dark elf

Dark elves are the (mostly) evil counterparts of the elves in many mythologies and fantasy settings. They are often at war with other elves.

Dark elves in mythology and folklore

Norse mythology

In Norse mythology, the Svartalfar ("swart elves" or "black elves") are ugly, misshapen, subterranean and generally evil creatures who dwell in the world of Svartalfheim, often confused with the Dokkalfar ("dark elves"), the light-avoiding (though not necessarily subterranean, nor necessarily evil) counterparts of the light elves. The term "svartalfar" is sometimes synonymous with "duergar" (dwarves).

Celtic mythology

In Celtic mythology (Gaelic), the Daoi-Sith are dark elves, while the Du-Sith are black elves.

Scottish folklore

In Scottish folklore, the Trow or the black elves are similar to the Svartalfar and inhabit mines and caves beneath Orkney Isle. They may be either good or evil, but the evil variety are more common. Probably derived from the Du-Sith of Celtic Mythology. The Drow or the dark elves are presumably the Shetland Isle equivalent of the Trow, but unlike the Trow, they are thought of as exclusively evil. Probably derived from the Daoi-Sith of Celtic Mythology. Note that both the Trow and the Drow are often described as troll-like creatures, and that many feel that their names might be related to the words "troll" and "droll" (a type of goblin) due to phoenetic similarity. This is to be expected if they are derived from the Du-Sith and Daoi-Sith, since the various Gaelic words for "elf", "faery", "goblin", "troll", etc., were generally used interchangeably with each other. Thus, "black elf" or "dark elf" in this context doesn't necessarily relate to creatures thought of as "elf-like". On the other hand, if the Drow of Scottish folklore are not related to the Daoi-Sith, and the Trow are not related to the Du-Sith, then this strongly implies that their epithets "dark elf" and "black elf" actually do refer to elf-like beings.

Dark elves in fiction

Middle-earth

In J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, the Moriquendi—the Elves of Darkness—are, in essence, the Elves that did not join the Great Journey over the sea and behold the light of the Two Trees in Valinor. The term "Dark Elf" in Tolkien's writing seems to hold an additional special (not explained) meaning, as it is given as a special title of El of Nan Elmoth.

Dungeons & Dragons

In the Dungeons & Dragons multiverse, especially in the worlds of Greyhawk, the Forgotten Realms and Eberron, dark elves are called drow. They are dark-skinned and white-haired and are generally, but not exclusively, evil. Many other games and works of mainstream fantasy fiction derive their "dark elves" or "night elves" from the drow of Dungeons & Dragons. The Dark Elf Trilogy is a series of books written by R. A. Salvatore, set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, starring the heroic dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden. R. A. Salvatore is widely credited as the "creator of the drow." In the Dragonlance setting, dark elves are not a distinct race; rather, "dark elves" are elves who have been cast out by the other elves for various crimes, such as worship of the evil deities. Dalamar, an ally of Raistlin, is the most notable of Krynn's dark elves. In the Mystara/"Known World" setting, night elves are a race of subterranean elves who have been mutated via magic.

Record of Lodoss War

Dark elves from the fictional world of Record of Lodoss War are brown-skinned and not necessarily evil, but primarily aligned with the forces of Marmo, the enemies of the story's heroes. These Dark Elves are capable of deep loyalty and love.

Shadowrun

As with most metahuman races in the Shadowrun world, many elves are born from the same ethnic groups that normal humans come from, meaning that there are African elves, Indian elves, and Arabic elves, for example. However, the closest thing to the "dark elf" in Shadowrun is the elf metahuman variant subgroup called the Night Ones, most of which come from Europe. The Night Ones have an aversion to sunlight and are different from other elves by possessing a fine fur coat that covers their bodies, indistinguishable from their skin at a distance and usually colored from black, violet, or dark blue. Popular media has dubbed them dark elves, and the group is sometimes stereotyped against as being members of a cult or an "evil" metahuman race. In the in-character comments of a sourcebook, a character derisively calls a group of Night One pirates, "the Muppets", because of their purple fur resembling the Muppet Grover.

Warhammer

In the world of Warhammer Fantasy, the generally evil Dark Elves (Dark Eldar in the Warhammer 40,000 universe) do not dwell underground, nor are they dark-skinned. They call themselves the Druchii. The Druchii live in Naggaroth, the geographic equivalent of North America in the Warhammer World, and are cruel raiders with much hatred for all other races; especially their lighter kindred, the High Elves.

WarCraft

In the WarCraft series of computer games, night elves are a race of elves similar to the drow of Dungeons & Dragons in appearance. However, because of their worship of nature, effeminate stature and extensive use of magic, they are much more simular to the "light" or "high" elves.

The Elder Scrolls

In The Elder Scrolls series of computer role-playing games, Dark Elves (also called Dunmer) lived peacefully with other races. They were the predominant race in Morrowind, and held many of the highest positions of authority. In addition, much of the mythology surrounding Morrowind revolved around them. They are generally conservative by nature, being very devoted to their pantheon of gods, and are distrustful of "outlanders". Dunmer culture is split between the settled people of the cities and the nomadic Ashlander tribes. Dark can easily be applied to them as "gloomy" or "morbid", for such is their temperment. The Dark Elves had mostly black hair, evolving bluish-grey skin and red eyes as a result of the regular volcanic eruptions of Red Mountain.

Final Fantasy IV

In the console RPG Final Fantasy IV, the Dark Elf holds the Crystal of Earth, which he stole from the peaceful kingdom of Toroia. The player is tasked with retrieving said crystal, a task complicated by the Dark Elf's ability to manipulate magnetic fields—metallic equipment does not work in the cave in which he lives.

Age of Wonders

In Age of Wonders series of computer strategy games The story begins with the arrival of humans to the Valley of Wonders and the slaying of the elfen leader. This caused the elfen race to split into 2 parts. The light elf keepers of the light and the dark elf the cult of storms The light elf wishes to keep peace with the humans while the dark elf desired to take revenge and destroy all traces of humankind. Player gets to choose in the campaign one of the 2 factures (light or dark) This game sprung up 2 sequels where assumes the ending of the light side and player playes a human wizard (please fix if this is incorrect)