Edena of Neith originally posted:
Eilistraee sends this message to Al'Akbar. She cannot come personally, since she is aiding and protecting the drow in the Hospice of Stars.
To Al'Akbar:
Eclavdra was, sadly, quite sane.
Eclavdra saw that Corellon, my Father, would not forgive her. He would commit her spirit to the Abyss.
Eclavdra knew that death was nigh to her anyways, so she choose to give her death meaning, and afterwards to protect herself from my Fathers' wrath.
Al'Akbar, Corellon Larethian, my Father, is not the nice being most make him out to be.
When my Mother betrayed my Father, and invoked the Godswar, she was defeated and captured.
My Father cursed her. My Father banished her to the Abyss. My Fathers' curse made her over into what she is.
It could well be argued that such punishment was just. It could be argued that Mothers' betrayal merited any punishment imaginable.
And yet ...
Had he simply imprisoned her, and rehabilitated her, or tried to, she would not have become Lolth.
Had he shown mercy, even where mercy was not merited, then Lolth would not have come into being.
The Corruption of the Dark Elves would not have occurred.
The Descent of the Drow would not have occurred.
And a great Evil would have been averted. Unimaginable horror over millennia would have been spared the Children of Corellon.
However my Father, in his righteous rage, knew only justice, and his justice was swift and sure. It struck down the traitor, and it made her over into Demon, and it saw her banished to the Abyss.
And the horror that could be, was, and is.
Sometimes mercy is more than an act of altruism. Sometimes mercy can be an act of pragmatism.
Yet my father does not see it that way. And so, as you know well, the elves in general do not see it that way either. And also, as you know, most of the elves are celebrating the death of Eclavdra.
Eclavdra could not hope for mercy from my Father, and most certainly not from Mother.
The behavior of my Parents has harmed the People, brought unmeasurable suffering and misery, horror and death, upon them upon a thousand worlds, brought millennia of war and sorrow and ruin upon them.
The drow turn away from my Mother and my Brother now. As well they should, and my Mother and Brother both will find the draught of abandonment miserable, and painful, and withering, and perhaps they will come to feel a little of what they inflicted upon their own.
However ...
I hope that the People will turn away from my Father and the Seldarine. For my Father cursed the People as surely as he cursed my Mother, and the People were innocent of Mothers' treason.
Father will never stray from his righteous rage, will never forget or forgive, and will never stop punishing my Mother for the great treason she committed. If the People follow Father, then they too will never forget or forgive, and the division of the People will never be ended, and the horror and suffering will continue for millennia to come.
So yes, I hope the People will begin a Withdrawal of their own, and turn their faces from the Seldarine. Then perhaps Father will step down from the pedestal of righteous justice, and find that he must listen to his heart once more.
However, that is only what may be, and not what is.
Eclavdra, had no salvation. Caught between Righteous Wrath from Father, and Red Vengeance from Mother, there was no Mercy to be found.
Did not Lady Shadow say as much, at the TEC Summit?
And did not Iuz the Old say as much, after her vote?
Thanks to the insistence of my Fathers' righteous rage, they were right.
Eclavdra knew this. She understood the truth well.
The time has come for the People - all the People - to choose their own course, and not be beholden to the dispute between my Family. Enough is enough.
Not even the Gods have the right to dictate endless suffering and misery to their mortal children in the name of a Family Feud.
Let the People say it so.
The army has a certain fear factor...
