Eilistraee.com

I'm glad you like it. Sorry that I rarely reply to these posts. Posts of this nature can be big timesinks for me so I can't always gather together a proper reply. But I'll just say that I don't see the idea of putting away a mask and constructs as necessarily so different from exposing a hypothetical vulnerability. As far as I know in society, the purpose of "masks and constructs" is generally used as a management tool for vulnerability and the fallout of it in the first place. So vulnerability is made so through context, and thus I don't think we're actually talking about fundamentally different things in terms of some of the benefits a drow character could get out of doing Eilistraee's "butt-nekkid moonlit dance!" as Cunningham in Liriel-voice once joked. XD Just the reasoning is from different perspective.

I just decided to post mostly pop music today.

Growing Pains - Alessia Cara

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPRqct56Uds

Love Me Like You Do - Ellie Goulding

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD2_bkNgX5I

Within Temptation (Shot in the Dark)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhjKjtdu-_c

World on Fire (Sarah Mclachlan)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOHtAzpovBE

Immortal Rain Reverie (Composed by: 董貞 / 千年破曉 Bamboo flute: 佚名)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAUP1Rm3K10

I think "Growing Pains" works for an anthem for a young Eilistraee, like in "Evermeet," when she realizes she has to leave Arvandor and that things will get harder for her from now on and will never be the same, although I think she seems more conflicted/uncertain in that book than Cara is in the song. But it's just the feeling of mingled determination and dread that works. I know "Love Me Like You Do" is a love song but rather than a romance with another person as such it always made me think more of Eilistraee's hobby of watching craftsmen etc. at work---to see people interested in what they're doing/what they created/what is made, etc.

"Shot in the Dark" has a kind of combined joy/wonder/sympathy/gratitude at certain parts that I think the character might be able to relate to like when another drow who needs to finds her, she has to try to protect or otherwise look after her followers when they are in trouble, or when she sees that a drow is getting away from Lolth and going on the journey of learning how to be themselves and what they want, even if it's not with her. Also Eilistraee is a character that fought a lot for a long time, so it must have been dark and hard at times that even she would feel like she wants to give up, especially when the Seldarine disagreed with her methods, and distance between them grew such that she and her drow felt shut out from them because of the lack of communication such that only Erevan Ilesere continued to associate with her. At that time if she were to see her methods working even a little anywhere, like for instance drow and surfacers beginning to work together more, I can imagine her own morale also goes back up a bit.

The lyrics in Mclachlan's "World on Fire" makes me think of "Evermeet" again when Eilistraee has agreed to go with the other drow gods into exile, and Lolth is saying that "power is taken," and Corellon counters with "power is given." In reality they're probably both right since the natural cycle requires reciprocity, "give and take, take and give."

"Immortal Rain Reverie" is a favorite guzheng style instrumental. There's an intermingled wild, wistful quality about it that I think fits the character.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz5ibJhxowM

I think this one would be more about an Eilistraeen drow's mindset.

Oddly I think it also reminds me of Liriel Baenre and her dilemma between "thinking and dreaming." But now I think about it, it could also reflect Eilistraee's mindset when she faced the choice of leaving with Araunshee and Vhaeraun or staying in Arvandor.

Not a fan of the melody, but you're right; the words and their meaning are pretty relevant. Thank your for sharing.

Mmm, I like it. More upbeat than one might expect, but there's no reason why a follower of Eilistraee can't be upbeat.

Thank you for sharing.


Love -x-x-x-

Shir'le

If anything they're the most likely to be upbeat, I guess. XD

I've been playing this one a lot lately. I kind of vaguely remember it may have been posted before, but it's not here anymore.

Someone was kind enough to post the English translation in the comments of the youtube video, so I reposted here. I think some of the lines evoke quite Eilistraeen imagery, like moonfire, silver moths and night dances, and others like the reference to "the flower of prayer," generally seems kind of apropos for something an Eilistraeen priestess might sing in her devotions, especially since Eilistraee is also said to accept prayers as an offering of itself, and I feel I read somewhere about flowers as offerings too, although as with so many things, I don't remember where I read the latter anymore (it could actually have been someone's homebrew then, because I feel like I read something about Vhaeraunites offering heads and regalia of enemies in the same source, but reading over "Demihuman Deities" again it's just regalia and magic. Really, what am I remembering. )

Pantalea (Akiko Shikata): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDWhujtOPKY

Is what dances in the full moon the feast of life?
What does it pray for? What does it sing of?

The prosperity of ancient times lacks even a storyteller
Be that as it may, it waits for the time of reunion

O birds, o beasts, o spirits
Pieces of memories...
O every one of God's creatures great and small
Give praise to the miracle of this evening

Pantalea blooms
As thought treating the blue stars with tender loving care

Pantalea releases it's aroma
The mysterious flower in full bloom that lights our wishes

Dance, even the collapsed world
fills our cups with delight

The faint white, faint blue rising flames--
The one-night dance and the butterflies missing one wing

The lights of the fireflies close together contain the future
Connecting our preparations

What remains of the unknown souls that have passed on
is a nameless vestige
Give sustenance to our wishes that have been born and died
Awaken this world to a new path

Pantalea - the dawn breaks
Soon the flower will fall into a deep sleep
Pantalea - once per year
Blooms just once, o, hope!

Pantalea - rain without ceasing
Receiving the beneficial rain, greenery buds
Pantalea - Have faith in us
One of these days, it will return once again

Pantalea - The shining wind
blows through the shore

Pantelea - The flower of prayer
which dreams of sending out ancient emotion--

It's a fitting song indeed. Rather upbeat, but it keeps mysticism to it, making it especially suited for a prayer. Not that prayers to Eilistraee need to be mystic, as Eilistraee is happiest when seeing artists create and perform (and she delights in sending burst of inspiration to them).

Re: flowers as an offering, there's nothing about it in canon. However, I'm more inclined to believe that Eilitraee would find planting a flower and tending a garden a much more pleasant offering than picking a flower.