Drow

"Dark elves" who dwell in The Deeps. They are known for cruelty, elite combat training, and cultish religious fervor.

Basic Information

Genetics and Reproduction

Sexual reproduction; 12-month gestation within the female.

Growth Rate & Stages

• Infant (Tiny): 0-1 years
• Toddler (Tiny): 2-5 years
• Young child (Small): 6-13 years
• Older child (Small): 14-20 years
• Adolescent: 21-31 years
• Ponderling: 32-85 years
• Young adult: 86-190 years
• Middle-aged: 191-340 years
• Elderly: 341-480 years
• Venerable: 481+ years

Ponderlings are mature physically and mentally, but elven culture does not consider them adults, and carefully shelters them until they reach young adult status. It is unclear how necessary this cultural tradition really is, and what their ostensible emotional immaturity could lead to otherwise.
Venerable elves are often more energetic and healthy than venerable members of other races, right up until their final years when they "fade." They can last as long as 720 years before "fading."

Dietary Needs and Habits

Being underground dwellers, drow necessarily rely on khanegu as an important part of their diet, and rothe meat is a staple as well. They manage to find a wide variety of things to eat in The Deeps, though; for one thing, they are not above eating the meat of sapient creatures they have slain.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Drow social structure is a complex hybrid of Zurvan priestly status and combat prowess. Females are favored over males in their brand of Zurvanism, but males can still achieve supremacy in their clan if they are fearsome enough combatants.
Drow are few enough in number that their roving clans seldom interact with one another. They have no permanent communities, although they do have Zathalon, a meetingplace where the clans traditionally meet up temporarily when there is reason for interaction.

Facial characteristics

Other than coloration, drow faces look like elven faces.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Drow are native to The Deeps.

Average Intelligence

10 Intelligence.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Drow can see further in darkness than surface elves can. However, their eyes are so sensitive that they are nearly blinded by bright light, such as daylight.

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

Drow are known for their affinity with large, unpleasant arthropods, such as giant spiders or giant scorpions. They have less prominent symbiotic relationships, though, from domesticated rothe or giant lizards to slaves (kobolds or other Deeps races).

Civilization and Culture

Relationship Ideals

Permanent marriage is almost unheard of among the hedonistic drow.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Undercommon is the daily language of drow. They are also still commonly taught Elvish, though reluctant to use it.

History

Drow first split off from elves during the Aboleth Resurgence, when many elves retreated underground to escape aboleth/human aggression.
Legend has it that Zurva personally visited the drow clans as an avatar shortly following their decision to stay underground. In any case, the clans mostly sacrificed their members who were reluctant to convert to Zurvanism.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Elf

Lifespan

600 years (though few die of natural causes)

Average Height

4'7" - 5'4"

Average Weight

75 - 120 lb.

Average Physique

10 Strength, 10 Consitution; slender

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Drow skin color is nearly black, often compared with ebony or charcoal. Their hair is stark white or pale yellow, and their eyes are so pale as to be mistaken for white.