The Tome Of Drow Lore.pdf - RoseRed

14
An Overview of the Drow
This chapter is devoted to a general
overview of the drow race, including
their physiology, psychology and
culture. The information presented here is
meant only as a general baseline for the drow
as a whole, as any given community of drow
will have its own customs, rituals, beliefs
and relationship with the world around it.
Sub-races may differ quite substantially
from the physiological norms mentioned
here, particularly in the case of an exotic
offshoot such as the Sulzthul. Less drastic
but equally significant to anyone interacting
with drow sub-races are the deviations in
culture that can make them quite alien, even
to other drow.
Drow Racial Traits
� +2 Dexterity, –2 Constitution, +2
Intelligence, +2 Charisma
� Medium size.
� A drow’s base land speed is 30 feet.
� Immunity to sleep spells and effects and
a +2 racial saving throw bonus against
enchantment spells or effects.
� Darkvision out to 120 feet.
� Spell resistance equal to 11 + class level.
� +2 racial bonus on Will saves against
spells and spell-like abilities.
� Spell-Like Abilities: Drow can use the following spelllike
abilities once per day: dancing lights, darkness,
faerie fire. Caster level equals the drow’s class level.
� Weapon Proficiency: A drow is automatically proficient
with the hand crossbow, the rapier and the short
sword.
� +2 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks. A
drow who merely passes within 5 feet of a secret or
concealed door is entitled to a Search check to notice it
as if she were actively looking for it.
� Automatic Languages: Common, Elven, Undercommon.
Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Aquan, Draconic, Drow
Sign Language, Gnome, Goblin.
� Light Blindness: Abrupt exposure to bright light (such
as sunlight or a daylight spell) blinds drow for 1 round.
On subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they
remain in the affected area.
� Favoured Class: Wizard (male) or cleric (female).
� Level adjustment +2.
Drow Physiology
Most drow are immediately recognizable as such by anyone
with even a passing knowledge of what to look for. Some
of the sub-races and Lost Tribes of drow deviate from the
generally accepted idea of drow appearance, some greatly
and some only slightly. These deviations are discussed in
detail under the entries for the Lost Tribes.
It is in their appearance that drow differ most dramatically
from their surface cousins. Their skin is jet black, with
tone ranging from flat to almost glossy. The exact tone
of a drow’s skin seems somewhat determined by regional
variation as well as which House the drow is attached to,
though these are by no means hard and fast rules. The
child of two glossy-skinned parents may well turn out to
be flat-skinned. Though such a child may be the victim
of some minor prejudice throughout his life should he live
in a community of glossy-skinned drow, such births are
common enough that most drow pay it little heed.