The Tome Of Drow Lore.pdf - RoseRed

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and immediately punish anyone foolish enough to break
them, while other drow cities may exist in a state of near
or even total anarchy. In cities where control is in doubt,
contested between two or more Noble Houses or temples,
such anarchy is not uncommon and there may even be open
war on the streets as factions take direct action against each
other. Typically, the truth is somewhere in between the two
extremes, as Noble Houses see to the protection of their
own assets and interests, doing only what they must with
the remainder of the city to keep it under their control.
As stated, laws in drow cities are few. Acts such as murder,
theft and rape are usually considered crimes, as is blasphemy
or heresy in any city where the temples hold a large portion
of the power. Death, mutilation and enslavement are the
most common punishments for these crimes; the drow see
no benefit in building prisons and expending the resources
required to imprison criminals. It can be safely assumed,
however, that in any given drow city, those who hold the
reins of power are not considered subject to that city’s
laws.
Overseeing the taxation of the city is an expensive and
time-consuming business, but one which more than pays
for itself for the Noble House or temple in charge of the
city. Taxes vary from city to city but fees and tariffs of
10-20% are most common. This money goes directly to
the Noble House or temple in control of the city, swelling
their coffers and providing them with an ample income to
maintain their grip on the city, one of the primary reasons
most drow cities have had the same power in control for
centuries or even millennia.
Ensuring the defence of the city is a more difficult prospect
for the Noble House or temple in control. It requires
working with and directing the efforts and forces of other
powers in the city, all of whom will be thinking of ways they
might seize power once the threat from the outside is past.
Fortunately, drow are clannish enough to band together to
face the many threats of the Underdeep, understanding that
if the city falls none of them will be able to claim power.
However, this is not enough of a motivation to prevent other
Noble Houses or temples from attempting to withhold
enough of their forces to make a play for control in the
aftermath of the battle.
Magic
Magic is a way of life for the drow. It is part and parcel
of who they are, from the innate spell abilities they enjoy
to the ease with which spellcasting of both the arcane and
divine varieties comes to them. The drow rely heavily on
magic, using it whenever possible. It plays some role in
virtually every aspect of their society, from building to
combat to slave training to its myriad of uses in the Game
of Bones (see page 88). Given a choice, the drow as a
race would rather accomplish something with spells than
with labour and tools, even when the labour and tools are
provided by slaves.
Arcane and divine magic are both commonly practiced
among the drow and are usually held in equal esteem. Some
cities, controlled by a single cult, emphasise priestly magic
above that which is practiced by wizards and sorcerers but
still, even these temples usually retain their own forces of
mages charged with keeping the cult in control and warding
the city against any arcane assaults.
In combat, the drow are careful with the use of the incredibly
destructive, large area of effect spells so common and
popular with mages and priests on the surface, particularly
when they are doing battle in unfamiliar terrain. A miscast
lightning bolt in a cavern with an unstable roof can bring
the combat to a quick end, with both parties buried beneath
tons of collapsing stone. However, they have compensated
for this self-imposed handicap with the creation of new
spells that damage and kill only living things.