Forgotten Realms Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Forgotten Realms Wiki

Eldath (pronounced: /ˈɛldæθEL-dæth[2] about this audio file listen), also known as the Mother of the Waters among the Bedine people,[13]was a lake spirit[14] who was often worshiped as a goddess of peace and calm waters.[2] The Mother Guardian of Groves was a mysterious deity that acted as a protector of copses and watersheds. The voice of the Green Goddess was heard in every babbling brook, her presence felt wherever there was calm.[11]

Who is Eldath? Eldath is a goddess. They call her the Quiet One. She's a healer, and she serves Silvanus and helps the druids of the Emerald Enclave.
— Cerril[15]

Description[]

Eldath normally appeared in a 10 ft (3 m) tall female form, but the details varied. Depictions in religious art and known appearances had her as a human, wild elf, sea elf, dryad, and nereid. She was tall, thin, graceful, beautiful, and her form was always translucent enough to be seen through at all times. Sometimes she was said to have dark hair while at others her hair was colorless like water, and seemed more like spun glass or flowing ice; as a dryad or wild elf, her hair was blue and green. Her eyes were a deep shade of green.[11]

Eldath's feet were bare and her green, silken, shimmering garments clung to her form as they flowed, yet her appearance soothed rather than aroused lustful feelings.[11]

Personality[]

Eldath was a pacifist who avoided hostile action, even if threatened. Although shy, quiet, and enigmatic, the Green Goddess was possessed of unknown depths of character and unexpressed resolve that could not be broken. Eldath protected rivers, streams, and druids' groves.[11]

Divine Realm[]

Eldath's divine realm was called True Grove. In the Great Wheel cosmology, it was located in Eronia, in the second layer of Elysium.[16]

Powers[]

The Mother of the Waters was regarded as a goddess of serenity, comfort, and healing. Any waters blessed by her were known to cure sickness and madness. They could also calm the dying giving them peace and a natural passing.[17]

Relationships[]

Gods of Nature

A gathering of the gods of nature: Mielikki and her unicorn, Chauntea, Eldath, and Silvanus.

Eldath considered Mielikki a sister and together with her she served Silvanus loyally, even if she did find him at times intimidating. She had close relationships with Chauntea, Selûne, and Lathander, as they shared some common interests.[2] Eldath and Mielikki were said to directly bring retribution down on any who deliberately set fires in the High Forest.[18]

Although Eldath was diametrically opposed to Tempus, the Lord of Battles, they were not enemies.[11] He thought she was naïve, but appreciated her convictions and punished any of his followers that harmed Eldath's faithful or desecrated her shrines and temples.[19]

Worshipers[]

See Church of Eldath

Eldath Symbol-5e

Holy symbol carved on a shrine to Eldath.

Eldath cleric - 5e

A cleric of Eldath.

Eldathyns were organized into a simplistic hierarchy, where priests reported to a local high priest responsible for a realm or larger region. Most followers dwelt in quiet forest communities with open-air sacred places of worship or in woodside cottages, far from the baseness of city life; both often containing pools of placid water in unspoiled areas. They rarely ever engaged in open confrontation and always acted subtly and peacefully.[4]

Her clergy often followed migratory patterns traveling from holy site to holy site in a local area. They took care of the holy sites and allied with the local druids who followed the First Circle, of which Eldath was considered a member. Violence of any kind against an Eldathan priest was considered taboo, and murdering one was said to bring extremely bad luck. Even so, most servants of Eldath preferred to avoid conflict rather than trying to pacify it because they understood that peace cannot be forced. They would happily preside over peaceful meetings and witness political treaties.[17]

Many people came to Eldath for help in overcoming memories of a violent past. Sometimes this was a single event, and in other cases it was the accumulation of conflicts they had fought.[17]

Dogma[]

Eldath's dogma was pacifistic, and her followers only resorted to violence in defense of themselves, of their friends and loved ones, and of pools and groves.[11] Worshipers of Eldath could be of any alignment, but priests were always non-evil.[11] Druids that followed the Mother of the Waters remained neutral, while her specialty priests sometimes leaned toward good.[20]

Rituals[]

Druids of Eldath prayed for their evocations once per day at a time selected after great personal reflection. The only calendar-related holy day of the church was the Greening, a gathering and festival celebrated at Greengrass. It was preceded by Firstflow, a festival held at varying times when the ice broke up and began to flow at the conclusion of winter.[4]

Offerings to Eldath were typically weapons broken so they could never be used again, or an item that caused an argument and so had to be discarded to promote peace.[17]

Temples[]

Main article: Category:Temples to Eldath

Many rural communities had a designated pond or glade which served as a holy site for local parishioners. These places were traditionally used as places to reflect and meditate. Usually a body of water (either the pond itself or a stream near those glades considered holy sites) served as a repository for offerings to Eldath in connection with these holy places. If no water was nearby, a special tree or bush was designated as a repository on which offerings were tied to the branches.

Rumors & Legends[]

According to Bedine legend, the sun goddess At'ar was jealous of Eldath's beauty and imprisoned her at the oasis of Elah'zad in the Anauroch desert.[13][4][21]

Appendix[]

Gallery[]

Appearances[]

Novels
Referenced only
The Parched Sea

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 21, 28. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Eric L. Boyd, Erik Mona (May 2002). Faiths and Pantheons. Edited by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 93. ISBN 0-7869-2759-3.
  3. Jim Butler (1996). The Vilhon Reach (Player's Guide). (TSR, Inc), p. 7. ISBN 0-7869-0400-3.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 58. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  5. Jim Butler (1996). The Vilhon Reach (Player's Guide). (TSR, Inc), p. 20. ISBN 0-7869-0400-3.
  6. Steven E. Schend (1999). Sea of Fallen Stars. (TSR, Inc), p. 56. ISBN 0-7869-1393-2.
  7. Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 60–62, 69, 294. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
  8. Jeremy Crawford (November 17, 2020). Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. (Wizards of the Coast). ISBN 978-0786967025.
  9. Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 189. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
  10. Hal Maclean (May 2007). “Seven Saintly Domains”. In Erik Mona ed. Dragon #355 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), p. 26.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 57. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  12. Sean K. Reynolds (2002-05-04). Deity Do's and Don'ts (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for Faiths and Pantheons. Wizards of the Coast. p. 11. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-08.
  13. 13.0 13.1 Ed Greenwood (November 1991). Anauroch. Edited by Karen S. Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc.), p. 49. ISBN 1-56076-126-1.
  14. Brian R. James (June 2009). “Realmslore: Sarifal”. In Chris Youngs ed. Dragon #376 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 65.
  15. Mel Odom (2002). The Jewel of Turmish. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 6. ISBN 0-7869-2698-8.
  16. Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 159. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Steve Kenson, et al. (November 2015). Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 28. ISBN 978-0-7869-6580-9.
  18. Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl (July 2002). Silver Marches. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 27. ISBN 0-7869-2835-2.
  19. Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 158. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  20. Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 59. ISBN 978-0786903849.
  21. Troy Denning (July 1991). The Parched Sea. (TSR, Inc.), p. 224. ISBN 1-56076-067-2.

Connections[]

The Faerûnian Pantheon
Major Deities
AzuthBaneBhaalChaunteaCyricGondHelmIlmaterKelemvorKossuthLathanderLoviatarMaskMielikkiMyrkulMystra (Midnight) • OghmaSelûneSharShaundakulSilvanusSuneTalosTempusTormTymoraTyrUmberleeWaukeen
Other Members
AkadiAurilBeshabaDeneirEldathFinder WyvernspurGaragosGargauthGerronGrumbarGwaeron WindstromHoarIstishiaIyachtu XvimJergalLliiraLurueMalarMililNobanionThe Red KnightSavrasSharessShialliaSiamorpheTalonaTiamatUbtaoUlutiuValkurVelsharoon
Bedine pantheon

Deities of the Post–Second Sundering Era
Ao the Overgod
Faerûnian Pantheon
Akadi | Amaunator | Asmodeus | Auril | Azuth | Bane | Beshaba | Bhaal | Chauntea | Cyric | Deneir | Eldath | Gond | Grumbar | Gwaeron | Helm | Hoar | Ilmater | Istishia | Jergal | Kelemvor | Kossuth | Lathander | Leira | Lliira | Loviatar | Malar | Mask | Mielikki | Milil | Myrkul | Mystra | Oghma | Red Knight | Savras | Selûne | Shar | Silvanus | Sune | Talona | Talos | Tempus | Torm | Tymora | Tyr | Umberlee | Valkur | Waukeen
The Morndinsamman
Abbathor | Berronar Truesilver | Clangeddin Silverbeard | Deep Duerra | Dugmaren Brightmantle | Dumathoin | Gorm Gulthyn | Haela Brightaxe | Laduguer | Marthammor Duin | Moradin | Sharindlar | Vergadain
The Seldarine
Aerdrie Faenya | Angharradh | Corellon | Deep Sashelas | Erevan | Fenmarel Mestarine | Hanali Celanil | Labelas Enoreth | Rillifane Rallathil | Sehanine Moonbow | Shevarash | Solonor Thelandira
The Dark Seldarine
Eilistraee | Kiaransalee | Lolth | Selvetarm | Vhaeraun
Yondalla's Children
Arvoreen | Brandobaris | Cyrrollalee | Sheela Peryroyl | Urogalan | Yondalla
Lords of the Golden Hills
Baervan Wildwanderer | Baravar Cloakshadow | Callarduran Smoothhands | Flandal Steelskin | Gaerdal Ironhand | Garl Glittergold | Nebelun | Segojan Earthcaller | Urdlen
Orc Pantheon
Bahgtru | Gruumsh | Ilneval | Luthic | Shargaas | Yurtrus
Mulhorandi pantheon
Anhur | Bast | Geb | Hathor | Horus | Isis | Nephthys | Osiris | Re | Sebek | Set | Thoth
Other gods of Faerûn
Bahamut | Enlil | Finder Wyvernspur | Ghaunadaur | Gilgeam | Lurue | Moander | Nobanion | Raven Queen | Tiamat



Advertisement