Underdark
From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe
| The Underdark | |
| 'Founder: Jiv'undus Darque | |
| Basics | |
| Side: | Villains |
|---|---|
| Motto: | ' |
| Leader(s): | Evadara Darque |
| Logo: | Spiderweb |
| Group Colours: | Purple and Black |
| Playerbase | |
| Levels: | Any |
| Play style: | Mature 18+ |
| Roleplay: | Heavy, encouraged |
| Timezone(s): | (all welcome) |
| Recruiting: | Yes |
| Contact: | Evadara Darque, |
| ' | |
Contents |
Welcome to the UnderDark
We are an alliance of displaced fantasy beings, pulled through various magical rifts into the modern world. Most fantasy-based toons are welcome, with a player age limit of 18+ (MRP possible at any time). The group is ruled by the Drow, House Darque, since they were the ones to begin pulling the various beings together (and it is in their nature to dominate).
This is the place to put your Redside (villain) toons who are fantasy-based. Drow, fairies, imps, demons, goblins, gnomes, trolls, orcs, ogres, naga, shapeshifters, elves, dwarves, humans from a fantasy milieu, dragons, and all manner of beasties who go bump in the night of our collective subconscious are welcome. We ask only that if you play a werewolf, vampire, angel, or demon, that you not play a White Wolf version. Those critters are fully-represented in other VGs.
Our premise is this: The fantasy genre folks (hereafter referred to as "us", or "we") have been pulled through various rifts in time/space, typically by magical means, and have found our way to The Rogue Isles. We have gathered in the caverns beneath Ouroboros, and from here we plot our plans to take over this "brave new world".
The History of House Darque
One evening a raiding party was on the surface, taking "tribute", when a powerful Balestorm swept over the lot of them. Fierce winds and wild magics chewed up the landscape, violently transporting the entire party here to modern day, Earth, Rhode Island. Many did not survive.
And so three dark sisters, along with their sundry warriors and slaves, found themselves in a brand new world, ripe for the plundering.
Years have passed, and now they find themselves making adjustments they never thought they would have to make, living in comparative "harmony" with all manner of "creatures". The youngest sister, Jiv'undus Darque, was found to bear the mark of The Spider Queen, and so is known as the Chosen Of Lolth. Sairalinde' Darque, a fierce and noble warrior, continued to lead raiding parties, and the other sister, Xar'yah Darque, rose to the rank of Matron Mother through diligent studies and a steadfast determination. Solaufein Darque, a fierce and bloodthirsty male of the line, holds the position of Blade Master. House Darque, the First House in the City of Earth, is a varied and wondrous community, making great strides towards the dark glory as they break new ground, bringing all the displaced "fantastic" creatures together.
Current Happenings
Finding themselves growing tired of this tedious land, and missing the company of other People, Xar'ya left with Sairalinde to try to discover a way to get home. Not wanting to let go her grasp on this new realm, Lolth transferred the mantle of Matron Mother to Xar'yah's daughter, Evadara.
Ever-practical, Evadara continues to build the new empire, waiting for her mother and aunt to return with news, and maintaing the tenuous "cooperation" of such an odd coalition of beings.
Roleplay Guidelines Specific to Drow
Drow on the whole have black skin and snow-white hair, although rarely there have been albinos (bone white skin), and some have been known to have silver or even copper hair. The most common eye color is red, but some have green, brown, or black eyes. Gray, amber, and even pink-tinted eyes are also possible. Blue or purple eyes usually denotes human or elven blood somewhere in the drow's background.
Drow are slender, with pointed ears, and tend to be a bit shorter than humans. Female drow are usually bigger and stronger than males.
Speaking of females, the Drow society is matriarchal to the extreme, with males having little to no status in the society, although exceptional males may rise to some sort of rank. "Noble Houses are led by a matron mother, the senior female priestess. In Lolth-worshipping drow communities, her rule is absolute, enforced by the priestesses beneath her (usually her daughters). All females of the mother's blood, in order of their age, follow in rank.... Below the daughters come the male officers of the House: the weapons master (leader of the fighters), (chief) House wizard, and the patron (current consort of the matron mother). These ranks may be combined, and even held by the traditional next rank down in the hierarchy: the male heirs of the House. Male heirs are also ranked by age elderboy, secondboy, thirdboy, and so on.... Beneath these "blood" members and officials of the House rank its common warriors, its craftspeople, its servants, and its slaves. All ranks are decreed, and can be changed at the whim of, the matron mother." The other major social grouping is the Merchant clans. "Merchant clans vary in organization. They are usually headed by an "inner ring" or council of the most experienced and/or wealthy merchant members, and hence are usually led by males (the demeaning and dangerous occupation of trading with outsiders is an almost exclusively male one)". *
Drow society is rife with intrigue, double-dealings, deceit, and duplicity. As such, drow are always "expecting an attack", even in their own homes. It is very difficult to surprise a drow. Also, drow have a natural resistance to magics, and can see in the dark through use of infravision (they see varying temperatures as shades of red and blue). Drow eyes are VERY sensitive to light and so they prefer dim lighting, if any.
Drow consider only other drow to be "people", and treat the other races with utter disdain and disregard (if "weak", such as fairies, goblins, etc.) or a wary tolerance (if "strong", such as demons, mind flayers, etc.). And they have a burning hatred of surface elves. However, since there are so few of us in the Rogue Isles, the drow are "tryng" to be more accepting of the non-drow who are associated with House Darque. With varying shades of success in that regard *chuckles*.
Drow are obsessed with beauty, both personal beauty and beautiful things. As such, their belongings, their armor, werapons, homes, furniture, etc. tends to be highly ornate.
More in-depth drow rp guidelines will follow, for those who want a more complex rp.
- Passages in quotations are excerpted from The Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Second Edition Forgotten Realms Game accessory, The Drow of the Underdark.
