Magic as taught by the Drow

Metaphysics

Drow magic is based on the same set of concepts as Elven. Same root exactly. The big difference is in the way Drow and elves view the world, and in the emotional baggage they bring to casting.
Magic, for them, is the power to manipulate and modify their world. It is the ability to control not only their own destiny but that of as many others as they have the power to control. It is direct access to what makes the universe what it is.

Bonuses and Restrictions from understanding of Magic

Identical to that of regular elves.

Moral bonuses/restrictions

As strange as it may seem to talk about Drow Morality, there are a few restrictions on them based on how they view the rest of the world. In particular: Drow are very, very particular about the precise order in which they learn spells. This stems from two things: For the teacher, teaching in a given order makes it easier to gauge the progress of the student. It is easier to tell when the student is getting so good that you might have to do something about them. For the student it is also a benefit -- it makes it easier to make the teacher THINK you are less far along than you really are.

Please note that this restriction has become part of the Fabric of how drow believe you should learn magic and a drow researching a spell would be very careful to research the proper order to learn pre- req. chain for the spell she wants as she would be to learn the spell itself.

Drow, in general, do not share spells with one another, except where required and where there is something in it for them. Why would you want to train someone who would then become a rival and potential enemy? Finding a Drow teacher is an very ticklish business. While all Drow have the potential to be mages, not many have the training.

Bonuses/restrictions by tradition

Some of those milder emotional states common among the Elves are more difficult to acheive by a Drow. Imagine growing up in Drow society (read the description in BBY) and then getting in the emotional state to summon a squirrel. (No, rabid attack squirrels don't count, I'm talking about the cute, fluffy kind.)

Outward signs

Among females There are different variations on the hourglass tatoo. The most dangerous of these carries an hour glass over their Right Breast. The tatoo is enchanted with the time spell. Others include mundane tatoos of hour glasses or spiders and each is located in a different location.

Men use a much more discrete system, akin to the Tuath system of "Who taught you?"

Program/Spell Lists

Without variation, students are first taught things of a utilitarian nature. They then start to study the high-power spells. Often, the truly powerful things must be researched (see the rivalry noted above). Healing spells, especially any beyond Major Heal, are always taught last. If they are taught at all.
There are two ways to learn magic: openly and secretly. Women are taught magic openly. It is in their best interest to learn it, and rapid mastery of high-power spells brings status quickly. Spells taught early on to women come from the elemental colleges, Body, Make/Break, Food, Mind, and Movement. Enchantment and Necromancy are among the first things researched by them.
Men who learn magic openly learn solely things which are utilitarian. Earth, Make/Break, Air spells up to "Create Air" are about the extent of it. Men are not usually taught Food spells.
There is, however, a cadre of magic using males who have knowledge of the Illusion, Movement, Meta, Necromantic, and Enchantment spells. They are extremely secretive.
Over the years, the path to certain colleges has simply been lost to the Drow. They don't deal with such things often enough for anyone to remember how it is really done. (Notice that learning spells solely from a book is *very* difficult in this sort of magic.) These schools are: Animal, Plant, and Sound. Light was lost to them, but Miranda has recently rediscovered it.

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