Eilistraee
Eilistraee is the chaotic good elf goddess of beauty, song, dance, freedom, moonlight, sword-work, and hunting, within the Celestial pantheon. She is the patroness and protector of the those who long to make peace with other races and civilizations, uniting them through allegiance to the Celestial plane and pantheon. Eilistraee encourages her followers to abandon the endless conflicts and intrigues that dominate the lives of mortals. She is often referred to as the The Dark Maiden, the Lady of the Dance, or Lady Silverhair, and sometimes The Dark Dancer, among other titles.
She is a free-spirited and kindhearted goddess, with a fiery streak in her personality. Eilistraee tries to be a mother goddess to her people and bring them the hope of a new life. She fights to lead them back to Celestially aligned lands, helping them to flourish and prosper in harmony with other Celestially aligned civilizations. Hers is an uphill battle, however, as her power is little and she is opposed by the Beshaba, a deity of the Infernal Plane. But, despite having to overcome many hardships and setbacks, Eilistraee never gives up fighting for her people.
Priesthood
Eilistraean communities are often a matriarchy, meant to empower all persons to thrive in Celestially aligned lands, and characterized by a very loose hierarchy. In fact, the clerics of Eilistraee (commonly known as Sword Dancers) take the role of teachers, protectors, and diplomats. The priestesses aid their people to learn to live and forge their own path in a hostile world, and to rediscover a sense of belonging and community. They also protect their people from danger, and build a place for them to live by establishing friendships and relationships with other races and civilizations who align with the Celestial plane. The Eilistraeans are also known to offer aid and shelter to those who came asking them, and even to actively travel to other places in order to bring food, cures, arts, and practical help where there was need of it and to those met along the way.
Many followers of Eilistraee, and especially her clerics, strive to learn and promote arts—with a soft spot for music and dance—as well as teaching them and passing along the knowledge of particular pieces, songs, or dances learned during travels or created by them. They will also take care of broken musical instruments, or craft new ones. Those who don’t know an art are instead known to support bards by hiring them when they could afford it. This is part of their way to promote joy and merriment in their communities and during their travels.
Clerics have simple rituals they deliver at the occasions of new plantings, harvests from both domestic and wild plants, and forests wherein a new community is to be built.
Worshipers
Eilistraee is worshiped by those who tend to be altruistic and benevolent in nature. Her clerics spend their time tending to communal gardens and orchards in settlements; older clerics will also plan gardens, catalogue new plants, and train plants into decorative shapes. They also study how to grow crops in harmony, rather than in competition, with native plants.
Some worshipers of Eilistraee are uniquely identified as those who once followed and now reject Beshaba. However, in line with her ideals, Eilistraee welcomes beings of all races and civilizations willing to align with the Celestial plane (elves, humans, and especially half-elves are the most numerous). Even Tieflings, who are widely considered to have deep ties to the Infernal plane, are welcomed so long as they seek "salvation" in aligning with the Celestial plane. Eilistraeans share the desire of seeing all races living in harmony under Celestial unity, without pointless discrimination or wars, and working towards the goal of peace through tightly controlled religious segregation between Celestial and Infernal alignments.
More adventurous followers of Eilistraee are known to undertake quests involving the restoration of blighted areas, the acquisition of seeds or cuttings from new plants, or helping to feed other communities. Some even help communities that have been stricken with famine or some other misfortune.
Eilistraee is most commonly worshiped in [TBD]. She also had followers (mostly humans, elves, and half-elves) living in [TBD] and its surroundings.
Places of Worship
Shrines to Eilistraee normally consist of a simple platform built in a tall tree, or a one-room domed or peaked building of wood. All have a simple dirt floor where neatly tended plants grow. Prayers to the Celestial Gardener normally involve the health of forests and other plants, and requests for sun, rain, or other needed weather conditions. Offerings may take the form of a piece of wood or a live plant. That said, The Dark Dancer is more actively worshiped through song and dance, if at all possible under the moon (preferably in wooded places). Worship of her is usually accompanied by a feast.
Divine Domains
Divine Symbols & Sigils
Divine Goals & Aspirations
Eilistraee takes the role of a nurturing and protecting mother-goddess for all those aligned with the Celestial plane.
When she was a young goddess, the Dark Maiden chose to share in the pain and strife of mortals, so that she could be by their side when they would need her the most. She sought to provide a light in the darkness, and a beacon of hope in the difficult times that—as she had foreseen—would come upon them. As such, Eilistraee teaches her followers kindness and love, shows them the freedom and joy of life, and all around cares for them. Even though she cannot promise safety, she strives to protect and help them strengthen, grow, and flourish in a world that had become increasingly hostile, but is their rightful home. She aids them in hunting, swordcraft, and other practical matters of their everyday lives, in immediately useful ways.
Eilistraee's help could come in the form of direct action—and she was not unwilling to retaliate in protection of her followers, if the situation called for it—but she far preferred her assistance to not be intrusive, or even openly revealing of her involvement. In fact, it isn’t Eilistraee's way to intrude in her people's lives, because she feels that a forceful interference will prevent them from making their own choices. On the contrary, she strives to empower each follower to find their own path in the world, and does so by watching over them in their "journey", and by offering them the tools to travel it themselves and overcome its challenges—both large and daunting, and the smaller ones posed by daily life. For example, she can subtly lead a follower braving the wilds to a community of her followers to find a sense of belonging, support, or even a home. Her hunting horn sounds to hearten her faithful worshipers and scare away dangerous creatures which threaten them. Her song, or her silvery radiance and silvery moths, guide followers who are lost in the darkness to a safe place, or lighten child births that occur in the dark, and hers is the force that brings a stag within the reach of a faithful, hungry hunter.
Likewise, Eilistraee intervenes when her people need visible comfort or emotional help. She can make them know that they are not alone, and that someone is watching over them, when they feel lost (usually through her own light - when she still manifested her avatar, she'd appear as a protecting, shadowy, tall female elf that dances). She can provide them with insight and inspiration to reach an important goal, or even lend her magic, if needed, to break any shackle preventing them from freely embracing the path they wanted to walk, or so that they didn't have to give themselves to selfish individuals or malevolent forces in exchange for help when they felt overwhelmed. Furthermore, in the daily ritual known as the Evensong, Eilistraee will "listen" to the (usually) wordless messages of her followers as they let out the emotions, experiences, and reflections gathered during the day.
The Dark Maiden sings her call—from the highest matron to the lowest peasant—to unite in alliance with the Celestial plane. Her call sends them dreams or visions, showing them a different, better life, and the beauty of the world (specifically within Celestial aligned territory). Beshaba is powerless to stop these visions, as too much interference from two deities can easily bring a mortal's mind to insanity.
While many who are faithful to Beshaba will either not understand their dreams and emotions, or choose to ignore, disbelieve, or reject them, others secretly yearn for the goddess and all that she wishes for them. In fact, it is not unusual for them—if they thought they could get away with it, without the knowledge of a priestess of Beshaba—to choose to not ignore a worshiper of Eilistraee, decline to tell other Beshabans what they'd seen of Eilistraean activities, or linger to watch one of their dances rather than breaking it up. That said, despite those feelings, not many of Beshaba’s worshipers make the final step and leave their past behind to cleave to Eilistraee on their own. Furthermore, the Dark Maiden's efforts are opposed by the power of Beshaba, and what she can do is very limited.
As part of her focus on uniting more followers of Celestial faith, Eilistraee takes to heart the cause of aid of the needy wherever and whenever possible, no matter their race, gender, or strength. She believes in offering kindness, shelter, and acceptance to anyone not working selfishly or malevolently, especially if outcasts. She and her church also work to spread joy and merriment, and to bring comfort and hope to those who are taken by sorrow. Finally, the Dark Maiden is, among the other things, a goddess of beauty; as such, she is known for her efforts to nurture and spread enthusiasm for arts—especially music and dance—and for blessing artists and bards with bursts of creativity and inspiration.
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Body Features
Facial Features
Special abilities
Powers
Her most common sign is a silvery radiance (sometimes accompanied by a snatch of song or a few echoing notes of a harp) that can also take the form of a handful of dancing moonbeams or moon-motes. Eilistraee uses this light to assist her people: she is known to use it as a beacon guiding those lost in the woods, to shine a light on something dropped in the dark, to illuminate a dark place where women give birth, or to generally guide those who saw the manifestation. She also uses it to bless worshipers in various ways. Swords enveloped by the silvery light can not be broken or damaged and can strike with maximum force. Living creatures will always react first in battle, can better evade or withstand blows, can strike more accurately, and can wound even creatures that needed magic to be harmed.
Her song is another iconic manifestation, and the Dark Maiden's way of calling her followers to her, luring them towards a different life. It is a tune of unearthly beauty, moving many to tears but also a sweet and tempting lullaby, or the soothing voice of a loving mother. When she used to appear as an avatar, her song was always heard. She would appear in person, to show her favor, give a blessing, or hearten her followers. Mortals who were lucky enough to see her would always hear her tune, but usually only glimpse her from afar, balanced atop a distant hillock or battlement, with her silver hair flowing behind her. There were times when she would also appear during celebrations dedicated to her, leaping inside the flames of bonfires, or manifesting herself by night, cloaked, cowled, and with her radiance dimmed, to travelers in the woodlands (usually to test their kindness).
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 effect was said to last as long as a month, or even be permanent. She will also very often appear as a manifestation when one of her priests leadd a new convert to her faith in prayer, which itself an offering to Eilistraee.
On rare occasions, she can decide to grant a lay follower, who nevertheless did her work, with the temporary ability to manifest her moonfire. This can be to show her blessing or support, or simply to provide some light. However, the bearer had no control over the moonfire's duration, intensity, or location—such things are solely up to the goddess.
The sound of a high and distant hunting horn is another sign associated to the Dark Maiden. She is known to conjure it to rally or hearten her followers, or to scare off bandits or orc raiders who will believe reinforcements are coming for those harassed. When there are no enemies about, worshipers take the sound of the horn to mean there is someone close by in need of aid.
Eilistraee demonstrates her favor and happiness through the discovery of particular minerals or gems (like mithral, moonbars, moonstones, and silver), with a sudden inspiration to write a beautiful song or poem, or the inspiration to craft a magnificent sword for those who had the ability.
However, the Dark Dancer can also let her displeasure be known by making a cold breeze rise, making the disfavored ones feel a chill in their hands or feet, inducing a sudden lack of inspiration or talent in any form of art, or through the failure to catch anything while hunting.
Abilities
Eilistraee's identity as a nurturing and artistic goddess shows in her magic and skills. Despite having access to all kinds of magic, she focuses on powers related to nature, life, creation, and enchantment. She is also excellent at crafting and weapon-smith, and could freely create almost any magical item pertaining to beauty, music, moonlight, hunting, or sword-work.
Furthermore, before being a warrior or a huntress, Eilistraee was first and foremost a bard and an artist. She is a sublime dancer and singer, a terrific acrobat, and a brilliant musician. Her art had the power to elicit intense emotions in her allies and foes alike (to the point of sometimes leaving them stunned), or to inspire courage, dispel uncertainty and hopelessness, and enhance her allies' focus. She delighted in performing, and such is the beauty she created, that it could even move beings who were normally incapable of feeling emotions, or that could shrug them off due to training, magic, or nature.
Music and song hold a particular meaning, as they are the intimate nature of Eilistraee's iconic magic, the Spellsong. Its melody is capable of physically healing, creating, and protecting, and allows its practitioners to travel to places far away and see the world. Through the Spellsong, Eilistraee teaches to listen to the songs of distant lands, the melody that a place and its people "sing" when lit by the moon, and to travel to such places along beams of moonlight, summoned by singing and dancing to its rhythm.
That said, while her warrior skills came second to her bardic magic and artistic abilities, Eilistraee could indeed fight. She is a protector to her people, who wielded her bastard sword combining the agility of her dance with the lethality of her swordplay. Her hunting skills and precision as an archer were also undeniable, like her knowledge in matters of magic, nature, and faith.
Finally, along with all the standard powers and godly senses of a deity of her rank, the Dark Dancer can instantly become aware of threats posed to Celestial-aligned followers, her own followers, or to those thinking of rejecting the faith of the deities of the Infernal Plane (but only if their number was equal to or greater than five hundred).
Eilistraee's Avatar
When she used to manifest, 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 missiles (more potent against malevolent foes) 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 has the power to repel malevolent beings and undead, briefly stun a creature, and unlock things as a knock spell.
Manifestations
Favored animals
- Silver moths
- Silver-striped tabby cats
Favored monsters
- Aasimar
- Light archons
- Lythari
- Pixie
Favored minerals
- Mithral
- Moonstone
- Silver
Favored colors
- Silver
Miscellaneous
- Hunting horns in the distance
- A silvery radiance
- Harp notes
Apparel & Accessories
Specialized Equipment
In battle, she could wield either two identical singing swords of dancing +3, or a single blade, the Moonsword, a +5 dancing keen bastard sword. Only enchanted weapons can harm her.
When she used to appear, her avatar could manifest wearing deep brown leather boots that allow her to move in total silence and without leaving any trace at will. It combined the powers of the boots of elvenkind, boots of varied tracks, and boots of the north. Her cloak could also shift 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).
Mental characteristics
Mental Trauma
Personality Characteristics
Virtues & Personality perks
Vices & Personality flaws
Social
Social Aptitude
The Dark Maiden is particularly close to her people. Aside from providing practical help in their everyday life, she is known to offer comfort and support in various ways, including listening to them as they let out or vent their emotions and experiences. When she used to manifest her avatar, when the right time came she also personally accompanied her followers who didn’t die in battle to their afterlife in a moving celebration known as the Last Dance. According to some religious scholars, Eilistraee doesn’t test her followers, as the challenges of life are enough of a test themselves. She values the intent behind their actions more than the actual success.
Focused on recruiting Celestial followers, Eilistraee accepts folk of all races who dance along her path, who delight in life and in the free-form expression of it in all its forms. She fights so that all races can live peacefully together in united faith. She want them to help and accept each other and strongly believes in the possibility of redemption for those who had fallen into selfish, malevolent ways of thinking and being. She holds no ill-will for those aligned with the Infernal plane, but her indifference is troubling. Her vision of a utopia would see any remaining worshipers of the Infernal plane segregated from Celestial ones. There would be peace, but at the cost of a tightly controlled religious regime.
Comments