| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Daviot |
Posted - 05 Aug 2008 : 04:33:52
First off, I'm not really “into” drow, or their innately self-destructive society. That said, the events of the Lady Penitent series miffed even me. My group and its shared FR world certainly won't be using them.
In my games, I lessen the impact of the “always chaotic evil” stereotype. This is not to say that I believe in the “everything is in a shade of grey” DM philosophy either; I just think that most humanoid creatures will favor more neutral alignments out of indifference and selfishness: it usually takes effort to be good and evil (some self-supporting wicked societies aside).
Under that frame of logic, I've always pondered about Vhaeraun. With his focus on migrating to the surface, he always seemed like he should have been a Chaotic Neutral deity rather than Chaotic Evil, which left the drow pantheon as all CE and then the CG dancing flower child of Eilistraee.
So I wrote him up in my group's shared world as Chaotic Neutral, and promoted self-determination as his big kick, providing a valuable and popular option for drow who are tired of the Lolth-dominated society but not quite willing to subvert themselves to another matriarchal, albeit good, clergy. So, without further ado:
Vhaeraun
The Masked Lord, the Masked God of Night
Lesser Deity
Symbol: A pair of black glass lenses that form a mask; black half-mask that covers one side of the face
Home Plane: Arvandor (formerly Demonweb Pits)
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Portfolio: Thievery, drow males, self-determination, surface drow
Worshippers: Assassins, male drow and half-drow, outcasts, poisoners, shadowdancers, rogues, thieves
Cleric Alignments: N, NE*, CN, CG, CE*
Domains: Chaos, Community, Drow, Liberation, Travel, Trickery
Favored Weapon: “Shadowflash” (short sword)
*Vhaeraun allows these alignments for clerics fighting other drow in the Underdark, but strongly encourages those on the surface to take more neutral outlooks.
Vhaeraun (vay-rawn) is vain and proud, but also increasingly characterized as “devil may care”. Most of his long-time grudges have been shrugged off (with the exception of his hatred towards Lolth). Treachery and underhanded means are perfectly acceptable so long as their further his aims, but does accept such tactics used against his followers, either by outsiders or to one another. He’s somewhat active in drow politics (at a distance) and will usually send a divine minion to assist his clergy if the need is there and if the action might have far-reaching consequences.
The church of Vhaeraun is loosely organized into semi-autonomous cells and clans. The clergy is almost entirely male (though the religion actively promotes gender equality among its followers, most of the clergy are paranoid, rightfully so, of Lolth’s spies). They are increasingly more active in the surface world, and what was a long-time heresy of reuniting with the surface elves is now part of the accepted dogma. While they specialize in trickery, assignation, and sowing insurrection among drow males, in surface communities the clerics may practice openly and tend to be much more neutral in outlook, forming communities that are a strange mix of half-gang and half-clan. The religion actively promotes contact and marriage with other races, and clerics on the surface are actively encouraged to invite like-minded souls to their clans, elven or otherwise, though only a few non-drow have become clerics. Clerics attempt to establish themselves permanently on the surface, either permanently or nomadically, and are expected to defend their holds from subsurface incursions. Poisons (especially those that disable or weaken) are favored, and effective new poisons, spells, and battle tactics are to be praised and shared among clergy.
Clerics of Vhaeraun pray for their spells at dusk, to be best prepared for night-time raids and negotiations. Clerics typically pray whenever they’ve accomplished something worthy for their community. Offerings of wealth, and priestly regalia of their enemies (especially that of Lolth’s clerics) are highly prized by the deity, although Vhaeraun prefers daily vigilance and self-determination over a dangerous large haul and further pointless bloodshed. Midwinter Night, known to the followers of Vhaeraun as “(the) Masked Lord’s Embrace” is the holiest day of the year, a day of quiet introspection where each worshipper is expected to cloak themselves in magical darkness (or failing that, a lightless room), and any follower with darkness as a spell-like ability or as a spell has it automatically extended for the full day. On the surface, new moons are seen as the holiest time of month, often celebrated with stag hunts either from riding lizards or horses, and the meat is expected to be shared evenly. Many clerics multiclass as assassins, divine seekers, shadowdancers, or rogues.
History/Relationships: Vhaeraun is the offspring of Corellon and Araushnee (Lolth’s former self) and is the brother of Eilistraee. Cast out along with his mother, he long yearned for the freedom of traveling about the surface. During the Time of Troubles, he sought refuge with Eilistraee and with the help of Fenmarel Mestarine (the Lone Wolf), the elven deity of outcasts, he quietly abandoned his traditional allies of Shar and Talona and his own tiny divine realm, taking his followers, servitors, and petitioners with him to the woods of Arvandor. This newfound freedom from Lolth changed and relaxed his outlook, and he actively encourages this more neutral-leaning view in those of his followers that have reached the surface, though many have a hard time adjusting.
His new allies are Fenmarel Mestarine and Shaundakul, though he maintains his allegiances with Eilistraee and Mask. He has tried to approach the demigod Shevarash and soften his view of destroying all non-Eilistraee drow and change it to focusing on the followers of Lolth, to little success. Selűne has approached him about being the deity of the new moon, but he so far has not responded to her entreaties.
Dogma: Those of the Masked Lord must cast themselves from the mad tyranny of the Spider Queen and reclaim their rightful place in the Night Above. Weaken the matriarchies of Lolth if possible, but it is better to live and do what one will in the surface world than die pointlessly under Toril. Your clan is your brothers and sisters; harm them not. The daughters of Eilistraee are likewise your sisters; do them no harm regardless of whether you agree with them. Be wary of female drow until they are proven to be free of the taint of the Spider Queen, and then treat them as equals. Drow are elves as much as those who stayed on the surface, and should welcome any who choose to live as we do: elf or otherwise, male or female. Many will attack you from above and below; defend yourself by any means available, but seek not pointless bloodshed.
Thoughts, my fellow scribes? I've had this image that Clan Auzkovyn is more of a mix of gang, bandit camp, and clan grouped into small squads. Bandits and thieves at worst, but they wouldn't backstab each other. At worst, you drug your opponent with sleep poison, steal his stuff, and go your own way. Which is really miles above the typical drow response of “drug your opponent and slit their throat”. I can just see a group: a few drow, a male half-drow cleric, a female wild elf in warpaint, an exiled Cormyrian sorcerer, and an ex-Zhent or two in tattered uniforms, all calling themselves “Auzkovyn”. |
| 9 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| GRYPHON |
Posted - 06 Aug 2008 : 06:08:07
Interesting interpretation of the god. |
| Daviot |
Posted - 06 Aug 2008 : 04:09:52
quote:
Originally posted by dwarvenranger
I agree. I mean I've always seen elves as flighty anyway. "Lets go to war. Oh wait, lets go dance instead. Wait, wait, even better we can combine the two."  Why should drow be any different?
Or my personal favorite quote on that topic, taken from The Annotated Elminster's Elminster in Myth Drannor:
“The elves of Cormanthor have always been known for their calm, measure responses to perceived threats. They often consider for half a day or more before going out and killing them.” |
| dwarvenranger |
Posted - 06 Aug 2008 : 03:01:05
quote:
Originally posted by Kiaransalyn
I like your own take on Vhaeraun, Daviot. I always thought there should be a third Seldarine who represented Chaotic Neutral.
I agree. I mean I've always seen elves as flighty anyway. "Lets go to war. Oh wait, lets go dance instead. Wait, wait, even better we can combine the two." Why should drow be any different? |
| Kiaransalyn |
Posted - 05 Aug 2008 : 19:41:13
In my own campaign I had Vhaeraun as a Chaotic Neutral, Intermediate deity. His portfolio was independence, self-determination, stealth, night, half-drow. He sought to found a drow realm on the surface. He also tried to become a deity for half-drow, who I used frequently in my campaigns since they often served as slaves to full drow.
Then again in my campaign, Kiaransalee was also Chaotic Neutral on account of a strange Kiaransaleen cult who believed that the best way to ensure no-one exacted vengeance upon you was to be mildly altruistic. Such a sect had some influence over her (in my campaign. However, the main influence was her own shift to becoming the Goddess of Twilight and Transitions as she reduced the Vengeance side of her portfolio and focussed more on her undead status, it self seen as a transition neither living nor dead. I worked in quite a bit of the Celtic Time between Times mythology.
I like your own take on Vhaeraun, Daviot. I always thought there should be a third Seldarine who represented Chaotic Neutral. |
| Zanan |
Posted - 05 Aug 2008 : 18:32:25
Son'ny actually bottled it when he failed to contain the imprisoned Sehanine. He let her escape, Lolth's plan vs. Corellon failed and she rightfully blamed him. He couldn't take it on the chin and went the spoilt brat way. AFAIK
If he had shown any intention to further the drow's cause in a decent enough way instead of harassing mum and sis, he might have succeeded and validated a decent write up. |
| Pandora |
Posted - 05 Aug 2008 : 16:05:27
I think the key question is: What is his motivation?
- If he wants to avenge himself and his followers for being wronged he would probably have enough malice to justify the evil stamp. The rogue part would be his way to achieve the goal.
- If he instead has no objective other than the "rogue portfolio" that is his focus and he shouldnt be evil but chaotic neutral as you wrote. |
| dwarvenranger |
Posted - 05 Aug 2008 : 16:00:48
I like it. It allows the brother and sister to work together as sort of a natural balance for one another against their mother. |
| Zanan |
Posted - 05 Aug 2008 : 11:44:13
Versus the mad tyranny of the goddess, priestesses, and females. Aye right ... ( )
... IMHO he's just the spoilt-brat poor excuse of a deity. One target: get into the females and bring them back into the "natural order of things". Of all drow deities, he's the first that had to go. (I do not include Ghaunadaur in there, BTW.) If there was some sort of redo of him, I'd make him much more like Mask and certainly as gender equal to all drow as his old dogma (and only his dogma) proclaims. |
| Lady Fellshot |
Posted - 05 Aug 2008 : 07:00:14
I would use this. I'd still have Vhaeruanites sometimes squabble with the Dark Maid's followers though...
I like the notion of bringing his "rogue" aspect to the fore too ^.^ |
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