Alendar

The Alendar, commonly known as 'Drow' or 'Dark Elves', are a community of elves that have settled parts of the Underdark.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Ilmress, Moltyrr, Iimlara, Alyna, Zesstra, Drisra

Masculine names

Vuzrar, Weltel, Hadphyn, Xundus, Izzmyr, Soldiirn

Family names

Vraen, Do'urden, Yauntyrr, Nirael, Vrar, Arabath, Coborel

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

T'sarran is the Elvish dialect that the Alendar has adopted. It is heavily influenced by their Underdark neighbors, primarily by the Illithids.

Shared customary codes and values

As citizens of the Underdark, the Alendar place a lot of value on secrecy and discretion. Despite their often eccentric manner of dress, they tend to be very conservative with their personal lives. For the Alendar the personal is very private and a lot of care is put into what is shared with whom during social occasions.

Common Dress code

Attire is of utmost importance for the Alendar. Their fashion industry is among the most advanced in Tog Darahl and is constantly in flux. It is said that whenever the surface finds something to wear its because the Alendar already moved past it a century ago. Since fashion is of such high importance for their society there isn't a strict dress code. Instead the Alendar spend a lot of time finding ways to improve their own fashion and compete with each other in that arena.

Art & Architecture

A lot of their artistic expression is very surreal and abstract. This is partly because of the structure of their faith and the reality of their surroundings. When it comes to architecture, they share their Elven cousins' love for the majestic and opulent. Many of their buildings are built from precious stones found in the Underdark and have clear Illithid influence.

Birth & Baptismal Rites

When an Alendar is born they are taken to E'al Shaeras to be bathed and receive Zillice protection. After the bathing is done the child must undergo Umnaluna to receive their ancestors wisdom and the wisdom of the community.

Coming of Age Rites

As the Alendar moved through their life stages, they start to accrue a series of markings or tattoos that hold some significant event or knowledge about that time of their life. An Alendar is deemed an adult when they willingly submit to E'segroth and choose a partner to share their consciousness with.

Funerary and Memorial customs

When an Alendar dies, their body is submitted to Umsehone , so their knowledge can be recorded for posterity and used to improve the community further.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

The Alendar, like most of their Elven cousins, put a high value on beauty and decorum. To them, beauty means composure, order, and structure. There is a high value placed on fashion and body markings as expressions of the self and one's social status.

Gender Ideals

Gender is less scrutinized for the Alendar, much like the Dahlian Dwarves little attention is paid to the circumstances of one's sex and how one chooses to express one's gender. The Alendar prefer more creative and artistic venues to distinguish themselves from each other.

Courtship Ideals

Their courtship is very ritualized and is meshed with their love for gatherings and festivities. The Alendar love a good ball, and it is considered the perfect occasion to pursue your interests, whether romantic, political, or economic.

Relationship Ideals

For the Alendar, who you choose as your partner is as much an expression of status and self as what you wear. For that reason, there is a high value placed on "power couples" who become pseudo-celebrities in the Underdark.