Dark Elf Society and Naming Conventions

[Imar]

<div></div>(Posted for a friend in the trial, but I am interested too!)Hi!  I am new to the game, and wondering if anyone could point me to a good source of lore for the Teir'Dal.  SO far, I haven't been able to find out too much about them other than they worship a god of Hate and live underground, which is pretty basic stuff.  I'd like to know how closely these elves resemble the Drow of DnD.  Are they a matriarchal society? Do they keep slaves?  What kinds of Dark Elf names are common?  What about Dark Elf slaves?  Can they win their freedom?  And so on. I've make a Shadowknght Dark Elf who is currently a slave trying to buy or force his freedom in some other way.  I'm trying to find out how a Dark Elf would do about bettering himself in current society, and what his surname might become if he gets his freedom. Thanks!<div></div>

[Nocturnal Aby]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Imaret wrote:<BR> (Posted for a friend in the trial, but I am interested too!)<BR><BR>Hi!  I am new to the game, and wondering if anyone could point me to a good source of lore for the Teir'Dal.  SO far, I haven't been able to find out too much about them other than they worship a god of Hate and live underground, which is pretty basic stuff.  <BR><BR>I'd like to know how closely these elves resemble the Drow of DnD.  Are they a matriarchal society? Do they keep slaves?  What kinds of Dark Elf names are common?  What about Dark Elf slaves?  Can they win their freedom?  And so on.<BR><BR>I've make a Shadowknght Dark Elf who is currently a slave trying to buy or force his freedom in some other way.  I'm trying to find out how a Dark Elf would do about bettering himself in current society, and what his surname might become if he gets his freedom.<BR><BR>Thanks! <BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>Though there are a few similarities, the Teir'Dal (elven for Abyss Elf) have a culture and myth that is all their own.  Teir'Dal were created by Innoruuk, the god of Hate milennia ago when he took the first Elven King and Queen, and tortured and twisted them for three hundred years, resulting in the first Dark Elves.  It seems he then placed them in a secluded section of the Underfoot, where their society grew, and eventually broke out onto the surface.  True to their creator, they hate everyone else, and even eachother to some extent.  They are very xenophobic, believe they are superior to all other creations, though they are not above using others to accomplish their means.</P> <P>In the past, they were a very religious society.  Those that didn't follow Innoruuk, though still tolerated within the city of Neriak, were looked down on, and had to work harder to gain the trust of the major houses.  Unlike DnD's Drow, Teir'Dal society is NOT matriarchal, nor is it patriarchal.  Power seems to be held equally by both sexes.  Further evidence of this can be seen in the Maiden's Fancy, something of a brothel that stood in Neriak Commons during the Age of Turmoil.  Here, not only Teir'Dal of no standing could be seen dancing, but so could slaves of other elf breeds, as well as humans, and whatever else a Teir'Dal slaver might be able to lay their hands on.</P> <P>The practice of the Dark Arts was looked on to be one of the best callings one could acheive, easily equivelent with being a priest of the Dark Prince.  Teir'Dal saw Necromancy as Innoruuk's gift to his children.  The calling of a Shadow Knight was also of high standing within society.</P> <P>Many Teir'Dal surnames have a prefix, such as D'Abth or K'Shin.  These prefixes denote a houses ancestral province in the Teir'Dal's kingdom in the Underfoot.  Here is more information on the naming conventions:</P> <P>Teir'Dal names are characterized by a capital letter, or Provincial Designate, such as "L" followed by an apostrophe and a proper name of ancient Elf descent. The capital letter preceding the proper surname was an indication of the province of the underworld called the Underfoot that the proper name hailed from. So two Teir'Dal with names of L'Kar and L'Gez share a common origin in an ancient Teir'Dal province of the Underfoot. In those provinces it is common to run into only those surnames sharing a similar Provincial Designate, but a variety of different Surnames. Only in the larger metropolises of the Teir'Dal empire, such as the capital Neriak, will one find a great variety of Provincial Designates. Teir'Dal names tend toward harsher consonant sounds, with short direct spelling of their names. The true and full names are long, but usually kept private. It is beneath a Dark Elf to share more than the shortest and most basic form of his name with those who do not deserve their attention. <BR><BR><BR><BR>There are some Surnames that are never preceded by a Provincial Designate. Those surnames are known as Liege Names. These Liege Names are the oldest surnames from the dawn of Teir'Dal history and demand respect by any Teir'Dal with the typical Provincial Designate surname. The Liege Names members are of pureblood and are forbidden to mate with anyone that does not bear the same Liege Name. Names such as Punox and Thex are two of these ancient Teir'Dal Liege surnames.</P> <P> </P> <P>There you go!  Hope this helps.</P> <P> </P> <P> </P> <P> </P>

[Gannor]

Wow... Punox... there's a name I've not seen in quite some time. Used to be alot of them around, weren't there?<div></div>

[Rad]

<blockquote><blockquote> <div></div> <hr> </blockquote> <p> Here, not only Teir'Dal of no standing could be seen dancing, but so could slaves of other elf breeds, as well as humans, and whatever else a Teir'Dal slaver might be able to lay their hands on.</p><hr></blockquote>Hahaha...boy, do I remember what they got their hands on... <div></div>

[Gannor]

Hmmmm... didn't they have an Ogre lady down there? I didn't get to visit too much, they always kicked my scaley tail out of the city if they saw me. I do recall that lovely little Inkie dancer. What was her name? Mare X'lottl? Come to think of it's that's where I kept seeing the name Punox as well, one of the guards who most regularly threw me out was of the Punox Bloodline.Ah... the good old days. When I was young, drunk, and evil. I wouldn't give up my quiet life and my mate for anything, butthe adventure of the old days still calls to me once in a while. *grin*<div></div>

[Lasai]

<blockquote><hr>Imaret wrote:<div></div>(Posted for a friend in the trial, but I am interested too!)Hi!  I am new to the game, and wondering if anyone could point meto a good source of lore for the Teir'Dal.  SO far, I haven't beenable to find out too much about them other than they worship a god ofHate and live underground, which is pretty basic stuff.  I'd like to know how closely these elves resemble the Drow ofDnD.  Are they a matriarchal society? Do they keep slaves? What kinds of Dark Elf names are common?  What about Dark Elfslaves?  Can they win their freedom?  And so on.I've make a Shadowknght Dark Elf who is currently a slave trying to buyor force his freedom in some other way.  I'm trying to find outhow a Dark Elf would do about bettering himself in current society, andwhat his surname might become if he gets his freedom. Thanks!<div></div><hr></blockquote>Better yourself by serving the Overlord well.. he cares not for the delusions of doddering old Thexians and fools who live in the past.. or a dead empire forsaken by its so called "God" and destroyed by lesser mortals.Neriak is gone. Hate can serve the Overlord, and with that will come power and rewards. Look not to the past. What race is she who stands by the Overlords side? A Tier'Dal. Prove yourself to Freeport and the Overlord, and you will be slave to no one.

[Cusashorn]

<DIV>dang. Nocturnal hit the nail right on the head.</DIV>

[DreamerClou]

I haven't heard any Dark Elf traditions keeping slaves, servants yes though.  I would like to start a Dark Elf tradition of keeping slaves!  hmm every Dark Elf should have their own Iksar slave.  Since the Iksar have been slaves a couple times in their history its only fitting.   /evil grin

[Nocturnal Aby]

<P>Heh, my character, Raif, knows a Teir'Dal who still works in the slave trade.  And yes, the Maiden's Fancy did have an ogress, and a troll, if memory serves!  Thought the troll might have been a man.  One of the reasons the larger races were there, by their own admissions (interesting dialogue when you hailed them), was to protect the girls.</P> <P>However, the comment made by the Teir'Dal in character is also more common among those found in Freeport.  Many of the dark elves in Freeport have no recollection of Neriak, other than whatever their imaginations have formed when being told bedtime stories from their parents and grandparents.  The Teir'Dal loyal to the Overlord...truly loyal, have seen rewards that are most likely being comprehension to those who have not seen them.  As the example given, the Foci, Opal Darkbriar, has power within the Empire that few aven fully understand, including myself.  His right hand is another Teir'Dal, Tayil N'velex...you may have seen her around a time or two...but it would be smart not to underestimate her.</P> <P> </P> <P> </P> <P> </P>

[DreamerClou]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Nocturnal Abyss wrote:<BR> <P>Heh, my character, Raif, knows a Teir'Dal who still works in the slave trade.  And yes, the Maiden's Fancy did have an ogress, and a troll, if memory serves!  Thought the troll might have been a man.  One of the reasons the larger races were there, by their own admissions (interesting dialogue when you hailed them), was to protect the girls.</P> <P>However, the comment made by the Teir'Dal in character is also more common among those found in Freeport.  Many of the dark elves in Freeport have no recollection of Neriak, other than whatever their imaginations have formed when being told bedtime stories from their parents and grandparents.  The Teir'Dal loyal to the Overlord...truly loyal, have seen rewards that are most likely being comprehension to those who have not seen them.  As the example given, the Foci, Opal Darkbriar, has power within the Empire that few aven fully understand, including myself.  His right hand is another Teir'Dal, Tayil N'velex...you may have seen her around a time or two...but it would be smart not to underestimate her.</P> <P> </P> <P> </P> <P> </P><BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR>The Maiden's Fancy also had a Half-Elf in one of the back rooms.  Her last name was Ironforge...  The same Ironforge's from Qeynos.