quote:
Originally posted by Kaleban:
I just have a hard time believing then that the Drow have this feared and hated reputation throughout the Realms, if the extent of their combats is merely commando-style raids.
If that is the case then why does no one fear the Kobolds or Goblins who, except for abilities, do the exact same thing? An adventurer sees a Kobold party and thinks "easy exp", but switch that out for a Drow party, and the adventurer may think twice (not likely given the average wisdom it takes to take up adventuring, but you get the idea).
Now obviously, a Kobold is not nearly as powerful as a Drow warrior, but to a civilization on the surface, reputations of a species are based on what it encounters and rumours. If the only contact with the surface world and Drow are from occasional raids, I fail to see the logic in ascribing the Drow a reputation such as the one they have! Of course, if the raids are along the lines of Genghis Khan and are constant throughout history, then maybe, but no sentient being could possibly be stupid enough to allow a constant force of raiding and piracy to be within their midst (or below it) without taking some form of retribution!
It just seems rediculous to me. Rces on the surface of Faerun know that the Underdark houses all these baddies. Yet they allow it to continue an be a source of strife, piracy, etc., etc.? Something just doesn't seem right about that.
Kaleban, I strongly recommend you read Salvatore's Drow Elf Trilogy (especially Homeland). If possible read the Legacy of the Drow quartet. It will answer all your questions about the drow. [img]smile.gif[/img]
This is an interesting topic. [img]smile.gif[/img] Realize that the races of Faerun are all fragmented and caught up in their own issues. They are not unified in any sense. The only kingdom that was somewhat unified was Cormyr and with Azoun's death and the attack of Nalavara the Red, the Devil Dragon, that kingdom is full of strife now.
The Dales are fragmented as they've always been, and drow are infiltrating Cormanthyr. Elminster keeps to Shadowdale more and more and meddles in the affairs of the world less and less.
The Silver Marches are unified but they are far to the north and have orc and goblin hordes to contend with, in addition to the newly-reappeared Netherese Empire of Shadow.
Post Myth Drannor, the sun elves have Retreated to Evermeet and don't care about what happens in the rest of Faerun (not that they ever did). The only elven colony of any note in western Faerun is Evereska, and that kingdom has closed her borders to all but their own kind.
Other human kingdoms like Sembia and the other cities of the Inner Sea have more of a commercial bent and couldn't care less about a shadowy enemy far below the surface. They have more pressing concerns such as competing with other human kingdoms like Thay and Mulhorand.
The Sword Coast is a disparate group of cities that don't often get along (Baldur's Gate, Athkatla, Calimshan). Waterdeep stands by itself and doesn't care about what happens outside its borders.
Tethyr has been in the grip of a decades-long civil war and is in no position to enforce peace on itself, let alone its neighbours.
The great dwarven kingdoms of the past are no more.
It took Azoun, the greatest king Cormyr had ever known, to unify HALF of western Faerun to raise an army against the Tuigan barbarians, and even his coalition was fractious and disunited - and that was only because the barbarians were threatening western Faerun and everyone had a stake in them being defeated.
So to summarize - nobody will arrange an army to destroy the drow because a) not every surface kingdom is lawful good; b) they have more immediate concerns; or c) they are all fragmented and disunited, with differing goals and differing interests.
Hope this all helps. I strongly suggest you read the Drow Elf Trilogy if you find this stuff at all interesting. [img]smile.gif[/img]
[ 11-05-2001: Message edited by: Memnoch ]