A humanoid race, drow are the primary residents of the nation of
Antiva. They are the largest demographic in the nation by far.
Drow have fragile and smaller figures than
humans, not unlike
city elves or the
Dalish. Despite some similarities, Drow are not elves and any similarities in appearances are considered happenstance. Interestingly, Drow life expectancy is one of the longest in Thedas. Their oldest can reach upwards of eighty years old, some going all the way to over one hundred years in age.
History
The Drow originally came from a deeply forested part of the Thedas where sunlight was rarely able to seep between the tops of trees. The exact location has been lost overtime due to the many times Antivan history has been rewritten or destroyed. When the Drow first began settling Antiva, they were unable to cope well with being in the sunlight for more than brief periods. When exposed to long durations of sunlight, they found themselves debilitated. Some experienced minor headaches while others suffered from agonizing pain.
Over the many generations since the colonization of Antiva, the Drow have adapted to overcome this limitation.
How Others View Drow
The general consensus people have regarding Antivans is that they are sly, deceitful people who are willing to do whatever it takes to get themselves ahead. They are seen as highly competitive, often with their ultimate goal being the acquisition of wealth. Wealth, in their culture, is the symbol of power since their society is based upon a plutocratic system of governance. Drow merchants will tout rare, expensive wares about themselves and their carriages to indicate how successful they are.
Another stereotype that drow often get wrapped up into is that they are all members of the
Antivan Crows. While steeped in some truth, it is far from an absolute fact. In reality, becoming a member of this prestigious assassin's guild is an incredibly challenging task that few will ever even be considered for. Those that are are usually chosen at an incredibly young age and trained to be the perfect assassin as they grow older.
It can't be denied, however, that drow generally carry themselves with a certain force of personality that most
humans and elves can't match. This is particularly true since many people lust over the "exotic" appearance of the drow.
Comments