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Originally posted by Baltas

Wrigley, I think you conflated my and Markustay's comments, and misunderstood them.

I didn't arrgue Talos is different deity than Kozah - opposite of that, I just gave two explanations, for his change of name.

With Eldath, Markustay, and up to a level I, mused about Eldath's connection to the Moonshae Isles Earthmother (who was established since 4E as a separate enity from Chauntea), not Chauntea, and latter I suggested that if Jannath wasn't Chauntea, then maybe she was the Eaerhmother, based on some facts connecting them.

The Earthmother also isn't Ed's creation, but was added, along the Moonshae Isles, very early (pre-publishing) to the Realms. Ed did write possibly latter stuff with Moonshae Isles, but they wereb't in his original Realms.

It's curious though that if you read the earliest mentioned Realms Lore (like "Down-to-earth Divinity"), it's Eldath (and Silvanus), who are connected to druidism, not Chauntea.

But it was more just theorizing on our, and I did note I think it's more probable Eldath started out as an unrelated Fey deity.

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"Truename" is something of a misnomer;
such names are identifiers that must apply correctly to the caster
but may be pseudonyms, pet names, or favored titles or phrases.
They are usually not innate, unchangeable, unique names that
define the caster from birth. "The Sage of Shadowdale," for
instance, is a truename for Elminster.

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Jannath
Greater Power of Elysium NG
PORTFOLIO:Wild nature, forests, wild animals, the sea and
sea creatures, agriculture, cultivation, farmers,
gardeners, the fundamental elements, summer
TITLES:The Great Mother, the Grain Goddess, the
Golden Goddess, She Who Shapes All, the
Forest Mother, Guardian of the Wilds and
Deeps, Earthmother, Keeper of the Wild

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While she turned
her blessing upon those plants and animals that had been domesticated,
granting them fertility and abundance, she protected the
forests, plains, jungles, arctic wildernesses, and even the depths of
the sea with an equal generosity of spirit. Any who burned forests
or grasslands, cut wood to excess, overfished, hunted whales, or
attempted wholesale slaughter of the fur-bearing animals of
Faerűn found their efforts rewarded by aggressive visitations from
the most clever of thieves and vicious predators of the animal and
plant kingdom, who ruined their profits—or their lives.

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Originally posted by dazzlerdal

Eldath being fey I can get behind. The question would be is do the fey and elves still worship her. If not why not.

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Originally posted by Baltas

-dazzlerdal
Actually, Eldath's first mention (not counting possibly the Rengarth/Goliath cult which would be -357 DR and maybe before) is a bit older - she is first mentioned in -167 DR (The Year of Sudden Kinship), in Myth Nantar, a distinctly non-human settlement at that point, asociated with Seas Elves and Merfolk.
(from "Sea of Fallen Stars")

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Lives above Serôs tie themselves to the sun and moon and the changing seasons. Here in Eldath's embrace,
neither stars nor seasons are as intrusive, though they are no less present. Each creature and civilization
views time differently, though the entire lifeblood of the sea shifts in unified answer to the subtle movement of
time. Finding a way to unify their measurement of time so all races (including those sages in Faerűn with an
interest) shall be my gift to those who honor the Loremaster and other powers in the Inner Sea.
-Arkallus Vorduhl, lorekeeper of Oghma and early native of Myth Nantar, the Year of Sudden Kinship

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(And Eldath is a major deity in Myth Nantar, up till 1370s)

Many other areas were that were Eldath's old centres of worship had often Elven and Fey presence - Myth Ondath and Rystal Wood were inhabitted (even originally) by Sylvan Elves and Fey, Myth Drannor was originally elven city, and latter still partially had an elven population, and recently again a (largelly or entirelly) elven population.

The Myrloch Lake shrines at Moonshae Isles preserved by nereids.

Orcs raised by Eldathyns, and worshipping Eldath - Ondonti - became Fey.

Ed, in his first description of Eldath (in "Down-to-earth divinity"), noted specifically Nymphs in Faerun, worship Eldath:

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nymphs worship
Eldath (they believe she is the source
of the power to kill those who look upon
their naked forms).

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I think it's also possible Eldath was originally a Fey power, adopted by elves and human (humans adpoting Eldath from elves, or directly from Fey), seeing how fairly consistently Eldath is tied with Fey and Elves, or places they live...(and seeing how elves originally worshipped Fey Deities before the Seldarine, and some, especilly Wood and Silvan Elves, still do)

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Notes: Despite the dogma oft-repeated by Umberlee's faithful, she no more rules the oceans than Talos
rules the land. Both gods influence and control the destruction
within their domains, but Umberlee's reach
extends only along the surface and the shallows to a
depth of about 100 feet. As Umberlee and her worshipers
dominate Upper Serôs among the shallows, Eldath
keeps the peace in the depths. More than 100 feet
below the surface, the chaos above rarely intrudes on
the peace, tranquility, and calm ballet of the tidal currents.
While Umberlee rules surface-worlders view of
the oceans, many here point to calm Eldath as the true
goddess of the sea.

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In addition to these two, the tribes believe in a
number of lesser gods and spirits. The beast cult
of horses is particularly important. An aspect of
Eldath is venerated, since water is so important.

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Olone
(o-LAHN-ay)
An old mythic tale within the oral traditions of both
the whales and some worshipers of Eldath names the full
moon as Olone, a former lover of the Green Goddess.
He was once a mortal merman who fought Umberlee to
protect his lover from her wrath, and she evilly changed
him into a bubble to rise up, far away from his beloved
ocean. Olone and Eldath remain ever apart, but his staring
eye coolly lights the depths without disturbing them
as he watches his love. Even when worshipers of Selűne
try to educate them otherwise about the moon and
godly powers, they cling to this old romantic myth, and
the whalesongs about Olone also keep the name alive.

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Elminster's Notes: I love the story of Olone and Eldath,
which has numerous permutations from different places and
times. The lengthy tragic ballad, when sung by Serôsian
bards, always brings a tear or three to this old sage's eye.

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Epochs of the Inner Sea
No historical records date back to the Time of Dragons,
as the early years of Faerűn's history are named. Serôsian
historians usually mark four major eras in its history,
while it has just recently opened the doors to a new,
fifth, era.
The First Epoch (Time of Beginnings): Stretching
from fables and myths to the emergence of recorded history,
the First Epoch looms large as a time of change as
the Serôsian races all take to the sea. Only the whales
have much knowledge of this time, and all they sing of
are the delights of meeting the new people of Serôs and
of the dragons that loom large in the surface-world
lands. This Epoch ends with the elven migrations into
Serôs and their Rise to power.
The Second Epoch (Time of the Elves)

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Originally posted by Markustay

Snobbery? If even half the deities I think may have been Yuir are fey/Elven originally, then it seems they have a distinct dislike for elven deities who have broadened their fanbase (have non-Elf worshipers).

Or, conversely, she may be worshiped by the fey under another name. What if Eldath and Mielikki are the same Goddess? Mielikki already has a presence and name within the Seldarine. Mielikki is probably Netherese, and thus, likely Gur in origin. Eldath may have just been the name she was known by among the Turami and/or Talfir. Its not really that much of a stretch, at all. I also think Mielikki is the same power as Ehlonna, who was/is GH and is now 'Core' (4e). The lore (PS) says the two live together, but I think that's just a matter of mortal perception; i think they are atually the same being. I just think her Eldath aspect may have had more to do with 'watery places' in nature than her others.

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