Station in drow society

STATION IN DROW SOCIETY Your station as a drow determines your place in the society ofMenzoberranzan. Station is divided into two types: house rank and personal esteem. House rank determines a house’s station in rela¬tion to other houses within the city. While even the noblest drow cannot directly command drow of other houses, members of a lower-ranked house must give deference to members of a higher-ranked house or face the consequences of angering power¬ful rivals. Personal esteem, represented by an individual’s Worth score, determines a drow’s station within her house. Each drow character starts with a Worth score of O, modified by the circumstances ofhis or her birth. A drow can gain and lose Worth in a variety of ways. The Worth Modifiers table provides some criteria that raise and lower a drow’s Worth during his or her lifetime. Your DM can rule that other events raise and lower your Worth as well. A drow’s Worth is affected only by publicly known events. Ifa drow slays enemies of her house but no one knows about it, then that character’s Worth is not affected. Drow usually choose to spread rumors about their deeds rather than openly talking about them, since they prefer not to appear desperate to climb the social ladder. The only exception to this is that gains and losses of worth due to the respect or disrespect ofLolth do not require public acknowledgement. Lolth and her yochlol handmaids spy on her followers constantly, and spread word of their deeds and misdeeds to priestesses of Lolth. WORTH AT BIRTH +5 Born female -5 Born male +4 Female or male born to matron mother OR +2 Born into matron mother’s extended family OR +1 Born into a drow noble house OR -20 Born outside of a drow noble house WORTH MODIFIERS +5 Become matron mother Graduate from Arach-Tinilith Become a high priestess of Lolth Receive public recognition of Lolth’s favor +4 Become house wizard Create a new spell or prayer to Lolth Pass a Test of Lolth Slay a personal rival +3 Become house weapon master Complete a major quest for your house Graduate from Sorcere Slay powerful enemies of your house Humiliate a rival in public +2 Become house patron Being acknowledged by matron mother Betray someone and get away with it Slay significant enemies of your house Survive an ambush or assassination attempt +1 Complete a minor quest for your house Gain a level Graduate from Melee-Magthere Embarrass a rival in public Slay minor enemies ofyour house Win a public competition -1 Go a month without gaining Worth Let an insult to Lolth pass unanswered Lose a public competition Suffer minor public humiliation or betrayal -2 Back down from a conflict Disobey a superior Endure an insult to your house without seeking revenge Display a weak emotion (love, kindness) -3 Let an insult to yourself pass unanswered Perform menial labor or other slave work Show mercy Suffer major public humiliation or betrayal -4 Disobey a priestess of Lolth Endure an insult to your person Pass up an opportunity to slay elves Speak ill of Lolth Strike a drow female -5 Disobey a matron mother Receive a public manifestation of Lolth’s disfavor Be thrown out of your noble house Tiers of Prestige Each house has nine tiers of personal prestige in its hierarchy, each one associated with a range ofWorth values that is particular to each house. There is no ceremony or event that marks moving from one tier to another. When a drow obtains or loses enough Worth to change his or her tier, the rest of the drow in the house instinctively recognize the change and respond appropriately. LOSS OF STATION: DRIZZT’S STORY The inspiration for these optional rules on station came from the events of Drizzt Do'Urden's life as chronicled in the novel Homeland by R.A. Salvatore. Here's a summary of how Drizzt's Worth went up and down (well, mostly down) during that story. Drizzt is male (-5) and is trained as a warrior (-1 ). He is the son of the matron mother (+4) and graduates from Melee-Magthere (+1 ). He won the Grand Melee nine times (+1 each time), but was betrayed by Kelnozz in the first melee (-3). He showed soft emotion for his father Zaknafein (-3) and again at the destruction of House Teken'duis (-3). He struck a drow female when he fought Maya Do’Urden (-4). He refused the advances of a high priestess at the graduation ceremony (-4), then disobeyed high priestess Vierna Do'Urden (-4) and spoke ill of Lolth (-4). He slew scrags and hook horrors (enemies of Menzoberranzan) while patrolling around Menzoberranzan (+1 each time). He suggested parlaying with the svirfneblin (-2) and then showed mercy to Belwar Dissengulp (-4). He was betrayed by Masoj Hun’ett (-3), but he survived the assassination attempt (+2). He disobeyed Matron Malice and left the compound (-5). Finally, Drizzt showed mercy to an elf child (-4), and failed to kill elves when he had the chance (-4), which caused him to lose the favor of Lolth (-5). Atthe end ofthe novel, Drizzt’s Worth score was lower than -30, putting him in the lowest tier of drow society (see Tiers of Prestige, below). To move from Tier 0 (where most drow begin) to Tier 1 requires a gain ofWorth sufficient to make the draw’s Worth score equal to the house's power rating. After that, advancing to the next higher tier requires a further gain ofWorth equal to the house’s power rating multiplied by the next tier’s number. The mechanic works into the negatives as well. For example, House Do’Urden has a power rating of9. Therefore, a draw needs a Worth score of9 to attain Tier 1. The draw then needs another 18 Worth points (9 x 2) to reach Tier 2, or a total Worth score of27. Attaining Tier 5 would require a Worth score of 144. Filling the boots of Matron Malice will take decades of accumulation of personal worth. Drizzt went in the opposite direction. When his Worth reached -9, he descended to Tier -1. When it reached -27, he dropped to Tier -2. Since House Do’Urden was about to go to war, Matron Malice decided to sacrifice Drizzt to regain Lolth ’s favor. After Drizzt fled the city, he fell to Tier -3, but House Do’Urden was prevented from taking his life. Benefits of Station Most draw wield influence in the City ofSpiders, more so if they are noble born and female. Even in the wilds of the Underdark, those of your race are regarded with grudging respect, if not outright fear. The benefits of station described in this section are meant to model the extent of a draw’s influence within a Menzoberranzan: City of Intrigue campaign. If your Dungeon Master adopts this optional system, your draw character gains access to certain benefits of station. Each of these benefits provides a noncombat ability that you can use to gain specific advantages in and around Menzoberranzan. Benefits of station are cumulative. For example. at Tier 3, you enjoy the benefits of that tier and the two lower ones. Conversely, if you lose enough Worth to drop a tier, then you lose the benefit of that tier until you reach it again. In addition to these direct benefits, station also affects social interaction. When draw of the same house are interacting with each other, a draw of a higher tier gets a bonus to all interaction skill checks equal to the number of tiers of difference, while the draw oflower worth gets a similar penalty to all such checks. Tier -3: Sacrifice reputation of your house, and your very existence is a threat to the house having the all-important favor ofLolth. The priestesses will sacrifice you on an altar to Lolth at the first opportunity. You must scrounge for your basic needs, because your house gives you nothing. If you are not yet a prisoner, your accommo¬dations (if you have any) are the most wretched in the house. Tier -2: Expendable Your worth is that your continued existence is not important to the house. More powerful draw will use and dispose of you for their own gain. The house gives you sub¬standard equipment to perform your duties. Your accommodations are unsanitary and unpleasant. Tier -1: Drudge You aren’t worth much in the eyes of the matron mother. To her, you are just another in the mass oflow-stationed draw. The house does you no favors and will make few efforts to help or protect you. The house gives you used equipment to perform your duties. Your accommodations are cramped and crowded. Tier 0: Member You have done little to prove your worth. The matron mother barely notices you, and higher-ranking house draw command you to do menial tasks. The house gives you standard equip¬ment to perform your duties. Your accommodations are spartan and severe. Tier 1: Aspirant You’re not completely with¬out value in the eyes of the house mistresses. You have some level of authority and can command lesser drow of the house. The house gives you quality items to perform your duties. Your accommodations are drab but not uncomfortable. Benefit: Once per week, you can ask a sage, a spy, or other appropriate informant one question. It can be about obscure lore, members of rival houses, your Underdark surroundings, or any other subject the DM deems it possible to find someone to ask about. The information you receive will be accurate, although potentially incomplete. Tier 2: Favored You are a promising member of your house. Higher-ranking drow will consider you for minor leadership positions and might include you in their many plots. Your house provides you with high-quality equipment to perform your duties. Your accommodations are comfortable but not lavish. Benefit: Once every two weeks, you receive mate¬rial assistance from someone else in your house or another associate who wants to curry favor with you. You can use this benefit to bring about one of the fol¬lowing events. + You gain hard-to-acquire material objects worth a total of20 gp or less. + A cleric or wizard of your level casts a spell or ritual for you. You must pay all component costs. + You receive an invitation to an exclusive social occasion. + You are informally introduced to a powerful noble. You can also use any of these benefits on behalf of another drow you want to assist. Tier 3: Scion Your worth is noted by all within your house. The house matrons will consider you for significant leadership positions and for inclusion in their schemes. At the same time, your competence marks you as a rival to be watched or eliminated by other leaders. Your house grants you superior and possibly magical items to perform your duties. Your accommodations are pleasant and relatively spacious, but not private. Benefit: Once per month, you can request and receive a formal audience with your house’s matron mother, house weapon master, or house wizard. This audience lasts no more than ten minutes. Tier 4: Peer Your worth to the house is with¬out question. The matron mother will consider you for a primary house position, such as high priestess, house wizard, or house weapon master. You are a major player in all house intrigue, and you play for high stakes, up to and including your life. Your equip¬ment is among the best the house has to offer. Your accommodations are large, elaborately furnished, and private. Benefit: You can hold meetings in your private accommodations without worry of observation. You gain three noncombatant servants wlio attend to your needs. You gain also gain a competent drow of your level minus three and a class of your DM’s choice as a lackey. This lackey can run more demanding errands for you or handle significant matters while you are otherwise indisposed. If any of the servants or the lackey are slain, you can replace them one month later. Tier 5: Eminence You are the ultimate authority in your house. All others in the house bow before your power and worth. If you are not the matron mother, then you are the power behind her throne. If you are female, it’s only a matter of time before you kill her and become the matron mother. If you are male, you take secret or even overt delight in thwarting the established matriarchy. You have access to any equipment the house possesses. Your accommodations are the best in the compound. Benefit: You can command any drow in your house oflesser Worth. Once a month, you can demand a formal audience with the matron mother, house weapon master, or house wizard of any other house. TYING OFF LOOSE ENDS. If a player character who gains a lackey loses Worth and is forced to give up this benefit, the former lackey is a dangerous vulnerability. The lackey likely knows many of the character’s secrets and is no longer loyal. The character should consider killing the former lackey at the first opportunity, or-even better-accuse her of treason to Lolth and have her sacrificed to the Spider Queen. If the character can make the accusation stick, then he or she stands a chance to restore some Worth by exposing a trai¬tor and offering her up to Lolth. Devious Dungeon Masters could have the lackey immediately shift allegiance to a powerful rival, putting the character in a difficult position.