Of the races that players can choose for their characters inBaldur’s Gate 3, the drow are probably among the most powerful. The drow, or dark elves, gain a number of features which make them ideal for adventuring, including free access to spells and superior darkvision. Butthere are actually two different kinds of drow the player can choose fromfor their custom characters: the Lolth-sworn and the seldarine.
These elf subraces are completely indistinct in terms of abilities and mechanics, but differ greatly in their history and culture.The difference is mainly in the gods their ancestors chose to follow, and the societies they live in now, which influence how the rest of the world perceives them. That being said,Baldur’s Gate 3is never entirely clear about the history of the seldarine, and players must turn to the lore ofDungeons & Dragons' Forgotten Realms to get a fuller picture.
The Seldarine Drow Follow A Different Deity
Loyalty To Eilistraee Over Lolth
The schism between the Lolth-sworn and seldarine goes back eons, and is vague even within the established lore of the Forgotten Realms. Still, the general conflict is clear: Corellon Larethian,powerful god of the elves inBG3andDnD, was wed to a person named Aruashnee, who would later become Lolth. At some point, she betrayed Corellon, either to seize his power or to bring greater power to her followers. Either way, Corellon was killed andLolth was defeated and cast into the Abyss, while her daughter, Eilistraee, tried to guide those who followed herback to the path of goodness.
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At this point, it seems thatthe sworn followers of Lolth truly became drow,and later, some split off to follow Eilistraee and became seldarine. They share most physical characteristics, with gray complexions and white hair, though the Lolth-sworn drow typically possess red eyes and the seldarine white eyes. Over time and across many wars, the difference between these subraces of drow has widened, as have the ways in which they live inUnderdark society seen inBG3andDnD.
Lolth-Sworn And Seldarine Drow In The Underdark
A People Divided By Ages Of War
Typically, when those above ground refer to drow, they are talking about the Lolth-sworn variety, which includes NPCs likeMinthara and Nere inBaldur’s Gate 3.These dark elves typically live in or around Menzoberranzan, their capital in the Underdark, where the cult of Lolth is strongest. While not every Lolth-sworn drow is inherently evil, many do raid the surface and other Underdark colonies for resources and slaves, earning them a fearsome reputation.
The divide between the drow is reminiscent of the gith, another race often perceived as violent, but split into two branches: the githyanki and githzerai. In both cases, one branch is much more present inBaldur’s Gate 3than the other.
The seldarine, meanwhile, are much more scattered in their strongholds and locations. They have no equivalent to Menzoberranzan in terms of a capital, andoften seek out allies above ground to fight against their more numerous Lolth-devoted kin. They typicallyworship Forgotten Realms deitiesEilistraee or Corellon, and in fact, a weapon of a cleric of Eilistraee can even be found in the game:Phalar Aluve, an enchanted longsword.
Why Seldarine Drow Are Treated The Way They Are Above Ground
Seldarine Drow Try To Be Perceived Differently Than Their Lolth-Sworn Brethren
Anyone who has playedBaldur’s Gate 3as either a seldarine or Lolth-sworn drow is probably familiar with how other NPCs react to the dark elves. That is, with fear and hostility, especially on the frontiers where Act One takes place. Things are a bit more welcoming within the city of Baldur’s Gate itself, but even still,many dialogue options for Lolth-sworn drow revolve around conquest and violence.
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Seldarine drow, meanwhile, spend most of the game telling other characters that they aren’t Lolth-sworn, with many dialogue options explaining their variance from the drow of Menzoberranzan. This makes it clear that the difference between these elven branches is misunderstood even within the world of the Forgotten Realms itself. The conflict between the seldarine drow and ther Lolth-sworn does not take center stage inBaldur’s Gate 3, but it can be an interesting side conflict for players going through the game as one of the two races.
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Baldur’s Gate 3
Developed and published by Larian Studios, Baldur’s Gate 3 is an upcoming role-playing game set to release in August of 2023. Players will create a character to embark on a large-scale journey and can do so solo or cooperatively with a friend. Combat is a turn-based style this time around.
