The Mysteries of Arvandor

Only those long-lived scholars who have researched the Elves with the greatest tenacity have heard of the Mysteries of Arvandor, and all these luminaries have ever been able to glean is that it is a secret gathering of Elves dedicated to Corellon where a magical replaying of the elven myths of creation is communally experienced.
The truth is that the Mysteries of Arvandor is a phenomenon that Elves recognize as a summons from their creator, which they can choose to accept or disregard. The event occurs on one plane or multiple planes within the multiverse in a single moment, and there is no guarantee that it will ever occur again; the ability to hear the call is a rare gift. Depending on Corellon's need, the god might call a few dozen or several thousand Elves to gather, each elf returning to Corellon's body temporarily for some task that only the god can comprehend.
Before this gathering begins, the Elves who have been selected start to have powerful dreams and waking visions, urging them to travel to a certain location. At this point, each of the summoned Elves must choose whether to follow the visions, because it is known that not every elf returns from an encounter with Corellon. It's true that to be absorbed into the god once more, and returned to awareness before the Drawing of the Veil, is the fulfillment of every elf's longing, but some Elves have grown attached to the mortal and mundane world, and thus they turn away from their god's summons. Those who answer the call of Corellon are telepathically guided to their destination, often for hundreds of miles across unknown terrain, or even across planes.
Most Elves who return to their homes from the Mysteries are forever transformed. These participants generally remain silent about their experience, out of reverence and appreciation. Those who speak about the Mysteries of Arvandor struggle for the right words, but they all say in one way or another that experiencing the Mysteries is a way for Elves to join with Corellon, gifting the god with their life force-and in return, they revert back to their free, formless nature for a time. After this mystical communion, many Elves have a deeper understanding of their origin and a firmer grasp of magic, and some enjoy a lingering telepathic connection with others who have been initiated into the Mysteries.
Cryptic shrines to the Mysteries of Arvandor appear throughout the planes, mostly sites where carved or painted stars cover the ceiling of a cave. On the planes that have hosted one of these rare events, elf priests consecrate and maintain temples devoted to the Mysteries. Often these sacred sites are natural spaces that have intrinsic magical properties.
Stories about the Mysteries are preached by many theologians as examples of Corellon's abiding love for his wayward children. Some sages imagine that, one day, all Elves will be given this opportunity, after Corellon is satisfied by the completion of some great cosmic quest, and Elves will once again be a people of unfettered form and unimaginable joy.

Related People

• Corellon Larethian