Eilistraee

Eilistraee: The Dark Maiden, Lady of the Dance, Lady Silverhair

Symbol: Nude female Drow, with long silver hair dancing with a silver bastard sword, in front of a full moon
Home Plane: Arvandor (Hill of the Dancing Moon) / The Demonweb Pits (Eilistraee’s Temple)
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Portfolio: Beauty, Dance, Hunting, Moonlight, Song, Swordplay
Domains: Chaos, Charm, Drow, Elf, Good, Moon Portal
Worshipers: Good Drow, Hunters, Elves
Aliases: N/A
Cleric Alignments: NG, CG, CN
Favored Weapon: The Moonsword (Bastard Sword)

History/Relationships: Eilistraee (Pronounced Eel-iss-tray-yee) is the goddess of the good Drow, who yearn to return to life on the surface, left behind by the Drow thousands of years ago. She is a goddess of song, beauty, goodness and light, and is worshiped through song and dance, preferably on the surface world, under the stars of a moonlit night. Eilistraee aids her faithful in hunting and swordplay, and feasts usually preceded or follow her holy ceremonies. She is usually seen only from afar, but her song of unearthly beauty is heard whenever she appears.

The Dark Maiden is the daughter of Araushnee, who would eventually become Lolth, and Corellon Larethian. Vhaeraun is her brother, and Selvetarm is her nephew. Long ago, after nearly slaying her father with a magically enchanted arrow during a great battle between the Seldarine and a host of evil deities bent on conquering Arvandor, the Dark Maiden forswore the use of ranged weapons, although she permits them to her followers. Her arrow went astray because of Araushnee's treachery, for the Elven Weaver of Destiny was secretly trying to kill Corellon Larethian, and usurp his role as the leader of the Seldarine. Eilistraee chose banishment from Arvandor, and the Seldarine, as punishment, along with her mother and brother. Although her father made it abundantly clear that he did not find her at found, the Dark Maiden elected to go anyway, foreseeing a time when she would be needed to balance the evil of the rest of her family.

On Abeir-Toril, the Dark Maiden strove for centuries to counter the hatred of Vhaeraun, and his corrupting influence on Dark Elves, and in particular, the Ilythiiri. Although she was able to hold her own for much of the time, Eilistraee's power ebbed with the death of many of her Miyeritari faithful in the Dark Disaster. The rise of Lolth and, to a much lesser degree, Ghaunadaur, among the Dark Elves marginalized the influence that the Lady of the Dance had for millennia. Only in recent centuries has Eilistraee's faith regained a small amount of prominence in Faerûn, as the Dark Maiden now more actively seeks to lead the fallen Drow back to the long-forsaken light, both metaphorically and literally. Eilistraee is a melancholy, moody Drow female, a lover of beauty and a lover of peace. The evil that most Drow have within them angers the young deity, because she knows that Drow aren’t born evil, but that Lolth and the rest of the Dark Seldarine makes them evil. When her faithful are harmed, her anger spills out into wild action, and woe is any creature that is faced off against an angered Eilistraee. It is not her way to act openly, but she often aids creatures she favors, even if they don’t worship her, in small, practical ways. Eilistraee is happiest when she sees that goodness and love that is inside all things.

While the Dark Maiden and the rest of the Seldarine remain allies, but it is a strained relationship, that reflects the divisions that persist among Elves today. Among the Elven powers, Eilistraee is only close with Erevan Ilesere, because both deities enjoy the lighthearted aspects of life, Corellon Larethian, because of his relationship as her father, and Solonor Thelandira, because of the ideas that he espouses. It is said that Eilistraee may even have a romantic relationship with Solonor Thelandira. She has only just recently worked out an uneasy truce with Shevarash, who has made it his duty to exterminate the entire Drow race.

Eilistraee is unusually close with the human goddess of magic, Mystra. Qilué Veladorn, seventh of the Seven Sisters, is one of Mystra’s Chosen, as well as a Chosen of the Dark Maiden. She is also close with Calladuaran Smoothhands, Haela Brightaxe, Lurue and Selûne.

The Dark Maiden hates the corruption and unredeemable evil that the Dark Seldarine- Lolth, Ghaunadaur, Kiaransalee, Selvetarm and Vhaeraun- represent. She also mourns her brother's enduring cruelty and selfishness, and the fact that she could not save her nephew, Selvetarm, from the machinations of Lolth. Her other enemies are deities who prey on her followers, including Blibdoolpoolp, Deep Duerra, Diinkarazan, Diirinka, Gzemnid, Ilsensine, Ilxendren, Laduguer, Laogzed, the now-deceased Maanzecorian, The Blood Queen and the Great Mother.

The recent Silence of Lolth caused a large influx of Drow to flock to the Dark Maiden. Though many of them were not actually devout, and were just looking for power, many of the Drow who came to her actually believed in their hearts what the Dark Maiden espoused. During the Silence of Lolth, Eilistraee set in motion her plan to kill her mother, by way of the Crescent Blade, a powerful Eilistraeen artifact. Though the plan failed, Hallistra Melarn, Eilistraee’s agent who was supposed to strike the killing blow was seized by Lolth, and became some kind of agent for her, the Lady Penitent, Eilistraee succeeded in maintaining her divine realm on the Demonweb Pits when Lolth forcibly removed them from the Abyss and onto their own plane. The Dark Maiden’s realm on the Demonweb Pits is very small, since she primarily spends time in her realm on Arvandor, the Hill of the Dancing Moon. Her realm on the Demonweb Pits is nothing more than a small, temple dedicated to the Dark Maiden, while her realm on Arvandor is a large glade that is always illuminated by a full moon, and is filled with fey music. Eilistraee keeps dual realms to remind herself, and others, of her dual role as a member of the Seldarine, and an outcast of the Seldarine, a Drow, but an enemy of Lolth and evil Drow everywhere. Recent divinations and premonitions concerning the Dark Maiden have been coming back with disturbing images and portents. Her future is depended on Lolth’s future, and her destiny is linked with Vhaeraun. In particular, Eilistraee wearing the mask of Vhaeraun, sitting over a Sava board with Lolth is most disturbing.

Dogma: Aid the weak, strong, grateful, and churlish alike; be always kind, save in battle with evil. Encourage happiness everywhere; lift hearts with kind words, jests, songs, and merriment. Learn how to cook game and how best to hunt it. Learn new songs, dances, and ways with weapons, and spices, and recipes, and pass this learning on whenever possible. Learn how to play, make, and repair musical instruments. Practice music and sword-work. Defend and aid all folk, promoting harmony between the races.

Strangers are your friends. The homeless must be given shelter from storms, under your own roof if need be. Repay rudeness with kindness. Repay violence with swift violence, that the fewest may be hurt and danger fast removed from the land.

The faithful must aid Drow who are in distress. If the distressed are fighting with other drow, the combat is to be stopped with as little bloodshed as possible. So long as the Drow met with are not working evil on others, they are to be aided and given the message of Eilistraee: "A rightful place awaits you in the Realms Above, in the Land of the Great Light. Come in peace, and live beneath the sun again, where trees and flowers grow."

Avatar/Manifestations: The Dark Maiden rarely takes a direct hand in the affairs of mortals, but she oftentimes appears in the midst of dances in her honor, leaping amid the flames of the feast unharmed. She also appears to her faithful, radiance dimmed and clad in a plain, hooded cloak, at their campfires by night, to test their kindness.

Eilistraee normally takes the form of a nude, glossy-skinned female Drow, about nine feet in height, with ankle length, sweeping hair of glowing silver. Her hair and wandering silvery radiances cloak her body in a smooth, continuously moving array of beauty. Most worshipers see Eilistraee only from afar, standing on a hillock or battlement, in the distance. She appears to show her favor or blessing and often rallies or heartens creatures by sounding her hunting horn. When Eilistraee's hunting horn is heard but no foes are present, her followers interpret it as a sign that someone nearby needs their aid.

Eilistraee's most common manifestation is a silvery radiance, sometimes accompanied by a wordless melody, or a few echoing harp notes. Eilistraee has also been known to aid her worshipers by providing a faint silvery radiance when they need to find something in darkness, follow an unknown trail by night, or when childbirth occurs. She also manifests her silver radiance to worshippers or non-worshippers who honor her with a solitary dance to tribute. She sometimes sends a flutter of silvery swallow-tailed moths to show her favor, join in a dance, or lead her faithful that have become lost or need some indication of the best direction to take.

In rare circumstances, males and other lay worshippers, who need her visible blessings and support, or sometimes just some light, will temporarily manifest Moonfire, Eilistraee’s sacred spell. Such manifestations are at the will of the goddess, and the recipient of the blessing has no control over the duration, intensity, and/or location of the Moonfire.

She also demonstrates her favor by having her followers find mithral, moonbars, moonstones and silver, and by providing them with the inspiration to compose a great work of art, such as a song, music, or a weapon. She indicates her displeasure with a sudden artistic inability, the inability to catch anything while hunting, a sudden, rising cold breeze and chills in one’s hands, or feet.

Agents/Petitioners: Eilistraee is served by Aasimar, Aasimon, Asuras, Cath Shee, Drow, Einheriar, Eladrins, Elves, Mercury Dragons, Elven Cats, Feystags, Frosts, Hollyphants, Incarnates of Faith, Incarnates of Hope, Lythari, Mist Dragons, Moon Dogs, Moon Horses, Mortal, Pixies, Radiance Quasielementals, Reverend Ones, Silver Dogs, Silver Dragons, Sprites, Sunflies, Tieflings, and normal-looking animals with solid silver-colored eyes.

Eilistraee has one Chosen- Qilué Veladorn. The circumstances of her birth were unusual, to say the least, but it is because of these circumstances that the Drow woman is a Chosen of both Eilistraee and Mystra. Qilué acts as the High Priestess of the Promenade, and serves as the mortal conduit for advancing Eilistraee’s wishes and goals.

Eilistraee has one proxy as well- Ingrid Liansdottir. Ingrid is a Drow woman who, stories say, is just as beautiful as her mistress. Like Eilistraee, Ingrid is a beacon of good. Eilistraee has granted her proxy the ability to seduce others with a single word, and the ability to make her curses come true.

The Church of Eilistraee: The followers of Eilistraee are subject to wild rumors and mistruths in both the Underdark and on the surface world. To many surface dwellers, the church of Eilistraee is the misleading vanguard of Lolth’s plot to drive all of Faerûn into darkness under her rule. To other Drow, the church of Eilistraee is actually made up of surface Elves who masquerade as Drow, in preparation for the coming war of annihilation between the two groups. It is very rare that an individual has a non-biased, intellectual view on the clergy of the Dark Maiden.

The church of Eilistraee is composed of kind-hearted individuals who truly seek to change the world for the better. In my youth, I, like many other Elves, held a universal dislike for Drow. Though I had heard of Eilistraee in my studies, I passed her off as some kind of trick created by Lolth, to lull us Tel’Quessir, so that she could strike when our guard was down. However, in my travels, I came upon a priestess’ of Eilistraee, a woman who I eventually came to respect, and eventually love. Though I know not whatever became of her, I hope that this tome is able to win over the hearts and minds of Elves all over Toril.

Temples dedicated to Eilistraee appear very similar to those dedicated to the Seldarine- pristine, natural sites that need little modification. Temple complexes usually include a glade to dance in, a dark place removed from the harsh light of day, a fresh water stream, a forge and smithy, an access tunnel to the Underdark, and a nearby vein of iron, or a similar metal. Shrines dedicated to the Dark Maiden are not so complex, and need only be a moonlit glade, and a song to dance to.

Collectively, the clergy of Eilistraee are known as Dark Maidens. Those who have not yet been ordained as priestess’ are called Maids. The titles of individual priestess’ vary widely, but some common examples include Moon Dancer, Moon Singer, Argent Maid, Dark Huntress, Living Sword, Unsheathed Blade, Sword Smith, Bright Edge of Darkness, and Ghost of the Moonstruck Night.

The majority of her faithful are Drow Elves, who were once living in the Underdark, but have come to embrace the light, or the children of these individuals. Many tolerant Elves, who wish to extend the laurel branch to the Drow, rather than the sword, venerate the Dark Maiden. Many slaves of various races have come to venerate Eilistraee, because it is because of her benevolence that they were either able to escape, or able to find safety from their slave masters. In the orthodox, organized religion, there are no male Clerics. All males are lay worshippers, and cannot become priests. However, in some of the more remote locations where the Dark Maiden is worshipped, males can become priests, and are granted spells by Eilistraee.

Day-to-Day Activities: Whenever and wherever possible, the faithful of Eilistraee encourage Drow to return to the surface world and forsake the evil deities of the Underdark, and work to promote harmony between Drow and other surface-dwelling races, in order to establish the Drow as benevolent inhabitants of Faerûn. The faithful of the Dark Maiden nurture beauty, music and song wherever they find it. Priestess’ are skilled in the playing of at least one of the Dark Maiden's favored instruments: the horn, the flute, or the harp. They are also adequate singers, and fit, graceful dancers.

Eilistraee’s faithful also assist hunters while hunting, those who are lost, and help others with other acts of kindness whenever possible.

Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: Traditional worship of the Dark Maiden includes a hunt, followed by a feast, dancing, and a Circle of Song, in which the worshipers sit and gather in a circle, and each one in succession leads a song. If possible, this is done outdoors, in a wooded area, on a moonlit night. Daily prayers are sung whenever possible, and priestess’ try to lead others in a song or two every evening, even if no formal ritual is held.

Eilistraee’s faithful let out all of their emotions for the day with an 'evensong', a personal, often wordless song. Priests of the Dark Maiden who have the coin to do so are expected to hire any minstrel or bard they meet, for a song or two. Lay worshipers are encouraged to do the same. Whenever a sword is finished, or is first used by a worshiper of the Dark Maiden, a priestess tries to call down the blessing of the goddess upon it. This is done by planting the blade point-down in the ground, outdoors and at night, and dancing. The Sword Dance, as this ritual is called, circles the blade, and involves the priestesses in charge of the ceremony drawing blood from each of her limbs, by dancing momentarily against the blade. If successful, the blade glows with a silvery radiance that causes the weapon, for three months, not to break, rust or disintegrate- since many Drow items disintegrate when exposed to sunlight. And if the weapon lacks a magical dweomer, this special blessing enables the weapon to strike creatures that normally can only be hit by magically enchanted weapons.

The High Hunt is celebrated at least once every season. The High Hunt is a nighttime hunt of a dangerous beast, led by priestess’ of Eilistraee. By tradition, the hunters, who are usually lay worshippers, may use any bladed weapon, and wear anything they desire. The priestess’ who lead the hunt go naked, and carry only a single bastard sword. If the hunted beast is slain, a song and a circle dance are dedicated to the goddess. If the hunted beast is not slain, a song and circle dance are dedicated to the goddess anyway.

At least once a year, priestess’ of Eilistraee undertake a Run, where they simply wander the surface world. Those who are not Drow blacken their bodies with natural dyes and oils. All priests, Drow or not, boil certain leaves and berries, and spread the resulting liquid in their hair, to make it silvery. Trusting to their skills, and the inherent goodness in all creatures, priestess’ of the Dark Maiden go where they are strangers, making an effort to seek out Elven communities, and bring them game, kindness, and helping hands. They try to learn new songs, music, and sword ways, and do not come to preach their faith or make a mark for themselves.

In the end, all priests who do not die in battle hold their greatest ritual, called the Last Dance. In old age, Eilistraee's faithful hear the goddess singing to them by night, calling them to her. When the song feels right, they go out, unclad, underneath the moonlit sky and dance- never to be seen again. Those who have observed such dances say that the goddess comes and sings overhead, and that the dancer begins to dance more effortlessly, looking younger and younger. Her hair begins to glow with the same radiance as the Dark Maiden's, and then she becomes translucent, slowly fading away as the dance goes on. In the end, only a silvery radiance is left, and two voices -the goddess and her faithful- sing together in a melancholy, tender song on before trailing off on the tonic note.

Major Centers of Worship: Before the Crown Wars, Eilistraee’s faith was strong in the Dark Elf realm of Miyeritar. She also had a few pockets of faithful in Ilythiir, and some other Elven realms of the time. The Dark Disaster, unleashed during the Third Crown War, transformed Miyeritar into the blasted wasteland now known as the High Moor, and dealt a devastating blow to Eilistraee. In the span of a few moments, a large portion of her total clergy was gone.

When the Dark Elves were transformed into Drow, and were banished from the sunlit lands some five hundred years later, at the end of the Fourth Crown War, Eilistraee's church effectively collapsed. A few ancient, sacred sites of power built before the Crown Wars survived, along with some clergy members, such as in the Misty Forest, along the borders of the High Moor, and in the Shaar, scattered across the once verdant savannah, but for the most part, it would be many millennia before Eilistraee would rise from obscurity once more.

Centuries ago, Eilistraee appeared to Qilué Veladorn and commanded the young Drow from Buiyrandyn- a gathering of destitute Drow families too small to even be considered a city- to take up her singing swords and destroy the Pit of Ghaunadaur. After a great battle that resulted in the destruction of an avatar of the Elder Eye, as well many of it’s slithering, oozing, and creeping worshipers, the holy sight of the Elder Eye was destroyed. Qilué and the rest of her allies took up responsibility for patrolling the region, and thus, the Promenade was created.

The Promenade of the Dark Maiden, also known as Eilistraee's Promenade or simply the Promenade, is Eilistraee’s high temple. It occupies a large ruined city, located to the northeast of Skullport, on the third level of Undermountain, deep beneath Waterdeep. The priestess’ of the Promenade heal any who come to the temple, offering the hand of friendship that is often denied to those of the Shunned Races. Many races live among the community of faithful, and their numbers are drawn from escaped slaves, former adventurers, and any other repentant individuals.

Daily activities in the Promenade include growing food, mundane chores, patrolling the temple caverns and passages, and practicing diplomacy beyond the immediate temple area. The faithful of Eilistraee work tirelessly to further their Lady's aims concerning the peaceful coexistence of Drow with other races and to fulfill her commandments about preventing the return of Ghaunadaur.

In the years since their great victory, the number of battles the Dark Ladies have been forced to fight- particularly with the minions of Ghaunadaur- has continued to increase, even up until today. For example, in DR 1368, the Year of the Banner, the Promenade came under attack by Ghaunadaur's cultists, who led a full-scale assault on the temple. The siege lasted for several months before the Elder Eye's followers were driven off. Followers of Lolth, Vhaeraun and Selvetarm periodically attack the temple as well.

Above ground temples of Eilistraee are known to exist in the Moonwood, and at the northern end of the Velarwood. The Mouth of Song, as the former temple is known, is located in a cave mouth beneath a treeless hill a day's travel from Quaervarr. The Shadowtop Glade, as the latter temple is known, is located in a series of caves that line both sides of a steep, overgrown gully, dominated by a grove of towering shadowtop trees. Drow priestess’ from the temple, armed with enchanted silver swords, and moon-worshiping lycanthropes from the nearby Howling Hill join together to conduct sacred hunts dedicated to Eilistraee and Selûne, when the moon is full.

Smaller shrines of the Dark Maiden have been spotted in the Misty Forest, the High Forest, the Forest of Shadows, the Lake Sember region, the Grey Forest, the Forest of Lethyr, the Yuirwood, and the Chondalwood. Hidden temples of Eilistraee may exist in the hearts of other forests as well. Temples of the Dark Maiden are absent on Evermeet, despite appeals to Queen Amlauril by her Drow ambassador, Lady Karsel'lyn Lylyl-Lytherraias. With the recent conflicts Evermeet has had with Drow, it is unlikely that a temple in Eilistraee’s honor will be built on the Green Isle anytime soon.

Affiliated Orders: The Darksong Knights are an elite order of Eilistraeen warrior-priestess’ who, of late, have been active in the south, beneath the lands of that once were ancient Ilythiir. The order has a very militaristic hierarchy to it, is very centralized, and is led by the High Priestess of the Promenade, Eilistraee’s temple in Undermountain. Every members of the order is expected to devote her life to the furthering of the Dark Maiden's wishes, and in particular, the destruction of the Yochlol, and other Demons that serve Lolth.

The Protectors of the Song are another elite order of Eilistraeen warrior-priestess’. The Protectors of the Song serve as the guards of the Promenade, and they wield the temple’s few sacred singing swords. Although they are quite small in number, they are highly efficient, and are feared by enemies, and respected by allies.

Priestly Vestments: Priestess’ of Eilistraee wear their hair long, and dress for whatever it is that they are currently doing. During holy rituals, they wear as little as possible. While hunting, they wear soft leathers. When battle is expected, they wear heavier armors, but not heavy enough to impede their movement. When relaxing, they favor silvery, see-through, diaphanous gowns. The holy symbol of the faith is typically worn as a pin or is hung around the neck on a slender silver or mithral chain.

Adventuring Garb: Eilistraee's faithful clothe themselves in magical armor when adventuring. Whenever possible, priestess’ of the Dark Maiden use their swords in battle. If no swords are available, other bladed weapons are preferable, and should be used before other secondary weapons, such as bows, or clubs. Because they have come to signify and symbolize Lolth, Eilistraee does not allow her priestess’ to wield whips or scourges.