Avilion

(History from the coming to Avilion to present)
By: Musa David

PREFACE:

There is already an “Ancient History of the Drow” that covers how the race came into existence, it’s flourishing, the wars, and eventual escape into the underdark and how the drow8 came to be in Avilion. This history is the story of the Drow once they came through the portal that opened in the underdark and explains why drow in Avilion are a little different than drow in other places. As mentioned in the previous book, drow history is very hard to pin down due to the lack of a definitive literary work describing them and the fact that most game and anime manufacturers form the race around their own views of what drow “should” be.

Lady Serenity, Lady Sebina, and Lord Harm have provided feedback and helped form the logical ideas presented here. The drow in Avilion are considered “enlightened” and “free” from the taint and enslavement of Morgoth the Unmaker. It should be noted that the Drow, as a race, are proud of their heritage and, unlike their elven cousins, are extreme in their sense of justice, loyalty, and honor. They are serious, literal, proud, and because of this, see themselves as being stronger and superior to their more accommodating elven cousins.

Currently, the drow worship Eilistree. In order to mesh this up with Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, and Arthurian ledgend, we have made a sort of family tree.

THE PORTAL IN THE UNDERDARK

The portal that lead the Drow of the Underdark to Avilion opened at the same time as the Eldar were called home to Valinor. The Drow were being over run by both the race of men from above and Morgoth’s dark creatures from below. Balrogs, Orcs, Trolls, and even the Dwarves were too much for one race, even a race as strong and uncompromising as the Drow. The drow had no choice but to go through the portal or perish. A last remnant of Drow took to hiding rather than go through an unknown portal, but the vast majority of the Drow went through and ended up in the caves of Avilion.

When they emerged, they found the caves to be rich in flora and fauna and unlike the complete darkness of the underdark, the cave was lit by moonlight. As they were getting their bearings, they saw a Drow with long silvery hair dancing in the moonlight, gleaming, happy, and welcoming. She was beautiful and graceful, wearing only the barest of silks.

At first they thought it was another trick of Lloth, who had, it seemed, forsaken them. But it was Eilistree who had come through the portal well in advance of them. She welcomed them and helped them to establish a base. They tried to close the portal behind them to seal themselves off from any immediate threat. But the Drow are not as skilled in magic as they are in fighting, and so the portal remained open despite every effort. Eventually they managed to collapse part of the cave to seal off the portal.

They established L’Renden and for many years, they thought they lived alone. They applied themselves to hunting in the caves, learning the value of the native fauna and flora, and further refining their already incredible fighting skills. So many years passed that the portal was nearly forgotten until one evening, when the cooking fires had burned down and the Drow were resting, the ground began to rumble and shift. All through that night they watched as the place where the portal had been sealed groaned and heaved. The drow knew what was under all the debris, the great demons of Morgoth, powerful and deadly balrogs. It was the only thing strong enough to shift the mountain of rubble. Rather than running, the Drow decided to make a stand and that night as they stood waiting for what would be a terrible battle, they heard distant voices coming from a path that lead to the sunlit forest above.

Those voices belonged to a large party of elves who had come from Valinor seeking the source of all the rumbling. At first, the meeting was tense and war between them seemed likely, but as they were about to draw swords, the ground broke and a massive balrog came out of the ground. Both Elves and Drow turned together to face the foe. They fought it for several hours and during the fight, another balrog joined the first. Both elves and drow were losing ground, but the elves of Avilion lifted the Horn of Battle and a call to arms ensued. Elves and men, Fae and dragon, and all of those who called Avilion home headed the call.

And there in the dark caves, side by side, drow steel and elven bow, fae magic, and dragon strength, they defeated the Balrogs and sealed shut the portal to the UnderDark. As the wounded were seen to, the drow stopped to honor the only people who had ever helped their race. The elves saw in the Drow, warriors of incredible skill and cunning, and the fae saw the drow as something new to play with. They made peace then and the Drow pledged their swords to the Order of Avilion.

Drow Roleplay in Avilion

Written by Serenity Sieyes and Malakh Giles, included in the Avilion Welcome Kit Information.

Important read (OOC note from the owners of this land):

For those that have a problem understanding the way of the Drow, why they are “mean” or have “attitudes” all I can offer is this: those whom play Drows, real Drows and not the Disney “cute dark elf” Drow, are amongst the most talented Role Players I know. They have to play a race of people that are proud, strong, and war-like because they feel they have to keep their race alive. They have a chip on their shoulder, have a hell of an attitude, and they are considered the “bad guys” all the time.

The only analogy that I can offer, that will help anyone understand, those that watch Star Trek. Drows are Klingons, without the ridges and with dark skin. By entering the Drow city of L’Renden, you WILL be subjected to what you may consider “RUDE” & “ABUSIVE” behavior from the Drows. If you enter L’Renden you need to remember that this is ROLE PLAY; it is not personal.

One rule of Role Play is this: if you are in doubt of how one person is acting towards you, then you go OOC IM and talk to them. But this doesn’t mean you do it every 15 min to make sure. If you are not comfortable with a confrontational environment, then L’Renden is NOT for you.

History:

After the death of the King, some of all the races saw their extinction eminent. As the humans set forth to cause war and famine against their own, many of the Goddess’ creature set forth to the Isle, hoping to save what was left, their last hope. The mist enshrouded the Isle and for many generations these Creatures were safe.

After the Great War amongst the Elves, the Drow were forced underground. When the Mortal Wars came, the Drow chose amongst them those to keep their race alive and set them to travel to the Isle. The proud race that the Drows were, this task was received with anger, for the ones chosen wanted to stay with their brothers and sisters to fight. They did not see this as honorable. So reluctantly they exiled themselves to the Isle.

Forced to leave their home, the Drow kept very much to themselves, building their own community and city underground. As time passed some were able to venture into L’Renden, and those of the Drow community that explored the surface were accepted with open arms, but the pain of their past still burns in their blood.

As the Mist fades, you are granted access by the Goddess, to seek out your heart. On this land among the Elven, Faes, Merrow and more are those known as Drow. Strong, proud, steadfast in their history, and solid in their convictions, these are Drow. As history foretells of this Race, as they entered the Isle they quickly took to the caves and were unseen for many years. As the generations passed, some of the Drows took to the surface, seeking out knowledge of the Isle.

Editor’s Note: Pick up a welcome kit in the Heart of Avilion at the Elven Circle or the Quartermaster’s Office.