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Message: <blockquote data-quote="(un)reason" data-source="post: 6048671" data-attributes="member: 27780">Dragon Issue 298: August 2002part 7/10The vault of the drow: Our other Greyhawk feature is also bigger and more significant than usual, as well as being in theme. A 16 page return to D3, the first place many people saw them. Last time we went there was back in 1997, when Monte sent us there as one of the subplots in Dead Gods. And since we're not busy adventuring, they can give us more information on demographics, history (which includes the events from both of the previous two appearances) day to day life, and general setting detail than either of those did. It is possible to come there without instantly being attacked and enslaved, especially if you're one of the evil underdark races, but you should still watch your back at all times. There's lots of districts in the city itself, plus a reasonable sized fungus forest which they use for food, and which you can hide in and hope something doesn't make a meal of you. So this is an article that gives you a real sense of history, evolved in real time with attention to continuity. If you're looking for a nostalgia bomb, this definitely fits the bill, as both a special feature on it's own, and an expansion on past events that's system light enough to be useful if you go back and play them again. I strongly approve, which is a definite relief after first couple of articles were so risible. Chainmail: Even this column is in theme, reminding us just how popular Drow are amongst the office as well as the fans. They even find a way to tie it into the existing metaplot from the other continent, as referenced last article. What happened to the Drow who turned to Kiaransalee after the fiasco of adventurers invading D3 and causing tons of havoc? They were eventually beaten and exiled (for as long as Lolth is the core deity, they have to give her priority in new material) and decided to GO WEST! Life is warlike there. GO WEST! In the enclosed air. GO WEST! So many foes to choose. GO WEST! You only have your lives to lose. Which neatly gives us a reason why A NEW CHALLENGER APPEARS! in the Chainmail game. It's all very well tied together, and shows how much better co-ordinated the company is than TSR, hitting us with stuff in the books, wargame, and magazine all at once. Along with the pretty neat setting stuff, there's two drow-focused prestige classes for your game. Bloodsisters are female fighters who specialise in the kind of dirty fighting that works well underground. Crossbows, poison, sneak attacks, all that good stuff that you use to hit dumb people who can't see in the dark with, and kill them quickly without putting yourself at risk. Sounds pretty unpleasant to fight, but what did you expect from the Drow? The other one, the Nightshades, are a roguish relative of Arcane Archers, requiring spellcasting to get into, but not advancing it, just getting some supernatural innate abilities that make sneaking around and playing the thief and assassin easier. With their spider themed powers, they're also pretty appropriate for their niche. These both seem pretty appropriate for your game, even if you're not playing in greyhawk. As long as the drow fill basically the same niche, there'll always be plenty of room for sneaky poison wielding bitches amongst them.</blockquote>

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