Summary
Deep beneath the surface of the earth inDungeons & Dragons, political machinations and murder run rifein the cities of the Underdark.Mothers smother their children for fear of betrayal, children kill their fathers in shows of devotion, and friends turn on one another in hopes one will outlive the other for a moment longer.
At the center of this chaos lies Lolth, the Spider Queen and the chaotic evil goddess of the drow. A fickle and treacherous deity, Lolth thrives off cruelty and callous disregard for life. She delights in sowing dissent among her enemies and followers alike.
What Are Lolth’s Origins?
Many elves know the tale of Arushnee, the traitor wife of the elven god Corellon Larethian. Though she may have loved them once,Arushnee grew jealous of her partner’s statusand command of the elven pantheon.
This jealousy grew into hatred,detesting the god’s compassionand citing their kindness as a weakness.
Though the cause of her ultimate fall is unknown, many agree thatthe combination of consorting with the demons of the Abyss, compounded with herdeep envy and desire to conquer, led her toher ultimate betrayal.
The Creation Of Lolth
Upon imprisoning the goddess Sehanine Moonbow with her son Vhaeraun,Arushnee would launch a series of attacks against Corellonby instigating war with their various enemies. While raising armies covertly, sheplaced a curse on their scabbard, causing whatever weapon they were wielding to fail them.
While this plan would initially fail, Arushnee would later sendher daughter, Eilistraee, to aid Corellon during battle,instructing her to deliver the scabbard.
The plan was to prey upon Eilistaee’s good nature, trusting that she would attempt to defend her parent should they come into trouble, therebyusing her as a scapegoat for Corellon’s death.
Upon firing arrows at Corellon’s attackers, the curse would finally strike true. Eilistraee’s arrows were redirected,striking the already-wounded deity.Corellon, however, would survive this attempt on their life and, after recovering, would hold a trial for Arushnee.
Unable to kill her,Corellon would cast out their former wife.
Lolth was known to have three children:Eilistraee, goddess of the hunt and dance; Vhaeraun, god of assassins and male drow; and Vandria, goddess of grief and war.
Arushnee took the name Lolth following her exile, descending into the Abyss to conquer the Demonweb Pits as her own. Theelves who sided with her against Corellonwere cast out in turn,becoming the drowupon following her into the Underdark.
What Is Lolth’s Personality?
Lolth is a cunning, violent goddess whoprioritizes malice, domination, and obedience.She is alsoconfusing and contradictory, owing partly to her brilliance and partly to the small amount of sanity she has preserved since her descent into the Abyss.
Worshiping Lolth will not save those who love her; hating her only draws her interest quickly.
Survival in a Lolthite circle relies entirely on one’s ability to adapt to her erratic nature, as serving her does not guarantee her blessing. She seems to take particular delight incorrupting those who hate her,though she wreaks special vengeance on those who draw her ire.
Lolth is also known to grant a single chance for redemption to followers who have failed her.
Worshiping Lolth
Her changeable nature makes understanding the tenets of her religion difficult, whether one is drow or not.
Her dislikes are relatively simple.She believes men are tainted and inferiorto women. Shehates persisting disobedienceand detests weakness. What she approves of in her followers is more inconsistent.
The only rule, it seems, is to sow chaos wherever one goes and to ensure there is always another beneath you.Even those she favored would often find themselves working against hersimply because she desired the change.
It was said thatfollowing every order she gave wouldfrequently lead to misfortune.
Lolth was even known to respect those who could outsmart her, though they would often meet their ends soon after.
Lolthites do not have to be drow, though a bulk of her worshipers are. Humanoids and monsters make up small amounts of her followers, though they tend not to be clergy.
What Is The Cult Of Lolth?
InVecna: Eve of Ruin, a secretive cult of Lolth was introduced as part ofthe expansive multiverse,placing heavy emphasis on Lolth’s connection to the Abyss.
Within Web’s Edge, a cavern beneath the Sword Coast, these agents of Lolth frequently gather to plan large-scale invasions of nearby Underdark settlements.They use the area as a go-between, either to meet other worshipers and cultists or tohide from those attempting to bring them to justice.
The area is secure, locked under a permanent nondetection spell.
They seem tofunction mostly as a conversion effort, attacking nearby areas toturn their inhabitants to Lolth out of fear or desperation.The cultists are known to imprison and torture their captives for information to reach this end.
The cultists work heavily with devils, and yochlols and erinyes make up crucial components of the group. Many members will summon demons to assist them with their infiltrations or attacks, though players may find themselves on the business end of the Abyss if they aren’t careful.
