The Drow Goddess That Captured the Imaginations of a Generation
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- Опубликовано: 20 авг 2024
- Eilistraee is the chaotic good, drow goddess of beauty, song, dance, freedom, moonlight, swordwork, and hunting, and this is her court.
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#realmslore #dnd #baldursgate3
I am so glad to finally be able to fill in some details on one of the most requested parts of the Realms, Eilistraee! Are there any other parts of the Pantheon you'd like to see explained?
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Thats my baby girl!! Thanks Ed! She's just that good!
A tale about Mielikki and her rangers from the bearded bard please.
AO, the tablets and who his boss is. OR specifically what the Tablets dictate
@@sashmiel6566 If the Tablets especially are explained. it would tie the hands of the IP owners too much. Some things should stay a mystery.
From what I understand, Sehanine Moonbow acts as a guide for Elven spirits to guide them to Arvandor, a psychopomp of sorts, I'm curious if this aspect of her extends to worshipers of the Dark Seldarine as well or if another god(dess) might fill this role for drow etc. I have a hard time imagining most members of the Dark Seldarine being impartial judges to ensure the correct souls reach the right deities. Vandria Gilmadrith maybe?
I played a good aligned drow way back in 1981 and have been a worshiper of Eilistraee ever since I bought The Drow of the Underdark in 1991
I had A drow from unearthed Acania 1985 build and A duergar both venture into blood stone mines trilogy, good times.
@@YllibD Nice!
I wish I could have.
But my DM was very anal about not allowing drow..
I keep telling grognards we played different alignment humanoids like drow. My drow was a necromancer who wasnt evil, but wasn’t necessarily doing things to help the common humanoid.
@snieves4 My whole argument for it is if Humans have varying alignment then demihumans do too. And we all know about Drizzt and Zaknafein
I can hear MrRhexx fanboying all the way from here. ;)
I'm surprised he haven't yet commented with a giant squeee
A person of taste. I salute you.
MrRhexx is why I'm here lol
And Jorphdan (The p is silent) going crAZY!
This video made my day. Eilistraee has to be my favorite goddess in dnd. Its criminal how under utilitied she is in 5e. Hardly any lore or use, espacially with the introduction of all the othee drow factions. We need more of the dark dancer more of lady silverhair!
I can’t imagine why any body would play 5e. I still play 3 and use 1 and 2 lore.
@@VikingMalei do. I actually prefer it over the alternatives, the exceptions being basic fantasy and castles & crusades but only to allow me to play the old TSR modules.
@@VikingMale I prefer 5e over all the previous versions and I've been playing since the mid-80s.
Its because she is nude
@@VikingMale It depends on the experience I'm looking for as to which version I play.
It's so sad Ed doesn't get more attention in the fantasy genre cause he's not really a standard book writer. He's a world builder which doesn't get enough attention. The Forgotten Realms are just amazing and so underrated.
Funny that Eilistraee seems to be getting exposure nowadays.
Back then, most tend to see Drizzt as rebellious Drow to the point of being subject of parody, but few tend to know Eilistraee.
Dancing around naked in the sky is one way to expose yourself.
Yeah, I mean there should have been nudist drow joke then.
Like party being surprised and cringing at their Chaotic Good Drow being nudist or having to tolerate nightly nude dance while also don’t mind people looking at them (like male can be worshippers and Eilistraee offer magic sex change).
Drizzt wasn't much of a rebel tho. More like a hermit. lol
I love this goddess. She's been my top favorite for a long time. Every thing about her is amazing. When loth became the spider queen and she decided to go with her for the sake of the drow. That's just to badass
she left with her twin brother, not with her mother tbf
Many of the dark gods tremble when the sage Greenwood speaks secrets!!!Eilistraee just continues to dance
You know Elminster was hitting that. It's what he does.
Eilistraee was always my favorite godess. In one of the D&D 3e sesions ages ago, my goal was to establish Eilistraee temple in Sword Coast region. I wish there would be more about her in the books, in The Way of Drow I didnt like that much the idea of remote Glacier City, intresting concept overall, but in my head not fitting that much.
So add to it, shell appreciate the work. ;)
Have you read the Daughter of the Drow and Tangled Webs from the Elaine Cunningham? Highly recommended if interested about Eilistraee.
@@samiroque9820 I was forced to Google it, as I totally forgot about it. Yeah I read that, ages ago, I don't remember the plot anymore . Good reminder maybe I will go back to it one day. There were also some plots with Eilistraee in the war of the spider queen.
@@samiroque9820 (looks at tab audiobook of 'Starlight & Shadows' sits in)
I'll get to it. >.
When she reappears after the Spellplague, Waterdeep and the Sword Coast is the first place she sends her avatar to dance. So, you totally should make her a temple on the sword coast. There's an official one in water deep now I believe, after she appears there.
She's one of my favorite deities in the Forgotten Realms.
We need a compilation all known Dragon names, spoken by Ed, one after another, in as few takes as possible. Thanks Ed.
I'd love to hear Ed talk more about Drow, Drow culture, and Drow pantheons.
YES PLEASE
I love how many more people are coming to know and adore Eilistraee. I remember reading all about her in Demihuman Deities, and being enamored with this good-hearted daughter of Araushnee and Corellon. As an aside - that book had incredible titles and details for the clergy of these deities, and I hope we see more of that in future editions. My favorite for a cleric of Eilistraee? Ghost of the Moonstruck Night.
that is dope.
I read your novels back there in the 80, but still repeating the novels again and you still one of the kind fantasy authors in my view…………..sword and sorcery heavy metal yeah
This man has a legit wizard beard and hairstyle.
I respect that
I love Elistraee and her teachings of kindness and spreading good. It's a great contrast to Lolth's cruelty and brings hope to non-evil Drow. I wish she had a stronger presence in the Sword Coast.
One of my favorites from the realms... I love the whole fam... Corellon, Eilistraee, Vhaeraun and even Lloth.... ever since I read about each of them over the years.
Thanks Sir Greenwood for illuminating us further on the lore of the Dark Dancer!
Don't forget her rarely mentioned older sister, Vandria Gilmadrith, and her almost completely forgotten about younger half-brother, Tethrin Veralde!
@@DrTenochtitlan Finally, someone else who knows Tethrin Veraldé! Im playing a wizard/cleric who worships both Tethrin Veraldé and Eilistraee.
@@rpgchronicler That’s a good combination. Not only are they siblings, but Tethrin is the god of Bladesingers, and Bladesingers are a perfect build for Eilistraeeans.
Eilistraee has been my favourite D&D god after Mystra for years
Eilistraee is my favorite goddess. Her and Kelemvor are my favorite deities to play worshippers of.
If you haven't read Evermeet Island of elves by Elaine Cuningham then I recommend you do so. Elistraee is well represented.
Agreed. This book is a must for those that appreciate the elven pantheon of Faerun.
I read it once a long time ago, and I remember almost nothing other than some weird mounters that ate elves like anteaters do ants, and someone slapping their daughter for saying that a moon elf was like the Queen (who was a moon elf but you weren't meant to mention it). Kind of want to check it out again.
@@LurklenI believe you're referring the aptly named "elf eater"
All my drow characters were followers of Eilistraee
2:46 Someone help Ed, he's having a stroke! .....Wait,.no, that's just a dragon.
Have always been a fan of hers and of her domain. And I've always loved how she's been portrayed, about ninety-nine percent of the time.
One last question, How did you get to the point to where you decided that mind flayers were not tough enough and you decided to make them into liches?
Thanks again for gathering us around the Camp Fire for some more storytelling.
Eiliistraee easily one of my favorite DND deities.
thank you, Elminster! :-)
If you guys haven’t read the most recent Drizzt novels, there is a female Drow Paladin of Eilistree that is just scary!!!
Holy Gallifey
what is her name?
@@Castapher Holy Gallifey
@@PatrickMJr *slides 5 bucks into your pocket* Thank you, kind sir
I love the concept behind her, last campaign I ran in the realms I had her ascend to being the deity of redemption outside of the drow aswell
Hit 3:23 and had to laugh, I had a chilled can of that particular brand of iced tea with lemon open on my desk.
I remember reading Daughter of the Drow series (I think,) and really getting the flavor of the Drow goddess. I found it impressive and memorable.
Thank you for this! Now if only we can get some info on Jergal and why he was so alien looking ;)
My first 5e character was a tiefling cleric of Jergal. I played he as a knowledgeable cleric playing on The Final Scribe piece. She took notes in everything and recorded it in a magical journal that would produce a copy in a tome in Jergal's temple.
She and Kelemvor are my favourites! Also thanks for the heascanon that there's at least one discoball in her realm xD
Such a nice video! Always nice to know more about one of Lolth's nicer kids! And with a very fitting court indeed!
Wow - right on time! Eilistraee is among my very favorites. My most recent Drow character is an Eilistraeean priestess - similar to a Sword Dancer or Bladesinger, but I made her as a Bard, with dancing & acrobatics as a spell focus and Magical Secrets granting her some clerical powers. Growing up with academic parents living in exile, her Sage background helped her excel not only as an acolyte & dancer, but also as a poet & orator.
wow my character that i am currently playing is very similar to yours, except she is a Paladin.
My kids playing a paladin of the Masked Lady right now and rocking it. All his siblings and fam are die hard Vhaeraunites who rebuke her. We are having so much fun with it right now. Our clerics are pretending hard they don't know the paladins dark secret, and the pally is still acting like they don't know. 😊😂❤
Eilistraee is such an interesting character. Such a compelling narrative to strive for good via the arts in an over hostile lloth worshipping setting.
I enjoy all of Ed Greenwood videos
I love Eilistraee❣
I have waited for this
perfectly timed! thank you so much for this. I'm taking notes for a story I'm writing with focus on Eilistraeen drow, learning more about her realm helps so much.
"Elle-E-Ah-Stray-Yee" my table's pronunciation.
Ooooo I'm excited for this one!
YES My favorite goddess, talked to ED YEARS ago about her in private messages, i adore these videos so much! Ed is one of my favorite people ever!
Sir, listening to your description of my favorite Drow Goddess has one of the most relaxing audio clips I have heard in several years. I am so glad to have stumbled upon such a wonderful channel as yours. Please continue this wonderful endeavor of yours.
Thank you for he information! I play the last 1 and half a year a female drow that used to be a Cleric of Lolth but now has become the chosen of Eilistraee. The songs and dances are great source of ideas and roleplaying projects to do in the sessions. I have a great time playing a character tied with this goddess and the dynamics of this being someone Dark and serving evil to come to the light and in her embrace! I love hearing you explaining lore about the world! Please keep going. I also am reading the books but i find these videos really great! Thank you for doing this!! :)
We used the noble Illithid, from a late dragon magazine, back in days of yore. I seem to recall a mind blast that causes feeblemind?
Yessssss!!!!
I was so hoping for this. Thank you!!!!
Thank you for this awesome glimpse into the court of my favourite goddess!
How so lucky to have Ed Greenwood to continue to do these videos
This was awesome Ed. Thank you so much.
Ellaniath, the Tarterian Realm of Vhaeraun in next please!
So excited that such a great creator has taken to RUclips to fill in the magnificent IP that I have been reading since 1993 (first Forgotten Realms book was The Crystal Shard). Really hoping that the second DnD film incorporates characters from BG3 and bring Greenwood in as an advisor.
I would love one of Ilmater. My friends character Cassandra is a Eliastraean aligned drow, and my own is a human Paladin, oath of devotion, as an older style sworn to a god, to Ilmater.
I’ve written dogma and religious sayings for Ilmater, and I would love to hear some of your own!
I love your voice, I love the way you narrate.
May your path be warm, kind, and enlightening!
Had to drink quite a few times with this one. Dragon names clearing throats, thirsty sword maidens, VOLCANOES ARE COOL, real world mythology, cats...
One of the masterminds behind so much popular fantasy after Tolkien and now he has a YT channel. I die. ❤
Pretty cool
I made Eilistraee one of the main gods my party interacted with in my waterdeep mad mage campaign. A great god to use for all drow related games. Hope to see a drow dedicated campaign from wotc soon. Any 3rd party drow campaigns people wish to highlight?
i would really like to hear something about Helm or anything about the relation between him and Tyr and Torm.
Well done yet again excellent video and have a good day 😊😊😊😊😊.
I have three characters that worship Eilistraee. A Chultan born half Drow Waterdeep noble Bronze draconic sorcerer Arcan Archer 8/3 with the two weapon fighting style. He hopes to raise his status among the other Waterdeep nobles by marriage and building a merchant fleet. (my first Adventure league character I didn't know better.) A Water Genasi Devotion paladin Bronze draconic sorcerer 5/4 Waterdeep naval veteran with the defense fighting style (also Adventure League so I could not pick Divine Soul.) Raise at the Promenade of the Dark Maiden. He was away at sea when the Promenade fell. Then got time lost and has now ended up in present day Waterdeep. My final one is a Protector Aasimar Archer Divine Soul sorcerer 2/6 sailor who longs for a Lythari companion.
Great video!
The character i hold dearest. It's so cool to see lore about her home!
>:3 I am so so excited for this (guy who is literally wearing the symbol of Eilistraee as this was posted)
I keep picturing my Lolthite bladesinger going "Nah, I'd win" at this entire video.
I mean I guess it's Ysgard so she can keep trying?
i've.read a lot of d&d lore, never really played, but nou in bg3, i am trying to do a sword dancer, i feel like she is one of the few GOOD deities in the universe. her kindness and joy feels like something we should strive for even irl
I had a bladedancer once. She was awesome to play. My DM never really understood her though as h had her traffic with evil deities which she would never do but hey. it is what it is...lol
It's my favorite Deity!!!
I mean, who doesn't love the Drow Goddess of Exhibitionism? I kid, I kid, I'm a big fan, and not just because of the exhibitionism!
I fell in love with the drow from just the old Fiend Folio entry (my first exposure to them, 1982, when I was 9, shortly after I started playing D&D) because I also like spiders and the idea of evil, spider demon goddess worshipping, obsidian skinned -lingerie models- elves was so cool to me. A bit later I was looking into Vault of the Drow and all that, trying to find all the bits I could about my new favourites.
What I really liked about Eilistraee (I still have my Drow of the Underdark, I can even see it from where I'm sitting) from the get go is that even though she is the "good" spin on the drow she still always felt quintessentially drow somehow. She follows through on some of the traits we think of when we think of drow, hedonism (Eilistraee and her faithful like to party and otherwise have a good time), blood (hunting, at the very least) and ruthlessness (there's a certain "eff around and find out" attitude despite their otherwise carefree and live and let live default), but tempered, not the excess of Lolth. I think that Eilistraee still feels like she is a part of them, the drow, is a major part of her allure and why she works so well in her role.
I don't know if I'm right about all that, but that's my interpretation.
Thanks for the extra insight, Ed.
Agree on this take. Also love that she is willing to offer those who wish to walk it a road to redemption.
@@chrispetersen4863 Same. In my homebrew I folded in a lot of what Ed wrote for the Seldarine (at least 80%, probably closer to 90%) because I loved it so much. One of the changes I did make is that Eilistraee is also the elven goddess of redemption and second chances in addition to all the represents specifically in relation to the drow.
(my history is a bit different, and while surface elves don't have the best relationship it's not "kill on sight", either, so the drow deities still have a place in the broader elven pantheon)
Love it! Looking forward to Sune and Tymora. Sune most of all, but considering how important luck is to adventurers and players alike- Tymora could be an interesting deep dive. I know we have quite a bit but Selune is a favorite too for obvious reason. I keep remembering lore claiming that Selune answers all prayers but I can't remember where from. I always assume if true, it probably wasnt an overt or obvious "Your prayer has been received" canned message- but, you gotta imagine someone lonely out there is praying to her just to feel a little less alone, while others might just be obsessed with her and be a nuisance.
Question: what happens if someone is tadpoled with both illithd and slaad? Does one win out? Does the victim simply die, or do we fear the new creation that will come about?
An excellent video! One of my favourite FR deities. Practical, kind, empathic and brave, without being imperious.
Was the initial art specifically commissioned?
Hi, if it is possible to have a video of Tethrin Veraldé will be amazing
Both Tethrin Veralde, Eilistraee's younger half-brother, and Vandria Gilmadrith, Eilistraee's older sister, would be great topics, as they are almost never mentioned (as opposed to Vhaeraun).
I'm so pleased to see this video. Eilistraee is my favorite goddess.
Amazing video! If possible, I would like to hear you talking about Elven High Magic.
Current campaign, the players have allied with a hammership whose captain is a drow cleric of Eilistraee. So details about the faith are certainly welcome.
I played a good Drow, and there were no good drow gods at the time. My character's goal was to become a goddess for good drow. Then the book came out and there was Eilistraee.
Sounds like a beatuful place, i want to see the godess dancing ;)
I have never in my life played D&D but Baldur's Gate 3 got me interested in the lore and so I started to read and watch and read and listen and read and watch and now I love the D&D Universe, I love the lore surrounding the Drow, Lolth and Eilistraee especially. I hope one day to play the game but I'm not really very social tbh. It will be worth putting myself out there I guess :)
Glorious! Can't wait to put some legs on this.
informative, but I also love listening to this as a means of relaxation
I’m actually playing a CG Drow Cleric of Eilistraee in an Icewind Dale game. Went Peace Domain and VERY heavy on Bardic flavor for how I play them. Seemed a perfect blend for the goddess of song, moon, and dance for the Drow.
Pretty cool ! Mine is a Paladin, and also very heavy on Bardic flavor as well hahaha
@@Castapher epic! I will say I’ve begun fleshing out the character more as the game has gone on. A Midwinter Child, who has(had) a human husband. His husband made the Lyre my cleric carries and plays as a wedding present, and rather than rings, they both had an ornamental hair piece. My boy recently had a trauma induced breakdown diring a quest after failing to save someone we were trying to rescue, the husband of our quest giver. It was probably the first moment the party felt worry for him, rather than Distrust (due to being Winterkissed) or neutral (since he had been taking care of their injuries consistently).
@@phobiawitch835 wow sad story ! I really dont like when an important PC/NPC dies, i usually try my best find a way to ressurect that person no matter the cost. My alignment is neutral good >.
@@Castapher Yeah, we had literally started the session discussing that after we leveled up, I’d still have to wait 1 more before we got Revivify, lol. And we’re broke so we dont have any way to pay for a revival. I did at least Gentle Repose the body for his husband, so that he could be put to rest. It hurt, man
elistraee is one of my favorite of the dnd pantheons ended up going with her and her brother getting over least most of their sibling rivalry and agreeing they both despise their mother much more then each other especially given she was behind much of their hostility for one another and is the most harmful force currently affecting the drow/Ssri-tel-quessir and teamed up to overthrow her
though my main drow lineage primarily follow her brother but they also do honor her as one of the few deities that actually cares about their kind
I love Drow. They just seem neat. Kinda icky sometimes, but neat.
I'd ask Eilistraee for a dance but she's a busy goddess and sometimes gets too Drow-sy.
Which diety in Toril covers the domain/sphere of jokes? Because they may or may not approve that pun!
@@rpgchronicler In the Seldarine pantheon it would most likely be Erevan Ilesere, god of mischief and rogues. He focuses on his stealth training to escape when the punch line is poorly received.
I just found the channel please don't stop posting now!
Have a question for you...is there any information about any of the orc gods that Gruumsh himself killed from the beginning? I remember reading it in several sources (including an old dragon magazine article), but never seen anything officially written on them (aka portfolio, why did gruumsh kill them/how he killed them). Or if there isn't, do you have any ideas/creations to fill in those blanks? Just wondering.
I wish they'd do Greyhawk.
Correct me if I'm wrong Mr. Greenwood, I think she is the only good God of the underdark I can recall.
I think the snirfb... snirfv... the dark gnomes have one
@@bluebird3281 He's Neutral with a healthy level of xenophobia.
@@theprofessorkeen1911 My bad.
Phobia though?
Is there any unreasonable fear of strangers in the under dark?
Being xenophobic in the under dark is like being homophobic in federal prison. Under normal circumstances it's very, very wrong but here where evil gathers, it's a survival skill.
@@bluebird3281 Maybe I should say xeno hatred. The under dark gnomes are frequently being targeted for being enslaved or eaten by everyone else in the under dark, so they HAVE TOO make sure they are darn hard to find. Although in that world setting, being xenophobic is completely reasonable in the Realms. Who knows if the next guy is not out to rob, sexual assault, kill you or WORSE. I mean, that wagon train could be holding doppelgangers or Zents. Is that Half ork just looking for a better place to live at, or is he a scout for the coming WAAAAG- oops, I mean orc hoard.
Mr. Greenwood made an AMAZING place for high fantasy adventure, but if you think about it at the non adventure people, it's a scary world that can kill them at any time and there is little you can do about it but be watchful of that stranger that walked into the village until you can be sure is really that harper coming back or an glamored mind flayer that wants to eat your brains.
Even here in the real world, a little xenophobia will help you keep yourself out of trouble in many places. It's just not safe as it used to be.
she is such a cool goddess i'd actually see about joining up with i'd like to ask thoe would she ever accept non drow or is she open to any outcast or someone lost of all purpose in life but still retains a kind soul
Nice
Eilistrae is my favorite deity in the realms!
Interesting to know that the drow have an alternative to Lolth (not only because Lolth is evil, but also because worshipping her has high stakes). As for illithiliches (that is indeed a mouthful), I think my urge would have been to call them "mind liches" (since illithids are also known as mind flayers) or maybe "illiches" (combining the two "li" sounds from "illithid" and "lich" into one) 🐙
I was hoping for more info on the goddess herself, not just her realm (court).
I second this
Just to add hope to see more Drow Lore in the future from villains to hero’s and gods🕸️🕷️🖤💯…..I also play a Drow Necromancer in AL from Menzoberranzan 🕸️🕷️💯
I loved the BG3 Eilistraee Easter egg! One of these days I'm going to make a homebrew class/subclass for her dark maidens. I have a few alt builds within 5e SRD, but none of them have really landed well enough to do justice to their lore abilities and ethos. Probably some combination of the bladesong feature, maybe some Twilight Cleric abilities, bardic abilities, and the OneD&D divine magic spell list. It will be quite easy to make that too powerful though, so I'd have to find friends who are as interested in the idea as I am and willing to co-write and balance that as DM and player.
Lots of story material for a starting plot/setting of a portal opening between Svartalfheim and the Kobold Press interpretation of the shadow fey! Already have character ideas for half-elf refugee, Aasamir or Lythari ranger, or dark maiden of Eilistraee finding the portal and meeting a Road Warden patrol that includes any of several PC ideas from that realm. Maybe as a crossover session between two campaigns?
Thanks for all the story material Mr. Greenwood! I can only hope that my retirement will be as filled with new adventures as yours is, and I hope I get to share a story that takes us through her realm one day.
Someone homebrewed a Sword Dancer subclass for Cleric which would probably fit that idea.
Drow power!
Someone go tell @MrRhexx that we finally have monster ecology for Eilistraee's domain!
Dude spent 10 minutes describing mushrooms.
I just created a Drow bard/cleric of ILoveTrees or however it is pronounced in BG3.
Love the videos
Just stumbled on your channel tonight and Holy Goakamoly! This is what we call a must sub or explode! That being said!
Can you do Pale Night? Or Evening Glory? Please! I beseech thee! These were my most memorable (And longest) quest and no one ever talk about them. I'm not even sure i understand much about them either. Not much information around.
Woot🎉