Lolth
Cleric Alignments: CE, CN, NE 

Lolth: Queen of Spiders, Queen of the Demonweb Pits (Intermediate Deity)

Symbol: Black spider with female drow head hanging from a spider web
Home Plane: Demonweb Pits
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Portfolio: Assassins, Chaos, Darkness, Drow, Evil, Spiders
Worshipers: Drow and depraved elves, sentient spiders Cleric
Alignments: CE, CN, NE
Domains: Chaos, Drow, Evil, Darkness, Destruction, Spider, Trickery

Favored Weapon: A spider (dagger)

ruel and capricious Lolth (loalth) embodies the absolute evil of the drow. She is malicious in her dealings with others and coldly vicious in a fight, coveting the power of deities worshiped by the surface races. Some believe her to be insane, because the Queen of Spiders pits her own worshipers against one another in an endless struggle for "station". She can be kind and aids those she fancies, but she thrives on death, destruction, and torture -- including those of her own worshipers who have displeased her. Although she can appear in the form of a giant black widow spider with crimson eyes, Lolth's true form is that of a human-sized, exquisitely beautiful female drow.

The Queen of Spiders is the subject of terrifying legend among most surface dwellers and seen as virtually synonymous with the greatly feared drow. Few elves are even willing to discuss their deep dwelling kin, let alone the dark deity who is blamed in large part for their depravity. Only the drow clerics of Eilistraee are even willing to speak of Lolth, and their fury at her enslavement of their kind exceeds even that of the other elven subraces. In the underdark, her church is a well-known evil, hated by dwarves, svirfneblin, and other races for the cruelty of her clerics. Dark elves who venerate other evil deities, as well as all male drow who pay her homage, revile the church of the Spider Queen for its power -- though they would seize such power for themselves if they could.

Clerics of Lolth pray for spells after waking from trance or before retiring to trance. They are always female. Lolth requires regular homage from her clerics: submission in prayer, plus offerings. Lolth's aid requires sacrifices, traditionally the blood of drow faithful or captured foes, spilled with a spider-shaped knife whose eight descending legs are blades. Ceremonies sacrificing surface elves are performed monthly during nights of the full moon as deliberate affronts to Sehanine, Lolth's hated rival. Rituals customarily take place among women only, in a sacred room or area, but those requiring extraordinary power or a public display may be celebrated in the open and in mixed company. The most powerful ceremonies defy description and are seldom seen by nondrow. Rituals to Lolth involve the burning of precious oils and incense, live offerings, and riches of all sorts, particularly gems. These are customarily placed in a bowl-shaped depression in a black alter or a burning brazier, from which black-and-red flames leap to consume the offerings. If the deity is angered, or impostors are present, the flames may also arc to consume other valuables, such as magic items, jewelry and clothing. Large, important rituals customarily use eight braziers, to provide additional flame and to represent Lolth's eight legs. Lolth allows herself to be contacted directly (Such as with a commune spell) only when it pleases her to do so. Otherwise, the call reaches her servant yochlols (amorphous demons able to take the form of an elf or spider). When Lolth is displeased she sends a yochlol or a myrlochar (a spider demon of lesser rank) to attack the cleric. Lolth's clerics sometimes multiclass as arachnes, fighters, or sorcerers.

HISTORY/RELATIONSHIPS: Lolth was once Araushnee, the consort of Corellon Larethian, patron of artisans, the deity of elven destiny, and -- later, by Corellon's decree -- the keeper of those elves who shared her darkly beautiful features. The Weaver of Destiny bore her lover two children, Eilistraee and Vhaeraun, before she betrayed him and tried to invade Arvandor, along with Ghaunadaur, Malar, and many other fell deities. For her crimes, Araushnee was banished to the Abyss in the form of a spider demon, where she took the name Lolth. As the original patron of the dark elves, the Queen of Spiders established herself as the unchallenged ruler of the drow pantheon. Lolth finds it convenient to ally herself on occasion with Loviatar and Malar, and since the Time of Troubles, to masquerade as Moander, an ancient deity of rot, corruption, and decay. Lolth's foes include the Seldarine (the elven pantheon) Ghaunadaur, Eilistraee, nondrow Underdark deities, and Gruumsh.

DOGMA: Fear is as strong as steel, while love and respect are soft and useless. Convert or destroy nonbeliever drow. Weed out the weak and the rebellious. Destroy impugners of the faith. Sacrifice males, slaves, and those of other races who ignore the commands of Lolth or her clerics. Raise children to praise and fear Lolth; each family should produce at least one cleric to serve her. Questioning Lolth's motives or wisdom is a sin, as is aiding nondrow against the drow, or ignoring Lolth's commands for the sake of a lover. Revere arachnids of all kinds; those who kill or mistreat a spider must die.