The Serenater

In all beliefs throughout pondera, there is one truth. There was always something at the begining of time. Chaos reigned supreme throughout the cosmos, where demons ran amok, creation and destruction were one in the same, and there was nothing but violence and death throughout all creation. Within these demonic pits came an unnamed goddess, who was queen of her domain. Not only was she from this world, but countless worlds, where her word was law, and her word was only heard on the whispers of the darkness.
Upon the creation of Pondera, she found that the elves had taken hold. She released her hordes of Dark Elves upon the world, and let them roam free to do her bidding, just as she was sealed away with all other demons for eternity. Eons passed, but the whispers of this dark mistress found their way into the darkness of Grott for her true worshipers.
After countless Eons, she found that her people were more passive, less reliable and vicious than previous times she released her spawn into the world, and as such, she began to plot, to make her people strong. Her first act is debated upon widely throughout the world on her victim. What is known is that it was Calpa herself that assassinated two elven women on opposite sides of the world, and claimed victory for the dark queen of vermin. Impressed by her capabilities, and her oaths to the dark goddess, Calpa was sworn in as the unnamed goddesses champion, and eventually, her replacement.
These assassinations were the catalyst to the dark elves being forced belowground, where they were forced to fight for limited resources against countless enemies, and would be forged in the heat of battle into a strong contender for control over Grott. there, the goddess forced her teachings into the society of the dark elves, but still, could not control them as she could in other worlds.
After centuries of trying, and whittling away at dark elf society to forge it into something stronger, she decided that her attention was better turned elsewhere. She could not gain the power she required within even a gods lifetime to escape the The Abyssal Realms in this world, and decided to travel to another. The day she left, she made a prophecy so large, and so impactful, that every single drow alive or dead within creation heard her words.

"Three shall rise from the darkness. Three shall fall from the sky. Those shall be the new gods of the dark elves, and all of your spirits will join me. But not until this reality has long been destroyed."

It was then that the unnamed goddess left the world, leaving her children to fend for themselves and forge their fates once more.
Quickly, Calpa, her named successor took over rule of all drow, naming herself the vermin queen, and casting down all against her. She was determined to be the first to rise from darkness.
The seccond of the Serenater to rise from below was Faramaca. Originally held in the darkest depths of the world, she was believed to be placed there as a favor from Olänn to Vivere, for seducing the whispers of immortality out of all elves, and keeping it for herself. She escaped thanks to her capabilities of enchantment, and now rules over the minds of others.
The third and final of the Serenater to 'rise from darkness' is Zabris, the goddess of Self Preservation. Born into the slums of dark elf society, she rose through the ranks and wiped entire civilizations from underneeth grott, and gained immortality. It is believed that she makes haste with the undead, and is worshiped by dark elves as an unofficial member of The Morvit, closely associated with Vagus the Wanderer.
The final three of the Serenater are known simply as the fallen, and are potentially replaced as they are not granted immortality. Instead, they take control of entire cities without dying themselves, and are seen as prime examples of dark elf society, and are to be feared as such.
The First of the fallen is known as Cismia, the goddess of slavery and law. She has vast knowledge of the wealth within dark elf society, and of its laws, making sure to punish even the slightest of violations she hears of with relentless vigor, if not, simplistic execution. She owns her city of the same name within Grott, which is known as the slave capital of the underworld.
Alongside Cismia rules Angebri, her slave, and the first confirmed Fallen male. Where Cismia takes after the law, Angebri is her enforcer, and allows her sanctuary to do as she pleases while following her orders to the exact letter. Because of this exacting nature, Angebri has taken control over his own city, which was renamed in his honor by Cismia itself, though it is understood that Cismia 'owns' his city, Angebri makes the real decisions within his borders. Where Cismia takes control over slavery in her domain, Angebri is the centerpiece of production, with a heavy focus on trade throughout the six cities of the Dark elves, making Angebri and Cismia rich beyond most mortals wildest dreams.
The final of the fallen also has his own city, not concoured or bought like the others, but forged from battles and the literal bodies of the enemies of the dark elves within grott. This is the realm of Irismia, where warfare and strategy are at the forefront of society, in a lawless state of chaos and assault. this 'city' is more of a tent city and moves quite often into borders of ongoing conflict between the dark elves and their enemies. As a result, casualties are high, and the need for soldiers and slaves becomes paramount. It is well known and recordered that stealth missions to steal slaves from Cismia have succeeded when Irismia cannot pay for their service, but the pay is soon gained after many assaults on both the surface, and deep within the caves of Grott.

Alongside all of these gods is a forbidden one, recognized by the Serenater as treason against the gods to worship, but secret societies within Grott and surface dwellers will worship the first Misumena. Linucem, the demigod of freedom.
As the first Misumena, Linucem was treated as a goddess among the dark elves from the moment of her birth, expected to become a spy when she came of age, and infiltrate dark elf society from her humble beginnings. Her curiosity as to the surface world was strong however, stronger than even the forgotten goddesses will, and she merely walked through the threats of the goddess to experience life outside of the rule of the Serenater. Linucem is the only accepted religion outside of grott from the Serenater.