#and this insight into Menzoberranzan society

[vspin]

Liriel Baenre's Daily Planner

Attend magical lecture

Learn some spells

Go shopping

Fish

Watch treacherous friend get eaten by carnivorous fish

Settle some scores

[lunastrophe]

Hello! I adore your blog and how much work you've put into it. As someone who is new to dnd/bg3, the drow have been my favorite race and culture. I wanted to ask if you had any insights to half-drow and how they fit into drow culture. I know there general stereotype is that they are not treated well, but I wanted to get your take on it :)

Hello! I suppose that the main problem with half-drow is, they are too often being mentioned in context of typical Lolth-sworn drow culture - but not often enough seen through different lenses 🙂

🕷️ Lolth-sworn drow, especially those living in heavily Lolth-oriented communities and cities like Menzoberranzan, tend to see non-drow as inferior - and they do not support interbreeding between drow and humans or surface elves.

Having a half-drow child would be most likely seen as something shameful to a Lolth-sworn drow, especially to a female - or even as something dangerous to the entire family (danger of losing the favour of Lolth).

There is a high chance that a half-drow child in a Lolth-sworn community would be killed or abandoned shortly after being born. Or sold into slavery, ultimately ending up as a slave, a serf, an outcast... or as a sacrifice.

Some more talented and ambitious half-drow could probably build a different life for themselves, though, depending on their skills and inclinations - even in a Lolth-sworn drow city. They could become artisans, mercenaries or merchants, for example, more or less independent. But they would not be allowed to rise to the very top of the society.

Although...

🕷️ In Menzoberranzan, it was rumoured "...that at some point in the distant past, the females of House Ousstyl had interbred with humans." House Ousstyl was a minor noble house - its members denied the rumours, of course.

Still, such stories may suggest that even in a Lolth-sworn drow society, half-drow were not necessarily seen as outcasts - at least in some cases and in the past. Matron Mother of the House Ousstyl "...was tall and, for a dark elf, extraordinarily rawboned. Her jaw was too square, and her ears, insufficiently pointed." So it is quite possible that even if she was not a half-drow, she might have some half-drow ancestors.

There are also drow cultures that do not follow the Way of Lolth, for example:

🕷️ Among drow who worship Vhaeraun, half-drow were typically at least tolerated and not necessarily looked down upon: "Vhaeraun was not averse to a little human blood in his followers." (E. Cunningham, Daughter of the Drow).

In Vhaeraunan communities, half-drow with surface elven blood could also be found: "children of such unions tended to breed toward drow." They seemed to be perceived as more promising than half-drow, half-humans.

🕷️ Among Eilistraean drow, I imagine that a half-drow child would be welcomed and treated as an equal - and after growing up, free to choose any profession.

So, life of a half-drow in a drow community does not need to be stereotypically miserable. Still, I suppose that even among "neutral" or "good" drow, a half-drow might be sometimes looked at with a dose of pity (shorter lifespan, lack of some natural drow abilities).

[oathbreakerapologist]

How Ghost felt in a world of kindness and love. I imagine he hasn't experienced much simple kindness in the past, how did he feel about it, was he surprised?

I always wonder what his relationship with Tav would be like, where they met, what greetings and kisses he had?😊What would he notice in another person as an advantage and what would push him away?

Thanks for the questions!! :)) These were really fun to answer—

You're absolutely right that Ghost hadn't experienced much kindness in the first several decades of his life. His formative environments, the drow city of Menzoberranzan and then the Temple of Bhaal, were both violently hierarchical social scenes in which your average person went about their interactions primarily intending to (1) survive and (2) increase their own status. It was deeply unintuitive to him that among, well, regular folk, most social interactions weren't understood in those terms.

So it was disorienting, but it was also just nice in a way he couldn't have anticipated. He'd never really had a reason to care about integrating into society at large, so he'd never had a reason to do anything other than exactly what he wanted to do to other people. When, for the first time, others treated him with warmth, openness, and kindness, it gave him a reason to want to remain in the company of those others, because for the first time, they had something to offer him that he actually wanted. Companionship and closeness—emotional and otherwise—felt good, and chasing that pleasure was enough of a reason to behave himself in a way that others would accept.

(As an aside, given the way that simply being exposed to human kindness was such a powerful influence on his ability to control himself, it's no wonder that Bhaal created Ghost amongst the drow—had he had the benefit of tolerance from others from a young age, who knows how differently Ghost would have turned out. His upbringing in a cruel and antagonistic social system inculcated in him the perfect sort of antisociality to turn his sadistic hedonism into constant violence.)

It was so fun to think about your second question!! I hadn't thought much about him as a companion before, but it was really interesting to go down this little rabbit hole; I'll probably make a longer post (probably with a bit of art—now I want to draw some Ghost kiss animations) on this soon!! But for now, here's a couple preliminary thoughts on Ghost as a companion:

I think that you'd find him on the nautiloid, strapped down to a table and bearing just-barely-healed wounds from recent vivisection. He'd be disoriented at first, having been brain-injured by Orin then experimented on by Kressa Bonedaughter before he was released into the "care" of the mindflayers and their thralls, but he'd seem to become cheerful in the company of others rather quickly. Succeeding an Insight check might let you know that he made up the name "Ghost" on the spot when asked what you should call him, but if pressed about it, he'd swear he didn't remember any other name.

He's quite chatty, and he'd have a lot of passive banter lines. Some of his greetings would be:

Approval: Low/Neutral "Hm? I wasn't listening. Give it another try?" "Would you look at that? Something's brought this one over again. Go on, tell me what's on your mind."

Approval: Fair/Good "You're back. That's good. I get so bored when you're gone." "It's a pleasure to kill at your service. In service of our goals, I mean."

Approval: High "I'm a knife in your hand." "Please, tell me what to do."

Romance: Flirting "I smell blood on your skin—you haven't been getting into fights without me, have you?" "Sometimes I think you remind me of someone. I'm not really sure who, though." "Hm, look who's coming back to me again."

Romance: Partnered "If I were to be slain, my bones would crawl out from my rotting flesh to follow you." "My beating heart." "Won't you come closer? I crave your scent."

You'd get approval from him by behaving assertively (either for good or for evil), and he'd disapprove of actions that show uncertainty or hesitance. Cruel, sadistic acts would also earn approval, but so would actions that show particularly powerful care for others. Essentially, Ghost would be drawn to characters whose behavior tended towards the extremes of violence or compassion (or both). He'd also respond in a very negative way towards attempts to manipulate, intimidate, or otherwise control him.

Thanks again for the questions!!! I'm definitely going to have more to say on the Ghost as a companion thing soon ;)

[margridarnauds]

BG3 ask meme: 3 and 7 General and 2 Story Specific

3. Does your Tav have any comments or advice when you recruit other companions?

Kitrye would give various tips on Minthara, presuming you spared the tiefling/druid grove, including information on House Baenre and general Drow culture. She'd overall support attempting to redeem her, even though there would still be some lingering resentment and anxiety (given that Kitrye is (1) Half-Drow, and Minthara is canonically bigoted towards them and (2) Is very aware of Lolthian Drow social norms even if she doesn't practice them.)

She is very nervous around Astarion starting up, since her initial Oath does kind of force her to be at odds with the undead, though this changes over the course of her run.

Kitrye, in general, isn't going to have too many instances in the game where she wants to speak to the player character; they'll have to reach out to her for her opinions on game events, and often, they'll be quite brief, though you can get more information through Insight checks. What she does provide the player character with, though, is almost always usable information.

Malla (who you absolutely would NOT need to spare the tiefling/druid grove to recruit) would be much more disdainful of Minthara, seeing her as a traitor to Lolth, but she would still give advice on Drow Culture 101. (And would very smugly tell the player that House Baenre tried to court their grandmother, Hesken-P'aj Symryvvin, for an alliance.) (Please note: She is romancing Minthara in her run.)

She supports recruiting Lae'zel, arguing that the Githyanki is blunt, a little too hot-headed for truly sophisticated work, but that she has no ulterior motives and that can be useful in an ally. Trust her with no major secrets, but use her blade.

Ana is delighted to recruit Karlach and Wyll and will give the player a lot of information on the Hells. (She can tell, instantly, that Wyll is a warlock AND that he has a fiendish patron, because she can detect a hint of Avernus on him -- faint enough that most people wouldn't notice it, but to someone raised there, it's obvious.)

7. Do they have their own personal quest that spans the course of the game?  Can it take different branching paths depending on the choices the Player Character makes?

Kitrye is trying to break free from her family and Lolthian society -- if Tav encourages her on a good path, she will be resolved to kill Lolth, whether or not she becomes an Oathbreaker, and will maintain her sense of purpose. If Tav doesn't, she becomes far more morally flexible, proposing increasingly pragmatic options, some part of her clearly deadened, and it's fully possible to sell her back to the Drow ala Shadowheart, with the implication being that she'll either be killed or transformed into a Drider. You get a lovely shot of her absolutely heartbroken face as she's led away to an uncertain fate.

Malla has a goal -- to destroy the Absolute menace, take her sister back to Menzoberranzan, and earn her family's approval. If she succeeds, the epilogue will show that Kitrye is now dead and that Malla is now Matron Mother of House Symryvvin. She appears even colder than before, losing whatever spark of chaos she previously had, and is now fanatically loyal to Lolth. If she chooses to go another path thanks to the player character's intervention and chooses to spare her sister and forsake her house, she will still be evil, but she will choose to set out for a life on the surface, living on her own as a ranger. (With things with Kitrye being ambiguous, but tentatively hopeful, in the sense that they're still sisters.)

With Ana, the stakes are slightly lower, in the sense that she's not actively running from anyone or anything, but she is, essentially, dicking around in the mortal plane, trying to make sense of where she stands with everything. If she is encouraged to find her own way, she'll break away from the infernal hierarchy and become her own person, losing a lot of her ego and bluster (though not all -- she is still ANATHEMATISMA, P̧͕̒̊͘R͉̜̎͡͠I̍̅̀̎̊N̺̻̔̆ͅC̵͉͋̔͞Ḛͭ̉̇͟S̵̙͕̀̃S̵̙͕̀̃ O̖̼ͩ͌͐F̘͍͖ͫ͘ T̨͈͗̌ͥHͥ̽ͣ̃̔Ḛͭ̉̇͟ Hͥ̽ͣ̃̔Ḛͭ̉̇͟L̸̖̽̌͂L̸̖̽̌͂S̵̙͕̀̃ and the line of Mephistopheles is seemingly cursed to forever produce the most dramatic and Extra bitches possible.) In her epilogue, she'll happily mention starting up a theatre troupe, along with some of the tiefling refugees, with her parents even sometimes attending. (In his epilogue, Raphael will mention it, somewhat begrudgingly noting that she's happy and is doing the family name credit, so all is going exactly as he'd expected...and, anyway, she has time to grow into her role in the centuries to come.) If Tav doesn't encourage her, she will return to Avernus and resume her place as P̧͕̒̊͘R͉̜̎͡͠I̍̅̀̎̊N̺̻̔̆ͅC̵͉͋̔͞Ḛͭ̉̇͟S̵̙͕̀̃S̵̙͕̀̃ O̖̼ͩ͌͐F̘͍͖ͫ͘ T̨͈͗̌ͥHͥ̽ͣ̃̔Ḛͭ̉̇͟ Hͥ̽ͣ̃̔Ḛͭ̉̇͟L̸̖̽̌͂L̸̖̽̌͂S̵̙͕̀̃, under Raphael's strict guidance -- it's very clear that this isn't really what she wants, but she's putting on a brave face. Raphael will lightly scold you in the Epilogue, in the same way that he'll scold you if you let Mol lose at lanceboard in the canon game. (Just because he's a deadbeat dad who has managed to give his daughter new and exciting daddy issues as replacements for his own, it doesn't mean that he wants to see his daughter MISERABLE.) It's fine, he can just give her a nice hotel...to rehabilitate sinners....possibly one for Has-Beens....

2. How do they advise the player character on Raphael?

Kitrye would absolutely tell the PC NOT to trust Raphael, but would be extremely cagey about details. Tav would have to pass an Insight check + do some snooping around various areas in the game to find documents to learn the full truth. (Pickpocketing her diary from her, finding things around the House of Hope, etc. etc.)

Malla would advise taking the deal and breaking it -- let him think the player is playing along with him, but get him when he least expects it. (She absolutely wants to kill Raphael...and him having sex with her sister is only one part of it.)

Ana is very similar to Kitrye, saying not to take the deal but being cagey, except for that, rather than needing to succeed an Insight check, she or Raphael will outright tell Tav the connection between them with the right dialogue branch, which can be used for leverage down the line provided that Tav makes the discovery. (Though it should be obvious from the horns alone, really.)

[drow-ocs]

Hello to you, again

I have started reading the Dark Elf trilogy (homecoming) and I have been wondering by seeing your fantastical posts about something.

Is it more interesting to go into the dark depravity of Drow society (Menzoberranzan for example) or to explore the outcasts lifestyle of drow recluse? the few people trying their best to live outside of drow society under Lolth's gaze and creating a new life for themselves, to let themselves accept as who they are, not what they are. Only to be reminded what they are by the threacherous Underdark's inhabitants expectations.

in short, what themes are better to explore for you?

As a DM?

As a Player?

Hello,

I can't actually provide much insight about these scenarios, since I have played largely homebrew campaigns that have very different lore to the canon one. I don't think I have ever actually had Lolth be a thing in games I have either played or run myself. There is a considerable amount of people that opted towards making something new, given how the canon lore can be a bit finicky to make work (specially in a regular game, where evil-aligned parties are not very common)

However, I would love to know what people who have played more canon-adjacent games have to say about this, so feel free to answer or reblog with your experiences!

[waterdhaviancheesecake]

I should do this for Cerise too<3

What was your Tav’s place of birth and raising like?

Cerise is from Menzoberranzan and to say that she was a black (pink?) sheep is a massive understatement. She grew up in a place of lower nobility but there may not have been a single little girl at those high society functions that was any more undignified and hyperactive than Cerise. She would much rather sneak outside and dirty her dress in the dirt pretending to be a companion of Drizzt Do'Urden on a dangerous adventure. She didn't fit in within her own family either, and the lonelier she realized she was, the more she began to dream of life in the overworld. She wrote poems and sang little songs to herself about what she imagined it was like up there. On that note, the only time she seemed to behave was during her music lessons.

What relationship did your Tav have with their family/guardian(s) growing up? Has that changed with age?

She could never please her mother, who eventually began shutting her away in her bedroom while entertaining guests. Her sisters and cousins bullied her relentlessly. When she moved to Baldur's Gate and she gained insight from others, she realized she was right all along to always want to leave. It wasn't that she wasn't suited for her family, her family wasn't suited for her.

Did your Tav receive any formal or informal education? If yes, how well did they learn? If no, why not?

Cerise may disarm people with her ditzy personality, but she's actually well educated. She didn't have the best attention span, but her mother hired the best tutors to find creative ways of re-contextualizing lessons for her to understand. In Baldur's Gate she received further education in history and literature to help inspire her music.

What hobbies does your Tav have? How did they acquire these interests?

She loved her childhood dance lessons and she still loves dancing, this also evolved into an interest in other acrobatic activities such as free running, show acrobatics, and even a little exotic dancing when she's feeling it. (funnily enough she has two left feet in any other activity, like walking.) She's also been known to crochet now and then, a hobby she picked up on a whim when she saw the prettiest pink yarn.

Did your Tav have any formal or informal employment? If yes, what was their job? If no, how did they make ends meet? How did they feel about it?

Cerise, when abducted, was working as a barmaid, waiting for her musical career to take off. In her free time she would busk on the street and join open stage competitions. She was actually making great progress! She didn't LOVE her day job, but she charmed customers into some generous tips well enough to make it worth it.

What is your Tav’s favourite childhood memory?

Cerise was friends with a little human boy as a child, one day they met up to play when she had gotten a particularly harsh scolding. Knowing how much singing cheered her up, he tried to sing a silly little song for her. He was horrible. The way he danced for her was clumsy and he stomped about wildly. It was one of the sweetest things anyone had done for her for the sake of her alone.

What circumstances led to your Tav becoming their Class/Subclass?

at first she wanted to follow in Drizzt's footsteps and be a ranger. She certainly had no problems with being covered in dirt and plant matter. But it turned out she had ZERO survival skills. So instead she decided to embrace the skills she DID have and hoped to travel the Coast singing ballads of her heroes' escapades. All the pleasure of traveling and seeing the world, without letting go of the comforts of inns and taverns.

Did your Tav have any romantic and/or sexual relationships prior to their illithid adventure? If yes, who was it with and what was it like? If no, how did they feel about being single?

Cerise had a few flings in Baldur's Gate but nothing really stuck. People's attraction to her were surface level, and once they got past her beauty decided her personality was "too much"

What was your Tav doing when they were taken by the mind flayers?

Cerise was partying and doing a little bar crawl with some coworkers, so imagine her surprise when she wakes up in an Illithid pod with a hangover

What would your Tav consider to be their greatest skill? Is this accurate?

Cerise is very proud of her ability to improve her songs, and she is decent at it! But to be honest she sounds better when she has prepared lyrics and she has all her focus on the performance rather than coming up with lines.

What would your Tav consider to be their greatest flaw? Is this accurate?

that she's hypersensitive and cries too easily. but to be honest her worst flaw is actually that she doesn't always have the best perception or insight. Girl can't pay attention :/

What opinion does your Tav have about the Gods?

Honestly she forgets they exist outside of legends and tales lmao

How does your Tav feel about the wilderness?

Beautiful! Inspiring! Scary!

How does your Tav feel about the city?

Loaded with infinite opportunities and experiences - also she enjoys the comforts of taverns, shops, bathhouses, salons, what have you. Citygirl for life.

What motivates your Tav to either embrace or resist the tadpole?

She trusts all her companions and listens to what they all have to say then weighs all the pros and cons. And then she thinks about her future. She wonders how far is too far, and if she would ever realize when she's reached that point. If she goes too far, will that impede on her goals? Better safe than sorry and just resist and stay true to herself.

How does your Tav feel about killing?

it's so not the vibe but if it's the big bad evil guy, well that just makes for an epic tale!

How good of a liar is your Tav? How do they feel about lying?

she's a good liar, but if she's lying to someone she cares about, it'll eat her up inside until she confesses to them through plenty of tears and snot. Even if it's over whether or not she ate the last dinner roll.

What is your Tav’s greatest fear?

What if all the sacrifices she made were for nothing? what if in sticking so hard to being her unique self never pays off and she's lonely forever?

What is your Tav’s greatest desire?

They want to have thousands of adoring fans who hear her ballads and love her adventure heroes as much as she does, and inspire the black sheep to not change to please others.

What is your Tav’s greatest regret?

No regerts baby live fast and leave behind a pretty corpse or however the saying goes

How does your Tav feel about love?

she wants that so bad bro shes so down bad she loves love stories and wants one of her own

Has your Tav become particularly close to anyone romantically and/or platonically in their journey? If so, who, and what is the relationship like? If no, why not?

she is so head over heels for Wyll. He's like everything she sings about in a hero. AND he's handsome to boot. He adores her too, especially for all her goofy and at times embarrassing quirks. if there's a slow burn it's only because he's such a gentleman and wants his idea of a proper courtship, because there's no hiding how she feels about him. He smiles and she turns into a blushing, sweating, rambling and giggling mess.

What are 2-3 songs that your Tav would relate to?

The Storm - Hante.

Holding Out for a Hero - Hildegard von Blingin' and Whitney Avalon

Circus - Britney Spears

What first impression does your Tav give off to strangers?

Beautiful and unique, definitely haven't seen anyone like her.

How does your Tav feel about what others think of them?

It better be nice or she will cry

Does your Tav have a treasured item with them? If yes, what is it and why is it special? If no, how do they feel about item sentimentality in general?

A biography about everyone's beloved Drizzt<3

How does your Tav feel about giving and receiving orders?

she feels the same both ways: she's included in something!!!! WAHOO. if she's giving orders she's like omg... everyone's listening to me >:3

How well does your Tav function under pressure?

stage pressure? she's great! she can block it out just fine. anything else? oh she's soup. just bury her now.

What advice would you give to your Tav?

it's okay if ppl don't like u. it's okay if people can't "handle" u. theyre boring and you're great<3

What are your Tav’s intentions/goals after the end of the game?

To sing the tales of the Blade of Frontiers, his seven year journey, and how he and his friend's saved the Sword Coast. And get married to him and have a billion gajillion babies.

heehee doing it again, questions from this post

What was your Tav’s place of birth and raising like?

Varien is originally from Elturel, but left before... all that went down. They lived in a poor area with a nearly absent mother and mainly raised themself. They lacked the social skills to make friends with other humanoid children but bonded easily with the animals that roamed the streets. They were maybe 16 when they left home after putting up with enough abuse. Initially, they fled to the Reaching Woods with the intention to die, but was taken in by an enclave of druids who taught them to survive the forests' harsh winters and ever growing packs of gnolls.

What relationship did your Tav have with their family/guardian(s) growing up? Has that changed with age?

There practically was no relationship due to the neglect. They consider themself without family altogether. They don't know whatever became of their mother, and it's likely they never will.

Did your Tav receive any formal or informal education? If yes, how well did they learn? If no, why not?

It was the druids who taught them how to read, write, and the skills they needed to live in the wilderness. They were difficult to teach and struggled to grasp many concepts, maybe that's why they never imparted their knowledge of druidic magic to them.

What hobbies does your Tav have? How did they acquire these interests?

Varien made up for their poor writing skill in their ability to draw, which is why even though they can write well enough now, they still prefer to keep their journal in the form of drawings. They also gained an interest in body modification, giving themself tattoos and piercings. This was born from their gender dysphoria and desire to control the appearance of their body, as well as feeling that they were able to honor Silvanus through the shedding of their own blood.

Did your Tav have any formal or informal employment? If yes, what was their job? If no, how did they make ends meet? How did they feel about it?

they initially became a ranger as repayment for the original druids for taking them in, and when they were wiped by gnolls, they travelled and simply survived on nature's bounty until finding the Emerald Grove druids. They like these druids much better and feel more appreciated for their work protecting them and the land from those who wish harm. They have no need for money, what they seek is purpose, and they found it.

What is your Tav’s favourite childhood memory?

They remember so little, and what they do remember is negative. not to be edgy but they don't really have one.

What circumstances led to your Tav becoming their Class/Subclass?

well I've technically answered this one. they're a beast master because of how they're more versed with animal behavior than that of people. They will, post game, respec to a druid because they decide enough is enough and theyre determined to learn their magic.

Did your Tav have any romantic and/or sexual relationships prior to their illithid adventure? If yes, who was it with and what was it like? If no, how did they feel about being single?

no, and they were miserable. They desperately wanted a romantic connection but had such a damaged self image they wouldn't allow that for themself. Having to survive predation as a vulnerable youth, a sexual connection was out of the question. They had very buried feelings for Halsin, but things didn't line up for the two of them until Varien was already in a relationship with monogamous Gale.

What was your Tav doing when they were taken by the mind flayers?

Varien was dispatched on a tracking mission to find refugees from Zevlor's group who had gotten separated on the way to the Grove. They were gone for a while, which is why they didn't know Halsin had left and gotten captured until returning with their new infected friends.

What would your Tav consider to be their greatest skill? Is this accurate?

Staying out of the way. Their actual greatest skill would be gaining the trust of even the most savage of beasts.

What would your Tav consider to be their greatest flaw? Is this accurate?

it would be a long list, none of it would be true. Their greatest flaw is their chronic self esteem problem that constantly holds them back from happiness.

What opinion does your Tav have about the Gods?

Gods are fickle beings who mainly look out for themselves, but they don't consider this to be an inherently bad thing, as often gods' desires can align with mortals' needs. They worship Silvanus, and through their prayers they earned their hormonal balance that favors testosterone, aiding their transition.

How does your Tav feel about the wilderness?

The wild is everything. life, death. fire, ice. peace, chaos. growth, decay. it inspires them like nothing else, and they find peace knowing that their passing will be part of this ever turning cycle of everything.

How does your Tav feel about the city?

it feels unbalanced, loud, smelly, stuffy. it's over stimulating and terrifying. the water is tainted and the air is heavy, whatever grows is removed with no regard for its life. yet, they don't think the city is completely lost land. they dream of a city that welcomes nature in. they think that maybe one day, a city can be convinced to try to strike a balance with nature and find peace with it. Something that Silvanus may not agree with, but they still feel could be.

What motivates your Tav to either embrace or resist the tadpole?

they don't want to be Illithid. they don't welcome the tadpole because they want control over their own body, and that means no roommates.

How does your Tav feel about killing?

death is a part of the cycle of all that is, and in nature you must be prepared to kill to live. They prefer not to, and they don't believe in killing for the sake of killing, but they will kill to protect others.

How good of a liar is your Tav? How do they feel about lying?

they spent so much time learning how to mimic mannerisms to fit in with people that they're actually a fantastic actor and good at lying. Honesty is best when dealing with those you wish to earn the respect of, but they have no qualms about using deception when the situation truly calls for it.

What is your Tav’s greatest fear?

That their life will never ever have any purpose or meaning. And after falling in love with Gale, their greatest fear becomes losing him. They finally have something godsdammit. don't take it away.

What is your Tav’s greatest desire?

They just want to feel safe. just once.

What is your Tav’s greatest regret?

They're happy that they have what they have with Gale, and do not misunderstand, they don't regret their monogamous arrangement for a second, but they do often wonder how much differently their life could've gone if they hadn't taken so long to accept love.

How does your Tav feel about love?

love is the most powerful force of all, even more so than nature. they didn't always think themself worthy, but even then they were a romantic soul. living vicariously though romance novels and finding joy in seeing couples enjoying each others company. oh how love changed them for the better.

Has your Tav become particularly close to anyone romantically and/or platonically in their journey? If so, who, and what is the relationship like? If no, why not?

Gale fixed them fr. platonically, they became especially close to damn near everyone really. That's their family, the first they've ever had. And Arabella is like the daughter they never knew they needed.

What are 2-3 songs that your Tav would relate to?

Jord - Mol, To: Achlys - Cult Leader, Alone - Heart. just to name a couple.

What first impression does your Tav give off to strangers?

kinda creepy honestly. they way they just stare silently through you, dressed in the bones and skins of animals and reeking of dirt. they seem to have the wide eyed stare of a frightened animal.

How does your Tav feel about what others think of them?

OH THEY CARE SO MUCH AND IT DEVASTATES THEM.

Does your Tav have a treasured item with them? If yes, what is it and why is it special? If no, how do they feel about item sentimentality in general?

Patch is a stuffed cat they can't rest at night without. Patch was their only friend for years, the only one they ever had to talk to. To them, Patch is alive, if not in the traditional sense. If anything happened to her, they would mourn her like any other old friend.

How does your Tav feel about giving and receiving orders?

they prefer to receive them, and feel like giving them is overstepping. However, in the heat of the moment they're actually a great leader and thus it sort of. just happened that way. it really just started with their experience with the area and went from there.

How well does your Tav function under pressure?

great as long as they don't think about it. but sometimes they do, and they crumble. Someone else has to take over.

What advice would you give to your Tav?

just suck some dick. please. also maybe like, be as nice to yourself as you are to everyone else.

What are your Tav’s intentions/goals after the end of the game?

VIBE!!!!!!!!!!!

[dmsden]

The Children of Lolth – Personal plot for Drow

Way back in 1978, the first module for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons was published, entitled Steading of the Hill Giant Chief. In this adventure, the players were tasked with discovering the sinister, hidden force that was binding together different kinds of giants into an alliance. Before the end of that year, adventurers had made it through the Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl and had arrived at the Hall of the Fire Giant King. There, deep in the dungeons, players encountered for the first time a race of elves known as the Drow.

Drow remained firmly in the land of monsters and enemies, getting a full write-up in the Fiend Folio (definitely an upgrade from the Monster Manual where it was claimed they were only legends.) It took until 1988 for things to begin to change. R. A. Salvatore’s Icewind Dale books introduced the world to Drizzt Do’Urden, and suddenly good-aligned drow began popping up everywhere. It’s a measure of the popularity of these novels that drow were offered as a playable racial variant of elves in the 5E Player’s Handbook. Given how different they are from other elves, it seemed only appropriate to break them away from elves into their own Personal Plot article.

It’s worth noting that, since the original drow are described as being black-skinned, they are considered by many (including myself) to be rather problematic. While I don’t think Gary Gygax had anything nefarious in mind when creating them as a sort of photo negative of what he probably considered to be the average elf, I can absolutely understand how they can cause a lot of bad feelings. I’m a bit torn on how to portray them in my own campaigns, and I think it’s valid to make them purple, or blue, or gray, or ivory white, or completely the same coloration as every other elf, but with some kind of telltale quality that makes them obviously drow. You should deal with them in your campaign in a way that’s comfortable for you and your players. For purposes of this article, I’ll be looking more at how to offer interesting and compelling plot you can draw on for those players who want to play drow.

The first question that must be asked is how the drow character came to be traveling with a bunch of surface-dwelling adventurers. This could be a huge source of story potential right there. Was the drow originally from a Menzoberranzan or Erelhi-Cinlu type society that worships Lolth? Were they exiled? If so, why, and why weren’t they simply killed out of hand? Did they run away from this society? Did they make any allies during their trek to the surface? In either case, is there anyone likely to come after them?

If they didn’t come from such a society, what was their upbringing like? Were they raised by tolerant elves who protected them, despite the mark of difference between their peoples? Were they raised in a cosmopolitan city that doesn’t bat an eye at dark elves among them? Were they constantly bullied by those around them that assumed they were evil? All of these things might contribute to a story.

One thing to discuss with the player is how they feel about the rest of the drow. If they are hungry for revenge against a people that reviled them, then it’s a signal to the DM that the player will enjoy encounters against other drow, perhaps hunters that were sent to bring the run away home. Maybe priestesses of Lolth prophesied that they would overturn drow society in their city, and a family member smuggled the baby to safety before it could be destroyed. In a case like this, the DM should provide ways for the PC to fulfill this destiny when they finally return home…either through violence, or by rallying rebellious drow who are looking for a better life and are willing to battle the hierarchy that has ruled them so cruelly.

If your drow PC grew up with a rival or bullies, perhaps they have a goal they wish to achieve in order to prove, once and for all, that they were always a good person. Alternately, maybe they want to slay the bullies that tormented them, ironically finally proving them right. That depends a great deal on the character and their alignment.

Like all characters, you should get a sense for what the player’s ultimate goals for the character are. That could be as simple as, “Hit 11th level so I get 6th level spells!” or as complicated as, “I believe that there are good gods of the drow. I want to quest to find evidence of them so that I can show my people that we can be better and then lead them into enlightenment.”

One thing that it would be best to speak to your player about is how much or little they would like to play the traditional hatred of drow by elves and other surface dwellers. Some people might play a drow character because they want to roleplay the transition from despised outcast to lauded hero over the course of a campaign. Others might not be comfortable having people that they meet react badly to them, so you may want to keep this element toned down.

One element I have experienced in my own campaign was a drow disguising himself to avoid the negative attention (as well as to avoid the discomfort of the sun). He wore bandages, gloves, robes, and a mask to appear to be a leper. Eventually, his fellow adventurers discovered his secret, but, by then, he was an accepted part of the group, and it didn’t change much. It did lead to a great moment later on where the King of the country they were adventuring in wanted to reward him, and, from speaking to other NPCs who had RPed with the drow, he discovered that the wrappings were due to a discomfort with the sun. Imagine the scene when he gladly offered a pair of shaded goggles to the drow character, happily saying that now they could finally see the hero’s true face. The player’s jaw dropped, and I made it a point to end the session on that cliffhanger. (Spoilers: Although the next session began with a lot of chaos at the revelation, things ultimately worked out, although it almost caused war between that kingdom and their elven neighbors.)

I hope this has given you some insight into what kinds of personal plots might best suit a drow character. If you have any suggestions for additions, I hope you’ll share them.