Twisted Webs of the Spider Queen by Nsykah Dauviir

%^RESET%^%^MAGENTA%^A %^BOLD%^%^WHITE%^s%^RESET%^%^WHITE%^i%^BOLD%^%^BLACK%^lv%^RESET%^%^WHITE%^e%^BOLD%^%^WHITE%^r%^RESET%^%^MAGENTA%^-lined velvet book%^RESET%^

%^BOLD%^%^BLACK%^This book is artfully made, with a cover of %^RESET%^%^MAGENTA%^deep violet velvet%^BOLD%^%^BLACK%^, interlaced with the patternings of a %^WHITE%^silvery spider's web %^BLACK%^across the cover. The title has been embossed with the same %^WHITE%^silver lines%^BLACK%^, in thicker letters. Each of the pages is %^RESET%^%^WHITE%^jet-black %^BOLD%^%^BLACK%^and crafted from expensive parchment, with flowing script written in %^WHITE%^silvery letters %^BLACK%^that glow of their own accord in a lack of light. Each time Lolth's name is mentioned, the first letter has been %^RESET%^%^MAGENTA%^embossed %^BOLD%^%^BLACK%^in ornate caligraphy and violet dust.%^RESET%^

Sisters of Light and Darkness
Lolth and Shar
The Battle of Arvandor


Sisters of Light and Darkness

%^MAGENTA%^A%^CYAN%^t the start of all things, the essence of the world came to split apart into a goddess who was as one, yet two; twin sisters who were as different as night and day, yet so close that they thought of themselves as one being. The Goddess of two faces created the heavenly bodies, breathing life into them to create the world itself.

%^MAGENTA%^T%^CYAN%^his new universe was lit by the radiance of the silver-haired sister, and darkened by the embrace of the raven-haired sister. But the life of the earth between them begged for heat and warmth to flourish, and for the first time the two sisters found themselves divided. And so did the two sisters contest with each other, and from this conflagration were born the gods of war, disease, murder and death, residues of the mighty battle.


%^MAGENTA%^A%^CYAN%^t a turning point in the battle, the silver-haired sister reached across the planes to a land of eternal fire. Tearing forth a fragment of that flame, she used it to fix light into the skies above, burning herself terribly. Incensed, the raven-haired sister returned the attack and began to snuff out all light within the universe as she went. Yet now in her desperation did the silver-haired sister take a portion of her own essence, throwing it forth at her twin.

%^MAGENTA%^T%^CYAN%^his essence tore forth an equal portion from the raven-haired goddess, forming a being of pure magic itself (known later to surfacers as Mystra). Though formed of both light and darkness, this being initially favored her silver-haired mother, allowing the sister of light to win an uneasy truce with her more powerful dark twin. In bitterness at the defeat, the raven-haired sister vowed eternal revenge, awaiting her time alone in the darkness.


Lolth and Shar

%^MAGENTA%^I%^CYAN%^t should be noted to any surfacers, to avoid confusion, that the Spider Goddess %^MAGENTA%^L%^CYAN%^olth is often perceived as a facet of the surface goddess %^MAGENTA%^S%^CYAN%^har. The truth of this is that %^MAGENTA%^S%^CYAN%^har is merely a regional interpretation of %^MAGENTA%^L%^CYAN%^olth herself; the two are one and the same. To pay homage to one, is to pay homage to the other, %^MAGENTA%^S%^CYAN%^he who reigns over the night and the darkness, and all creatures within it. Sacred to %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^er are the Drow, who reside eternally in the ever-night of %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^er realms of underdark, awaiting the time when %^MAGENTA%^S%^CYAN%^he will reach up over the above-lands and cover the world in darkness evermore.


The Battle of Arvandor

%^MAGENTA%^F%^CYAN%^rom the first, Lolth was named as %^MAGENTA%^A%^CYAN%^raushnee, the weaver of destiny, and resided in Arvandor, home of the gods. Partner %^MAGENTA%^S%^CYAN%^he was to the creator of the elves, Corellon Larethian (whom the surfacers name as Lathander). Yet despite %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^er wondrous power over elvenkind and their destiny, %^MAGENTA%^S%^CYAN%^he was only ever revered as lesser among the gods, and so for %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^er greater wit and cunning %^MAGENTA%^S%^CYAN%^he did plot to take the place deserved by %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^er as the leader of all the elves.


%^MAGENTA%^A%^CYAN%^nd so, %^MAGENTA%^S%^CYAN%^he gathered an alliance of powers to %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^erself, including Malar and Auril, and %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^er children Vhaeraun (whom the surfacers name as Mask) and Eilistraee (whom the surfacers perceive as a lesser aspect of the moon goddess Selune). Together did they march upon Arvandor, and through a cunning deception %^MAGENTA%^S%^CYAN%^he did pretend to fight on the side of Corellon and his own against the hoard of monsters and beasts, and attempted during the fight to turn an arrow loosed by %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^er daughter toward Corellon, but it did not slay him.


%^MAGENTA%^Y%^CYAN%^et the powers of the elven gods prevailed, and as the battle turned, %^MAGENTA%^A%^CYAN%^raushnee was faced with %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^er once-consort upon the battlefield. Again did %^MAGENTA%^S%^CYAN%^he try to slay him, but was betrayed by %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^er once allies Sehanine Moonbow (whom surfacers name as a greater aspect of Selune), Hanali Celanil (whom surfacers name as Sune) and Aerdrie Faenya (whom surfacers name as Akadi). Together they did overpower %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^er, and so as Corellon did curse %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^er with the name of Lolth, did %^MAGENTA%^S%^CYAN%^he flee from him, taking on %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^er Weaver's form as a tiny spider, and hid %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^erself within the furthest corner of the Abyss. And so did Corellon banish %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^er son, Vhaeraun, to ever lurk in the shadows for his part in the battle. %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^er daughter Eilistraee claimed innocence, and to this day still seeks to steal the souls of the faithful from Lolth.


%^MAGENTA%^A%^CYAN%^nd so, after time unmeasured to plan %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^er next revenge against %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^er betrayer Corellon, %^MAGENTA%^L%^CYAN%^olth came forth in secrecy and chose a people among the elves to be %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^er own. %^MAGENTA%^S%^CYAN%^he did aid the dark-elven people of Ilythiiri with %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^er powers, in their millenia-long war against their rival elven houses, during the Second Crown War, and so they were victorious against their enemies.

%^MAGENTA%^A%^CYAN%^gain in the Fourth Crown War did the Ilythiiri wage war against their fellow elves, in righteous retalliation for the destruction of their land and people. In fear of their growing power, the other elves did betray them, invoking Corellon in a ritual intended to corrupt the elves of Ilythiiri, though it had a much broader effect, corrupting all the dark elves in the region.


%^MAGENTA%^T%^CYAN%^he resulting dark elves were cursed with blackened skin, and branded with the elven name dhaerow (shortened to 'drow' in modern times), meaning 'traitor'. They fled beneath the earth, following %^MAGENTA%^L%^CYAN%^olth into the underdark. It was this dark domain that they took for their own, embracing %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^er ever-night and becoming creatures of darkness.

%^MAGENTA%^Y%^CYAN%^et the time will come when Lolth and her faithful will return to the surface, and She will regain %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^er rightful place as the Queen of all elvenkind, casting down Corellon as is %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^er destiny. So will %^MAGENTA%^H%^CYAN%^er faithful be rewarded for their strivings, as they will be the most powerful and cunning among all elves, and they too will take their place as superior among their kindred.