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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Azzy" data-source="post: 8283151" data-attributes="member: 6563">Unfortunately, what I've done in my own settings wouldn't work for the FR—well, at least one of my solutions. Even back in high shools and the heady days of 2e, my friend and I wanted to do something different with the drow, so I pretty much ditched all the established AD&D canon (including Lolth). You couldn't do that with an established setting like the FR. In another setting, I kept the drow with the main of them still being demon-worshippers (with Lolth being one cult among many, like in 1e), but with other evil & non-evil off-shoots—like the peviously mentioned "snow elves" that were arctic/subarctic drow that lived mainly underground for half the year, while ranging out during the dark half). It seems that WotC is doing something similar with the Aevendrow (pinching my ideas, lol), and I do like the previewed art for their settlement. However, I fear that they are just going to be "drow, but good™" with all the the complexity of a rock and be hippy Eilistraee worshippers (I've never liked what FR has done with its drow lore). The Lorendrow really give me pause—with all the bad tropes that drow have been saddled with, you want to put them in the jungle, too? That said, I really do like the new artwork for the Lolthite matron—far and away better than the stripperific S&M drow of yesteryear.That said, I would have liked if they had expanded the lore of the Underdark drow first. Starting with Menzobarazen (or however you spell that), show that even the drow we know aren't all "lol(th), evil". Instead, have the ruling class be the Caligua-esque evil Lolthites with most of the rest of the populace downtrodden and trying to stay on the good side of their dictatorial leaders and not really giving a rat's patootie about the ruling class or the state cult. Sure, many are indoctrinated and swept up nationalistist pride, but many more are just trying to keep their heads down. Also showcase other Underdark drow cities and settlements—some that have either disavowed the Lolthite cult outright or only nominally pay lip service to Lolth (out of fear of reprisal from Lolthite cities). Some of the other settlements may have other cults (some just as bad as Lolth, some not bad at all), worship the Selderaine, or maybe even gods of other pantheons. And rather than be simply renegade "good drow", I'd have many of the non-Lolthite (or other evil cult) be more nuetral (with individuals ranging in any alignment). Moving away from Menzobarazzen (and the North Dark as a whole), showcase other regions of the Underdark and how their culture may vary from the cultures of the North Dark.With that as the foundation, yes, go ahead and expand to some non-Underdark drow cultures. I'd still caution against making them "good drow" (not that they can't have cultures that tend towards altruism, just give them some complexity beyond just being the moral flipside of the Lolthite drow and all sunshine and rainbows). Think about how they interact with other cultures nearby (if there are other cultures nearby) and, especially, how they interact with non-drow elves. Are they reclusive, only living in remote areas (I'd keep them to places that are most always dark or at least have them only active at night in locales that that aren't so dark). Why are they reclusive? Have they been lumped in with the Lolthite drow after Lolth seduced the main branch into evil and are still stigmatized and discriminated by non-drow elves?</blockquote>

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