Eilistraee - Revision history

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2600:1003:B118:5220:31C2:599F:6866:8B51: /* Fanart */

2022-10-03T03:35:18Z

Fanart

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:35, 3 October 2022
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	File:Eilistraee Fanart 8.jpg		File:Eilistraee Fanart 8.jpg
	File:Priestess of Eilistraee2.png		File:Priestess of Eilistraee2.png
			File:Eilistraee dancing.jpeg
			File:Eilistraee with tambourine.jpeg
			File:Eilistraee with sword.jpeg
			File:Eilistraee reclining.jpeg
	File:Eilistraee lineart.png		File:Eilistraee lineart.png
	File:Eilistraee lineart2.jpg		File:Eilistraee lineart2.jpg

2600:1700:54C2:90:35B9:44CF:DB13:A4: i am not very funny but i try

2022-10-02T03:57:40Z

i am not very funny but i try

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	\|Domains = '''3E:''' Chaos, Charm, Drow, Elf, Good, Moon, Portal<br>'''5E:''' Life, Light, Nature		\|Domains = '''3E:''' Chaos, Charm, Drow, Elf, Good, Moon, Portal<br>'''5E:''' Life, Light, Nature
	\|Home Plane = '''[[Great Wheel]]:''' ''Svartalfheim'' ([[Ysgard]])<br>'''[[World Tree]]:''' [[Arborea\|Arvandor]]; she also detains a small domain in the ''Demonweb Pits'' ([[Abyss]])		\|Home Plane = '''[[Great Wheel]]:''' ''Svartalfheim'' ([[Ysgard]])<br>'''[[World Tree]]:''' [[Arborea\|Arvandor]]; she also detains a small domain in the ''Demonweb Pits'' ([[Abyss]])
	\|Worshippers = Mostly, but not exclusively: surface drow, goodly drow, elves, bards, hunters		\|Worshippers = Mostly, but not exclusively: surface drow, goodly drow, elves, bards, hunters, and people who want to be naked
	\|Favoured Weapon = ''Moonsword'' (bastard sword)		\|Favoured Weapon = ''Moonsword'' (bastard sword)
	}}		}}
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	==Appearance==		==Appearance==
	[[File:Eilistraee Harping.jpg\|250px\|thumb\|left\|Eilistraee playing music]]		[[File:Eilistraee Harping.jpg\|250px\|thumb\|left\|Eilistraee playing music]]
	Eilistraee appears as a tall and lithe drow woman of glowing beauty (usually unclad), described by Sharlario Moonflower as "the answer to that question which every soul feels but no words can frame". Her skin is as dark as the night sky, and her ankle-long hair, of a luminous silvery hue, frames the graceful and delicate features of her face. Her eyes—larger than in most drow, whose color reminds of moonstones—are warm and expressive of the goddess' emotions. Those who gaze upon her often feel suffering and sadness dissolve, and even the most hopeless night turn into a moment of beauty and solace. However, a feeling of loss—even desolation—can take them upon her leaving.		Eilistraee appears as a tall and lithe drow woman of glowing beauty (usually unclad), described by Sharlario Moonflower as "the answer to that question which every soul feels but no words can frame". Her skin is as dark as the night sky, and her ankle-long hair, of a luminous silvery hue, frames the graceful and delicate features of her face. Her eyes—larger than in most drow, whose color reminds of moonstones—are warm and expressive of the goddess' emotions. Those who gaze upon her often feel suffering and sadness dissolve, and even the most hopeless night turn into a moment of beauty and solace. However, a feeling of loss—even desolation—can take them upon her leaving because she is another one of Greenwood's excuses to have naked elves be apart of lore.

	==Personality==		==Personality==
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	==Worshippers and Beliefs==		==Worshippers and Beliefs==
	[[File:Sword Dancer of Eilistraee.png\|250px\|thumb\|right\|A typical Sword Dancer of Eilistraee]]		[[File:Sword Dancer of Eilistraee.png\|250px\|thumb\|right\|A typical Sword Dancer of Eilistraee]]
	Eilistraee's [[cleric\|clergy]], collectively called "Sword Dancers", is mainly composed of elven or drow women (usually skilled dancers, musicians and diplomats), whose duty is to make sure that the communities entrusted to them thrive in the surface world and establish friendly relationship with other races. They are protectors, healers, and teachers--of survival skills as well as arts--and take care of the physical and emotional well-being of their people. Most Eilistraeen communities form around shrines or temples, and are led by the clergy. Therefore, they are often goodly matriarchies--where men are valued and treated with affection and respect (unlike the Lolthite matriarchy). When in positions of leadership, men often take the role of advisors and decision makers in certain areas of expertise; lay men and lay women have the same roles: gatherers, hunters, workers, scouts, etc... For a time, in order to become clerics, male drow had to spend some time as women through a ritual known as Changedance (according to Ed Greenwood, this was because, due to the goddess' nature and role of nurturing mother for the drow, it was only possible to fully cleave to her as a woman). This is no longer needed in the current era, as of 5e/post-Second Sundering, and male clerics (and therefore possibly leaders) are becoming more numerous.		Eilistraee's [[cleric\|clergy]], collectively called "Sword Dancers", is mainly composed of elven or drow women (usually skilled dancers, musicians and diplomats), whose duty is to make sure that the communities entrusted to them thrive in the surface world and establish friendly relationship with other races. They are protectors, healers, and teachers--of survival skills as well as arts--and take care of the physical and emotional well-being of their people. Most Eilistraeen communities form around shrines or temples, and are led by the clergy. Therefore, they are often goodly matriarchies--where men are valued and treated with affection and respect (unlike the Lolthite matriarchy). When in positions of leadership, men often take the role of advisors and decision makers in certain areas of expertise; lay men and lay women have the same roles: gatherers, hunters, workers, scouts, etc... For a time, in order to become clerics, male drow had to spend some time as women through a ritual known as Changedance (according to Ed Greenwood, this was because, due to the goddess' nature and role of nurturing mother for the drow, it was only possible to fully cleave to her as a woman and certainly not be because he is horny). This is no longer needed in the current era, as of 5e/post-Second Sundering, and male clerics (and therefore possibly leaders) are becoming more numerous.

	Aside from tending to their communities, the priest(esse)s encourage the dark elves to return to the surface world, and reach to them whether they are fugitives, raiders, or inhabitants of the Underdark. They show that a different kind of life, far from Lolth, is possible, and assist the drow in making this choice by giving them aid, food, acceptance, and safe places to live. The clerics rely on a portal network and on a series of tunnel to lead missions underground (or infiltrate within Underdark settlements) to look for drow who are in need of their help and that can be brought to abandon the Way of Lolth (mostly slaves, commoners, fallen and hunted nobles, or drow who are generally unsatisfied). The priest(esse)s then work to gain their trust: generally, they avoid to force their view, but rescue them, hide them from their enemies, look after them, and offer sincere kindness. When the drow are ready, they are given the message of Eilistraee and a new opportunity:		Aside from tending to their communities, the priest(esse)s encourage the dark elves to return to the surface world, and reach to them whether they are fugitives, raiders, or inhabitants of the Underdark. They show that a different kind of life, far from Lolth, is possible, and assist the drow in making this choice by giving them aid, food, acceptance, and safe places to live. The clerics rely on a portal network and on a series of tunnel to lead missions underground (or infiltrate within Underdark settlements) to look for drow who are in need of their help and that can be brought to abandon the Way of Lolth (mostly slaves, commoners, fallen and hunted nobles, or drow who are generally unsatisfied). The priest(esse)s then work to gain their trust: generally, they avoid to force their view, but rescue them, hide them from their enemies, look after them, and offer sincere kindness. When the drow are ready, they are given the message of Eilistraee and a new opportunity:

1d4chan>Kannonball: Why in the hell is this article completely played straight? There's not even one nudist joke here. Come on guys.

2022-04-07T20:10:34Z

Why in the hell is this article completely played straight? There's not even one nudist joke here. Come on guys.

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:10, 7 April 2022
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			{{NotFunny Sourcebook}}
	{{Promotions}}		{{Promotions}}
	{{Infobox Deity		{{Infobox Deity

104.220.162.108: /* History */

2022-03-12T20:52:04Z

History

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:52, 12 March 2022
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	As the Crown Wars raged on, Lolth and Ghaunadaur kept corrupting the dark elves by tempting their rulers, warriors and nobles with demonic powers, until the Seldarine cursed and exiled all of them (including the surviving Eilistraee's followers, or those who were otherwise innocent) in the event that became known as "Corellon's Descent". Once again, Eilistraee chose to share the path and curse of her people, but in her powerless state she could not rival Lolth as deity of the dark elves, and the Spider Queen led them in the Underdark. After this event, Lolth's and Ghaunadaur's efforts to exterminate the followers of the other drow gods brought Eilistraee and her people to a virtual collapse, and her relationship with her father and the Seldarine became strained, if still polite, due to the deep schism caused by their choice to curse and punish the entirety of the drow.		As the Crown Wars raged on, Lolth and Ghaunadaur kept corrupting the dark elves by tempting their rulers, warriors and nobles with demonic powers, until the Seldarine cursed and exiled all of them (including the surviving Eilistraee's followers, or those who were otherwise innocent) in the event that became known as "Corellon's Descent". Once again, Eilistraee chose to share the path and curse of her people, but in her powerless state she could not rival Lolth as deity of the dark elves, and the Spider Queen led them in the Underdark. After this event, Lolth's and Ghaunadaur's efforts to exterminate the followers of the other drow gods brought Eilistraee and her people to a virtual collapse, and her relationship with her father and the Seldarine became strained, if still polite, due to the deep schism caused by their choice to curse and punish the entirety of the drow.

	~~Since after~~ Lolth wrapped her web around the drow, Eilistraee has tried her best to recover from that blow, to offer her people a new life and lead them to flourish once again. She is alone in this battle, however, an underdog who faces forces much greater than her (most of the Dark Seldarine), and too often the results of her efforts and of those of her followers have been swept away like ashes in the wind. Despite all this, after each fall, Eilistraee kept starting over and never stopped fighting for her people, and in the 1300s DR, all the sacrifices were rewarded with substantial gainings and progresses in her cause (in no small part due to the actions of Qilué Veladorn, her chosen). Eventually, the Dark Maiden chose to put her own life at risk in a battle to free the drow from Lolth once and for all. She was left alone to face the deities of the Dark Seldarine one by one, as neither Corellon nor the Seldarine did anything to help her. The Dark Maiden took down Kiaransalee and Vhaeraun (Ed Greenwood said that she spared the latter, merely KOing him with the help of Mystra, who trapped his sentience in the Weave, and borrowing his portfolio), and her church merged with that of her brother for a few years. In the end, however, she was defeated and (apparently) killed--even though, as suggested by Ed Greenwood, thanks to the help of [[Mystra]], the hit that took her down only made her lose her divinity for a while, making her unable to function as a goddess for that time (but still able to communicate with mortals through visions and manifestations). Either way, it lasted only for about 100 years, until the Second Sundering (circa 1480s DR/5e D&D), when Eilistraee returned to her people, and her followers immeidately resumed their activities (which supports the idea that the goddess actually survived and kept in contact with them). Currently, she no longer holds Vhaeraun's portfolio, as he too has re-emerged.		Ever since Lolth wrapped her web around the drow, Eilistraee has tried her best to recover from that blow, to offer her people a new life and lead them to flourish once again. She is alone in this battle, however, an underdog who faces forces much greater than her (most of the Dark Seldarine), and too often the results of her efforts and of those of her followers have been swept away like ashes in the wind. Despite all this, after each fall, Eilistraee kept starting over and never stopped fighting for her people, and in the 1300s DR, all the sacrifices were rewarded with substantial gainings and progresses in her cause (in no small part due to the actions of Qilué Veladorn, her chosen). Eventually, the Dark Maiden chose to put her own life at risk in a battle to free the drow from Lolth once and for all. She was left alone to face the deities of the Dark Seldarine one by one, as neither Corellon nor the Seldarine did anything to help her. The Dark Maiden took down Kiaransalee and Vhaeraun (Ed Greenwood said that she spared the latter, merely KOing him with the help of Mystra, who trapped his sentience in the Weave, and borrowing his portfolio), and her church merged with that of her brother for a few years. In the end, however, she was defeated and (apparently) killed--even though, as suggested by Ed Greenwood, thanks to the help of [[Mystra]], the hit that took her down only made her lose her divinity for a while, making her unable to function as a goddess for that time (but still able to communicate with mortals through visions and manifestations). Either way, it lasted only for about 100 years, until the Second Sundering (circa 1480s DR/5e D&D), when Eilistraee returned to her people, and her followers immeidately resumed their activities (which supports the idea that the goddess actually survived and kept in contact with them). Currently, she no longer holds Vhaeraun's portfolio, as he too has re-emerged.

	At some point during the above-mentioned war, an Eilistraeen drow mage (Q'arlynd Melarn) cast a High Magic spell that turned a few hundreds among the few thousands followers of Eilistraee into brown skinned "dark elves" (like the drow used to be before being cursed by the Seldarine more than 10k years before). The mage wanted to target all drow except Lolth's followers, but only those of "pure Miyeritari" descent were affected, with the result that most Eilistraeens remained unchanged. Corellon then decided to acknowledge the new brown skinned elves as "redeemed" (despite the fact that they were already good before changing race, and that many of them, born outside of a Lolthite society, had nothing to be redeemed for) and allow them into Arvandor--even though they could already go there, since Eilistraee's realm is in that plane. Now, this has a lot of problems; for example, in 10k+ years Eilistraee has never once cared or acted to change the race of her people (she literally became one of them to build a place in the world for them, as drow), and forcing such a massive chnage on a mortal runs contrary to everything she stands for. The meaning of this transformation is also something that probably should have never seen the light of the day in 2008, because it implies that the mark of being a "good" drow is a lighter skin tone, that goodness is somehow tied to physical appearance, and that one has to conform to arbitrary standards set by others in order to be acceptable, no matter the actual value of their actions (since this is literally what Corellon does with Eilistraee's followers). It's no surprise that WotC decided to entirely ignore and then retcon this matter: both Eilistraee and all her followers are currently still drow, and the "brown elves" have never been mentioned again.		At some point during the above-mentioned war, an Eilistraeen drow mage (Q'arlynd Melarn) cast a High Magic spell that turned a few hundreds among the few thousands followers of Eilistraee into brown skinned "dark elves" (like the drow used to be before being cursed by the Seldarine more than 10k years before). The mage wanted to target all drow except Lolth's followers, but only those of "pure Miyeritari" descent were affected, with the result that most Eilistraeens remained unchanged. Corellon then decided to acknowledge the new brown skinned elves as "redeemed" (despite the fact that they were already good before changing race, and that many of them, born outside of a Lolthite society, had nothing to be redeemed for) and allow them into Arvandor--even though they could already go there, since Eilistraee's realm is in that plane. Now, this has a lot of problems; for example, in 10k+ years Eilistraee has never once cared or acted to change the race of her people (she literally became one of them to build a place in the world for them, as drow), and forcing such a massive chnage on a mortal runs contrary to everything she stands for. The meaning of this transformation is also something that probably should have never seen the light of the day in 2008, because it implies that the mark of being a "good" drow is a lighter skin tone, that goodness is somehow tied to physical appearance, and that one has to conform to arbitrary standards set by others in order to be acceptable, no matter the actual value of their actions (since this is literally what Corellon does with Eilistraee's followers). It's no surprise that WotC decided to entirely ignore and then retcon this matter: both Eilistraee and all her followers are currently still drow, and the "brown elves" have never been mentioned again.

181.25.253.149 at 22:03, 22 August 2021

2021-08-22T22:03:31Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:03, 22 August 2021
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	[[File:Drow Dancers of Eilistraee.jpg\|300px\|thumb\|left\|The first ever depiction of a holy rite of Eilistraee, from AD&D FR's "Drow of the Underdark"]]		[[File:Drow Dancers of Eilistraee.jpg\|300px\|thumb\|left\|The first ever depiction of a holy rite of Eilistraee, from AD&D FR's "Drow of the Underdark"]]
	The followers of Eilistraee practice many rituals, but the iconic form of worship is a nude dance (usually solitary, but sometimes in group) in a moonlit glade (or, lacking that, using any source of light--often a candle), in which they let out all the emotions of the day in a wordless message for the goddess to listen (called Evensong). Some say that this was created as fanservice (and, in part, it likely was) but it can also have a fitting function. The life in a Lolthite society is based on constructs, falsehood, deceit; conflict is constant and trust and spontaneity are taboos. A nude dance in which the drow let out all their emotions is the act of laying down the mask and feeling free to just be themselves and embrace life. Furthermore, in a society of perpetual conflict, where trust is taboo, vulnerability must be hidden. To be free to dance in the nude with others (or while invoking a goddess) is to be free to show one own's vulnerability—it means that vulnerability is sometimes acceptable, forming a bond of trust, and being accepted as a whole. All of this is surely helpful to "heal" a drow who escapes the abuse of Lolth and her society.		The followers of Eilistraee practice many rituals, but the iconic form of worship is a nude dance (usually solitary, but sometimes in group) in a moonlit glade (or, lacking that, using any source of light--often a candle), in which they let out all the emotions of the day in a wordless message for the goddess to listen (called Evensong). Some say that this was created as fanservice (and, in part, it likely was) but it can also have a fitting function. The life in a Lolthite society is based on constructs, falsehood, deceit; conflict is constant and trust and spontaneity are taboos. A nude dance in which the drow let out all their emotions is the act of laying down the mask and feeling free to just be themselves and embrace life. Furthermore, in a society of perpetual conflict, where trust is taboo, vulnerability must be hidden. To be free to dance in the nude with others (or while invoking a goddess) is to be free to show one own's vulnerability—it means that vulnerability is sometimes acceptable, forming a bond of trust, and being accepted as a whole. All of this is surely helpful to "heal" a drow who escapes the abuse of Lolth and her society.
	Not only that, but continuing on the line of Eilistraee's faith being a refuge from a rigidly gendered society, the dances could be looked at from the angle of body acceptance/positivity and gender euphoria: in a society that polices everything, including people's bodies, joyful rituals performed in the nude could be a way of reveling in ownership and beauty of one's own body.

	In any case, despite their iconic dances, unlike many seem to believe, the followers of Eilistraee are '''not''' nudists. They wear the most practical garb for a given occasion and armor (generally light) in battle.		In any case, despite their iconic dances, unlike many seem to believe, the followers of Eilistraee are '''not''' nudists. They wear the most practical garb for a given occasion and armor (generally light) in battle.

2600:8805:1102:3F00:9DD3:F741:C646:5EFC: /* Militant Orders */

2020-11-25T16:19:12Z

Militant Orders

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:19, 25 November 2020
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	;Darksong Knights		;Darksong Knights
	[[File:Darksong Kight.jpg\|250px\|thumb\|right\|A paladin of Eilistraee]]		[[File:Darksong Kight.jpg\|250px\|thumb\|right\|A paladin of Eilistraee]]
	The Darksong Knights are an order of elite [[fighter\|warriors]] and [[paladin\|paladins]] who serve as a bulwark between the followers of Eilistraee and the zealot crusaders and the fiendish servants of Lolth. Similarly to the Sword Dancers, their fighting style is graceful and ~~acrobatics~~, but they favor heavier armor than their priestly counterpart, and receive specialized training aimed to face the creatures of the lower planes. The Darksong Knights make a sacred oath, swearing to uphold the teachings of the Dark Maiden, and to tirelessly hunt the Spider Queen's handmaidens—the yochlol—as well as all demons. Fiends caused the downfall of the drow in the ancient times, and no matter what tricks they use to corrupt mortals, the Darksong Knights give them no quarter. They are especially active in southern Faerun, the lands once occupied by ancient Ilythiir. In mechanical terms, in 5e D&D this order would likely include Oath of the Ancient, Vengeance and Devotion paladins, and probably also Horizon Walker [[ranger\|rangers]]. In 3e D&D, there was a substitute levels option for the fighter class to represent the Darksong Knights.		The Darksong Knights are an order of elite [[fighter\|warriors]] and [[paladin\|paladins]] who serve as a bulwark between the followers of Eilistraee and the zealot crusaders and the fiendish servants of Lolth. Similarly to the Sword Dancers, their fighting style is graceful and acrobatic, but they favor heavier armor than their priestly counterpart, and receive specialized training aimed to face the creatures of the lower planes. The Darksong Knights make a sacred oath, swearing to uphold the teachings of the Dark Maiden, and to tirelessly hunt the Spider Queen's handmaidens—the yochlol—as well as all demons. Fiends caused the downfall of the drow in the ancient times, and no matter what tricks they use to corrupt mortals, the Darksong Knights give them no quarter. They are especially active in southern Faerun, the lands once occupied by ancient Ilythiir. In mechanical terms, in 5e D&D this order would likely include Oath of the Ancient, Vengeance and Devotion paladins, and probably also Horizon Walker [[ranger\|rangers]]. In 3e D&D, there was a substitute levels option for the fighter class to represent the Darksong Knights.

	;Silverhair Knights		;Silverhair Knights