The Web-Bound Lovers
The Web-bound Lovers is an old traditional story popular among the Eilistraeen drow society on The Island Of Silver Shore. There are many different variations circulating, but the most commonly known version is the lullaby version often sung to the children who have trouble sleeping.
Historical Basis
The historical basis of the story cannot be completely disputed. The story is old and the premise itself unconventional for a story that has survived through the reformation from Llothian society to Eilistraeen order. The Llothian past is still a sensitive topic and many old stories which had been circulating orally were lost during that time.
Perhaps the positive attitude towards Eilistraee helped to conserve this story in the minds of people, even when it happens completely in a Llothian society and the main heroine is an ambitious Llothian priestess. It is doubtful that the events of the story would have ever taken place like they were described, but it is possible that it has a historical basis on some now-forgotten events. It can be taken as a fact that A Llothian Priestess changing their loyalties for better gain is not unheard of, or that there most likely existed small and secretive sects of worshipers of Eilistraee during the Llothian era. Even Lloth herself might have been partially amused by such turncoat tactics, as she loves chaos.
The names of the heroes of the story has been conserved in the original non-lullaby form, but they sound made up. The Heroine's name, Vlonisstra is made of elements of vlon (bold, hero, heroic) and feminine ending isstra (acolyte, apprentice, student). The man's name Merinzar is built from elements of mer (doom, doomed, fate), in (lady/lord, rider, steed) and zar (lover, match, mate). The names were popular just after the shift to the Eilistraeen social order.
Nevertheless, any certain historical events or persons that would match the story exactly have not been identified so far.
Variations & Mutation
The Story is also a popular lullaby, but heavily modified, with a streamlined storyline and a happy ending, where Eilistraee comes and saves the couple before their death.
In Literature
'Web-bound lovers' has become a term to describe a pair of lovers whose relationship is thwarted by outside forces, which used to be purely Llothian (hence the 'web-bound', as Lloth is the Mistress of Spiders), but nowadays it is used in a broader sense, too.
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