Descent of the Drow

Lore & Background

Cast down into the crushing darkness of the Underdark, these exiles adapted to survive in a realm of constant danger and scarce resources. Over millennia, they evolved into the drow, developing a ruthless, matriarchal society where strength and cunning were the only currencies that mattered. They embraced Lolth as their sole patron, forging a culture defined by betrayal, intrigue, and the worship of arachnids. While some followers of Eilistraee sought redemption in the shadows, the majority accepted their fate, becoming the nightmare of all who dwell beneath the earth.

In Their Own Story

The sky above the ancient city was no longer blue but choked with ash as the first wave of divine fire descended. Elven sorcerers screamed as their skin turned to midnight black and their eyes ignited like embers in the gloom. Below, the ground fractured, swallowing cities whole and revealing a vast, alien world of glowing fungi and jagged stone. A mother clutched her child, weeping not for the loss of sun, but for the loss of hope, as the spider goddess claimed them with a whisper that echoed in their bones: 'Welcome home.'

Reader's Guide

The narrative begins during the height of the Crown Wars, where elven factions fractured over religious devotion. The conflict centered on whether to follow Corellon's path of unity or embrace Lolth's philosophy of dominance and betrayal. As tensions boiled over, a massive magical confrontation occurred that shattered the surface lands and opened the gates to the Underdark. The pivotal moment arrived when Corellon Larethian intervened directly, cursing the rebellious elves for their treachery. This divine punishment stripped them of their light-skinned appearance and banished them from the sun's rays. The exiles fell into the deep caverns below, where they were forced to rebuild their civilization in an environment hostile to surface life. In the aftermath, the exiled elves evolved into the drow, adopting a brutal matriarchy centered on Lolth. They established powerful city-states like Menzoberranzan and ruled through fear and magical prowess. This era defined the drow culture for thousands of years, creating an enduring racial conflict between them and their surface-dwelling kin that persists throughout the history of Faerûn.

Did You Know?

• The term 'drow' was originally a derogatory name used by surface elves to describe their dark-skinned cousins before it became the race's self-identifier.
• Not all drow followed Lolth; a minority, led by Eilistraee, sought redemption and eventually returned to the surface in later ages.
• The transformation was not just physical; the drow developed a unique language and writing system distinct from their elven ancestors.
• This mythos explains why drow are often immune to poison and have darkvision, having adapted to survive the toxic and lightless Underdark.