Why do Drow have dark skin?

Drow have dark skin because, in their lore, the lighter the skin, the farther from the capital the Elf lived, which led to darker skin becoming a symbol of greatness as history progressed. This, combined with their interbreeding and residence near the center of the continent, made it rare to find a Dark Elf with light skin, resulting in the characteristic dark skin of the Drow.

Understanding Drow Physiology and Culture

Drow Skin Color Variations

The Drow are often depicted with jet black skin, but grey and purple skin tones have also been represented in various Drow illustrations, partly due to the challenges of shading black skin in artwork.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do Drow have to have dark skin? Drow are often presented as blue or purple-skinned, and while jet black Drow have existed, grey Drow have also been part of the lore, showing that dark skin is not the only characteristic of the Drow.
2. Can Drow have white skin? Drow are typically characterized by white or silver hair and obsidian black skin, with red, gray, violet, or yellow eyes in different lighting conditions, making white skin uncommon for them.
3. Why do Dark Elves have dark skin? The Dark Elves‘ dark skin symbolizes their greatness and proximity to the capital, contrasting with lighter-skinned Elves who lived farther away.
4. Does sunlight hurt Drow? Drow have Sunlight Sensitivity, giving them disadvantage on attack rolls and Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight while in sunlight.
5. What races do Drow enslave? Drow commonly enslave hobgoblins, ogres, orcs, and other humanoids, with a particular hatred for surface Elves.
6. Can Drow grow beards? Drow, unlike humans and gnomes, cannot grow facial hair, including beards.
7. Are all Dark Elves Drow? Not all Dark Elves are Drow; Dark Elves are the ancestors of the Drow and have dark brown skin and pale hair, distinguishing them from the Drow.
8. Why are Dark Elves’ eyes red? In some lore, Dark Elves‘ red eyes are a result of a curse, such as the one bestowed after the Battle of Red Mountain by Azura.
9. Can Drow have black hair? Drow are known for their white hair, and black hair is not a typical or canon color for them, as their hair was turned white by Rovagug’s influence.
10. Are there dark-skinned Elves in LOTR? While there are no explicitly mentioned Black Elves in The Lord of the Rings books or films, Tolkien’s source material does not rule out the possibility of their existence.
11. What do Drow call themselves? Drow refer to themselves as Drow, but more commonly identify by their noble house or as devotees of Lolth.
12. Can Drow have non-white hair? Drow hair can be stark white, pale yellow, silver, or copper in color, though white is the most characteristic.
13. Can half-Elves be Drow? A half-Drow is the offspring of a human and a Drow or a Drow and a half-Elf, and they can interbreed with other half-Elven sub-races except aquatic Elves.
14. Can a Drow and an Elf have a child? The child of a Drow and an Elf would be an Elf with some Drow traits, and there are alternate Drow racial traits for such offspring.
15. Do Drow work with other races? Drow see all other races as inferior and will attempt to enslave enemies, rarely forming alliances unless it benefits them, and even then, they do not consider these races as equals.