Drow Eyes Wide Shut?

[Ipissimus]

The problem with the 120 Days of Sodom in relation to the Drow is the extreme patriarchal bent. The pure hatred of women it not only extoles but moralizes wouldn't be acceptable to the Drow under any circumstance. Aside from that, where the acts depicted might amuse the truely evil, the Drow are still Elves and, as such, I personally think that they'd see the tortures he describes as childish and unrefined (even unrealistic in certain places).

Though, with Drow sadism being well documented, supplying some victims for the party or even demonstrations by professionals might be included (if you want to go there) as performance art.

Slaves encouraged to fight to the death with various impliments for sport are also likely. Feeding victims to various spiders probably also popular.

Buffets made of the most exotic food imaginable, ingredients including those culled from sentient beings probably on the menu.

Magical displays, from the benign to the murderous, would probably be extremely popular. This could even be a way of advertizing newly developed spells or showing off to your collegues and gaining status without running the risk of being murdered for the spell/item on the spot or challenged to a spellduel.

If I remember right, the Menzoberranzan box set has some interesting games that Drow play based on thier paranoia.

Drow may consent to temporary sensory depravation so they may focus on a single sense at a time and delight all the more in that single sensation by focusing upon it to the exclusion of all else.

Again if you want to go there, narcotics are probably yet another attraction, with most Drow being too paranoid to allow themselves to get wasted at any other time.

Of course, the biggest question is who hosts these parties? He or she would have to assure the party-goers that they are capable of insuring everyone's safety during the proceedings and remain completely neutral in the heirarchical struggles of the city.

 

[Clavis]

The problem with the 120 Days of Sodom in relation to the Drow is the extreme patriarchal bent. The pure hatred of women it not only extoles but moralizes wouldn't be acceptable to the Drow under any circumstance. Aside from that, where the acts depicted might amuse the truely evil, the Drow are still Elves and, as such, I personally think that they'd see the tortures he describes as childish and unrefined (even unrealistic in certain places).

True. I was giving it as an example of of the sort of things they might enjoy. Obviously, their bent is femdom, so the genders would have to be changed. Then again, the original post is about what would happen at a Drow mixer where the social roles are relaxed. In the real-world, many professional dominas enjoy occasionally being submissive in their "time-off". I imagine that when a Drow female wants to be kinky, she let's her lowly man-slave whip or humiliate her. That makes the tortures she inflicts on him when they do resume their "proper roles" all the sweeter.

I see the Drow indulging their artistic bent with intricately designed costumes. Hell, I'd just depict them essentially as Goths wearing leather BDSM gear. Imagine the damage a cruel Matron with adamantine high heels could do...

 

[WayneLigon]

Big Fish
Three drow willingly let themselves be telepathically enslaved by an aboleth, and play a 'truth or dare'-type game where they try to avoid spilling personal or House secrets the abolethe chooses from what the audience submits. Since giving up such secrets is technically a command to kill themselves, they get a new saving throw every question. The losers at least get to have fun in the mucus cloud, and typically wind up as slaves to the winner.

 

[Set]

Magical displays, from the benign to the murderous, would probably be extremely popular. This could even be a way of advertizing newly developed spells or showing off to your collegues and gaining status without running the risk of being murdered for the spell/item on the spot or challenged to a spellduel.

Some arcanists might go out of their way to create unique spells just for use at parties, such as Dancing Fire (acts like Faerie Fire, but is contagious, spreading from person to person, even jumping short distances, say 5 ft. every few rounds, randomly lingering on some, and leaving others like a whimsical living thing). Others might consider such acts wasteful and weak (wasting time on magics that do nothing to protect the user), and be countered that the spell artisan is demonstrating that he feels secure enough to spend resources and energies on frivolous magics. Some 'artsy' elitists might be more impressed by an arcanist who uses a traditional spell in a surprising and inventive new way. Higher level arcanists might Dominate slaves and force them to fight, settling duels by mind-controlled proxy, and there might even be Slave Collars of Obedience linked to magic bracers that lower level arcanists (or priests) could use to simulate this form of dueling. Being Drow, the collars would transfer a portion of the injury suffered by the slave-automaton, with the Drow 'pilot' suffering all of the damage that the 'beast' suffers as nonlethal/subdual damage, representing the pain of the slaves wounds. If the slave dies, the Drow might have to save to avoid dropping straight to Disabled, from the shock and trauma of experiencing it's death, and some Drow, particularly sadistic priestesses, might even enjoy 'dueling' in this fashion.

Some spells might be tweaked to be addictive (and some might pander to psychological addictions in any event!), encouraging party-goers to purchase or partake of these magical effects, whether mind-affecting enchantments or phantasmagorical illusory 'scapes or even just exposure to different sorts of energy. If Inflict spells, using Negative Energy to damage living tissue, have a unique sensation of draining and tearing all at the same time, the sort of person who has developed a fascination with pain may come to crave that sensation, of being pulled out of themselves and flirting with dissolution. Curative magic, flooding the body with Positive Energy, could feel downright sexual, even overwhelmingly so. Obviously the 'standard' Cure and Inflict spells aren't paralyzingly effective in this way, but combined with certain drugs that 'loosen' the person slightly and make them more receptive to and aware of Positive or Negative Energy effects, even a Cure Minor Wounds or Inflict Minor Wounds orison could leave the junkie writhing in pain or pleasure for long moments. Specific items could be crafted that create these sensations, perhaps with no actual hit point gain or loss, by tapping into the Positive or Negative Energy planes. (Or the effects might be purely nonlethal damage, due to the weaker connection, but with greatly exaggerated sensations for the chemically-prepared user.) One item might even perform both effects, draining life-energy from one side and granting it to the user on the other side, giving both different extreme sensations, and then they switch positions and enjoy the alternate sensation. False Life, or other magics that grant temporary hit points, would allow Drow to be beaten savagely, experiencing every sensation, while not being at risk of actual death, or Shadowcrafters could have spells that conjure up fierce-looking and painful weapons, such as scourges with chips of razored obsidian, that are made of Shadowstuff and inflict only nonlethal damage (which can still kill, with excessive use, but would allow tortures to last much longer...).

 

[Jubilee]

I think it would be awfully funny and apropriate if these parties were built up as some total excess of debauchery and vileness, and then when the adventurers get there, it's just some tame poetry and relaxing music, with coffee to sip on...

I mean, if ritual sacrifice and endless evil plotting are part of your daily routine, are you going to do more of it to unwind? As evil as everyone has to be all the time as drow, they might really let loose by _not_ being vile and plotty for a few hours a night..

but of course, they have to spread judicious rumors so their parents won't drag them home by the ears and make them sacrifice something when they'd really just rather listen to some soothing music and have a "normal" conversation.

/ali

 

[Arravis]

Wow guys, these are great ideas! Amazing stuff. I'll be working on compiling this part of the game today, thanks!!!

I think it would be awfully funny and apropriate if these parties were built up as some total excess of debauchery and vileness, and then when the adventurers get there, it's just some tame poetry and relaxing music, with coffee to sip on...

Well, the players are drow themselves and will be attending the party, but I think that would still work, hehe.