Promenade of the Dark Maiden

The Promenade of the Dark Maiden was the most sacred temple to Eilistraee. It lay beneath Waterdeep, northeast of Skullport in Undermountain.

Geography
Located near Skullport, this was the main headquarters for the faithful of Eilistraee with many portals to other parts of the world but also access to tunnels into the Underdark for redemption missions. These missions would involve sneaking into cities of the Underdark and seeking out amongst the drow those who may have wished to join Eilistraee's faith and could be redeemed.

Organization
The Promenade was led by High Priestess Qilué Veladorn, youngest of the Seven Sisters and Chosen of Mystra. She led the priestesses while also giving out missions when something needed her attention. Second to her was The Promenade's Battlemistress, Rylla. She led both the fierce warrior/priestesses of the Darksong Knights (who had training in demon-hunting), and the Protectors of the Song, the group of elite warriors, often armed with one of the twenty magical singing swords, whose first duty was to guard the Promenade.

History
Several hundred years ago a group of drow worshipping Eilistraee freed the area from Ghaunadaurians and closed the Pit of Ghaunadaur. In the following years they patrolled there and called it mockingly "the Promenade". This name became later the official name of the temple.

In the 1355 DR, the Year of the Harp, the temple was built in an isolated area of the Sargauth Enclave, which was once cut from Skullport when the outpost of Netheril fell centuries ago. Despite the initial concerns of many Skulkers and the close proximity of their settlements, the Chosen of Eilistraee and the various factions of the Port of Shadow have settled into an uneasy truce over the next 15 years.

In 1361 DR, the followers of Eilistraee assaulted the Dragon's Hoard merchant company's headquarters, in part because of their involvement in the slave trade of drow children. That same year, Qilue attempted to help Liriel Baenre travel to Rashemen and in the process, Liriel (who was a priestess of Lolth at the time) inadvertently led Lolth's power into Promenade, destroying wards and making Qilue very angry.

In the 1370s DR, the Promenade was attacked by a new cult of Ghaunadaur, after a demon-ridden Qilué had tricked it into attacking. Nightshadows, former followers of Vhaeraun and later followers of the "Masked Lady" (following the death of Vhaeraun at Eilistraee's hand and her taking on his portfolio), were sent to infiltrate various drow houses who worshiped Ghaunadaur. They stumbled upon portals to the Promenade. Quickly taking advantage of this, the Ghaunadaur followers proceeded to attack in the hopes of releasing their god, but Qilué had placed a glyph of insanity on the prison, so that the cultists who looked on it went insane. Despite this, the cultists were led by an army of slimes and decimated a large portion of the population of the Promenade. In the fierce battle, almost all the Protectors of the Song and Darksong Knights were killed, along with many of the priestesses, followers, and lay worshipers who lived there or were visiting.

During this time, the seals on Ghaunadaur's prison began to slip and one of his avatars escaped. It was soon after tricked into attaching itself to a fleeing Nightshadow who sacrificed himself for the Masked Lady by going through a portal that led to "a plane of endless mazes," dying in the process but trapping the still-attached avatar there.

Protectors of the Song
The temple guard -- described as a "motley collection of dark elves, humans, dwarves, and halflings" -- called themselves the Protectors of the Song, or simply the Protectors. In 1361 DR, before the assault on the Dragons Hoard, they numbered fewer than 60.

Liriel Baenre, Fyodor, and the deep dragon Zz'Pzora fought with the Protectors of the Song against the Dragon's Hoard in 1361 DR.

One of the highest honors bestowed on a warrior of the Promenade was to be granted use of one of the twenty sacred singing swords. These swords were magically powerful weapons, with magical durability and sharp edges which, along with the humming, providing a defense against psychic attacks or spells. The "singing" of the sword would cut through and clear the mind of the attacker. They would also often hum when danger was near. With their semi-sentience they could be mentally ordered to be quiet.

Relations
The Chosen of Eilstraee visited Skullport infrequently. But they had some influence there. They helped many slaves and some adventures to escape the trouble with some of the powerful groups of the port. That brought them the animosity of Gildar Blackthrone and the slave merchant Ahmaergo. They had also trouble with the drow hunters of Malakuth Tabuirr and the jailers of Zstulkk Ssarmn. But there are also allies. The half-drow Ithlyn serves as go-between and surface contact. The Chosen visit from time to time the Fatted Bookworm for supplies and Kaitlynn of the Sisters Three Waxworks for votive candles.

Notable inhabitants

 * Qilue Veladorn, Chosen of Eilistraee and one of the Seven Sisters
 * Elkanatar, consort to Qilué and commander of the Protector of the Song
 * Iljrene, priestess of Eilistraee described as "tiny, kitten-soft doll of a priestess"
 * Rylla, Battlemistress

Novels

 * The Lady Penitent trilogy
 * 1) Sacrifice of the Widow
 * 2) Storm of the Dead
 * 3) Ascendancy of the Last


 * Starlight & Shadows trilogy
 * Daughter of the Drow
 * Windwalker