The History of Drow

Since i have talked about this to fen a number of times, i thought it would be interesting to post it on the fourms.

The drow have changed as a race probably more than any other edition to edition. in both lore as well as culture and apperence. in 1st edition the backstory was probably the most clearly layed out, reasons were given for everything including why the drow are kept fighting each other.

The drow past is the same in many ways as later versions exept for one detail, the pre-drow elves that were driven underground were not midnight black or blueblack but rather "african black". the change to the white haired and midnight form was described as a mark or punishment for following lloth.

Beyond this, In the first edition books Lloths real reasons for all the infighting are eluded to far more clearly than later on. Its a unexpected reason to many drow players but not realy all that supriseing because of its sinister nature. It seems that drow are made to fight each other by lloth not because she believes that the race will become stronger but rather to weaken them and thin there numbers because if they were to ever unite and attack the surface in full force they would likley lose and lloth would be left withought any followers!

Another thing that has never been well developed has been how drow society holds together in its described form. Most authors wont even touch the subject because the logic collapses when you look at how power is distributed.

In drow society the females have all the political and social power. but the males have 100% of the (non-devine) magical ability and make up the vast majority of the military. see why the authors wont touch the subject? civilizations were power is distributed in this way (one group has all the say but the other has all the military power) dont last long. in extream cases, less than a generation. Fen brought up a good point that religious belief could keep it in a tedious stability untill somthing lit the powder keg but long term stability would be a roll of the proverbial dice. This is actualy the best reasoning that i have heard on the subject but when you take into account that many male drow follow other deitys that oppose lloth it is perhaps no suprise that the subject is avoided by the wrighters at all cost.

anyway, anyone else have any thoughts on this enigmatic D&D race? Or other info on how it has evolved over time?

**sorry for the bad spelling etc. i am stuck on a pc with no spellcheck and only a few moments to wright**

really?

1.5 months and nobody else has any thoughts?

Only to the last point of "cultural instability" well....yes normally constructs like that do not last a long time, but, the clerics also have demons and devils and horrible creatures that bring most terrific fates they can summon to back them up, and in the last...Lolth herself would come and beat up some arses if anyone was ever to corrupt HER construct.

Just my thoughts.