Drowkin
The term Drowkin is the common label for any Elven person that still adheres to the worldview known as Drow'anar which upholds the racial, spiritual and cultural superiority of Elves over all other creatures. The culture of the Drowkin was first condemned and then outlawed more than 1,100 years ago by the Autarch of Naru, Kel'a Thron. After centuries of persecution and enslavement of intelligent creatures like Gnomes and Halflings in the tens of thousands and the subjugation of many Human cultures, Kel'aThron looked to end the abuse completely and utterly. Since his death more than 100 years ago, his son, Kel'a Bron, has taken up the same effort with just as much passion as his father. He made the killing of any innocent Halfling or Gnome by an Elf instantly punishable by death, and banished from the Elven Realm of Naru forever anyone that taught, espoused or promoted the Drowkin ideals from his first days as Autarch.
The result of these efforts to reform Elven society has only seen partial success, however. There are still many Elves in Naru that secretly hold onto the teachings and tenets, even if they cannot openly practice them. Furthermore, with the change in Elven policy more than a millennia ago, many thousands of Elves of all stations and status in society left Naru rather than accept the concept that races such as Halflings and Gnomes had the same rights and dignities as even the most humble Elves. Many of these exile Elves settled in remote and distant lands, far from the power and authority of the Autarch, and have attempted to build (or rebuild) an Elven culture that embraces and promolgates the truth of Drow'anar (which, in Elvish, literally means "elves first" but, because of a linguistic homonym, also means "dark elves").
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Most Drowkin speak the same dialect of Elvish as their Vytuian cousins. Some changes in syntax and vocabulary can be heard by discerning ears, but to most, a Drowkin speaks exactly like they did before they left Naru.
Shared customary codes and values
Drowkin believe that the Elves are the highest and most perfect race of creatures to exist in the world. They believe that even the least member of Elvish society is better than all other creatures solely because they are Elves. Furthermore, since Elves are the highest form of life in the world, their culture is superior in every way to every other culture and should dominate and rule all other cultures because of this inherent superiority.
Average technological level
The Drowkin are every bit as advanced and capable as their Vytuian brethren, but are serverly limited in their access to certain commodities and resources that their ancestral lands provided but the Dro'eladrim does not. Greatest amongst these limitations is access to the variety of landscapes and ecosystems that Naru enjoys but the Arak Mountains do not. While many thousands of tomes, books and scrolls were brought out of Naru with the Drowkin exodus, the Drowkin still have no real access to the knowledge and specimens now housed in the Order of the Quinary Houses that remain functioning all over the Elven Realm.
Foods & Cuisine
Since the vast majority of Drowkin are to be found in the rather narrow and confining Dro'eladrim Valley, it is in the area of cuisine and food production that they Drowkin have deviated the most from their pre-exodus lifestyles. The Drowkin of the Dro'eladrim are far more limited in what they can produce as far as cereals, produce and meats than their Vytuian kin. Drowkin have nearly forgotten what chicken tastes like and have replaced them with a hardy (and mostly flightless) breed of goose. Fruits are limited to varieties that can exist in the rather harsh and extreme climate of the Arak Mountains and have been replaced in many instances with produce like squash and tubers.
Wheat is grown in the Valley, but it is a coarse variety that does not produce a fine white flour. Barley and oats are a far more common (and profitable) crop for Drowkin farmers.
Common Myths and Legends
For centuries, the ruling class of the Drowkin have searched for a legendary lost city or realm said to be hidden deep under the Arak Mountains. Details of the legendary sites vary with the telling, but most agree that somewhere deep under the mighty mountain range is a vast underground city that has lain empty for millennia. Rumors of vast hordes of treasure, great libraries of knowledge, mighty machines of war, or even magical implements and weapons of god-like power tempt generation after generation of the Drowkin, but no trace of it has been found by them... yet.
Encompassed species
Related Locations
