Corellon Larethian (CORE-eh-lon Lah-RETH-ee-yen)

Creator of the Elves, the Protector, First of the Seldarine, Protector and Preserver of Life, Ruler of All Elves, Coronel of Arvandor

Magic and elven magic (especially elven High Magic), music, arts, crafts, war, the elven race (especially gold elves), poets, poetry, bards, warriors

Greater Power of Arborea, Chaotic Good

Aliases: None
Domain: Olympus/Arvandor
Origin: Elven
Superior: None
Allies: Eilistraee, Garl Glittergold, Moradin, Yondalla, the Seldarine
Enemies: the Queen of Air and Darkness, the drow pantheon (except Eilistraee), the orc and goblinkin pantheons
Symbol: Crescent moon
Worshipper's Alignment: Lawful Good, Neutral Good, Chaotic Good, Lawful Neutral, Neutral, Chaotic Neutral

The leader of the elven pantheon, Corellon Larethian, is said to have given birth to the entire elven race, although sometimes Sehanine is given credit as well. Elven lore states that the Fair Folk sprang from drops of blood Corellon shed in epic battles with Gruumsh mingled with Sehanine's tears. The Creator of the Elves embodies the highest ideals of elvenkind, and he is the patron of most aesthetic endeavors, including art, magic, music, poetry, and warfare. He is venerated by all the Fair Folk, except the drow and those who have turned to Lolth, Ghaunadaur, Vhaeraun, and other dark powers. Corellon is especially popular with elf and half-elf mages, musicians, and poets.
As ruler of the Seldarine, Corellon has a strong relationship with almost all the other elven powers, including Eilistraee, his daughter by Araushnee (Lolth), whom he reluctantly banished from Arvandor along with her mother at the Dark Maiden's insistence. Sehanine is now said to be Corellon's consort and the Protector works closely with the Goddess of Moonlight. Only Fenmarel Mestarine is somewhat estranged from the Coronal of Arvandor, and the Lone Wolf's differences with Corellon are not all that great. The Creator of the Elves has forged strong alliances with the leaders of the other demihuman pantheons in the face of the seemingly endless waves of human expansion and the ever-present threat of the monstrous populations and their dark powers, as well as with the good- and neutral-aligned powers of the humans.
Where Wee Jas and Boccob govern magic on Oerth, Corellon oversees elven magic, particularly elven High Magic, and the intimate connection between the Fair Folk and the mantle of magic that envelops the world. (More information on elven High Magic is found in the Cormanthyr: Empire of the Elves sourcebook, to be implemented into Greyhawk later.)
Corellon's epic battle with Gruumsh One-Eye, leader of the orc pantheon, is legendary, and the pair of pantheistic patriarchs have never reached a lasting truce in their never-ending battle over territory. Malar's relentless attacks on the Seldarine and the Fair Folk have likewise earned him Corellon's eternal enmity. The rift between Corellon and his former lover Araushnee, now known as Lolth, is still as bitter as the day he banished the Spider Queen to the Abyss and named her tanar'ri. The Protector's rift with his errant son Vhaeraun is nearly as deep, and the Protector has despaired of the Masked Lord ever repenting of his evil ways. In his vigilant defense of elves and their homelands, Corellon has earned the enmity of countless powers whose worshipers seek to seize the forests, magic, or wealth of the Fair Folk.
Corellon is a powerful warrior god whose hands protect his creations with the gentleness of a sculptor and the unspeakable power of a master swordswinger. While other deities may reflect the joy, delights, and accomplishments of the Fair Folk, Corellon stands as an ever-vigilant watcher over them. His life spirit flows from and into the elves and their lands, and while mortal elves daydream and enter the reverie, Corellon never abandons his watchfulness. Only when it is time for the Fair Folk to pass from Oerth to Arvandor does he finally cease watching over each elf and allows Sehanine to take a larger role in caring for them. Corellon frequently wanders the elven lands and borders in disguise (often in the form of one of the diminutive sylvan race), observing the actions of priests and craftsfolk and defending elven homelands from interlopers. Though his martial might is swift and terrible, the soft-spoken Creator of the Elves is ever humble and always open to learning something new, one of his sources of might. He enjoys discovering new philosophies of thought and new methods of action, even from mortals, and he has a keen interest in other cultures.
Corellon's primary servitors are identical twin spirits, Lashrael and Felarathael. Held by some of the Fair Folk, particularly high elves, to be demipowers in their own right, Corellon 's messengers are solars who resemble tall, shining, androgynous elves clad in gleaming white robes. They are most often seen delivering messages for the Protector in the Realms, and they are also dispatched to defend elves if they are threatened. The two have distinctive personalities, however. Lashrael is given to emotional extremes. When delivering a message, Lashrael speaks with great conviction, and depending upon the message, enormous joy or sorrow. In battle, Lashrael is ferocious, neither asking nor giving quarter. Felarathael, on the other hand, is the very image of rational detachment, treating all situations with logic and calm reason. Felarathael always speaks in a slow, measured, but immensely reassuring voice, and fights with unhurried skill. When Lashrael or Felarathael strike a victim in combat, they may inflict one of the following effects in lieu of damage: victim sleeps (no saving throw allowed), victim is randomly teleported 1d10 miles, victim is polymorphed into a woodland animal, or the victim suffers from amnesia.

Other Manifestations

Corellon manifests as an azure nimbus that envelops a living creature, weapon, or natural geological formation in an aura of flickering sky blue This power typically gives any or all of the following aids to affected beings, for 13 rounds: Idea; Sixth Sense; Strength and a temporary 1d6-point boost to the being's Dexterity (maximum of 20). This power typically gives any or all of the following aids to a weapon, for 13 rounds: Bladethirst; the heat and burning effects of a flame tongue weapon or the cold effects of a frostbrand weapon; quickness, as a short sword of quickness. This power typically affects a geological formation in any or all of the following ways: Earthquake; soften earth and stone (as the 2nd-level priest spell Stone Shape; or Glassee.
The Seldarine call on agathinon, asuras, and ancient treants as their preferred servants, but Corellon is also served by aasimar, aasimon (such as the twin solars discussed above), baelnorn, buraq, cath shee, centaurs, cooshee, disenchanters, dryads, einheriar, eladrins (particularly firres and ghaeles), elven cats, feystags, firestars, firetails, gold dragons, hamadryads, hollyphants, hybsils, incarnates of charity, courage, faith, hope, justice, temperance, and wisdom, ki-rin, kholiathra, lillendi, lythari, maruts, moon dogs, moon-horses, noctrals, nymphs, oreads, pers, phoenixes, reverend ones, seelie faeries, sham, silver dogs, silver dragons, sylphs, spectral wiz- ards, spellhaunts, sprites, sunflies, t'uen-rin, unicorns, weredragons, and wizshades. He demonstrates his favor through the discovery of beljurils, crescent-shaped stones, diamonds, moonstars, moonstones, star rubies, and star sapphires, the sighting of a fallen star, the rising of an azure-tinted cres- cent moon, or the sighting of an azure-hued star. The Protector indicates his displeasure through the appearance of a falling star that seems to fall from the upper tip to the lower tip of the crescent moon like a heavenly tear, the premature appearance of fall colors in a single tree, or the sound of three twigs snapping in rapid succession.

The Church

Clergy: Clerics, crusaders, specialty priests, wizards
Clergy's Alignment: Lawful Good, Neutral Good, Chaotic Good
Turn Undead: Yes, except Crusaders
Command Undead: No

All clerics (including multiclassed half-elven clerics and elven fighter/clerics, a multiclassed combination allowed to elven priests of Corellon), crusaders, and specialty priests of Corellon receive religion (elf) and reading/writing (Olven) as bonus non-weapon proficiencies. Corellon is venerated by all the Elves who have not turned to dark powers, even those who do not specifically worship him, for the Fair Folk were born of his blood, and they do not forget their debt to the Creator. Likewise, Corellon's role in banishing Lolth and the drow from the surface, thus ending the madness of the Blood Wars, has earned him the etemal, if largely unspoken, gratitude of elves across Oerth. Curiously, the clergy of Corellon's church is somewhat removed from elven society, and the Protector's priesthood is less involved in the governance of elven realms than the outside races might imagine. While the Protector's followers are held in high esteem for their unflagging contribution to the defense of the elven realms and the breathtaking beauty of their artistry, in general their place in elven society reflects the guardian and creative aspects of Corellon's nature far more his position as Coronal of Arvandor and Ruler of All Elves. Some theologians suggest the warriors and wizards who predominate in positions of authority in elven in a sense comprise the priesthood in his leadership aspect, but this view is not widely accepted.
Corellon is venerated in rocky areas of natural beauty, always with a special place for viewing the moon and stars. Temples of the Protector are rare, however, since elves are individualistic when it comes to his worship. Shrines are more common, but they are little more than clearings with a good view of the sky. His temples are shaped from great natural geological formations, including shallow caves entered from above, natural amphitheaters, and great rock spires. Trees and other plants are woven into such edifices, resulting in great natural cathedrals woven of stone and plants.
Novices of Corellon are known as the Faerna. Full priests of the Protector are known as the Faernsuora. In ascending order of rank, the titles used by Corellite priests are Aegisess (Protector), Adoness (Peacekeeper), Kerynsuoress (Holy Warrior), Ivae'ess (Lightbringer), Avae'ess (Joybringer), Syolkiir (Wildstar), Lateu'suoress (Crescent-Moonblessed), Araegisess (Great Protector), Aradones (Great Peacekeeper), andArkerynsuoress (Great Holy Warrior). High-ranking priests have unique individual titles but are collectively known as the Cormiira (Blessings of Corellon). Specialty priests are known as feywardens. The clergy of CorelIon includes gray elves (33%), high elves (30%), wood elves (15%), wild elves (10%), half-elves of various ancestries (12%) and even a handful of dark elves. Corellon's clergy is nearly evenly divided between clerics (38%), including fighter/clerics, specialty priests (30%), crusaders (28%) and a handful of wizards (4%), including mages, specialist wizards, and multiclassed mages. The clergy of Corellon contains a few more males (55%) than females (45%)

Dogma

The gray elves are both wardens and sculptors of magic's endless mysteries. Through Art and Craft, bring forth the beauty that envelops and let the spirit gambol unfettered. The song of joy and the dance of freedom shall ever soar on the wings of those who dare take flight. Guard against the slow death of stultifying sameness by seeking out new experiences and new ways. Ward against those who seek only to destroy in their inability to create and commune with the natural and mystical world. Be ever vigilant in force of arms and might of magic against any return of the banished darkness, and also be strong in heart against the corruption from within which allowed the Spider Queen to foment the chaos and evil of the Blood Wars.

Day-to-Day Activities

Priests of Corellon are expected to serve actively in the defense and artistic development of elven communities and to work to mediate disputes that arise among the Fair Folk or between the elves and other sylvan deities. In service to the Protector, many Corellite priests serve in the armed forces of their homeland, defending elf-claimed territories from the relentless expansion of other races and training their fellow elves in combat skills and magic. Others work closely with elven artisans and craftsfolk instructing them in the skills they need to create works of wondrous beauty, as well as using their own creative talents in similar pursuits. Finally, members of Corellon's priesthood are often called upon to act as diplomats and arbitrators between the various clergies, the various subraces of elves, the various classes of elven society, and even between elven communities. While few priests of the Coronal of Arvandor actually serve as rulers or councilors, many work behind the scenes to ensure the smooth functioning of govemment.

Holy Days/lmportant Ceremonies

Corellon's faithful celebrate a great number of holy days, most of which are tied to astronomical events and occur only once every few years (such as Shieldmeet) or decades. Of particular import, once per lunar month, when the crescent moon of Luna softly illuminates the night sky, Corellon's faithful gather in moonlit glades to celebrate the gifts of their deity in a festival known as Arborelia, the Forest Communion of the Crescent Moon. Devotees of the Protector offer up their praises through music, song, dance, and the offering up of their most beautiful creations. True works of art are sometimes brought up to Arvandor so as to be appreciatd by the spirits of those elves who dwell among the Seldarine, while others are kept within Corellon's shrines and temples so that the Fair Folk of Oerth may wonder at the fruits of Corellon's greatest gift: creativity. On rare occasions such revels spontaneously unleash a glorious magical ceremony whose results are guided only by the Creator of the Elves. Sometimes the landscape is reshaped, and the site is thereafter considered sacred to the Protector. At other times, the communal magic coalesces into an item — usually a sword, long bow, set of cloak and boots, suit of elven mail, or musical instrument — of unearthly beauty. Such items are then enchanted by Corellon's seniormost priests and are thereafter considered holy relics of the faith.

Major Centers of Worship

Elves can be found in any number of places within the Flanaess. Celene, the last of the ancient elven kingdoms is the primary hub of Corellon's religion. There are also areas within the Vesve Forest, one of the largest remaining forests in the Flanaess, that are sacred to the elves, particularly the Timeless Tree. The elves intend on preserving this forests from the predations of the forces of Iuz to the north, and the humans to the south whose thirst for wood is never satiated.
Far to the east are the Lendore Isles, known amongst humankind as the Spindrift Isles, where humans have been allowed to settle by the elves, but only in small numbers. A remnant of another ancient elven kingdom of Arissa, the elves here tend to remain hidden from the world, and are very protective of the small forests and wildlands on the islands.
In between are the Grandwood and Adri forests, both of special significance to Corellon. In the Grandwood, the beleagured high and sylvan elves defend against the forces of the mad Overking, Ivid V. Hiding deep within the forest, they wage primarily hit and run tactics, but after drawing the forces of teh Overking a few miles inside the forest, they will often unleash Corellon's fury upon the invaders, dropping arrows from the trees or setting traps and pitfalls for the intruders. Here is where elven magic comes to the forefront against the enemy.
The Adri Forest, sitting between Nyrond, Almor, and the Great Kingdom, this forest, once joined with the Grandwood, was once blessed by Corellon, and his clergy tell this is the birthplace of the elves. So great were Corellon's blessings that his most favored city, the City of Summer Stars, a great and majestic elven city crafted from living woods, marble, silver, and even ice. The city was home to perhaps 2,000 gray elves. They were an introverted, studious, mystical people, and they sought no dominion outside their homelands.
Then Vecna brought his undead armies. In the ensuing siege, the city was razed to the ground. Such was the devastation, that the magics used still linger and the elves shun the ruins.
There are a few smaller enclaves in the western Flanaess, in the Dim Forest and in the Hornwood, along with the Gnarley Forest where the elves are vigilant against raids from the Pomarj.

Affiliated Orders

Corellon is the divine patron of many knightly orders. Such orders are typically composed largely of crusaders, warriors, and wizards (particularly fighter-mages), but their composition has varied widely over the millennia and from culture to culture.

Knights of the High Forest

Also known as the Knights of the Hart (Highfolk), this order is made up of around 120 or so elves, half-elves, and anyone with elven blood. They are skilled in skirmishing in the forsts, particularly the Vesve Forest that they defend (along with the Highfolk Valley) from the hordes of Iuz. Headquartered in the city of Highfolk, they have eyes and ears everywhere in the Vesve, and in the Clatspur Mountains.
This order reveres Corellon as their patron, but are reverent to all of the Seldarine, and their primary goal is the preservation of the elven way of life.

Rangers of the Vesve

A non-knightly order based within the Vesve, the Green Rangers of the Vesve are closely aligned with the Knights of the High Forest. Made up of woodsmen, elves, forest gnomes, all kinds of fey creatures, and a few scoundrels here and there. This order scours the Vesve looking for anything or anyone looking to harm the good folk that reside in the forest. This order also acts as a first line of defense should the hordes of Iuz start marching through the forest.
While large numbers of the rangers venerate Corellon, other dieties are venerated as well, and their primary mission is the preservation of all humans, demihumans, and fey creatures who call the Vesve home.

Knights of Luna

This order can be found in the elven kingdom of Celene. Founded in 513 CY in response to humanoid tribes driven from the Lortmil Mountains settling in the Pomarj by Melf, the Prince Brightflame, cousin to Queen Yolande of Celene. While he is not a warrior himself, he is still acknowledged as the head of the Order.
Although there is no formal hierarchy to this order, most of the members will defer to the elder warriors and high priests of Corellon, beliving that the will of the clergy is the will of Corellon.
Numbering about 250, only a cadre of about 50 knights are in Enstad at any given time. The rest are patrolling the Gnarley Forest, the Welkwood, the Suss Forest, the Wild Coast and sometimes the Kron Hills and the Ulek states. Often they hunt for evil humanoids, or for hidden evil temples and outposts, or on assignment searching fior hidden relics and artifacts.

Priestly Vestments

Ceremonial vestments for priests of Corellon — often worn in normal situations by choice, although such attire is not required — consist of azure robes made of gossamer and embroidered with silver quarter moons. Silver circlets engraved with the Protector's symbol are wom on the brow. The holy symbol of the faith is a silver or mithral lunate pendant worn on an slender chain hung from the neck.

Adventuring Garb

When adventuring, Corellon's priests generally favor sky blue cloaks, elven chain mail, long swords, and long bows in conscious imitation of their divine patron. Clerics, restricted to bludgeoning weapons, favor clubs, slings, staff slings, and staves, although maces and flails are employed as well. Leather, studded leather armor, or elven chain mail is favored in situations requiring stealth, in addition to elven cloaks and boots, whereas elven chain mail or elven plate mail are favored in situations requiring direct melee combat.

Specialty Priests (Feywardens)

Requirements: Strength 11, Intelligence 11, Wisdom 9
Prime Requisite: Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Weapons: Bludgeoning Weapons only
Armor: Leather, studded leather armor, elven chain, or elven plate mail
Major Spheres: All, astral, charm, combat, creation, divination, guardian, healing, necromantic, protection, sun, war, wards
Minor Spheres: Animal, chaos, summoning, plant, thought
Magical Items: as clerics
Required Proficiencies: bludgeoning weapons, mace, flail, artistic ability, spellcraft
Bonus Proficiencies: Musical instrument, singing

Granted Powers & Restrictions

• Feywardens must be elves or half-elves. Most feywardens are gray elves or high elves. They cannot be drow.
• Feywardens are not allowed to multiclass.
• Feywardens may select nonweapon proficiencies from the warrior group without penalty.
• Feywardens gain a +2 bonus to Charisma with respect to elves.
• Feywardens are immune to the paralyzing touch of ghasts as well as ghouls. They gain a +1 bonus to saving throws vs. other forms of paralysis as well, such as the touch of a lich or the various hold spells.
• Feywardens can cast Sixth Sense once per day.
• Feywardens gain a +2 bonus to their non-weapon proficiency check when crafting any item, including weapons and armor, or when inventing a new song or poem. When they are of sufficient level, feywardens gain bonuses adjudicated by the DM when constructing magical items or helping others to do so.
• At 3rd level, feywardens can cast Faerie Fire or Idea once per day.
• At 5th level, feywardens can cast Strength or employ a variant of strength that increases Dexterity instead of Strength once per day.
• At 5th level, feywardens gain a +2 bonus to saving throws vs. poison and automatically save against spider venoms.
• At 7th level, feywardens can cast Abjure or Minor Creation once per day.
• At 10th level, feywardens can cast Enchanted Weapon or Major Creation once per day.
• At 10th level, goblinkin (goblinoids) have a -2 penalty to saving throws they roll against the priest spells of feywardens
• At 13th level, feywardens can cast Banishment or Prismatic Spray once per day.
• At 15th level, feywardens can cast Holy Word or Sunray once per day.

Corellite Spells

First Level

Augment Artistry
Sixth Sense

Fourth Level

Sylvan Creature Form

Fifth Level

Crystallomancy

[Adapted from The Forgotten Realms Demihuman Deities by Eric L. Boyd]