| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Herkles |
Posted - 29 Aug 2007 : 23:56:40
Hello, I come with another question. I know of a few rituals that eilistraeens preform, mainly the high moon hunt. I am wondering what about the smaller rituals and festivals what do the eilistraeens do then? I do know that singing and dancing are most likely a type of ritual but any help is good help. if you have a non cannon ritual that you use in your campaign I would be interested in hearing that as well.
thanks ~ herkles |
| 4 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| The Red Walker |
Posted - 05 Sep 2007 : 14:29:01
quote:
Originally posted by Herkles
Hello, I come with another question. I know of a few rituals that eilistraeens preform, mainly the high moon hunt. I am wondering what about the smaller rituals and festivals what do the eilistraeens do then? I do know that singing and dancing are most likely a type of ritual but any help is good help. if you have a non cannon ritual that you use in your campaign I would be interested in hearing that as well.
thanks ~ herkles
There is a nice quick depiction of a High Moon Hunt in Lisa Smedman's new book in The Lady Penitent Trilogy: Strom of the Dead. |
| Victor_ograygor |
Posted - 30 Aug 2007 : 09:12:59
Eilistraee’s church observes a number of festivals. The Sword Dance is a ritual of shedding a small amount of blood and invoking Eilistraee’s favor to prevent a blade from breaking or rusting for the next three months. The High Hunt, celebrated at least once each season, is a nocturnal pursuit of a dangerous beast or monster, led by clerics of Eilistraee. By tradition, the hunters may use any bladed weapons and wear anything—except the clerics, who go naked, each carrying only a single sword. If the quarry is slain, the celebrants chant prayers and perform a circle dance to the deity. At least once a year, clerics of Eilistraee undertake a Run. Those who are not drow blacken their bodies with natural dyes and oils, and all, drow or not, boil certain leaves and berries to make their hair silvery. They then go wandering on the surface world, trusting to their music, kind ways, and sword skills to keep from being slain on sight. They go where they are strangers, making an effort to seek out elven communities, and bring them game, succor, and helping hands. They try to learn new songs, music, and sword ways, and do not come to preach their faith or make a mark for themselves.
In the end, all clerics of the Dark Maiden who do not die in battle hold their greatest ritual, the Last Dance. In their old age, they hear Eilistraee singing to them by night, calling them to her. When the song feels right, they go out unclad under the moonlit sky and dance—never to be seen again. Those who have observed such dances say that the deity appears and sings overhead, and the aged cleric begins to dance more effortlessly, looking younger and younger. Her hair begins to glow with the same radiance as the Dark Maiden’s, and then she becomes slowly translucent, fading away as the dance goes on. In the end, only a silvery radiance is seen, with two voices—the deity and her cleric—raised together in melancholy, tender song. Eilistraee’s clerics often multiclass as fighters, bards, rangers, or sword dancers (see Chapter 4 of Faiths and Pantheons).
The Dark Maiden, Lady of the Dance, Lesser Deity
http://drowcampaign.roleplaynexus.com/Eilistraee.html |
| initiate |
Posted - 30 Aug 2007 : 05:21:51
I'm afraid that I don't have the novel to hand, so I can't recall the specifics right now, but Lisa Smedman's "Extinction" contains a description of an Eilistraeen ritual involving the redemption of a Lolthite drow, and her conversion to the Moonmaiden's faith. I do remember that the ritual involved circular dancing until moonrise, and then continued dancing accompanied by the sung repetition of key phrases. There may be some tidbits in Lisa Smedman's first Lady Penitent novel "Sacrifice of the Widow" as well, but as I recall in that particular tome Eilistraeens are primarily featured hacking the living crap out of people and things.
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| The Sage |
Posted - 30 Aug 2007 : 00:32:56
Have you read through Eilistraee's entry in Demihuman Deities? There's a few tidbits listed in that tome.
Unfortunately though, deity-related rituals/ceremonies/festivals are one of the neglected parts of the Realmslore. Ed's itching to share with us some specifics concerning such aspects of deity worship, and he's managed to do so through his replies here at Candlekeep [including a few mentions for Eilistraee as I recall, as well as several other deities]. But, for the most part, there's very little in published Realmslore concerning this subject.
Search through Ed's replies, and take a look at the entry in Demihuman Deities. They should both provide you with a suitable grounding in lore regarding what's been officially referenced so far about specific Eilistraee-related rituals/ceremonies/festivals.
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