Rise of the Drow: Disintegrating Drow Equipment

There’s a long-standing tradition in fantasy roleplaying games: drow equipment disintegrates when exposed to the light of the sun. In Rise of the Drow: Collector’s Edition, this concept is subtly acknowledged—particularly with treasure found in Tolgorith Tower—but throughout the surface-based prologue (even under eclipse), little attention is given to how this equipment behaves in the hands of player characters.

So let’s fix that.

Here’s an optional bit of world-building for GMs looking to expand on drow equipment decay. These rules are intentionally flexible for use with any RPG system and can be customized to your campaign’s specific mechanics and tone.

Drow Metalwork and Magical Decay

At a glance, drow-crafted arms and armor appear nearly indistinguishable from those made by surface elves—slender curves, fine balance, and delicate etching. However, there’s one unmistakable difference: the web and spider motifs subtly woven throughout the designs, a clear homage to the goddess of the drow.

Their work is often made of mithral, silver, or adamantine—though in the case of adamantine, many of these weapons are forged by enslaved dwarven smiths working under threat of torment.

The true power of drow equipment, however, doesn’t lie in the metal—it lies in the infusion of Underworld magic. Blending ambient energies of the Underdark with divine drow spellcraft, their equipment is both elegant and deadly. But when it reaches the surface… it begins to decay.

Why Does Drow Equipment Disintegrate?

Drow weapons and armor are inextricably tied to the Underworld. When exposed to the surface world’s most potent force—natural sunlight—the delicate magical equilibrium in these items collapses.

“Even the sharpest adamantine blade, bathed in Underworld magic, cannot endure the burning purity of the sun.”

How long it lasts depends on two things:

☑ The Metal Used

• Silver or mithral trinkets (rings, brooches) may survive indefinitely if kept in darkness.
• Studded leather armor with minor metal fixtures may decay slowly.
• Heavy armor or weapons forged from adamantine may disintegrate in moments under direct sun.

☑ Light Exposure

• Only natural sunlight breaks down drow metal.
• Moonlight, torchlight, and even magical light do not trigger decay.
• Drow spells like Darkness can shield gear temporarily, but only for the duration of the spell.

Surface Raids and Specialized Gear

The drow plan their raids carefully. When surfacing, they do so:

• At night, or during eclipses or overcast days
• With magical protection (e.g., Darkness)
• Equipped with special items, like the Umbrasilk Cloak, designed to shield gear from sun exposure

Longer campaigns on the surface require immense logistical planning, especially if the drow need to maintain their gear for extended use. GMs may introduce rare enchantments, special sheaths, or even sun-dampening tents to allow elite drow to function for longer above ground.

How to Use This at the Table

GMs can treat this rule as either:

• A narrative tool to emphasize drow weakness above ground
• A mechanical limitation to prevent characters from looting and keeping overpowered gear
• A reason to send players on magical research quests to find ways to stabilize drow weapons

You can also reward ingenuity—perhaps a player uses Create Darkness to preserve a drow blade during escape, or builds a “black box” to transport items to the Underdark.

In Conclusion

This optional system adds immersive, lore-rich flavor to Rise of the Drow campaigns. It explains why disintegrating drow equipment is more than a trope—it’s a dangerous side effect of dark magic clashing with the surface world.

Want more Underworld gear details, drow NPC profiles, or tools for expanding Rise of the Drow into a full sandbox?

Let us know in the comments—or join our Discord to shape the future of Aventyr!