The Tome Of Drow Lore.pdf - RoseRed

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pronounced than those of other drow and are flattened
against the head on either side. Their hair remains white,
often with a subtle tint of green, but grows not just from the
head of the drow but also in a ridge along the spine. Lastly,
their fingers and toes are webbed at the first knuckle, giving
them a slight benefit for swimming.
The experiments and efforts of the aboleth have given
the Sulzthul some significant advantages, but significant
weaknesses to go along with them. They are able to remain
underwater for hours at a time without surfacing for air, but
cannot remain outside the water for very long before the
mucus of their skin begins to dry, causing first irritation
and then pain.
The Sulzthul fear that the changes wrought by the aboleth
are not quite finished, however. In recent years, several
children with nascent gills have been born to the aquatic
drow. These gills are not enough for the children to
exist without air, but they do double the length of time
these children can remain submerged. The Sulzthul are
concerned that more and more changes will occur in their
race but they do not know how to stop it, or even if they
should.
Life and Death with the Sulzthul
The Sulzthul reproduce more quickly than do other drow.
Whether this is something done to them during their
transformation by the aboleth or whether it is merely a
lingering effect of the intensive breeding programme the
aboleth began on them, the Sulzthul are unsure.
Without any religion in their society, the Sulzthul have no
access to healing magics, refusing even to trade for them
with other drow, as they do not want the taint of religion
entering their culture. The Sulzthul have compensated
for the lack of healing magic as best they can by learning
the healing properties of the underwater plants of the
Underdeep. Such poultices cannot replace the simplicity
and efficacy of a healing spell or potion, but they are
effective nonetheless.
When Sulzthul die, the body is carried out of the water by
the family and cremated on dry land.
Clothing
The Sulzthul wear little in the way of clothing. The
hides of most beasts would be quickly ruined by constant
immersion in water, and most fabrics would simply get in
the way of swimming.
What clothing they do wear is made of fish skin, usually with
the scales still attached. This delicate-looking material is
known as ‘thryssal’ and is actually quite strong, though not
useful as armour. Cunningly cut and crafted to be nearly
skin-tight, clothing made of thryssal (roughly translated
to ‘scaled skin’) provides the Sulzthul with some measure
of protection against sharp rocks and other minor hazards
without impeding their speed or agility in the water.
Thryssal is always white when first constructed, the same
colour as all the fish in the Underdeep. However, it takes
dye well, and the Sulzthul have learned to create a myriad
of colours using plants and minerals easily available to
them. The colours will eventually leech out after long
exposure to water, but Sulzthul do not consider this a bad
thing. The thryssal can be quickly dyed again, creating
an entirely new pattern of colours. The Sulzthul tend to
enjoy a multitude of bright hues, which are often garishly
clashing to the eyes of other races.
Through trade and raiding, the Sulzthul have acquired more
traditional fabric clothing which they keep available but
only wear when outside the water for any significant period
of time. Doused with water, such clothing will remain wet
for hours, keeping the Sulzthul comfortable as they journey
on dry land.
Obviously, footwear is unknown among the Sulzthul. In
the water, it would be a foolish and impeding weight to
carry, and even on land they will not wear such things
unless some strange set of circumstances demanded it.
Combat
Sulzthul prefer to strike from the water against a land-based
foe using hooks, nets and spears to pull their enemies into
the water and drown them. Though they do not use bows or
crossbows, they are adept with the sling and javelin.
Obviously, life in the underwater environment of the
Sulzthul precludes the use of most metals for weapons and
armour. However, the aquatic drow have compensated
for that loss in several ways. They are skilled in making
weapons, particularly knives and spears, from the bones of
the mammoth fish that troll the waters of the Underdeep.
Additionally, they frequently trade with House Pelshothe
for the ceramic weapons and armour that House has
mastered the making of.
The preferred armour of the Sulzthul is formed of aboleth
skin, stripped from the body and specially treated to create
a pliable suit of slippery leather. Though it makes excellent
armour, light and highly protective, it is all but useless to
anyone not of the Sulzthul, as it cannot remain out of the
water for any significant length of time without becoming
irrevocably ruined, eventually becoming as thin and fragile
as paper.