Can you guys help me find out how to play this character (and not be annoying)

[SangoProduction]

I could also be an Aranea (a shape-changing spider thing). She's a devout follower Lolth, but in the past year or so, she's seen the collapse of Drow civilization on the cusp of happening. War, slave revolts, and in-fighting are driving down the Drow numbers much faster than the long-lived elvish race can reproduce. She then heard Lolth's request, and so she leaves the Underdark to act as an emissary of the Drow society, and better the relations for the Drow with the outside world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB6zsglpFSg - Theme song

This was my short description, for a potential character I could play (inspidered by one of the forums here). Thing is, I'm not really sure what I would do with the character, neither personality or build wize. Clearly, her goal would be to improve relations for the drows, but...how? Clearly, she's going to try and end hostilities that she knows about. Perhaps she would be an enchanter so that when words alone don't work, she'll force people (particularly drow) to stop fighting.

But, aside from spells, how would she actually "act as an emissary of the Drow", especially without official acknowledgement from an actual Drow society? It could probably be worked in that she is official, but let's assume she's not, as whoever acknowledged it was probably stabbed in the back right as she left.

Does she just walk in to a town and announce that she is an emissary? That sounds like a good way to get yourself killed if there was any actual need for one. Perhaps she does quests for whomever is in charge, and then after completing them, reveal that she was from the Drow lands to offer a message of peace? Would that work?

What are some good, short quotes I could say every once in awhile to show support of Lolth or the Drow society at large? More importantly, even though I doubt it would ever happen, what would she do to fix Drow society itself, once she's handled outside relations as best as possible?

So, for the mechanics, I guess I'll be going Wizard (Enchanter). But my mastery of PRCs and feats...and items...and spells... are woefully lacking. What are some good ways to penetrate spell resistance (aside from using Spell Resistance: No spells from Conjuration), in case she actually runs in to a drow? Not to mention, I think elves have bonuses vs enchantment, but it should be pretty easy to make the DC higher than they could resist.

[XionUnborn01]

She's devout and knows she's trying to fix relations. Obviously you wouldn't just walk into a dwarven stronghold and start shouting how you were sent by lolth. This is a character that might honestly have a lot of boring time. You'd probably spend a lot of time talking to kings/mayors/emperors/whatever attempting to fix relations. There's one of two ways to play the character; Either skirting the question of being an officially sent emissary by not directly answering it or trying to convince the outside world that you're really sent by lolth and you have pure motives.

Being an enchanter won't exactly make everyone easy about dealing with you once they find out. Maybe being a wizard turned cleric would be a way to build the character. When she saw the collapse of the society, she focused on devotion over magic and was blessed with a new kind of magic to spread the relations of the Drow.

Depending on her station in society, she might have some Drow artifacts or relics that aren't sacred which could be given as tokens of friendship. Depending on her alignment and how well she understands other societies, she might even bring the bones of fallen dwarves/gnomes/whatever to let them be laid to rest in their homes.

[Geddy2112]

Thing is, I'm not really sure what I would do with the character, neither personality or build wize. Clearly, her goal would be to improve relations for the drows, but...how? Clearly, she's going to try and end hostilities that she knows about. Perhaps she would be an enchanter so that when words alone don't work, she'll force people (particularly drow) to stop fighting.
How and why are important-she wants to save the Drow, so she is going to ask others for help. Do you think forcing people is going to be a long term solution? A charm person or dominate person here and there will help, but it won't fix an entire society and convince the world to help. It could backfire and confirm sterotypes that drow are just manipulative sociopaths who will use anybody like a pawn.


But, aside from spells, how would she actually "act as an emissary of the Drow", especially without official acknowledgement from an actual Drow society? It could probably be worked in that she is official, but let's assume she's not, as whoever acknowledged it was probably stabbed in the back right as she left.
The same way anybody else asks anyone else for help. You don't need the blessing of the community to go ask for help, just do it. You could try saying hello, introducing yourself, and being polite. Slinging enchantment spells to get people to do as you please also works, but it is akin to the hostile route of "help us or else". I don't suggest this, again, if the society needs help then they probably are not ready to launch a war, so it would be a good way to get killed. Use diplomacy-seek peace with those you are at war with, ask allies for help with resources or whatever it is you need.


Does she just walk in to a town and announce that she is an emissary? That sounds like a good way to get yourself killed if there was any actual need for one. Perhaps she does quests for whomever is in charge, and then after completing them, reveal that she was from the Drow lands to offer a message of peace? Would that work?
In some towns you don't want to keep your motives secret,but in others you do. You should know where you are and what the relation is with drow. Also, most towns won't kill a diplomat on the spot if you come to peacefully discuss something. You could also offer trade, or straight up ask for a loan, or peace, whatever it is the drow need.If they say no, then doing quests for the village may help, and you can request their aid/peace/whatever as payment.


More importantly, even though I doubt it would ever happen, what would she do to fix Drow society itself, once she's handled outside relations as best as possible?
Honestly the biggest problems with the Drow are the Drow. Getting peace with the outsiders requires the outside world, but infighting and slave revolts are something the drow will have to fix on their own. Somebody has to lead, maybe you could come back with an allied army and take over. Or do away with slaves, or create a situation where more drow are born.


So, for the mechanics, I guess I'll be going Wizard (Enchanter). But my mastery of PRCs and feats...and items...and spells... are woefully lacking. What are some good ways to penetrate spell resistance (aside from using Spell Resistance: No spells from Conjuration), in case she actually runs in to a drow? Not to mention, I think elves have bonuses vs enchantment, but it should be pretty easy to make the DC higher than they could resist.I don't think enchantment is the best way, I would go with diplomacy first, enchantment second. A bard is a much better idea, and you still have a decent selection of enchantment spells but lots of other ways to make people like you than to spam magic. If you cast a spell on a village leader, and guards see, they may attack you. If somebody identifies it as an enchantment spell, they will likely attack you. If the spell fails, the leader will know you tried something and not like you. Again, you might as well just kill everybody that does not like the drow and get peace that way if you wanna go the wizard route. Silent and still spell metamagic will help you hide your casting. You will want spell focus-enchantment and to max your casting stat to boost the DC. Spell penetration and greater spell penetration will help get through spell resistnace.

[SangoProduction]

She's devout and knows she's trying to fix relations. Obviously you wouldn't just walk into a dwarven stronghold and start shouting how you were sent by lolth. This is a character that might honestly have a lot of boring time. You'd probably spend a lot of time talking to kings/mayors/emperors/whatever attempting to fix relations. There's one of two ways to play the character; Either skirting the question of being an officially sent emissary by not directly answering it or trying to convince the outside world that you're really sent by lolth and you have pure motives.

Being an enchanter won't exactly make everyone easy about dealing with you once they find out. Maybe being a wizard turned cleric would be a way to build the character. When she saw the collapse of the society, she focused on devotion over magic and was blessed with a new kind of magic to spread the relations of the Drow.

Depending on her station in society, she might have some Drow artifacts or relics that aren't sacred which could be given as tokens of friendship. Depending on her alignment and how well she understands other societies, she might even bring the bones of fallen dwarves/gnomes/whatever to let them be laid to rest in their homes.

Yeah. I was thinking cleric to begin with, as she was written as "devoted". However, if drows get engaged in a conflict, then it doesn't matter what she does as emissary, tensions will rise, and so the Enchanter part was to stall or stop any such assaults she comes across. The bodies of the dead seems like a good idea.


How and why are important-she wants to save the Drow, so she is going to ask others for help. Do you think forcing people is going to be a long term solution? A charm person or dominate person here and there will help, but it won't fix an entire society and convince the world to help. It could backfire and confirm stereotypes that drow are just manipulative sociopaths who will use anybody like a pawn.

The goal of the enchantment is to prevent tensions from rising to a fight, not to control a bunch of people, but that is a good point.



The same way anybody else asks anyone else for help. You don't need the blessing of the community to go ask for help, just do it. You could try saying hello, introducing yourself, and being polite. Use diplomacy-seek peace with those you are at war with, ask allies for help with resources or whatever it is you need.

What sort of resources should be asked for?


In some towns you don't want to keep your motives secret,but in others you do. You should know where you are and what the relation is with drow. Also, most towns won't kill a diplomat on the spot if you come to peacefully discuss something. You could also offer trade, or straight up ask for a loan, or peace, whatever it is the drow need.If they say no, then doing quests for the village may help, and you can request their aid/peace/whatever as payment.

OK. That's useful. Thanks



Honestly the biggest problems with the Drow are the Drow. Getting peace with the outsiders requires the outside world, but infighting and slave revolts are something the drow will have to fix on their own. Somebody has to lead, maybe you could come back with an allied army and take over. Or do away with slaves, or create a situation where more drow are born.

Yeah, but the campaign isn't happening in the Underdark (yet, if at all), so it's not something I can influence until later. Her goal right now is to better relations so that war is not one of the things that is hurting them.



I don't think enchantment is the best way, I would go with diplomacy first, enchantment second. A bard is a much better idea, and you still have a decent selection of enchantment spells but lots of other ways to make people like you than to spam magic. Silent and still spell metamagic will help you hide your casting. You will want spell focus-enchantment and to max your casting stat to boost the DC. Spell penetration and greater spell penetration will help get through spell resistance.


Diplomacy is kinda a given, but yes. The idea of a bard does seem to kinda fit to sing the praises of Lolth. Thanks for the mechanical recommendations.

[Geddy2112]

What sort of resources should be asked for?
Her goal right now is to better relations so that war is not one of the things that is hurting them.

Well, resources might not be needed if you are asking for peace. Also, it will be harder to just ask for peace if you don't have any backing of Drow society,so it requires a bit more finesse. Since the drow are infighting and dealing with slave revolts,it is probably safe to say they are not going around attacking others. You could inform villages and kingdoms that the Drow are (at least temporarily) ceasing hostile actions against neighboring tribes and villages, and ask that said tribes and villages do the same. By doing some quests, making some offerings, etc you can probably get these kingdoms to back down and at least suspend hostilities.

If you go to a Drow friendly kingdom, you could ask for basic supplies to be sent, that the Drow need surface aid,and even a small amount would be appreciated. Only do this to allied groups-never tell your enemies the Drow are losing and need help. With revolts and infighting, basic resources like food, potions and other items are probably in high demand. Granted, the rest of the drow might be too cold hearted to accept these as a friendly gesture and just take them without a thought. It could help if they are not all monsters, but this would work best if you had a faction of Drow who thought like you, or at least a group you supported to lead so they could get these things.

Later in the campaign(or in the afterwards) you could come back as the hero who made peace with the surface and maybe lead yourself, or maybe no war alone was able to make the drow society return to normal. Also, this gives you a great reason to travel with the party, as you want to go everywhere and make peace with everyone. Obtaining loot from dungeons helps you do this, so you always have a reason to go on the next quest!

[SangoProduction]

Well, resources might not be needed if you are asking for peace. Also, it will be harder to just ask for peace if you don't have any backing of Drow society,so it requires a bit more finesse. Since the drow are infighting and dealing with slave revolts,it is probably safe to say they are not going around attacking others. You could inform villages and kingdoms that the Drow are (at least temporarily) ceasing hostile actions against neighboring tribes and villages, and ask that said tribes and villages do the same. By doing some quests, making some offerings, etc you can probably get these kingdoms to back down and at least suspend hostilities.

If you go to a Drow friendly kingdom, you could ask for basic supplies to be sent, that the Drow need surface aid,and even a small amount would be appreciated. Only do this to allied groups-never tell your enemies the Drow are losing and need help. With revolts and infighting, basic resources like food, potions and other items are probably in high demand. Granted, the rest of the drow might be too cold hearted to accept these as a friendly gesture and just take them without a thought. It could help if they are not all monsters, but this would work best if you had a faction of Drow who thought like you, or at least a group you supported to lead so they could get these things.

Later in the campaign(or in the afterwards) you could come back as the hero who made peace with the surface and maybe lead yourself, or maybe no war alone was able to make the drow society return to normal. Also, this gives you a great reason to travel with the party, as you want to go everywhere and make peace with everyone. Obtaining loot from dungeons helps you do this, so you always have a reason to go on the next quest!

OK. I like it.

[atemu1234]

OK. I like it.

Also, Master Specialist is halfway decent. Enchanters are difficult to optimize, but ban Evocation and... I don't know, maybe necromancy.

[Willie the Duck]

The ECL on an Aranea is going to be a problem for playing an enchanter.

If I may ask, why is she doing this? As far as I know, Araneas aren't even remotely related to drow.

[SangoProduction]

The ECL on an Aranea is going to be a problem for playing an enchanter.

If I may ask, why is she doing this? As far as I know, Araneas aren't even remotely related to drow.

Yeah, a +7 ECL for stuff that really doesn't help an enchanter (save for 3 sorcerer casting levels...which don't seem to stack...). I'm just playing it because it's the only chance I have to play a monstrous race, so I want to make use of it. Sure I can do a hell of a lot better with pretty much anything else, but meh. This isn't a high OP game.

She's doing it because that's the background I had laid out for her. One way or another, she became a devout follower of Lolth, perhaps due to some subset of drow taking her in, and was requested to make better the relations by Lolth.

[Red Fel]

She's doing it because that's the background I had laid out for her. One way or another, she became a devout follower of Lolth, perhaps due to some subset of drow taking her in, and was requested to make better the relations by Lolth.

This is the part I don't get. Why would Lolth want to better Drow relations with the outside world? Lolth thrives on the absolute chaos of an insular Drow society, and the total xenophobia between Drow and anyone else. Whenever Drow leave Drow society for the outside, they end up either dead or worshiping Eilistraee. What does Lolth get out of sending someone to be a Drow emissary?

[SangoProduction]

This is the part I don't get. Why would Lolth want to better Drow relations with the outside world? Lolth thrives on the absolute chaos of an insular Drow society, and the total xenophobia between Drow and anyone else. Whenever Drow leave Drow society for the outside, they end up either dead or worshiping Eilistraee. What does Lolth get out of sending someone to be a Drow emissary?

Because if they die out, then Lolth loses her powers, since Drow are kinda her worshippers , for the most part? Alternatively, it wasn't Lolth at all, but someone who can use telepathy to impersonate her...of which I can think of quite a few Underdark creatures with psionics, even disregarding the classes. It's left up to the DM what they want the truth to be.

[John Longarrow]

I'm guessing your character has never been in Drow society then. Drow see everything through the lens of power. You either have it or your are trying to get it. Everyone else is either more powerful than you (and a target to remove), comparable to you (Competition to be used/removed/dominated), or weaker than you (an expendable resource to be used as needed).

Anyone who spends any time with the Drow will realize the only thing that is close to 'peace' for them is an agreement that they find more beneficial than simply killing/enslaving the other party. Most often this is a trade agreement that has very tight enforcement to keep both sides form open conflict.

If your character is trying to keep surface forces from attacking the Drow, the best way to do so is by being a bard. Go around spreading the word of how hard it is to get to them, how hard they are to kill, and how most of their treasure can't be brought back to the surface. Get adventurers to think raiding Drow isn't profitable. Get surface people to think they are far away and not a threat.

The closest thing to 'allies' you'll find is thieves and smugglers. People who would trade with the Drow. Slavers are also a good group to deal with since they can export surface races for exotic underdark slaves.

In all you'd be less an emissary from the Drow people and more a representative for a single house. After all there IS no unified Drow government. The closest thing is the priesthood of Lolth, and even they don't really control anyone not in the priesthood. Odds are you'r being used by one of the houses to help gain power. They see you as an expendable resource that can help them gain something.

From an RP standpoint, you are both telling people how unimportant the Drow are to their lives, how impossible it is to attack them, and how little its worth to actually try to do so. Your also approaching specific greedy people to seduce them into cooperating with a Drow house with the promise of wealth and power.

Not sure how this would work with a party unless this is the focus of the campaign.

[Irennan]

To the OP.

That kind of order would be the antithesis of everything Lolth and her dogma stand for. Lolth uses different methods to ensure the survival of her society (even if in a ''realistic'' context the drow would have left her millennia ago), mostly based on imposing her will on them (like when she imposed a truce after the drow of Menzoberranzan were decimated in their assault against the dwarves of Mithral Hall). To Lolth, the drow are less than pawns: she doesn't care about their well being, and she doesn't want them to come out of their isolation, to see that a different life is possible and actually leads to a better existence. Otherwise, the indoctrination and ignorance that make her tyranny possible would fall.

What your character wants to achieve coincides with what Lolth's daughter, Eilistraee, fights for: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eilistraee (or http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Eilistraee )

There are some possibilities.

Perhaps your character thinks that Lolth didn't actually want the drow to become what they are now. Perhaps she believes that Lolth wants the drow society to be a strong meritocracy, where its people are in constant competition and able to fend for themselves, so that the drow can prosper and flourish above all others in all fields.
However, differently from the current interpretation (that bases all said competition on killing your rival), your character thinks that:

1)Lolth wants the drow to be able to join forces and work together, because a divided people can't even come close to the potential that a united race has, and because the current society has only been an obstacle to the prosperity of the dark elves.

2)The drow must stop with their isolationism, as such a kind of attitude only brings to narrow-mindedness and stagnation.

In this case, your character would be alone against the very people she seeks to change, though, and it would lead to a quite impossible situation. So, Eilistraee could choose your character, seeing a possibility to move another step towards her goal of the drow retaking their place in the world. The Dark Maiden would make your Aranea receive the message, posing as Lolth. The goddess would also let this be known to her followers, who would in turn be able to support you. Perhaps, you could also chase the goal to reunite the drow of different faiths that now fight each other, starting from Lolth and Eilistraee.

-----------------

Another option is that Lolth is indeed changing. Taking inspiration from her Silence in the FR setting, she temporarily removed herself from the society of her people, to undergo a process of change that would reshape her to actually benefit her people and make them stronger. Perhaps she understood that the survival and prosperity of the drow wouldn't be possible with the current kind of society, and decided to reshape her teachings to something more like what I described before.

However there are two things to consider: 1)she can't simply impose to her poeople such a radical change, they can't be changed at whim (therefore requiring the work of her priestesses to do that, or perhaps even counting on the action of her daughter, Eilistraee) 2)in this state, she could be incapable of directly and coherently communicate with her followers, sending visions like the one your character received. Not all priestesses would understand them equally, some could even not receive visions at all, and this difference of interpretations could lead to a schism within Lolth's clergy.

Eilistraee and her followers could take advantage of the situation and try to free and bring to the light as many drow as possible, or even try to change their society too. Lolth could also intend to stop being enemy to Eilistraee, since she too is fighting to make the drow flourish and forge their place in the world. So your character could have the support of the followers of Eilistraee for your monumental task on the surface, and could count on the support of a faction of Lolthite priestesses in changing the drow society.

Either way, as for how to achieve it in game, it's rather hard, and it would require the campaign to have a particular focus on it.

Relations with the other races

It would be very hard to believe a drow claiming to be the emissary of Lolth, that has come to rebuild relationships with the surface dwellers. People wouldn't believe you even if you claimed to follow Eilistraee (as she is a little known goddess, and anyone claiming to be the chosen emissary of a deity would hardly be taken seriously). You would have to prove that the drow can actually coexist with the inhabitants of the surface, and this obviously is a task that can't be achieved alone.

You could draw from what Eilistraee and her followers do to build a place for their people in the surface world. From wikipedia:
[...]Their main duty is to encourage the drow to return to the surface world, reaching to them whether they are fugitives, raiders or inhabitants of the Underdark. They show to the drow that a different kind of life, far from Lolth, is possible, and assist them in making this choice by giving them aid, food, acceptance and safe places to live. Eilistraeeans perform missions underground, looking for those dark elves who are in need of their help and that can be brought on the surface (mostly slaves, commoners, fallen and hunted nobles or drow who were generally unsatisfied with the life that Lolth imposed them), bringing them the Message of Eilistraee.

As the Dark Maiden's teachings require, the clerics of Eilistraee actively work to promote harmony between drow and other races, so that their people can be accepted and live in peace in their rightful place on the surface. This also involves the activities described in the section about Eilistraee's Teachings, like lending their own sword, helping hands, cures and food to assist people/settlements of any race in need, both to gain their acceptance (dispelling fears and prejudices about Eilistraee's goal) and because the priestesses of the Dark Maiden believe that it is the right thing to do.

The Church of the Dark Dancer also acts through envoys, diplomats and emissaries living near (or sometimes within) other races' settlements. An example is Karsel'lyn Lylyl-Lytherraias, former agent of Queen Amlaruil Moonflower and ambassador of the Eilistraeen Dark Elves on the elven island of Evermeet, who is trying to gain her people a place in the land that is supposed to be a safe haven for all elven people. Seyll Auzkovyn and the followers of Eilistraee active near the elven and human community of Elventree also work for a peaceful coexistence between their people and the other inhabitants of the area. The Promenade of the Dark Maiden is another example of this, founded because of Eilistraee's direct request to Qilué Veladorn. The function of the temple is to prevent the avatar of the slime god Ghaunadaur from freeing itself and attacking the city of Waterdeep, which stands on the surface upon the shrine; to counter slavery and slaver merchants and organizations of the near Skullport (while also offering shelter to former slaves); and to eventually build a goodly drow presence in the city (and help those drow exiles, or fleeing from danger, that find themselves lost in the metropolis area).[...]

Normally a drow won't even be given a chance at diplomacy. So, you could lend your aid to the surface dwellers, seeking situations of great need and visibility, and ''saving the day'' in the name of this new goal of the drow/Eilistraee/Lolth, to show that you actually mean to rebuild a good relationship with the other races. It would be better if you had other drow willing to join you for this cause, to give it some more visibility and credibility (like the followers of Eilistraee).

After that you could also perhaps explain how most drow are, from a certain standpoint, prisoners of their own society, and how difficult and dangerous is for them to think outside their brainwashed mindset, and --even more-- to walk away from all that.

However, as proven by the amount of hostility still met by the followers of Eilistraee, due to the reputation spread by the actions of the other drow (and due to the fact that there are quite a lot of elves who don't *want* to believe in their existence), this won't be enough if the rest of the dark elves don't follow your ideas. You would have to change the drow society itself first.

Changing the drow

That would also be a monumental task. You would have to act subtly, or you would very qucikly become a target, be accused of heresy and so on.

You could ignite the process of change (likely in the form of a revolution) starting from the ''free drow'', i.e. the common people. They definitely are not happy with their current situation, forced into their status by a stagnating social system, probably lacking food or other fundamental resources (due to their scarcity of the Underdark), hunted and killed *as a sport* by the nobles.

So, a good thing to do would be looking for those dark elves who are not happy with the current situation and offer them protection, a way out, and to join you (as said before, this is one of the main activities of the Dark Maiden and her followers, for example).

Even achieving that won't be simple, though. The drow have been brainwashed by centuries of dogma (and backstabbing), they are told since their birth that they must kill or be killed, dominate or be dominated, and everything around them (their nonsensical society) shows that it is actually true, leading them down the ''path of evil'', with any attempt to dissent is punished with tourture and death.

They are brainwashed into believing that ''status'' and ''power'' are the only things that matter and can make a person matter, and that they can only be acquired through the favor of Lolth. They are told that joy, love and other good things in life are ''weakness'', and are forced to live a joyless, choice-less, ugly life, with no development or possibility of self-fulfillment whatsoever beyond ''you must kill other people and get teh powah''.

However, they suffer for that, as no being wants to live such a kind of life, and this is even more valid for ''free drow'', as they get all the worst parts out of Lolth's tyranny, without getting the privileges of nobility. This state of unsatisfaction is what you should use to bring change to the dark elven society.

Going away from all of this would require to make the drow look at reality through a different perspective, which would lead them to make different choices. The trick is showing to the drow the existence of something different: you should inject new ideas, and show and prove with results that they can actually lead to a better life. Such ideas would spread, some people would recognize them for their value, embrace and support them, band together and work/fight to achieve something for them or their race.

It's just the need to improve one's own condition that all beings have (and it's why lolthite society tries to shut down anything that could do that). Drow aren't deaf to this, the bond that exists between Eilistraee and the drow points towards that (from wikipedia: [...]Eilistraee sings her call to all dark elves—from the highest matron mother to the lowest male slave—sending them dreams or visions, showing them a different, better life (especially when they are close to the surface). Lolth is powerless to stop these visions, as too much interference from two goddesses could easily bring a mortal's mind to insanity. The drow definitely come to know about and "feel" the Dark Dancer at some point in their lives, but many of them either don't understand said dreams or emotions or choose to ignore, disbelieve, or reject them. Even then, while not many refuse Lolth to cleave to Eilistraee, many secretly yearn for the goddess and all that she wishes for them. In fact, it is not unusual for them to choose to spare a stricken worshiper of Eilistraee if they think that no priestess of Lolth is watching, or to fail to pass on to other drow something they might have seen of their activities, or to stop to watch a dance of Eilistraee worshipers rather than disrupting it.[...])

How to do that? This kind of task requires that some sort of force/organization to begin with, something strong to support you. As I said, perhaps your character wasn't the only target of the message from Lolth (or Eilistraee posing as her), and a consistent part of her clergy chose to believe it, supporting your cause, while the rest is against it. So you would be able to count on the help of a faction of priestesses of Lolth. Given your goal, the followers of Eilistraee (and Vhaeraun too, since he too seeks to free the drow from their self-destructing society) could be another supporting force.

You would probably be forced to start from a single settlement, though, and should do two things at the same time.

1)Offer the free drow protection, help them, bring them food, cures, whatever they might need, showing that you have the capacities to protect/feed and take care of those who want to change the situation (because they know that nobles and priestesses will hunt and execute all heretics down).

Basically, you should establish a relationship of dependance (initially) that should become of trust with time passing. You could take inspiration from what Eilistraee does, and teach to the drow something that they have forgotten, but that they desire: the joy of life, freedom of choice, of expression and fulfillment: lolthite dark elves have very limited choice in their lives, they want to dominate over each other but most of them are not even masters/mistresses of themselves.

2)Starting to spread ideas on how the current society has only killed the potential of the drow people: any kind of development, progress in terms of magic, arts and anything that could improve the drow's quality of life and odds at success, has been shut down by the (current interpretation of the) dogma of Lolth.

All of that in favor of pointless backstabbing that has brought the drow from their older glory (of the kingdoms of Ilythiir and Miyeritar, for example, that were devoted to Vhaeraun and Eilistraee, respectively), to stagnating in cages underground, hunted like beasts by surface races and other underdark dwellers as soon as they dare to step out of them. Basically you should higlight the crappy kind of life that the drow are forced to live under the current system.

In any ''realistic'' context, if you *prove* with facts that you can deal with the situation, a lot of free drow *will* join you, for a start.

[SangoProduction]

That's a pretty interesting read.