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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
 Posted - 24 Oct 2012 : 08:38:53
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quote:
Originally posted by CorellonsDevout
BEAST's explanation is a good one, I agree. Except that drow blister in the sun--or at least they did in Starlight and Shadows...but that's really beside the point, isn't it?
I wonder if solar cells can be "overloaded" by exposing them to too great of a source of electromagnetic radiation/light? (I mean, other than, like, a direct nuclear bomb blast--DUH!) What would happen? Might they blister and melt? Might they liquify and ooze? Or do they just turn brittle and crack up?
If one tunes a solar cell to be extremely sensitive for use in a low-light environment, would that predispose such a solar cell to being thusly overloaded in a bright-light environment?
If so, then perhaps that sorta explains why super-light-sensitive drow skin cells also just can't handle bright sunlight on the World Above.
(I am SO reaching, here, folks!   ) |
"'You don't know my history,' he said dryly."
--Drizzt Do'Urden (The Pirate King, Part 1: Chapter 2)
<"Comprehensive Chronology of R.A. Salvatore Forgotten Realms Works"> |
Edited by - BEAST on 24 Oct 2012 08:40:38 |
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CorellonsDevout
Great Reader
USA
2708 Posts |
Posted - 25 Oct 2012 : 04:08:14
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| *nods* and as I think about this, it could also be that, while they may need light, their skin/body has been accustomed to other sources of light, so suddenly being hit with direct sunlight would be "ouchies". |
Sweet water and light laughter |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 25 Oct 2012 : 05:19:37
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It makes sense to me - thats why electric circuits have fuses. If too much juice tries to get through, they overload and burn out (rather then the circuit itself burning out).
Its supposed to be painful (I guess because they are drow), but shouldn't any elf be in an almost rapture-like state if exposed to extremely large doses of radiant energy? Could an elf become a 'sun addict'?  |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 25 Oct 2012 05:20:19 |
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BEAST
Master of Realmslore
USA
1714 Posts |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2390 Posts |
Posted - 26 Oct 2012 : 02:51:58
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Actually, we had black-skinned drow years before we had the High Magic explanation...
Yes, but they already had innate properties related to radiation magic, right?
quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
It makes sense to me - thats why electric circuits have fuses. If too much juice tries to get through, they overload and burn out (rather then the circuit itself burning out).
Its supposed to be painful (I guess because they are drow), but shouldn't any elf be in an almost rapture-like state if exposed to extremely large doses of radiant energy? Could an elf become a 'sun addict'?
It's not supposed to be painful per se, it was only said being too bright for their eyes and quickly drying up (pre-fix) innate radiation magic, though reversibly.
Surface elves aren't this strongly magical creatures and don't have much greater of affinity to radiation magic than to other, so they won't induce high-on-mythal state.
I, however, had a thought:
The quasielemental plane of Radiance melts unprotected stones, but under the sphere of darkness is said to be merely as bright as bright day's light - and any drow who really want (especially wizards) can adopt to that much.
And this plane got to have, well, magical radiations of all sorts. Including the one drow use.
Granted, normally there's also more than enough of sunlight to disrupt the pre-fix drow magic, but there were spells selectively suppressing rays that harm drow and their equipment on surface.
So if we put two and two and two together?..
That may be the way to get a drow power-drunk literally, as opposed to metaphorically.
IMHO there would still be enough of "sunlight" seeping in to destroy (pre-fix) radiation-magic items, but living organisms would quickly adapt.
Normally a drow simply doesn't want to get in bright light, but it's hard to imagine drow wizards in faerzess-declining or -depleted areas not conducting a lot of very thorough research trying to make artificial faerzess and all other non-standard twists of radiation magic they can squeeze out of this. In communities more cooperative than average (such as Sshamath) there got to be whole wizard cabals dedicated to these problems. |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
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A Question on Drow
