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.” Eilistraee pronounced her own name “AISLE-iss-try-ee,” while Elminster Aumar, Qilué Veladorn, and the rest of the Seven Sisters pronounced it “Isle-ISS-tree,” even when addressing the goddess face to face.

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.

## See also

* Category:Immersion
* Tulasī

## References

1. ↑ “Eilistraee.” 2018. October 29, 2018. https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Eilistraee.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Greenwood, E., S. Williams, S. K. Reynolds, and R. Heinsoo. 2001. In *Forgotten Realms*, 237, 240–241. Wizards of the Coast.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Boyd, E., and E. Mona. 2002. In *Faiths and Pantheons*, 23–25. Wizards of the Coast.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Greenwood, E. 1991. In *The Drow of the Underdark*, 20–25. TSR, Inc.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Boyd, E. L. 1998. In *Demihuman Deities*, 13–16. Wizards of the Coast.
6. ↑ Greenwood, E. 1999. In *Silverfall*. Wizards of the Coast.
7. ↑ Smedman, L. 2007. *Storm of the Dead*. Wizards of the Coast.
8. ↑ James, B. R., E. Greenwood, G. Krashos, E. L. Boyd, and T. Costa. 2007. In *The Grand History of the Realms*, 158–59. Wizards of the Coast.
9. ↑ The Hooded One, and E. Greenwood. 2015. “Candlekeep Forum - Questions for Ed Greenwood (2015).” November 14, 2015. http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC\_ID=19841&whichpage=22#476639.
10. ↑ The Hooded One, and E. Greenwood. 2015. “Candlekeep Forum - Questions for Ed Greenwood (2015).” November 14, 2015. http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC\_ID=19841&whichpage=22#476688.
11. ↑ Cunningham, E. 1999. *Evermeet: Island of Elves*. Wizards of the Coast.
12. ↑ The Hooded One, and E. Greenwood. 2006. “Candlekeep Forum - Questions for Ed Greenwood (2006).” April 13, 2006. http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC\_ID=5812&whichpage=27#129882.
13. ↑ Smedman, L. 2008. *Ascendancy of the Last*. Wizards of the Coast.
14. ↑ Mohan, K. 2015. In *Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide*, 23, 108. Wizards of the Coast.
15. ↑ Mearls, M., J. Crawford, K. (Ed.) Mohan, and M. Carter. 2018. In *Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes*, 53–57. Wizards of the Coast.
16. ↑ The Hooded One, and E. Greenwood. 2015. “Candlekeep Forum - Questions for Ed Greenwood (2015).” April 17, 2015. http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC\_ID=19841&whichpage=13#468322.