[Durlyn Val'Sarghress]

I imagine alot of people might say Quain'tana, given how many heirs she's gone through and what she did to Mel, her all business approach with Ariel, but personally I think Zala'ess is just as bad. Quain's fatal flaw is that she doesn't show her kids enough affection or spend any time with them that is not related to clan business (though as we all know she's a busy warlord, lol) and as for Zala'ess, she's the exact opposite. Zala'ess spoils her kids rotten and plays favorites, which as we all know has led to bloodshed and feuding amongst her kiddies. Examples of this include yaeminara killing Vychriel and taking her name and title out of jealously, Shinae leaving Chrystel behind to die (and hoping to be allowed to take her place), Nau'kheol's hatred for females (guessing his sisters pick on him alot at home), and even Yami'ni and her petty tendency to exact extreme vengeance on anyone who slights her, like what she did to the artist in demon painter.

Then there is Ash Waren, no idea what kind of parent she is but considering all the hell poor Faen went through I'm guessing Ashie didn't spend much time with her youngest daughter (though it remains to be seen in the main storyline if she misses Faen or regrets anything, so can't judge her too harshly just yet).

bottomline is, there aren't alot of examples of truly good mothers in drowtales that i can think of, the best parental figures I've seen thus far were likely Kelnoz raising Ariel and Kiel's mom before Kharla killed her (though Vaelia and Mel have helped Ariel out in the emotional department as well).

[Thaluka2]

Snadhya'runes~

[Runes]

I imagine alot of people might say Quain'tana, given how many heirs she's gone through and what she did to Mel, her all business approach with Ariel, but personally I think Zala'ess is just as bad. Quain's fatal flaw is that she doesn't show her kids enough affection or spend any time with them that is not related to clan business (though as we all know she's a busy warlord, lol) and as for Zala'ess, she's the exact opposite. Zala'ess spoils her kids rotten and plays favorites, which as we all know has led to bloodshed and feuding amongst her kiddies. Examples of this include yaeminara killing Vychriel and taking her name and title out of jealously, Shinae leaving Chrystel behind to die (and hoping to be allowed to take her place), Nau'kheol's hatred for females (guessing his sisters pick on him alot at home), and even Yami'ni and her petty tendency to exact extreme vengeance on anyone who slights her, like what she did to the artist in demon painter.

Actually Zala'ess is an incredibly successful parent. One of the most successful there are. Keep in mind that she has over 100 children to her bloodline (that's not including any protector twins), and if she didn't raise them properly (or her daughters raised their kids properly) she would not have this many surviving kids. As for Nau'kheol disliking girls, come on, he's a little boy (barely older than 15 now). Of course he dislikes them, but he doesn't hate them.

Furthermore, if there was so much bloodshed and feuding amongst Zala's kids, she certainly wouldn't have such a large amount of surviving kids at the moment- Yaeminira and Vy'chriel were a rare exception without doubt, the only exception amongst Zala's kids that we know of. Shinae didn't leave Chrys behind, she was forced to run away or be captured by the templars. When she went to Zala to ask if she could stay as a daughter, she did that because she simply has nowhere else to go. She may be sort of useless but she can't really be considered disloyal. As for Yami, she was actually being extremely nice to the painter until she saw that he was being an idiot who was drawing her as a demon. It's his own fault that she got angry at him

[AthenAltena]

My nomination would be Quain'tana, because of the aforementioned issues. Let's see... Kel'noz, the child she's on the best terms with has his own agenda, Mel is a hermit and had her child stolen by Quain, Laele'aell is possessed, and Syphile is the poster child for parental abuse. Zala'ess is probably one of the better parents considering that she actually seems to give a damn about her offspring rather than just seeing them as tools, and as I've said before I think this might be what would cause to her turn against her sisters.

[Nasfors]

I think Mel would make the best parent if she were allowed to try. Even in the little time she has been allowed to spend with Ariel, she has made more of a difference proportionally than Kel and Quain and Syph ever have.

[Thaluka2]

Mel would make a good human parent. I'm not sure her "let's all be friends and get along" would work very well in Chel. Maybe in Nal'Sarkoth or Illhar'dro which have the luxury of not having to fight all the time.

[Alric]

Mel would make a good human parent. I'm not sure her "let's all be friends and get along" would work very well in Chel.

Mel' seems pretty naive to me as far as leadership and politics are concerned. If she ever did find herself leading a clan though, one would hope she would learn fast.

I get the impression that Quain'tana cares for and wants the best for her family, but she doesn't know how to show it.

[Lordpanther14]

My nomination for worst parent would be Diva'ratrika. She led a very isolated life, never even meeting some of her grandchildren and three of her daughters entered into a plot to kill her, and for the most part they succeeded. Pretty poor parenting in my book.

[AthenAltena]

My nomination for worst parent would be Diva'ratrika. She led a very isolated life, never even meeting some of her grandchildren and three of her daughters entered into a plot to kill her, and for the most part they succeeded. Pretty poor parenting in my book.

Diva certainly did a pretty bad job in some respects, though I don't think she's entirely to blame for three of her daughters being treacherous bitches. The sort of distance she had with them is pretty common among real-life royalty. But I think had she survived (in her original body, at least) she could have been a good parent figure to Ragini, since her confinement really changed her view of the world. Redemption came hard, and for her it was too late.

As far as good parents go Kiel's mom Ven'nedia seemed like a decent person (by human standards). Pity what happened to her.

[Ganurath]

Kharla'ggen's adoptive mother, Sene'kha.

[Jayngfet]

My nomination for worst parent would be Diva'ratrika. She led a very isolated life, never even meeting some of her grandchildren and three of her daughters entered into a plot to kill her, and for the most part they succeeded. Pretty poor parenting in my book.

Diva never was too smart anyway. You'd think she'd do some reaserch for an affliction affecting her family.

[Durlyn Val'Sarghress]

I think I agree with you guys concerning Diva's poor parenting, she produced three schemers who betrayed her and changed the very foundations of the Sharen (and quite obviously started a war that put all of Chel in peril so they could pull off their cue). Putting those three she devils aside, there's also the psycho dungeon master supreme Silice to consider, though I suppose her sadism and apparent madness is more due to what her sisters did to her than poor parenting on Diva's part (then again, Silice wouldn't have gone into exhile if Diva had kept a closer eye on her other kids). And we don't even know what state of being the fifth daughter of Diva is in, only that she's gone into seclusion as a hermit.

[Torrin]

To our nominees of:

Ash
Diva
Quain
Sene'kha
Snadhya'runes
Zala

I'd add:

Sil'lice (for raising Syphile and happily torturing her own neice, too)
Syphile (for what she did to/with Ariel)

As for better ones, I'd nominate:

Ven'nedia: sacrificed herself for her child
Waes: Naal turned out pretty sane for someone who's been through what she has.
Vaelia
Shimi

[Thaluka2]

I don't think Vaelia has any kids (she looked pretty young in the side-story when she got captured). But she has good instincts with Ariel. At least good by our standards, because she's a human too and does things that make sense to humans.

[Durlyn Val'Sarghress]

Yeah, but I think even most drow parents realize you have to show your kids some love and spend time with them as just family (which is what Vaelia provides for Ariel). Nei'Kalsha Tions Sarghress and Quil'yate Yurunhiir Sarghress are both good examples of good drow mothers I think.

Ne'kalsha raises Sarnel with a firm but caring hand and Quil'yate shows genuine affection toward her little "niece," suggesting she's likely very good with her own children (though we've only met her grandson Valo so far)