Priestess of Lolth Background

My name is Niaelo, an arcane priestess of Lolth.

I hail from the dark corridors of Erelhei-Cinlu, a city where deceit and ambition are as common as the air we breathe. Unlike other priestesses, bound to the altars and temples, my bond to the Spider Queen is through a warlock's pact that grants me arcane secrets in exchange for my unwavering pursuit of Lolth’s goals.

My journey began deep within the Underdark, where the constant struggle for power and favor in Lolth's eyes shapes our very existence. It was there, among the scheming and plotting of my kin, that I realized my true calling was not to ascend through the ranks of the traditional priesthood but to weave a grander web.

To the surface world, I bring a facade of light and redemption, a tapestry of lies that conceals my true purpose. With every act of apparent kindness and every word of false doctrine, I lay the foundations for a greater vision - one that will see the Spider Queen's influence spread like a shadow across the land. It is a divine mission, a sacred plot woven in the depths of the Underdark. I will entangle the unwary in Her web, leading them from the illusion of light into the embrace of eternal darkness. Elliya Lolthu.

This is a lie.

Drow Background

My name is Niaelo, a refugee from the underdark.

I lived in a smaller Drow village in the underdark, outside the large cities filled to the brim with depravity and evil. Yet there was wickedness enough since the darkness pervades all things. It was through travelers and traders that I learned of the surface world, and that it might offer an escape from the horrors of the darkness. I’ve seen living nightmares no light has ever touched. I had to escape.

I’ve just recently made my way to the surface and am looking to learn its ways. Please don’t judge me too harshly for the evil my race has wrought. I’m hoping to escape their grasp as well, and to redeem them in what small ways I can through acts of kindness.

High Elf Background (Mask of Many Faces)

My name is ______ priestess of Selune.

• Teuivae

• Sylwynn

• Yesna

• Venra

I lived in a small village far from here, raised by my parents and community with the teachings of my goddess.

I lived a life of quiet devotion until I received a vision from Selune herself. Under a vast canopy of stars, I stood, bathed in the moon's embrace, and saw her vision for this land. It stirred within me a calling – to venture beyond my home, to spread the harmony of light and darkness under her guidance.

Selune

Selune reveres the dark as well as the light, and tells me peace can be gained through the reverence of the dark. It’s important to remember that while the moon provides light in the dark, it only happens in the dark. Of the two, darkness is more fundamental.

Occasionally, Selune blesses me with visions during my prayers. These are often cryptic but guide my actions and decisions. I believe these visions are Selune's way of revealing the path not only for me but for those who seek her.

True understanding of her teachings follows the moon itself from Full to New, from light into darkness. Change is constant. The full moon descending into darkness is not the same as the moon ascending from darkness into the light.