"Drow Samurai" by Jedediah Dougherty

The code of bushido has very little to say about attacking someone in the open or in pitch darkness. Winning is what is important, which is probably why there are numerous iaido katas centered around doing totally mean and dastardly things, such as stabbing someone in the head as they walk out from under the balcony you're standing on.

Jedediah Dougherty replies: "Wow- you sound like you are all studied up on your Bushido. I could see this guy using that "stab in head" tactic- thanks for bringing it to my attention!"

Maybe he's renegade-ish type drow, who wants to follow his own code? Anyways- wonderful coloring. I like the colors in this one too, very much sets the mood!

Cool this is my fav in your gallery

The Samurai code of honor isn't totally inappropriate for dark elves, when you think about it. At least not for drow as described in the D&D Forgotten Realms setting They are supposed to behave in certain ways, after all. Whereas the romanticized film/novel Samurai are the epitome of honor, the drow are the darkest side of the same culture. Honor was important, true. The Japanese warlords of the 16th century just realized that the survivor was the one who could tell others WHY his victory was honorable.

Same for the FR drow, at least in Loth-dominated cities. They're not officially allowed to slaughter each other, but the goddess encourages it in order to cull the weak from the race or something. Winning is more important than following the rules, but you MUST look like you follow them.

Oh yes, the picture is good, too. I always thought elves of all sorts would look good wielding a katana.

very, very cool. Marvelously dramatic work with light and shadow. The pale, ghostly glow of the blade is particularly effective. Rock on.

I love the spider-web style armor! It looks really good, I like it a lot. To the hells if it's not fitting, it's a damn good picture.

Skull Bearer.

In a campain right now with some friends of mine for D&D my character has taken a duel class, I am a Drow Samurai Cleric, using the oriental realms book along with the 2nd edition Players Handbook. Oriental Realms claims it has to be of "Human" Race, technically the Drow are Humanoid
so it holds with the DM

Well i actually have a drow samurai that survived to be in an epic level campaign. I made a seperate code of honor for them seeing as how the average drow breaks the human code of bushido on a regular basis.

My drow has made it to a low level god, above demi god. Made a deal with my DMS god of death giving him the eye and hand of vecna So now by the causality loop effect of Interuniversal connection he exist outside his home universe

I actually have a 3.0 Drow Half Celestial Samurai. Created by the drow in an attempt to make an abomination with the blood of a celestial that had been harassing them. The attempt failed as the true nature of the drow bore through. The drow elves intended then to sacrifice the infant to Lolth. However a group of the celestials friends managed to rescue the child and bring ruin to the Drow. Then the Celestials took the infant far from Drow influenced lands. To Rokugan where the child was raised by a sucession of Sensei in the Dragon clan. Now he has found his own way in the world and adventures once again in the forgotten realms. Unknowingly putting himself in great danger.