[sblock=First blush response about drow history]As originally conceived the Imperium has never been a disfunctional evil drow kingdom. It would be an interesting "secret history" but it potentially could have a big impact on a lot of things.
(Like ere13's adventure is supposed to touch upon the Imperium's early history; and of course all the Imperium characters would be effected)
Both the drow and the shadar-kai are from the same offshoot of the Eladrin; they were matriarchal goddess worshipers who were excessively punished for their beliefs by the patriarchy and eventually exiled.
In exile they fell into demon worship; the shadar-kai escaped by pledging themselves to hadeys and became a gift to his wife.
I kind of like the idea that the drow weren't always "evil people" but got that way through a combination of bad choices, bad luck and things (demons) who took advenatage of their misfortune.
In roleplaying terms I felt like it had more kick.... A drow who's good isn't just a "special aberration" they're reclaiming an older tradition. You have someplae to go besides standing Drizzit like, on the fringes emoting about how tortured and hopeless your beautiful near-immortal self is.[/sblock]
Still most people aren't really interested in mariarchy/patriarchy type stuff; and the idea of the "fall of the drow" having been the result of external social pressures instead of they're-naturally-chaotic-evil is a bit of a departure.
I haven't fully digested Halfords ideas as ideas yet. I typed the above mostly so I could identify my own existing biases.
Whatever people think is best (provided it doesn't throw ere13 off too badly) I think can be incorporated into the setting.
I tend to think that having the drow as a minor force within the Shifting Seas makes sense. It helps ammorialate their evil reputation enough to explain the Temple of Night and Day.
I think we have some far realm stuff floating around; I may still be in 3.x mode but I always felt like it was supposed to be the "rarest" of the rare. I see some of the worst mystery cults as tapping into it.
[d]--[/d]
What if the
Old Gods were imprisioned in the far realm? Perhaps it was the only place that could contain Kronos?