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

[Yaarel]

It occurs to me, the aeven only refer to the "goddess".

Perhaps they are a monotheistic culture who characterize "infinite being" as feminine, perhaps as metaphorically birthing all finite phenomena that exists.

 

[Weiley31]

So Udadrow have Clerics and Wizards while the Aevendrow have Paladins and Priests(es). Interesting.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Regarding a "goddess", are the aeven matriarchal?

Personally, I prefer the drow to be more animistic, kinda like having that air elemental living among the aeven. That is pretty cool.

No, they are democratic, no concept of money, if they had warp Drive they'd make great additions to the Federation

 

[Henadic Theologian]

It occurs to me, the aeven only refer to the "goddess".

Perhaps they are a monotheistic culture who characterize "infinite being" as feminine, perhaps as metaphorically birthing all finite phenomena that exists.

They aren't monotheistic, one of the Aevendrow referred to Mielikki as a sister Goddess to the Paladin's Goddess. And another Aevendrow mentions Wind Gods.

 

[Twiggly the Gnome]

one of the Aevendrow referred to Mielikki as a sister Goddess to the Paladin's Goddess

Isn't Eldath usually thought of as Mielikki's sister in the FR?

 

[Henadic Theologian]

So Udadrow have Clerics and Wizards while the Aevendrow have Paladins and Priests(es). Interesting.

Udadrow also have Bards (rare), Warlocks, Monks, Sorcerers.

We haven't seen a Aevendrow Arcane caster yet, but it doesn't mean they don't have them. It is clear they have advanced Divine conjuration magic that they can teach to others that allows them to create quality food (and perhaps other organic and inorganic objects). This how they can afford to have a cashless society.

 

[Dire Bare]

Spoiler

Do they go into any detail on the split? Was it the majority of the drow that went underground, while these two groups were the conscientious objectors who refused to go? Or was the a more even split?

They don't really go into numbers, but in the underdark you have one large city of udodrow, Menzoberranzan. They, of course, spread out over time and founded other cities, like Ched Nasad. Up north, you have one large city of aevendrow, Callidae. I'm assuming we'll find something similar in Chult, one large city of lorendrow . . . but that remains to be seen.

They don't really go into the WHY either, other than those who fled to the underdark were corrupted by the magical energies found there, and embraced Lolth and evil. It is made clear that all three groups of drow did NOT have evil societies at the time, Lolth's corruption took place after the udodrow fled to the underdark (this was discovered in early Drizzt novels, actually).

 

[Dire Bare]

So Udadrow have Clerics and Wizards while the Aevendrow have Paladins and Priests(es). Interesting.

The aevendrow have wizards too, I'm sure they have all the classes. And there is no meaningful difference between the term "priest" and "cleric". The divine classes are just being highlighted in this discussion due to the lack of detail on aevendrow religion.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

They don't really go into numbers, but in the underdark you have one large city of udodrow, Menzoberranzan. They, of course, spread out over time and founded other cities, like Ched Nasad. Up north, you have one large city of aevendrow, Callidae. I'm assuming we'll find something similar in Chult, one large city of lorendrow . . . but that remains to be seen.

They don't really go into the WHY either, other than those who fled to the underdark were corrupted by the magical energies found there, and embraced Lolth and evil. It is made clear that all three groups of drow did NOT have evil societies at the time, Lolth's corruption took place after the udodrow fled to the underdark (this was discovered in early Drizzt novels, actually).

There are more Aevendrow in Callidae then in Udadrow Menzo, but so far it seems like the only Aevendrow city, were as the Udadrow have many more cities in the Underdark mostly, and Menzo was never the biggest or most populated. The Aevendrow for all their innovative magic and moral civilization is on the edge of extinction, wipe out Callidae and they are likely gone unless the have more cities, take out Menzo and the Udadrow have others. Why the vast population disapparity? Even if you add the Lorendrow to the Aevendrow, if its another case of just 1 city, they are are dwarfed in practice by the Udadrow. I hate to admit it, but under Lolth's leadership the Udadrow have thrived and spread throughout the Underdark. I mean even some of the minor Gods of the Dark Seldarine have larger Udadrow followings then the Drow population of Callidae. This suggests that those who went below were a much larger population then those that stayed above.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

SO does any of this matter? they just said books aren't canon to the game?