Evil elves used to be into drugs and demons and smut in D1-3
They subverted the patriarchy and heteronormative expectations
They were a threatening colonial power up to plots on the surface
Then we got a cover that made them a bit too human rather than inhuman obsidian jet black and a playable version and then we got novels about them and every detail about them filled and fixed to the present edition needs. In the mad mage dungeon, we got them engaged in light consensual bondage which seemed kinda tame. That's not enough for me to be able to kill and rob them. So bring back horrible unappealing nasty dark elves that you wouldn't really want to play. When you find a dark elf up to something its safe to assume they have done it for centuries and not the first time.
I always thought they were copies of Melnebone and Pan-Tang in Elric novels.
My faerie lore for species is probably more based on Wikipedia than Tolkien.
The vastest cavern cities used to be on the surface and were buried during past apocalypses including mountains dropped by the gods on them. Dark elves and Bright elves disagree with each other like seasonal opposites but they avoid conflict where elves die. Goblin minions are acceptable and many goblinoids serve faerie and elves as workers soldiers and bailiffs. Dark elves have eve come to terms with orcs and use them as goons or police in their cities and armies. Even ogres and trolls have a place in the city workforce and defence. Dark elves visit here and have their own district. Dark elves and dark dwarves work together to subvert the surface world norms so fraternising with each other annoys their kindred enemies.
Coming Soon?
Svartheim encounters, missions, carousing, A-Z Underland
Starting with quick decor to spice up your ruins and locations
I guess I'll also start with some Svartheim details also
d100 Population of Svartheim from 50,000
01-30 Dark Elves 30% Citizens of the great houses
(d12 Clans 1=spider 2=scorpion 3=bat 3=toad 4=ghekko 5=dragon 6=mushroom 7=beetle 8=centipede 9=olm 10=lamprey 11=rat 12=salamander)
31-40 Other Fey Folk Guests but not equals of the houses
(Fey Folk d8 1=nature spirit folk 2=animal spirit folk 3=dopelgangers 4=half demons 5=eldren 6=foriegn elves 7=dark sprites 8=dark pixies 9=dark dryad 10=dark satyr 11=faerie 12=hag)
41-80 Goblinoids 40% Serfs to buy and sell as cattle
(Goblinoids d8 1-4=goblins 5-7=hobgoblins 8=Bugbears)
(Other types d8 1=norkers 2=boggles 3=gremlin 4=kobolds 5=mutants 6=beastlings 7=darkwalkers 8=shroomlings)
81-90 Other Humanoids 10% Specialist Allies
(Others d12 1=orcs 2=dark gnomes 3=dark dwarves 4=troglodyte lizard folk 5=snake folk 6=hyena folk 7=cave folk 8=humans 9=fish folk 10=rat folk 11=bat folk 12=lamprey folk
91-100 Giants, ogres, trolls 10%
(Others d6 1=ogres 2=trolls 3=hill giants 4=ogre magi 5=formarians 6=cyclops)
demons are less than 1% of the population and transient, do leave children behind
d12 Districts of SvartHeim
1 Royal Palace (sprawling royal palace with own royal prison for posh convicts who can pay
2 Noble District (where nobles live in beautiful cruel palaces with chosen slaves and pets)
3 Temple District (holy quarter where priests, demon cults and wizardry all side by side)
4 Scribes District (administration quarter where eunuchs, civil servants and managers live)
5 Poor District (where the ordinary citizens and goblinoids live)
6 Torture Gardens (wonderous garden of fungus and sadists and masochists)
7 Service District (slave's work areas and barracks, including a prison)
8 Work District (craft guilds, slave sweatshops and big type monsters live in barracks)
9 Vice District (unholy district of perversion for citizens to play or sell themselves)
10 Market District (shopping quarter for all walks of life)
11 Aliens District (foreign quarter where all outsiders must stay)
12 Harbour District (river quarter where sailors of the deep bring goods)
Patrols of Svartheim
1 Official noble youth gangs of districts patrol and harras strangers
2 Half squad section of orcs in spiked plate led by a minor dark elf noble with shortsword
3 Half squad section of hobgoblins in chain with war flails led by dark elf noble riding preferred beast or chariot with favourite minion
4 Gladiators like to practice by starting fights with minor gangs
5 Goblins riding giant bats observe the city and report
6 Six orc bailiffs and two ogres all with clubs collecting money
7 Half squad section of beastmen mercenaries serve a noble clan sweep street clean of things their masters dislike or rival clans
8 Holy patrol of inquisitors with flails and whips who will restrain and torture suspicious persons in the street for the common good. They admire those who don't scream the longest
9 Holy Harlots in their chariot searching for people hot enough to attend a demon orgy back at the temple. Sometimes they send hooded kidnappers later if they don't accept
10 Bugbear leading a squad of marching goblins serving a goblinoid king
11 Pack of animals of one type of various sizes out for exercise and food, strangers are delicious
12 Invisible lesser demons on patrol squeal to masters if trouble on the streets and follow suspicious persons
d12 Street Features
1 Iron lamp posts with glowing insects or crystals
2 Cobblestone road built from basalt
3 Watering trough for riding beasts or slaves
4 Idol of a minor demon a functional shrine
5 Garbage and puddles of maggoty dung smells revolting and might ruin shoes
6 Dead old tired riding beast or goblin left in the street
7 Piles of garbage 1in6 chance of scroungers looking for food or something to sell
8 People hanging around d6 1=unemployed goblins 2=youth gang 3=cult 4=prostitutes 5=drug dealers 6=priest flagellating self angrily about public indecency
9 Parked wagons and carts pulled by various creatures or slaves
10 Performer d4 1=busker singing for supper 2=puppet porno show 3=shell games for cash 4=predictions of the future
11 Merchant d6 1=black marked dealer with big long coat 2=selling snacks from a cart 3=selling goods on a blanket 4=selling mushroom loaf 5=erotic figurines 6=slanderous print about local leader
12 Erotic gargoyles with outrageous huge genitalia, when it rains looks like peeing
d10 Quick Svartheim Decor Types
1 Doors2 Furniture
3 Wall Art
4 Paintings
5 Wall Hangings
6 Pillars
7 Lights
8 Urns
9 Idols
10 Statues
d100 Svartheim Decor
01 Lewd satyr face with lewd tongue on each double doors 1in6 magic mouths announce the entrance02 Erotic large door knockers (a bit cringy) on the heavily bolted door
03 Door handle is a bronze phallus on the elegant lacquered small door that makes some crouch
04 Door has a manacled prisoner attached to the door fed and watered once a day
05 Door of shroomwood covered in erotic fungus designs with frolicking mushroom men and maids
06 Door gilded with geometric insect designs and pieces of amber
07 Door violet lacquered shroomwood double door with silver inlaid design of the dark elf king and queen on each door
08 Door black lacquered shroomwood door with a silver door lock with a demon face. The fave will let you in for some of your blood a d4 HP each person. The owner with these samples can track them anywhere
09 Imp door will let you through for your firstborn child so it can be free. It's a liar but the owner was alerted by a spell and is on their way with minions or every perso
10 Goblin Door with lewd dancing naked winking goblins. As you pass save or door picks the pocket of one object of any passing the owner can retrieve from the shadow lands later
11 Side table with nymphs and satyrs in absurd sexual positions
12 Pedestal with a potted shrieking mushroom trained to scream at certain trigger like "outsider"
13 Living chairs are beautiful, in set of d6, if roll 6 also a table d4 1=warped human slave 2=fungus 3=natural mimick 4=undead warped skeleton
14 Benches and chairs with spikes or woven from barbed wire so nobody wants to sit very long or sleep here
15 Erotic chairs where seated looks like they are on laps of naked mythical hybrid creatures
16 Carved shroomwood toadstools in clusters of 2d4 for servants to sit on, looks a bit rude to sit on
17 Bookshelf with several volumes of small books usually by subject 2d4 1=stories of light consensual bondage in the mad wizard's dungeon 2=lewd poetry of a shapeshifting bard and the creatures they made love to 3=erotic prints and poetry 4=diary of wicked dungeon master and torments they inflicted on religious prisoners
18 Shrine
19 Cupboard with simple peg latch and ornate inlaid opal scenes of the 12 great gods
20 Draws with carved elf orgy scenes containing d4 1=spidersisk stockings and underwear 2=cult robes and unholy symbols 3=amusing lewd shaped mushrooms 4=writhing with tasty bugs for pets
21 Relief carving of dark elves and allies armies crushing enemies. Lots of enemies tormented, executed, sacrificed and enslaved22 Mural of dark elf court and the most important house clan leaders
23 Walls covered in demonic sigil graffiti
24 Scenes showing the hierarchy of elves on top with goblins serving as the working classes beneath
25 Painted scene of the terrible world beyond the city where monsters and mutants and strangers lurk, made to scare slaves and children
26 Carved scenes in the rock of ancestors searching for the current home cavern and driving away original peoples
27 Mozaic tiles on walls showing dark elves and allies fighting a reptilian army with dinosaurs
28 Crumbling painted fresco of some ancient lord of darkness who failed and was forgotten, large chunks of plaster have fallen out leaving gaps in text and art
29 Elaborate tile design with a maze is actually a map of a real location and provides clues to avoid perils
30 Prisoners imprisoned and bricked inside walls moaning fed and watered daily until sacrificed or turned into undead space
31 Painting of Dark Elf noble leader posed heroically with symbols of the clan and others concealed in scenery32 Painting of a famous lost city aeons ago before gods dropped mountains on it
33 Painting of demon orgy in a world of torment ruled over by a dark elf jester god
34 Painting or royal couple consummating their royal marriage in bed chamber
35 Painting of fungus forest nymphs bathing and evaluating lines of near-naked elf knights
36 Painting of the unearthly garden of dark delight where wicked elves go to stop being immortal or reincarnated again
37 Painting of an evil harlequin, if passed the harlequin assassin may follow and kill any who think harm against building inhabitants. If harlequin dies reappears in painting again unless art is destroyed
38 Painting of attractive naked dark elf in a garden, if looked at too long save or stand drooling for ten minutes in a trance. Slapping them or cold water gives an extra save
39 Painting of a monster if passed without right hand sign the monster jumps out and attacks
40 Painting of a human feast scene is a portal to a pocket universe where people repeat the same 24 hours unknowingly. Trapped humans killed a dark elf and don't know their castle vanished centuries ago
41 Tapestry of lusty aroused unicorns chasing goblins in the forest42 Spidersilk macrame wallhangings with d4 1=shrieking fungus in clay pots 2=eldery human entangled in the mess (is really a spider changeling spirit) 3=swarms of baby spiders and egg sacks 4=texturised relief map of kingdom cavern with impressive detail
43 Brass huge platters hang on walls depicting d4 1=various cooked creatures and species 2=actual towns and fortresses of the kingdom 3=still life scenes of arranged mushrooms and funds 4=giant bugs
44 Giant taxidermy mounts attached to walls and a good place to hide stuff) d4 1=giant pinned bugs 2=animal and species heads on plaques 3=stuffed monster 4=stuffed goblins in comical scene
45 Exotic and cruel weapons, shields with extra spikes, serrated blades and cruel weapons like whips and flails
46 Goblins in chains and gibbets and cages and racks or torture equipment
47 Writhing and gagged undead in chains slowly struggling and broken from years of trying
48 Displays of hanging ceremonial objects d4 1=masks 2=ancient decorated skulls 3=musical instruments 4=sexual implements and costumes
49 Flayed skins of slaves and enemies hanging on walls
50 Living fungus grows on walls d4 1=bracket fungus 2=glowing slime 3=obscene purple mushrooms dripping fluid 4=black toadstools in clear slime
51 Mushroom columns and pillars in rows52 Pillars carved with goblins making rude faces and rude gestures
53 Pillars of stone made to look like natural stone pillars where stalagmites and stalactites fused with smaller ones formations on floor and ceiling around them
54 Pillars of standing dark elf rulers and heroes carved into them
55 Columns with text detailing d4 1=millitary records and captured slaves and loot detailed 2=erotic prayers 3=lists of noble house members deceased 4=blasphemous demon lore
56 Pillars with chained prisoners or animated skeletons or zombies
57 Pillars carved with demons tormenting frightened humans
58 Pillars carved with depictions of naked gods
59 Pillars are giant phallus used in ceremonies
60 Pillars covered on breasts or of nymphs presenting bare breasts
61 Bronze penis with light spell turned on or off by clapping62 Magic crystal lamp hanging from a chain attached to the ceiling
63 Glowing slime mould growing on walls and ceiling provides dimm green or violet light
64 Nude faerie figurine holding ever-burning candle wall bracket
65 Tiny coin size glowing naked faerie in a bottle hanging from a hook squeaking for release
66 Crystal candelabra hanging from cering by the chain with magical lights
67 Hundreds of black, white and purple long burning candles burn in wall brackets or ledges
68 Glowing bugs in jars hanging from strings
69 Glowing blue stars on the ceiling light area
70 Glowing waiting lights area d4 1=evil prayers 2=demon names 3=dynastic lists 4=names of lesser gods and spirits who aided builders
71 Rows of huge stone jars of mushroom spoors and truffle oil72 Urn on pedestal with an erotic scene of elf god fornicating with monsters
73 Niches with ashes of favoured slaves and pets with commemorative plaques
74 Giant vase with scenes of elves battling dragons and giants
75 Crystal urns with rune carved skulls inside
76 Jars with bubbling fermented coloured liquids used by alchemists
77 Great crystal vessel growing a dragon inside by alchemists
78 Jars with imprisoned souls inside, a broken angry skeleton appears and fights to be destroyed
79 Jars with strange sticky viscous fluids inside d4 1=mutagen 2=poison 3=green slime 4=ochre jelly
80 Glass vessels with pickled or living goblins inside
81 Idol of an erotic posed dark sprite82 Idol of a winged phallus
83 Naked goddess idol with extra breasts
84 Idol of dark elf praying
85 Idol of a harlequin clown with creepy masked face
86 Idol of underland monster (collect them all)
87 Display cabinet shrine with 3d4 demon idols
88 Niche shrine with idol of deity or spirit or demon
89 Idol dancing lewd goblin
90 Idol of pretty d4 1=sphynx 2=centaur 3=succubi/succubus 4=vampire
91 Statues of frightened petrified adventurers who could be revived by stone-to-flesh92 Statue with an altar of a demon with glowing gem eyes
93 Statue of hero holding a real weapon
94 Statue of a past ruler with the book of laws and a wavy witch knife
95 Guardian statues constructed who attack unauthorised persons in the area
96 Beheaded statue with inscriptions rubbed out of a traitor noble
97 Fountain with an orgiastic scene of statues that squirt water in lewd manner
98 Statue of monster, if passed by enemy comes to life
99 Stone golem statue of a huge warrior hero or god will awake if intruders with weapons pass
100 Statue of the dark elf king and queen in a sacred sexual position
Totally agree about the alignment-neutered Drow. They got turned into mall Goths --- not evil or cruel but still somehow "dark." There was a lot more mystery in general in 1e, but it's all long since been statted out and made familiar. That's why I'll never play a straight Forgotten Realms or other generic D&D game.
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