Motherland Campaign Setting part 7 - The Drow of Talem-Dûr

The drow were once known as dark elves for their obsidian colored skin. At that time drow were simply underground cousins of the elves that lived in the valleys and forests above. Although only a few dark elves were downright evil, most were at least moody, arrogant and generally nasty.

The dark elves were always masters of the realms below. They built fantastic and bizarre underground cities, and were very knowledgeable in arcane matters and warfare. Maybe because of the harsh environment they were living in, the dark elves always felt a little bit superior compared to their surface brethren. On many occasions this feeling turned into haughtiness that continuously isolated them from other friendly races.

One such event, caused a dramatic change in the dark elves society. A powerful dark elven wizard managed to summon an ancient spider demoness from her vile dimension. Immediately the demon began to taint and seduce the susceptible chaotic underground elves. Soon the spider demon and her vassal gained control over an army of at least ten thousand dark elves, willing to wreak havoc and cause chaos among the weak races.

Every dark elf who spoke against the spider demon was brutally sacrificed at her unholy altar. Then something unexpected happened. When a group of rebels led by a high elven cleric of Sharladalain prayed for help and guidance in their misery, an avatar of the elven goddess appeared, and led them into battle against the evil spider demon. Under the guiding light of the goddess Sharladalain they found the demoness in her spidery lair and attacked. The two powerful beings clashed together in a gigantic battle. When it seemed that the elven goddess would prevail suddenly the dark elf army of the demon swarmed upon the avatar like millions of tiny spiders. When Sharladalain looked into the insane faces of her children, she felt incredible grieve for a single moment. In this very moment the demon spider attacked the goddess with a vicious bite that killed the avatar. Within seconds the spider demon wrapped the body into a big cocoon. Then the demoness started to suck from the dead body. After she absorbed enough divine essence, she left the body for her followers, who in turn feasted upon the slain avatar like frenzied ghouls. As they gulped the last pieces of the goddess and absorbed her power a new race was born: the drow

Today the drow are a sinister race of twisted demon-worshiping elves. Over the years they formed a matriarchal society, ruled by bloated mother-queens who continuously spawn young drows, each one suited for a certain purpose, like assassin, soldier, worker, wizard or priestesses. Their society is full of decadence and malice. From their spider demon patron the drow adapted many perverse habits, such as keeping living creatures webbed and left to ripen. They also found a way to control spiders and even developed spider related magic. The Drow see themselves as the pinnacle of all intelligent races. All other races will eventually be either slaves or exterminated like vermin. Beside the spider demon drow venerate other demons like a fiendish aboleth lord, and many more dark entities.

A small number of dark elves escaped the transformation. They lack the supernatural powers of the drow, and live somewhere hidden in exile.

(c) Copyright 2009 by Markus Brixius. All rights reserved.