Eilistraee Eilistraee was the chaotic good drow goddess of song , dance , swordwork , hunting , moonlight , goodness , and beauty , within the drow pantheon known as the Dark Seldarine . She was the patroness and protector of the few dark elves who longed to return to the surface and live there , at peace with other races , and to abandon the endless conflicts and intrigues that dominated the lives of most drow . She was often referred to as the The Dark Maiden , the Lady of the Dance , or Lady Silverhair , and sometimes The Dark Dancer , among other titles Briefly , she was known as The Masked Lady , while her faith subsumed that of the Masked Lord Vhaeraun , her divine brother . Her name was pronounced variously as " EEL - iss - TRAY - yee " , " eel - ISS - tray - ee " , " eel - iss - " tray " - yee " , or " eil - iss - " tray " - yee " . She was the daughter of Araushnee ( later Lolth ) and Corellon Larethian , a free - spirited and kind - hearted goddess , with a fiery streak in her personality . When , during her youth , a host of evil deities assaulted Arvandor ( her home ) , Araushnee ' s treachery almost made her slay her own father . Even though she was cleared from any guilt , Eilistraee chose to share her mother ' s exile , because she knew that the drow would need her light in the times to come . After the descent of the drow , Eilistraee tried to be a mother goddess to her people and bring them the hope of a new life . She fought to lead them back to the lands of light , helping them to flourish and prosper in harmony with other races , free from Lolth ' s tyranny and the conflicts that dominated their lives . Hers was an uphill battle , however , as her power was little and she was opposed by all the gods of the Dark Seldarine . But , despite having to overcome many hardships and setbacks , Eilistraee never gave up fighting for her people . In the 1370s DR , her conflict with her mother over the souls of the drow race ultimately led to Eilistraee ' s defeat and disappearance . It lasted for about a century , until the Second Sundering ( " circa " 1480s DR ) , when Eilistraee returned to life and to her followers . Description . As an avatar , Eilistraee appeared as a drow female of extraordinary beauty . She was 9 feet ( 2 . 7 meters ) tall , with long , strong , graceful limbs and a glossy , obsidian - dark skin . Her face was like that of her mother , Lolth , with delicately sculpted features and shape , save for her large eyes and ankle - length hair , which were of a glowing silvery hue . She usually appeared unclad , cloaked only by her hair and silvery radiances that were ever - moving about her body . Her appearance inspired utter awe and astonishment ( as expected from a goddess ) , as well as deeper emotions : those who contemplated her could feel as if they had found the answer to all that their soul longed for , but upon her leaving , they would experience a feeling of deep loss , or even desolation , though only for a brief time ( as Sharlario Moonflower and his son , Cornaith , felt when the Dark Dancer manifested to them , warning them of the dangers of Ilythiir ) . Personality . Eilistraee was a generally melancholy goddess ( in great part because of the suffering of her people , the drow ) , but she still tried her best to spread joy , create and nurture beauty , show kindness , and make life flourish . She was a lover of peace and beauty , music and dance , and was happiest when seeing artists — especially bards , dancers , and musicians — composing and performing , craftsmen at their work , people doing acts of kindness , and lovers in tender moments . She herself enjoyed helping people in need in various practical ways . As a young goddess , Eilistraee was a free spirit , with a moody and wild side and an unpredictable temper . Even as she matured , these traits never really left her : she had a fiery streak and was prone to wild action , especially in protection of her faithful when they were harmed . The evil that was inflicted upon — and perpetuated by — most drow caused a burning anger within her , one that could cause her to lash out . She was comforted that some worked their way free of the Spider Queen ' s web . Though focused on the drow , Eilistraee accepted folk of all races who danced along her path , who delighted in life and in the free - form expression of life in all its forms . She fought so that all races could live peacefully together , helping and accepting each other despite their differences , and strongly believed in the possibility of redemption for those who had fallen to evil , especially the drow . Some worshipers ( like Rowaan Vrinn ) claimed that Eilistraee didn ' t need to test her followers , as the challenges of life were enough of a test themselves , and that she valued the intent behind their actions more than the actual success Activities . Eilistraee took the role of a nurturing and protecting mother - goddess for the whole drow race . She chose to share their exile so that she could be with them when they needed her the most , to provide a light in the darkness and a shining beacon of hope to her children in the difficult times that — as she had foreseen — would come upon them . Eilistraee worked to redeem the fallen dark elves to lead them out of the Underdark and back to the surface world , into the great forests they ' d left long before . Eilistraee taught and showed to the drow kindness and love , the joy and freedom of life that were taken away from them , calling them to her and singing to their hearts . The goddess helped the dark elves to strengthen , grow , and flourish in a hostile surface world , protecting her faithful and aiding them in hunting , swordcraft , and other practical matters of their everyday lives . However , her efforts were opposed by the power of Lolth and the other evil drow gods , and what she could do was very limited . Eilistraee preferred not to act openly and only rarely directly intervened in her people ' s lives . But she was known to watch over them and help and assist any creature that she favored ( even if not her worshiper ) in small , immediately useful ways . For example , the sound of her hunting horn could be heard when her faithful were in danger — or when people needing help were nearby — heartening them and scaring away dangerous creatures . Her silvery radiance or silvery moths guided drow who were lost in the darkness to a safe place or lightened childbirths that occurred in the dark . Hers was the force that brought a stag within the reach of hungry drow . Eilistraee also manifested in the moments when her " children " needed her visible blessing and support or comfort . She usually did so through her own light , or - - in a few cases ( like it happened for Liriel Baenre ) - - as a protecting , shadowy , tall female dark elf that danced with the drow . Overall , Eilistraee believed that individual drow had to find their own paths to redemption , and that her forcefully interfering would prevent this . Nevertheless , she was not unwilling to retaliate when her followers were threatened . Eilistraee sang her call to all dark elves — from the highest matron mother to the lowest male slave — sending them dreams or visions , showing them a different , better life ( especially when they were close to the surface ) . Lolth was powerless to stop these visions , as too much interference from two goddesses could easily bring a mortal ' s mind to insanity . The drow definitely came to know about and " felt " the Dark Dancer at some point in their lives , but many of them either would not understand said dreams or emotions or chose to ignore , disbelieve , or reject them . Even then , while not many refused Lolth to cleave to Eilistraee , many secretly yearned for the goddess and all that she wished for them . In fact , it was not unusual for them — if they thought they could get away with it , without the knowledge of a priestess of Lolth — to choose to spare the life of a worshiper of Eilistraee , decline to tell other drow what they ' d seen of their activities , or linger to watch one of their dances rather than breaking it up . Powers . Manifestations . Her most common sign was a silvery radiance ( sometimes accompanied by a snatch of song or a few echoing notes of a harp ) . Eilistraee used this light to assist her people : she was known to use it as a beacon guiding those lost in the woods , to shine a light on something dropped in the dark , and to illuminate a dark place where women gave birth . She also used it to bless a worshiper in various ways . Swords enveloped by the silvery light could not be broken or damaged and struck with maximum force . Living creatures would always react first in battle , could better evade or withstand blows , could strike more accurately , and could wound even creatures that needed magic to be harmed . Sometimes , Eilistraee would use her radiance to bless the faithful or even non - faithful who decided to honor her with a solitary dance , turning the creature ' s hair into a mane of silvery , dancing flames . This could last as long as a month , or even be permanent . She would also very often manifest when one of her priests led a new convert to her faith in prayer , which was itself an offering to Eilistraee . On rare occasions , she could decide to grant a male follower or a follower with no priestly powers who nevertheless did her work with the temporary ability to manifest her " moonfire " . This could be to show her blessing or support , or simply to provide some light . However , the lucky bearer had no control over the " moonfire " ' s duration , intensity , or location — such things were solely up to the goddess . Sometimes , she conjured the sound of a high and distant hunting horn — a far - off horn was her sign . This could be used to rally or hearten her followers , or to scare off bandits or orc raiders , who would believe reinforcements were coming for those harassed . When there were no enemies about , worshipers took the sound of the horn to mean there was someone close by they needed to aid . Sometimes she would appear in person , to show her favor , give a blessing , or hearten her followers . Worshipers lucky enough to see her usually only glimpsed her from afar , balanced atop a distant hillock or battlement , with her silver hair flowing behind her . At times , she could also appear during celebrations dedicated to her , leaping inside the flames of bonfires , or manifest herself by night , cloaked and cowled and with her radiance dimmed , to travelers in the woodlands , usually to test their kindness . However and whenever she appeared , her song was heard . It was a tune of eerie beauty , moving many to tears . Eilistraee demonstrated her favor and happiness through the discovery of particular minerals or gems ( like mithral , moonbar s , moonstone s , and silver ) or with a sudden inspiration to write a beautiful song or poem , or to craft a magnificent sword for those who had the ability . However , the Dark Dancer could also let her displeasure be known , and did so by making a cold breeze rise , by making the disfavored ones feel a chill in their hands or feet , through a sudden lack of inspiration or talent in any form of art , or through the failure to catch anything while hunting . Abilities . Along with all the standard powers and godly senses of a deity of her rank , the Dark Dancer could instantly become aware of threats posed to good - aligned drow , to her followers , or to drow thinking of rejecting the faith of the deities of the Dark Seldarine , but only if their number was equal to or greater than five hundred . Eilistraee had the ability to dance and sing to elicit emotions in her allies and foes , or to inspire courage and enhance her allies ' skills : such was the beauty and power of her art that even creatures normally immune to such effects couldn ' t resist . Among her great godly skills , Eilistraee was an excellent weaponsmith , and could freely create almost any magical item pertaining to beauty , hunting , moonlight , song , or swordplay . She was also an expert in matters of magic , nature , and faith , and a supreme hunter . As the goddess of dance and song , she was a brilliant dancer , singer and acrobat . Eilistraee specialized in swords of all forms , but was an absolute mistress of the bastard sword . She fought combining the grace and agility of her dance with the lethality of her fencing skills . Eilistraee ' s Avatar . Eilistraee ' s avatar appeared as the goddess herself , described above . She could use any kind of spell from any school or sphere of magic , but preferred those from the animal , plant , healing , creation , and charm / enchantment spheres . She had continuous " true seeing " , enabling her to see all things as they truly were , whether invisible , disguise , blurred , or hidden . She could instantly , at will , unleash nine silvery " magic missile s " ( more potent against evil ) or turn spells back against their casters ; could " levitate " at will ; and quickly regenerate wounds or even lost limbs . Also at will , she could conjure a silvery " light " , " dancing lights " , or " moonfire " and make the sounds of flutes , harps , or horns . Her music had the power to repel evil beings and undead , briefly stun a creature , and unlock things as a " knock " spell . In battle , she could wield either two identical " singing sword s of dancing + 3 " , or a single blade , the " Moonsword " , a " + 5 dancing keen bastard sword " . Only enchanted weapons could harm her . When she wished to appear clothed , Eilistraee ' s avatar could manifest wearing deep brown leather boots that allowed her to move in total silence and without leaving any trace , if she wished ( combining the powers of " boots of elvenkind " , " boots of varied tracks " , and " boots of the north " ) . She could also wear a dappled green cloak that shifted its color according to the surrounding environment ( combining a " cloak of elvenkind " and a " ring of chameleon power " , rendering the goddess ' avatar invisible in natural areas . History . Eilistraee was born the daughter of Corellon Larethian , head of the elven gods , and Araushnee the Weaver ( who later took the name of Lolth ) , a minor elven goddess . She was the sister of Vhaeraun . Exile . The commonly accepted version of the story or myth of how Eilistraee came to her role in the Dark Seldarine ran as follows . Around - 30 , 000 DR , ambitious and traitorous , envious of the authority that her consort Corellon had over the elven people , Araushnee ( with the cooperation of her son , Vhaeraun ) gathered a host of deities who were opposed to the Seldarine , tricking them into assaulting Arvandor in an attempt to overthrow Corellon . The Weaver also tried to seduce Fenmarel Mestarine , elven god of outcasts and rebels , to join her in the imminent rebellion . As her adulterous lover , he was initially tempted by her advances , but he ultimately declined the offer . The only deity of Arvandor who took steps to stop Araushnee ' s plan before it could unfold was Sehanine Moonbow . Through her connection to moonlight , she had in fact witnessed the Weaver crafting a scabbard meant for Corellon , imbued with cursed magic devised to bring defeat in battle to its owner . The item had been crafted by Araushnee before a meeting between Corellon and Gruumsh that was supposedly meant to establish the terms of a truce , but that in truth she had orchestrated with the orc god with the purpose to slay her lover . This attempt was however a failure , and the sheathe was lost in the battle , only to be later retrieved by Sehanine . The Lady of Dreams - - aware of Araushnee ' s betrayal , but knowing how important her love was to Corellon - - tried to dissuade her from such madness , but the Weaver reacted violently , defeating and imprisoning the moon goddess with the aid of Vhaeraun . With the only meaningful obstacle out of their way , Araushnee and Vhaeraun proceeded with their plan , working to lead Eilistraee to find the cursed item . They exploited the Dark Maiden ' s adoration for her father , knowing that she would have been more than eager to search for the sheathe , and overjoyed to return such a prized possession to him , making her the perfect scapegoat . When the attack began , Eilistraee ( whose skills in archery , scouting , and hunting were widely known among the Seldarine ) was the first to spot the threat , allowing her father and the other elven deities to prepare a defense . The Dark Maiden took part in the battle , enthusiastic and proud to be able to fight by her father ' s side in defense of their home . In the heat of the battle that ensued , when Ghaunadaur made its entrance , Corellon painfully realized that the threat had to have come from within the Seldarine itself , as a being like Ghaunadaur could only enter Arvandor if a true evil already lurked within the plane . His sorrow grew even more intense when he realized that his lover , Araushnee , was behind it , as she stood observing the battle in triumph . Seeing the distraction and shock of the elven lord , an ogre god took advantage of the situation and charged towards his position : he almost managed to end his life , but Eilistraee acted swiftly to defend her father , loosing an arrow at the charging ogre - god . The young goddess didn ' t know , however , that the scabbard that Araushnee had crafted for Corellon ' s sword was imbued with a curse which magically drew the shaft of the arrow , changing its path to instead pierce his chest . Seeing the scene from the skies , Aerdrie Faenya , unaware of the deception , struck the still - shocked Eilistraee down , incapacitating her . Despite Corellon being almost fatally wounded , the battle was ultimately won by the forces of the Seldarine and , as soon as the last invader was driven from Arvandor , the elven deities — still unbelieving that the Dark Maiden could act against her father — gathered around the unconscious elven lord , trying to aid him and save his life . It was then that Araushnee , faking grief , put in motion the second part of her plan ( as she had intended for the invaders to be defeated ) . Pretending to do her best to save her lover , she tried to use a concoction of poisonous herbs , prepared by Eilistraee for the arrows of the mortal dark elves , to finish Corellon , passing it for a healing elixir made up of water from Elysium and healing herbs . She hoped that if her treachery was uncovered , she could still blame Eilistraee , as the potion had been her work . This plan didn ' t go well : Sehanine Moonbow had in fact managed to free herself , and intervened in time to save Corellon ( together with Aerdrie Faenya and Hanali Celanil , in the form of the triune goddess Angharradh ) and free Eilistraee from guilt . After the elven lord regained consciousness and the truth was made clear , he had to take the painful decision to banish all the dark elven deities for their roles in the war against the Seldarine . Eilistraee was cleared from any wrongdoing , considered only an unwitting participant , but regardless she insisted upon this punishment from her reluctant father . She foresaw that the dark elves would need a beacon of good within their reach and her help and support in the times to come . After very nearly slaying her own father with a misplaced arrow , Eilistraee swore never to use ranged weaponry again , lest her missile go astray . Thereafter , the sword was the only weapon for her . Wandering . After her exile , the Dark Maiden wandered Toril , the same world that the elves had chosen as their home . For centuries , she fought Vhaeraun ' s corruption of the Ilythiiri , thwarting his efforts to gain influence over all the dark elves of the south . Eilistraee had in fact foreseen that the influence of Vhaeraun ( and of her mother , whom she knew would later come to Toril ) , would have led the Tel ' Quessir to war against each other , and she worked to prevent that . When Sharlario and Cornaith Moonflower traveled towards Ilythiir as representatives of the elves , to establish diplomatic ties with the dark elves there , Eilistraee personally appeared to both of them . The Dark Dancer came to seek friends in the two elves , and to warn them of the danger represented by Vhaeraun and his followers , and of the strife and conflict that they ( and even darker deities ) would have brought to the People . Both elves offered to become her followers , to support the goddess in her struggle , but — although honored — Eilistraee kindly refused , as she only wanted the elves to be aware , and as she feared that soon her own people would become exiles like she was . Eilistraee eventually managed to gain some followers in Ilythiir , but her strength wasn ' t enough for her to prevail . On the contrary , the conflict between the two siblings allowed Ghaunadaur and Lolth ( whose attention turned to Toril only later , when the moon elf Kethryllia Amarillis intruded into the Demonweb Pits , reminding the Spider Queen of a way to regain more of her divinity by having the surface elves worship her again < ref name = " DD - p28 / 29 " > < / ref > ) to fill in the void and command great authority over the dark elves , posing an even greater threat than Vhaeraun did . The following centuries inflicted blow after blow to Eilistraee and her followers . During the Crown Wars ( −12 , 000 DR to −9000 DR ) , she could only mitigate the growing control Lolth , Vhaeraun , and Ghaunadaur had over the dark elves . In −10 , 500 DR , the Dark Disaster — a magical cataclysm unleashed by the elves of Aryvandaar — caused the death of many of her people in Miyeritar , severely weakening the goddess ' power . Meanwhile , Lolth and Ghaunadaur gained great influence among the dark elves , culminating in - 10 , 000 DR , when the Seldarine and the elves gathered at the Elven Court cursed and exiled all dark elves ( including Eilistraee ' s followers ) , turning them into drow . This harsh punishment was motivated by the corruption that Lolth and the balor Wendonai were spreading among the noble houses of Ilythiir , and by the worship of Lolth that had begun to spread among the Ilythiiri . Ultimately , Eilistraee could not rival Lolth ' s power , and the Spider Queen became the major deity of the dark elves . After this event , Lolth ' s and Ghaunadaur ' s persecution of worshipers of rival deities further marginalized the influence of the Lady of the Dance for millennia . Eilistraee found an unlikely protégé in her nephew - god , Selvetarm . He was the son of Vhaeraun and Zandilar the Dancer ( who would later become one with Bast , forming Sharess ) , but had spurned both his parents and walked alone for centuries , neither good nor evil . Finally , he was befriended by his aunt Eilistraee , and grew close to her . Selvetarm came to admire her goodness and appreciate her teachings , and the goddess hoped that , by teaching him her ways and redeeming him , he could become an exemplar that would aid her in healing the rift between the dark elves and the Seldarine . However , said hope and friendship ended in the late 3rd century after Dalereckoning , when Lolth tricked Selvetarm into slaying Zanassu ( a demon lord whom Lolth considered her rival , as he claimed to have power over spiders ) , by promising him that doing so would gain him the appreciation of the Dark Maiden . But Selvetarm was overwhelmed by the demonic essence and he fell wholly to evil , ending up as Lolth ' s champion . Spiteful Lolth did this to prevent her daughter gaining an ally among the Dark Seldarine . Despite all these setbacks , Eilistraee kept fighting to bring her hope to the drow and lead them back to their rightful place in the light . It was only in the centuries after Dalereckoning that her faith regained a degree of prominence in Faerûn . War of the Spider Queen . In the Year of Wild Magic , 1372 DR , the goddess Lolth went into a state of hibernation , a period called the Silence of Lolth , with Selvetarm protecting her , as part of a plan to increase her power and separate her divine realm , the Demonweb Pits , from the Abyss . For about one year , she stopped granting spells to her followers and became effectively inactive . During this time , Lolth ' s absence led a considerable number of her followers to seek alternatives in the other deities of the Dark Seldarine and this resulted in Eilistraee gaining followers and influence . She chose one of her new converts , Halisstra Melarn , to wield the artifact known as the " Crescent Blade " , which could be used to kill Lolth before her awakening ( in 1373 DR ) . Halisstra went on a mission to the Demonweb Pits , leading two fellow priestesses of the Dark Maiden , Uluyara and Feliane . However , after being defeated at the hand of Quenthel Baenre , Halisstra ultimately decided to betray Eilistraee and convert back to the awakened Lolth . The Spider Queen punished her former heresy by turning her into the Lady Penitent , whose duty was to hunt drow who tried to turn to other faiths . The " Crescent Blade " was left broken , lying in the Demonweb Pits . Even after Lolth emerged from her Silence , the deities of the Dark Seldarine continued battling for supremacy over the drow or , in Eilistraee ' s case , to free them from Lolth ' s renewed grasp . Eilistraee and Lolth finally elected to play a divine game of " sava " , with the stakes being the very fate of the drow , actions reflected in the real world , and loss meaning death for one of the goddesses . After the end of the Silence of Lolth , working on the Spider Queen ' s side , Selvetarm ordered his Judicators to initiate a series of attacks against the shrines and temples of Eilistraee . At the same time , Vhaeraun was plotting against his sister and working to devise a method to slay her . As a result , his worshipers planned to cast a High Magic spell to allow Vhaeraun to enter his sister ' s realm and assassinate her . However , that kind of magic was very taxing , and would have required the sacrifice of the souls of the casters . Because of that , the followers of the Masked Lord started to kill various priestesses of Eilistraee and collect their souls in their masks ( a technique which they called " soultheft " ) , in order to use them as a fuel for the ritual . Eventually , Qilué Veladorn , leader of the church of Eilistraee , managed to learn about their plan and started working to disrupt it , alongside the drow mage Q ' arlynd Melarn ( who had turned to the faith of Eilistraee ) . Q ' arlynd ' s task was to take the place of one of the Vhaerunites and try to disrupt their ritual . Meanwhile , Eilistraee sought to recover the lost " Crescent Blade " ; to that purpose , Cavatina Xarann , a Darksong Knight serving the Dark Dancer , went on a mission into the Demonweb Pits , where the sword was seen last . With the Dark Maiden and her followers struggling against multiple fronts , Selvetarm made another move , trying to strike at the heart of his aunt ' s forces , as his followers attacked the Promenade of the Dark Maiden . However , his attempts ultimately failed : on Nightal 20 of the Year of Risen Elfkin , 1375 DR , the defenders of the Promenade ( led by Qilué ) bested the assailants , while Cavatina killed the demigod himself in the Demonweb Pits ( with the help of the Lady Penitent ) , using the " Crescent Blade " , which she had recovered almost intact . On the same date , Q ' arlynd failed to accomplish his mission and Vhaeraun managed to enter his sister Eilistraee ' s realm and attempted to assassinate her . Despite that , the Dark Maiden did not receive her brother unprepared , as she had been warned by her priestesses about his intentions . No mortal actually witnessed the battle that ensued , so what happened remained largely unknown . However , Eilistraee emerged from the battle alive , suggesting that Vhaeraun had failed and perished at the hand of his sister . Chaos and despair spread among the followers of the Masked Lord , but some thought that their god was still alive , and that the twins had a plan and agreed to merge and work together against their mother for a time . Others were convinced that Vhaeraun had succeeded and was disguised as Eilistraee . Either way , it was certain that after the event , Eilistraee was changed : she became a deity known as " the Masked Lady " , holding both the Dark Maiden ' s and the Masked Lord ' s portfolios and causing both their followers to cooperate , albeit uneasily . In the Year of the Haunting , 1377 DR , Kiaransalee and her cultists initiated hostilities against the Masked Lady and her followers . Eilistraee answered to that through a High Magic ritual performed by Q ' arlynd Melarn , which erased the demigoddess ' name from the minds of every Torillian being , including Kiaransalee herself , leading to her disappearance . Between 1377 DR and 1379 DR , Ghaunadaur joined the conflict between Lolth and Eilistraee , focusing his attention on the latter ( who , through her chosen , had previously banished The Elder Eye ' s avatar from Toril ) . As a result , his cultists attacked the Promenade in an attempt to destroy the prison — guarded by the followers of Eilistraee — that prevented their god from creeping into Toril . The attempt failed , but the inhabitants of the temple suffered heavy losses . In Flamerule of the Year of the Lost Keep , 1379 DR , the Masked Lady , while inhabiting the body of Qilué Veladorn , was killed by Halisstra Melarn using the " Crescent Blade " . Qilué planned to kill the balor Wendonai ( whom Lolth had originally used to corrupt the drow into following her ) , whose essence was held inside the " Crescent Blade " , by taking it into her and destroying it with Mystra ' s " silver fire " . If successful , she would have freed the drow from the demon ' s influence , and , with that goal in mind , Qilué and her sister Laeral Silverhand traveled to the only place where such a task could be accomplished : the royal court of anicent Ilythiir , where Wendonai was summoned for the first time . Fearing that Qilué would lose her life in the ritual , Laeral froze her in time and went to seek help , but in the meantime the drow priestess was found by the Lady Penitent , who took hold of the " Crescent Blade " . Eilistraee inhabited the body of her chosen to try to free Halisstra ' s from Lolth ' s influence , but Wendonai tricked her into killing Qilué before that could happen , making her believe that the chosen and her goddess were actually Lolth . Meanwhile , another High Magic ritual performed by Q ' arlynd Melarn transformed hundreds among those drow who were not tainted by Wendonai ' s blood or who followed Eilistraee back into their original dark elven form , and Corellon Larethian thus permitted the souls of Eilistraee ' s faithful and the newly transformed dark elves to enter Arvandor . Rebirth . Eilistraee managed to return to life during the event known as the Second Sundering , in Flamerule , 1489 DR . She and her brother were separate entities again , but after the time spent as the Masked Lady , they reached a reciprocal understanding , and the enmity between them was no more . Both deities personally let their return be known , manifesting through their avatars to their followers , who enthusiastically spread the word . Eilistraee was seen dancing and speaking to mortals in many places , especially along the Sword Coast . For example , the citizens of Waterdeep witnessed the Dark Dancer , as she danced in the moonlight , near the walls of the city , up the road to Amphail . This led many moondancers to the City of Splendors , with the goal of creating a shrine to their goddess within its walls . Eilistraee was also one of the deities with whom the returned Mystra was sharing the Weave after the Second Sundering . After her return , despite Q ' arlynd ' s ritual , the Dark Dancer was still a drow goddess and most of her followers drow . Relationships . Eilistraee ' s allies were the elven gods of the Seldarine , as well as Mystra , Selûne , Lurue , Haela Brightaxe , Callarduran Smoothhands , and the other good deities of the Underdark races . While the Dark Maiden and the Seldarine were allies , their relationship was a difficult one , because of the division between drow and elves and because of the perception that many elves had of their " dark kin " . This was especially true for Shevarash , with whom Eilistraee barely managed to keep an uneasy truce . Among the elven powers , Eilistraee was only close to Erevan Ilesere . Eilistraee was surprisingly close to the human goddess of magic Mystra , through Qilue Veladorn , seventh of the Seven Sisters , who served both goddesses as Chosen of Mystra and as Chosen of Eilistraee . Her enemies were the drow gods of the Dark Seldarine — namely Kiaransalee , Ghaunadaur , her nephew Selvetarm , her brother Vhaeraun ( only until 1489 DR ) , and especially her own mother Lolth . She also counted as foes the other evil deities of the Underdark : Deep Duerra and Laduguer , Blibdoolpoolp , the Blood Queen , Diinkarazan and Diirinka , the Great Mother , Gzemnid , Ilsensine , Ilxendren , Laogzed , and Maanzecorian before his death . She also counted as an enemy Malar , a rival and evil god of the hunt in the surface world . However , Selvetarm wasn ' t always among the Dark Dancer ' s enemies — once , he admired his aunt and she inspired to turn toward goodness , before Lolth tricked him into a terrible fall . The Dark Maiden was infuriated by the evil and corruption of both Lolth and Ghaunadaur , and she was saddened by her brother ' s cruelty and selfishness . Post 1489 DR , after the time spent as the Masked Lady , and after their return during the Second Sundering , Eilistraee and Vhaeraun deeply knew and understood each other . As a consequence , they were closer , and became more open to each other ' s ways and goals . They reached a truce and even friendship , although some of their followers still remained foes . Patronage . Eilistraee was among the good deities who looked kindly on Those Who Harp , while they in turn supported her church on the surface . Servitors . Eilistraee was served by the following creatures , whom she also sent as her agents : aasimar , aasimon ( particularly lights ) , asura s , cath shee , einheriar , eladrin s , mercury dragon s , elven cat s , feystags , frosts , hollyphant s , incarnates of faith and hope , lythari , mist dragon s , moon dog s , moon horse s , pixie s , radiance quasielemental s , revered one s , silver dog s , silver dragon s , sprite s , sunflies , tiefling s , and silver - striped tabby cat s or normal - looking animals with solid silver - colored eyes . Silver moths could also be used as a message from the goddess . Symbol . Eilistraee ' s holy symbol was formerly a longsword , standing vertically with point upward , outlined against a full moon , which was surrounded by a nimbus of filaments representing her hair , all in silver . However , a more elaborate variant that entered common usage from 1372 DR depicted a nude female drow with long hair , bearing a silver sword and dancing before the full moon . This symbol was still in use in the 1480s DR , after Eilistraee ' s return with the Second Sundering . Worshipers . The worshipers of Eilistraee mostly consisted of those drow who hoped to escape the danger and darkness of the Underdark and Lolth ' s evil , taking back their place in the surface world . However , in line with her ideals , Eilistraee would welcome beings of all races : elves , humans , and especially half - elves were among the followers of the goddess . They shared the desire of seeing all races living in harmony , without pointless discrimination or wars , and worked towards that goal ( and those among them who were drow also fought to build their own place on the Realms above ) . The faithful of Eilistraee , however , were little known and poorly understood by inhabitants of both the Realms Above and the Underdark . Her worshippers were figures of myth and superstition and were targets of prejudice and wild mistruths . Some surface dwellers believed they were the disguised vanguard of the Spider Goddess ' s plan to take over the surface , while those drow who followed Lolth or other evil deities suspected them of being surface elf spies and saboteurs posing as drow as a prelude to invasion . Most non - elves could not comprehend the existence of a good drow deity , while surface elves were uncomfortable considering it , finding Eilistraee a threat to their doctrine that the dark elves were wholly to blame for the Crown Wars and other ancient tragedies . Eilistraee was most commonly worshiped in Cormanthor among the drow there and in the Dalelands among the half - elves , and also in Waterdeep and Skullport . She also had followers ( mostly human , elves , and half - elves ) living in Silverymoon and its surroundings . All her worshipers were typically of a good nature . The Dark Dancer was worshiped through song and dance , if at all possible in the surface world under the moon ( preferably in wooded places ) . Worship of her was usually accompanied by a feast . Realm . Under the Great Wheel cosmology , Eilistraee had her home in Svartalfheim , the drow domain of Nidavellir , the third layer of the plane of Ysgard . Svartalfheim was an underground realm of tunnels heated by hot springs , characterized by precious or semiprecious minerals and subterranean forests that only needed heat to live . Under the World Tree cosmology , Eilistraee had her home in Arvandor , a plane of natural beauty , with the elven gods of the Seldarine . Within its borders , the night was perpetual , with the moon ever - shining in the deep blue sky . Faith was more potent here than in the rest of Arvandor , and all followers of the other drow gods of the Dark Seldarine suffered minor impediments . Her realm here was small , however , as she split her divine energy between it and another small domain within the Demonweb Pits , home of the other drow gods of the Dark Seldarine . This place was almost abandoned , however . After the Spellplague and the introduction of the World Axis cosmology , Eilistraee ' s realm within Arvandor continued existing , even with the goddess ' disappearance . After the Second Sundering , which saw Eilistraee ' s return ( " circa " the 1480s DR ) , the planes were rearranged under the Great Wheel cosmology once again . Appendix . Background . Eilistraee was first created for the original home campaign run by Ed Greenwood himself , appearing by manifestation , dream vision , and in person . At the behest of editor Newton Ewell , who wanted a deity for good drow in the game , Greenwood used the opportunity to make the Dark Dancer official and added Eilistraee to " The Drow of the Underdark " ( 1991 ) and thus to the official " Forgotten Realms " . Greenwood designed Eilistraee as a nurturing mother goddess , even a fertility goddess . The popular dancing - naked - under - moonlight aspect of the goddess and her faith was inspired by British traditions of fairies , and was intended to show her as non - warlike and non - violent , rather than capricious . She could be a protectress of her people and a terrific sword dancer , but she was intended to be a bard , not a huntress herself , only encouraging these skills in her followers , in order to help them survive on the surface . Neither was she a moon goddess , only one found under the moon as drow stole onto the surface at night . Nevertheless , by association , the official Eilistraee acquired such skills and powers herself under later writers and development . Ed Greenwood denies a connection to / of Greek and Roman mythology , though the later development appears to have made the official Eilistraee a little more similar .