Talk:Dark elf

Ok, this page must be wrong. The Drow page on this site says they are in fact, Dark Elves. This page contradicts that statement. Will someone please look into this?
 * Check the sources. The article is accurate.Niirfa-sa 16:58, 6 May 2009 (UTC)

There are also some inconsistencies in the sources. In the Grand History of the Realms are some bits of information on Ilythiir coming much earlier (don't have it at hand right now, so can't check wich page it was). On one of the first pages is mentioned that green elves came through portals opened by fey creatures to help them fight back the dragons of the Realms. But one tribe of these green elves were the Ilythiiri and they made their peace with the dragons in the south and established the "first" Ilythiir empire around Atorrnash and the like. That was washed away during the Sundering and then that, what we later came to know as Ilythiir formed in the same area (or what was left of it) and the Shaar. Historicus 19:41, 7 May 2009 (UTC)

"The Drow page on this site says they are in fact, Dark Elves. This page contradicts that statement." Ok, it says at the beginning that ****the term Dark Elf is used interchangeably between drow and the newly redeemed Ilythiir.****


 * Dark Elves were once Drow, but reverted back to Dark Elves after Q'arlynd and several Drow arch-magi used high magic, along with a miracle from Eilistraee, to permanently remove the Faerzress that bound the Drow to the underdark and what originally shaped them into Drow in the first place. It also removed the taint Wendonai wrought into the Ilythiiri who took up Eilistraee's dance. (Those of pure Miyeritar blood were never actually tainted in the first place, though they were unfairly cursed by high magic along with their Ilythiiri cousins)  Read the Lady Penitent trilogy.

I think they should be called Brown Elves

I wish that there was some artwork done for the returned dark elves. Anyone know were some are? Tons and tons of Drow pictures but not one dark elf.

I think white hair should be added to the description instead of just black. Unless there is some other source that states it specifically, the second Lady Penitent book also describes a dark elf as thus:

"A female with long white hair and a face that reminded Q'arlynd of his mother-but without the harsh lines and pinched, suspicious eyes. Instead, this female's expression conveyed both serenity and sorrow. On her forehead was a kiira. He was startled to see how dark it was against her skin. Her face wasn't an ebon hue, but something several shades lighter. A faded brown.

Q'arlynd realizes she is a Dark Elf. — 70.169.135.131

I think the dark elf Q'arlynd saw was an elderly dark elf thus explaining the white hair. What i'm wondering is what happened to the dark elves after the spell plague, they just seam to drop off the face of Toril after there transformation. 96.22.106.139 00:58, July 7, 2015 (UTC)--96.22.106.139 00:58, July 7, 2015 (UTC)

That's likely because WotC did the whole transformation just to drop Eilistraee's drow from the game. We may get more info on them now that it has been confirmed that Eilistraee is alive and that her cult has re-emerged after the Sundering. I'm particularly curious about whether they did something with Rymanthiin (sp?), and if the city will be used as some kind of safe haven for Eilistraee's converts, like a new Promenade now that her mission has started again. I asked Ed Greenwood about this over CK, I'll edit the article with the new info as soon as I get an answer. However, one thing is sure: the transformation was a death sentence to most (if not all) drow who were in the Underdark when it happened...--Tsammarco (talk) 02:37, July 7, 2015 (UTC)

Someone seems to have added their own speculations to the end of the article, regarding the number of elves transformed by Q'arlynd's ritual. The sources presently cited do not give a definitive number, and are questionably correct versus canon sources. For example, the editor speculates that only a few thousand were affected because Eilistraee is a lesser power. Yet the 3.5 description of that power (in the book the editor cited) states that such a power can have tens of thousands of followers. Moreover, folks over at Candlekeep I know are fond of citing a quote from Ed that states upwards of 20% of the drow followed Eilistraee, suggesting that the editor's speculations are not correct. Regardless, the issue at hand is that this is not a place for speculation. Unless different sources can locate a definitive number, the article should either refrain from mentioning a number, or should reflect the conflicting speculations with appropriate sources. In addition, the article presently contains an note with no citation that appears to be pure speculation on the part of a previous editor--chiefly what s/he thinks Eilistraee would or would not do. With no citation at all, that is pure speculation, and should have no place here unless one can be provided. 67.10.156.65 17:53, December 25, 2017 (UTC)


 * The novels themselves indicate that only hundreds of drow were transformed. Eilistraee, as a lesser power, has thousands of them (as per Faiths&Pantheons). That means that only a minority of her followers were transformed. As for what Eilistraee would do, her MO, goals, and even her refraining from imposing any choice on mortals are described in the section about her in Demihuman Deities, as mentioned in the note. I did add a speculation tag, tho--Tsammarco (talk) 17:47, December 27, 2017 (UTC)

It is said that the first elves, those just come from feywild, didn't follow nor know the Seldarine deities, but how could that be true if elves themselves were created by Corellon? Maybe they didn't know they were created by Corellon? And about dark elves specifically, I have read in more than one source (but I quote this as example: http://web.archive.org/web/20050405012920/http://wizards.com/default.asp?x=books/fr/darkseldarine) that "by Corellon Larethian's decree, the destiny of the dark elves was placed long ago in the hands of his consort, Araushnee the Weaver. At that time, she was a minor, but secretly ambitious elven power and member of the Seldarine." So, how is that: Araushnee was put in charge of the dark elves, but she never really cared about them until her attraction is dragged by the ilythiir archmage Ka'Narlist and she decides to become their goddess? And she did become their goddess, at least for a while, at least for Ilythiiri. It's not said when she ceases to be their goddess but she had to win them over *again* during the Crown Wars, by Wendonai's intervention, so I guess she was kinda forgotten at some point. Does all of that make sense? Have I missed something? NPC Stories (talk) 22:15, January 3, 2020 (UTC)


 * Yes, the Torillian Dark Elves had forgotten Araushnee. They followed Vhaeraun in Ilythiir, and Eilistraee in Miyeritar. On a side and funny note, they flourished in both nations, under Lolth's kings, but withered as soon as she put her hands on them.