> [!infobox] > ![[Lolth.png|300]] > ###### Information > | | | > | ---- | ---- | > | **Titles** | The Venomous Mother, Chaos Weaver | > | **Domain** | Chaos, Darkness, Intrigue, Fate, Spiders | > | **Gender** | Feminine | > | **Alignment** | Evil | > | **Artifact(s)** | The Poison Crown | > # Symbol > ![[Lolth Symbol.png]] ### **Description** Lolth exists as one of the most ancient and feared entities, predating both the Modern Pantheon and the Old Gods. She weaves the threads of fate itself, believing that chaos and conflict drive evolution and strength. Unlike [[Fate]], who sees destiny as predetermined paths, Lolth views fate as a web that can be manipulated, torn, and rewoven according to her whims. She delights in creating situations that force mortals to choose between equally compelling options, finding beauty in the resulting chaos and the strength that emerges from such trials. ### **Appearance** Lolth manifests as a terrifyingly beautiful drow-like woman whose skin bears a sickly green pallor marked with dark veining that resembles a spider's web. Her luminous green eyes seem to see all the threads of connection and possibility that bind the world together. A magnificent crown of twisted branches and thorns grows from her head like antlers, adorned with emerald gems that pulse with inner light. Her long, dark hair flows like liquid shadow, often seeming to move independently as if underwater. She is perpetually surrounded by an intricate web that extends infinitely in all directions, upon which countless spiders of all sizes scuttle and weave. Dark veins spread across her face like cracks in porcelain, giving her an otherworldly beauty that inspires both desire and revulsion. ### **Worshippers and Clergy** Her followers include ambitious nobles seeking power, spies and assassins who work in shadows, those who study the connections between all things, and drow societies that have embraced her chaotic teachings. Her clergy, known as the Webweavers, wear robes of deep green and black adorned with spider motifs. They often cover their faces with intricate masks resembling spider heads, with multiple eye-pieces that allow them to see from different angles simultaneously. Many of her faithful are politicians, spymasters, and those who traffic in secrets and information. The Webweavers maintain vast networks of informants and view knowledge as the ultimate currency. ### **Dogma** - Chaos drives growth; comfort breeds weakness and stagnation - All things are connected by invisible threads; learn to see and manipulate these connections - Strength comes from surviving betrayal and conflict, not from avoiding them - Information is power; gather secrets like a spider gathers flies in its web - Trust is a luxury for the weak; rely only on your own cunning and strength - The spider that devours its mate survives to breed again ### **Manifestations** Lolth's presence is marked by the sudden appearance of spiders in unusual numbers and varieties, including species not native to the area. Her influence causes shadows to take on web-like patterns and creates the sensation of invisible threads brushing against skin. Those she favors sometimes find intricate spider webs appearing overnight in impossible locations, containing messages written in dewdrops or caught insects. Her displeasure manifests as nightmares filled with being trapped in endless webs, and enemies may wake to find their belongings covered in thick, sticky webbing that resists normal removal. ### **Relations with Other Deities** Lolth maintains a complex web of relationships with other deities, often playing multiple sides against each other. She views [[Fate]] as a naive child who fails to understand that destiny must be actively woven rather than passively observed. She has a grudging respect for [[Ezrasil]], seeing chaos and trickery as valuable tools, though she finds his approach too lighthearted. She despises [[Aurelion]]'s rigid justice and sees [[Malrith]] as a useful but ultimately limited ally in her goals of spreading beneficial chaos. Among the Modern Pantheon, she occasionally cooperates with [[Ana]] on matters of hidden knowledge, though neither fully trusts the other. ### **Holy Days and Rituals** **The Night of Weaving** occurs during the autumn equinox, when followers create elaborate webs to symbolize their connections and plans for the coming year. **The Feast of Venom** celebrates survival through adversity with ritualistic consumption of mild toxins to build immunity. **The Dance of Betrayal** is a complex ceremony where participants must navigate social challenges and temporary alliances, teaching that trust must be earned and verified. **Web-Walking** rituals involve followers attempting to cross actual spider webs without breaking them, symbolizing the delicate nature of fate manipulation. ### **Favored Weapons and Tools** Her clergy favor curved daggers and poisoned weapons, viewing toxins as tools of precision rather than crude force. Many Webweavers use whips crafted to resemble spider legs, and they excel in the use of nets and entangling weapons. They carry vials of various venoms and antidotes, both for protection and as diplomatic tools. Spider silk cords are used for climbing and binding, and her followers often employ trained spiders for reconnaissance and message delivery. The most devoted clergy members allow small, harmless spiders to live in their hair and clothing as living symbols of their faith. ### **Myths and Legends** Ancient tales claim that Lolth was the first being to realize that fate was not fixed but could be manipulated like threads in a loom. Legend says she taught the first mortals to weave both cloth and destiny, though her lessons came with the price of eternal vigilance against betrayal. Another myth suggests that she created the first drow by taking elves who had grown too comfortable in their perfection and placing them in the Underdark, where only the cleverest and most adaptable survived to become her chosen people. The most persistent legend tells of the Great Web that connects all living things, visible only to those who have proven their worth to the Spider Queen, and that master Webweavers can pluck these strings to influence events across vast distances.