Creator of the Elves, The Protector, Protector and Preserver of Life, Ruler of All Elves
Greater Deity
Symbol: Silver crescent moon
Home Plane: Arborea
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Portfolio: Elves, magic, arts and crafts, music, war
Worshippers: Elves, half-elves, bards
Cleric Alignments: NG, CG, CN
Domains: Chaos, Community, Good, Protection, War
Favoured Weapon: “Sahandrian” (Longsword)
Relics: Bow of the wintermoon, millennial chainmail
The deity of elves, Corellon Larethian (core-eh-lon lah-reth-ee-yen), usually appears as an androgynous elf clad in a sky-blue cloak and armed with a longbow and longsword. He also wears a large, circular amulet that bears his crescent moon symbol. He has a lithe and swift look about him and his movements are both swift and graceful.
Corellon Larethian is the creator and protector of the elven race. He governs those things held in highest esteem among elves, such as magic, music, arts, crafts, poetry and warfare. Gruumsh, the deity of orcs, is his nemesis, and it is because of Corellon’s battle prowess that Gruumsh is called “One-Eye”.
Corellon concerns himself with all aspects of elven welfare. He also remains alert to any taint of evil among the elves and he seeks to stamp out any evil influence the moment it appears. Corellon played a leading role in the schism that ultimately resulted in the banishment of the drow underground. Corellon spurs his people towards self-reliance, vigilance against danger and appreciation of the world’s beauty. It is Corellon’s influence that leads elves to study magic and swordplay for the duration of their long lives, to serve as guardians and caretakers of the forests, and to appreciate aesthetic pleasures in spite of their warrior heritage.
Corellon’s clerics often wear blue cloaks. They serve as leaders, teachers, diplomats and generals in elven communities. They train others in the arts of combat and magic while honing their own skills, and they serve as mediators in any disputes that may arise from the elves’ independent life-style. They usually seek to maintain cordial relations with other good, sylvan creatures. Corellon’s temples can be located anywhere elves live, usually in sylvan woodlands. Though always beautiful and designed to blend in with the surrounding landscape, they are invariably both sturdy and defensible. They are often placed on hilltops, river crossings and other locations of strategic significance. Living plants or trees are always included in a temple of Corellon, either as decoration as part of the structure.
Because elves are so long-lived, Corellon’s clerics can afford to spend years observing potential recruits before initiating them into the mysteries of the faith. Once a new cleric-to-be gets an invitation to join the clergy, he spends much time in meditation, quiet academic study and artistic endeavours.
Corellon wants to protect the elven people from harm, naturally. Beyond that, he wants to return to the elves the lost artistic masterpieces of their heritage, and he tries to thwart the drow at every opportunity. Corellon’s followers find themselves protecting villages from gnoll incursions, stealing into evil temples to recover ancient elven tomes of lore and destroying underground fortresses full of vampiric drow clerics.
Corellon’s prayers are always in Elvish. They often begin, “Hei-Corollon shar-shelevu”, which means “Corellon, may your grace grant…”.
In an elven city, the temple to Corellon Larethian is often an alabaster wonder of minarets and parapets. In smaller communities, the temple often takes the form of a massive treehouse hundreds of feet above the forest floor. Most temples are eager to aid travelling elves in any way they can — and other races as well if they’re fighting the hated drow.
Corellon’s rites are integrated with elven society, celebrating births, honouring deceased believers and blessing marriages. Before a battle, believers often recite a Litany of the Arrows.
Corellon uses celestial elves who are 20th-level clerics as his heralds. They are always consummate archers. Allies are bralani eladrins, ghaele eladrins and planetars.
Source: Deities and Demigods (Page 62), Complete Divine (Page 110)