Illumination in Undardark cities and homes

[Shin Okada]

Most of the Underdark denizens have Darkvision abilities. What should be the typical illumination level of underdark cities and homes of underdark denizens, especially Drow?

Do they prefer total darkness in their cities and homes? Or do they want some degree of illuminations for recognizing colors? Is there some setting books and such which describes about this topic?

 

[Grogg of the North]

If you want more official sources, you could look at Drow of the Underdark, a 3.5 book, or Underdark, a Forgotten Realms setting book.

I imagine the drow would use their darkvision. Whatever light they would have would be dim and reserved for whatever slaves they take that don't have darkvision. Surface elves or humans, perhaps? Given how the drow are all about projecting strength, to avoid possible assassination, I don't think they'd rely on light if they can.

I think in some of the R. A. Salvatore novels, he writes where the drow have a great big tower(?) that's enchanted with faerie fire to help tell time. I don't know if that's something you'd want to steal or not.

 

[Ranes]

Drow of the Underdark says, at one point, that some areas of drow cities lack illumination of any kind, because the darkness puts other races at a disadvantage, so the streets of foreign ghettos might be pitch black. DotU also mentions the drow don't mind some illumination in their homes and other places, if it comes from underdark-related phenomena (fungi or magical glows such as FR's faerzress for instance). Conventional torches or lanterns rarely see any use. However, the drow are not averse to occupying cities built by other races, so exceptions cannot be ruled out.

 

[le grand fromage]

Hmmm, given their reliance on slaves, how does said slave get the cleaning done if they can't see, and can you read books by infravision?

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

If said slave can't figure out how to properly clean in total darkness, then that’s just one more sacrifice for Lolth.

For my part, I would think that it would be a mix of dark and illuminated areas, but nothing above dim lighting. Mostly because I love the look of glowing fungi and crystals.

Hmmm, given their reliance on slaves, how does said slave get the cleaning done if they can't see, and can you read books by infravision?

 

[RedSiegfried]

I seem to remember in Q1 that there were ruby cusps (basically contact lenses) that could give surfacers infravision/ultravision? in Drow underdark areas. I'd have to go back and look them up for specifics though.