Meme from the cover image of my book
I was asked to translate drow into Dragon Age for a fellow gamer over Christmas, so I decided to take the opportunity to try my hand at creating backgrounds for the first time. I've tried to tie dark elves/drow into lore for the setting, and I have converted the tribes of drow I have created for my book, Drow of Porphyra, since they can fit rather well. Below is my first draft. Do let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions!
Rumors claim that a splinter group of elves fled below the ground as humans first spread through Thedas. They journeyed beyond the dwarven kingdoms, to the far edges of the deep, going further than any had dared live before. They were not close to the veins of lyrium that are thought to have stripped dwarves of magical potential. Indeed, their facility with magic kept them alive and made them dangerous after centuries spent in the darkness.
Rather than continuing to revere the elven pantheon, the drow first turned to the Old Gods. When the Old Gods went silent, they had a schism as to how to continue and split off into different tribal groups. Some drow strongholds have sided with the darkspawn while others have resisted or avoided them. Each tribe of drow has its own culture and relations with the others, given how far-flung they are from one another.
Most drow tribes trade with the dwarves and will accept surface elf refugees who become initiates to their ways. They refused to aid their distant kin against the Imperium or the Exalted Marches but did not turn away converts. They have gone to the surface only sporadically or secretly (or both), since they are loathe to suffer the ill treatment their surface brethren have gotten used to.
The Karza tribe worship the Archdemons and prepare for the next one to take power between Blights. They enjoy acceptance by the ravening hordes of the darkspawn and are capricious and cruel, themselves. Having taken over some of the deepest pits away from the sun, they have developed dark black skin tones but whitened hair and whitened or red colored eyes. They have an affinity for vermin and raise huge spiders as mounts and guardians. They snatch up slaves whenever they can to provide labor and amusement. Even though the Karza breed quickly and have no shortage of their own numbers, they often attack one another and believe that their might makes it right for them to keep slaves.
If you choose to play a Karza drow, modify your character as follows:
Add 1 to your Strength ability.
Pick one of the following ability focuses: Strength (Intimidation) or Cunning (Poison Lore).
You can speak and read Elven and the Trade Tongue.
Choose a class. You can play a mage, rogue, or warrior.
Roll twice on the Karza Drow table for additional benefits. Roll 2d6 and add the results together. If you get the same result twice, re-roll until you get something different.
Karza Drow
2d6 Roll Benefit
2 +1 Strength
3-4 Focus: Dexterity (Traps)
5 Focus: Strength (Climbing)
6 Focus: Perception (Tracking)
7-8 +1 Perception
9 Focus: Cunning (Deception)
10-11 Focus: Dexterity (Stealth)
12 +1 Cunning
The Nalbrezu tribe revere the Fade itself as an embodiment of darkness, mystery, and secrets. They adhere to a strict Code which enforces loyalty to one another above all other things and maintains their hidden culture. They shun the darkspawn and spend more time above ground than most drow. They regularly infiltrate other races for intelligence, supplies, and fun, and often have ties or positions in criminal organizations. This is easier to do since they generally have brown skin tones, normal eye colors, and shape their ears from an early age to appear more human-like. They do not take slaves per se, but anyone who owes them enough money or services could end up being claimed as indentured servants. Surviving that experience and finally getting free of it is by no means simple.
If you choose to play a Nalbrezu drow, modify your character as follows:
Add 1 to your Dexterity ability.
Pick one of the following ability focuses: Communication (Disguise) or Dexterity (Stealth).
You can speak and read Elven and the Trade Tongue.
Choose a class. You can play a mage, rogue, or warrior.
Roll twice on the Nalbrezu Drow table for additional benefits. Roll 2d6 and add the results together. If you get the same result twice, re-roll until you get something different.
Nalbrezu Drow
2d6 Roll Benefit
2 +1 Communication
3-4 Focus: Strength (Intimidation)
5 Focus: Perception (Searching)
6 Focus: Dexterity (Acrobatics)
7-8 +1 Cunning
9 Focus: Cunning (Evaluation)
10-11 Focus: Communication (Deception)
12 +1 Dexterity
The Xelusine tribe worship great demons of sin, namely desire, greed, sloth, pride, and corruption. Hedonistic as a whole, these drow produce and seek pleasures of all kinds, especially the most forbidden. Their doctrine calls on them to nurture sins in others as a way to open their eyes to their true purpose. Thus, they journey to the surface and masquerade as other races in order to serve sin. Like the Nalbrezu, they have alchemical means to affect skin and eye colors temporarily (and not without some dangers). They also work well with the Nalbrezu and enjoy a long-standing truce with the tribe. While some Xelusine choose to follow the Archdemons, few wish to give up their riches in order to plunder with the foul darkspawn.
If you choose to play a Xelusine drow, modify your character as follows:
Add 1 to your Communication ability.
Pick one of the following ability focuses: Communication (Seduction) or Perception (Empathy).
You can speak and read Elven and the Trade Tongue.
Choose a class. You can play a mage, rogue, or warrior.
Roll twice on the Xelusine Drow table for additional benefits. Roll 2d6 and add the results together. If you get the same result twice, re-roll until you get something different.
Xelusine Drow
2d6 Roll Benefit
2 +1 Communication
3-4 Focus: Communication (Persuasion)
5 Focus: Constitution (Drinking)
6 Focus: Dexterity (Initiative)
7-8 +1 Perception
9 Focus: Communication (Gambling)
10-11 Focus: Cunning (Brewing)
12 +1 Dexterity
The Strivog tribe worship entropy. They use every part of a carcass they can for their survival, but for their own dead they create ornate resting places with carefully arranged and carved skeletal displays. The Strivog believe that the deceased and those closer to death belong to them, and will abduct (or trade for) the ill, the mad, and other undesirables to serve them. They also attract zealots of other races with their religion of decay and preparing for an afterlife. Since they appreciate objects that withstand the test of time, they make and collect fine crafts. They are also educated highly and according to some of the most strict methods in all of Thedas as a part of a rigid society. Of all the tribes, the Strivog have dwelt closest to lyrium and have experienced a slowing of their fertility. As a result, they often abduct Karza and Xelusine drow, who are always in abundant supply.
If you choose to play a Strivog drow, modify your character as follows:
Add 1 to your Cunning ability.
Pick one of the following ability focuses: Cunning (Arcane Lore) or Willpower (Self-Discipline).
You can speak and read Elven and the Trade Tongue.
Choose a class. You can play a mage, rogue, or warrior.
Roll twice on the Strivog Drow table for additional benefits. Roll 2d6 and add the results together. If you get the same result twice, re-roll until you get something different.
Strivog Drow
2d6 Roll Benefit
2 +1 Cunning
3-4 Focus: Magic (Blood)
5 Focus: Cunning (Research)
6 Focus: Strength (Smithing)
7-8 +1 Magic
9 Focus: Magic (Entropy)
10-11 Focus: Cunning (one of the following: Engineering, Historical Lore, Military Lore, Natural Lore, Poison Lore, or Writing)
12 +1 Willpower
