Drow scorpions;no rhyme or reason...

[knightgf]

I can't figure it out. What exactly are these things? It's weird that somebody, for no reason at all, would decide to merge their body with a scorpion. How were these things created anyways? I know they're not natural beings. Were they created as part of a wizard's experiment? Are they from the plane of Xor'iat? It just boggles me that there's such a thing as a drow merged with a scorpion...

[Lorien_the_First_One]

That's why they are "aberrations"

I believe the Eberson setting backstory is that they were Drow were followers of the Vulkoor and were were morphed by their god into a Scorpian/Drow form to match his own.

[Ninetoes]

Basically, they're avatars of Vulkoor, the Drow's main god in Ebberon. Remember, don't confuse standard DnD Drow with their Ebberonion cousins.

Source: Dndo-Online (http://www.dndo-online.com/content/monsters-drowscorpion.php) <-- Links to page on Drow Scorpion, copied below.

The drow of Xen'drik worship an aspect of the Mockery that they call Vulkoor, and combine the mortification of the flesh popular amongst cults of the Mockery with primitive beast worship of arachnids - specifically scorpions. The scarification the devout undergo seems to be pleasing to the Mockery, and it is said that especially pious worshippers may be rewarded with transformation into a servitor of Vulkoor.

These servitors are a centaur-like hybrid of a giant scorpion and a drow. The torso of a drow scorpion emerges from the body of a scorpion, but pincers replace the arms. Reported abilities include a powerful constitution damaging poison and numerous spell-like abilities. If the reports from the drow are to be believed, most of these aberrations were presumably powerful clerics or wizards prior to their elevation in status, so it is wise to expect conventional spellcasting ability as well.

If you should ever encounter one of these creatures, take standard precautions against poisons and do what you can to capture it alive. The academy will pay a great deal for the chance to study one of these "scorpion drow" so their actual origins, strengths, and weaknesses can be properly determined.

Article – (http://www.ddo.com/index.php?page_id=66&pagebuilder[module]=article&pagebuilder[display_item]=105)
Pic – (http://www.ddo.com/files/09/27/03/41/350.jpg)
Thumbnail – (http://www.ddo.com/files/52/22/64/94/349.jpg)
Lore -

From the personal journal of Azalai Korias, Elven Wizard
2 Lharvion, 998:

When camping in the wilds of Xen'drik, always make sure to shake out your boots when it is time to take your watch. Tiny scorpions often find their way into them, and they don't take kindly to sharing their new home with your feet.

As I wrote a few weeks back, the drow have a fascination with scorpions, believing them to be lesser servants of Vulkoor. In their tales, Vulkoor is said to be a giant scorpion with the head, arms, and upper torso of a male drow. Until today, I thought their beliefs quaint and primitive superstition, childish at best and embarrassing at worst. It saddened me to see distant relatives so...deluded.

T'kkaz, a drow guide from a local tribe, led us to a site considered holy by the tribe in exchange for a handful of baubles and a magical dagger. He warned us not to take anything from the site lest we anger the guardian of the ruins, but we could examine the carvings and tablets scattered about the demolished temple so long as he was with us. This was an opportunity I could not pass up, even though the drow insisted that we traveled only at night.

When I asked T'kkaz about the guardian, he evaded the question, saying only that the guardian was a cleric of his tribe "blessed by Vulkoor". When we arrived, I began my
research, wondering to myself what such a blessing could mean.

We were on edge - Kleija kept noticing movement outside of our range of vision, and hearing scuttling creatures all around the ruins. When the clouds parted for a moment, hundreds of scorpions darted for cover from the moonlight and a monstrous form was silhouetted atop one of the fallen pillars - an enormous scorpion clung to the stones, but like a centaur, it had the torso and head of a drow. Instead of arms, it had a pair of massive pincers, and a poisoned tail loomed ominously over its head. Darkness quickly claimed the creature, and when we looked back again it was gone.

[knightgf]

If you should ever encounter one of these creatures, take standard precautions against poisons and do what you can to capture it alive. The academy will pay a great deal for the chance to study one of these "scorpion drow" so their actual origins, strengths, and weaknesses can be properly determined.

[/COLOR]

Its too bad there's no less than lethal spells and attack, nor is there a 'academy' to turn them in, else some of us would be a bit richer...

Plus, id rather kill things than to take em alive. And it would be a pain to run around Dreams of Insanity towing a live Drow Scorpion that could break free at any time and wipe the party...I will admit though that their strength is impressive for a scorpion, I can tell that the Vulkor has imbued his powers unto them...

[Ninetoes]

Its too bad there's no less than lethal spells and attack, nor is there a 'academy' to turn them in, else some of us would be a bit richer...

Yeah, I'm just glad we don't have to capture them alive :)

Now, what I find INTENSELY irritating is that a Drow Paladin/Cleric is forced to fight them, especially if they (for whatever reason) took Follower of Vulkor.

[Symar-FangofLloth]

Now, what I find INTENSELY irritating is that a Drow Paladin/Cleric is forced to fight them, especially if they (for whatever reason) took Follower of Vulkor.

The odd part of that statement is Paladin followers of Vulkoor.
It being a Neutral Evil religion.

[Ninetoes]

The odd part of that statement is Paladin followers of Vulkoor.
It being a Neutral Evil religion.

Doesn't the Ebberon setting allow for Divergent faith alignments? (Not that I don't agree with you.)

[Falco_Easts]

It get's lonely in the desert. A bottle of Jymb Eem Cactus Distilliate later and anything can happen.

[Visty]

take a male drow and a female scorpion

imagine the rest for yourself :)

[Symar-FangofLloth]

Doesn't the Ebberon setting allow for Divergent faith alignments? (Not that I don't agree with you.)

It does. The normal 'one step away' alignment restriction is more or less gone. And as long as the paladin stays more or less LG in actions, whom they worship doesn't really matter.

However, despite all that, I think it would be extremely hard, if not nigh impossible, to follow a NE, CE, or CN religion as a paladin.

[brian14]

take a male drow and a female scorpion

imagine the rest for yourself :)
Eeewww...

I'd rather imagine other way around :D