Eilistraee.com

Would Eilistraee forbid a follower wearing a helmet into battle?

Not a small skirmish, but a literal battle, involving thousands of beings on each side, above ground? One does not see images of the goddess, or images of her followers wearing so much as a skullcap while weilding swords. In massed combat, the head is a tempting target, and easy to pick out as a specific target, and one cannot always keep track of all the incoming threats in such a situation.

I would assume were it allowed, such a defense would have to be light, and open.

IIRC, in both ''Faiths and Pantheons'' and ''Demihuman Deities'' it is said that priestesses of Eilistraee dress in the most practical way for the situation. So if a priestess thought that an helmet of any kind could save her life, she would wear it. However most of them go in battle with light armor because it allows them to ''sword-dance'', quick, elegant and agile movements being what protects them rather than layers of armor, and as a sort of tribute to the Dark Maiden, not by imposition. Those books don't say anything specific about armor worn by non priestly followers, but considering that not even priestesses have such restrictions (like a duty uniform), I don't think other followers do.

Actually, I don't believe that there are many gods that [i:1nib406g]impose[/i:1nib406g] their followers how to dress (except the most oppressive and invasive ones, I guess), let alone the chaotic Dark Maiden, whose worship can easily be spontaneous in its form, rather than precise, over-detailed rites. So -AFAIK- you could have a cleric of Helm wearing only leather, or one devout to the Eilistraee who appears as a steel-clad juggernaut (even tho the thought is kinda funny).

The Demihuman Deities book mentions that they DO sometimes dress in full armor when going into battle, though it does not specify type. So I would assume that some of them probably do wear helms at times. And their are Temple Guardians (an Eilistraeean prestige class) who are like knights in armor. I would think they probably wear some heavier armor than the Sword Dancers do.

Those that expect combat, dress battle ready. There is no weapon or armor restrictions listed. Even a bow can be use, the Dark Maiden is only one that will not use that weapon.

This is the [url=http://trismegist.narod.ru/de_eilistrae ... l:31tqpi6b]text from Demihuman Deities[/url:31tqpi6b] (the AD&D 2[sup:31tqpi6b]nd[/sup:31tqpi6b] ed. source book; emphasis mine):

[quote:31tqpi6b]Priestly Vestments; Priests of Eilistraee wear their hair long, and dress practically for whatever they are currently doing. For rituals, they wear as little as possible. Otherwise, they tend to wear soft leathers for hunting, aprons while cooking, and-[b:31tqpi6b][color=blue:31tqpi6b]when battle is expected-armor[/color:31tqpi6b][/b:31tqpi6b]. When relaxing, they favor silvery, diaphanous gowns. The holy symbol of the faith is a silver sword pendant the length of a Dark Lady's hand. Such symbols are typically worn as pins or hung around the neck on a slender silver or mithral chain.

Adventuring Garb: [b:31tqpi6b][color=blue:31tqpi6b]Eilistraee's clergy must garb themselves in either magical armor or armor of drow make[/color:31tqpi6b][/b:31tqpi6b]. Whenever possible, priests of the Dark Maiden must use swords in battle. If no swords are at hand but other bladed weapons are available, they must be used in preference to other weapons. Long bows and silver-tipped arrows are also commonly employed as secondary weapons.[/quote:31tqpi6b]
And this is the text from the 3E source book [url=http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dn ... a:31tqpi6b]Faiths and Pantheons[/url:31tqpi6b] (again, emphasis mine):

[quote:31tqpi6b]Clerics of Eilistraee wear their hair long and dress practically for whatever they are currently doing. For rituals, they wear as little as possible. Otherwise, they tend to wear soft leathers for hunting, aprons while cooking, and—[b:31tqpi6b][color=blue:31tqpi6b]rarely—armor when battle is expected[/color:31tqpi6b][/b:31tqpi6b]. When relaxing, they favor silvery, diaphanous gowns. Most clerics prefer holy symbols of silver, typically worn as pins or hung around the neck on slender silver or mithral chains.[/quote:31tqpi6b]
I think that the original restriction on adventuring priestesses of Eilistraee to wear magical armor only was dropped later (and good thing too as it didn't really make a lot of sense).

Then of course there is the Sword Dancer prestige class which, as I recall (don't have the text at hand), can't use most of their special abilities when wearing anything heavier than light armor.

All in all, as others have said, I don't think that she'd have a problem with one of the clergy wearing a helmet, let alone a follower (as followers tend to be a lot more free).

Hopefully that helps.


Love -x-x-x-

Shir'le

Thanks very much for the responses! I thought it wouldn't be a problem. I was using 'follower' in this case as a blanket catagory, I should have specified priestesses or other prestige classes.

[quote="Madoc":179i0zoc]Thanks very much for the responses! I thought it wouldn't be a problem. I was using 'follower' in this case as a blanket catagory, I should have specified priestesses or other prestige classes.[/quote:179i0zoc]

Well the basic standard, if one purchased and wore armor, is the basic design included a helm, that was included.

Some of the very low cost armor padded, sometimes leather did not have a helm, all metal armor, normal, clearly had a helm. Some might say Elven chain might not and certain magical armor acts as a helm without wearing one.

No armor restriction to basic class, the Sword Dancers, Hair become armor if I recall correctly, as a bonus to anything else they might be wearing.

Well, source material aside, I would say logically, the answer is yes. Eilistraee is a good deity, and is represented as loving her worshipers. I think it would make sense that she would wish for her followers to do everything within reason in order to survive.