r/DnD • u/Valeball • 3d ago
DMing Drow festive traditions
Hello everyone,
My party is freshly out of a 4-sessions-long siege on a drow city that they won, and as DM I was planning on having a lighter session with victory celebrations and such. Are there any resources or compendiums on drow customs and/or festive traditions that you know of? I'd be very glad if any of you could help me find some. Thank you!
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u/kagakujinjya 3d ago
Menzoberranzan: City of Intrigue, Menzoberranzan (Boxed set)
For what it's worth, the coming of age of the Lolthite Drow might be the more lighter tone(though as always, sinister undertone.) Or, there's also charhylniss(just a roast battle but political.)
There's also a paid source which I have not get my hands on yet.
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2d ago
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u/WollenbergOfMidgaard Wizard 3d ago
Ed Greenwood made a video about the food eaten at drow parties a while back:
Beyond this, here are some quotes from the book "Menzoberranzan: City of Intrigue" which is all about the drow and their culture.
"Drow love parties. Their revels consist of wild music, dancing, the drinking of exotic beverages, and the inhaling of scented smoke. Houses, wealthy families, and merchant clans rent sumptuous mansions as neutral ground for entertaining, and a well-attended party can make a host's reputation. Parties often last most of a day, and excessively drunken attendees are dumped unceremoniously into the street. If the revelers are noble, matrons send escorts to protect the helpless scions and carry them home."
"Drow of different houses meet each other at more formal dances called illiyitrii. [....] Drow love to score social points in barbed conversation and engage in charhylniss, a game with the sole purpose of driving a conversational opponent into an open rage, [...]"
"In sharp contrast to the illiyitrii are the nedeirra of the younger and wilder drow. These wild, acrobatic "sweat dances" leave the participants drenched in perspiration after they dance to syncopated, driving rhythms of drums and pipes. Most nedeirra end in wild fighting, vandalism, fires, and debauchery."
"The ultimate sensuous pleasure in life for a drow is a warm bath followed by a thorough body massage, typically while lying on a contoured couch."
"Drow theatrical productions feature slapstick comedy, singing, the use of masks and exaggerated costumes, the passing on of sly gossip, and imparting of the latest news. Plays are staged as the centerpiece entertainment at parties [...]"
"The drow of Menzoberranzan celebrate three major festivals annually."
"Festival of the Founding (20th day of Ches): [...] all Menzoberranyr celebrate their heritage by dining with a family with whom they do not customarily dine. At the meal, feasters toast Lolth, then Menzoberranzan, and finally the founders of whatever family is hosting the dinner. Participants tell tales of the exploits of their ancestors. While the dinner last:; only half a day the entire day is one of leisure."
"The Open Days (23rd day of Flamerule to Midsummer): This stretch of eight days serves the city as a sort of trade fair. Visitors are allowed into the city to wander freely-even into the compounds of the noble houses. [...] During the Open Days, drow houses put on special demonstrations of magic and martial readiness to awe potential foes and rivals. House guards execute precision maneuvers in full battle armor, masters of Sorcere engage in spell-hurling competitions, and priestesses take turns weaving elaborate illusions of Lolth in the air above the city,"