Dark Elves in fiction
Encyclopedia
Elves
, a word from Germanic mythology, are frequently featured in Fantasy fiction. In modern fiction, particularly because of the influence from J. R. R. Tolkien
's The Lord of the Rings
, elves
are modeled mostly after his original description: tall, human-like creatures of otherworldly beauty, with Kings and Queens. Along with this development, Dark elves are often modeled as a more sinister counterpart to the High elves
, like the Drow
or the Trow, which are the fairy-like dark creatures of the Orkney and Shetland islands folklore. The dark elves or black elves are presented in Germanic mythology as dwarves.
, were created by Gary Gygax
, who stated that "Drow are mentioned in Keightley's The Fairy Mythology, as I recall (it might have been The Secret Commonwealth—neither book is before me, and it is not all that important anyway), and as Dark Elves of evil nature, they served as an ideal basis for the creation of a unique new mythos designed especially for the AD&D game." ("Books Are Books, Games Are Games" in Dragon Magazine, Nov. 1979, #31. This establishes Gygax's source for the term as Thomas Keightley's The Fairy Mythology, Illustrative of the Romance and Superstition of Various Countries (1828; aka The World Guide to Gnomes, Fairies, Elves and Other Little People). They were first mentioned in the Dungeons & Dragons game in the 1st Edition
1977 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual
under "Elf", where it is stated that "The 'Black Elves,' or drow, are only legend."
of computer games feature drow as enemies and NPCs
, as well as part of the game being set in the drow city of Ust Nautha. The drow cleric of Shar, Viconia, features in Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn as a party member and, in the second game, a possible romantic interest. In the Throne of Bhaal expansion, her alignment can be changed from neutral evil to true neutral if she is in a romance with a PC. The Eilistraee-worshipping drow male Solaufein plays a minor role in the second game, but his role can be expanded into a romance with a mod
. Drizzt Do'Urden
has a cameo in both Baldur's Gate and Shadows of Amn, Jarlaxle Baenre has a cameo in Shadows of Amn, and they and the male dark elves Maznafein and Jalynfein also appear in the 1994 IBM-PC CD game Menzoberranzan.
In Icewind Dale
, a drow named Nym steals dwarven weapons and artifacts and sells them to the goblin and orc armies attacking the elven fortress, the Shattered Hand. Since the armies are armed with dwarven weapons, the elf leader Larrel assumes the dwarves betrayed them, and ends the alliance between the two. Thus, Nym is single-handedly responsible for the fall of both the dwarves and the elves in the Dale. Nym can be found in the Svirfneblin
village in the tunnels of Lower Dorn's Deep, where he will sell a number of magical artifacts and weapons to the player. Nym also appears in Icewind Dale II
, where he appears to be in league with the Legion of the Chimera.
The original campaign and first expansion of Neverwinter Nights
do not deal much with the drow but the second expansion, Hordes of the Underdark, does so extensively. Neverwinter Nights 2
continues to expand upon them in their story, as well as allowing drow and other Underdark races as playable characters.
The Dark Elves found in the Age of Wonders
series are a species of Elf, but qualify as their own race because they are evil aligned. In the game it states that all Dark Elves were once regular elves, but since elves are immortal they suffer not death of life, but death of spirit. It is never stated why their spirit dies and the only Main Character who has that 'death' is Prince Meandor. The race description of Dark Elves is "Formed from the belly of irreconcilable grief, the Dark Elves are the embodiment of the living dead among the Elves. They know death of spirit, but their frames keep them immortal, nonetheless. They are angry and bitter creatures, apt to great fits of cruelty and torture. They joy in revenge only, and imagine up vain excuses so they might seek imagined retribution. They live in the darkness of the earth, and adorn themselves in inky black clothing. Their skin is a pale greenish-gray, but otherwise Dark Elves are as beautiful as the surface elves. Also like the elves they channel the powers of magic, but for the purpose of twisting life and its meaning. Dark Elves employ dark powers to twist their less obedient into mindless slaves. They merge their rebellious with spiders and direct then worship their abominable creations as demigods. Dark Elves desire nothing more than complete world domination, at which point they would turn upon themselves and destroy themselves." It is also mentioned that among the Dark Elves, females have a higher standing and males tend to be little more than servants.
Drow also appear in Atari's Demon Stone in the form of Zhai, the half drow player-character, and another appearance of Drizzt Do'Urden.
Gary Gygax
R.A. Salvatore
Lisa Smedman
Raymond E. Feist
Assorted authors
's trilogy The Deed of Paksenarrion
, the dark elves are a sect of elves that have wandered from the path and now follow the gods of evil, rather than the "High Lord".
's Middle-earth
writings, the Moriquendi
or "Elves of Darkness" were a group of the Elves
that did not join the Great Journey across the continent of Middle-earth and the Sundering Seas, and thus did not behold the light of the Two Trees
in Valinor
. The Dark Elves were in no way more "evil" than the Light Elves
; the latter just had a surpassing knowledge and skill, and were more "noble" and potent.
the dark elves were a very key role in the game. Players played as these elves in RP Online format. Each player could customize their way of playing through the world.
In the sequel, EverQuest II, dark elves (properly known as the Tier'Dal) once again play a prominent role. They are governed by Queen Cristanos from her throne in the ancient subterranean city of Neriak. The city is located at the east end of the Darklight Wood northwest of Freeport on the continent of D'Lere. A number of factions vie for favor and control within Neriak. While many Tier'Dal are native to Neriak, they can be found in most corners of the world of EverQuest II, a planet called Norrath.
and Mega Man Zero 3
. She was initially created as the Mother Elf, the good being which had the power to exterminate the Mavericks. However, Dr. Weil cursed the Mother Elf, and it transformed into the ominous Dark Elf, creating two evil "children" dark elves: Créer and Prier. The Dark Elf was so destructive that X sacrificed himself to seal her inside his body. However, years later, in Mega Man Zero 2
she was eventually released by Elpizo, who used her power to fight Zero
. With Elpizo's defeat, the Dark Elf flew away. In the third installment
, the Resistance and Neo Arcadia started to look for the Dark Elf, causing a clash between Zero and Weil. The Elf and her "children", however, were caught by Weil and merged to Omega (or the "Original Zero"). After Créer, Prier and Omega's demise, Weil's curse was finally broken and the Dark Elf became the Mother Elf once again.
multiverse, especially in the worlds of Greyhawk
, the Forgotten Realms
and Eberron
, dark elves are commonly called drow. They are dark-skinned and white-haired and are generally, but not exclusively, evil
. Many other games and works of mainstream fantasy fiction derive their "dark elves" or "night elves" from the drow of Dungeons & Dragons. The drow in most Dungeons & Dragons settings are depicted as worshipers of the spider goddess Lolth
and live in matriarchal societies.
In the Mystara
/"Known World" setting, shadow elves are a race of subterranean elves who have been mutated via magic (possibly as a nod to the origin of orcs
in Middle-earth).
In the Dragonlance
setting, dark elves are not a separate subrace of elves (in fact, the drow of other worlds do not exist on this one). In this setting, "dark elf" is a label given to any elf that is outcast from elven society, typically (although not always) for evil practices.
gamebook role-playing series, dark elves are much like their Dungeons & Dragons counterparts. However, some details of their culture have been adapted to fit the Fighting Fantasy background.
al world of Record of Lodoss War are brown-skinned and not necessarily evil, but primarily aligned with the forces of Marmo, the enemies of the story's heroes. These dark elves are capable of deep loyalty and love
, as personified by the only dark elf main character, Pirotess.
world, many elves are born from the same ethnic groups that normal humans come from, meaning that there are African elves, Indian elves, and Arabic elves, for example. However, the closest thing to the "dark elf" in Shadowrun is the elf metahuman variant subgroup called the Night Ones, most of which come from Europe. The Night Ones have an aversion to sunlight and are different from other elves by possessing a fine fur coat that covers their bodies, indistinguishable from their skin at a distance and usually colored from black, violet, or dark blue. Popular media has dubbed them dark elves, and the group is sometimes stereotyped against as being members of a cult or an "evil" metahuman race. In the in-character comments of a sourcebook, a character derisively calls a group of Night One pirates, "the Muppets
", because of their purple fur resembling the Muppet Grover
.
and Warhammer 40,000
, the generally evil Dark Elves
(running parallel to the Dark Eldar
in the Warhammer 40,000 universe) do not dwell underground, nor are they dark-skinned. Though Warhammer Dark Elves live in the frozen lands of the north in the continent called 'new world', in cities similar to those of High Elves. Dark Elves are masters of torture and they worship the god Khaine, Lord of Murder.
In the Warhammer universe, they call themselves the Druchii and are ruled with an iron fist by the Witch-King Malekith and his sorcerous mother Morathi. The Druchii live in the land of Naggaroth and are cruel raiders with much disdain for all other races; especially their lighter kindred, the High Elves. The Dark Elves were actually the ones responsible for sparking "The War of the Beard", the great war that caused the rift in Dwarf and High Elf relations, though only the High Elves know this and the Dwarfs would disbelieve it if they found out.
In the Warhammer 40,000 universe, the Dark Eldar live in the extra-dimensional city of Commorragh from which they launch raids upon the rest of the galaxy to capture slaves to be brought back to Commorragh as playthings or torture victims. They are afflicted with a condition known among themselves as the Thirst, which forces them to consume the souls of other sentient creatures lest the Chaos God Slaanesh consume theirs.
series of computer role-playing games, Dark Elves (often referred to as Dunmer) lived generally peacefully with other races. They were the predominant race in Morrowind, their native province, and held many of the highest positions of authority. In addition, much of the mythology surrounding Morrowind revolved around them. They are generally conservative by nature, being very devoted to their pantheon of gods, and are distrustful of "outlanders". Dunmer culture is split between the settled people of the cities and the nomadic Ashlander tribes. Dark can easily be applied to them as "gloomy" or "morbid", for such is their temperament. Dunmer are said to have been punished with their red eyes and dark-bluish skin colour by Azura, one of the most prominent Daedra, either for disobeying her in one of the most crucial moments of their history or for turning to worship the Tribunal, along with the Tribunal killing Nerevar, the savior of the Dunmer. Many Imperial scholars prefer the theory that the bluish-grey skin is an adaptive response to the frequent volcanic eruptions on Vvardenfell.
In truth, the term Dunmer more properly means Cursed Elves than Dark Elves. However, the term Dark Elves is far more complimentary. Although generally civilized, the Dunmer possess many savage and barbaric traits. While the Tribunal maintains a general peace amongst the people, the House Wars amongst the ruling class remain strong in memory. In addition, thanks to the Armistice allowing Morrowind to maintain many of its own laws, it is the only province which practices chattel slavery of the "lesser" races, which the Dunmer consider to be most other races and even some of their own species including High Elves and Wood Elves; however, by the time of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
they are said to be abandoning this practice. A long lifespan is common among members of the race. Some Dark Elves are said to have lived for 1000 years.
Among those who played the older Elder Scrolls games, the Dunmer had something of a reputation for being promiscuous due to several in-game jokes to that extent.
n dark elves - called moredhel (incidentally, a 'literal' word from Dark and Elf from Tolkien Elvish) - resemble the elves (eledhel) and the glamredhel, the "mad ones", but have dark hair. They're quite warlike because of the 'path' they follow is towards power, 'might makes right
', and 'the end justifies the means'. They mostly inhabit the Northlands, and also the continent of Triagia, and are usually only seen in the more populated parts of the world robbing and raiding. Some of the moredhel return to reside with the eledhel in a process of change inwardly and outwardly, called the Returning, but they are often killed by their kin before they reach the home of the elves, Elvandar.
The truth, known only to the elves themselves and few elf-friends, is that the moredhel and eledhel are the one race both of whom were slaves under the Valheru. When the latter disappeared the field slaves turned their back on their former masters' ways and became the eledhel, while the house slaves who had been in closer proximity to their masters sought their power and methods and became the moredhel. The eldar, keepers of lore and of the Valheru's sacred objects, left Midkemia and made their home on the world of Kelewan unbeknownst to anyone, as they kill anyone who tries to enter their forest.
They play a significant role in the novel A Darkness at Sethanon (Riftwar
series) and the computer game Betrayal at Krondor
. The Novel 'Krondor the Betrayal' goes quite in depth to show the 'moredhel' are not evil per se, but have a very xenophobic, stubborn, and harsh culture.
VIII
as one of the dominant species on the continent Jadame of the planet Enroth, available as playable characters. Portrayed as red and brown-skinned counterparts to the wood and snow elves, these dark elves are peaceful and inhabit the country of Alvar, which includes Jadame's major port city Ravenshore in the south. The lands of Alvar north of Ravenshore are troubled by aggressive ogres. There is a dark elven prophecy concerning the end of the world.
In Ashan, the world of Heroes of Might and Magic V
, Dark Elves are a faction that lives in tunnels under the surface. They are descendants of the followers of Tuidhanna, originally a Wood Elf Queen, whose people were blamed for burning down the Giant Tree, Brythigga, sacred to the Wood Elves.
science fiction
role-playing game
, the fictional extraterrestrial races of the Ur-Obun and the Ur-Ukar are essentially science fiction renditions of high elves and dark elves respectively, somewhat akin to the Eldar
and the Dark Eldar
in the Warhammer 40000 board game
. However, in contrast to the usual portrayal of dark elves, the Ur-Ukar are not inherently evil, but simply possess a predisposition for direct, sometimes violent behaviour and display a certain moral ambiguity.
For now it seems Malus has accepted his fate and has returned to his home of Hag Graef to lead its armies to war. None know what his true intentions are, but he has lost none of his thirst for power — he has been appointed Drachau of Hag Graef and placed in command of the armies of the Witch King.
In battle he rides upon his trusted Cold One steed; Spite and wields the fearsome Warpsword of Khaine. In times of need he can summon the Daemon and allow Tz’arkan to control his actions, by the mechanism that the daemon holds sway while Malus sleeps and he is in control while awake. To this end, he carries a variety of stimulants and soporifics, so he can fall asleep in combat or maintain wakefulness to keep control of his actions. This is great risk though, as while possessed by T'zarkan he can attack his own troops as well as enemies.He is also famous for stealing
a enchanted shield from the court of the tomb kings and being the only individual to survive a fight with the Giantslayer Gotrek Gurnisson.
fantasy world. Drow are dark elves that live in subterranean caverns deep beneath the surface known as the "Underdark" of the Forgotten Realms. In R. A. Salvatore's novels Drizzt renounces the Drow's Spider-Queen Lolth
, goddess of treachery and deception (instead embracing Mielikki
, goddess of the forests and rangers). In doing so, Drizzt angers Lolth
who, in turn, demands his family sacrifice him. Drizzt leaves behind the city of his birth, Menzoberranzan
escaping the wrath of his family, and consequently his former house (the house of Do'Urden) is left to bear the wrath of the evil Spider-Queen. Finding himself a renegade, Drizzt seeks sanctuary from his past on the surface world. Where as most Drow are evil and power hungry, Drizzt is benevolent and humble. On the surface he is often wrongly persecuted for the reputation of his race, yet through the years he slowly gains a reputation for himself, allowing him acceptance without prejudice. His preferred weapons are twin scimitars, although he is perfectly capable of using a variety of other weapons should the need arise. His primary companion is Guenhwyvar, a magical panther who is summoned to Drizzt's plane of existence by means of a small onyx figurine. Along the way Drizzt has also made many important friends, such as the dwarf king Bruenor, the dwarf's adopted daughter Catti-brie and the human Barbarian Wulfgar
, as well as Montolio "Mooshie" Debrouchee who revealed to the dark elf which deity his heart followed and the svirfneblin
Belwar Dissengulp from Blingdenstone, the first member of a lawful race to accept Drizzt.
's fantasy world Midkemia
. He betrayed his people to travel south across the Teeth of the World (a mountain range which separates the Moredhel from the rest of the world) in order to warn Prince Arutha ConDoin of the coming war in an effort to stop the Moredhel leader, Delekhan, and save his people from utter destruction. His story is portrayed in the video game Betrayal at Krondor
and again in the novel based on the computer game, Krondor: The Betrayal
. This book is the first novel in The Riftwar Legacy
, followed by Krondor: The Assassins
, Krondor: The Tear of the Gods, Krondor: The Crawler (Not yet released), and Krondor: The Dark Mage (Not yet released).
. Technically, he is not necessarily a Dark Elf in the game, depending on the player's race, but he is the reincarnation of the Chimer Nerevar Indoril. With the aid of the Daedric Princess Azura, he rose to power over the Chimer by overthrowing the Nords. He continued as the king of Morrowind for many years, but when he fought a battle with the Dwemer at Red Mountain, he was victorious but mortally wounded. His three councillors (who later became the Tribunal) betrayed their oath to him and used a forbidden magical artifact. In punishment for this Azura changed his race with dark blue skin and red eyes, transforming them into the Dunmer, the Dark Elves. He was later reincarnated, as the player character of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
.
Elf
An elf is a being of Germanic mythology. The elves were originally thought of as a race of divine beings endowed with magical powers, which they use both for the benefit and the injury of mankind...
, a word from Germanic mythology, are frequently featured in Fantasy fiction. In modern fiction, particularly because of the influence from J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
, elves
Elves in fantasy fiction and games
In many works of modern fantasy, elves are a race of semi-divine humanoid beings.-Characteristics and common features:Modern fantasy literature has revived the elves as a race of semi-divine beings of human stature who are friendly with animals. Fantasy elves are different from Norse elves and the...
are modeled mostly after his original description: tall, human-like creatures of otherworldly beauty, with Kings and Queens. Along with this development, Dark elves are often modeled as a more sinister counterpart to the High elves
High elves
Many fantasy settings contain elves, often, particularly in western fantasy elves are divided into multiple different kinds. High elves are one of the most common sub-types of elf appearing in many different fantasy settings....
, like the Drow
Drow
The drow or dark elves are a generally evil, dark-skinned subrace of elves in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game.-Publication history:...
or the Trow, which are the fairy-like dark creatures of the Orkney and Shetland islands folklore. The dark elves or black elves are presented in Germanic mythology as dwarves.
General Dark Elf Lore
Dark elves are known for their aggression, deceit, and stealth. They are very brutal and cruel by nature, having little mercy when it comes to cheating, battling, or anything dealing with the life of another being. They have little respect for even their own kind, at times waging war against each other. However, clans are known to band together, to combat invasions and attacks by other races. They do not mix blood with other races. They lurk in dark places and love the shadows. Rarely will they come into the light for needless purposes, but it is not usually believed light will harm or weaken them. Their weakness varies upon legend, and may include excessive heat, rain, nettles, or the blossoms of some plants and trees. Dark elves generally travel in pairs or groups, as their tendencies towards cheating and theft make them targets for retaliation and violence at the hands of other races.Dungeons & Dragons
The drow, as they appear in Dungeons & DragonsDungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
, were created by Gary Gygax
Gary Gygax
Ernest Gary Gygax was an American writer and game designer best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson. Gygax is generally acknowledged as the father of role-playing games....
, who stated that "Drow are mentioned in Keightley's The Fairy Mythology, as I recall (it might have been The Secret Commonwealth—neither book is before me, and it is not all that important anyway), and as Dark Elves of evil nature, they served as an ideal basis for the creation of a unique new mythos designed especially for the AD&D game." ("Books Are Books, Games Are Games" in Dragon Magazine, Nov. 1979, #31. This establishes Gygax's source for the term as Thomas Keightley's The Fairy Mythology, Illustrative of the Romance and Superstition of Various Countries (1828; aka The World Guide to Gnomes, Fairies, Elves and Other Little People). They were first mentioned in the Dungeons & Dragons game in the 1st Edition
Editions of Dungeons & Dragons
Several different editions of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game have been produced since 1974. The current publisher of Dungeons & Dragons , Wizards of the Coast, produces new materials only for the most current edition of the game...
1977 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Monster Manual
Monster Manual
The Monster Manual is the primary bestiary sourcebook for monsters in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It includes monsters derived from mythology, and folklore, as well as creatures created for D&D specifically...
under "Elf", where it is stated that "The 'Black Elves,' or drow, are only legend."
Video Games
The Baldur's Gate seriesBaldur's Gate series
Baldur's Gate is a franchise of action role-playing games released under the Dungeons & Dragons Video Game Licenses. It is set in the fictional campaign setting of Forgotten Realms and takes place in its fictional continent of Faerûn. It takes place mostly in the Western Heartlands, but has also...
of computer games feature drow as enemies and NPCs
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
, as well as part of the game being set in the drow city of Ust Nautha. The drow cleric of Shar, Viconia, features in Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn as a party member and, in the second game, a possible romantic interest. In the Throne of Bhaal expansion, her alignment can be changed from neutral evil to true neutral if she is in a romance with a PC. The Eilistraee-worshipping drow male Solaufein plays a minor role in the second game, but his role can be expanded into a romance with a mod
Mod (computer gaming)
Mod or modification is a term generally applied to personal computer games , especially first-person shooters, role-playing games and real-time strategy games. Mods are made by the general public or a developer, and can be entirely new games in themselves, but mods are not standalone software and...
. Drizzt Do'Urden
Drizzt Do'Urden
Drizzt Do'Urden is a fictional character in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Drizzt was created by author R. A. Salvatore as a supporting character in the Icewind Dale Trilogy. Salvatore created him on a whim when his publisher needed to...
has a cameo in both Baldur's Gate and Shadows of Amn, Jarlaxle Baenre has a cameo in Shadows of Amn, and they and the male dark elves Maznafein and Jalynfein also appear in the 1994 IBM-PC CD game Menzoberranzan.
In Icewind Dale
Icewind Dale
Icewind Dale is a computer role-playing game developed for Windows by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay Entertainment. Released on June 30, 2000, it takes place in the Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms campaign setting, and is based on the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition...
, a drow named Nym steals dwarven weapons and artifacts and sells them to the goblin and orc armies attacking the elven fortress, the Shattered Hand. Since the armies are armed with dwarven weapons, the elf leader Larrel assumes the dwarves betrayed them, and ends the alliance between the two. Thus, Nym is single-handedly responsible for the fall of both the dwarves and the elves in the Dale. Nym can be found in the Svirfneblin
Svirfneblin
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, svirfneblin , or deep gnomes, are a sub-race of gnome.-Publication history:The svirfneblin first appears in first edition in the adventure modules D2 Shrine of the Kuo-Toa , and D3 Vault of the Drow , and then in the original Fiend Folio...
village in the tunnels of Lower Dorn's Deep, where he will sell a number of magical artifacts and weapons to the player. Nym also appears in Icewind Dale II
Icewind Dale II
Icewind Dale II is a role-playing video game developed by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay Entertainment, released on August 27, 2002. Like its 2000 predecessor Icewind Dale, the game is set in the Forgotten Realms fantasy setting in the Icewind Dale region...
, where he appears to be in league with the Legion of the Chimera.
The original campaign and first expansion of Neverwinter Nights
Neverwinter Nights
Neverwinter Nights , produced by BioWare and published by Infogrames , is a third-person perspective computer role-playing game that is based on third edition Dungeons & Dragons and Forgotten Realms rules. It was originally to be published by Interplay Entertainment, but the publisher's financial...
do not deal much with the drow but the second expansion, Hordes of the Underdark, does so extensively. Neverwinter Nights 2
Neverwinter Nights 2
Neverwinter Nights 2 is a computer role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Atari. It is the sequel to BioWare's Neverwinter Nights, based on the Dungeons & Dragons pencil and paper fantasy role-playing game...
continues to expand upon them in their story, as well as allowing drow and other Underdark races as playable characters.
The Dark Elves found in the Age of Wonders
Age of Wonders
Age of Wonders is a turn-based strategy PC-game often likened to Master of Magic. Originally titled World of Wonders, the game incorporated several role-playing video game elements that were dropped when simultaneous turns were implemented...
series are a species of Elf, but qualify as their own race because they are evil aligned. In the game it states that all Dark Elves were once regular elves, but since elves are immortal they suffer not death of life, but death of spirit. It is never stated why their spirit dies and the only Main Character who has that 'death' is Prince Meandor. The race description of Dark Elves is "Formed from the belly of irreconcilable grief, the Dark Elves are the embodiment of the living dead among the Elves. They know death of spirit, but their frames keep them immortal, nonetheless. They are angry and bitter creatures, apt to great fits of cruelty and torture. They joy in revenge only, and imagine up vain excuses so they might seek imagined retribution. They live in the darkness of the earth, and adorn themselves in inky black clothing. Their skin is a pale greenish-gray, but otherwise Dark Elves are as beautiful as the surface elves. Also like the elves they channel the powers of magic, but for the purpose of twisting life and its meaning. Dark Elves employ dark powers to twist their less obedient into mindless slaves. They merge their rebellious with spiders and direct then worship their abominable creations as demigods. Dark Elves desire nothing more than complete world domination, at which point they would turn upon themselves and destroy themselves." It is also mentioned that among the Dark Elves, females have a higher standing and males tend to be little more than servants.
Drow also appear in Atari's Demon Stone in the form of Zhai, the half drow player-character, and another appearance of Drizzt Do'Urden.
Other Games
In the Hungarian role-playing game M.A.G.U.S., "obsidian-elves" appear as a deadly and evil race, which are similar to the drow. These lonely predators live in deep caves and hunt passionately almost everything, searching for challenge and danger. They are vile and ruthless to the core, but usually leave humans alone, letting them pass unharmed in their caves, as these dark elves don't accept mortal beings as worthy prey.Novels
Elaine CunninghamElaine Cunningham
Elaine Cunningham is an American fantasy and science fiction author, especially known for her contributions to the Dungeons & Dragons role playing game campaign setting of Forgotten Realms, including the realms of Evermeet, Halruaa, Ruathym and Waterdeep.-Biography:Elaine Cunningham grew up in New...
- Starlight and Shadows
Gary Gygax
Gary Gygax
Ernest Gary Gygax was an American writer and game designer best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson. Gygax is generally acknowledged as the father of role-playing games....
- Artifact of Evil
- Come Endless Darkness
- Dance of Demons
- Sea of Death
R.A. Salvatore
- The Dark Elf TrilogyThe Dark Elf TrilogyThe Dark Elf Trilogy is a prequel to the Icewind Dale Trilogy by R. A. Salvatore. Drizzt Do'Urden, a drow, or dark elf, was originally written as a supporting character in the Icewind Dale Trilogy to Wulfgar the barbarian. However, the author soon realized how popular the character was, and Drizzt...
- The Icewind Dale TrilogyThe Icewind Dale TrilogyThe Icewind Dale Trilogy is a trilogy of novels written by R.A. Salvatore, a SciFi and fantasy author. The events depicted in the trilogy follow the events of The Dark Elf Trilogy, although the former was written beforehand. It then continues from the Halfling's Gem onto the next series, Legacy of...
- Legacy of the DrowLegacy of the DrowThe Legacy of the Drow is a New York Times best selling fantasy series. It is the third series by R. A. Salvatore following the adventures of the Forgotten Realms character Drizzt Do'Urden.This series is followed up by the Paths of Darkness series....
- Paths of DarknessPaths of DarknessPaths of Darkness is the New York Times best-selling series of novels chronicling adventures of the renegade drow elf character Drizzt Do'Urden written by R. A. Salvatore...
- The Hunter's Blades TrilogyThe Hunter's Blades TrilogyThe Hunter's Blades Trilogy is a New York Times best-selling trilogy written by science fiction and fantasy author R.A. Salvatore. It follows on from the previous book, The Servant of the Shard and the other books of the Paths of Darkness series. It contains three books, The Thousand Orcs, The Lone...
Lisa Smedman
Lisa Smedman
Lisa Smedman is a newspaper editor and a science fiction and fantasy novelist. Her most well-known work is Extinction, a novel set in the Forgotten Realms universe.-Background:...
- Sacrifice of the Widow
Raymond E. Feist
Raymond E. Feist
Raymond Elias Feist is an American author who primarily writes fantasy fiction. He is best known for The Riftwar Cycle series of novels and short stories. His books have been translated into multiple languages and have sold over 15 million copies.- Biography :Raymond E...
- SilverthornSilverthornSilverthorn is a novel by Raymond E. Feist, the sequel to Magician. Released in 1985, it was followed by A Darkness at Sethanon, the final book in The Riftwar Saga.-Plot:...
- A Darkness at SethanonA Darkness at SethanonA Darkness at Sethanon is the third and final book in The Riftwar Saga. It details how Murmandamus, a new prince of the Dark Brotherhood, marshals the forces of the Moredhel and invades the kingdom, with the intent of finding the Lifestone, a powerful relic with which he will be able to destroy...
- Krondor: The BetrayalKrondor: The BetrayalKrondor: The Betrayal is a fantasy novel by Raymond E. Feist. It is the first novel in the The Riftwar Legacy and was first published in November 1998. It is a novelization of the computer game Betrayal at Krondor.-Plot introduction:...
Assorted authors
- War of the Spider QueenWar of the Spider QueenWar of the Spider Queen is a New York Times best-selling series of novels set in the Forgotten Realms universe published by Wizards of the Coast. The series contains six books focused on the drow and their principal deity Lolth. Each of the six novels in the series is written by a different author...
- Overseen by R.A. Salvatore
- The Shattered Land and The Gates of Night by Keith Baker.
- ShadowslayersShadowslayersShadowslayers is the name of a fantasy novel by Charlie Martin. Published in April 2006 by Port Town Publishing, the novel is set in the imaginary world of Niiran, and specifically focuses on the largest kingdom of that world, the empire or Blackwood....
by Charlie Martin
Video Games
- Age of WondersAge of WondersAge of Wonders is a turn-based strategy PC-game often likened to Master of Magic. Originally titled World of Wonders, the game incorporated several role-playing video game elements that were dropped when simultaneous turns were implemented...
- Age of Wonders 2: The Wizard's ThroneAge of Wonders 2: The Wizard's ThroneAge of Wonders II: The Wizard's Throne is a turn-based, strategy PC-game in a fantasy setting. The first sequel to Age of Wonders, it was developed by Triumph Studios, a Dutch game developer.- Differences from Age of Wonders :...
- Age of Wonders: Shadow MagicAge of Wonders: Shadow MagicAge of Wonders: Shadow Magic or AOW:SM is a turn-based, strategy PC-game in a fantasy setting.Shadow Magic is the third incarnation of the Age of Wonders series, and is a direct sequel to Age of Wonders 2: The Wizard's Throne...
- Baldur's Gate: Dark AllianceBaldur's Gate: Dark AllianceBaldur's Gate: Dark Alliance is an action role-playing game developed by Snowblind Studios for the PlayStation 2; later released for the Xbox, Nintendo GameCube and Game Boy Advance. It was re-released on the PlayStation 2 as a Greatest Hits title...
- Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance IIBaldur's Gate: Dark Alliance IIBaldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II is an action role-playing game released for the PlayStation 2 on December 2, 2003 and the Xbox on January 20, 2004...
- Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of AmnBaldur's Gate II: Shadows of AmnBaldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn is a computer role-playing game developed by BioWare and released on September 26, 2000. The game is the sequel to Baldur's Gate, and, opening only a few months after the events of the earlier game, continues the story of the player character, whose unique heritage...
- Betrayal at KrondorBetrayal at KrondorBetrayal at Krondor is a DOS-based computer role-playing game developed by Dynamix and published by Sierra On-Line in 1993. Betrayal at Krondor takes place largely in Midkemia, the fantasy world developed by Raymond E. Feist in his Riftwar novels...
- Eye of the BeholderEye of the Beholder (computer game)Eye of the Beholder is a role-playing video game for computers and video game consoles developed by Westwood Studios. It was published by Strategic Simulations, Inc. in 1990 for the DOS operating system and later ported to the Amiga, the Sega CD, and the SNES...
- Forgotten Realms: Demon StoneForgotten Realms: Demon StoneForgotten Realms: Demon Stone is a video game that was released in 2004 for PlayStation 2, Xbox and Windows PC. It is set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for Dungeons & Dragons , but the gameplay only vaguely models D&D's structure. The story was written by R.A...
- Forgotten Realms: Menzoberranzan
- Icewind DaleIcewind DaleIcewind Dale is a computer role-playing game developed for Windows by Black Isle Studios and published by Interplay Entertainment. Released on June 30, 2000, it takes place in the Dungeons & Dragons Forgotten Realms campaign setting, and is based on the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition...
- Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the UnderdarkNeverwinter Nights: Hordes of the UnderdarkNeverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark is an expansion pack for the role-playing video game Neverwinter Nights produced by BioWare and published by Infogrames Entertainment...
- Neverwinter Nights II
- The Elder Scrolls: Arena
- The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
- The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Also known as "Dunmer" in the game and it's expansions)
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Also known as "Dunmer")
- Pools of DarknessPools of DarknessPools of Darkness is the fourth in a four-part series of Forgotten Realms Dungeons & Dragons Gold Box adventure computer games, published by Strategic Simulations, Inc.. The game was released in 1991...
- Kingdom Under Fire: HeroesKingdom Under Fire: HeroesKingdom Under Fire: Heroes is an action strategy game, the prequel to Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders, released in 2005 for the Xbox.-Gameplay:...
(As "Dark Elves", although not entirely synonymous with Drow) - Kingdom Under Fire: The CrusadersKingdom Under Fire: The CrusadersKingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders is a tactical wargame developed by the Korean studio Phantagram for the Xbox. It is the sequel to the 2001 game Kingdom Under Fire: A War of Heroes, and continues its storyline...
(As "Dark Elves", although not entirely synonymous with Drow) - Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach
- Champions of NorrathChampions of NorrathChampions of Norrath: Realms of EverQuest is an online-capable action role-playing game for the PlayStation 2, set in the EverQuest universe. It is playable with one single player or cooperative for up to four players. However, with a Network Adapter, players can take the game online with others...
(As "Dark Elves", although not entirely synonymous with Drow) - Champions: Return to ArmsChampions: Return to ArmsChampions: Return to Arms is an Action RPG set in the EverQuest universe. It is the sequel to Champions of Norrath and is developed by Snowblind Studios.-Gameplay:...
(As "Dark Elves", although not entirely synonymous with Drow) - Warcraft III: The Frozen ThroneWarcraft III: The Frozen ThroneWarcraft III: The Frozen Throne is a real-time strategy computer game developed for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS and Mac OS X by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the official expansion pack to Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, requiring Reign of Chaos to play...
's Defense of the AncientsDefense of the AncientsDefense of the Ancients is a custom scenario for the real-time strategy game Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and its expansion, Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, based on the "Aeon of Strife" map for StarCraft...
(As Traxex, the Drow Ranger) - Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth DrannorPool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth DrannorPool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor is a Forgotten Realms Dungeons and Dragons role-playing video game released in 2001 by Ubisoft....
- EverQuestEverQuestEverQuest, often shortened to EQ, is a 3D fantasy-themed massively multiplayer online role-playing game that was released on the 16th of March, 1999. The original design is credited to Brad McQuaid, Steve Clover, and Bill Trost...
- EverQuest IIEverQuest IIEverQuest II is a 3D fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by Sony Online Entertainment , based on EverQuest, and shipped on 8 November 2004...
- Materia MagicaMateria MagicaMateria Magica, originally named Moongate, is a well-known custom codebase MUD published by Ingenii Interactive that has been in operation since 1996. In 1996, Moongate diverged from a ROM, Nevermore...
- Fight For Midgard (As one of the playable races)
- Lineage IILineage IILineage II is a massive multiplayer online role-playing game for Microsoft Windows. It is a prequel to Lineage, and is set 150 years before the earlier game. It has become very popular since its October 1, 2003 launch in South Korea, reporting 1,000,918 unique users during the month of March 2007...
(As "Dark Elves" - one of the playable races) - Spell Force Series (As "Norcaine" - one of the playable races)
Trow in Popular Culture
- Trows are characters in Bungie's MythMyth (computer game)Myth is a series of real-time tactics computer games. The games are:*Myth: The Fallen Lords*Myth II: Soulblighter*Myth III: The Wolf Age...
computerComputerA computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
gameGameA game is structured playing, usually undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. Games are distinct from work, which is usually carried out for remuneration, and from art, which is more often an expression of aesthetic or ideological elements...
series. - Trowe appear in the flagship title of InXileInXile EntertainmentinXile Entertainment is a video game developer formed in late 2002 by Brian Fargo, a founder of Interplay Productions...
, The Bard's TaleThe Bard's Tale (2004)The Bard's Tale is an action-role playing game video game created by InXile Entertainment, and released in 2004. Marketed as a humorous spoof on fantasy role-playing video games , it has more in common with modern console games like Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance.The Bard's Tale was released for the...
, as the prevalent enemy and a source of musical interludes. - Jeremy Grey, owner of the Grey Detective Agency is a Trow in the Merry GentryMerry GentryMerry Gentry is the title character of fantasy series by US writer Laurell K. Hamilton, best-known for her previous series Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter...
series by Laurell K. HamiltonLaurell K. HamiltonLaurell Kaye Hamilton is an American fantasy and romance writer. She is the author of two series of stories. Hamilton is known for her New York Times-bestselling Anita Blake series, featuring a professional zombie raiser/supernatural consultant for the police as the protagonist in a world where...
.
The Deed of Paksenarrion
In Elizabeth MoonElizabeth Moon
Elizabeth Moon is an American science fiction and fantasy author. Her novel The Speed of Dark won the 2003 Nebula Award.-Biography:...
's trilogy The Deed of Paksenarrion
The Deed of Paksenarrion
The Deed of Paksenarrion is an epic fantasy saga by the American author Elizabeth Moon. The Deed of Paksenarrion was originally published in three volumes in 1988 and 1989 and as a single trade edition of that name in 1992 by Baen. The three books included are Sheepfarmer's Daughter, Divided...
, the dark elves are a sect of elves that have wandered from the path and now follow the gods of evil, rather than the "High Lord".
Middle-earth
In J. R. R. TolkienJ. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's Middle-earth
Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
writings, the Moriquendi
Moriquendi
In the fictional universe of J. R. R. Tolkien, Moriquendi is a Quenya word meaning "Dark-folk", but often translated "Elves of Darkness" or "Dark-elves"...
or "Elves of Darkness" were a group of the Elves
Elf (Middle-earth)
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, Elves are one of the races that inhabit a fictional Earth, often called Middle-earth, and set in the remote past. They appear in The Hobbit and in The Lord of the Rings, but their complex history is described more fully in The Silmarillion...
that did not join the Great Journey across the continent of Middle-earth and the Sundering Seas, and thus did not behold the light of the Two Trees
Two Trees of Valinor
In J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the Two Trees of Valinor are Telperion and Laurelin, the Silver Tree and the Gold that brought light to the Land of the Valar in ancient times...
in Valinor
Valinor
Valinor is a fictional location in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the realm of the Valar in Aman. It was also known as the Undying Lands, along with Tol Eressëa and the outliers of Aman. This is something of a misnomer; only immortal beings were allowed to reside there, but the land itself,...
. The Dark Elves were in no way more "evil" than the Light Elves
Calaquendi
In the fictional universe of J. R. R. Tolkien, Calaquendi means in Quenya "Light-folk", but was often translated "Elves of the Light". This name has a long history....
; the latter just had a surpassing knowledge and skill, and were more "noble" and potent.
EverQuest (EQ)
In Everquest(EQ)EverQuest
EverQuest, often shortened to EQ, is a 3D fantasy-themed massively multiplayer online role-playing game that was released on the 16th of March, 1999. The original design is credited to Brad McQuaid, Steve Clover, and Bill Trost...
the dark elves were a very key role in the game. Players played as these elves in RP Online format. Each player could customize their way of playing through the world.
In the sequel, EverQuest II, dark elves (properly known as the Tier'Dal) once again play a prominent role. They are governed by Queen Cristanos from her throne in the ancient subterranean city of Neriak. The city is located at the east end of the Darklight Wood northwest of Freeport on the continent of D'Lere. A number of factions vie for favor and control within Neriak. While many Tier'Dal are native to Neriak, they can be found in most corners of the world of EverQuest II, a planet called Norrath.
Mega Man Zero
The Dark Elf is a key character to the plot of Mega Man Zero 2Mega Man Zero 2
Mega Man Zero 2, known in Japan as , is a video game developed by Inti Creates and published by Capcom for the Game Boy Advance handheld game console...
and Mega Man Zero 3
Mega Man Zero 3
Mega Man Zero 3, known in Japan as , is a video game developed by Inti Creates and published by Capcom for the Game Boy Advance handheld game console. It is the third video game in the Mega Man Zero series of Mega Man video games....
. She was initially created as the Mother Elf, the good being which had the power to exterminate the Mavericks. However, Dr. Weil cursed the Mother Elf, and it transformed into the ominous Dark Elf, creating two evil "children" dark elves: Créer and Prier. The Dark Elf was so destructive that X sacrificed himself to seal her inside his body. However, years later, in Mega Man Zero 2
Mega Man Zero 2
Mega Man Zero 2, known in Japan as , is a video game developed by Inti Creates and published by Capcom for the Game Boy Advance handheld game console...
she was eventually released by Elpizo, who used her power to fight Zero
Zero (Mega Man)
is a video game character present throughout the Mega Man franchise. First appearing in the 1993 game Mega Man X for the Super Nintendo, Zero has since been the star of the Mega Man Zero series and has played a supporting role in other game series such as the Mega Man ZX series.First developed by...
. With Elpizo's defeat, the Dark Elf flew away. In the third installment
Mega Man Zero 3
Mega Man Zero 3, known in Japan as , is a video game developed by Inti Creates and published by Capcom for the Game Boy Advance handheld game console. It is the third video game in the Mega Man Zero series of Mega Man video games....
, the Resistance and Neo Arcadia started to look for the Dark Elf, causing a clash between Zero and Weil. The Elf and her "children", however, were caught by Weil and merged to Omega (or the "Original Zero"). After Créer, Prier and Omega's demise, Weil's curse was finally broken and the Dark Elf became the Mother Elf once again.
Final Fantasy
The Dark Elf king Astos puts the prince of the Elven Castle to sleep for 5 years. In the game the player must find Matoya and have her make a cure to wake him.Final Fantasy IV
A boss called the Dark Elf resides in the Lodestone Cavern. Being weak against metallic weapons, he created a strong, magnetic field within his lair. The bard, Edward, could play music which disrupted his concentration and with it the field. As a last resort he transforms into the Dark Dragon. His sentences contained odd capitalization.Dark Age of Camelot
In Dark Age of Camelot, there is a race of dark-skinned elf like creatures named Svartalf's and are seen many times in the Midgard lands.Dungeons & Dragons
In the Dungeons & DragonsDungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
multiverse, especially in the worlds of Greyhawk
Greyhawk
Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
, the Forgotten Realms
Forgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
and Eberron
Eberron
Eberron is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, set in a period after a vast destructive war on the continent of Khorvaire...
, dark elves are commonly called drow. They are dark-skinned and white-haired and are generally, but not exclusively, evil
Evil
Evil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
. Many other games and works of mainstream fantasy fiction derive their "dark elves" or "night elves" from the drow of Dungeons & Dragons. The drow in most Dungeons & Dragons settings are depicted as worshipers of the spider goddess Lolth
Lolth
Lolth is a fictional goddess in the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Lolth , the Demon Queen of Spiders, is the chief goddess of drow elves...
and live in matriarchal societies.
In the Mystara
Mystara
Mystara is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role playing game. Although it has officially been dropped from production by its creators, many fans continue to develop and evolve this fantasy setting jointly, continuing its original theme of group development.-Development:It...
/"Known World" setting, shadow elves are a race of subterranean elves who have been mutated via magic (possibly as a nod to the origin of orcs
Orc (Middle-earth)
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings, Orcs or Orks are a race of creatures who are used as soldiers and henchmen by both the greater and lesser villains of The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings — Morgoth, Sauron and Saruman...
in Middle-earth).
In the Dragonlance
Dragonlance
Dragonlance is a shared universe created by Laura and Tracy Hickman, and expanded by Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis under the direction of TSR, Inc. into a series of popular fantasy novels. The Hickmans conceived Dragonlance while driving in their car on the way to TSR for a job application...
setting, dark elves are not a separate subrace of elves (in fact, the drow of other worlds do not exist on this one). In this setting, "dark elf" is a label given to any elf that is outcast from elven society, typically (although not always) for evil practices.
- It should be noted that in the Forgotten Realms setting Dark-elf is not entirely synonymous with Drow. As explained on pages 54–56 of the supplement Lost Empires of Faerun by Richard Baker et al., the dark-elves were a subrace of elves and the majority were not inherently evil. Actions of the dark-elves of Ilythiir during the Second and Fourth Crown WarsCrown WarsThe Crown Wars were a series of elven wars in the Forgotten Realms game setting of Dungeons & Dragons. Over a period of three thousand years, the great elven kingdoms participated in five primary conflicts, leading to the decline of elven power in Faerûn.-First Crown War:When, in approximately...
led the other elven kingdoms to perform powerful ritual changing all of the dark-elves into drow. "The word dhaerow—which meant traitor—was likewise corrupted to 'drow,' which became the name of the corrupted dark-elves. Why all the dark elves, and not just the Ilythiiri, were transformed into drow remains one of the enduring mysteries of the Descent" (56).
Fighting Fantasy
In the Fighting FantasyFighting Fantasy
Fighting Fantasy is a series of single-player fantasy roleplay gamebooks created by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone. The first volumes in the series were published by Puffin in 1982, with the rights to the franchise eventually being purchased by Wizard Books in 2002...
gamebook role-playing series, dark elves are much like their Dungeons & Dragons counterparts. However, some details of their culture have been adapted to fit the Fighting Fantasy background.
Record of Lodoss War
Some dark elves from the fictionFiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al world of Record of Lodoss War are brown-skinned and not necessarily evil, but primarily aligned with the forces of Marmo, the enemies of the story's heroes. These dark elves are capable of deep loyalty and love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
, as personified by the only dark elf main character, Pirotess.
Shadowrun
As with most metahuman races in the ShadowrunShadowrun
Shadowrun is a role-playing game set in a near-future fictional universe in which cybernetics, magic and fantasy creatures co-exist. It combines genres of cyberpunk, urban fantasy and crime, with occasional elements of conspiracy fiction, horror, and detective fiction.The original game has spawned...
world, many elves are born from the same ethnic groups that normal humans come from, meaning that there are African elves, Indian elves, and Arabic elves, for example. However, the closest thing to the "dark elf" in Shadowrun is the elf metahuman variant subgroup called the Night Ones, most of which come from Europe. The Night Ones have an aversion to sunlight and are different from other elves by possessing a fine fur coat that covers their bodies, indistinguishable from their skin at a distance and usually colored from black, violet, or dark blue. Popular media has dubbed them dark elves, and the group is sometimes stereotyped against as being members of a cult or an "evil" metahuman race. In the in-character comments of a sourcebook, a character derisively calls a group of Night One pirates, "the Muppets
The Muppets
The Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson starting in 1954–55. Although the term is often used to refer to any puppet that resembles the distinctive style of The Muppet Show, the term is both an informal name and legal trademark owned by the Walt Disney Company in reference...
", because of their purple fur resembling the Muppet Grover
Grover
Grover is a Muppet character on the popular television show Sesame Street. Self-described as lovable, cute and furry, he is a monster who almost never uses contractions when speaking or singing....
.
Warhammer
In the fictional universes of Warhammer FantasyWarhammer Fantasy (setting)
Warhammer Fantasy is a fantasy setting, created by Games Workshop, which is used by many of the company's games. Some of the best-known games set in this world are: the table top wargame Warhammer Fantasy Battle, the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay pen-and-paper role-playing game, and the MMORPG...
and Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer 40,000 is a tabletop miniature wargame produced by Games Workshop, set in a dystopian science fantasy universe. Warhammer 40,000 was created by Rick Priestley in 1987 as the futuristic companion to Warhammer Fantasy Battle, sharing many game mechanics...
, the generally evil Dark Elves
Dark Elves (Warhammer)
In Games Workshop's Warhammer Fantasy fictional universe, the Dark Elves are a race of harsh, warlike and vicious Elves. They are also known as the Druchii in most Warhammer fiction books. They cruel, sadistic raiders with much disdain for all other races, especially their lighter kindred the High...
(running parallel to the Dark Eldar
Dark Eldar
In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Dark Eldar are a Kindred of the Eldar, an ancient and advanced race of elf-like humanoids. Their armies usually have the advantages of speed, though they are often lacking in resilience...
in the Warhammer 40,000 universe) do not dwell underground, nor are they dark-skinned. Though Warhammer Dark Elves live in the frozen lands of the north in the continent called 'new world', in cities similar to those of High Elves. Dark Elves are masters of torture and they worship the god Khaine, Lord of Murder.
In the Warhammer universe, they call themselves the Druchii and are ruled with an iron fist by the Witch-King Malekith and his sorcerous mother Morathi. The Druchii live in the land of Naggaroth and are cruel raiders with much disdain for all other races; especially their lighter kindred, the High Elves. The Dark Elves were actually the ones responsible for sparking "The War of the Beard", the great war that caused the rift in Dwarf and High Elf relations, though only the High Elves know this and the Dwarfs would disbelieve it if they found out.
In the Warhammer 40,000 universe, the Dark Eldar live in the extra-dimensional city of Commorragh from which they launch raids upon the rest of the galaxy to capture slaves to be brought back to Commorragh as playthings or torture victims. They are afflicted with a condition known among themselves as the Thirst, which forces them to consume the souls of other sentient creatures lest the Chaos God Slaanesh consume theirs.
The Elder Scrolls
In The Elder ScrollsThe Elder Scrolls
The Elder Scrolls is a role-playing video game series developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks.-History:...
series of computer role-playing games, Dark Elves (often referred to as Dunmer) lived generally peacefully with other races. They were the predominant race in Morrowind, their native province, and held many of the highest positions of authority. In addition, much of the mythology surrounding Morrowind revolved around them. They are generally conservative by nature, being very devoted to their pantheon of gods, and are distrustful of "outlanders". Dunmer culture is split between the settled people of the cities and the nomadic Ashlander tribes. Dark can easily be applied to them as "gloomy" or "morbid", for such is their temperament. Dunmer are said to have been punished with their red eyes and dark-bluish skin colour by Azura, one of the most prominent Daedra, either for disobeying her in one of the most crucial moments of their history or for turning to worship the Tribunal, along with the Tribunal killing Nerevar, the savior of the Dunmer. Many Imperial scholars prefer the theory that the bluish-grey skin is an adaptive response to the frequent volcanic eruptions on Vvardenfell.
In truth, the term Dunmer more properly means Cursed Elves than Dark Elves. However, the term Dark Elves is far more complimentary. Although generally civilized, the Dunmer possess many savage and barbaric traits. While the Tribunal maintains a general peace amongst the people, the House Wars amongst the ruling class remain strong in memory. In addition, thanks to the Armistice allowing Morrowind to maintain many of its own laws, it is the only province which practices chattel slavery of the "lesser" races, which the Dunmer consider to be most other races and even some of their own species including High Elves and Wood Elves; however, by the time of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is a single-player action role-playing video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks and the Take-Two Interactive subsidiary 2K Games...
they are said to be abandoning this practice. A long lifespan is common among members of the race. Some Dark Elves are said to have lived for 1000 years.
Among those who played the older Elder Scrolls games, the Dunmer had something of a reputation for being promiscuous due to several in-game jokes to that extent.
Midkemia
MidkemiaMidkemia
Midkemia is a fictional world created by a fantasy role-playing group and popularized by Raymond E. Feist where most of the Riftwar books take place...
n dark elves - called moredhel (incidentally, a 'literal' word from Dark and Elf from Tolkien Elvish) - resemble the elves (eledhel) and the glamredhel, the "mad ones", but have dark hair. They're quite warlike because of the 'path' they follow is towards power, 'might makes right
Might makes right
Might makes right is an aphorism with several potential meanings :* In English, the phrase is most often used in negative assessments of expressions of power....
', and 'the end justifies the means'. They mostly inhabit the Northlands, and also the continent of Triagia, and are usually only seen in the more populated parts of the world robbing and raiding. Some of the moredhel return to reside with the eledhel in a process of change inwardly and outwardly, called the Returning, but they are often killed by their kin before they reach the home of the elves, Elvandar.
The truth, known only to the elves themselves and few elf-friends, is that the moredhel and eledhel are the one race both of whom were slaves under the Valheru. When the latter disappeared the field slaves turned their back on their former masters' ways and became the eledhel, while the house slaves who had been in closer proximity to their masters sought their power and methods and became the moredhel. The eldar, keepers of lore and of the Valheru's sacred objects, left Midkemia and made their home on the world of Kelewan unbeknownst to anyone, as they kill anyone who tries to enter their forest.
They play a significant role in the novel A Darkness at Sethanon (Riftwar
Riftwar
The Riftwar Saga is a series of fantasy novels by Raymond E. Feist, the first series in The Riftwar Cycle.-Magician:"To the forest on the shore of the Kingdom of the Isles, the orphan called Pug came to study with the Master Magician Kulgan...
series) and the computer game Betrayal at Krondor
Betrayal at Krondor
Betrayal at Krondor is a DOS-based computer role-playing game developed by Dynamix and published by Sierra On-Line in 1993. Betrayal at Krondor takes place largely in Midkemia, the fantasy world developed by Raymond E. Feist in his Riftwar novels...
. The Novel 'Krondor the Betrayal' goes quite in depth to show the 'moredhel' are not evil per se, but have a very xenophobic, stubborn, and harsh culture.
GURPS Banestorm
On the world of Yrth, the dark elves are not a separate race, but are a xenophobic offshoot of the main elven culture. They think all non-elves in general, and orcs in particular, are an aberration against nature and a threat to the future of the world and the elven race, and thus conspire to either enslave or destroy those other races. They began as nothing more than a group of elves united against orcs, but over the centuries their beliefs diverged from the elven mainstream. They believe in using magic to improve on nature, guiding it actively toward union with the Eternal, the elven (and dwarven) conception of the divine. Most elves consider their belief perverted and dangerous. The dark elves are responsible for the Banestorm effect that brought humans, goblins, lizardfolk and other non-Yrth native races to Yrth.Might and Magic
Dark elves were part of Might and MagicMight and Magic
Might and Magic is a series of role-playing video games from New World Computing, which in 1996 became a subsidiary of The 3DO Company...
VIII
Might and Magic VIII: Day of the Destroyer
Might and Magic VIII: Day of the Destroyer is a computer role-playing game developed for Microsoft Windows by New World Computing and released in 2000 by the 3DO Company. It is the eighth game in the Might and Magic series...
as one of the dominant species on the continent Jadame of the planet Enroth, available as playable characters. Portrayed as red and brown-skinned counterparts to the wood and snow elves, these dark elves are peaceful and inhabit the country of Alvar, which includes Jadame's major port city Ravenshore in the south. The lands of Alvar north of Ravenshore are troubled by aggressive ogres. There is a dark elven prophecy concerning the end of the world.
In Ashan, the world of Heroes of Might and Magic V
Heroes of Might and Magic V
Heroes of Might and Magic V is the fifth installment of the Heroes of Might and Magic turn-based strategy video game series. It was developed by Nival Interactive, under the guidance of franchise-owner Ubisoft...
, Dark Elves are a faction that lives in tunnels under the surface. They are descendants of the followers of Tuidhanna, originally a Wood Elf Queen, whose people were blamed for burning down the Giant Tree, Brythigga, sacred to the Wood Elves.
Fading Suns
In the setting of the Fading SunsFading Suns
Fading Suns is a science fiction space opera role-playing game published by Holistic Design. The setting was also used for a PC game , a live action role-playing game , and for a space combat miniature game .- Game setting :The action is set in a future medieval-analogue empire built on the remains...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, the fictional extraterrestrial races of the Ur-Obun and the Ur-Ukar are essentially science fiction renditions of high elves and dark elves respectively, somewhat akin to the Eldar
Eldar (Warhammer 40,000)
In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Eldar are a race of elf-like humanoids who look into the future via psychic powers. They are one of the most ancient and advanced races in the universe's history, though younger than the Necrons, the C'tan, and the Old Ones...
and the Dark Eldar
Dark Eldar
In the fictional universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Dark Eldar are a Kindred of the Eldar, an ancient and advanced race of elf-like humanoids. Their armies usually have the advantages of speed, though they are often lacking in resilience...
in the Warhammer 40000 board game
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
. However, in contrast to the usual portrayal of dark elves, the Ur-Ukar are not inherently evil, but simply possess a predisposition for direct, sometimes violent behaviour and display a certain moral ambiguity.
Shadowblade
Shadowblade is the most elite assassin in the world of Warhammer Fantasy world. He is an assassin in the society of the Dark Elves, considered the most brilliant assassin ever to have lived. Even though he's still young by Dark Elf standards (a mere 150 years old) he is a legend amongst the Druchii, his exploits told as fireside tales to eager Dark Elf children. Most celebrated of all is his single-handed massacre of the entire crew of a High Elf Hawkship, whom he murdered one by one over several days, each killed in a different fashion. The mere thought of Shadowblade's murderous attempts is enough to keep all but the most stupid or brave Dark Elf from plotting against the Witch King for he is loyal only to the Hag Queen and the Witch King,although it is the Hag Queen alone that knows the true identity of Shadowblade.Malus Darkblade
Malus Darkblade is a Dark Elf Noble of evil renown in the Warhammer Fantasy world - he is possessed by a Daemon called Tz’arkan. His quest to rid himself of this Daemon is legendary. At one point he succeeded although it cost him his own soul. It took many years after that to track down the Daemon again and win his soul back, only to have Tz’arkan imprisoned inside him again.For now it seems Malus has accepted his fate and has returned to his home of Hag Graef to lead its armies to war. None know what his true intentions are, but he has lost none of his thirst for power — he has been appointed Drachau of Hag Graef and placed in command of the armies of the Witch King.
In battle he rides upon his trusted Cold One steed; Spite and wields the fearsome Warpsword of Khaine. In times of need he can summon the Daemon and allow Tz’arkan to control his actions, by the mechanism that the daemon holds sway while Malus sleeps and he is in control while awake. To this end, he carries a variety of stimulants and soporifics, so he can fall asleep in combat or maintain wakefulness to keep control of his actions. This is great risk though, as while possessed by T'zarkan he can attack his own troops as well as enemies.He is also famous for stealing
a enchanted shield from the court of the tomb kings and being the only individual to survive a fight with the Giantslayer Gotrek Gurnisson.
Drizzt Do'Urden
Drizzt Do'Urden is a Drow in the Forgotten RealmsForgotten Realms
The Forgotten Realms is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Commonly referred to by players and game designers alike as "The Realms", it was created by game designer Ed Greenwood around 1967 as a setting for his childhood stories...
fantasy world. Drow are dark elves that live in subterranean caverns deep beneath the surface known as the "Underdark" of the Forgotten Realms. In R. A. Salvatore's novels Drizzt renounces the Drow's Spider-Queen Lolth
Lolth
Lolth is a fictional goddess in the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Lolth , the Demon Queen of Spiders, is the chief goddess of drow elves...
, goddess of treachery and deception (instead embracing Mielikki
Mielikki
Mielikki is the Finnish goddess of forests and the hunt. She is referred to in various tales as either the wife or the daughter-in-law of Tapio. She is said to have played a central role in the creation of the bear....
, goddess of the forests and rangers). In doing so, Drizzt angers Lolth
Lolth
Lolth is a fictional goddess in the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Lolth , the Demon Queen of Spiders, is the chief goddess of drow elves...
who, in turn, demands his family sacrifice him. Drizzt leaves behind the city of his birth, Menzoberranzan
Menzoberranzan
Menzoberranzan, the City of Spiders, is a fictional city-state in the world of the Forgotten Realms, a Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting. It is located in the Upper Northdark, about two miles below the Surbrin Vale, between the Moonwood and the Frost Hills...
escaping the wrath of his family, and consequently his former house (the house of Do'Urden) is left to bear the wrath of the evil Spider-Queen. Finding himself a renegade, Drizzt seeks sanctuary from his past on the surface world. Where as most Drow are evil and power hungry, Drizzt is benevolent and humble. On the surface he is often wrongly persecuted for the reputation of his race, yet through the years he slowly gains a reputation for himself, allowing him acceptance without prejudice. His preferred weapons are twin scimitars, although he is perfectly capable of using a variety of other weapons should the need arise. His primary companion is Guenhwyvar, a magical panther who is summoned to Drizzt's plane of existence by means of a small onyx figurine. Along the way Drizzt has also made many important friends, such as the dwarf king Bruenor, the dwarf's adopted daughter Catti-brie and the human Barbarian Wulfgar
Wulfgar
Wulfgar can refer to:*Wulfgar, the herald of Hroðgar, a character in Beowulf*Wulfgar, the villain in the 1981 Sylvester Stallone film Nighthawks*Wulfgar, one of the Companions of the Hall from the Icewind Dale Trilogy...
, as well as Montolio "Mooshie" Debrouchee who revealed to the dark elf which deity his heart followed and the svirfneblin
Svirfneblin
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, svirfneblin , or deep gnomes, are a sub-race of gnome.-Publication history:The svirfneblin first appears in first edition in the adventure modules D2 Shrine of the Kuo-Toa , and D3 Vault of the Drow , and then in the original Fiend Folio...
Belwar Dissengulp from Blingdenstone, the first member of a lawful race to accept Drizzt.
Gorath, Chieftain of the Ardanien
Gorath is a renegade Dark Elf (Moredhel) from Raymond E. FeistRaymond E. Feist
Raymond Elias Feist is an American author who primarily writes fantasy fiction. He is best known for The Riftwar Cycle series of novels and short stories. His books have been translated into multiple languages and have sold over 15 million copies.- Biography :Raymond E...
's fantasy world Midkemia
Midkemia
Midkemia is a fictional world created by a fantasy role-playing group and popularized by Raymond E. Feist where most of the Riftwar books take place...
. He betrayed his people to travel south across the Teeth of the World (a mountain range which separates the Moredhel from the rest of the world) in order to warn Prince Arutha ConDoin of the coming war in an effort to stop the Moredhel leader, Delekhan, and save his people from utter destruction. His story is portrayed in the video game Betrayal at Krondor
Betrayal at Krondor
Betrayal at Krondor is a DOS-based computer role-playing game developed by Dynamix and published by Sierra On-Line in 1993. Betrayal at Krondor takes place largely in Midkemia, the fantasy world developed by Raymond E. Feist in his Riftwar novels...
and again in the novel based on the computer game, Krondor: The Betrayal
Krondor: The Betrayal
Krondor: The Betrayal is a fantasy novel by Raymond E. Feist. It is the first novel in the The Riftwar Legacy and was first published in November 1998. It is a novelization of the computer game Betrayal at Krondor.-Plot introduction:...
. This book is the first novel in The Riftwar Legacy
The Riftwar Legacy
The Riftwar Legacy is a series of fantasy novels by Raymond E. Feist, part of The Riftwar Cycle. The series occurs between the Riftwar Saga and Krondor's Sons series chronologically in the universe of the Riftwar Cycle, though it was published much later, and focuses on Squire James and other...
, followed by Krondor: The Assassins
Krondor: The Assassins
Krondor: The Assassins is a fantasy novel by Raymond E. Feist. It is the second book in the The Riftwar Legacy and was published in 1999 by HarperCollins under their Voyager imprint. It was preceded by Krondor: The Betrayal and followed by the third book in the saga, Krondor: Tear of the Gods...
, Krondor: The Tear of the Gods, Krondor: The Crawler (Not yet released), and Krondor: The Dark Mage (Not yet released).
Nerevar Indoril
Nerevar is the legendary Hortator and King of the Chimer from the fantasy world The Elder ScrollsThe Elder Scrolls
The Elder Scrolls is a role-playing video game series developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks.-History:...
. Technically, he is not necessarily a Dark Elf in the game, depending on the player's race, but he is the reincarnation of the Chimer Nerevar Indoril. With the aid of the Daedric Princess Azura, he rose to power over the Chimer by overthrowing the Nords. He continued as the king of Morrowind for many years, but when he fought a battle with the Dwemer at Red Mountain, he was victorious but mortally wounded. His three councillors (who later became the Tribunal) betrayed their oath to him and used a forbidden magical artifact. In punishment for this Azura changed his race with dark blue skin and red eyes, transforming them into the Dunmer, the Dark Elves. He was later reincarnated, as the player character of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, often simply referred to as Morrowind, is a single-player computer role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios, and published by Bethesda Softworks and Ubisoft. It is the third installment in The Elder Scrolls series of games, following The Elder Scrolls...
.
Craig Un'Shallach
Craig is a famous Dark Elven Dracon Warrior of the fictional race the "Norcaine" in the fantasy world of Spell Force. He is most notably mentioned due to several appearances and aids the main character on his or her quest. It is stated that he was exiled from his homeland of Shal due to showing sympathy for the so called "Light Worshipers". Later on he is mentioned to become the leader of his race by wearing the "Sigil of the Norcaine" & revealed to have a daughter named Nightsong. Finally he perishes while defending the border fortress "Draug' Lur" from a schism of Norcaines who has allied themselves with the "Shadows".See Also
- The Night Elves and Blood Elves of Warcraft