Corellon Larethian
Corellon, or more fully Corellon Larethian (kor-el-un la-RETH-ee-an), whose titles include Creator of the Elves and the Protector, is the patron god of all elves. He is the creator and preserver of all elves, governing the things held in the highest esteem among elves such as magic, music, arts, crafts, poetry, and warfare. Corellon lives in the realm of Arborea. He approves of those who kill orcs and the followers of Lolth, blesses those who aid others, and becomes angered at those who defile the dead or flees from their foes.
He embodies the highest ideals of elvenkind, working as a powerful war deity when need be (his longsword Sahandrian is made from a star) and protecting his chosen people with the careful hands of an artisan.
Description
Corellon Larethian usually appears as an androgynous elf clad in a sky-blue cloak and armed with a longbow and longsword. He also wears a large circular amulet that bears his crecent moon symbol. He has a lithe and swift look about him and his movements are both swift and graceful.
Relationships
Allies
Corellon is the Seldarine's, the elven pantheon’s, leader and is generally close with all of them, except Fenmarel Mestarine who is Lolth’s, his former wife’s, partner in adultery. He is currently married to Sehanine Moonbow.
Others
He is allied with various deities from the Abian pantheon who deal with nature or magic as well with the leaders of the dwarven, gnomish and halfling pantheons, because to Corellon, human expansion is a source of fear.
Enemies
According to orcs, the relationship between Gruumsh and the elven deities degenerated to hostility after the latter participated at a prank with the gods of other pantheons. They rigged a lot drawing to determine where each race was entitled to live and there were none for the orcs. Gruumsh was mocked, but destitution for the orcs was averted by Gruumsh creating a niche for the orcs to live. Henceforth, the orc pantheon was an enemy of the others, including of the elven one. This hatred only intensified after Corellon cut out one of Gruumsh’s eyes.
The Dark Seldarine are Corellon’s enemies from the drow pantheon including Lolth, his former wife, Vhaeraun, his son, and Selvetarm, his grandson and others.
Lolth was formerly Araushnee, the lesser elven goddess of destiny and artisans. She was Corellon Larethian’s consort, and the main goddess of the dark elves. They had twins together, the elder Vhaeraun, the younger Eilistraee.
War of the Seldarine
At some point, Araushnee grew ambitious and started to plot against Corellon. During her first attempt, she aided Gruumsh in trying to kill her husband by imbuing the scabbard that he had crafted for his sword with magic that would cause the weapon to shatter during the fight. However, this plan failed due to Sehanine Moonbow's interferring with it: she knew that Araushnee had tampered with the scabbard, because the Weaver had conducted this very first step of her betrayal during the night, when Sehanine's sight could reach her.
Later, Araushnee agitated Malar into attacking the wounded Corellon after she witnessed the Beastlord killing the orc god Herne, but even that failed, as the elven lord managed to chase his aggressor away.
Araushnee’s next move was gather a host of gods on hostile footing with the Seldarine, forming an army to assault Arborea and overthrow Corellon. The army itself was so badly organized, that she was confident that they would fail. Her true plan was to give the cursed scabbard back to Corellon, as during the battle that would later unfold, the item would cause arrows shot by Eilistraee to hit his chest instead. According to Araushnee's plan, that would have killed Corellon while turning her daughter into a scapegoat.
Before the attack by the anti-Seldarine faction was ready, Sehanine confronted Araushnee about her betrayal (as mentioned above, she knew Araushnee to be a traitor), but Araushnee struck first and imprisoned her with the help of her son Vhaeraun. Together, they also made sure that Eilistraee would find and deliver the scabbard to Corellon, and that she would be in his vicinity during the battle.
Once the battle started, the Weaver's plan almost went as she expected. When an ogre god charged Corellon, who had been immobilized by the Elder Eye, Eilistraee swiftly fired a few arrows to save her father, but the scabbard drew the projectiles towards the Protector instead, nearly slaying him. Despite all, the anti-Seldarine army lost and retreated as expected, and after the battle Araushnee tried to finish Corellon with a dose of poison crafted by Eilistraee to aid her followers in the hunt, pretending it to be water from Elysium with healing qualities gathered by her daughter. However her plan ultimately failed due to Sehanine's intervention, as the Lady of Dreams had managed to break out from Vhaeraun’s prison, albeit at immense cost to herself. Sehanine, Aerdrie Faenya, and Hanali Celanil joined into the triune goddess Angharradh, and used their combined magic to save Corellon’s life.
When the elven lord awakened, a trial was called in, Vhaeraun and Eilistraee became members in exile of the Seldarine--in the case of Eilistraee willingly, as she had foreseen that the dark elves would have needed her light and hope in the future--while Araushnee was made into a tanar’ri and sentenced to banishment. Furious for her defeat, she made one last attempt at her lover's life, by turning into a spider monster and attacking him. Despite all, the Protector still loved her and couldn't bring to finish her off, letting her escape. Afterwards, Araushnee took the name "Lolth“ and conquered the 66th layer of the Abyss, the Demonweb Pits, for herself.
Vhaeraun
After Vhaeraun’s betrayal during the War of the Seldarine, Corellon Larethian practically cut his son off with a shilling and exiled him.
He gave up on the idea of turning his son Vhaeraun to abandon his ways. He vowed kill him, if he ever tried to hurt his sister, which was an empty threat, for the Masked Lord did threaten the Dark Maiden’s life, without known action against him on Corellon’s part.
Interestingly the one type of magic, that Protector considered too corrupt for elves and thus suitable for drow, the usage of the Shadow Weave, was the niche Vhaeraun filled in his role as the patron of shadow magic.
Other
Worshipers
Among Corellon's worshipers are elves, eladrin, and their descendants, as well as many bards. His clerics wear silver circlets and gossamer robes of the brightest azure. One of his most frequent holy days is the quarter moon and Corellon is worshiped at natural geological formations with beautiful objects sacrificed to him monthly.
Clergy and Temples
Corellon's clerics often wear blue cloaks. They serve as leaders, teachers, diplomats, and generals in elven communities. They train others in the arts of combat and magic while honing their own skills, and they serve as mediators in any disputes that may arise from the elves' independant lifestyle. They usually seek to maintain cordial relations with other good, sylvan creatures.
Corellon's temples can be located anywhere elves live. Usually in sylvan woodlands. Though always beautiful and designed to blend in with the surrounding landscape, they are invariably both sturdy and defensible. They are often placed on hilltops, river crossings, and other locations of strategic significance. Living plants or trees are always included in a temple of Corellon, either as decoration or part of the same structure.
Dogma
Corellon concerns himself with all aspects of elven welfare. He also remains alert to any taint of evil among the elves, and he seeks to stamp out any evil influence the moment it appears. Corellon played a leading role in the schism that ultimately resulted in the banishment of the drow underground.
Corellon spurs his people toward self-reliance, vigilance against danger, and appreciation of the world's beauty. It is Corellon's influence that leads elves to study magic and swordplay for the duration of their long lives, to serve as guardians and caretakers of the forests, and to appreciate aesthetic pleasures in spite of their warrior heritage.
Divine Classification
Greater Deity
Species
Honorary & Occupational Titles
- Coronal of Arborea
- Creator of the Elves
- First of the Seldarine
- Preserver of Life
- The Protector
- Ruler of All Elves
Children
Gender
Male
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