Your opinions on the portrayal of drow in fantasy novels

[Sylver]

Drows and Dark elves are the same in my story, just different names to label the same subspecies. But I take a lot of liberties in my story lore to keep it apart from becoming another Tolkien fiction, while standing out as it's own thing.

Elves, Man, Dwarves, Drow, Duergar, even Orcs and Goblins all belong to the same family or species. Evolution took its place with each distinct group, allowing them to survive in the environments that exist in. Some species share more similarities then others, but they're no different from wolves, dogs, and coyotes.

So yea x) I may not be the best person to ask if you are using Tolkien lore as your source of inspiration. I use a mixture of fantasy and Evolution to explain my world.

 

[BearlyAlive]

Wait, Drows aren't drowned crows?!? Maybe dwarf rows? Drained foes? Neither? Russian duh!s, maybe?

Murder hobo elves. Sounds like a Chinese idea, imo. Like the author ordered elves at Temu or Wish.

 

[Kenjona]

Not worth the level adjustment.
And how did you know I have more than one mind?

Different game systems entirely. There are no Dark Elves per se in D20

Just an FYI. That level adjustment thing. I absolutely hated it as a player. But it was a good way to reign in the cheesiest of cheese monkeys. But yes, they were not worth the level adjustment when that came out.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Historical Trough - variant of troll. AD&D mixed the Svart-Alfer (Dark Elf) and Trough of Scandinavian folklore into the Drow (and then added the Xvart in as well).

If I use Drow in fiction (or gaming) it is the AD&D kind because those are what I know best - matriarchal, theocratic society with a lot of political intrigue and some very nasty habits.

Dark Elves would be either corrupt elves (so focus more on sensual pleasures and ephemeral experiences, rather than the more natural, long-term artistic interests of the "regular" Elves) or the subterranean elves (with white skin even) of Warhammer Fantasy.