Het fa/tg/uys, I've been playing D&D and other RPGs for years, but I've never played a drow before.
I'm having trouble coming up for a backstory for a NG dark elf druid that isn't cliched. This is in a homebrew setting, so there's room for quite a bit of artistic license in terms of drow origins.
Any ideas you've got would help a bunch.
Thanks!
ithis will be a hot drow thread while wait for responses
>>43793199
>>43793213
>>43793152
Well, assuming you keep the main parts of drow society (live underground, ruled be females, are evil), then I'd say your options are rather limited.
Perhaps though, Druidism is a worldwide network of enclaves, with designated 'neutral' meeting locations where Druids can commune without killing each other over alignment or race.
This gives them an excuse to have gone to the surface or still be there, although the good part is harder to justify as opposed to neutral. Perhaps they studied under a powerful Good-aligned Druid to learn their secrets, eventually came yo admire them, and decided to try and live up to their legacy when they passed on?
>>43793152
Just play them like someone from east europe
>>43793258
thanks for the ideas! i'm not married to the alignment, so I could switch it to true neutral
>>43793311
>>43793365
>>43793382
>>43793397
>>43793418
I'm out of drow babes
>>43793418
>90% belt buckles
well neutral good drow could always be explained by some brain damage from their latest encounter with a mindflayer
one day they're a happy regular babykicking drow and the next day they develop a cranial tentacle induced conscience and have issues engaging in their previously favorite pasttimes such as "who can keep the torture victim alive longer "
One day you found a weak but kind surface animal, that had fallen into the underdark, they were so unsuited for harsh underground life you that thru studying it you figured the surface must have compassion and everything must be weak to have not wiped the species out, with this knowledge and your new animal slave you ventured to the surface to prove your hypothesis, you discovered that everything on the surface while most things were weaker didn't need to be pure evil and animals could still be dicks to each other and survive with out being giant man eating spiders, and humans could survive without being dicks to each other at all que Epiphany
i used a drow NPC in a campaign a couple decades ago. Ruby was a slave who was staked out as a sacrifice. The PCs argued about it, but rescued her. She followed them. She learned they didn't like her acting certain ways and so stopped. She considered herself a slave, though a better treated one. They considered her a henchman, pointing out that they paid her. Not much, but still... it was an interesting dynamic while it lasted. Maybe you could use a similar backstory? Not all drow have to come from the aristocracy after all.
It's very hard to find Drow art that's both good and depicts them with a black or close enough skin tone like they're supposed to be. Sometimes I find a picture that almost fits, but then some detail is missing, like the eyebrows aren't white.
>>43793152
Empathy for all living creatures, including the creepy ones with too many legs and eyes.
In fact, ESPECIALLY the creepy ones with too many legs and eyes.
Baena was the daughter of two drow necromancers. They grew up in drow society, and her father was her mother's slave at first, but was promoted to lab assistant and then research partner as he proved himself a competent spellcaster in his own right. They joined a guild of necromancers seeking to unlock the secrets of life and death, but when Baena's mother became pregnant and their colleagues decided that experimenting on an unborn fetus was a brilliant plan, they decided to leave. When I used this character in Pathfinder she was Dual-cursed with Burned and Lame (I hate the fatigued condition and like characters who don't always need to rest), to represent an accident when she was a child and explored her parent's lab while they were out. Her parents vanished mysteriously right as she was starting to learn magic from them, and she has no idea whether it was the drow or the other necromancers who did it. Her spell progression was locked in from the start, and consisted of her parents' old spellbook and their notes, which the DM allowed so long as her research into their work was constrained by the level progression so as not to give me too much power at once.
In short, spooky drow girl with some traditional drow values and strange opinions on topics such as murder, suicide and undeath. Made her pretty fun to play with a straight=edge paladin in the party who treated her like a helpless little girl half the time.
>MFW I do not have the Slavic Drow screencap in the EXACT situation it would be most useful
>MFW I have no face
>>43799662
Such a shame
>>43799662
I gotcha.
hm. what a bout a drow who was abducted at a very young age by a wizard who wanted to run experiments to see if he could change fundamental drow behavior, being old as fuck and more then a little scatterbrained, he quickly grew bored and chucked the infant into the woods. a pack of blink dogs lead by a particularly old specimen whose intelligence was reaching almost sapient levels found the child, and took it in. the child has had almost no contact with other species save for a hermit druid that knew the pact and kept in contact with them. The old druid took care of the child, raising it like his own kin and teaching them his ways. Eventually, the old druid passed on, and now the drow is adrift in the world, not even knowing his own races terrible reputation. A person completely unaware that most others he encounter will hate and revile him/her
>>43799842
It's kind of terrible of the druid to not tell the kid anything about the most obvious danger in front of them.
>>43800882
It was not a Good druid.
>>43793152
Born on the surface and raised by humans/normal elves/your choice. Has essentially no concept of drow culture. Had a happy childhood under her adoptive parents with no notable angsty moments beyond any other child.
Buuuuut still has a natural affinity for spiders, and obviously prefers darkness to light due to the Sun causing her incredible pain.
>>43799842 >>43800882 >>43801618
>Secretly the whole thing was a long-term revenge scheme against drow by the druid, who had lost his wife to a drow raid
>Only Menzoberranzan is, like, really far away, and there's a lot of drow there
>Probably wouldn't survive
>Instead the druid just decided to purposefully raise the drow without her knowing about her heritage
>Because he was really a giant jerk
>Mostly became a druid to stay away from people
>Didn't even like his wife that much
>Just really vindictive and patient.
I think I love this concept.
>>43793152
I'm not sure how cliche this could be considered, but I've considered this for a Drow bard backstory at some point.
>Youngest of many, had basically nothing going for her
>Old enough to know she was in a bad spot, but young enough to still be "innocent" (think roughly 8-12 in human age, 30-50 in Drow age?)
>Instead of waiting to be so marginalized as to basically be imprisoned, she fucked off in to the Underdark on her own, she was as good as dead back home anyway
>Got lucky as fuck and wound up going to the surface
>Was found by a married couple of old adventurers
>Taught her how to fight and use magic, was taught music back in Drow City before she ran away
>Eventually came of age and/or parents died of old age, struck out on her own
>Back home, she was considered either a traitor, exiled, or dead. She doesn't care, as long as no one comes looking for her
Swap out "married couple" with "druid(s)" and you've got a decent backstory for a Drow Druid, I think.
>>43801828
>>43801701
>>43801637
>>43799842
>>43795037
I'd like to echo these people across their common theme: a great way is to get her out of the underdark.
Not being raised by drow opens up the whole vista of other character options for her. Abducted by jerkass wizard, adopted by adventurers, they all hinge on her not being raised by drow. This way you avoid the pit of "saw the evil ways of her society and changed" cliche. Nothing wrong with that, but you did mention avoiding cliches.
Add the nurture to the nature, and see what comes out that you like!
>>43793311
True neutral is usually a better fit for druids anyways.
>>43799842
I don't think drow are fundamentally evil, the way demons and devils are; I think they're kept evil by the constant influence of Lolth.
Druid, drow, any alignment:
A drow male/female born with green eyes immediately branded an outcast, when the matron mother was unable to destroy the defective drow with her magics as if protected by a diety, the baby was abandoned in the underdark. Where it was found by deepgnomes and raised. As the baby grew it was further blessed by a diety the gnomes trained the drow in weapons, even revealing racial traits unknown to the drow, eventually the gnomes led the drow to the surface, under cover of darkness and left it to pursue its own path, as it travelled, the drow was unaffected by the sun, and ended up in a deep woods where it met elves who nearly killed the drow on sight, if not for the drows green eyes, glowing with power.
Elves train drow in druidism, drow vows oath to diety becomes good
Optional: worship ehlonna
Dual wield schimitars
Become ranger
Summon black panther pet
???
Profit.
Also, read some R.A. Salvatore, his dark elf books could help a little
>>43802385
See also:
Drizzt
His father
That one cool bald drow
>>43802408
Wait wait i wanna change the bit where its defective since its a homebrew
Instead: when it came time for lolth to bless the infant drow, no blessing appeared from the diety, instead Gaia herself blessed the unassuming drow child, granting her a mark..green eyes that shined with the power of earth.
Protected from evil of drow, left in underdark to die found by deep gnomes
>>43802426
Liriel Baenre as well.
>>43793152
The drow is just pretending too be NG too try and make job that needs too be done on the surface easier too do without everyone trying too stab his face as much
>>43799740
Stealing this concept for my next character.
>>43802408
I just... I just really hope you die horrible and slow anon. I want you to know that.
>>43793152
There's always the goddess Eilistraee.
Now I'm imagining the secret drow "Cult of good deeds" where they semi-ineptly try to be nice. Serving each other non-poisoned wine, healing wounds, nervously stammering out compliments like a room full of tsunderes.
>I like your- uh, hair. Its really styled well!
>Th- thank you. Your outfit is really... cute? Is that a compliment or is it derisive?
>I tr- tru- -hrm- trust that it was meant as a compliment. Oh! and you're welcome! We're supposed to say "You're welcome" when the other person says "thank you."
>HA! Unless you want me to tell the priestess about that breath of the etiquette code you'll have to -hnrg- Sorry! Sorry! Force of habit...
>>43793152
A young adult Drow woke up in the woods with no memories besides some common sense and knowledge how to use a spear and sabre.
Miniquest to join druids.
Done.
And you get opportunities to under more into the background.
A blank slate is the best WA to play.
>>43803012
Why? What did i do wrong...
>>43803901
I polished your sword weaponmaster..but. I..Its not like I did it for you or anything
>several drow try to compliment each other too hard
"Y-Y-Y......yes....you....look...*teeth grinding* ...indeed, you are looking quite.*veins popping* C...C.....Cute today"
*other drow pales dramatically*
"T....T....T...I cant...*hyperventilates* Thank......You..*bleeds from nose and eyes*
>after years of secretly being nice a member gets taken to a drow torture chamber
"And now my victim...prepare yourself for THIS"
*Unveils a pink dress* *several guards faint on sight*
" ah. Quite a lovely dress"
*torturer pukes and runs yelling about an unearthly being*
>>43804032
But if a drow awoke on the surface with nothing but common sense wouldnt the first task be to return to the underdark?
>>43793152
Totally read "dark elf druid that isn't clothed".
I am kind of disappointed now.
>>43802408
>>43802426
>>43802512
The only Salvatore drow worth anything was that mercenary captain. And even him i'd say is worth less than 2 cents.My2 cents about drow:
If you want to know how proper (CE) drow mind works - read Atlas Shrugged. Brainwahsed drow are randroids, non-brainwashed - hypocritical cunts.
Each and every drow will whine about oppression and amorality of drow society. That includes drow matriarchs, who are oppressed by the need to spend money on the members of their House, on city defence projects and the priesthood of Lloth.
Do you want to up the ante? Each and every drow matriarch will also be glad to explain to you (when they are torturing you) how they are oppressed by the inherent patriarchy of the drow society. Don't you know how they are literally enslaved by the need to support and guide those weak entitled males, who'll die horrible horrible death once drow females stop looking after them?
>>43803901
eilistraee are drow hippies.
>>43804166
In all fairness, both druids and drow often wear very little
>>43803901
I don't mind Eilistraee, exactly. However, she died. She should stay dead, and I'm annoyed that "Sword Coast Adventurers Guide" confirms she's been brought back to life.
I don't like that she died, or how she died, but she DID die, and I wish the Realms would just deal with that and move forward.
The only god coming back to life that I actually support is Bhaal, and that only because he did it via a method established 17 years ago that we knew that it was in the cards the whole time.
>>43804245
Actually I usually liken Drow society to that of North Korea, only replacing the military with the Matriarchy.
>>43793152
maybe a character that was a noble but was brought low by treachery and was sold into slavery, has since been "freed" by someone but sees their slavery as a punishment given by lolth for allowing themselves to be tricked.
They want to be a slave and serve their time, pay their dues so that they can start planning their revenge and climb back to the top.
>>43805886
>They want to be a slave and serve their time, pay their dues so that they can start planning their revenge and climb back to the top.
That's not NG, anon.
>>43793152
I actually played a Drow once that was been a skilled assassin, in a power play a much smaller assassins guild had kidnapped his sister and ransomed her to him.
He'd worked hard and gathered a lot of money for the ransom but when he went to pay he found out they'd already killed her.
So he used his contacts and some of his now sizeable wealth to kill the rival guild to a man.
Now he was wealthy, with no attachments or family and no real purpose, he'd spent the last few hundred years earning the money for the bounty and then hunting the people who betrayed him and now it was over.
I was basically playing a spoiled, bored rich kid. it was a great interaction with the party because he really wanted to be there, he hadn't had this much fun for a long time, and the worship of those he saved was one of the few things he couldn't buy.
>>43805890
I thought we weren't married to the alignment.
it's more lawful neutral i guess.
>>43805880
Eh. It's not military that's in charge in NK, it's the initial group of rebels (centered around the Glorious Leader) and their supporters. Just like in any post-revolutionary state.
I.e.:
- The Few: personal acquaintances of the Leader (and their families/descendants)
- The Chosen: the main body of Leader's supporters (and their families/descendants)
- The Undecided: those that didn't choose side and tried to sit it out (and their families/descendants)
- The Defeated: enemies of the Revolution (and their families/descendants)
Granted, it's been slowly transforming into the bureaucracy state for the last two decades.
>>43804245
I dont know if you just hate salvatore because its the cool hip thing around here. But the drow, non drizzt stuff he writes is good.
Weaving together elements of imperialism and flat out slavery as one of the underdarks superpowers. Each house under the first great house fighting to get higher up the ladder of worship to have more power. Even decending into infighting to remove any opposition, even exterminating entire houses. The law, unyielding, which is used to further personal gain. The favor of lolth being the prime and only motivation to kill, betray. And slaughter their own kind.
Also extremely racist, and elitist. And believe different, is bad. See also merc captain who is bald..and freaks out everyone he meets.
Everything is power to them and being in a matriarchy, females are stronger, more powerful because of lolth men are footsoldiers and worthless..unless they are strong magic users or peerless fighters.
Punishment is severe and fatal, the worst crimes gets you turned into a drider, monstrous creatures that inspire fear into drow, to fear their leaders.
Leadership by fear, not necessarily oppression, as normal drow learn to enjoy being evil.
Now drizzt, is an eyesore, fun to read but annoying because he is a superhero of drow and shunned by all
He wrote good drow, drow that I use for my settings because of how detailed he wrote it. Most people cant look past the main characters but what he wrote is solid.
>>43806928
Drizzt's early stories weren't bad, but he slowly became more and more OP. Still not as bad as Elminster though.
>>43793152
You could usea lesser known cliche and make her like Sandwich - a drow adopted by another race.
>>43799740
Any drawfags around? I need pictures. Pictures of drow males in tracksuits doing the Slav squat.
>>43793199
>this will be a hot drow thread
FTFY
>>43808055
Also requesting
![1381491507590[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/Wv4SZI5.jpg "1381491507590[1].jpg")
>>43810589
>No Patriarchy
>Kingdom
How about drow you've played?
Caldax "the Sable Wind", character brought into a sandbox 4ecampaign just to fuck things up. Took a number of Drow specific feats and was soon starting shit just to see what happens. Wanted all across the Turathi colonies for piracy, kidnapping, theft, robbery, arson, at least four murders and numerous crimes against the state (plus wanted for questioning in regard to other crimes).
Still my favorite character despite being eaten by grell nearly 3 years ago now.
Chief spider wrangler.
Drow like spiders but there are places even they don't want them, since they can't just kill them that's where you come in.
>>43812127
I like the image of a drow in a cowboy hat 'wrangling' spiders while a thick southern drawl from them speaks many apologies to said spiders for wrangling them.
>>43810589
I'm gonna fucking murder people over this. Society is dominated by men because that's how it fucking is. It's not a conspiracy.
>>43793152
When PC-Drow was a babby, her parents were being naughty to each other and the father took the child from the mother and bid adieu to his home. He was a wizard, so he built himself a wizard tower in the forest to wizard in. Little babby-drow however wasn't too good with magic as her father was, so she was reduced to an errand-girl and a wall cloth to pretty up the place. One day little babby-drow decides to do her best reenactment of a squirrel raiding owls' nests when she came face-to-face with a bird. She fell from tree, but was stopped by a gentle bush that was named George. Babby-drow wanted to show her pappy the amazing walking, talking bush that was actually a druid. The druid said something, the wizard pappy said something and then the druid took the girl. The druid told babby-drow how she wasn't a good wizard, but when she was wizarding, nature went oogie-boogie around the tower because she had latent talent to be a hippie. Babby-drow is now adult-drow druid he likes pretty things like flowers and bunny rabbits and wants to see more flowers and bunny rabbits around the world.
Also her wizard-pappy was cool with this because he only wanted the best for his daughter that didn't come at his own expenses.
>>43793488
someone take this man's job pls
>>43814709
I got nothing, anyone?
>>43816186
Nope, sorry...
>>43812474
And then the Fire Nation invaded...
>>43793152
A tried and true option is to have your character be somehow raised by a surface race that just so happened to be very much into nature. A small group of wood elf druids perhaps?
Another option lies in having the drow be an escaped slave who has been on the surface long enough to get a feel for normal social interactions but still screws-up sometimes and decides to seek the company of animals instead.
>>43819032
How about they arrive at the surface and like the scenery a little more than they should?
