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It's not too original. Basically, I was just trying to wrap myself around the new cosmology (which I like better than planes). Keep in mind that this mytholgy is told from an Elven perspective. I will post in smallish parts to limit wall'o'text effect. Once again, I'm after constructive criticism of my style. I hope this one garners at least one comment . . .

Of The Divine Council Following The First War

Although what memory lives in mortals no longer can recall it, this world arose amidst the elemental chaos, called forth through the strivings of Primordials. In a terrible clash, ending in death for most of them and perpetual imprisonment for a few others, the child of all their labors, what we lightly call our world, was wrested away by the Gods. Yet the Gods did not agree concerning the destiny of this war-won prize even if they had united for a time to cast down their common enemies. In their brutal theft of the world from its first parents, they had grown jealous of it as between themselves. So it passed that War fathered War even at the beginning of time, even as it does down to this day.

Once the noise and vapors of celestial war had diminished, once the wrath of those fierce spirits had cooled and sober thoughts again sat enthroned in cautious hearts, then it was that the Gods held their Council. Not all spoke at first, indeed but two voices emerged clearly. Proud Corellon, our father and the father of all cunning arts, declared: “Never again must the world be subjected to such destruction; let us therefore tend it closely and according to strict purposes.” Then that swart god, ever girt with axe, who mortals have called Grummsh since ancient times answered: “Nay, the world is more than any of our minds or even all of them united, if ever they could be; let it be as it will, even unto its uttermost ending.”

This novel discord laid plain, the heavens stood silently balanced for a while. None dared disagree with these two Mighty Ones nor yet even could imagine doing so. Araushnee, who alone among the Gods could perceive the constantly spinning web of fate, sensed an omen of sorrow in this silence. Valuing the world without urge to dominate it, she sighed and spoke then, as if to herself: “This prize is truly greater than any of us alone or all of us together. For we are now and forever part of it.” Both Corellon and Grummsh thought that she had spoken in support of him against the other; indeed, few present perceived that her voice was her own. Each of the gods thereafter spoke in agreement with one or the other and the argument seemed interminable.

Of The Finding Of The Feywild And Arausnhee's Love

Eager as they were to explore the spoils of their triumph, some grew weary of the debate more quickly than others. It was Sehanine the Dreamer who wandered away first and so was first, among all beings aside from the Primordials themselves, to discover the Feywild. Untouched by war between God and Primordial, the verdant beauty of this realm overcame her and animated a heretofore unknown lust in her heart. “Though I would stay,” she thought “this place cannot be mine alone—for the others would search me out and see its beauty spoiled.” Only one of the Mighty could claim such a place and even then only in secret.

Sehanine hurried back to the council and found there the key to her desire. The debate had continued leaving neither side moved. But impatient Grummsh had by then heard enough: “I cannot convince you, it seems, but mark how I teach you now. The peace you beg cannot be wrought without me. I refuse it. What I do, I will; what you do, you must.” None could persuade him or his allies then to tarry or treat further; but mark him they did and how he strode off as if to war. Corellon, too, was wroth, his bright brow so darkened that the others shuddered to see it. For they knew the terror of his blade and were loathe to see it unsheathed.

Only one remained undaunted. “Behold,” Araushnee softly spoke “how his words work in you his purpose and against yours. Will our precious world see your flashing sword again so soon, you who would have peace?” As Corellon looked upon her, cold anger fled from his heart. There bloomed in that moment love between them, the first spring. Neither, however, knew this; nor could they, for love was then new. Even so, Araushnee Fatespinner dimly felt two paths unfurl before her. If she had known what love was, she would also have known that she felt it for Corellon and for the world quite separately.

The Offer of Sehanine

For Corellon, these feelings flowed into and out of one another. “I wonder that war is worth fighting when it can never cease and will ruin all. Seeing you now, I suddenly fear that you, too, will fall to ruin and such is more than I can bear.” Again, Araushnee felt the two paths beckon her follow but now began to worry that she could not heed both. Sehanine the Dreamer followed this exchange with great interest. Perceiving Araushnee’s silence but misunderstanding it, she interceded.

“No need to fear, then, as I will show both of you,” she whispered lightly “but we must go in secret.” They began to follow her and when they had gone very far, Sehanine warned them: “Follow me further and you will have all that you wish but must never turn back lest you lose all.” Aruashnee laughed: “Further to where? What more could I wish?” These words gave Sehanine pause but what Corellon said next reassured her greatly. “I will follow for I guess your mind: a realm to rule in secret and so make perfect.”

Now Sehanine laughed: “You are a wise fool to seize all that you desire and not wonder how it could be. But I will tell you what you did not care to guess.” After hearing of the Feywild, Corellon rejoiced whereas Araushnee was reluctant unto silence once again. “I do not wish to abandon the world,” she said at last and she felt for the first time tears well in her eyes. “To stay would make no difference now that others have forsaken the beauty we could have wrought,” Corellon pleaded, “let us at least protect this one place even if all the rest is doomed to suffer.” “If a part is doomed, then all is doomed,” Araushnee replied. She knew then that she had already followed the two paths as far as they could travel together. “Wherefore summer, when autumn is upon us so quickly?”

Araushnee Consents

For the first time, Sehanine perceived something of the love they shared and was anxious of it. “I will not show either,” Sehanine said grimly “how to come to where both will not swear to stay. I have seen what passes between you and what is in the mind of one will not now remain secret.” Corellon looked to Araushnee in despair: “If I stay in this world, it will die in part by my hand.” Araushnee remembered then how fell his countenance was when brought to wrath and shuddered again as all who before had looked upon his wintry fury. The words of Grummsh rang in her ears—what I do, I will; what you do, you must. “Then I must exchange my promise for yours,” she said sorrowfully.

“You will see that you mourn for naught,” Sehanine said to Araushnee. “For what was born dead,” Corellon retorted coldly, although he spoke as if to himself. Araushnee would have wept but could not, finding that she believed him. “Dead,” she thought “by whose hand?” Her heart hardened and softened by turns and she could not decide. It seemed to her that no one else had ever truly made a choice before she had. What the others did, they did out of their nature. Why should she alone be asked to do other than her nature? She could not understand it but it seemed more bitter even than leaving the world.

This is by far some of the best fiction I have read here on Dakka, How do you manage to create something this good? Anyways keep it comming and Il be a happy man.

Thank you kindly for your compliment, Anshal, but this is just a retelling (with some creative liberties taken) of old and new D&D mythology. What I've posted is all that I've written so far. I have some ideas about how Araushnee becomes Lolth/Lloth (inspired by the many disparate accounts given in D&D books over the years) but haven't set them down into words yet.

You know, I just realized... Eilistraee is similar to Ork Stormboyz.

I know that sounds weird, but in the end, they're both basically rebellious teens, with Eilistraee rebelling against her mother's evil nature, and the stormboyz rebelling against the Orkoid chaotic nature.

Just thought it might add a bit of perspective when you get to Llolth's screwed up family tree

Eillistraee is Forgotten Realms baggage and extraneous to the story IMO.

When the Drow were first introduced, the idea was that they represented bizarro world:

- living belowground rather than on the surface

- black skin as opposed to white skin

- matriarchy instead of patriarchy (including devotion to a goddess rather than god or male-led pantheon)

- vile and irrational versus noble and wise

All of this was designed to freak out educated white males. And it is freaky . . . to the point of being compelling. Fans began to sympathize more and more with the Drow but usually in ways that reinforced the original narrative. One aspect of this is the popularity of Drizzt, the Drow inversion: the male who singularly rejects and invalidates his female-dominated culture in favor of . . . yep, the male-dominated surface culture.

At the tail end of 3.5's life, WotC published a great sourcebook called "Drow of the Underdark." It contains several conflicting "origins stories" for the Drow, including one from their point of view where they propose that the surface elves are the true exiles. This fascinated me. But I noticed that Lloth was still treated as merely insane--a cunning schemer, yes, but basically an irrational, vindictive woman.

And maybe that's just Corellon's take. But what about Lloth's story?