Derivation/History of the Drow?

[fusangite]

The Norse Dark Elves have many partial manifestations in D&D. However, the Drow are the second closest etymologically (the first being the now defunct Xvart). However, many evil underground races are one or two degrees of myth removed from the people of Svartalfheim. Therefore, one cannot simply take the Drow to be Norse dark elves. I agree with EternalKnight that the Dark Elves of D&D are as much Gary Gygax as they are Norse folklore.

Every campaign should come up with its own origin story for the cleavage between the Dark Elves and their above ground cousins. That's what I've done in mine and I see no point in there being any level of agreement amongst DMs as to their origin.

So, unless you want to run a Fimblewinter or other clearly Norse campaign, create an origin, don't research it.

 

[rounser]

(Svartalf = Swart Elf = Swarthy Elf = Dark(skinned) Elf?)

No need to go that far - "svart" translates to "black".

Some other bits and pieces (emphasis mine):

Entymologically, Nibelungs are not human beings (natives of Middle-earth); they are natives of Niflheim, the cold and misty (*nebh) ninth world. Yet Niflheim is said to be inhabited by svartalfar, black elves, different from the dockalfar whom Tolkien has accounted for with his Moriquendi. Grimm finds eveidence that svartalfar are dwarves; and Wagner in his Ring operas make the Nibelungen dwarvish miners and smiths. So it seems likely that Tolkien's third response to the word Nephilim, besides the Ents and the cloudlike fanar, was the name of his petty-dwarves: Noegyth Nibin.
DARK ELVES, MORIQUENDI
Those of the Elves who never saw the light of the Two Trees of Valinor, including the Avari, the Nandor and the Sindar. The Sindarin king Elu Thingol, however, was not accounted among the Moriquendi, as he had travelled to Valinor before returning to Middle-earth.

Dockalfar - In Norse mythology, dockalfar are the dark elves that emerged from the dead body of the giant Ymir. See also liosalfar and alfar.
Liosalfar - In Norse mythology, liosalfar are the light elves that emerged from the dead body of the giant Ymir. See also Dockalfar and alfar.
Alfar - In Norse mythology, Alfar are Dark Elves that emerged from the dead body of the giant Ymir. They are beings that are half god, half dwarf*. In later mythology it degrades to a demon that only causes nightmares and diseases. In Germany it is pronounced as 'alb'. A reference to the word can be found in the Nibelungen Saga, where the king of the dwarves is called Alberich. See also Liosalfar and Dockalfar.

*: Sounds like a description of an elf, although I guess you could take it literally.

 

[qstor]

fusangite - the 3e Xvart is in the Living Greyhawk Journal. I love those little blue guys and norkers too.

Mike