Themynrite drow have acted as guardians, ensuring that the dangers from the deeper Underworld do not threaten surface civilizations. This role has often gone unrecognized by those they protect, leading to a complex relationship between the Themynrite drow and surface societies.

Tar'Naris is a prominent Themynrite drow city-state, known for its structured political and cultural systems deeply influenced by their devotion to Themynra. The city plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance between the Underworld and the surface, acting as a bulwark against incursions of the Scylithene drow.

The House System

Tar'Naris is organized around a system of noble houses, each led by a Matron Mother who holds authority within her house. These houses function as both political and social units, with the central family forming the nucleus but membership extending beyond immediate blood relations. Houses can include distant relatives, individuals married into the family, and even those adopted for political or strategic reasons. This expansive definition of family allows houses to bolster their ranks and influence by incorporating valuable individuals, regardless of direct lineage.

The emphasis on strength and skill over blood ties means that anyone, noble-born or not, can achieve prominence within a house if they demonstrate the necessary capabilities. This meritocratic element exists alongside the noble house structure, creating a dynamic where houses compete for status and influence while maintaining their core structures.

Governance

The most influential houses form a council that makes significant decisions for the city. The top-ranking houses typically have greater influence in council decisions, with the most powerful houses able to make certain decisions without consulting lesser houses. Each house maintains its own guard force, often composed of house members, with great houses maintaining larger military forces capable of protecting the city from Scylithene incursions.

The intertwining of religion and governance reinforces the authority of the Matron Mothers and maintains societal order. The worship of Themynra plays a central role in daily life, with priestesses who often double as political leaders enforcing adherence to religious rites and doctrines. This combination of religious and political authority creates a stable but hierarchical system.

Family and Emotion

Themynrite drow culture, while structured and orderly, has complex views on family and emotion. Family bonds are valued, but they are understood within the context of the house system—family loyalty extends to the house as a whole, not just immediate blood relations. This creates a broad network of obligations and relationships that can be both supportive and politically complex.

The Public Mask

Themynrite drow culturally do not impose their emotions on others. In public settings and when interacting with those outside their immediate family, drow maintain a mask of calm reflection and emotional restraint. This public face, which prioritizes judgment and reason over emotional expression, can make them appear cold, distant, or unfeeling to those unfamiliar with their cultural practices. However, this is not a suppression of emotion, but rather a deliberate choice not to burden others with one's emotional state.

This practice reflects Themynra's portfolio of judgment and mind—emotions are acknowledged and understood internally, but judgment and reason guide public actions and interactions. The public mask serves multiple purposes: it maintains order in social interactions, prevents emotional manipulation or coercion, and allows for clear, rational decision-making in matters of judgment and protection.

Family as Emotional Sanctuary

One of the major roles of family in Themynrite drow culture is that it is only among immediate family that drow drop this mask and emote freely. Within the privacy of the home and among close family members, drow allow themselves full emotional expression—love, joy, frustration, grief, affection, and all other emotions flow naturally without the restraint of the public mask.

This creates a fundamental distinction between public and private life. The calm, measured exterior that drow present to the world is balanced by the rich emotional life they share with their immediate family. This dual nature means that relationships with drow can be complex: those who only interact with drow in public settings may find them cold and distant, while those who are welcomed into their family circle experience a much warmer, more emotionally open side of drow culture.

The importance of family as emotional sanctuary means that family bonds are deeply cherished, even as they exist within the broader context of house loyalty. The ability to be emotionally authentic with immediate family is one of the most valued aspects of drow life, making family relationships both intensely private and profoundly important.

Emotional Integration

Emotions are viewed pragmatically and integrated into the structured framework of Themynrite society. Love and affection exist within the context of family and house loyalty, while other emotions are channeled into the structured pursuit of justice, protection, and order. The focus on protection and guardianship means that emotions like concern for others' safety and loyalty to the city are encouraged, while chaotic or destructive emotions are channeled into productive outlets like military service or civic duty.

This cultural approach allows Themynrite drow to balance their emotional lives with their societal roles—maintaining order and judgment in public while preserving authentic emotional connections within the family unit.

Economic Relations

The Five Dwarven Kingdoms are nominally at war with the Drow of Tar'Naris for the devastating economic impact of the Tiraasian Empire treaty. The Tiraasian treaty essentially gives the Empire free and unfettered access to minerals the Drow mine, which have no use to the drow but are valuable commodities on the surface, creating economic competition that affects both the dwarven kingdoms and Tar'Naris.

Magical Nature

Like other elves, drow have very limited need for food and can technically subsist on mana alone. This magical sustenance goes even further—drow can use mana to replace breathing, allowing them to survive in environments where other races would suffocate. This magical nature means that while drow can eat and breathe normally, they are not strictly dependent on these functions in the way that other races are.

Metabolic Differences

Drow grow and heal commensurately with their lifespan. Where humans heal very quickly—a broken bone taking only weeks to recover—drow heal very slowly. The same broken bone that would heal in weeks for a human will take years to finish healing for a drow. This slow healing is reflected in dramatically reduced healing from rest, as a drow's body simply does not regenerate at the same rate as other races.

However, drow also possess improved senses and acrobatic agility that exceed those of other races, compensating in some ways for their physical fragility.

Population and Distribution

TBD — DM

Role in the World

TBD — DM

Ability Score Increase

Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Charisma score increases by 1.

Racial Traits

Superior Darkvision

Accustomed to the deep darkness of the Underdark, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 120 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Sunlight Sensitivity

You have disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.

Keen Senses and Grace

You have proficiency in the Perception and Acrobatics skills. Drow possess improved senses and acrobatic agility that exceed those of other races, reflecting their magical nature and physical grace.

Fey Ancestry

You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep.

Deep Sleep

Drow do sleep, and they do so very deeply. They only need 4 hours of sleep per day, but when drow sleep, they enter a near-hypnotic trance that is hard to break. This deep, trance-like sleep is so profound that it can be difficult to rouse a drow from their rest. While in this state, drow process memories, practice mental exercises, and restore their magical and physical energies. After resting in this way, you gain the same benefit a human would from 8 hours of sleep.

If you are awakened from this trance-like sleep, you may be disoriented for a moment. Others have disadvantage on checks made to wake you from this deep sleep state.

Slow Healing

Due to your metabolic differences, you heal much more slowly than other races. When you spend Hit Dice during a short rest, you regain only half the normal number of hit points (rounded down). During a long rest, you regain only half your hit points (rounded down) instead of all your hit points. This reflects the slow healing rate that accompanies your extended lifespan—injuries that would heal in weeks for humans take years for drow.

Drow Magic

You know the Dancing Lights cantrip. When you reach 3rd level, you can cast the Faerie Fire spell once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. When you reach 5th level, you can cast the Darkness spell once and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Charisma is your spellcasting ability for these spells.

Drow Weapon Training

You have proficiency with rapiers, shortswords, hand crossbows, scimitars, wands, and staves.

Subraces

Choose one of the following subraces:

Scylithene (Deep Drow)

As a Scylithene drow, you are a follower of Scylith, the Elder Goddess of Light, Beauty, and Cruelty. You dwell in the deepest reaches of the Underdark, where your obsidian-black skin reflects the profound darkness of your home. Your society has been shaped by devotion to Scylith and the harsh realities of the deep Underdark.

Scylithene drow are known for their aggressive nature and the casual cruelty that once permeated their society. While the structure of Scylithene society has changed since Scylith's defeat and binding, many still maintain their allegiance to the Lady of Light.

Dual Magic Ability: If you worship Scylith, you gain the unique ability to wield both Divine and Infernal magics simultaneously—a feat that is normally impossible due to the catastrophic interaction between these opposing magic systems. You can channel both types of power at the same time without the violent clashes that would normally occur when both mana types are present in a caster's aura. This ability reflects Scylith's unique power to grant her followers this dual-magic capability.

Ability Score Increase: Your Intelligence score increases by 1.

Additional Weapon Training: You have proficiency with the whip.

Themynrite (Near-Surface Drow)

As a Themynrite drow, you are a follower of Themynra, the goddess of judgment and mind who left the Pantheon peacefully. You live near the surface rather than in the deepest Underdark, and your greyer skin reflects years of mixing with humans and living closer to surface cultures.

Themynrite drow have established city-states that serve as protective barriers, preventing the more malevolent Scylithene drow from reaching the surface. You are part of a tradition of guardianship, ensuring that the dangers from the deeper Underworld do not threaten surface civilizations, even if this role often goes unrecognized by those you protect.

Themynrite society is structured and orderly, reflecting the values of judgment and protection central to Themynrite beliefs. Cities like Tar'Naris exemplify this structured political and cultural organization, with their house-based governance systems, emphasis on judgment and reason, and focus on maintaining the balance between the Underworld and the surface. (See the Tar'Naris section above for details on house systems, governance, and cultural practices.)

Ability Score Increase: Your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Additional Weapon Training: You have proficiency with the longsword.

Guardian's Duty: You have advantage on Wisdom (Insight) checks made to detect deception or threats. This reflects your people's role as guardians and their focus on judgment and protection.