Enslavement by the Drow

Revised 7/2026

 

"Drow - Commission" by captdiablo (resized) is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0

How They're Kept

Drow have several powerful advantages in keeping their slaves in place and productive. First of all, captives are transported or traded over great distances so they don't know the local terrain or have nearby ties. This is a major reason dark elves are willing to trade with others, including those who could enslave them, like the mind flayers. Secondly, most slaves aren't prepared to fight back, for a variety of reasons. Many are common folk with no special training and few natural advantages. Any weapons or other special items are taken from them and they are severely punished for having contraband. Those with special abilities are disabled whenever possible, such as wizards being kept from spellbooks until their magic is required.

On top of this, slaves are generally given only what they need to survive, and sometimes not even that. If there are food shortages, captives are the first to go hungry. They are routinely worked hard and granted minimal supplies so energy for escape attempts is low. And after constant emotional manipulation by their captors, mental fatigue and conditioning become important factors. Untold miles below ground and away from home, it's easy for one's spirit to be crushed. As they are blamed for each other's failings and riled by carefully sown rumors, captives find it increasingly difficult to trust each other. And some begin to seek privileges and approval from their masters more than anything else. After enough time, the will to flee is greatly eroded and only the instinctual will to survive remains. All of this can be done with little to no magical intervention.

Who's Targeted

Slaves are often acquired through raids on the upper level of the Underdark and on the surface. The "goodly races" are taken as much as possible since they're poorly suited for the world below. When it comes to the spoils of war, drow take any captives that aren't too difficult to control. It's easier to keep deep dwarves than beholders, for instance, with much less wear and tear on security. Faster-breeding humanoid species are probably the most common drow slaves since they replace their numbers and usually reach maturity quickly.

Special cases are particularly unfortunate, since they stand out from the main and receive extra attention. Elves and half-elves are almost always subjected to harsher treatment, and the drow rejoice in capturing rare elven species, like the nearly extinct avariel. Aasimar are also treated terribly because of their celestial blood. Representatives of enemy gods are in for a bad time, and it doesn't help that Lolth has many enemies. The more symbolic value a slave has, the worse their lot tends to be. They are paraded and driven on leashes, hung up as decorations, and used as grand offerings in rituals to the Spider Queen.

Why They're Kept

Drow communities depend on slave labor to function, although they would deny it. If needed, captives can become cannon fodder, but most of the time, they're serving larger public projects: They grow food and tend creatures that keep everyone from starving in the deserts of the Underdark. They handle the dirtiest work, such as processing waste that might poison precious water supplies. They mine metals, build structures, and do other jobs for which drow would rather not risk their own lives. Personal slaves dedicated to the daily needs of particular drow are relatively rare and the province of those who can afford to keep them.

But slavery isn't just a means to a labor force - it's an outlet for barely suppressed rage. After all, drow males can only safely enforce their will against other species. They're rarely reprimanded for treating captives poorly since it's seen as their right to do so. Slaves also bear the brunt of grudges female drow can't take out on superiors and rivals. Even drow children - who are at the mercy of elders who may have none - can gain approval for kicking captives around. When the drow cannot strike at those they hate, they strike at those too far below them to count. The importance of this outlet cannot be overstated: without the continual effort to acquire, train, and keep slaves, the drow would have even more time to tear each other apart.

When it comes to major motives, drow engage in slavery out of vanity and wrath.

Who Keeps Them

While captives are common in any respectable drow city, nobles, rich guilds, and governments own the vast majority of them. Resources required to feed, house, and control slaves aren't small sacrifices in most societies, let alone those in the Underdark. Additionally, prices are rarely cheap and can vary widely based on age and capabilities. Rare captives with exotic and innate abilities are auctioned for steep sums (or, in the case of some auctions, favors from high clerics of Lolth). All of this serves the interests of those already in power since they'll always have the advantage of numbers over smaller groups. Smaller organizations can only afford a few slaves and are inclined to treat them far more considerately since there's such an upfront cost.

How They're Prepared

A Slavekeepers Guild exists in most large settlements to train new slaves for living and serving in very new conditions. Captives are hardly ever sold quickly after arriving in their terminal location; there's too much they don't know to last long. One false step with the wrong fungus, the wrong hallway, or the wrong official and all of the effort expended in obtaining them is lost. So they're placed in the custody of the Slavekeeper's Guild until deemed ready for auction. The guild is responsible for their containment and basic education during that time and although there's an acceptable margin for injury and loss, at least half of every lot must make it to sale. If not, the guild itself will be up for correction by very disappointed customers.

First-time buyers - and any inexperienced overseers they employ - are expected to receive instruction at the guild before they receive their purchases. This is a matter of security: when slaves outnumber citizens by such a margin, everyone over them must know how to keep them in line. The guild is usually also available to handle training or punishment owners don't wish to supervise, generally for a fee. The threat of being sent back to the Slavekeepers for correction is enough to make many captives fall in line because while many overseers are cruel, they're usually too busy to linger long. The guild's tormenters can take their time and are far more likely to enjoy themselves - and if they are pleased enough, they'll refuse payment and offer future services on the house.

 

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