Dusk Elves
"There is knowledge in suffering," Hierarch Vic'ala began her sermon, "and survival is the art of exploring pain's deepest mysteries." She turned to see the backs of members of Den Zautar'urden gathered here together.
"We are a betrayed people. Betrayed by our brothers and sisters who would rather play with the petty beings of the mundane than care for their own. And this," Vic'ala pulled the knout from her robes and thrust it into the air, "this is our deliverance."
At once, Den Zautar'urden pulled loose their robes, exposing flesh, ready for communion. Vic'ala began with the first row. With each practiced step she lashed out at the scarred flesh of her supplicants. On all days but this one they were equal. In all houses but this one they were equals.
"Punishment does not make us weak!" Whack.
"Suffering will not break us!" Whack.
"We used to be fair!" Whack. "Exquisite!" Whack!
"Our precious home was torn asunder the day it arrived in these cursed skies!"
Whack! Whack! Whack!
Vic'ala bellowed until she finished with the last row. She could have continued. They deserved it. It would bring them closer to the Yratheon above. "But it is not our doing, my throng," she said, nurturing them. She now stood on the opposite end of the chamber. Pain had a way of opening the eyes, of making everything clear for a moment. In that moment of pure reality, the faithful could be spurred onward.
"It is the fault of these wretched creatures!" Vic'ala raised her hands towards the viewing crystal above her. Images of a man tilling fields, of children playing, a dwarf mending a waterwheel, of soldiers dying for small hills flashed within. Den Zautar'urden murmured, the fire within them stoked and given kindling to set alight.
"By the word of Aeberonion, go! Tear the world asunder and reclaim what is ours!" The Den jumped up, filled with religious fervor.
"Go! Show them Truth!"
History
In the time of the ancient elven houses, before they had arrived in Azuremir, the Dusk and Sun elves were siblings. None greater, none lesser. They lived together within Myriendyr, the Realm of Sun and Shattered Reflections.
In the Age of Turmoil, the Titans rose from the minds of Man and waged war against the Divines. The Elves, new arrivals to the world of Azuremir, had to choose whether to pick a side or to remain neutral and deal with the aftermath. The decision made ultimately tore the houses of elves apart forever.
When Aelon entangled itself within the skies of Azuremir, the elves bore witness to the aurora of magic that wove itself throughout the world. It was plain to see for them, but inaccessible to the people of the world. Its existence led to great strife within the elven houses. The Dusk Elves, led by Aeberonion, Lord of the Dusk House of Shattered Reflections, insisted on staying out of the matter and letting the beings below sort themselves. Lady Titalia, Queen of the Dawn House of Sun, the fairest of the Sun elves, bade her kin to break the gates of magic and set them free upon the mortals so that they may fight.
Conflict was always resolved by debate and discussion within Myriendyr, but there in the grip of Azuremir, with the Titans rising in power, the elves felt their tempers flare into all out war between the two factions. Those who sided with Aeberonion were bested by Queen Titalia and her followers, and the war was ended; but it caused deep fractures within Myriendyr that led to its demise. Once Queen Titalia released magic to mortals, there came a final showdown between her and Aeberonion, an event which split the Realm of Sun and Shattered Reflections into the Mirror Realms, Mydwyn and Myrir.
Major Organizations
Dens
The drow reside mainly in the Shadowlands with footholds in the Underdark as well. Drow soceity is organized by dens, groups of close-knit families that signify political and social standing among the drow and those seeking—unwisely—to entreat with them.
The major dens of drow are below. Ordered by political weight and presence.
Den Alea'ndar
Den Zautar'urden
Den Myrae
Order of Malediction
The Order of Malediction follows the Dark Reflection, the Tortured One, Yratheon. Yratheon bades his followers not flinch at the pain that the Shadowlands bestows. In fact, they should embrace it, make it apart of their daily life, for pain will strengthen them. Pain is the one true entity. The only absolute truth.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Before the split, they were called Dusk elves, but this name did not refer to their appearance, just where they lived within Myriendyr. Now they call themselves Drow, shirking their relation with the kin that betrayed them.
Below is a list of prefices and suffices to create a drow name. (Courtesy of Dragon Magazine 267)
Prefix (Female/Male)| Meaning
Akor/Alak || beloved, best, first
Alaun/Alton || lightning, powerful
Aly/Kel || legendary, singing, song
Ang/Adin || beast, monstrous, savage
Ardul/Amal || blessed, divine, godly
Aun/Ant || crypt, dead, deadly, death
Bae/Bar || fate, fated, luck, lucky
Bal/Bel || burned, burning, fire, flame
Belar/Bruh || arrow, lance, piercing
Briz/Berg || graceful, fluid, like water
Bur/Bhin || craft, crafty, sly
Chal/Chasz || earth, stable
Char/Kron || sick, venom, venomed
Chess/Cal || noble, lady/lord
Dhaun || infested, plague
Dil/Dur || cold, ice, still
Dirz/Div || dream, dreaming, fantasy
Dris/Riz || ash, dawn, east, eastern
Eclav/Elk || chaos, mad, madness
Elvan/Kalan || elf, elven, far, lost
Elv/Elaug || drow, mage, power
Erel/Rhyl || eye, moon, spy
Ethe/Erth || mithril, resolute
Faer/Selds || oath, sworn, vow
Felyn/Fil || pale, thin, weak, white
Filf/Phar || dwarf, dwarven, treacherous
Gauss/Orgoll || dread, fear, feared, vile
G'eld || friend, spider
Ghuan || accursed, curse, unlucky
Gin/Din || berserk, berserker, orc, wild
Grey/Gul || ghost, pale, unliving
Hael/Hatch || marked, trail, way
Hal/Sol || deft, nimble, spider-like
Houn/Rik || magic, ring, staff
Iiv/Dip || liege, war, warrior
Iim || life, living, spirit, soul
Illiam/Im || devoted, heart, love
In/Sorn || enchanted, spell
Ilph || emerald, green, lush, tree
Irae/Ilzt || arcane, mystic, wizard
Irr/Izz || hidden, mask, masked
Iym/Ist || endless, immortal
Jan/Duag || shield, warded
Jhael/Gel || ambitious, clan, kin, family
Jhul/Jar || charmed, rune, symbol
Jys/Driz || hard, steel, unyielding
Lael/Llt || iron, west, western
Lar/Les || binding, bound, law, lawful
LiNeer/Mourn || legend, legendary, mythical
Lird/Ryld || brand, branded, owned, slave
Lua/Lyme || bright, crystal, light
Mal/Malag || mystery, secret
May/Mas || beautiful, beauty, silver
Micar || lost, poison, widow
Min/Ran || lesser, minor, second
Mol/Go || blue, storm, thunder, wind
Myr/Nym || lost, skeleton, skull
Nath/Mer || doom, doomed, fate
Ned/Nad || cunning, genius, mind, thought
Nhil/Nal || fear, horrible, horror, outraged
Neer || core, root, strong
Null/Nil || sad, tear, weeping
Olor/Omar || skin, tattoo, tattooed
Pellan/Relon || north, platinum, wind
Phaer/Vorn || honor, honored
Phyr/Phyx || bless, blessed, blessing
Qualn/Quil || mighty, ocean, sea
Quar || aged, eternal, time
Quav/Quev || charmed, docile, friend
Qil/Quil || foe, goblin, slave
Rauv/Welv || cave, rock, stone
Ril/Ryl || foretold, omen
Sbat/Szor || amber, yellow
Sab/Tsab || abyss, empty, void
Shi'n/Kren || fool, foolish, young
Shri/Ssz || silk, silent
Shur/Shar || dagger, edge, stiletto
Shynt || invisible, skilled, unseen
Sin/Szin || festival, joy, pleasure
Ssap/Tath || blue, midnight, night
Susp/Spir || learned, skilled, wise
Talab/Tluth || burn, burning, fire
Tal/Tar || love, pain, wound, wounded
Triel/Taz || bat, winged
T'riss/Teb || blade, sharp, sword
Ulvir/Uhls || gold, golden, treasure
Umrae/Hurz || faith, faithful, true
Vas/Vesz || blood, bloody, flesh
Vic || abyss, deep, profound
Vier/Val || black, dark, darkness
Vlon/Wod || bold, hero, heroic
Waer/Wehl || deep, hidden, south, southern
Wuyon/Wruz || humble, third, trivial
Xull/Url || blooded, crimson, ruby
Xun || demon, fiend, fiendish
Yas/Yaz || riddle, spinning, thread, web
Zar/Zakn || dusk, haunted, shadow
Zebey/Zek || dragon, lithe, rage, wyrm
Zes/Zsz || ancient, elder, respected
Zilv/Vuz || forgotten, old, unknown
Suffixes (Female/Male)| Meaning
a/agh || breaker, destruction, end, omega
ace/as || savant, scholar, wizard
ae/aun || dance, dancer, life, player
aer/d || blood, blood of, heir
afae/afein || bane, executioner, slayer
afay/aufein || eyes, eyes of, seer
ala/launim || healer, cleric
anna/erin || advisor, counselor to
arra/atar || queen/prince
aste || bearer, keeper, slaver
avin/aonar || guardian, guard, shield
ayne/al || lunatic, maniac, manic, rage
baste/gloth || path, walker
breena/antar || matriach/patriarch, ruler
bryn/lyn || agent, assassin, killer
cice/roos || born of, child, young
cyrl/axle || ally, companion, friend
da/daer || illusionist, trickster
dia/drin || rogue, stealer
diira/diirn || initiate, sister/brother
dra/zar || lover, match, mate
driira/driirn || mother/father, teacher
dril/dorl || knight, sword, warrior
e || servant, slave, vessel
eari/erd || giver, god, patron
eyl || archer, arrow, flight, flyer
ffyn/fein || minstrel, singer, song
fryn || champion, victor, weapon, weapon of
iara/ica || baron, duke, lady/lord
ice/eth || obsession, taker, taken
idil/imar || alpha, beginning, creator of, maker
iira/inid || harbinger, herald
inidia || secret, wall, warder
inil/in || lady/lord, rider, steed
intra || envoy, messenger, prophet
isstra/atlab || acolyte, apprentice, student
ithra/irahc || dragon, serpent, wyrm
jra/gos || beast, biter, stinger
jss || scout, stalker
kacha/kah || beauty, hair, style
kiira/raen || apostle, disciple
lay/dyn || flight, flyer, wing, wings
lara/aghar || cynic, death, end, victim
lin || arm, armor, commander
lochar || messenger, spider
mice/myr || bone, bones, necromancer, witch
mur'ss || shadow, spy, witness
na/nar || adept, ghost, spirit
nilee/olil || corpse, disease, ravager
niss/nozz || chance, gambler, game
nitra/net || kicker, returned, risen
nolu || art, artist, expert, treasure
olin || ascension, love, lover, lust
onia/onim || rod, staff, token, wand
oyss/omph || binder, judge, law, prison
qualyn || ally, caller, kin
quarra/net || horde, host, legion
quiri/oj || aura, cloak, hide, skin
ra/or || fool, game, prey, quarry
rae/rar || secret, seeker, quest
raema/orvir || crafter, fist, hand
raena/olvir || center, haven, home
riia/rak || enchanter, mage, spellcaster
ril || bandit, enemy, raider, outlaw
riina/ree || enchanter, mage, spellcaster
ryna/oyn || follower, hired, mercenary
ryne/ryn || blooded, elder, experienced
shalee/ral || abjurer, gaze, watch, watcher
ssysn/rysn || artifact, dweomer, sorcerer, spell
stin/trin || clan, of the den, merchant,
stra/tran || spider, spinner, weaver
tana/ton || darkness, lurker, prowler
thara/tar || glyph, marker, rune
thrae/olg || charmer, leader, seducer
tree/tel || exile, loner, outcast, pariah
tyrr || dagger, poison, poisoner, scorpion
ual/dan || speed, strider
ue/dor || arm, artisan, fingers
uit/dar || breath, voice, word
une/diin || diviner, fate, future, oracle
uque || cavern, digger, mole, tunnel
urra/dax || nomad, renegade, wanderer
va/ven || comrade, honor, honored
vayas || forge, forger, hammer, smith
vyll || punishment, scourge, whip, zealot
vyrae/vyr || mistress/master, overseer
wae/hrae || heir, inheritor, princess
wiira/hriir || seneschal of, steward
wyss/hrys || best, creator, starter
xae/zaer || orb, rank, ruler, sceptor
xena/zen || cutter, gem, jewel, jeweler
xyra/zyr || sage, teller
yl || drow, woman/man
ylene/yln || handmaiden, squire, maiden, youth
ymma/inyon || drider, feet, foot, runner
ynda/yrd || captain, custodian, marshal, ranger
ynrae/yraen || heretic, rebel, riot, void
vrae || architect, founder, mason
yrr || protector, rival, wielder
zyne/zt || finder, hunter
Den Name Prefixes || Meaning
Alean || the noble line of
Ale || traders in
Arab || daughters of
Arken || mages of
Auvry || blood of the
Baen || blessed by
Barri || spawn of
Cladd || warriors from
Desp || victors of
De || champions of
Do’ || walkers in
Eils || lands of
Everh || the caverns of
Fre || friends of
Gode || clan of
Helvi || those above
Hla || seers of
Hun’ || the sisterhood of
Ken || sworn to
Kil || people of
Mae || raiders from
Mel || mothers of
My || honored of
Noqu || sacred to
Orly || guild of
Ouss || heirs to
Rilyn || den of
Teken’ || delvers in
Tor || mistresses of
Zau || children of
Den Name Suffixes || Meaning
afin || the web
ana || the night
ani || the widow
ar || poison
arn || fire
ate || the way
ath || the dragons
duis || the whip
ervs || the depths
ep || the underdark
ett || magic
ghym || the forgotten ways
iryn || history
lyl || the blade
mtor || the abyss
ndar || black hearts
neld || the arcane
rae || fell powers
rahel || the gods
rret || the void
sek || adamantite
th || challenges
tlar || mysteries
t'tar || victory
tyl || the pits
und || the spider’s kiss
urden || the darkness
val || silken weaver
viir || dominance
zynge || the ruins
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