Drow in 3.5 and earlier were derived from regular elves who were banished from the elven cities on the surface for experimenting with magic they were asked not to utilize, as well as using it for their own nefarious purposes. They fled underground and remained there for thousands of years and for the longest time no one really had a clue of what happened to them, how many there were left, or if they even survived.
He's actually correct in a way. Lolth made a pact with a balor(Wendoni) to mate with members of the ruling families of the Ilythari tribe of dark elves. They became tainted with demonic blood. This happened before they were ever changed to Drow and driven into the underdark but it continued to happen eventually tainting most drow. The tribe of dark elves not affected were the ones from the city Miritar (spelling?) They were cursed anyways along with the other dark elves. I could go on and on...but ya get the jist of it.
He's actually correct in a way. Lolth made a pact with a balor(Wendoni) to mate with members of the ruling families of the Ilythari tribe of dark elves. They became tainted with demonic blood. This happened before they were ever changed to Drow and driven into the underdark but it continued to happen eventually tainting most drow. The tribe of dark elves not affected were the ones from the city Miritar (spelling?) They were cursed anyways along with the other dark elves. I could go on and on...but ya get the jist of it.
Right, according to the more recent series. The original authors said they werent changed to drow - the radiation over thousands of years is what gave their skin their color.
What Im explaining is that the original authors created the lore, then edited the books written by newer underdark authors (the Salvatores and other gen2 material) who are now editing the books written by more recent authors, which contain lore which contradicts the original authors lore on the origins.
Right, according to the more recent series. The original authors said they werent changed to drow - the radiation over thousands of years is what gave their skin their color.
What Im explaining is that the original authors created the lore, then edited the books written by newer underdark authors (the Salvatores and other gen2 material) who are now editing the books written by more recent authors, which contain lore which contradicts the original authors lore on the origins.
Despite my dislike for some of the most recent lore (destruction of the weave, spell plague, altering the cosmic chart), since its backed by wotc as canon its what is to be consisered 'true', or at least the 'most true' in official settings like forgotten realms.
Despite my dislike for some of the most recent lore (destruction of the weave, spell plague, altering the cosmic chart), since its backed by wotc as canon its what is to be consisered 'true', or at least the 'most true' in official settings like forgotten realms.
So between the company who now owns the rights, and those who created the universe in its entirety in the first place, when the lore contradicts, the history changes?
This was one of the reasons 4e was hard to swallow for many old schoolers. It seems that between each new edition, the company decided to have some earth shattering, apocolyptic, plot changing event that forever shattered the way things worked before and brought about the "way it works now". This is all fine and dandy with game mechanics and such, but is down right hilarious when trying to explain alterations in origins.
Drow priestesses just vacuumed the radiation out of the underdark, used it to power the flux capacitor (1.21 jiggawatts!!!) in order to go back in time and crawl in bed with some daemons in order to alter the history of the origin of their entire being ? Musta been a halluva party. Where we're going, we dont need roads. /queue theme music. This is now canon because WOTC said so.
I remember when Salvatore had the argument with TSR editors between first and second edition, when he was told he could no longer call Entreri an "assassin" because 2e "no longer had assassins" as a class, so the terminology had to change. He had to come up with an explanation. Well, hes a fighter/theif/ranger(for the favored enemy human /wink wink) who kills people for money.....what shall I call that....I think assassin is a good term, whaddya say. Or else I have to tell them the "time of troubles" cancelled assassins for the time being because they didnt make their neilson ratings?
Sure Rob, just make sure you remind the audience continually that hes an assassin by occupation. Wed hate to confuse the first gen holdouts and wip them into a frenzy over the fact that we dont have an assassin class in 2e yet.
So whaddy plan do to about Danica, with all the monk changes in 2e....
Forget you guys, shes a full blown first edition monk, not some undisciplined whelp cleric who takes a vow of poverty. She kicks the time of troubles in the face, twice!!!
I dunno, but that's just how it works imo, especially since when it was created it was meant to be ever-changing. That's just how canon with multiple generations is, when new lore describing lolth and corellion came out regarding the dark elves, as far as the universe is concerned that's just how it 'always was'.
It may be that the original creators visions never became realized (especially in gygax's case), but that's just the nature of a fantasy universe that doesn't separate its generations into a multiverse( like with comics). New lore becomes what 'is' and old lore holds less weight every generation that passes that contradicts it.
Comments
You should if you get the chance, tons of fun. I'm a closet nerd, and play about once a week between college, work, bars.
Right, according to the more recent series. The original authors said they werent changed to drow - the radiation over thousands of years is what gave their skin their color.
What Im explaining is that the original authors created the lore, then edited the books written by newer underdark authors (the Salvatores and other gen2 material) who are now editing the books written by more recent authors, which contain lore which contradicts the original authors lore on the origins.
Despite my dislike for some of the most recent lore (destruction of the weave, spell plague, altering the cosmic chart), since its backed by wotc as canon its what is to be consisered 'true', or at least the 'most true' in official settings like forgotten realms.
So between the company who now owns the rights, and those who created the universe in its entirety in the first place, when the lore contradicts, the history changes?
This was one of the reasons 4e was hard to swallow for many old schoolers. It seems that between each new edition, the company decided to have some earth shattering, apocolyptic, plot changing event that forever shattered the way things worked before and brought about the "way it works now". This is all fine and dandy with game mechanics and such, but is down right hilarious when trying to explain alterations in origins.
Drow priestesses just vacuumed the radiation out of the underdark, used it to power the flux capacitor (1.21 jiggawatts!!!) in order to go back in time and crawl in bed with some daemons in order to alter the history of the origin of their entire being ? Musta been a halluva party. Where we're going, we dont need roads. /queue theme music. This is now canon because WOTC said so.
I remember when Salvatore had the argument with TSR editors between first and second edition, when he was told he could no longer call Entreri an "assassin" because 2e "no longer had assassins" as a class, so the terminology had to change. He had to come up with an explanation. Well, hes a fighter/theif/ranger(for the favored enemy human /wink wink) who kills people for money.....what shall I call that....I think assassin is a good term, whaddya say. Or else I have to tell them the "time of troubles" cancelled assassins for the time being because they didnt make their neilson ratings?
Sure Rob, just make sure you remind the audience continually that hes an assassin by occupation. Wed hate to confuse the first gen holdouts and wip them into a frenzy over the fact that we dont have an assassin class in 2e yet.
So whaddy plan do to about Danica, with all the monk changes in 2e....
Forget you guys, shes a full blown first edition monk, not some undisciplined whelp cleric who takes a vow of poverty. She kicks the time of troubles in the face, twice!!!
It may be that the original creators visions never became realized (especially in gygax's case), but that's just the nature of a fantasy universe that doesn't separate its generations into a multiverse( like with comics). New lore becomes what 'is' and old lore holds less weight every generation that passes that contradicts it.
I need say, no more.