#red is just. the most common. and also the colour most drow eyes appear in infrared

[everybodyloveshippos]

crazy that bg3 was like 'heres the lolth drow who all have Red eyes to indicate their evil levels and then the seladrine drow (do u rlly have to pick one of these??) who have different eye colours bcus theyre good and this is indicated thru physical traits meanwhile war of the spider queen had lolth's chosen vessel be a drow with grey eyes

[artemis-entreri]

BTW I think it's really funny how RAS went "all drow have red eyes and red eyes only and purple eyes are Special(TM)" and then a solid 50% of all D&D players with drow characters and also the Critical Role design team went "no ❤️" and put purple eyes on So. Many. Of. Their. Kids. and it's glorious. Like yes reclaim the colour from Bob it's what we deserve.

[[ I meant to respond to this message shortly after I'd responded to your previous one, but then life got away from me (again) and here we are, a whole month later. So sorry about that. T_T For what it's worth, there are Asks that are literally years old sitting around in my inbox that I mean to answer ahahaha... ha ha... haa... (ಥ﹏ಥ)

But yeah, I do love how Bob's attempt to make Drizzt more special totally backfired on him. On one hand, it is probably the case that Drizzt was the only drow that people knew about and just assumed that purple was a normal eye color for drow, but on the other hand, that doesn't matter at all because the end result's the same. XD

What's pretty sad is that Gromph, a character that Bob himself uses frequently, was established early on as having amber eyes. Bob only finally acknowledged this after what, over 25 years and 30 books? I guess it isn't terribly surprising, while he hasn't always ignored FR canon as flagrantly and outrageously as he does now, even one of the earliest sourcebooks that had drow in it only said that red was the most common, but of course Bob was all like NO IT IS THE ONLY ONE EXCEPT FOR MY SPESHUL SNOWFLAKE. But yeah, regarding drow eyes in general (source: the Drow article on the Forgotten Realms Wiki):

Drow eyes could be of any color, with bright red being the most common. Pale shades that appeared nearly white of blue, lilac, pink, or silver were also frequent. Drow with green, brown, black, amber, or rose-hued eyes existed, but they were rare. Purple or blue eyes indicated surface elves and/or human ancestry. The color of a drow's eyes could also be indicative of their current mental or physical state; drow eyes reddened when they were angry, and turned yellow when they were sick, poisoned, or under some negative magical influence.

It would actually make a lot of sense for Drizzt to have human and/or surface elf ancestry, as his innate moral code makes very little sense otherwise. This enters into an entirely unrelated and very complex topic, but suffice to say, while Lolthite drow aren’t all inherently evil and are like that as a result of indoctrination, generations of breeding and selecting for a particular temperament to thrive in such a culture wouldn’t favor individuals with moral compasses. Lolthite drow are basically as different from the dark elves they started as -- heck, even from the first drow that were transformed -- as pugs are from wolves. Drizzt inexplicably has one that’s supposed to be as true as the purest paladins on the surface, where does that come from? He’s like if a pug gave birth to a full-blooded wolf. Eilistraee doesn’t exist in Bob’s world, so the only logical explanation is that Matron Malice, whom we know slept with anything and everything that moved, lost track of her lineage somehow and Drizzt was born. 

But look at me, being all silly and attempting to apply logic to Bob. In summary, I would like to present this: Drizzt is a freak, as confirmed by Chris Perkins. ]]

[hartsbloodcampaign]

Setting Notes: Races

Humans, Elves, Dwarves - Humans The most fertile, and thus most plentiful of the sentient races of the planet. Humans can have all ranges of natural skintones, hair, and eyes. Netherins are generally tall, fair to medium skinned, fair to dark hair. Full range of eye colours. Tattoos are sometimes done in the ancestral fashion to commemorate a major life event or accomplishment. They have a  skilled population, with less of a class divide than the other two realms but a lower over all economy. Their cities are spread far apart from one another, scattered sparsely over all corners of the north. Netherin regard themselves as strong, skilled people forged by their harsh environment. They put much emphasis on community and cooperation, banding together to survive the environments they dwell in. They tend to view southerners as decadent and over-indulgent. Brevnans are a range of heights, but often well-built. Many citizens shave or closely crop their hair either for heat, pious or martial arts reasons. Others will wear it heavily plated and out of their face. Medium skintones, more sunned than their northern counterparts. Found in the south-west, the Brevnans are a tough and disciplined people. They take much pride in their customs, and greatly value education. Although their fighters are widely known across continents, they also have skilled inventors. Religion also has more power here than any other realm, and less legal restrictions. The realm is heavily divided between the scholars and the pious. Calimshans occupy the south east of the Empire, the realm is known for its Mages and magical study. Merchants and the Arts are also prized culturally. It has the wealthiest economy of the three realms. They have some cultural arrogance, especially in regards to arts, magic, philosophy, and their wealth. They view the other two realms as brutish, barbaric, and stuck in their ways. They have a reputation for their volatile emotions, extreme class divide, laziness and moral liberty. In truth most of the citizens seek a lifestyle of comfort, arts, and good company.

- Elves, Drow All elves are perceived as an exceptionally beautiful race, with slender angled builds and long pointed ears. They are incapable of growing facial hair. Sun elves and Moon Elves are called the High Elves. Though most elves are fairly insular, High elves are a bit more knowledgeable about the goings on of other races. Hair is often worn loose, and the length is long. They tend to be more interested in the arcane than the other elves. High elves live in ornately gorgeous cities with ancient histories. Sun Elves are golden or bronze skinned, with hair colours ranging from blonde, light to medium browns, and reds. Eyes can be almost any colour. Most sun elves decorate themselves with gold or mithral embroidery in subtle patterns woven into the design of their clothes and which add to the beauty of the clothing without seeming flashy or showy. Sun elves have more trade ties to other races, mostly to acquire more magical knowledge. They might be drawn to adventure by a desire to explore the ancient ruins of the world and learn from their secrets, bringing back lost secrets of magic and power to their people. They are a people that respect learned knowledge, lineage, and accomplishments. The sun elven qualities of patience and haughtiness often both demonstrate themselves in sun elf arts, architecture, and craftsmanship. They have the greatest wealth of lore and history, and the largest cities. Moon Elves are very fair-skinneed, sometimes with a blue tint. Hair colours range from black to silver, sometimes blues or purples. Eyes are often greys or blue and are always speckled with yellow. Most moon elves wear their hair in braids or ponytails, decorated with wires or beads. Tattoos are not unheard of amongst moon elves, though it is not an ingrained part of their culture. They are fairly tolerant compared to most elves, and are the ancestors of most half-elves. Moon elves are more ideological than the other elves, and less comfortable with complacency or isolation. They are fascinated by the psyche, healing, prophecy, and dedication to mastering skills. Like sun elves, they greatly value arcane arts and learning. Culturally they live in pseudo city states, traveling between them fairly often in their long lives. It is not uncommon for a moon elf to take on the life of an adventurer. After all, moon elves are innately a race driven by wanderlust and the desire to learn or do good. Altogether, moon elves are independent and most believe sincerely that each person can make a difference in the world, for better or worse. Wood Elves reject the stiff, formal traditions of High Elven culture, instead preferring a romantic, simple existence in harmony with nature and its creatures. Generally they have coppery skin with green, brown, or hazel eyes. Hair ranges from tawny blonde, browns, and black. Very rarely you'll find auburn or a strawberry blonde. They tend to dress in earthy tones, living in homes that work with the environment rather than against. They deeply care about leaving a minimal impact on their environment. They tend more towards wooden artistry than non-native stone or metal in their structures. Much of their craftsmanship, including their clothing has plant and animal motifs. They are much less enamored with magic than High Elves, though they are very comfortable with nature and druidic magics. These "country cousins" of the High Elves are nimble and quick in body and wit, and because of their curious natures and natural agility, they excel in stealth roles. Drow, a known as “Dark Elves” or the “Ones Who Went Below”, they are a dark-skinned subterranean people. They are almost never a lawful good alignment. They are generally mistrusted by other races, for good reason. Drow culture is immensely proud, violent and entitled. It aims to conquer the other races and get vengeance for perceived slights. They are shorter than most elves. Skintones range from medium grey, grey-blue, grey-purple, to obsidian black. Hair colours are always off-white, with the rare silver or pale gold (there is a superstition among Drow that they are weaker). Eyes tend to be pale blue, lilac, red, pink, tawny brown, or silver. - Dwarves Dwarves are a short and stocky race, and stand about a foot shorter than most humans, with wide, compact bodies that account for their burly appearance. Male and female dwarves pride themselves on the long length of their hair, and often decorate their hair with a variety of clasps and intricate braids. Lady Dwarves do not have beards-this is a prank they pull on other races. Most dwarves are lawful, believing firmly in the benefits of a well-ordered society. They tend toward good as well, with a strong sense of fair play and a belief that everyone deserves to share in the benefits of a just order. The great distances between dwarves’ mountain citadels account for many of the cultural differences that exist within their society. However, the differences between Northern or Southern Dwarves as their cultures were separated ever since their settlement on The New Continents from their fallen ancient home. Northern Dwarves are closer, culturally, to the ancient society all dwarves originated from. They are particularly focused on History and learning from past mistakes. They have the most comprehensive libraries of Histories and Ancient artifacts, containing an impressive amount on non-dwarven histories as well. Like all dwarves, they are excellent craftsman. They are more knowledgeable and respectful of magics than their southern counterparts as well. They live in mountain citadels within cold-climate areas, geographically protected from their enemies. Southern dwarf cities are carved into canyons and crags in hot climates, though this also puts them in a geographical advantage to their enemies it is easier to find than the Northern citadels. They have become even more adept at battle, having been hardened by skirmishes with orcs and goblins. Though they are excellent craftsman in all areas, though the weapon and armour smiths are particularly respected and world-renowned.  They are a bit shorter than their northern brethren, but generally stronger. They tend to have tanned skin, and it is very common for them to be tattooed - though never pierced as it is seen as a battle disadvantage. They are boisterous folk, more impulsive and adaptable than their “stubborn cousins” (though all dwarves are more known for their pig-headedness). They have a hefty dose of cynicism, but it is offset by their bravery and resilience.

[ellieofmidnight-blog]

So!! Here’s a low quality photo of the art I’ve done for my gurl because I have shaky hands and I don’t want to go out to the library at 10pm on a rainy night. So this is what you get @lilneps​ >:| (I’ll probably scan it at some point and upload a higher quality version) She also has a dodgy hand that I only really noticed after colouring lmao

So... here’s some info on her, I guess! Be warned, it’s e v e r y t h i n g

Basics

Name: Laele Argith Age: 105 years Race: Elf Sub-Race: Drow/Dark Elf Class: Rogue Sub-Class: Assassin Background: Soldier Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

Appearance:

Hair: Pale blonde/nearly white (I accidentally coloured her hair darker than it should be) Eyes: Pale red Height: 5′2″/157cm Weight: 120lbs/8st 5lbs/54.4kg Armour/Clothing: - Dark grey/black cowl and gauntlets                                - Grey mask/scarf thing, you know the one (This is very, very rarely removed. It would make identifying her far too easy in a lineup)                                - Iron shoulder protectors                                - Leather studded breastplate                                - Easy to move in leg wear and boots (black) Unique features: Large amounts of scars across her body from combat, but most noticeably across her eye.

Personality: (Disclaimer: I did not make her look bitchy enough)

+ “Look before you leap” attitude + Reliable and thorough (if the job suits) + Ambitious + Focused

- If a task doesn’t suit her, she won’t hesitate to ignore it and move on, unless she’s rewarded enough - Will deceive anyone to get or hide information - Loyalties switch almost instantaneously - Cold

Stats

Base: Strength - 14 (+2) Dexterity - 18 (+4) Constitution - 11 (0) Intelligence - 13 (+1) Wisdom - 12 (+1) Charisma - 10 (0)

Saving Throws: Strength: +2 Dexterity: +6 Constitution: 0 Intelligence: +3 Wisdom: +1 Charisma: 0

Skills: Acrobatics: +6 Animal Handling: +1 Arcana: +1 Athletics: +4 Deception: +4 History: +1 Insight: +3 Intimidation: +2  Investigation: +1 Medicine: +1 Nature: +1 Perception: +3  Performance: 0 Persuasion: 0 Religion: +1 Sleight of Hand: +4 Stealth: +6 Survival: +1

Armour: Amour Class - 18 Initiative - +4 Speed - 30 Max. HP - 8

Weapons: Dagger - +6 - 1d4 +4 piercing (Should have two but I forgot to add the second one on before we started so it’s just the one!) Light Crossbow - +6 - 1d8 +4 piercing

Proficiencies

Languages: Elvish, Common Weapons: Simple(?), Crossbow Hand(?), Longsword, Rapier, Shortsword, Hand Crossbow(?) Armour: Light Tools: Poisoner’s kit, Disguise kit, Thieves’ tools, Playing card set, Land vehicles

Background

Here are the basics because it’s far too convoluted

Born to Drow parents, both supposedly members of the war effort, but died when she was very young.

Raised by uncharacteristically sweet and gentle, adopted Drow parents and two siblings.

Mother, Nephenee -  Artist

Father, Orrian  - Trader

Older sister, Meriele - Trained soldier/warrior.

Younger brother, Eryn - Aspiring artist

Poorer family than many; Meriele often taught Laele to pickpocket and steal food from stalls without being noticed

Laele was originally a sweet and warm child, who wished no harm to anyone or thing

When Laele was still, officially, a child; an outside invasion took place that destroyed her home and her family

Her mother was killed and hung up on a temple, throat slit

Her sister was killed in combat and left to rot in a trench just outside their town

She aspired to become as strong as her big sister and to prove to the rest of the Drow that she was one of the best. So pushed her body and mind to their limits so that she could go out and hunt down those that ruined her life

She took on a few beginner assassination jobs while underneath the surface, just to gain enough money to keep her family sustained while she was gone, all without them knowing

Laele disappeared out of the underground one night, sneaking out when only the night patrols were around to get her revenge.