Baera Melina

The Laan'Ithil like many elves do not procreate regularly. Their childhood is longer than some of the other races entire lives and as such children have a long time to plot mischief and find trouble. To counteract this the Laan'ithil teach their children of the Baera Melina, a drider and servant of Lolth who strikes out from the Underdark and snatches up all the Moon-elf children she can find, especially those who misbehave as they taste the best to the dark creature.

Summary

"If you don't behave Baera Melina will smell you out and take you underground to feed her children!" It is a common scolding from Moon-elf parents to all children who abscond from their studies, talk back or refuse to go to bed. They say she steals out from her Underdark home in the dead of night and steals into the streets of Melo'ithil, hungry for the taste of Moon-elf children. They say she whispers through the window at night to the children who stay awake late or stay outside past their curfew to tempt them into dark corners where she ensnares them in her web and scurries back to her brood in the underdark to feed.

Historical Basis

Captain Baera Melina was a drow warrior and servant of Lolth. She was charged with leading the bastion of the betrayers gate, the final obstacle holding General Elistra's forces within the Underdark and preventing her crusade to the surface but during the battle Captain Baera was overwhelmed with emotion upon seeing the Laan'ithil insurgents so filled with passion for their god her faith in Lolth faltered and she opened the gate allowing the Laan'ithil passage to the surface. For her betrayal Baera was corrupted and changed into the drider that she is in legend. She was cursed that she would not lose her mind but could only be satiated on the flesh of the Moon-Elves she helped create For several years Baera attempted to make peace with the Moon-Elves and beg for their aid but at the sight of her abhorrent form the Moon-Elves saw only the Driders of Lolth and reacted with hostility, eventually Baera retreated back into the Underdark and slowly slipped into myth.

Spread

Only select Drow know the truth of what happened to Captain Baera and even fewer Moon-elves know what happened to her but now only the Moon-elves tell of her myth.

Variations & Mutation

The Drow not one to believe in fairytales only tell of Baera's betrayal and her fair judgement but there are few who speak of her bravery.

Cultural Reception

The drow perceive Baera as a betrayer to her post and her god wheras the Laan'ithil see her as a threat and a monster

In Literature

There are few writings of Baera in Drow history, those that do are less than favourable, declaring her a drunk and a layman. Though the Laan'ithil as a whole have little knowledge of her sacrifice the monster that she became is well documented.

Related Ethnicities