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chargerrich
Acolyte
USA
11 Posts |
 Posted - 06 May 2024 : 16:10:52
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Hello fellow lore scholars!
I am compiling a history of the drow and have run into what I can only assume is a conflict (perhaps not, certainly open to new information) and was hoping to gain some insight on how to address and/or some general thoughts and feedback.
So the general thesis of my research is documenting, delineating and demarcing the evolution of and contrasting differences between the Ilthyiir dark elves that migrated to faerun from the faerie and the modern drow of the underdark.
Part of that contrast is to make clear that the dark elves that migrated on or about -27,000 DR were not worshippers of Lolth and in fact did not even know she existed.
With that in mind, my confusion/conflict arises from two specific events that we have canonical dates for (or semi-canonical depending on your view of novel originated lore).
It is made crystal clear in the novel Evermeet: Island of Elves that Lolth was not even made aware of the early ilthyiir dark elves (or Faerun for that matter) until -24,400 DR as told in the "from the abyss" story (chapter 8 I believe).
This is the story of the heroine Kethryllia descending into the abyss to save her consort, meeting Kiaransalee who provides aid to the young archmage warrior that subsequently alerts Lolth to her presence and through scying (and Ka'Narist's dagger) discovers a realm called Faerun that is populated with dark elves as potential followers ("Lloth would follow the elven lovers to whatever world they called home, and see if she might stake out a claim there.")
That story also strongly intimates - if not flat out confirms - that Lolth did not even have mortal followers at that time ("She had little hope of corrupting such elves as these she had seen this day, but did not even the evil and insane Kiaranselee have her followers?").
So if as of -24,400 DR Lolth was not aware of the dark elves (and perhaps did not even have the concept of mortal followers, which does not seem logical but i digress) then how does one rationalize that with the many statements made leading up the War of the Seldarine in -30,000 DR almost 6 millennia earlier where it is stated many times that in her pre-tanar'ri form as the wife of Corellon, Araushnee she was ("the main goddess of the dark elves, whose nightly complexion matched her own").
Are these a different species of "dark elf" than the ones covered in the dawn ages of the realms who would be exiled to the underdark after the fourth crown war?
There are other minor facets that lack strong logic (the ilthyiir WERE worshipping her son Vhaeraun and most wild elves of Miyeritar WERE woshipping her daughter Eilistraee, etc.) so perhaps the book story should just be tossed?
Or perhaps there is other canonical sources that might clarify but I have missed?
At the end of the day, I am trying to nail down the most logical and cannonical model of both THE WHEN and THe HOW Lolth became the primary god of the drow as one of 3 or 4 demarcations of the ilthyiir "becoming" drow (the others being the Dark Disaster, Corellon's Curse and the subsequent official Dark Descent into the underdark).
I really appreciate any and all feedback!
Thank you.
Mod edit: Found this one adrift in the ethers and moved it.
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Edited by - Wooly Rupert on 12 May 2024 19:07:13
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The Ilthyiir dark elves, the drow and Lolth
