D&D 5E New Drow cultures coming in Starlight Enclave, the Lorendrow and the Aevendrow

[Henadic Theologian]

Dungeons & Dragons Sets Up Big Changes to the Drow

Dungeons & Dragons seems to be poised to make major changes to one of its iconic creatures, likely [...]

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Traditional Underdark Lolthian drow are now called Unudrow, Lorendrow are a southern surface eco Drow civilization, and the Aevendrow the Northern Seldarine Goodly surface Starlight Elves (this will create confusion with Star Elves).

I will point out these aren't the only Drow cultures in FR, there are Maztican Drow who worship Maztican Gods and Drow in Zakhara who worship Zakharan Gods (like almost everyone in Zakhara does), both groups are from previous editions and likely don't feature in RA Salvatore's novel Starlight Enclave.

Not going to lie, I'm very intrigued by this.

Keep an eye out for a Drow UA IMHO, they will likely want different stats for these new Drow cultures, Sunlight Sensitivity makes no sense for the Surface Dwelling Lorendrow and the Aevendrow.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

"Saekolath

The teeming southern jungles conceal the drow elf city of Saekolath, populated by the Lorendrow—dwellers in the endless green.

Head far enough south and one enters the territory of the Lorendrow, or “Greenshadow Elves.” Far from the Spider Queen and her terrors, the Lorendrow draw their wisdom from their environment: the generosity of earth; the mystery of sky; and the complex harmony of forest.

Their verdant city is Saekolath—“Place of Shade”—and it wends between towering trees and chattering rivers. Even the most knowledgeable bard would be hard-pressed to sing its histories, and few northern adventurers have ever reached its borders."


Menzoberranzan

Deep in the Underdark lies the city of Menzoberranzan, stronghold of the cult of Lolth. This Udadrow society has become corrupted by the malicious goddess, who teaches them to despise all outsiders.

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The subterranean City of Spiders is the bastion of the Udadrow: drow elves who became tainted by Lolth’s insidious teachings. Udadrow society values ruthlessness, obedience, and a burning hatred of surface dwellers. Menzoberranzan’s young warriors raid surface villages, proving their worth by how many elves they destroy.

It was once widely believed that all drow elves lived belowground and worshipped Lolth. But truths that have long been buried are now beginning to come to light..."

"
Callidae

Far to the North lies Callidae; an Aevendrow enclave built of glittering ice. Few recall its location and even fewer know the secrets long guarded at its heart.

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Even as some of their kin followed Lolth down to the Underdark, many drow elves rejected her, remaining true to their innate integrity. One band ventured north, vanishing from history behind curtains of snow, aurora, and illusion. They became the Aevendrow—or Starlight Elves—a highly secretive clan steeped in powerful magic.

The Aevendrow remain untainted by Lolth’s influence, and life in Callidae is radically different from that of oppressive Menzoberranzan. Yet, though many would rejoice to see it, almost no one—including the longest-lived elves—can quite remember its existence."

 

[TwiceBorn2]

Saekolath sounds a lot like Sekolah, shark god of the sahuagins. Wish they'd picked a different name for the Lorendrow city.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Saekolath sounds a lot like Sekolah, shark god of the sahuagins. Wish they'd picked a different name for the Lorendrow city.

I suspect Saekolath is in Chult or Samarach and Callidae is likely in Damara or else in the Cold Lands like Sossal.

Callidae's discription makes me think of The Santa Claus 1, 2 & 3, where its a city of elves hidden under ice, with Aurora Borelis and its a secret. They turned the Drow into nature hippies in the south and Santa's Elves in the North LMFAO .

 

[Charlaquin]

So instead of making drow culture more varied, they’re making more elf subraces? :/

 

[Mecheon]

Yeah count me another on the 'ugh' for subraces. Ideas are certainly interesting and having Drow doing other things ought to just completely take most of the wind out of the 'but they're eeeevil' sails, but, not keen on more subraces. Sides, the Ebberon Drow have really varied areas they live in and don't have new subraces

All you need for more varied Drow is "So here's an underground city that isn't Mezo. It functions like a normal city and doesn't require Lolth's divine intervention to keep it running and not falling apart as Lolth desperately tries to keep her ongoing Sims Generations project from exploding". Interesting, but I'm eh on subraces

 

[QuentinGeorge]

For a second I thought the bad drow were being called unibrow there for second.
Now I realise they are unabomber + drow. Yikes

 

[IndigoTraveler]

Eh I still prefer how Baldur's Gate III does it: Lolth-Sworn and Seladrine Drow.

 

[Demetrios1453]

And oddly, the southern city not lore-contradictory. Ilythiir was an ancient kingdom of the dark elves that spanned much of southern Faerun, back when the elven kingdoms were the main political entities on the continent (c. -27,000 through c. -10,000 DR). Although they were eventually mostly Lolth worshipers, one of the main antagonists of the Crown Wars, and were mostly driven underground when they were changed from dark elves to drow (c. -10,000 DR), it's not unreasonable to assume that a remnant made up of those who weren't Lolth worshipers were spared and their descendants are the ones who now live in Saekolath...

 

[QuentinGeorge]

And oddly, the southern city not lore-contradictory. Ilythiir was an ancient kingdom of the dark elves that spanned much of southern Faerun, back when the elven kingdoms were the main political entities on the continent (c. -27,000 through c. -10,000 DR). Although they were eventually mostly Lolth worshipers, one of the main antagonists of the Crown Wars, and were mostly driven underground when they were changed from dark elves to drow (c. -10,000 DR), it's not unreasonable to assume that a remnant made up of those who weren't Lolth worshipers were spared and their descendants are the ones who now live in Saekolath...

Yeah I don’t think it’s a bad idea I just worry that it will be represented in a needless way with new subraces.