Page 56 - Mordenkainen's Tome Of Foes

The dark elves believe that Selvetarm walked in soli- drow warriors who are themselves slaves or indentured
tude for many centuries, spurning both Lolth and Corel- servants, or who have no chance to rise in rank, can be-
lon, for he was not wholly given over to evil but neither seech Selvctarm for prowess in battle without suffering
was he fully aligned with the forces of light. Eventually any shame. Anyone of high standing or who hopes to
his path crossed that of Eilistraee, and he began to ap- attain high standing shies away from openly expressing
preciate the goodness of the Dark Maiden, as exhibited reverence for Selvetarm, though such an individual
in her teachings and deeds. By aiding in Selvetarm's might still beg his aid privately.
redemption, Eilistraee hoped to begin to heal the
breach between drow and the Setdarine. That hope was VHAERAUN
dashed, however, by the insidious plotting ofLolth. Vhaeraun stands for the dark elves' superiority over
The Queen of Spiders had long resented the existence other races and for the primacy of individual drow over
of Zanassu, a minor demon lord that competed with other drow. He is a god of arrogance, and thus he con-
her for divine authority over spiders. She hated almost dones all acts of avarice, fair and foul alike. Those who
as much the possibility of Eilistraee's winning an ally take what they want from whom they wish, whether
among the drow pantheon. A prime opportunity arose through stealth or bullying, pay homage to Vhaeraun.
when the spider demon lost much of its power in a con- He is patron to thieves and often the object of prayer be-
flict on the Material Plane. Lolth convinced Selvetarm fore drow embark on a raid.
to destroy Zanassu in its depleted state and seize the Among the male gods of the Dark Seldarine, he is as
spider demon's burgeoning divine power. She did so by widely recognized and accepted as Keptolo. But Vhaer-
suggesting to Selvetarm that a victory would win him aun represents a different aspect of drow masculinity:
favor in the eyes of Eilistraee, whom he greatly admired. strong, silent, obedient, swift, and deadly. He is thought
But when Selvetarm prevailed in battle over the spider of as Lolth's favored son, in contrast to Keptolo's role as
demon, the wholly evil and chaotic nature of the divine her beautiful consort.
power he absorbed overwhelmed Selvetarm's innate Due to his high status in the Dark Seldarine (for a
goodness and weakened him enough that the Spider male} and because of his arrogance, a few of his wor-
Queen could bound his will tightly to her own. shipers look on him as an advocate of equality between
Enraged by Lolth's duplicity, Selvetarm is an engine male and female drow. That heresy, when it is expressed
of destruction, an eight-limbed maestro of slaughter. If openly. is liable to be savagely crushed by the priest-
allowed to operate unchecked, he could rend his way esses of Loi th. So most of Vhaeraun's male followers
through an entire cl row city in a berserk rage. Keeping honor him simply by trying to carve out better lives for
him restrained is one of the few acts of Lolth that can be themselves, and that activity is tolerated. Even so, adher-
described as merciful. ents of Vhaeraun don't appear in public without wearing
Because of his status as a captive, Selvetarm draws masks. This practice exists in part because Vhaeraun is
little attention from drow of high status. Low-caste

CHAPTER 2 I ELVES