I know there are some old thread about this, but I wanna start fresh on the topic. Since I love dark elves and drow I want this civ to be more finished and playable. And since this is a Dark Fantasy setting we can have even more fun with how these darker forms of elves are implemented into the mod.
This is how I see/want dark elves to be in FfH.
Society
Ruled almost entirely by females, the females are thought of as the stronger gender and are respected as such by the males. Perhaps you could call it a Matriarchy. (But maybe not so much the mother. Parents are not a strong influence for a Svartalf) Every individual of the Dark Elven race is very egoistic and competetive though and their whole life is about self-improvement to become better then the others of their race and other races. The Svartalfar society is a pure survival of the fittest society where each individual care for himself or perish. It's frowned upon to even ask for help from another. Maybe this is why their armies has such bad organization? Their archers has always been good though. On the other hand, more individual troops, like assasins etc, excell at what they do, and are probably some of the best in the world at what they do.
Dark Elves has grown attached to the darkness and coldness of the world and they love the night. They are still forest dwellers, the forests they are still allowed to enter that is. Forests somehow seem to be corrupted by their newfound attachment to the death mana though, but they are not late to exploit it.
[I'm thinking a new forest type could be added, Dark Forest that only begin to grow and transform from forests within the Svartalfar nation, an ancient version of it could also be added. The growth could be increased with Fellowship of Leaves state religion. It could work as a normal forest /ancient forest but also give a negative defense bonus to anyone but the Svartalfar]
Tainted alliance
An Idea could be that the svartalfar has become masters of another race. What race you say? Well I was thinking Trolls or something similar. Unlike Warcraft, where trolls look and feel like a part of the Orcish Race, I think it would be cool if they were ruled by the svarfalfar. The Svartalfar purely using them as slaves and soldiers of course. But maybe the trolls feel like part of the Svartalfar. Instead as portraying Trolls as intelligent shamanic beings as in Warcraft, they should have what Svartalfars lack. As the Svartalfars are more agile, quick and intelligent like their Ljosalfar cousins the Trolls should be more brutal with strenght and toughness being their primary traits. Maybe looking something like a blend between Orcs and the Trolls from LotR.
Buildings
They should have some unique buildings of course. How about something like these:
I'll post more ideas in this thread once I think of more, for the moment I'll let it be discussed for a bit first.
This is how I see/want dark elves to be in FfH.
Society
Ruled almost entirely by females, the females are thought of as the stronger gender and are respected as such by the males. Perhaps you could call it a Matriarchy. (But maybe not so much the mother. Parents are not a strong influence for a Svartalf) Every individual of the Dark Elven race is very egoistic and competetive though and their whole life is about self-improvement to become better then the others of their race and other races. The Svartalfar society is a pure survival of the fittest society where each individual care for himself or perish. It's frowned upon to even ask for help from another. Maybe this is why their armies has such bad organization? Their archers has always been good though. On the other hand, more individual troops, like assasins etc, excell at what they do, and are probably some of the best in the world at what they do.
Dark Elves has grown attached to the darkness and coldness of the world and they love the night. They are still forest dwellers, the forests they are still allowed to enter that is. Forests somehow seem to be corrupted by their newfound attachment to the death mana though, but they are not late to exploit it.
[I'm thinking a new forest type could be added, Dark Forest that only begin to grow and transform from forests within the Svartalfar nation, an ancient version of it could also be added. The growth could be increased with Fellowship of Leaves state religion. It could work as a normal forest /ancient forest but also give a negative defense bonus to anyone but the Svartalfar]
Tainted alliance
An Idea could be that the svartalfar has become masters of another race. What race you say? Well I was thinking Trolls or something similar. Unlike Warcraft, where trolls look and feel like a part of the Orcish Race, I think it would be cool if they were ruled by the svarfalfar. The Svartalfar purely using them as slaves and soldiers of course. But maybe the trolls feel like part of the Svartalfar. Instead as portraying Trolls as intelligent shamanic beings as in Warcraft, they should have what Svartalfars lack. As the Svartalfars are more agile, quick and intelligent like their Ljosalfar cousins the Trolls should be more brutal with strenght and toughness being their primary traits. Maybe looking something like a blend between Orcs and the Trolls from LotR.
Buildings
They should have some unique buildings of course. How about something like these:
- School of Dark Arts - Gives experience to trained mage units? Or a free promotion to all units trained in this city perhaps.
- Chill of the Forests - National wonder that makes it possible to train Dark Treants in this city. Not sure if this fits the theme of the mod and Im not happy with the name either.
I'll post more ideas in this thread once I think of more, for the moment I'll let it be discussed for a bit first.