LOLTH GODDESS SPIDER DROW
LOLTH GODDESS SPIDER DROW
Lolth (pronounced LOALTH), the Queen of Spiders or Queen of the Demonweb
Pits, is the goddess of the drow and a chaotic evil deity who revels in
chaos. She patterns her life and the lives of her worshipers on a regimen
of chaotic acts and the veneration of spiders. The way that new-born
spider broods tear each other apart to survive especially appeals to her.
She promotes this by encouraging her worshipers to kill their rivals,
thus ensuring that they are the strongest of the 'brood'. Her love of
chaos often makes her appear mad but the wise see her as a calculating
individual who is always several steps ahead of those who believe that
they can anticipate her. She is cruel and dominating, forcing her will
upon her followers and her enemies, a will which instructs the strong to
crush the weak in the most torturous way imaginable.
WORSHIPPERS:
Lolth's clerics have no set uniform, but spider motifs and darker clothes
are the norm. Some rites require the worshipper to have no clothing at
all. Her sacred animals are arachnids. Lolth is worshiped almost
exclusively by drow, though other sentient races venerate the Lady of
Spiders as well. Her clergy sacrifice the living and treasure to her
glory.
Orders:
{cmMilitant Myrlochar, Order of Soul Spiders{c0
The Militant Myrlochar, also known as the Order of Soul Spiders, is
an elite military order composed solely of male crusaders and found in
the few dark elven cities where Lolth is revered and males are permitted
to enter her priesthood. The Militant Myrlochar directly serve the ruling
Matron Mothers of the city in which they are based as agents of
uncontrolled destruction, tirelessly hunting any creature designated as
their quarry or who interferes with their pursuit and wreaking havoc
until recalled, which rarely happens, or destroyed, their most common
fate.
{cmHandmaidens of the Spider Queen{c0
The Handmaidens of the Spider Queen is an order of female crusaders
with no permanent ties to any individual city. Also known as the
Daughters of the Yochlol, the Handmaidens serve as instruments of Lolth's
will in times when the Spider Queen needs to bring an entire city into
line. At least three times in recorded history the Handmaidens of the
Spider Queen have assaulted and destroyed an entire dark elven city that
threatened to drift from Lolth's web of chaos. When not assembled into an
army of chaos and vengeance, the Handmaidens work in small companies
scattered throughout the Underdark, harassing merchant trains that look
to other deities for protection and conducting hit-and-run raids on
cities ruled by the clergy of other deities.
RELATIONSHIPS:
Lolth is a fervent enemy of the Seldarine, especially Corellon Larethian,
Sehanine Moonbow and Fenmarel Mestarine for the parts they played in
foiling her scheme to overthrow the Seldarine. She is also an enemy of
both her children Vhaeraun and Eilistraee, though she appreciates all the
effort her son puts into his plans to get rid of her. It is in accordance
with her views on the chaotic nature of the drow.
Gruumsh was a former ally, now her enemy. He blames her for the failed
attack on his arch-nemesis Corellon.
Lolth also shares an enmity with Ghaunadaur, another former ally who went
mad with rage when she refused his romantic interests. She also opposes
every single non-drow Underdark deity.
Lolth does have tentative alliances with Loviatar, Malar and several
tanar'ri lords, including Errtu who was the caretaker of Menzoberranzan,
her favorite city during the Time of Troubles. The only alliance she's
ever had that could possibly be described as solid would be the one she
had with Selvetarm. He was her consort and although he was not hugely
enamored of that fact he guarded her vigilantly. In 1375 DR however,
Selvetarm was slain by a worshipper of Eilistraee wielding the Crescent
Blade (with the help of the transformed Halisstra Melarn, now Lady
Petinent), leaving her alone to fend of external threats.
HISTORY:
Lolth was formerly Araushnee, elven goddess of destiny, artisans and dark
elves. She was the lover of Corellon and had him completely smitten by
her grace and beauty but she grew power-hungry and a sense of never-
before seen greed and cruelty entered into her mind. She began by aiding
Corellon's enemies. In a fight with his nemesis Gruumsh, Araushnee aided
the orc god and Corellon had to flee.She then sent her new ally Malar to
hunt her weakened lover but through sheer skill of arms Corellon, with
the help of Sehanine Moonbow, managed to defeat the Beastlord.
Lolth was formerly Araushnee, elven goddess of destiny, artisans and dark
elves. She was the lover of Corellon and had him completely smitten by
her grace and beauty but she grew power-hungry and a sense of never-
before seen greed and cruelty entered into her mind. She began by aiding
Corellon's enemies. In a fight with his nemesis Gruumsh, Araushnee aided
the orc god and Corellon had to flee. She then sent her new ally Malar to
hunt her weakened lover but through sheer skill of arms Corellon, with the
help of Sehanine Moonbow, managed to defeat the Beastlord.
Corellon still had no idea that his beautiful consort was behind the
attacks but Sehanine Moonbow had found out the truth after discovering
that Araushnee had started an affair with Fenmarel Mestarine in an effort
to make him aid her in an upcoming rebellion. Although at first entranced
by her advances he eventually spurned her. Sehanine confronted Araushnee
and was imprisoned as a result.[citation needed] With her subtle plans
failed, she instead organized an attack on the entire Seldarine with her
"Anti-Seldarine" consisting of Vhaeraun, Malar, Ghaunadaur, Gruumsh,
Auril, and a host of other gods of goblinoids, orcs, giants, and kobolds,
as well as Eilistraee, who was only an unwitting participant in her
schemes. Sehanine escaped from her imprisonment and warned Corellon of
the impending attack. Despite their force of numbers, the anti-Seldarine
were defeated. While her allies fled, Araushnee directly confronted her
former lover but then Sehanine, Hanali Celanil and Aerdrie Faenya came to
the rescue, merging their powers together to become a single deity,
Angharradh. Araushnee was defeated and cast into the Abyss along with
both of her children (despite the fact that Corellon knew Eilistraee had
been tricked). Araushnee's banishment also involved Corellon turning her
into a bloated spider demon so that he could not be persuaded to
reconsider his decision due to her beauty.
Araushnee took the name Lolth and turned the 66th layer of the Abyss into
her new home. Without another home Vhaeraun, Eilistraee and Ghaunadaur
took up small residences there, though Vhaeraun and Eilistraee rarely
visited them, preferring to wander in the Plane of Shadow and Arvandor
respectively. Ghaunadaur took the opportunity of living in the same realm
as Lolth to announce his love for her but Lolth prized physical beauty,
an attribute Ghaunadaur did not have and rejected his advances. The Drow
demi-power Kiaransalee created a tower of bones in the realm and was
thusly subjugated by Lolth's will into becoming her reluctant vassal.
Also, Lolth learned of the demon prince Zanassu who claimed divine
dominion over spiders. Considering her new body, she thought it was her
sole right to own such a portfolio and angrily tricked Selvetarm into
attacking the demon prince, killing him. She gained a divine portfolio
and a new consort. She used her regained divinity to turn the 66th layer
into the Demonweb Pits, changing it into a giant funnel-shaped web to fit
her spidery appearance.
Some time afterwards the moon elf Kethryllia Amarillis intruded into the
demonweb, reminding Lolth of a way to regain more of her divinity by
having the surface elves worship her once more. She began corrupting the
surface elves, especially the dark-skinned and warlike Illythiri of whom
she used to be the sole patron. It was her actions during the second
Crown War that ended up causing the Illythiri to turn to darkness when
she sent the balor lord Wendonai and other demonic servants to offer
corrupting power to the dark elves. Just before the Illythiri were turned
into drow they had begun openly worshiping Lolth and, over 11,000 years
later, she still holds dominion over them.
({crSEE LOLTH2 FOR REST OF HISTORY{c0)
