The Affliction

Drow. The Dark Elves. Those Who Have Turned to Evil. In elven tongues, they are referred to by seveal names: "tirl aukhbhet-ess," "tuer lothnil," and "duiss aszbhar." All of these translate to "The Accursed." The elegant, dark and deadly drow are a hated and feared race.

In the dangerous caverns of the Underdark dwell many horrible monsters, including the drow. Obsidian-skinned kin to elves, this fell race has won mastery of magic -- and a cruel reputation....

Drow society is strongly matriarchal, with females holding all positions of power and responsibility in government, the military, and in the home. Males are effective fighters, and can become priests and wizards of minor power. Outside drow communities, they are rarely encountered without female commanders.

Male-commanded drow groups are generally either *streeakh*, "suicide squads" or are *dobluth* (outcasts) who have rejected the traditional authority-structure of the drow.

Drow have a strong affinity for arachnids. Most of them worship the spider goddess, Lolth, whose priestesses dominate drow society ....

Even among drow who do not worship Lolth, an affinity for arachnids is strong. Spiders and similar creatures often dwell among drow communities, and are prominent in drow sculpture, art, and fashion....

In a Lolth-worshipping drow community, it is a deadly thing to slaw a matron mother who holds Lolth's favor, so mothers may reign for hundreds and even thousands of years, kept alive by the magic of Lolth and the diligent service they perform to get and keep it....

...the worship of Lolth and the summoning of denizens who serve her.

DROW TO ENGLISH A Abban =ally Abbil =comrade,trusted Akh =band,group Alur =better,superior Alurl =best,foremost Alust =in front,facing,in the forefront Aluve =goodbye Asanque =(somewhat ambiguous word) as you wish or Likewise B Bauth =around,about Bautha =dodge,to dodge Belaern =wealth,coinage,treasure Belbau =to give Belbol =gift Bol =item,thing (unknown,unidentified,mysterious or important) Brorn =surprise Brorna =surpises C Cahallin =food (produce or harvest,including raid-spoils,but not hunted game or cooking) Colbauth =path,known way Colnbluth =non-Drow D Dal =from Darthiir =faeries,surface elves,traitors Del =of Doeb =out Dobluth =outcast Dos =you Dosst =yours Dosstan =yourself Draa =two Drada =second Dro =life,alive Duk-Tak =unholy executioner E Elgg =kill,slay,destroy Elghinn =death Elamshin =destiny,the will of Lolth Elend =usual,traditional Elendar =continue,continued,continuing,enduring F Faer =magic Faerl =magical Faerbol =magical item Faern =wizard,magic-worker (of either sex,any race) G Gol =goblin Golhyrr =trick,ruse,trap Goln =goblins H Harl =down,under,below Harl'il'cik =kneel Haszak =illithid (mind flayer) Haszakkin =illithids Honglath =clear thinking,calm,bravery,good behavior I Iblith =offal,excrement,carrion (oath) Ilharn =patron (of House;title) Ilhar =mother,to mother (to give birth to young - not to comfort or rear) Ilharess =matron (of House;title) Ilharessen =matrons Ilindith =aim,goal,hoped-for event Inth =plan,stratagem,scheme Inthigg =agreement,treaty Izil =as J Jabbuk =master (male in charge of some task or office;rank or title) Jal =all Jivvin =fun,play (amusing cruelty,"animal spirits") K Khal'abbil =my trusted friend Khaless =trust (especially misplaced or foolish) Kulg =snag,hitch,blockage (to will,or actual - e.g. debris in a shaft or passage) Kulggen =deliberate rampart,shield,or other barrier Kyone =alert/alertly,wary/warily,careful/carefully Kyorl =watch,wait,guard Kyorlin =watching,waiting,guarding L Lil =the Llar =three Llarnbuss =third Lueth =and Luth =cast,throw,hurl M Maglust =apart,alone Malla =honored (term of respect) Mrimm =guide,key,inspiration Mzild =more N Nau =no Natha =a Nind =they,them,their,theirs Nindyn =those Noamuth =wanderer,lost,unknown O Obsul =opening,door,gap or chink Ogglin =rival,oponent,enemy (active:all creatures are considered potential ogglin) Olist =caution,stealth Oloth =darkness (utter,natural darkness or magical darkness) Orbb =spider Orthae =holy,sacred P Phalar =grave,battle-marker Phindar =monster,danderous being (especially a non-intelligent creature) Pholor =on,upon Phuul =are Plynn =take,seize Q Qua'laelay =disagreement,argument,confrontation (not yet open conflict) Quarth =order (excercise of authority) Quarvalsharess =goddess (Lolth;other goddesses are "quar'valsharess") Quarthen =ordered,commanded Qu'ellar =House (titled noble family) R Ragar =find,discover,uncover Rath =back Ratha =backs Rathrae =behind Rivvil =human Rivvin =humans S Sargh =confidence in weapons,battle-might,strength-at-arms,valor Sargtlin =(drow) warrior Sarn! =beware! warning! Sreen =danger Ssinssrigg =passion,lust,greed,longing,love Streea =suicide,death in the service of Lolth,a House,or a community Streeaka =reckless(ness),fearless(ness) Ssussun =light,brightness T Taga =than Talinth =think,consider Thalra =meet,encounter Talthalra =meeting,councin,parley Thalack =war,open fighting Thalackz'hind =raid,attack from afar Tlu =be,to be Tuth =both U Ul-Ilindith =destiny Uln'hyrr =liar Ultrin =supreme.highest,conqueror ("Ultrine" when applied to Lolth only) Ultrinnan =conquering,victory,to win or prevail Ulu =to Uss =one Usstan =this one (self,I) Usstil =one in my place Ust =first V Valsharess =queen Veldrin =shadows,concealment afforded by varying light Velkyn =unseen,hidden,invisible Vel'uss =who Velve =blade (dagger,knife,sword) W Wael =fool Waela =foolish,unaware/unwary Wun =in Wund =among,within,into X Xal =may,might,perhaps Xas =yes Xun =do,to complete or accomplish Xund =striving,effort,work Xundus =doing,achievement,work completed or manifested in some concrete result Y Yath =temple,of the temple (property,work,or decree) Yathrin =(drow) priestess Yathtallar =high priestess Yorn =power/will/servant-creature of the Goddess (Lolth) Z Zhah =is Z'har =ride Zhaun =to learn,to know Zhaunil =learning,wisdon,knowledge Z'hin =walk Z'hind =trip,journey,expedition Z'orr =climb Z'ress =power,strength,force,dominance (especially of the will - i.e. success in manipulation)

PHRASES Jal khaless zhah waela =All trust is foolish
Oloth zhah tuth abbil lueth ogglin =Darkness is both friend and enemy
Xun izil dos phuul quarthen,lueth dro =Do as you are ordered,and live
Lolth tlu malla;jal ultrinnan zhah xundus =Lolth be praised;all victory is her doing
Ilharessen zhaunil alurl =(Matron) Mothers know best
Lil alurl vleve zhzh lil velkyn uss =The best knife is the unseen one
Lil waela lueth waela ragar brorna - lueth wund nind, kyorlin elghinn =The foolish and unwary find surpirises- and among them,waiting death
Khaless nau uss mzild taga dosstan =Trust no one more than yourself
Nindyn vel'uss kyorl nind ratha thalra elghinn dal lul alust =Those who watch their backs meet death from the front
Ulu z'hin maglust dal Qu'ellar lueth Valsharess zhah ulu z'hin wund lil phalar =To walk apart from House and Queen is to walk into the grave
Kyorl jal bauth,kyone,lueth lil Quarvalsharess xal belbau dos lul belbol del elendar dro =Watch all about, warily, and the Goddess may give you the gift of continued life
Vel'uss zhaun alur taga lil Quarvalsharess? =Who knows better than the Goddess?
Kolsen'shea Orbb - Pull the legs off a spider
Jivvin Quui'elghinn - Torture until death