FORGOTTEN REALMS WIKI

Church of Eilistraee
EDIT

FORGOTTEN REALMS WIKI

BASIC INFORMATION

ALIAS(ES) Chosen of Eilistraee[1]

Eilistraeans[2]

BASE OF Promenade of the Dark

OPERATIONS Maiden[2]

LEADER(S) Qilué Veladorn[2]

SYMBOL A nude long-haired female drow

dancing with a silver sword in
front of a full moon.
A silver bastard sword outlined
against a silver moon with silvery
Glaments.

FAVORED DEITY Eilistraee

FAVORED WEAPON Bastard sword

MEMBERSHIP

ALIGNMENT
LG NG CG

LN N CN

LE NE CE

RACE(S) Drow, elf, human, half-elf, half-

drow, half-orc, halPing, gnome,
shapeshifters, lythari[2]

MEMBERS Drow looking to regain their place

MORE
on the surface world, drow exiles,
aevendrow, bards

Others like you also viewed

RELATIONSHIPS

ENEMIES Church of Lolth, church of

Ghaunadaur, church of
Eilistraee Drow Lolth Promenade
Vhaeraun (only until 1489 DR),
slavers, tyrants and "all those
who caused intelligent creatures
to wander about in fear"
The Church of Eilistraee was the primary religious
organization of the followers of the goddess Eilistraee,
the Dark Maiden.

The worshipers of Eilistraee were mostly drow: either

born into her society, or hoping to escape the
Underdark and Lolth's evil, taking back their place in
the surface world and living at peace with all other
races. However, in line with her ideals, Eilistraee would
welcome and accept beings of all races who desired
to see all people living in harmony, without pointless
discrimination or wars, and worked towards that goal.
[2]

The main work of the church of Eilistraee was

reaching drow trapped in Lolth's web, aiding them,
and providing them with a new life and future on the
surface. The followers of the Dark Maiden also strove
to oDer kindness, help, and protection to those in
need and they nurtured beauty and arts, spreading
joy whenever and wherever possible and showing
that the drow could create, rather than merely
destroy.[2]

ADVERTISEMENT

Dogma

Honest Trailers Commentary | Fa…

0:00 / -:-

Eilistraee's Teachings

On helping others

Eilistraeens were bidden to aid and protect all folks in

need, of any race, whether weak or strong, kind or
rude, and to promote harmony and acceptance
among all races. They were to lend their help to all
those who fought for good whenever there were
ways to do so. Except when Gghting evil, they were to
be always kind, even to those who showed rudeness,
and to aid others in acts of kindness.[2]

They were to treat strangers as friends. Hungry

travelers were to be fed and the homeless given
shelter, under their own roof if needed. When traveling
and while adventuring, they were to feed, help, and
protect all those in need they met along the way as a
prayer and oDering to the goddess. They were also to
patrol the lands around them, especially in cold
winters, so that all those who were lost, hurt, or
suDering the cold could be given appropriate
treatment and shelter.[2]

On promoting joy, arts, and beauty

Eilistraeens were advised to bring happiness and

merriment everywhere they went, lifting people's
hearts with kindness, gaiety, songs, jests, and revelry.
They were to nurture and create beauty, promote and
practice music and dance, learn new songs and
dances, and learn how to play, craft, and repair
musical instruments. They were to pass this learning
on whenever possible, and use it to bring joy to
friends and strangers alike. It was said that feasts
should always be joyful events and that food should
be eaten with the accompaniment of music, save for
sad occasions. The faithful were also told to practice
swordwork, learning new techniques with the blade.[2]

On drow

“
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
>owers grow.

THE MESSAGE OF EILISTRAEE TO ALL DECENT

DROW.[2]

The faithful were meant to encourage drow to return

to the surface world whenever and wherever there
were ways to do so. They were to promote peace
between them and other races, thus helping the drow
forge their own place in the world and become part of
its rightful, non-evil inhabitants. They were also to aid
all drow who were in danger or in need of help. If they
were in combat, the Gghting had to be ended as soon
as possible, with as little bloodshed as possible. All
drow met, when not working evil on others, were to
be given the message of Eilistraee.[2]

On food

Food could be a source of joy; the faithful were

advised to learn how to best cook it and to gather
new recipes and spices whenever they could. They
were to feed themselves by their own gardening and
hunting skills, and assist hunters when possible. If
food was aplenty, part of it was set aside and given to
all those in need (especially outcasts and individuals
of other races); thus, Eilistraeens were advised to
carry some food for this purpose. Any remaining food
was given to priestesses of the Dark Maiden, as they
would give it away in turn and none would go hungry.
[2]

On con>ict

Eilistraeens were commanded to repay violence with

swift violence, thus quickly removing dangers and
threats, so that the fewest might be hurt. The bodies
of evil enemies were to be burned as an oDering to
the goddess, unless they were edible and non-
sentient and hungry people were near. When faithful,
friends, and allies fell in battle, priestesses of the Dark
Maiden were to comfort and sooth those who were
mourning the loss, and provide a funeral song and
burial.[2]

On possessions

Wealth was to be used to buy food, swords, armor,

and musical instruments and to assist the work of the
goddess. When helping others, their price should be
no more than a single tool or favor, or a good sword or
armor, that could be used to serve the goddess' will.[2]

On slavery

Eilistraee and her church detested slavery and

actively fought it whenever possible.[2][1] Followers of
the Dark Maiden were forbidden to take slaves.
Prisoners of war (mostly Lolth-worshiping drow or
untrustworthy individuals who had acquired too
much knowledge and were held for some time so
such knowledge couldn't be used against the
followers of Eilistraee) were usually made to work for
food and shelter, but they weren't owned and couldn't
be commanded by anyone (only supervisors assigned
by the decision-makers among Eilistraeeans could
give them orders, in selected cases).[3]

ADVERTISEMENT

Activities

A drow priestess of Eilistraee.

Redeeming the drow

The main duty of the priestesses of Eilistraee was to

encourage drow to return to the surface world,
reaching to them whether they were fugitives,
raiders, or inhabitants of the Underdark. They showed
them that a diDerent kind of life, far from Lolth, was
possible, and assisted them in making this choice by
giving them aid, food, acceptance, and safe places to
live.[2] Clerics of the Dark Maiden were required to free
at least one drow from Lolth's web per moon.[2]

Eilistraeeans carried out missions underground,

looking for drow who were in need of their help and
could be brought to the surface (mostly slaves,
commoners, fallen and hunted nobles, or drow who
were generally unsatisGed with the life that Lolth
imposed on them), bringing them the Message of
Eilistraee.[4][5] Many carried tiny swords to give to
drow in the Underdark, which served as keys for safe
passage to temples or as identiGcation tokens.[6] The
followers of Eilistraee could rely on a network of
portals to ease their expeditions.[7] One of these
portals was found in the city of Menzoberranzan.[5]

Some followers of Eilistraee, like the Silverhair

Knights[8] or priestesses like Jhelnae Horlbar,[9]
inGltrated and lived in Lolthite drow settlements,
hiding from the clergy of the Spider Queen or posing
as her followers, in order to carry out the above-
mentioned missions. These followers and converts,
who had to hide their faith in order to let it spread and
to survive under the thumb of Lolth, were known as
Secret Moondancers.[10]

ADVERTISEMENT

Promoting drow trade

Eilistraeeans actively promoted drow trade on the

surface whenever they could, especially in the area of
the Promenade of the Dark Maiden, as it was
important for the integration of the drow in surface
societies. They oDered guides, rented out
warehouses, and sponsored merchants. The followers
of the Dark Maiden encouraged and helped drow to
travel to the surface, where Eilistraee could more
intensely call to them, and where Lolth's and
Ghaunadaur's in[uences were weaker.[11]

Integrating with other races

As the Dark Maiden's teachings required, her clerics

actively worked to promote harmony between drow
and other races, so that their people could be
accepted and live in peace in their rightful place on
the surface. This included lending their swords to
Gght against evil, helping others, and providing food
and healing to assist people of any race in need, both
to gain their acceptance (by dispelling fears and
prejudices about Eilistraee's goal) and because it was
just the right thing to do. Other ways to establish or
solidify friendships with other races were oDerings of
artistic works, exotic drow goods, or trade deals.[2][12]

This could lead to the formation of positive

relationships between Eilistraeean communities and
elven or human settlements. An example was the
alliance between the followers of the Dark Maiden of
Cormanthor and the elves of Myth Drannor in
−331 DR, born of the aid that the moondancers
provided in freeing the Twisted Tower of Ashaba from
the Lolthite drow of Maerimydra at the culmination of
a larger con[ict.[13][14] As a further example, Seyll
Auzkovyn and the followers of Eilistraee active near
the elven and human community of Elventree also
gained the acceptance and friendship of the town,
and Seyll herself was an advisor to Lord Dessaer.[15]

The church also acted through envoys, diplomats and

emissaries living near (or sometimes within) other
races' settlements.[16] They usually approached
individuals who would more likely accept a drow
presence in their settlement and worked to gain their
alliance by explaining their cause and oDering
something beneGcial in exchange for sponsorship (it
could be their art, magic, exotic goods, or help). They
then used this sponsorship as a basis to integrate
within the community. There were a few examples of
this approach:

Karsel'lyn Lylyl-Lytherraias, former agent of

Queen Amlaruil Moon=ower and ambassador of
the Eilistraeeans on the elven island
of Evermeet, who tried to gain her people a
place in the land that was supposed to be a safe
haven for all elven peoples.[17]
During the 1370s DR, in Raven's BluK, Rebekkah
Darklyte and her priestesses managed to
interest a powerful noble family, the Yarvandars,
and exchanged access to rare drow goods
(gained through control of an Underdark trading
route) for their favor. The followers of Eilistraee
were provided with resources to build a shrine—
The Dark Dancer—within the city, and a shelter
within the Yarvandar mansion, from which to
observe and learn about humans. Once the
shrine was complete, the followers of the Dark
Maiden began to provide food, clothing, and
healing to the poor of Raven's BluK. The shrine
had a controversial and troubled story, but after
many setbacks, the drow managed to retain a
presence in the city.[18][19][20][21][12]
In the 1490s DR, the followers of Eilistraee
managed to gain the sponsorship of the Harper
Remallia Haventree in Waterdeep, and her
support in building a garden-temple to Eilistraee
in the Field Ward of the city.[22]

ADVERTISEMENT

Aiding others

The faithful also routinely grew, gathered, and hunted

food; prepared cures; and readied all that was needed
to aid drow returning to the surface and to shelter
travelers, adventurers, and individual who didn't
represent a threat. They also gathered resources,
weapons, and armors (preferably magical) to use for
their cause. They often patrolled around their
communities (especially during cold winters) to Gnd
hurt, lost, or hungry travelers (including fugitive drow
or even wounded drow raiders) and spot (and possibly
neutralize) potential threats for the community and
other settlements in the area.[2]

Nurturing arts and spreading joy

Besides their work towards their main goal, the

faithful were known to nurture beauty, music, and
arts, and to spread kindness, joy, and hope whenever
they saw ways to do so (and it was appropriate). They
also had to be skilled at playing at least one of the
Dark Maiden's favored instrument, the horn, [ute, or
harp; to be adequate singers; to be Gt, graceful
dancers; and to teach their art to others. They
constantly gathered songs and musical knowledge,
and acquired training in the use of the sword when
they could.[2]

Fighting slavery

The church of Eilistraee, especially near the

Promenade of the Dark Maiden, was known for their
eDorts against slavers of all kinds, actively Gghting
organizations dedicated to the practice (such as the
Dragon's Hoard) and oDering shelter to slaves.[2][1]

ADVERTISEMENT

Adventuring

Clerics were allowed to go adventuring, as long as

they kept following Eilistraee's teachings, while aiding,
feeding and defending the needy on the way.[2]

Organization

The worshipers of Eilistraee belonged to all races, but

were mostly drow. Non-drow followers of the goddess
were mostly humans, elves, and especially half-elves.
[2]

Society

Eilistraean communities often saw women taking the

position of decision makers. However, diDerently from
Lolth's, theirs was a nurturing society, based on the
ideals taught by Eilistraee, that her people identiGed
with, and where males were valued and treated with
equity.[23] This society was built to empower all drow—
males and females alike—[23]to Gnd their place and
thrive on the surface world.[24]

In fact, the role of the priestesses (i.e. the leaders) in

the society was to act as an extension of Eilistraee's
own motherhood of the drow, and become teachers,
protectresses, and diplomats.[24][25] They sheltered,
fed, and healed any drow lost in the surface world,
and actively reached for them in the Underdark.[8][2]
They aided their people to learn to live and forge their
own path in a hostile world, by providing practical
help in the matters of each dark elf's everyday life—
which included, among the various things, the
teaching of skills pertinent to survival, gathering,
healing, crafting, and hunting.[24] They also worked to
lift spirits (by nurturing and teaching arts like music
and dance),[2] and to comfort and lead the drow in
rediscovering a sense of belonging and community.
[24] The priestesses of Eilistraee were also tasked with
protecting their people from danger, and with building
a place in the surface world for them to live, by
establishing friendships and relationships with other
races.[25]

The reason why Eilistraean communities were

generally led by women was of practical nature, not
ideological. In fact, the communities generally formed
around a temple or shrine to the goddess, and thus
were usually led by the clergy (which was mostly
made up of women; see below). There wasn't any rule
preventing males from becoming leaders, though
they rarely did.[3][26] Nonetheless, Eilistraean
communities were characterized by a very loose
hierarchy, as everyone stood on the same ground
(though most followers recognized Qilué Veladorn
of the Seven Sisters as their guide and voice of the
goddess).[25][3][26] Any member, no matter which
gender, could express concerns and ideas about any
matter, and priestesses listened to them before
making a decision. Non-leaders were also tasked with
taking the decision when the subject at hand was
their area of expertise (this was the most frequent
way for males to be in the decision-maker position).[3]
[26]

Outside of the clergy, male and female worshipers

usually had the same duties and roles: guardians,
experts, artisans, artists, or general workers.[3][26]
Rituals and dances (like the Circle of Song and the
Run) saw the participation of all members of the
community, regardless of gender. However, the rituals
reserved to the clergy were an exception, in that
priests could join the priestesses in such rituals only if
they'd danced the Changedance beforehand. This