Descent of the Drow

Celestial / Cosmic

Corellon's magic, as directed through his priests and High Mages, transforms the dark elves, whether the corrupt Ilythiiri or others, into the drow. Whether by magic or by the weaknesses that banish them from the sunlit lands, all drow retreat within two months' passing into the Underdark.

In 10,500 BDR, owing to destructive magics of Vyshaantar, the Dark Disaster occurred, and a magical storm turned Miyeritar into the wasteland now known as the High Moor. Enraged at the destruction of their dark-elf brothers' land, Ilythiiri savagely attacked the Vyshaantar Empire.   The Ilythiiri began to openly worship evil gods and commit such acts of atrocities that all the remaining elven kingdoms decided to expel the Ilythiiri dark elves from Corellon Larethian's grace. The most powerful mages and clerics succeeded in completing the ritual in about 10,000 BDR, though it had the adverse effect of corrupting all dark elves, not just the intended Ilythiirians. The dark elves were driven underground, and the epithet dhaerow would eventually change into drow.