Spoilers…of Genius!

As I mentioned yesterday, Pathfinder’s Second Darkness Adventure Path has arrived, with Greg A. Vaughan’s “Shadow in the Sky” kicking things off.

Since this blog tends to deal in issues of subraces and cultures, here’s what’s of interest to us. But if you’re a player, hold off reading, because this post has some spoilers.

The Good
The major elven subraces split as a result of a coming cataclysm. Some left the world of Golarian to escape it, some stayed sheltered from it in remote jungles and the polar regions, and some were caught up in it. Some of these latter would become drow after exposure to radiations from Rovagug, god of wrath and destruction.

I like this a lot, because it recalls the elves of Tolkien, who sundered into subraces because of their varying degrees of love for and engagement in the world, and whether or not they answered the call of the Valar. Hooray for giving a nod to the classics!

Drow have tapped aboleth magic capable of pulling asteroids out of orbit. Now that’s just cool.

Elves who turn to great evil spontaneously become drow. I guess great minds think alike, because last month I suggested a similar transformation. But my suggestion was to have it happen in a directed manner—as the result of a curse or as a punishment inflicted by elven society on outcasts as they were to be exiled.

But to have it just happen spontaneously? That’s simply awesome, and it takes my idea a step further than I'd been brave enough to take. (That’s why I’m a fan and the Pathfinder guys are professionals.) Imagine cornering an elven antagonist and have him suddenly morph into a drow right in front of you! Now that’s good adventuring.

Note that not all evil elves necessarily become drow, which adds a further layer of mystery and suspense—where is the line? What foul acts or vileness in spirit tip an elf over the edge into darkness? I'm eager to see how this plays out.

The Bad
Drow are purple. Yep. Dark purple. Dark blue or gray, too.

Yikes. But I guess I can’t blame Paizo. Truly black skin must be hard to paint—every artist who’s tackled the drow has had to wrestle with this one. (Downer was definitely gray. Jeff Easley made Drizzt so light in some pictures he was practically cream!)

Oh well. Dark purple it is. Bring on the evil eggplants!