In the beginning, Order began his war with the beings of dark Chaos. During this struggle, Order found others who were imprisoned by Chaos. One by one, Order freed the Titans from the clutches of Chaos, and began the Era of Titans.
The Seldarine are a collective of Elven gods that claim direct descent from Queen Tatiana and King Oberon. Most of the Seldarine are the offspring of Corellon Larethian, or they are otherwise associated with him. The Seldarine, especially Queen Tatiana and King Oberon, are typically aloof Fey beings who do not often venture outside of their native realms. With few exceptions, most of the Seldarine can be categorized as wild and impulsive god's who are subject only to their own whims.
Though Aurashnee/Lolth and her children are considered part of The Seldarine, their worship is very limited outside of The Drow.
All Elves, except for The Drow, are capable of communication with The Seldarine through the waking dreamlands of Arvandor. Though, the clarity and directness of this communication varies wildly.
The first of the Titans to be brought out of The Eternal Chaos by the Titan of Order. She was the Titan of Life, and gave her name to those that followed her out of the darkness. As the Age of Chaos drew to an end, she brought the final Titan, Death, into existence. After she was freed from Chaos, Titania established the first realm; The Feywild.
As the Titan of Order’s work to drive off The Chaos began to be completed, the other Titans came to Titania to beg her favor. Titans, though numerous and powerful, were alone in the cosmos. Titania granted them her blessing, but said that for life to exist, death must also. If the Titans wished to bear children, they must agree to die. Thus, the youngest Titan, Death, was made by her hand. In time, the Titans begat the gods, and the gods begat mortals. Death began to stalk the Titans, and as their power waned, the Age of Titans began to slowly come to an end.
After a time, the power of the Titan of Order began to wane, and Chaos crept back in to the world. A dark agent of this chaos, disguised as one of Titania’s fey children, infected Titania with a terrible thirst for the life of others. Though she succumbed to this curse, Titania could not die as others did. The soul of life within her broke away from her body, and became a new Titan who called herself Queen Tatiana. A fierce battle between the two Titans of Life ensued and nearly destroyed the sacred Feywild realm. Queen Tatiana eventually prevailed, and banished The Accursed to the realm beyond the stars. It is said that Titania still dwells in that place of chaos, bearing monstrous children of the void who hunger after this mortal reality.
A dark parody of the former Titan of Life. Cursed by the actions of Nergal, she is forever afflicted with an unquenchable thirst for the lives of others. When her body became overrun with affliction, her power as Titan of Life left her, and became the being known as Tatiana. Titania lives in the void beyond, and gives rise to foul abominations that hunger after the realms of reality.
After Queen Tatiana fought back the accursed Titan, she set to work restoring The Feywild. Though it sorely grieved her to do so, Tatiana was forced to exile all of her children who had been afflicted by the foul curse of death. However, Queen Tatiana was able to mitigate the curse, and allow her children to dwell within the dark realm of the Gods of Death. Thus, the Shadar-Kai made their exodus from The Feywild, and came to live in The Shadowfell.
“Lady of Life” and “Queen of Summer”. It is Tatiana who remade The Feywild after the destruction wrought by Titania the Accursed. Though her power has significantly waned since the Era of Titans, she is still an immensely powerful being whose limits are not to be tested. She is as capricious and fickle as she is beautiful.
After her realm was restored, and the Shadar-Kai exiled, the Queen of Life saw that she was alone among the plants and the beasts of The Wild. Tatiana desired a companion to be her equal. And so, she sculpted a husband from the ice of the frozen wastes. To her Winter King, she gave dominion of the cold and dark places, where the gift of life is not to be taken for granted. But the Queen of Summer could not last long in the realm of frozen beauty that she had granted her King. Her gaze quickly turned to the sweet songs of the springtime birds and the budding of new growth upon The Earth.
“King of Winter” and “First of the Eladrin”. Oberon was formed of the dark realities of life. He is the daily struggle to survive, and he is the fury of the snowstorm. He is also the cold quiet that shrouds the world, and he is the bringer of rest for the trees. He is bitter and unrelenting, but the terrible beauty of his frozen domain is unrivaled throughout The Feywild. Though he is deeply in love with his Queen, he cannot abide her fickle and capricious nature for long. It is said that particularly harsh winters occur whenever Tatiana is with one of her lovers, instead of Oberon.
The Summer Queen and the Winter King grieved for the loss of the Shadar-Kai, for the death curse upon them mean that they were forever separated from the grace and beauty of the Fey realm. Together, they crafted a realm of dreams, where they would commune with their lost children, even across the divide of realms. When Death began to stalk the Shadar-Kai, Tatiana and Oberon entreated with The Reaper, and granted Death access to their kingdoms. In exchange, the lost souls of their children would be committed to the world of dreams for a time after their mortal end.
After committing the Shadar-Kai to the realm of the dead, Tatiana and Oberon grieved for the separation that now existed between them and their lost children. So, they set aside a realm where all of their children could unite and commune as one. They called this place Arvandor, and they bade the Shadar-Kai to visit them in their waking dreams. When Death first came for one of the exiled children, Tatiana and Oberon bargained with The Reaper, and gave it permission to enter The Feywild, if it would allow the souls of Elves to pass in to Arvandor when they died. Death agreed, and thus, Arvandor became the home of Elven souls after death. During the waking dreams of Elves, they may commune with these spirits and revisit certain memories together. Very young Elves are more prone to remembering their past lives. Old Elves, who are close to death, are more prone to communication with friends or loved ones who have already made the journey. After a spirit has had their fill of rest in Arvandor, they may make a perilous journey to be reborn into the world..
The Queen of Summer was very fond of weaving new courtiers out of the wildflowers, or carving them from the fragrant woods of the Fey lands. Her children numbered in the thousands, and began to begat their own. When Tatiana saw the joy felt by the first Eladrin mothers, she returned to the Frozen Halls of King Oberon and conceived the first of the Fey Princes.
Though all Eladrin are called “Tatiana’s Children", very few are born of her body and blood. Corellon Larethian was the firstborn of Tatiana and Oberon, and he quickly became the very pride and joy of the Fey courts. Tatiana doted upon her firstborn, and gave him every gift of beauty and grace that she could grant. As chief of The Seldarine, Corellon is the Guardian at the Gates of Arvandor, and he is the one who guides souls from one life to the next. He is regarded as a God of fertility, because he is the one who must decide when an Elven soul is ready to be reborn in to the mortal world. He is called The North Star, because he is the one who set it in the sky to guide those who are lost. Corellon has a famous sense of humor, and his station does not place him above playing somewhat malicious tricks on other deities. Corellon has an insatiable curiosity and lust for exploration that has cost him very dearly.
During the golden summers of his boyhood, The Prince of the Feywild longed for a companion to join him on his journey. The Queen of the Summer Lands spared nothing in crafting this friend for her most beloved child. His body was carved of fragrant sandalwood, his hair was the feathers of a cardinal, his eyes were blue-green waters of the eternal spring, and his clothes were as the wings of sacred butterflies. Finally, Tatiana set a pipe of reeds in his hand, and gave him a voice like that of her favored songbirds. On the day of the summer solstice, Tatiana bade the boy to live, and commanded him to fulfill his purpose as the companion of The Summer Prince.
For endless summers, The Prince, and his companion, roamed the far reaches of the Fey Lands, learning the secret paths of the beasts and hidden groves of the primal forests. They, above any other of the Seldarine, know the wild and secret places of The Feywild. The Prince became patron of Rangers, and set his star in the sky for the lost to find their way. His friend kept the wild secrets in his heart, and set them to song for later recounting at the hearths of the Fey Lords. He was given the name Orpheus, and began to be called the First Bard.
Companion and friend of Corellon Larethian. Fairest of the Eladrin, and eternally youthful. Source of inspiration, wit and charm for bards, especially Elven bards. Although most of the Seldarine are impulsive and capricious gods, Orpheus is regarded as a paragon of loyalty and faithfulness. Though not specifically a fertility god, he is certainly a god of sexual pleasure. It is no accident that he often blesses his bards with gifts to beguile, charm, and enchant their objects of affection. Though he is loathe to wield weapons, Orpheus is considered to be the inventor of Bladesinging. It should be noted that while Orpheus often seems to encourage Corellon's irresponsibility, he is deeply ashamed of the mistreatment of half-elves, for he has sired more than his share of half-blooded bastards.
When they reached the ends of The Feywild, The Prince and his bard found that they were no longer children. They had grown in to men, and it was time for their return to The Summer Court. Tatiana welcomed her son home with a lavish feast that lasted a year. Corellon and Orpheus recounted their travels with song and dance. Corellon was given a crown of stars, and dominion over his siblings as First of the Seldarine. Orpheus was given a lyre, and dominion over inspiration.
Orpheus, who was the fairest of all the Eladrin that Tatiana had made, began to be called The Bard-Prince. When Corellon Larethian left to guard the gates of Arvandor, Orpheus was freed from his charge over him, and taken in as the chief bard of the Summer Court. He lived for generations, serving at The Summer Queen’s side during the day, and in her bed at night. When the first signs of age, a wrinkle along his laughing eyes, began to mar his face, The Summer Queen blessed The Bard-Prince with youth unending, for she could not bear to see his youth fade.
The Prince of the Summer Lands, though he had a friend in Orpheus, had no-one of his equal to share his bed. Oberon, who also held the gift of life, crafted an Elven woman of exquisite and terrible beauty. Her hair was pure white, made of the silk of spiders, her eyes were glittering rubies, and her skin was the pitch dark of Oberon’s sacred winter solstice. Oberon named her Auraushnee, and presented her to Corellon.
For a time after Aurashnee’s making, the Fey Lands were a place of pure bliss. Tatiana and Oberon’s gifts of life were freely given, and the numbers of Eladrin grew to a great host. This was the time of the Rainbow Guard, who departed for the mortal realms and began to hunt Nergal. Aurashnee practiced her arts of weaving wondrous artifacts, and in time, she bore twins for Corellon; Vhaerun and Vandria.
However, even in the Feywild, nothing can last forever. Corellon began to lust for his carefree days of adventure, when he wandered the wilds with Orpheus. Eventually, the capricious nature of The Elven God got the better of him, and Corellon left his godhood to walk the mortal world as a man. Orpheus, ever-loyal, went with him. Tatiana, angry that her favorite lover left to wander the mortal realms, cursed Orpheus never to return.
Aurashnee swore a bitter vengeance against her husband for leaving her, and their children, behind. In their anger, Aurashnee and her children created a foul beast to haunt the path to Arvandor, and take captive any Elven soul that walked unguarded to the realm of dreams. For this act, Oberon and Tatiana exiled Aurashnee from their kingdoms, and cursed her children to never join their kin in the land of dreams.
Aurashnee and her children found a deep, dark cave where they could hide from the sight of the Fey Lords. There, Aurashnee bore her third child, Eilistraee, in secret. Aurashnee gave up the name Oberon had granted her, and took up the name Lolth.
The first wife of Corellon Larethian. She was made by King Oberon to love Prince Corellon. She was a gifted artisan, especially of cloth making, weaving, and sewing. She bore three children to Corellon; the twins Vhaerun and Vandria, and a secret third child, Eilistraee. She hates Corellon, because his wanderlust was more powerful than his love for her. She seeks to spite Corellon in any way that she can, and kept Eilistraee’s birth a secret from him for thousands of years. She has set fouls spiders to hunt along the path to Arvandor, and steal away any Elven soul that Corellon leaves unguarded. She revels in how Corellon cannot walk the world while he is busy fending away her hungry soul-spiders. Whenever Lolth manages to steal away an Elven soul, she sets it in to the body of one of her Drow.
Near the end of the Era of Titans, Corellon Larethian and Orpheus Latonides set aside their divinity and walked the earth as mortal men. During their journeys, they made the acquaintance of many other gods who also walked the earth in those days. Together, with Pelor, Bahamut, Asmodeus and Moradin, they faced many foes. At the pinnacle of their adventures, they regained their divinity by tricking Death to surrender his scythe. The six adventurers sundered the scythe, and hid the pieces in secret places only they knew. Thus, Death lost its power, the Era of Titans ended, and the Era of Gods began.
In their journeys, Corellon and Orpheus seduced many fair goddesses. Through these pairings, Corellon sired the rest of the Fey Princes, and through them, the rest of the Elven races.
However, the cries of the Elven dead finally reached Corellon’s ear, and he knew that the days of his carefree journeying must end. Corellon knew he had to return to Arvandor, to stand vigil against the spiders of Lolth.
Orpheus, who had been cast out of the presence of Tatiana, could not follow his friend. Thus, the ever-young Prince of Bards remained in the mortal lands, forever separated from his companion.
A goddess carved of marble who was made by Oberon to guard Arvandor in his son’s absence. Sehanine was given exceptional skill with the bow and blade, and charged by her maker to hunt the spiders that plague the Elven souls. Sehanine’s quiet grace and tireless pursuit of Lolth’s spiders endeared her to Corellon, and they were wed. After Corellon’s return, Sehanine became the Elven Goddess of death and dreams, who calls souls back to Arvandor.
The Lord of Spring is a titular position that is granted to whomever Tatiana’s current favorite paramour is, thus, The Spring Court is a place that is maintained for the pleasure of the current Lord of Spring. The Regent of Spring is Hyacinth, a meticulous Eladrin who often vets potential Lords of Spring for Tatiana. For all the purposes of actual responsibility for The Spring Court, Hyacinth is the one in charge. When there is no current reigning Lord of Spring, Hyacinth tirelessly seeks Elves of particularly sharp wit, great beauty and sexual prowess to present to Tatiana. Orpheus Latonides holds the record for the longest-reigning Lord of Spring.
This is the place that most envision when they think of The Feywild. It is a seemingly endless expanse of twilight woods, babbling streams and bountiful thickets of fruit. The actual Court, the place of Tatiana’s residence, is a vast tree at the center of The Summerlands. Near this tree is a natural stone amphitheater where dancing, song and feasting are always found. A thick grove of sacred trees grow together, intertwining and forming the various halls, ball rooms, and hidden ‘private’ places for Tatiana’s guests. The Eternal Spring, which forms the headwaters of the River Styx, is located near The Summer Court.
The Autumn Court is run by the Autumn Lady, Tanaquill; a flesh-and-blood daughter of Queen Tatiana and King Oberon. Tanaquill seeks to bring her parents in to a peaceful accord, for the benefit of those on the material plane who must suffer through her father’s wrathful winters. The Autumn Court often seeks ways to frustrate the efforts of the Spring Court, and drive Queen Tatiana towards King Oberon. Lady Tanaquill prides herself on being prepared for any situation. THe Autumn Court is a place of preparation for winter, and training for spies who must infiltrate the other courts.
This is a place of chilling beauty and harsh living. Unlike all the other Feywild courts, meat is served at the hearth of the Winter King. Life is not taken for granted here, and all resources may be exploited. King Oberon delights in the brutality and difficulty of life at his court, for he believes that it makes the beauty of his realm more appreciated. The actual Court of Winter is a palace carved out of ice that looks over a great, frozen waterfall. The night of Winter Solstice is an occasion of grand feasting in Oberon’s halls, and one of the few times he may be seen to smile outside of Tatiana’s presence.
The Fey Princes are children of Corellon Larethian who are usually heavily associated with a particular subrace of Elves. Though they are each described as having a given gender, they all quite androgynous and capable of becoming either, both or neither sex.
Prince Vhaerun is Corellon’s firstborn. He is intensely jealous of Prince Nuada and Prince Eros’ positions at their father’s side. He seeks to undermine them wherever he can. Vhaerun is an exceptionally cunning and underhanded individual. He somewhat justifiably views Prince Nuada and Prince Eros as usurpers to his position as Corellon’s firstborn (and presumed heir). He will stop at nothing to undermine the efforts of either the Sun Elves or the Moon Elves. It is said by Elves that Vhaerun’s plots are carried out on nights of the new moon, when Sehanine’s brilliance is weakest. Poisoned by centuries of his mother’s influence, Vhaerun believes that he will only be able to return to his “home” in the Feywild once Corellon is dead. Though he is ostensibly devoted to his mother, Lolth rightly fears the day that his ambitions are set against her own. Thus, worship of Prince Vhaerun is outlawed within Drow society. Even among Drow, Vhaerun is exceptionally cruel. He is a master of poisons and assassinations. Although they are divided on the issue of loyalty towards their mother, Vhaerun and Vandria are quite close to each other.
Princess Vandria is the twin sister of Prince Vhaerun. She is the more cold-tempered of the twins, and often sees through their mother’s lies. Unlike her brother, Princess Vandria does not blame Corellon for their initial exile. However, she DOES blame him for not seeking a way to get their exiled lifted. Vandria is disgusted with living in The Underdark, and often leaves for the surface world. She is less hostile towards the other Elven races, but many assume this to be a deception on her part. Vandria is the patron goddess of the city of Arachnas; a near-surface Underdark trade hub that has abolished slavery. It is unknown whether this is done as a true measure of benevolence, or if this is done to weaken her mother’s position. Vandria is not openly worshipped, for fear of angering Lolth. However, her faithful are often able to disguise themselves and walk among Lolth’s faithful. She is a goddess of disguises.
Corellon and Lolth’s third child who was born in secret after Lolth’s exile from The Feywild. For thousands of years, Eilistraee never knew the sunlight, or the stars above. She was likewise unknown to her father. She was eventually discovered by Orpheus Latonides during his days of lone wandering, after Corellon left to guard Arvandor. Orpheus showed Eilistraee ways to walk between the worlds, and brought her to the attention of her father. Although overjoyed to meet his long-lost daughter, Corellon and Eilistraee have a strained relationship. Eilistraee is a natural artisan who has refined her skills though thousands of years of practice while locked away in her mother’s palace. Princess Eilistraee is virtually unknown to the Drow, but she does occasionally manage to reach out to artisans, and grant them inspiring dreams. Eilistraee is a reclusive, but friendly, goddess who hates duplicity and deception. She hopes (vainly) that her parents will someday reconcile, and allow the Drow access to Arvandor.
Son of Corellon Larethian and Aurora, the Dawn Goddess. He is the firstborn of the Sun Elves, and a warrior through and through. Prince Nuada often aids his father in guarding the Path to Arvandor. Although he enjoys a close relationship with Corellon, he is the least like his father. He is steadfast, while his father is impulsive. Where Corellon might win through deception and guile, Nuada holds his shield high and strikes with a flashing sword. Prince Nuada encourages his children to go forth in to the world and seek glory. Because of his mother’s hatred of The Undead, Prince Nuada is most likely to bless elves who work against the undead. Prince Nuada is also the least likely of the Elven princes to rebuke half-elves. Some Elven purists do not believe that Corellon is Nuada’s father. Prince Nuada can be regarded as an Elven god of martial prowess, dedication and purification.
Daughter of Corellon and Silvus, a feral goddess of trees. Luame is the patroness of Wood Elves, and the Fey Prince who is most like the wild and carefree Corellon who wandered the Feywild. She, like her father, enjoys exploring the dark and secret places of the world. She enjoys trickery and deception, and rarely appears in the same form twice. She hates the ordered and manicured farms of civilization, and admonishes elves that work fields. Her vision of the Elven races would have them living in hidden “houses” woven from the still-living trees, and feasting only upon the foods that can be found in her wild places. She is especially fond of druids, and often blesses them with her favor. She is the Elven goddess of wilderness, beasts and the bounty of nature.
Son of Corellon and Sehanine. The youngest of the Fey Princes, and clearly the product of being born to a more stable and mindful father. Like his mother, Eros is an exceptional archer. Eros wields a sacred bow whose magic darts are capable of inciting the dormant passions of elves, whether that is for one another, or for an art form. It is often said that, before Corellon can guide a soul back from Arvandor, Eros must strike with his arrows, and awaken the desire of elves. Eros is a god of inspiration, hope and family. He is Tatiana’s favored grandchild. Lolth’s children have a deep dislike of him. Though he is regarded as the patron of Elven families, he is not considered to be a god who is kind to the half-elves. Priests of Eros are most likely to see half-elves as a perversion of Corellon and Eros’ gifts.
Prince Sashelas is the son of Corellon and an unnamed primal goddess of the sea. Worship of Sashelas is limited to the Sea Elves, who are quite secretive about their patron’s mystery cult. Sashelas is the least even-tempered of the non-Drow Seldarine; he apparently takes many traits from his grandfather, King Oberon. Prince Sashelas is fiercely protective of his realm, and does not suffer intrusion from air-breathing elves without good reason. Like his father, he is sympathetic to explorers who become lost. Prince Sashelas is known to send his sacred beast, the albatross, to guide those who are lost at sea. He visits terrible curses upon those who would harm his messenger. His priests, who commune with him in the darkest depths of the ocean, have little to comment on the issue of half-elves. They are not typically seen in Sea Elf conclaves. Prince Sashelas can be summarized as an Elven god of storms, fishing and guidance at sea.
In my setting, Corellon was slain by Rex the Terrible; a god-like Dragonborn Emperor and the BBEG of my last campaign.
It has been twenty years since then, and Corellon's death is a major plot driver of my campaign (Partially because one of my players is a character who is Rex III; the mortal son of Tatiana and Rex Jr).
Queen Tatiana
In the initial days after the death of her beloved son, Tatiana was absolutely inconsolable. No elf who dreamed of Arvandor found rest in the weeks following Corellon's death. However, sorrow does not linger long in The Summer Court, and Queen Tatiana seemed to recover rather quickly after Corellon's wake (in which his body was suspiciously absent). Secretly, she is deep in denial about Corellon's death. She is continually trying new and more far-fetched resurrection rituals every day.
King Oberon
Every winter since the death of Corellon has been more cold and snowy than the last. The rage of the Winter King is not so quickly spent as it is with his wife. Few have dared utter the name of the fallen prince in Oberon's presence.
Orpheus Latonides
Orpheus grieved Corellon more than any other. He uttered uttered a terrible curse against the land of the one who slew his friend, and revoked his gift of inspiration from all bards of the Dragon Emperor's lands. At Corellon's wake, Orpheus found a secret way back to The Feywild that was unknown to Tatiana. At the wake, a meeting of The Fey Princes was conducted, and Orpheus was made in to the new God of the Elves, and Guardian of Arvandor. Orpheus guards the gates of Arvandor with a zeal that frightens even Prince Nuada, for Orpheus (vainly) hopes to catch a glimpse of his friend's soul some day.
Lolth
Lolth, though she only played a small part in the death of her husband, has delighted in the chaos that has ensued. Her current ambition is to find the missing corpse of Corellon, and use it for a dark, necromantic purpose. Vhaerun and Vandria are in agreement with this new purpose.
Sehanine
The Elven Goddess of Death was not prepared for the loss of her beloved. It is strange for her to hunt the soul-spiders alongside Orpheus, her sometimes rival for Corellon's affections. Sehanine's gifts of dreams have all been filled with sorrow, and her Druidic Circle of Dreams has been shattered. It is believed that the weeping heard by Elves through Arvandor is the grief of Sehanine being sung to Elvenkind.
Princess Eilistraee
Princess Eilistraee has shut herself in her workshop, and denies her inspiration to all. Her only contact with the outside world has been brief exchanges with Orpheus through the dreaming of Arvandor. When she wakes, she obsessively carves and paints different aspects of the father she never truly knew.
Prince Nuada
When Corellon fell, and the North Star became a supernova, Prince Nuada immediately fled to the gates of Arvandor to hold back the tide of soul-spiders that were sent by Lolth. He faithfully held the line, and forsook attendance at Corellon's wake, in order to guard the spirits of Elven dead that were lost along the path to Arvandor. Prince Nuada is absolutely certain that his father's spirit has not been seen along the path to Arvandor, which is a matter of great concern to The Seldarine.
Princess Luame
Princess Luame has ascended and become the chief Goddess of rangers. Though she cannot restore her father's star to the sky, she has set her own unwavering star in the western sky, to guide the lost. She grieves as the other Fey Princes do, but she also seeks the many dark places of the world where she suspects her father's soul may be hiding.
Prince Eros
The naive, young Prince Eros has experienced loss for the first time. While his siblings grew up without their fickle father in their lives, Eros always had his father's guidance. He is lost, and afraid of the future. He wishes to help his grieving mother, but fears that inciting some kind of passion within her will only drive her to obsession, like Eilistraee. Eros is the only Fey Prince who voted against Orpheus as the Guardian of Arvandor.
Prince Sashelas
The inscrutable Prince Sashelas grieves in his own way by setting his hand against all ships bearing banners of The Dragon Emperor. He has contacted the other Fey Princes only to say that neither Corellon's body, nor his soul have been committed to The Deep.
