Corellon Larethian created the elves. Whether or not on function or accident relies on which tales you take heed to.
Corellon Larethian is credited with creating all elves on Faerun. Although not everybody can agree whether or not or not he meant to, there’s little doubt that this one occasion kicked off not only a multiversal migration, however an epic story of betrayal and tragedy.
Although the earliest tales place Corellon firmly on the world of Greyhawk, the reality is that the androgynous, evershifting god existed within the cosmos that contact all realities. And from there, initially, did all elves spring.
Corellon Larethian – Creator of All Elves
Within the present canon, Corellon was thought to be the creator of all elves. And whereas the precise particulars of how are inclined to differ, sure tales recur time and again with every telling:
Elves are all descended from a deity, and their origin led to a tragedy that shapes their tradition to at the present time.
The gulf between the elves and Corellon, and the cut up between Corellon and Lolth, arose from the identical transgression. That one incident set all the numerous races of elves on their current paths, decided their distinctive life cycle, and triggered an unflagging hatred between the drow and the elves of the Materials Airplane. No different occasion has had such momentous affect on elven historical past because the one which started all of it.
All of it started lengthy earlier than the elves even existed when Corellon “danced from world to world and aircraft to aircraft” present in a swish, however mutable state. This can be why many cultures think about Corellon Larethian as a god of change. Certainly, the earliest tales check with Corellon to with out particular gender and even kind; Corellon may at some point be a faculty of fish, a flock of birds, a bunch of bees.
This final metaphor appeared notably apt, as Corellon had a repute for “loving wholeheartedly” however reveling in pleasure.
Ultimately, the wandering deity’s free-loving, free-roaming spirit led to a battle with the god Gruumsh (who at this level nonetheless had each eyes). Throughout their legendary combat with Gruumsh, Corellon took an eye fixed, however not earlier than Gruumsh may wound them.
And from that spilled blood, had been born the elves. These first elves weren’t those widespread to realms like Greyhawk and Faerun.
No, these primal elves had been extra like Corellon, mutable by way of kind and gender. They had been fey beings who lived in Arvandor with their creator, and as Corellon performed favorites, they gave these primordial elves names—names that make up the remainder of the elven pantheon, together with Lolth.
Lolth and the Fall
However whereas Corellon was pleased to tarry and flit in regards to the multiverse, Lolth had a need for superiority at the price of particular person freedom. Lolth got here up with a scheme to surrender the liberty of kind as a way to obtain whole dominance.
And this single thought modified the character of elves eternally. They took “static types”, following within the wake of Lolth. However Corellon took this static-ness as a betrayal. The nascent elven pantheon dealt with it the best way elves do—with an important debate. The primal elven deities pled their case earlier than Corellon, which gave Lolth the chance to attempt to kill her hated foe.
That went over about in addition to you’d anticipate, and the result’s the drow being solid down, Lolth changing into a demon lord, and Corellon changing into the chief of a fractious pantheon.
And that’s only one facet of the elven story.
