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The Tome Of Drow Lore.pdf - RoseRed

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Clergy<br />

<strong>The</strong> priests and priestesses<br />

of Thraud are soldiers, warriors<br />

and mercenaries who have<br />

devoted their lives to the Pitiless<br />

Blade and to the defence of the<br />

drow. Though they can come from any<br />

social rank, it is most common for them to<br />

be recruited from among the ranks of the<br />

officers of a drow army, or from an officer’s<br />

children. It is exceptionally rare to find a<br />

scion of a Noble House as a priest of Thraud,<br />

just as it is rare to find the children of the lowest classes<br />

among the clergy.<br />

<strong>The</strong> priests of Thraud are charged primarily with preparing<br />

the drow for battle and doing all that can be done to assure<br />

victory. Though they are skilled at healing, it is seen only<br />

as a tool to get a drow soldier back on his<br />

feet and back to the fighting.<br />

<strong>The</strong> clergy of Thraud wear vestments that<br />

look as if they were designed to be worn<br />

into battle, which is indeed the case. <strong>The</strong><br />

ceremonial garb of a priest of the Pitiless<br />

Blade consists of a burnished breastplate<br />

emblazoned with the cleft shield emblem<br />

of Thraud, a steel cap and a longsword.<br />

Among most drow, the priesthood of<br />

Thraud is open to both males and females.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Lorgreln, unsurprisingly, restrict the priesthood to men<br />

only.<br />

Worshippers<br />

<strong>The</strong> vast majority of worshippers of Thraud are soldiers,<br />

mercenaries, guards and others who make their living<br />

with the edge of their blade. This accounts for a<br />

significant percentage of the drow population, making<br />

the Pitiless Blade one of the most popularly worshipped<br />

gods among the drow.<br />

Though Thraud has no specific interest in the ins and outs<br />

of the Game of Bones or the Sheathed War (see page 88),<br />

an increasing number of players in that game have begun<br />

to seek the blessings of the Pitiless Blade upon their<br />

endeavours.<br />

Ydrillia (She of the Veil)<br />

Symbol: An open book, its spine turned towards the viewer<br />

so the contents of the pages are hidden.<br />

Alignment: Neutral evil<br />

Governs: Knowledge, learning, magic, wisdom<br />

Domains: Knowledge, Magic<br />

Favoured Weapons: Quarterstaff, hand crossbow<br />

Requirements for Priesthood: Must have at least four<br />

ranks each in Knowledge (arcana) and Spellcraft.<br />

Background<br />

Magic is an essential part of the drow, reflected in everything<br />

from the innate spell abilities with which they are born to<br />

the affinity they have for mastering magics both arcane and<br />

divine.<br />

Ydrillia is the goddess of knowledge and magic in drow<br />

society, two things widely regarded as the most powerful<br />

weapons a dark elf may have at his side. It is thought in<br />

the cult of Ydrillia that She of the Veil is responsible for<br />

gifting the drow with their tremendous abilities and talents<br />

for magic.<br />

Ydrillia is devoted to furthering the<br />

knowledge and magical ability of the drow,<br />

but not through any additional gifts granted<br />

without effort on the part of the dark elves.<br />

As evidenced by her symbol, of an open<br />

book with its spine turned towards the<br />

viewer to hide whatever is on the pages,<br />

She of the Veil makes the knowledge<br />

available, but the drow must work to learn<br />

it. Spurred on by the twin drives to further<br />

their knowledge and please their goddess,<br />

45

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