Drow
The Drow were exiled from the Vale of the Elves during the mythic age for secretly worshiping the Dark Seldarine due to Lolth’s twisted words and promises. Driven underground, the Drow have numerous cities around the Underdark, with only a few truly known about by the rest of the world.
With a storeyed history, most Drow now live deep in the underdark in their remaining isolated strongholds. This was the case for much of their exile, appearing only as bogeymen in the tales of the surface dwellers, dark monsters from the ground who stole naughty children. To the rest of the Underdark, they are the ultimate power and civilization, striking fear wherever their cities lie.
Although scattered and isolated now, this was was not always the case. In the early second age, the Drow of the East took advantage of the weakened states of what was then known as the Heartlands, now the great steppes, in the aftermath of the fall of the Sun Elves. United under one ruler, The Great Tizzeria, the drow emerged from the underdark and cast darkness and shadows to obscure the sun. Known as the Shadow Empire, the Drow would spread their darkness and conquer the surrounding human cities and tribes and defeat the sun elf and orcish remnants from the First Soulthek War.
Lasting from the early 600s, the Shadow Empire slowly spread throughout the heartlands, conquering all and subjugating the non-drow. It would not be till they came into conflict with the dwarves of Ironia, in the Ironian-Shadow War, they met their first true opposition. For near a century, the dwarves and drow would swap borderland castles in a back and forth tustle the drained the shadow empire's resources. Rebellions broke out across the empire, and in a bid for ultimate victory the Drow invaded the arcane Silverwood only to be driven back by the Wood Elves.
The Green Guard would bring the downfall of the empire by using ancient Nirvidian technology to dispel the arcane batteries fuelling the darkness, and the heartlands were flooded with sunlight. Tizzeria would fall, and her diodachi were driven back into the underdark or crushed by human rebellions, the Ironian Dwarves, or wood elves.
Since the Shadow Empire, the Drow live in seclusion, spruning the surface world and living only in their much safer, and natural domain of the underdark. Surface dwellers rarely come into contact with these people, and only a few of their cities are truly known about and never crossed or provoked. For the most part, the Drow remain a matriarchal, slave-owning society who worship the Dark Seldarine.
Known Cities of the Drow
Drow are now scattered across Prima Terra in their underground citadels. Only three are truly known about by the wider world, and of those only one is known to still be active and actually interacts with outsiders.Drow of Tizzerit
Tizzerit is (or rather, was) a dark, smoggy, and authoritarian city deep beneath the Silverwood. An advanced culture that uses steam and advanced industrial and magical techniques, this four quartered city is supposidly ruled by the notorious General Salazar, a mage and tyrant who has apparently lived for thousands of years. This illusive general remains a mystery, not even the oldest of Drow claims to have seen him in the flesh. Tizzerit is an oppressive culture, devoted to enslavement and spreading fear amongst the surface. It was originally founded by Tizzeria, a general of the Shadow Empire. Tizzerit was once the home of legendary hero Gal and the infamous adventurer, Aunty June. The denizens of the Silverwood knew of the cities existence and would battle its forces when they dared to raid in the magical woodlands, but the city is now beleived lost by figures such as John Kommenian, potentially destroyed by Aunty June.Drow of Gazzarit
The Republic of Gazzarit is the most known Drow city in all of Prima Terra. Since the Ucothah crisis of 992, 3e, the city has reformed its ways and become a democratic, mostly-egalitarian society who worship Eilistraee. Located in the Underdark beneath The Commonwealth, Gazzarit is a liberatarian paradise that has invented movies, mechanical war suits, and all has studied all manner of magical tools. The city is the envy of artificers throughout the continent, and keeps it doors open and attitude fresh. Currently headed by adventurer and paladin of Eilistraee, Gal is the second president of the young republic and has seen the religion take dominance in their society, with a thinning seperation between temple and state.Drow of Nyxdriya
Nyxdriya is a fabled lost city of Drow somewhere beneath the Seldrinar Supremacy. No other underdark denizen has been able to find it, some claim it is a pure myth, others claim it to be a lost civilization. The City was apparently founded by General Nyx of Tizzerit, who was forced to flee following Salazar’s purges. Some Drow have journeyed to the surface, claiming to be from this mythic land.Drow of the East
In the east, beneath Sargon and The Great Steppes, 7 cities of Drow lie in a loose coalition known as the New Shadow Empire. These cities are nothing more than glorified military outposts, their populations small and stuck in the past. They occasionally raid the Steppes but stay away from greater civilization, fearing that angering the powerful kingdoms above will bring their final demise.Drow in Aedrinar
There are no known Drow settlements in Aedrinar, nor are Drow particularly common. The Island archipelago is disconnected from the wider underdark, and is believed to be self-contained. Drow do appear in myths, largely from the Ice Elf, who detest their 'fallen' cousins who worship the Dark Seldarine. Some Drow, usually of Gazzaritian origin, can be found in major ports such as Lastlight, Jameleska, Kriegerholm or Winterharbour.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Origin/Ancestry
Elven
Lifespan
750 years
Average Height
Slightly taller than humans
Related Ethnicities
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