Dierdre Symryvvin was born to Ereldra Symrivven, a matriarch of the Menzoberranzan in the Upper Northdark of the Underdark. Immediately from birth it was evident that there was something different about Deirdre; while they had a drow’s dark skin and pale wispy hair, their eyes were pupil-less and bright white, and their ears… too long. They also had a tail, which was thin and short, but undeniably a tail.

It was clear to anyone in the matron’s house that Dierdre was treated differently from their siblings. Their tail was always told to be tucked away and they were hidden in the shadows of the family photos and outings. In fact, most of the drow outside of the immediate family did not know of Dierdre’s existence.

Not to mention the absolute disdain upon their father’s face whenever he as much glanced at the child. In their 6 years of life at that point, Dierdre had not once had a more than brief interaction with their father.

And of course, the child didn’t understand. Because what child does? All they knew was being hidden and shoved to the shadows. Of course they had questions. Why weren’t they treated like their siblings? Why did they always have to hide their tail? Why did they have a tail when no other drow they knew did?

Not that anyone would answer them if they even brought up the courage to ask.

Age 10 was when the horn bumps started to grow. And they hurt, a lot. As soon as they became visible through Dierdre’s pale hair, they were hidden under hats and hoods. The disgust from their father grew stronger. The castle guards whispered behind Dierdre as they walked through the halls. Some people began calling them a Draegloth… whatever that was.

At this point Dierdre had started to spend most of their days and nights outside the castle grounds, wandering the streets wrapped up in black cloaks. They often found themself in the slums of the Menzoberranzan, playing with the children of servants and “lesser” races. Bugbears, dwarves, goblins, humans, kobolds, orcs, minotaurs; Dierdre had friends among them all.

By age 16 Dierdre had a fully grown tail and horns, and their ears had grown twice their size. It was undeniable at this point that they were not pure drow. They hardly spent time in the castle, much to their mother’s rage. Erelda would try their best to “hide” the “abomination” that was Dierdre, embarrassed to have “dirty blood” in the family. Not that anyone outside the castle grounds even knew Dierdre was related to the Symryvvin family.

They spent their time getting piercings, stealing, smoking and drinking in the slums with their squad: a queer bugbear named Bilk (they/them), a butch dyke dwarf named Magdrus (they/them), a punk hobgoblin named Nok (she/her), and a quiet but incredibly daring half-orc named Lathrun (he/him). They were truly a rag-tag team of rebellious teens in the slums.

WIP