Eilistraee

The Elven goddess of song, dance, swordwork, hunting, moonlight, and beauty. Known as the Dark Maiden, Lady Silverhair, or the Dark Dancer. Daughter to Araushnee and Corellon, eldest of the Eladrin, first of all Elves. Her name has multiple pronunciations, "EEL-iss-TRAY-yee," "eel-ISS-tray-ee," "AISLE-iss-try-ee," or "Isle-ISS-tree," all being accurate when giving reverence.

As the eldest child of Araushnee and Corellon, Eilistraee is the bridge of the Elven pantheons, revered by all facets of Elvish people. She wishes no more than for all elves to be reunited as one people, and for her family to be reunited. She is no fool though, and knows that will only occur if her mother's madness to be cured and her father can find mercy in his passionate heart.

## History

During the first War of the Elves, Eilistraee did all she could to limit the strife between her parents, beseeching her people to forgive any transgressions and return to their former unity. However, as the blood feuds continued to grow, mending those wounds became more of a distant ideal. When the battle threatened to rip apart the seams of the Faewild, Eilistraee was coerced by her father to banish Araushnee from their home.

Following her mother's banishment, the Eladrin were When the departed Lunar Elves scorned Araushnee for their suffering, Eilistraee met their prayers for aid and brought them into her influence. Through her clerics, she watched the terrestrial elves, Drow and Silmathrian, and waited for her mother's influence on her siblings. Tale grew quickly of a new demon goddess, the spider mistress, whose webs capture any who worshiped her. As the venomous cults spread, more and more of Eilistraee's Drow siblings turned towards this new power. Led by horrifying drow monstrosities, an army of demons and drows marched on the shores of the Silmathri and burned a path to the Well of Reminiscence. Desperate, the Silmathrian elves cried to their eldest sister, praying for restitution against the unending hoard. Hesitant at first, Eilistraee was hampered by the tenants of the Divine Mandate, sending her Moon Clerics to provide relief to her siblings. The momentary respite was crushed under the might of the aberrant Driders, unholy mixtures of drow and demonic spiders. Upon their lips was a name that froze the hearts of every elf, Lolth. The abomination that was once Araushnee became known to the pantheon, but Corellon chose to ignore the children that abandoned him to the Mortal-Plane, sealing their fate to the unyielding armies of the Abyss. Eilistraee, in a moment of ultimate sacrifice, unleashed her divine fury upon the abomination legion and sealed the Gate to the Abyss. For her actions, Nyxas, Cardinal Goddess of Darkness, banished her to the very realm from which the creatures she slew came, baring her return forever more. Eilistraee stands within her Mother's web, forever damned to whatever torturous whim Lolth wishes, unable to die while the gate remains sealed, all the while attempting to break her mother free of the Abyss' corrupting influence.

Silmathrian Elves remember the Dark Maiden as their savoir when all others had turned from them, empowering her with their worship so that she may be sustained through the horrors of the Abyss. The Lunar Elves honor Lady Silverhair for her unending love, granting her thanks as the head of their pantheon. The Drow fear the Dark Dancer for her unyielding retribution, the sole entity they fear more than Lolth, the one who was stops their Goddess' advance even to this day. Despite her current situation, Eilistraee holds significant influence over the Elvish people, especially as a boogyman-esque spirit over Drow society. The Light of the New Moon is a holy symbol to her and acts as her eye into the Mortal Realm and drow are taught to fear such moments of darkness, ever watchful for the hypnotic melody that whispers soothing words into their malicious hearts. Despite serving her judge, her younger sister Fengrin acts as her ally in watching over Djorig, ensuring that whatever prayers call for her name are received.

## Worshipers

Eilistraee is still a popular goddess among the elven people. She finds followers in many Silmathrian and Lunar elves purely for their loyalty to her and their wish to see her back from the folds of the Abyss. She is also sought by seekers of justice and destroyers shackles of oppression and wrongdoing. Her open worship is outlawed in Drow society, but secret clerics still pay her tribute, spiriting away those that would see change in the Drow Matriarchy and the innocent that would be killed under the harsh regime. Eilistraee welcomes any who would seek her aid, promising redemption to any that ask it as long as they uphold her values of fellowship and heeding needless bloodshed.