Friend vs Abbil

Can there possibly be another word in the languages of the surface and that of the Drow that mean almost the same thing, but have such different connotations as the word friend and its Drowian counterpart abbil? Well if there is, its ssinssrigg when using the definition love.

For those who do not understand the Drow, this will seem quite the forign concept as most races understand the true meaning of friendship, even those of evil ilk. The drow, however, are such loners. In a sense all are an assissin of sorts. Nindyn vel'uss kyorl nind ratha thalra elghinn dal lil alust, is pratically a proverb that means "Those who watch their backs meet death from the front". What does that really mean for a surface dweller? Not too terribly much as they would just simply brush such aside and ignore it as a non truth. Then the Drow embrace it as a way of life.

This phrase ends up ruling most of what the Drow percieve as truth. They live their lives fearful of everyone around them, expecting even thier closest relations to eliminate their threats to becoming a ruler of their little section of the world. There is no other way to do such there without death, without destruction, without killing those between them and the top. There is no room for such concepts of family, love, friendship, compassion. Such things mean death in the world of Har'oloth. And they think themselves the stronger for it.

I find that this fact alone is what limits their abilities, makes the weaker. How is it that such a devistating race, cannot seem to find any large stronghold in the night above? Well that is until they change their basic tennants and, well become more like the rivvil and the iblith that they so despise.

Now is this wrong? Not exactly. At least in the world in which they live. The harsh reality of the Underdark that makes certain that only the strongest can survive. Where they kill their young if they have a deformity of any kind. A place where those who are not completely faithful to their wicked elg'caress goddess.

Whereas the humans, and the other at least somewhat goodly races will embrace their family, encourage and bolster friendship. Where such a term is regarded with such reverence and, at times is as irrevocable as a tie of blood. A good thing actually that most would embrace happily and look forward to rewarding and continuing. Something that causes even the most reasoning of beings to go and do something without thinking first when their friend is in trouble.

If such happened in the world of the Drow, in Ched Nasad or Menzoberrazan perhaps, the abbil would sit there at laugh at the stupidity of the other unless that other was indespensable to them for their further persuits. The one that was in danger and saved would have to sit back and figure out what it was exactly that the rescuer wanted from them. Defiantely not a situation in which it is advisable to be in.

Now, those who know me know that I use the term abbil as a means of denoting close friendship with another. Is it that I am looking for greater gain? Well yeah I am, but not in the same manner in which the Drow would. I look for enrichment from my abbil's I look to find things in which I would be improved by. And perhaps something of myself to give to them in return. Be it music, a smile, advice, knowledge or simply someone to listen. For me the term abbil is much more than a two way street, a way of turning my back on what I have been taught my entire live in Har'oloth. My way of adding some meaning to just that term.

Devious of me? Definately. Potentially harmful? Maybe, but at least I do explain that as much as I am not Drow, I can think like them, and I do go out of my way to TRY to not be like them. Though it is hard sometimes, and it is my abbil's that have been there time and again to try to pull me from that cestpit in which I know entirely too well. I have saved them from the vileness of Har'oloth, and in turn they save me from it.

A much rewarding experience if ever I experienced one.