Drizzt is a Drow from Menzoberranzan. At the moment of his birth he was to be sacrificed for being the third living son, but his brother, Dinin, backstabbed his oldest brother so that Dinin could be the elderboy and Drizzt was not sacrificed. Drizzt was born with purple eyes, a thing unheard of in Menzoberranzan. It was believed he was blind and was to be sacrificed, but he was not.

Drizzt's father Zaknafein, the greatest weapons master in Menzoberranzan, was startled to see that, like himself, Drizzt was not a typical Drow. Drizzt is much too innocent to accept the Drow way of life which is the gain of power through any means. Drizzt becomes the greatest fighter in Drow history yet at the same time develops very un-Drow thoughts, such as Honor and compassion. Drizzt is an outcast through much of his life.