Why do drow have black skin?

[Zardnaar]

Basically a curse or radiation burns.

 

[WayneLigon]

Besides kewlness factor, that is.

Coolness factor, more than likely. And the literal idea of svartalf = black elf. It helps to distinguish them from the normal depiction of very pale elves. I'm pretty sure that Gygax knew that cave creatures are usually pale and such, but also I can see him going 'the players are going to want bonuses for pale creatures in darkness, so I'll make their skin non-reflective black to provide more challenge and surprise them'. Also, black == evil.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Also, black == evil.

Hey!

( )

 

[Celebrim]

Besides kewlness factor, that is.

1) It's a misunderstanding of Tolkien's Silmarillion, which has 'dark elves'. These elves don't actually look different than other elves - they are dark of mind and soul, because of having no enlightenment.
2) It's Germanic. Unseelie creatures in Germanic myth are always dark of hue.
3) Black is the color of death in Western mythology. It is symbolic of night, and hense also caves, sleep, and death - all appropriate for the Drow.

Has any book every explained this? I just don't get it. You're underground for thousands of years and your skin would likely lose pigment altogether and your eyes would turn darker, even without whites. Actually, that's how the "drow" look in my campaign world.

Actually, mine too. My Drow are pale white with black hair and eyes that very from pink to violet. It's I think a more fitting appearance for troglodyte creatures.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

They drink a lot of coffee and prefer their chocolate with 72% cacao. They also like licorice.

In addition, they consider themselves to be the pinnacle of "elfness", and that includes style. And lets face it, black is always stylish...and slimming.

 

[Cadence]

Picked up "Dungeons & Dragons and Philosophy" a month or so ago. In the chapter titled "Elf Stereotypes" it discusses the subraces from Forgotten realms. Some of it pops up if you enter: philosophy of d&d racism in google books . In particular pages 95-99 lay out the following in much more details...

wood [=copper] elves - coppery skin with brown or black hair living in harmony with their environment

"In a way, that just makes sense: of course if you're going to have a fantasy race that longs to be one with nature, you are going to create a people that reminds you of the human race that most longs to be one with nature. It isn't like there's a stereotypically Asian set of elves..."

sun [=gold] elves - high intelligence, hierarchical society, prestige of family names, martial arts

moon [=silver] elves - the default, generally good traits
dark elves - the good drow, brown skin not black
drow - black skin, the bad ones, strong women, often die young due to violence, live separated from all the good elves

Regardless of its connection to how the subraces were actually designed... ouch.

 

[Umbran]

Note that "dark elves" originally was synonymous with "dwarves"...

Yes, but Gygax wasn't known for being too worried about technical accuracy. They're black because they are "dark" elves.

You're underground for thousands of years and your skin would likely lose pigment altogether and your eyes would turn darker, even without whites. Actually, that's how the "drow" look in my campaign world.

Well, using real earth biology... not quite. Pigments take energy to create. So, for critters who live in darkness, there's some small advantage for those critters who don't have them. That tends to albinism - and that's pink irises, not dark. There's no clear reason I can think of for your eyes be become dark.

 

[Sunseeker]

Considering that elves who live in the sun always seem to be really pale, I just assumed that elves tanned in reverse. That or demonic influence.

 

[SkidAce]

Considering that elves who live in the sun always seem to be really pale, I just assumed that elves tanned in reverse. That or demonic influence.

That actually makes sense...sorta.

 

[Celebrim]

Considering that elves who live in the sun always seem to be really pale, I just assumed that elves tanned in reverse. That or demonic influence.

If you really are insisting on a logical explanation, consider that in the Drow's current environment, pretty much everyone has eyes that work the way Aristotle thought eyes work. Instead of eyes receiving ambient light reflecting off surfaces, creatures with Darkvision emit light from their eyes much like radar. As such, there is an evolutionary reason to maintain pigmentation. Perhaps the black skin evolved to partially thwart Darkvision.