Dark Elf (Drow)

Dark elves come in two varieties: standard drow and surface drow. Lifestyle information only applies to surface drow when they are mentioned, but the physical traits of all dark elves are similar.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The dark elf is built similar to that of a human, but typically smaller and thinner.

Growth Rate & Stages

Dark elves live around 800 years old. They mature normally until they become 5, at which they mature much slower than humans. They reach adulthood at 90, although many would consider themselves adults at a much younger age.

Ecology and Habitats

The typical drow lives in the Underdark. They are made for survival instead of luxury. Surface drow are rare, but they can exist in bandit camps or even normal citizens.

Dietary Needs and Habits

The Underdark is a dangerous place where everything fights to survive. As such, hiding their food or creating small groups is common play for a drow.

Biological Cycle

Due to living underground, most drow won't be affected by seasonal change or the daylight cycle. They trance anytime they feel tired.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Drow travel either alone or in small groups. They don't trust anybody except for those they've been travelling with for a long time. Surface drow are disowned by nearly everyone. Their reputation is bad, as their underground counterparts are violent and mindless. It is said that the spider goddess Lolth is the cause for their behaviors.

Average Intelligence

Most drow are instinctive and lack an intellectual thought process. Most surface drow struggle to learn as a part of their heritage.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Dark elves have superior nightvision, allowing them to see over a hundred feet in darkness. They cannot discern colors in darkness, only shades of grey.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Drow don't usually name each other. They hardly speak in order to stay quiet, and will motion to communicate instead. Surface drow have no standard naming customs, so they receive a name based on what their parents decide.

Beauty Ideals

Not exactly beauty, but drow with neater or longer hair are treated with more respect underground. It shows that they've been alive for long enough to grow it out.

Gender Ideals

Male drow are stereotyped as faster, and female drow are stealthier.

Courtship Ideals

Courtship is hardly existent underground, but surface drow like to follow standard customs.

Average Technological Level

The drow in the Underdark use extremely primitive items, as they have little access to anything.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Drow will usually communicate with signs. If they speak, they speak in Undercommon. Surface drow usually speak common and Elvish.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Drow have a respect for beholders, as they control the Underdark. They stay away from them as much as they can to survive. Surface drow have opinions based on how they were raised. They typically look at most species negatively due to how much they get mistreated.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Elf

Lifespan

800 years

Average Height

(At adulthood) 5'8 - 6'0

Average Weight

125 - 200 lbs.

Average Physique

Most drow are thin and shorter than other elves. They have dark grey skin, white hair, and silky white eyes. A surface drow can sometimes have grey eyes. A drow will usually be faster than they are mighty.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

The body is nearly always a dark shade of grey, as bright colors in the Underdark would mean quick deaths. The white hair's origin is unknown, but the eyes are pearly white to help them see better in the dark. Surface drow can have grey eyes because they lose the need to have the perfect nightvision, although they still possess far superior nightvision than that of a normal elf.