Drow

The Drow of Ostrov live in the far north east, closer to the pole than most others ever venture. While many would consider their lands inhospitable, with some creativity, ingenuity, and a little bit of magic, the people of Icehearth have not just survived, they have thrived.
One of the keys to their success has been their unusual familial structure. The first ancestors of the northern Drow were a small group of shipwrecked elves. Several elders in the group were disciples of Natanis who had learned enough from him to know that if they weren’t careful, their tiny population would destroy itself through inbreeding. They began to keep meticulous records of kinship, tracking families and making recommendations to ensure the best possible outcomes for each generation. This ensured the survival of their community and had two unexpected side effects. After a short time, the elves of the north began to look different from their southern relatives and they tended to have particularly potent magic.
While the Drow appreciate the carefully controlled breeding that ensured their survival, they also find the concept of arranged marriage to be odious. While the elders and keepers of lineage have the power to decree which members of their society they have no say in who someone chooses to share their life with or with whom they engage in recreational sexual activities. When children are born the community as a whole determines which household has the best capacity and desire for them. Drow families range in shape and size as a result, and may contain any mixture of adults and children irrespective of gender.
Contact between the people of Icehearth and the southern lands is sporadic and mostly magical. There are enough capable mages both among the Drow and those who know about them that travel is possible, but still not frequent. After so many generations of forging their own path, the Drow prefer to mostly remain in their homeland and live in the manner to which their people have become accustomed. Visitors are likewise rare, making Icehearth one of the most racially homogenous communities in Ostrov.