Offspring of Dark Elves and their Thralls

The 2024 revision of 5th ed D&D, retitled D&D 5.5, removed “half-” species from the game. While this choice was controversial (to say the least), there remains room for characters of mixed parentage. Especially in the Underdark, where the Drow rule over a vast Empire and Drow citizens have virtually unchecked privilege to indulge in their darkest impulses.

The Empire of the Spider Queen

Illustration by Kazetier

I’m going to use this generic name for the Drow Empire in the Underdark to avoid implication of canon, published source material. I also think, by writing this as a roughly generic “Evil Empire of the Dark Elves”, if any DM wishes to utilize the ideas and essays in the DezzyDark (my clever name for this corner of the multiverse).

This distinction also serves another purpose related to my essay Half-Orcs, Half-Elves and Alignment . The Drow of the Empire of the Spider Queen are evil, and cruel and depraved because that is the society they have developed,a Theocracy that worships the Demon Queen of Spiders, a goddess of Chaos and Evil. Millennia of idolization have woven the Demon Queen of Spiders’ dogma into the very fabric of Imperial Society. But, the Drow are not cruel and evil from the womb.

The Empire of the Spider Queen is a class society with Drow Priestesses of the Demon Queen of Spiders at the top and non Drow as second class and worse down to the enslaved at the bottom. This implies that the circumstances of a hybrid birth was not consensual.

Half Drow Ancestries

Imperial Society is hard on the Drow as a people. Being Elves, their natural birth rate is already low. Constant infighting among the different Households and Factions and Wars of Expansion is draining on the Imperial population. But, maybe due to some dark influence of the Demon Queen, Drow can successfully procreate with several different peoples within their Empire.

When designing a character of mixed Ancestry, the following traits may be passed from the Drow parent. Some of these traits replace traits passed from the non-Drow parent, and in any case it is discouraged to add too many Drow traits to the resulting Half-Drow ancestry. The choice, as with most character choices, should be an agreement between the Player and Game Master.

• Darkvision: 60 feet (18 meters) if the other ancestry does not have Darkvision, 120 feet (36 meters) if the other ancestry does have the Darkvision trait
• Keen Senses: Proficiency with the Insight, Perception or Survival skill
• Fey Ancestry: Saving Throws to avoid or end the Charmed condition are made with Advantage. Magic cannot force the character to sleep.
• Drow Lineage: The following cantrip and spells are automatically known and are prepared. The spells may be cast once per day without expending a spell slot. Players must choose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as the spellcasting ability during character creation.
  • 1^st Level: Dancing Lights cantrip
  • 3^rd Level: Færie Fire spell
  • 5^th Level: Darkness spell
• Sunlight Sensitivity: A negative trait, when in direct sunlight, all Perception checks that involve sight are made at Disadvantage

Half Drow/Human

The most common hybrid ancestry in the Empire. Of all the enslaved people in the Empire of the Spider Queen, Humans are the most valued. Indeed, Drow will often raid the surface world for the purpose of abducting humans.

• Type: Humanoid
• Size: Medium
• Speed: 30 feet (9 meters)
• Traits
  • Darkvision: 60 feet (18 meters)
  • Resourceful: Gains Heroic Inspiration every time a Long Rest is finished.
  • Fey Ancestry
  • Versatile: Gain an Origin Feat of the player’s choice.
  • Sunlight Sensitivity

Half Drow/Tiefling

Another common hybrid ancestry. Abyssal Tieflings often find common cause with the Imperial Drow. Several families of Abyssal Tieflings have served Drow households for generations.

• Type: Humanoid
• Size: Medium (rarely Small)
• Speed: 30 feet (9 meters)
• Traits
  • Darkvision: 120 feet (36 meters)
  • Fey Ancestry
  • Resistant to Poison damage
  • Otherworldy Presence: Knows the Thaumaturgy cantrip.
  • During character creation, the player needs to choose between the Abyssal Legacy and Drow Lineage traits.

Half Drow/Hobgoblin

The Drow bear little respect for Hobgoblins, or any Goblinoid, considering them only useful for menial slaves. However, the shared connection to the Fae, allows for occasional hybrid offspring. Half Drow/Hobgoblin are used to command warbands of Goblinoids indentured to Imperial households. In Goblinoid Society, these hybrids often rise to positions of leadership, Cheiftains and Predarchs and Captains.

• Type: Humanoid/ Goblinoid
• Size: Medium
• Speed: 30 feet (9 meters)
• Traits
  • Darkvision: 120 feet (36 meters)
  • Fortune from the Many: On missing an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check, gain an immediate bonus equal to the number of allies visible within 30 feet (9 meters) to a maximum of +3. This ability can be used a number of times each day equal to the character’s Proficiency Bonus (refresh after finishing a Long Rest).
  • Fey Ancestry
  • Drow Lineage
  • Sunlight Sensitivity

Half Drow/Orc

An exceedingly rare hybrid, and many would say “cursed”. These unfortunate souls are not welcome anywhere, rejected by both the Imperial society of Drow and the Tribes of the Orcs. Both the Drow and Orcs consider one another less than people. Orc Tribes see Drow as another version of their cultural enemies, the Elves. Imperial Drow see Orcs as little more than beasts, unsuitable even for slavery.

The Half Drow/Orc physical traits are not appealing when combined. They are misshapen, and considered ugly by the standards of either culture. Unlike other Drow Hybrids, the Half Drow/Orc are shunned and outcast. Living solitary, miserable, hidden lives in the deep tunnels and caverns.

• Type: Humanoid
• Size: Medium
• Speed: 30 feet (9 meters)
• Traits
  • Darkvision: 120 feet (36 meters)
  • Relentless Endurance: When reduced to zero hit points, but not killed outright, remain at one hit point. Can only be used once per day and refreshes after finishing a Long Rest
  • Menacing: Proficiency with Intimidation Skill
  • Savage Attacks: On scoring a critical hit with a weapon, roll one of the weapons dice an additional time and add the result to the damage total.
  • Fey Ancestry
  • Sunlight Sensitivity
  • Outcast: All non-intimidation social checks are made with Disadvantage

Drow Cambion

Cambion are not balanced with other character species options. Because of this, Cambion should be selected only with the agreement of the Game Master.

In Imperial Drow society, the Cambion are the only hybrid Drow that are full citizens, but only those Cambion whose feindish parentage is enthralled to the Demon Queen of Spiders.

• Spider Queen Cambion
• Type: Humanoid, Fiend
• Size: Medium
• Speed: 30 feet (9 meters), Climb 30 feet (9 meters)
• Traits
  • Darkvision: 120 feet (36 meters)
  • Tremorsense: 60 feet (18 meters)
  • Fey Ancestry
  • Keen Senses
  • Drow Lineage
  • Spider Climb: Can climb difficult surfaces, including upside-down on ceilings without needing an ability check.
  • Web Walker: Ignores movement restrictions caused by webs or webbing.
  • Fiendish Charm: Magically charm one humanoid hat can be seen within 30 feet (9 meters)for one day unless the victim can succeed with a Wisdom Saving throw against DC 8+ Proficiency Bonus+ Spellcasting Ability Modifier
  • Sunlight Sensitivity
  • Pull of the Pit: A cambion’s demonic ancestry creates a constant draw towards selfishness, cruelty, and evil. This creates a a Flaw Personality Trait that should the player choose to roleplay, and the consequences immediately and negatively affect the character or their companions, They gain Heroic Inspiration.