Drizzt Wanna-bes

Legault · Post by **Legault** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:02 am

Can half-drow go from the the starting place, Skullport, to the surface and be a good half-drow like Drizzt? even though Drizzt was a drow.
Just thought I would ask before I did
thanks

Isolrem · Post by **Isolrem** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:10 am

I think I read "somewhere" that we are not accepting any good drows for quite some time, until the population of evil drows are very well developed, at least.
I think good half-drows (or at least neutral, taking on the Human side) and half-orcs (ditto) would be a more reasonable request.

So yes, I think it is possible, but not immediately, perhaps.

Kregor · Post by **Kregor** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 4:02 am

Half-drow only has the option of being neutral or evil. So no, you cannot come to the surface and be good, nor can you be a ranger.

Also, if the RP would be blatently Drizzt-esqe, it would surely be frowned upon, as Drizzt actually does exist in FK... somewhere, and he's probably the only one who should be RPed like Drizzt.

Zilvryn · Post by **Zilvryn** » Sat Apr 30, 2005 1:21 pm

Drizzt wannabes are why drow are no longer allowed to the surface (which is slightly frustrating for those of us that want to pillage and burn Faerie villages), hopefully people won't start making neutral halfdrow and doing that kind of stuff again..

Isolrem · Post by **Isolrem** » Mon May 02, 2005 8:22 pm

But what about neutrality? And what about half-drows or half-orcs? It seems that these two species might have more likelihood towards goodness, or at least neutrality?

Alaudrien · Post by **Alaudrien** » Mon May 02, 2005 9:19 pm

well not really. orcs by nature are not bright except the rare ones. and the brute strength of an orc with a human mind tends to lead towards a vicious combination really. Some might be big brutish and none to likely nice but a rare one might hold a kind streak. While a half drow tend to from rapeing of slaves in the underdark or what haveyou. And if in that culture atm they would stick to there drow sides to better themselves even though little more than just normal human slaves. While as I said before there might be some of the rare ones who are good it is more likely they would be neutral if not evil. Some might just have the human side be strong in them. Although I think its safe to say neutral they would likely be...just trying to keep themselvesi n a better position.

Kregor · Post by **Kregor** » Tue May 03, 2005 3:48 am

I do believe Half-drow can be neutral (whether chaotic, true, or... I think even lawful??) as far as FK goes, but I am sure it is intended that they will be played strictly neutral on the good/evil axis, not on the "good" side of neutral.

Lysha · Post by **Lysha** » Tue May 03, 2005 3:55 am

Kregor wrote:I do believe Half-drow can be neutral (whether chaotic, true, or... I think even lawful??)

It is True

Isolrem · Post by **Isolrem** » Tue May 03, 2005 8:05 pm

Yeah... I realized my mistake by seeing a neutral halfdrow in WD.

Zilvryn · Post by **Zilvryn** » Wed May 04, 2005 9:44 pm

I am slightly confused about the acceptability of halfdrows after seeing them sitting around MS all day.

I thought that they were going to be as accepted as orcs, or is this no longer the case?

Zilvryn · Post by **Zilvryn** » Wed May 04, 2005 9:57 pm

Nope.

Halfdrow can walk about as they wish..

Kregor · Post by **Kregor** » Wed May 04, 2005 11:02 pm

In addition to the mobs' failure to discriminate against the halfdrow, is that many player-controlled onlookers have sat around chitchatting with the halfdrow like they were just an ordinary half-elf... this includes elf PCs, who would surely never view *any* drow blood with anything short of contempt.
Just because the code puts the word half-drow in the adjective of the char, does not mean that many people would readily recognize the char as anything less than a drow, and even if a char did somehow discern the difference, does not mean they would be welcomed with open arms. It's a disadvantage for being a half-drow.

Lysha · Post by **Lysha** » Wed May 04, 2005 11:14 pm

I have to say, I was surprised as to how many were suddenly friendly to my half-drow. Yes, I would miss the RP if everyone suddenly changed, but oh well. Heh heh. Maybe people could start to get paranoid about her. I enjoyed it when I first walked into the square and scared everyone, having a halfling scream and run away. Every one else was at arms and ready to kill me. Lol it was great! I am pleased to see how there are still some people who are wary of me, and I enjoy trying to talk with them and maybe having someone spit on my boot or something. Keep in mind that maybe half-drow can not be trusted. Keep both eyes open and be careful. Listen carefully to what they say. I have tried to drop hints that there is more to my half-drow that what she says. It is hard being a neutral character. I can't just go kissing babies and making everyone suddenly cuddle-puppy-love to her. Remember, even if she is half human, she is still half Drow.

Isolrem · Post by **Isolrem** » Thu May 05, 2005 5:23 pm

Well, as one of those PCs, I'll tell my standing.
First, my detect evil did not show said half-elf to be of the evil type, and I would trust my faith just as much as my racial stereotypes
Second, I did not realize guards were supposed to kick her out, and if she was allowed to stand at MS I had to assume she was generally accepted.
Third, whatever abomination the drows might be to elves, it is hard for a youth to adopt the hatred of their forefathers, having never really met a drow. If your father lectures you daily about the hideousness of tigers, but you've never met one, you will be more curious than bitter. Of course in Elven society it is rather different, but then again it is a Half-Drow.

Estrild · Post by **Estrild** » Thu May 05, 2005 6:28 pm

Isolrem wrote:Third, whatever abomination the drows might be to elves, it is hard for a youth to adopt the hatred of their forefathers, having never really met a drow. If your father lectures you daily about the hideousness of tigers, but you've never met one, you will be more curious than bitter. Of course in Elven society it is rather different, but then again it is a Half-Drow.

Discrimination *absolutely* applies to youth. It is extremely easy to adopt hatred that your parents have, and it is entirely unconscious. Take America's society and its view on anyone who isn't caucasian. Even with the supposed "erradication" of racism, there are still plenty of people who would not mind going out and lynching (or at least making snide remarks about) those of different skin hues - and they still the same race! - AND we've been trying to put a stop to this for decades.

In Forgotten Realms, racism (species-ism?) is alive and thriving, and in Elven/Drow circles there is absolutely zero pressure to be more tolerant of those outside of the circle. You would without QUESTION have an inborn hatred of them. It's part of your culture and society if you're an elf, and it's an underlining of your culture and society if you are a human. So you can simply dramatically extrapolate from the issues we as players already face today.

For Lysha's half-drow, a few players I know have already expressed irritation at how the roleplay is being conducted regarding it, and I quite agree. As brought up before, a lot of people have not actually seen drow before. You've just heard of them. So unless if your character is particularly well educated - it looks sort of like a drow, it must be a drow. You wouldn't "magically" know it's only HALF-drow, just because the adjective tells you so. ^.^

Algon · Post by **Algon** » Thu May 05, 2005 6:52 pm

Well all I can say is my elf will not be very fiendly at all...and more then likely outright mean to most hafl-drow he meets.......Drizzts is knows all over the land for his exploits and the way he turned his back on his people and decided to follow the goodie path. This would not be the case for any other drow or halfdrow coming into the city, especially a city that has has so many Elves in it. IMHO they would be treated like the orcs that try to get into the city are, they would be hunted down and dealt with.
Just my Two copper

Kregor · Post by **Kregor** » Thu May 05, 2005 8:58 pm

Estrild wrote:
In Forgotten Realms, racism (species-ism?) is alive and thriving, and in Elven/Drow circles there is absolutely zero pressure to be more tolerant of those outside of the circle. You would without QUESTION have an inborn hatred of them. It's part of your culture and society if you're an elf, and it's an underlining of your culture and society if you are a human. So you can simply dramatically extrapolate from the issues we as players already face today.

Very well put, Estirild

The thing that must be understood, with elves, in particular, is that this "racism" is not just something handed down from the parents in oral or written tradition. It is instilled in them from the womb, as the mother passes all of her knowledge of the elven way to her unborn child in reverie. An elven child already has the elven way in its blood and mind when it is born. It cannot be forgotten, or ignored. It is why elven culture and tradition is relatively unchanged over tens of tousands of years. Even Drizz't, for who he is, will probably encounter surface elves who will confront him without question upon sight of him.

There are long standing relations between certain races in Faerun, as in all D&D realms, that failure to RP denies us of the richness of the racial differences in the game. I recall long back, from the original Players Handbook, there was a relation table, that gave players a basic guideline of how their chosen race got along with other races. Perhaps it would be helpful to make a help racerelations file, or even a table on the website, that aids in our RP by showing the general attitude of each player race to another. It's not about denying one's right to direct their own RP, but individual RP should still be within the range of appropriate behavior for a specific race

Isolrem · Post by **Isolrem** » Thu May 05, 2005 10:05 pm

Well, a note on racism. It's seed is generally planted by childhood influences. But the enviroment mostly affects it. In an Elven forest or Silverymoon, the larger Elf population will create a mob that will go to any extremes to justify Elven prejudices. The same Elves, in Waterdeep, where there might be neutrality (though of course now I realize there isn't so there is little point in writing the whole thing), would not find it so comfortable to express his concerns.
My character has no trust towards this half-drow, anyhow. Just some acceptance.

Telk · Post by **Telk** » Sat May 07, 2005 3:04 am

A elf would not be chit chatting/drinking tea with a half-drow. Vice versa the drow are instilled with a deep hatred of surface elves since they are born, they are taught of the 'treachery' that are the elves. And blame them for their banishment to the darkness;hence it would make sense that some of this hatred would be instilled in the half-drow. So I cannot ICly see a half-drow and a elf drinking tea together in the middle of the MS talking politics with the guard watching the bunnies in the clouds float by.

Legault · Post by **Legault** » Sun May 08, 2005 4:45 pm

Well, I certainly don't agree with the bunny thing, but anyway, what about if A half-drow came to the surface, and minded only his or her own business, such as not taking sides in a fight unless it concered him or her?