Drow are the descendants of the Elves, a delicate and magical race. They have dark black skin and (typically) white or silver body hair. Unlike Elves, who reside in magical forests, the Drow live in underground cities. In accustom to their dark dwellings, Drow can see in the infrared spectrum when no other light source is present.This aids the Drow if they happen to get lost in the caves surrounding their cities.

Most Drow do not respect other races and view them as inferior breeds. They will rarely leave their dark caves and refuse to learn the languages of others, accepting no visitors in their subsurface towns. But since the Drow are intelligent, many outstanding Drow have learned the ways of peace and will travel with the surface dwellers.

Like the Elves, the Drow are slender and graceful, and can be trained to be highly skilled warriors despite their inferior health and strength. They are also highly intelligent and possess great magical abilities.

Lolth is a cruel, ruthless goddess, thought by many to be insane. She delights in setting her worshippers at each others throats, so that the strongest, most devious and cruel will survive to serve her. Lolth roams the Realms often, appearing in answer to the rituals of drow priestesses, and working whatever harm she can to the enemies of the drow. She secretly wants to be worshipped by humans and elves of the surface Realms, and sometimes journeys among their communities, whispering of the power Lolth can bring.

Lolth is malicious in her dealings, and coldly vicious in a fight. She enjoys causing death, destruction, and painful torture. Even more, Lolth enjoys corrupting elves and humans to her service. She many times leaves a poisonous spider to aid, guard, or keep watch over those who serve her. Lolth can appear kind, rendering aid to those she fancies - but she really cares only for herself; her favor and aid can never be relied on.

Lolth's avatar on Oblivion appears as a giant black widow spider, but prefers to change into the form of a human-sized, exquisitely beautiful female drow. She can also combine the two forms, appearing as a giant spider with a coldly beautiful female drow head. This is believed to be her 'true' form.

Lolth rarely aids her worshippers directly, preferring to watch and enjoy their suffering and struggles. Lolth priestesses strive to manipulate those around them, and to be feared, their ultimate goals to please Lolth. The males are inferior in Lolth's Realm, dealt with indifference and contempt by the females - their lot is to serve the whims of the females, as well as their goddess. Treachery and cruelty are rewarded, non compliance to Lolth's or her priestesses whims are dealt with in the most painful of manners - usually by a priestess wielding the snake-headed whips that they delight in giving pain with.

All drow who do not worship Lolth are to be converted or destroyed. All weak and rebellious drow are to be weeded out and dealt with. The 'unfaithful' are to be sacrificed to Lolth, usually males. To willingly harm a spider in Lolth's Realm can mean death to the perpetrator - spiders being viewed as 'children' of Lolth. Occasionally (usually measured in decades), a raid upon the surface is called by a Matron Mother (the ruling priestess of a 'house') - usually in hopes of gaining favor of the goddess, and sometimes as a training mission. This is usually the extent of the Lolth drow presence on the surface.