Kinslayer (prestige class)

Kinslayers were drow, usually barbarians, rangers, or scouts, sworn to exact vengeance on their surface kin, hunting and slaying every elf, warrior and civilian alike.

"Soulless butchers, every one. These drow...they have no hearts, no compassion. They are merciless killers who make no distinction between warriors and innocents. Do we descend into their communities, killing all we find? No. Though, I admit, perhaps this has been our error."

- A lone survivor of a kinslayer raid

Activities
Many of the Lolthite drow hated the elves who lived above ground, some took on solemn vows of their eradication. These vows were not taken lightly, as a kinslayer's life was arduous. Only those with stamina and true dedication could access the powers granted to the kinslayers by an unholy pact with Lolth, the Spider Queen.

Culture
Kinslayers often found themselves as loners, rarely being part of a formal organization. They were known to lead raids on the surface elves to plunder for gear and resources. More experienced kinslayers sometimes joined forces with other murderous individuals with whom they shared common goals. Few kinslayers survived into advanced age as many perished young, drowned in blood and butchery. They left legacies of terrifying stories of the kinslayer savagery.

In drow society, kinslayers were not bound by social restrictions. Drow of any social standing could become kinslayers, from lowly male commoners to the most powerful priestesses. If a Matron Mother of a drow house became a kinslayer, she would abandon all political intrigues and focus the entire house on surface elf extermination.

Despite their goals, kinslayers often disturbed other drow who felt unnerved by their obsessive hate and single-mindedness. Kinslayers murders were considered to be too light of a punishment that a surface elf could receive, merciful, by some opinions, as opposed to slavery and torture.

Abilities
Kinslayers were prone to all-consuming bloodlust and zealous rage when facing their sworn enemies – the surface-dwelling elves. More experienced and powerful kinslayers learned to adapt to the blinding surface sunlight and sunlight spells that could blind an ordinary drow. They also gained resistance to their sworn enemies' spells and, eventually, even became able to alter their appearance to resemble the surface elves. Some of the most powerful kinslayers expanded their hate to all fey creatures and could bestow Lolth's curse on an elf – a magical affliction that turned their skin jet black and made the daylight blinding to them. Lolth's curse could only be alleviated by remove curse magics.

At the beginning of their vengeful path, kinslayers were guided by blind rage that forced them to be laser-focused on the object of ancestral hate. Each wound suffered at the hands of the surface elves only infuriated the drow kinslayers further. With experience, many kinslayers learned to control the rage and that not every elf had to die immediately. They learned the value of subterfuge and caution as surfacer disguises often proved to be more deadly than a thirsty blade.

History
Kinslayers were born out of an ancient feud between drow and their surface kin. Both sides of the ancient bitter war launched attacks at each other, and even though surface elves had their own vengeful forays into the Underdark, no other was as cruel and ferocious as drow kinslayers.

In the years that followed the Shadow War on the Sword Coast North, circa, drow kinslayers were seen prowling the Neverwinter Wood in search of surface elves to butcher. These slender humanoids with jet skin hunted elusive wood elves if the northern forest, led by Lolth-serving priestesses. These drow butchers wore enchanted masterwork spidersilk jerkins woven of drider silk.

Appearances

 * Video Games
 * Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir