Szarkai Szarkai ( pronounced " " zahrk " - eye " ) , meaning " ghost spiders " , were albino drow . Although extremely rare and a subject of mystery , they could easily pass as normal elves , making them ideal spies for the drow noble houses , able to operate freely in the surface world . Description . As albinos , they had pale or even alabaster - white skin and red eyes , but otherwise appeared as ordinary drow elves in all other respects . Ironically , this meant they resembled many of the surface elf races , and could pass as albino surface elves , and not be suspected as drow . Many drow thought of szarkai as a separate race , but they were genetically identical , possessing only the traits of albinism . Nevertheless , some had minor deformities , such as a lack of hair , small fangs , or gnarled and claw - like hands , suggesting the popular view had a slight basis in fact . Abilities . Szarkai possessed all the same magical powers as ordinary drow , and the same vulnerability to bright light , which was similar to what an albino might normally suffer anyway . Personality . Szarkai had much the same inclinations as the rest of their drow kin , being often of a neutral evil bent , but usually possessed more of a cool air and great patience . They were often more skilled at cruel or subtle intrigues . Combat . They planned to never get caught up in combat , choosing instead to leave the dirty work to others or simply wait their opponents out . When forced into a fight , their first aim was to escape , as soon as possible . Otherwise , they preferred to eliminate an enemy quickly , quietly , and with no trace of their involvement . Society . Szarkai were the result of a very rare mutation , appearing in only 0 . 01 % of the drow population . They were relatively more common among the noble houses than among lower castes , though it was unknown if this was the product of inbreeding or meddling by the goddess Lolth . The birth of a szarkai was viewed as the blessing of Lolth upon a family , and thus they were dubbed " szarkai " , or " ghost spiders " . Other drow looked on them in awe . They were far too valuable to risk in the cutthroat politics of drow society , or to be murdered by chance in the streets . Thus , their existence was kept a secret from all , known only to the highest - ranking members of a family and those who had a vital need to know . Kept apart from everyday drow life , szarkai were sequestered and lived much safer than many other drow , though no less harsh or corruptive . They tended to receive personal attention and training from the very cruelest of priestesses and the most duplicitous of nobles . Almost from birth , they were trained as spies and saboteurs and readied for a life undercover on the surface , living among elves and in human cities where elves were common , where they could operate without suspicion . When they ' d completed their training and had the necessary skills , szarkai were sent on deep - cover , long - term assignments to the surface , to advance the plots of their houses and of the Spider Queen . Activities . Szarkai agents might be engaged in simple gathering of information and passing what they learned back to the masters , or in learning the lay of the land and the makeup of local politics . Some might form sleeper cells with the goal of future sabotage or attack . Otherwise , they would be agents provocateur , discreetly manipulating surface - dwellers , turning would - be allies against the drow against one another instead , inflicting sabotage , and keeping communities small and vulnerable . Very rarely did their work involve base assassination , as eliminating single specific persons was inconsequential to drow aims , and it carried too great a risk of discovery . Instead , these szarkai provocateurs had long - term goals , their plans reaching across generations of lesser races , so subtle and stretched so thin as to be undetectable . They might take centuries to come together . Szarkai provocateurs often trained in areas that would give them skills in scheming and misdirection , following the paths of the bard , cloaked dancer , shadowdancer , and spymaster . Szarkai provocateurs made an effort to avoid lich es , finding the undying mages to have a knack for seeing through their disguises and acts and for seeing the full scale of their schemes . Without the space or resources of their houses in their home cities , szarkai agents on missions had to take all they needed with them . Undercover , they avoided the spider - themed and otherwise frightful accoutrements that drow were known for . Notable szarkai . Darien was a szarkai mage and spy of the Ancient Ones , the drow of Maztica , who was sent to Faerûn to find someone they could use in their efforts to gain control over the cult of Zaltec . In the guise of an albino elf , she found Cordell , and with him founded the Golden Legion , becoming one of his most trusted leaders and his lover . Ten years later , they journeyed west over the seas , discovering Maztica in the Year of the Helm , 1372 DR . With Darien ' s magic , they defeated the armies of Payit and slew the leader of Kultaka . Finally , in an attack on Nexal , center of worship of Zaltec , Darien slew the ruler Naltecona . However , in the resulting destruction of the city , Lolth turned the Ancient Ones into drider s , and Darien into an albino drider , in punishment for their failures . One of the most infamous szarkai in Faerûn was Irae T ' sarran , a noble of House T ' sarran and high priestess of Kiaransalee . She conquered the drow city of Maerimydra in the name of her goddess during the silence of Lolth in the Year of Wild Magic , 1372 DR , summoned the Undying Temple to Castle Maerimydra , and commenced a grand ritual to raise an army of revenant s to conquer , until finally she was defeated by adventurers .