The Tome Of Drow Lore.pdf - RoseRed

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in the iron drow; indeed, it seems to be
considerably stronger, a fact which
enabled them to face and destroy a host
of shangu to escape the caverns they had
inhabited since the time of the Sundering.
Relations with Others
The Lorgreln re-established contact with
the other drow not long after shattering the
shangu’s grasp on the territory which lay
between the two groups of drow. However,
the passing of many long years since their
separation had made the two groups of
drow alien to one another. The drow thought
the Lorgreln had devolved, losing their innate
magical abilities and foolishly using cold-wrought
iron. The Lorgreln, understandably, held a differing
perspective. With each group bringing its own prejudices
to the table, in addition to the fundamental difference
between the drow’s chaotic viewpoint and the Lorgreln’s
lawful, true communication was impossible between the
two groups, let alone re-assimilation of the Lorgreln into
the larger community of the drow.
However, neither group was blind to the opportunities
presented by trade between the races. A steady business
quickly grew between the drow and their newfound cousins,
though it is still marked on both sides by a healthy amount
of suspicion. Still, of all the drow sub-races, the Lorgreln
have the strongest connection with the drow.
Despite the healthy trade relations, the Lorgreln have never
felt comfortable with their drow cousins, as the two peoples
hold so little in common. The iron drow were depressed
that the reunion they had hoped for through the millennia
was impossible, but they soon found an unlikely kindred
spirit in the duergar, a race of lawful
evil dwarves who make their home
in the Underdeep. Through recent
history, the Lorgreln and the duergar
have maintained close ties, bound with
multiple treaties, agreements and trade
compacts. The dwarven culture of the
duergar has impacted many aspects
of current Lorgreln society, from
stonemasonry to warfare.
Religion
The Lorgreln are an unrelentingly
martial society, and as such, worship
of Thraud and Olyet’Naru dominates
all other religions, reducing them to
irrelevance or obsolescence. Indeed,
the churches of the Pitiless Blade and the
Taskmaster are so completely pervasive
that worship of the other gods of the
drow is illegal.
Like all other buildings of the Lorgreln, the
temples are constructed like fortresses, only
more so. Temples maintain their own forces
of fanatically dedicated soldiers, billeted in
the temple walls and kept ever ready for
anything from marching to war to keeping
the peace.
The clergy of Thraud and Olyet’Naru among
iron drow society are both entirely male and
even the inner areas of a temple are barred to
females, who must worship in a separate area from
the men.
Slavery
The Lorgreln maintain large numbers of slaves, but they
do not practice slavery on other drow. Of all the drow
nations and sub-races, the iron drow are only actively
hostile towards the Kanahraun. Capturing one of the feral
drow alive is all but impossible, and when one is captured,
it makes a very poor slave. Given that, the Lorgreln simply
kill any Kanahraun they happen to capture.
The Lorgreln consider themselves among the upper
echelon of beings inhabiting the Underdeep. Races such as
the goblins, kobolds, orcs and others are considered lesser
races, crude and undisciplined, and therefore fitting slaves
to work the mines of the iron drow.
Few, if any, Lorgreln keep slaves as personal servants.
Rather, the slaves of the Lorgreln are used primarily for
dangerous and deadly work. Mining
is a primary use of such slaves, as
are other forms of heavy labour - for
example, hauling loads of stone and
ore. Large numbers of slaves meet
their deaths in the gladiatorial matches
of the iron drow, cut down by an elite
force of highly skilled and trained
Lorgreln soldiers.
Perhaps the least lucky slaves of all
are those who find themselves in the
custody of one of the Lorgreln healers.
Always anxious to test the efficacy of
new compounds or procedures, or to
test the limits of endurance, some of the
more ambitious iron drow healers may
kill dozens of slaves every month.