The Beckoning, Preface and Concept Art

The Drow, or often called Dark Elven kin, are a dim and ancient race. Unlike the other familiar elves, the Drow are cave duelers, creatures of the depths who do not enjoy the company of those who live on the surface.

They are often called demons, dark creatures, evil, and their appearance does not do much to avoid such criticism.
Dark elves have coal gray skin, which permits them to blend in to the dark like shadows, while their stature is slightly smaller and more slender than those of humans. Their hair, often kept in elaborate braids, is pale as silver, and for this reason, dark elves will often cloak their heads when scouting the surface world at night. Their eyes vary in color, ranging from shades of green and golden yellow, to shades of orange and red. Their irises are as those of a cat.
Their features are as graceful as the most beautiful of elves and are often denominated as being devilishly attractive.

Yet such characteristics are not the only motive feeding the dread of surface dwellers. These features are nothing more than a waving red flag, a warning to all who have long learned to fear and frown upon the Drow.

Throughout the history of the Lands of the Grey Sea, the Dark elves have developed a less than friendly reputation with races of the surface.
The Drow originated from a culture of elves that lived in the jungles of the south. More advanced, intelligent, and civilized then the surrounding cultures, they plundered and massacred cities of humans, dwarves, elves and any other culture that dared stand in their way. After years of abuse, the opposing cultures joined forces and defeated the Drow, driving one of the most cruel and persistent races of land into the depths of the world.  

Their subterranean lifestyle has made them sensitive to sunlight and they frown down upon any creature who belongs to the surface world. Separated in various clans, they inhabit vast underground citadels, living in all but complete segregation from those who live in the lands kissed by the sun. They seldom ever leave their underground realms, or more specifically, never surface with the intent of friendly negotiation, despite their notoriously charismatic personalities.

Dark elves have gone to war with the surface world for as long as they have been isolated, from pillaging and looting small villages to raging war with entire regions.

And yet, despite of it all, individuals still manage to leak into the surface world. Little is known about these rare cases of surface wandering dark elves, and as many believe, "of what little is known, little can be trusted…"