Station in Drow Society

Your station as a drow determines your place in the society of Kalan-G'eld. Station is divided into two types: house rank and personal esteem.

House rank determines a house’s station in relation to other houses within the city. W hile even the noblest drow cannot directly command drow of other houses, members of a lower-ranked house must give deference to members of a higher-ranked house or face the consequences of angering powerful rivals.

Personal esteem, represented by an individual’s Worth score, determines a drow’s station within her house. Each drow character starts with a Worth score of 0, modified by the circumstances of his or her birth. A drow can gain and lose Worth in a variety of ways. The Worth Modifiers table provides some criteria that raise and lower a drow’s Worth during his or her lifetime. Your DM can rule that other events raise and lower your Worth as well.

A drow’s Worth is affected only by publicly known events. If a drow slays enemies of her house but no one knows about it, then that character’s Worth is not affected. Drow usually choose to spread rumors about their deeds rather than openly talking about them, since they prefer not to appear desperate to climb the social ladder.

The only exception to this is that gains and losses of worth due to the respect or disrespect of Lolth do not require public acknowledgement. Lolth and her yochlol handmaids spy on her followers constantly, and spread word of their deeds and misdeeds to priestesses of Lolth.

Worth at Birth

'+5	Born female
-5	Born male
'+4	Female or male born to Matron Mother
OR +2	Born into Matron Mother’s extended family
OR +1	Born into a drow noble house
OR -20	Born outside of a drow noble house

Worth Modifiers

'+5	Become Matron Mother Graduate from Arach-Tinilith Become a high priestess of Lolth Receive public recognition of Lolth’s favor
'+4	Become House wizard Create a new spell or prayer to Lolth Pass a Test of Lolth Slay a personal rival Priestess of Lolth
'+3	Become House weapon master Complete a major quest for your house Graduate from Sorcere Slay powerful enemies of your house Humiliate a rival in public
'+2	Become House patron Being acknowledged by Matron Mother Betray someone and get away with it Slay significant enemies of your house Survive an ambush or assassination attempt Arcane Class Related or non-Lolth Priest
'+1	Complete a minor quest for your house Gain a level Graduate from Melee-Magthere Embarrass a rival in public Slay minor enemies of your house Win a public competition
-1	Go a month without gaining Worth Let an insult to Lolth pass unanswered Lose a public competition Suffer minor public humiliation or betrayal Fighter class related
-2	Back down from a conflict Disobey a superior Endure an insult to your house without seeking revenge Display a weak emotion (love, kindness)
-3	Let an insult to yourself pass unanswered Perform menial labor or other slave work Show mercy Suffer major public humiliation or betrayal
-4	Disobey a priestess of Lolth Endure an insult to your person Pass up an opportunity to slay elves Speak ill of Lolth Strike a drow female (only males)
-5	Disobey a Matron Mother Receive a public manifestation of Lolth’s disfavor Be thrown out of your noble house

Personal prestige

Each house has nine tiers of personal prestige in its hierarchy, each one associated with a range of Worth values that is particular to each house. There is no ceremony or event that marks moving from one tier to another. W hen a drow obtains or loses enough Worth to change his or her tier, the rest of the drow in the house instinctively recognize the change and respond appropriately.

To move from Tier 0 (where most drow begin) to Tier 1 requires a gain of Worth sufficient to make the drow’s Worth score equal to the house’s power rating.

After that, advancing to the next higher tier requires a further gain of Worth equal to the house’s power rating multiplied by the next tier’s number. The mechanic works into the negatives as well.

For example, House Do’Urden has a power rating of 9. Therefore, a drow needs a Worth score of 9 to attain Tier 1. The drow then needs another 18 Worth points (9 x 2) to reach Tier 2, or a total Worth score of 27. Attaining Tier 5 would require a Worth score of 144. Filling the boots of Matron Malice will take decades of accumulation of personal worth.

Drizzt went in the opposite direction. When his Worth reached -9, he descended to Tier -1. When it reached -27, he dropped to Tier -2. Since House Do’Urden was about to go to war, Matron Malice decided to sacrifice Drizzt to regain Lolth’s favor.

After Drizzt fled the city, he fell to Tier -3, but House Do’Urden was prevented from taking his life.

Benefits of Station

Most drow wield influence in the City, more so if they are noble born and female. Even in the wilds of the Underdark, those of your race are regarded with grudging respect, if not outright fear.

The benefits of station described in this section are meant to model the extent of a drow’s influence within a Kalan-G'eld campaign.

If your Dungeon Master adopts this optional system, your drow character gains access to certain benefits of station. Each of these benefits provides a noncombat ability that you can use to gain specific advantages in and around Kalan-G'eld.

Benefits of station are cumulative. For example, at Tier 3, you enjoy the benefits of that tier and the two lower ones. Conversely, if you lose enough Worth to drop a tier, then you lose the benefit of that tier until you reach it again.

In addition to these direct benefits, station also affects social interaction. W hen drow of the same house are interacting with each other, a drow of a higher tier gets a bonus to all interaction skill checks equal to the number of tiers of difference, while the drow of lower worth gets a similar penalty to all such checks.

Tier - 3 : Sacrifice

You are a blight on the reputation of your house, and your very existence is a threat to the house having the all-important favor of Lolth. The priestesses will sacrifice you on an altar to Lolth at the first opportunity. You must scrounge for your basic needs, because your house gives you nothing. If you are not yet a prisoner, your accommodations (if you have any) are the most wretched in the house.

Tier -2 : Expendable

Your worth is so low that your continued existence is not important to the house. More powerful drow will use and dispose of you for their own gain. The house gives you substandard equipment to perform your duties. Your accommodations are unsanitary and unpleasant.

Tier - 1 : Drudge

You aren’t worth much in the eyes of the matron mother. To her, you are just another in the mass of low-stationed drow. The house does you no favors and will make few efforts to help or protect you. The house gives you used equipment to perform your duties. Your accommodations are cramped and crowded.

Tier 0: Member

You have done little to prove your worth. The matron mother barely notices you, and higher-ranking house drow command you to do menial tasks. The house gives you standard equipment to perform your duties. Your accommodations are spartan and severe.
Must contribute six-tenths of all adventuring/mercantile profits to the house and undertake whatever tasks or quests the house demands.

Tier 1 : Aspirant

You’re not completely without value in the eyes of the house mistresses. You have some level of authority and can command lesser drow of the house. The house gives you quality items to perform your duties. Your accommodations are drab but not uncomfortable.

Benefit: Once per week, you can ask a sage, a spy, or other appropriate informant one question. It can be about obscure lore, members of rival houses, your Underdark surroundings, or any other subject the DM deems it possible to find someone to ask about. The information you receive will be accurate, although potentially incomplete.
Can call on the house for assistance with endeavors that directly benefit the house. Assistance will be spells and equipment equal to one-tenth of the total equipment value for your level. Must contribute four-tenths of all adventuring/mercantile profits to the house and undertake whatever tasks or quests the house demands.

Tier 2: Favored

You are a promising member of your house. Higher-ranking drow will consider you for minor leadership positions and might include you in their many plots. Your house provides you with high-quality equipment to perform your duties. Your accommodations are comfortable but not lavish.

Benefit: Once every two weeks, you receive material assistance from someone else in your house or another associate who wants to curry favor with you.

You can use this benefit to bring about one of the following events.

♦ You gain hard-to-acquire material objects worth a total of 100 gp or less.

♦ A cleric or wizard of your level casts a spell for you. You must pay all component costs.

♦ You receive an invitation to an exclusive social occasion.

♦ You are informally introduced to a powerful noble. You can also use any of these benefits on behalf of another drow you want to assist.
Can call on the house for assistance with any endeavors. Assistance in house quests will be spells and equipment equal to one quarter of the total equipment value for your level, or up to one-tenth total value on personal quests. Must contribute three-tenths of all adventuring/mercantile profits to the house and undertake whatever tasks or quests the house demands.

Tier 3: Scion

Your worth is noted by all within your house. The house matrons will consider you for significant leadership positions and for inclusion in their schemes. At the same time, your competence marks you as a rival to be watched or eliminated by other leaders. Your house grants you superior and possibly magical items to perform your duties. Your accommodations are pleasant and relatively spacious, but not private.

Benefit: Once per month, you can request and receive a formal audience with your house’s matron mother, house weapon master, or house wizard. This audience lasts no more than ten minutes.
Can call on the house for assistance with any endeavors. Assistance will be equal to one-quarter of the total equipment value for your level. Must contribute two-tenths of all adventuring/mercantile profits to the house and undertake whatever tasks or quests the house demands.

Tier 4: Peer

Your worth to the house is without question. The matron mother will consider you for a primary house position, such as high priestess, house wizard, or house weapon master. You are a major player in all house intrigue, and you play for high stakes, up to and including your life. Your equipment is among the best the house has to offer. Your accommodations are large, elaborately furnished, and private.

Benefit: You can hold meetings in your private accommodations without worry of observation. You gain three noncombatant servants who attend to your needs. You gain also gain a competent drow of your level minus three and a class of your DM’s choice as a lackey. This lackey can run more demanding errands for you or handle significant matters while you are otherwise indisposed. I f any of the servants or the lackey are slain, you can replace them one month later.
Can call on the house for assistance with any endeavors. Assistance will be equal to one-quarter of the total equipment value for your level. In addition, you gain Leadership as a bonus feat; all your cohorts and followers are drow. Any cohorts or followers who are lost are not replaced until you gain further status in the house. Must contribute one-tenths of all adventuring/mercantile profits to the house and undertake whatever tasks or quests the house demands. 

Tier 5: Eminence

You are the ultimate authority in your house. All others in the house bow before your power and worth. If you are not the matron mother, then you are the power behind her throne. If you are female, it’s only a matter of time before you kill her and become the matron mother.

If you are male, you take secret or even overt delight in thwarting the established matriarchy. You have access to any equipment the house possesses. Your accommodations are the best in the compound.

Benefit: You can command any drow in your house of lesser Worth. Once a month, you can demand a formal audience with the matron mother, house weapon master, or house wizard of any other house.
Can call on the house for assistance with any endeavors. Assistance will be equal to one-quarter of the total equipment value for your level.
Any followers you gained through your bonus Leadership feat, but have since lost, are now replaced, and further losses are replaced at the rate of one individual every 1d3 weeks. The house no longer demands tasks of you, but you should still work on its behalf to keep its strength and yours at its peak.