Morwel
Encyclopedia
Morwel is the queen of the eladrin
s, a race of chaotic good celestials
inhabiting the plane of Arborea
, in the Dungeons & Dragons
roleplaying game. Her titles include Faerie Queen, Queen of Stars, and Lady of the Lake. These shouldn't be taken literally; eladrins are not fey
, she doesn't literally live in a star, and she isn't primarily aquatic. Instead, they're meant to evoke the mystery and magic that accompany her.
in 1995, including among them Faerinaal, Queen's Consort, Gwynarwhyf the Veiled, and Faerie Queen Morwel.
Morwel appeared in third edition in Book of Exalted Deeds
(2003).
like being with red hair, her beauty otherworldly and awesome to behold. She wears a mantle composed of flickering stars, and playfully wields a shining rapier. She can also appear in the form of a scintillating ball of multicolored light about four feet in diameter. She speaks with a soothing energy. Though she can seem both flighty and pretentious, she has the best interests of her people at heart. Morwel is not a domineering ruler. The chaotic, independent eladrins wouldn't stand for that. She exists to provide her fractious subjects with inspiration, beauty, and love. She only acts to impose order on her people if their actions threaten the eladrins' very existence.
and Gwynharwyf
. Faerinaal is a wise, handsome nobleman and Gwynharwyf is a fierce, fanatic warrior-woman native to the desert layer of Pelion.
Morwel has had many consorts over the millennia. A previous consort, Vaeros, died during an attempt to rescue eladrins trapped in the Abyss
, as did a still earlier consort, Ascodel. Rumors have it that Morwel is an occasional lover of the Prince of Elemental Good
, Ben-hadar
.
The Court of Stars has ties with a powerful brass dragon
called Ronothere, who is also allied with Zaaman Rul
. As a result, Morwel has sent hosts of firre eladrins to Zaaman Rul's aid.
Besides the demon lords
, one of Morwel's long-term enemies is the dread linnorm Redfang. She seems to have a contentious relationship with the lawful modrons
.
Morwel is served by the half-celestial androsphinx
, Krune.
Morwel, like other members of the Court of Stars, does not claim to be a deity, for to do so would mean falling to the sin of pride. However, as a group the various lords, knights, and ladies of her court sponsor certain mortal bards, granting them the power to channel celestial energy through their voices and instruments. These individuals are known as the Troubadours of Stars.
. This timeless, autumnal realm seems eternally in twilight, and it can manifest on any of the three layers of the plane. There is no aging, hunger, or thirst on within the Court of Stars, although inhabitants may eat and drink for their enjoyment. Morwel dwells within a spired palace of glowing crystal atop a hill that soars above the clouds themselves. Thousands of lanterns and eladrins in their energy form float about the palace like twinkling stars. Though snow crunches underfoot nearby, the weather seems only pleasantly cool. Within a courtyard is the legendary Fountain of Beauty, said to be the source of the beauty of the eladrin and elven races. Morwel's palace is a place of gentle intrigue; her tulani nobles love their politics and schemes, though these are not a driving force in their society.
Morwel never leaves her realm, and some believe it would collapse without her presence.
demons, and ordered her ghaele knights to slaughter the obyrith lords and their tanar'ri minions in the thousands. The tanar'ri took advantage of the confusion to revolt against their masters, and as a result the hierarchy of the Abyss was forever changed, though not for the better.
In vengeance, the obyrith lady Pale Night
misled Morwel's then-consort, Ascodel, tricking him into believing he could only safeguard the well-being of the eladrin children by entering into a blasphemous pact. The pact had the opposite result that he intended, and an entire generation of young eladrins was imprisoned in the layer of Androlynne in the Abyss. Ascodel died trying to protect them, as have many subsequent consorts that Morwel has taken. Even her current consort Faerinaal spends much of his time defending the young ones still imprisoned on that remote Abyssal layer. The pact keeps the children eternally young, but less than a hundred still survive.
Ilsidahur
and Demogorgon
conspired several centuries ago to slay Morwel's consort Gwynharwyf, but Morwel rescued her while the two demons were squabbling over how best to torture her to death. According to Iggwilv
in Dungeon
#149, Morwel has kept Gwynharwyf "on a short leash" regarding Demogorgon ever since.
Morwel appears at the end of "Quicksilver Hourglass" in Dungeon #123, rewarding the player characters for inflicting a defeat upon the scheming Union of Eclipses. Player characters meet with the queen in her Court of Stars during the course of the adventure "Enemies of My Enemy" in Dungeon #149.
Eladrin
The Eladrin are a fictional race of creatures appearing in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. Introduced in the Planescape setting of AD&D 2nd edition and D&D 3rd edition, Eladrin were described as a type of celestial of chaotic good alignment and hailed from the plane of Arborea...
s, a race of chaotic good celestials
Celestial (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, celestials are a class of creatures and monsters known as outsiders who are of wholly good alignment....
inhabiting the plane of Arborea
Arborea (Dungeons & Dragons)
In Dungeons & Dragons, fantasy role-playing game, Arborea or more fully, the Olympian Glades of Arborea, is a chaotic good-aligned plane of existence...
, in the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
roleplaying game. Her titles include Faerie Queen, Queen of Stars, and Lady of the Lake. These shouldn't be taken literally; eladrins are not fey
Fey (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, Fey is a type of creature, or "creature type". Fey are usually humanoid in form, and are typified as having supernatural abilities and a connection to nature or to some other force or place....
, she doesn't literally live in a star, and she isn't primarily aquatic. Instead, they're meant to evoke the mystery and magic that accompany her.
Creative origins
Eladrins debuted as several cards in the Blood Wars Card GameBlood Wars Card Game
Blood Wars is a collectible card game produced by TSR, Inc., based on the Planescape campaign setting from Dungeons & Dragons. The game was released in 1995 as part of TSR's 20th anniversary. Players use cards representing Warlords and Legions for combat to claim Battlefield cards.Blood Wars was...
in 1995, including among them Faerinaal, Queen's Consort, Gwynarwhyf the Veiled, and Faerie Queen Morwel.
Publication history
Morwel was first mentioned in second edition in the Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995).Morwel appeared in third edition in Book of Exalted Deeds
Book of Exalted Deeds
The Book of Exalted Deeds is an optional sourcebook for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, providing supplementary game material for campaigns involving characters of good alignment...
(2003).
Description
Morwel is a vaguely elfElf (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, elves are a fictional humanoid race that is one of the primary races available for play as player characters. Elves are renowned for their grace and mastery of magic and weapons such as the sword and bow...
like being with red hair, her beauty otherworldly and awesome to behold. She wears a mantle composed of flickering stars, and playfully wields a shining rapier. She can also appear in the form of a scintillating ball of multicolored light about four feet in diameter. She speaks with a soothing energy. Though she can seem both flighty and pretentious, she has the best interests of her people at heart. Morwel is not a domineering ruler. The chaotic, independent eladrins wouldn't stand for that. She exists to provide her fractious subjects with inspiration, beauty, and love. She only acts to impose order on her people if their actions threaten the eladrins' very existence.
Relationships
Morwel presently has two consorts, FaerinaalFaerinaal
Faerinaal is a powerful eladrin prince, in the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. He counsels and provides company for the eladrin queen, oversees the defense of the Court of Stars, and works to liberate eladrins captured by evil forces....
and Gwynharwyf
Gwynharwyf
Gwynharwyf is a powerful bralani eladrin and the celestial patron of barbarians, in the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. She is also known as the Whirling Fury...
. Faerinaal is a wise, handsome nobleman and Gwynharwyf is a fierce, fanatic warrior-woman native to the desert layer of Pelion.
Morwel has had many consorts over the millennia. A previous consort, Vaeros, died during an attempt to rescue eladrins trapped in the Abyss
Abyss (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the Abyss or more fully, the Infinite Layers of the Abyss, is a chaotic evil-aligned plane of existence. It is one of a number of alignment-based Outer Planes that form part of the standard Dungeons & Dragons cosmology, used in the Planescape...
, as did a still earlier consort, Ascodel. Rumors have it that Morwel is an occasional lover of the Prince of Elemental Good
Archomental
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, archomentals are powerful exemplary beings of the Elemental Planes and rulers over the elementals. Although they are not truly rulers of their planes, archomentals like to consider themselves as such and often grant themselves regal titles like...
, Ben-hadar
Ben-hadar
Ben-hadar is an archomental in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Publication history:Ben-hadar first appeared with the good archomentals in the second edition book Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix III ....
.
The Court of Stars has ties with a powerful brass dragon
Dragon (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game , dragons are an iconic type of monstrous creature used as adversaries or, less commonly, allies of player characters...
called Ronothere, who is also allied with Zaaman Rul
Zaaman Rul
Zaaman Rul is an archomental in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Publication history:Zaaman Rul first appeared with the good archomentals in the second edition book Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix III ....
. As a result, Morwel has sent hosts of firre eladrins to Zaaman Rul's aid.
Besides the demon lords
Demon lord (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, demon lords are demons who have gained great power and established a position of preeminence among demonkind. Each demon lord has a unique appearance and set of abilities. Most control at least one layer of the Abyss...
, one of Morwel's long-term enemies is the dread linnorm Redfang. She seems to have a contentious relationship with the lawful modrons
Modron (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the fictional multiverse of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Modrons are mechanical looking creatures native to the outer plane of Mechanus. Modrons resemble geometric shapes with humanoid limbs and represent a living, physical manifestation of law without regard to good or evil...
.
Minions
Morwel is the queen of the eladrin race. She invites all shiere eladrins of 9th level or higher to serve in the Court of Stars as members of her famed honor guard. To earn knighthood, they must defeat an existing peer in nonlethal combat. She frowns upon her tulani nobles when they advocate direct interference in the lives of mortals, and punishes those who pursue such. She monitors the tulani closely, aware that not all of them can handle the burdens of nobility.Morwel is served by the half-celestial androsphinx
Sphinx (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game Sphinxes are a type of magical beast related to manticores. The four most common subraces of sphinx are the androsphinx, criosphinx, gynosphinx, and hieracosphinx.-Dungeons & Dragons :...
, Krune.
Morwel, like other members of the Court of Stars, does not claim to be a deity, for to do so would mean falling to the sin of pride. However, as a group the various lords, knights, and ladies of her court sponsor certain mortal bards, granting them the power to channel celestial energy through their voices and instruments. These individuals are known as the Troubadours of Stars.
Realm
Morwel dwells with her lovers Faerinaal and Gwynharwyf in the Court of Stars on the plane of ArboreaArborea (Dungeons & Dragons)
In Dungeons & Dragons, fantasy role-playing game, Arborea or more fully, the Olympian Glades of Arborea, is a chaotic good-aligned plane of existence...
. This timeless, autumnal realm seems eternally in twilight, and it can manifest on any of the three layers of the plane. There is no aging, hunger, or thirst on within the Court of Stars, although inhabitants may eat and drink for their enjoyment. Morwel dwells within a spired palace of glowing crystal atop a hill that soars above the clouds themselves. Thousands of lanterns and eladrins in their energy form float about the palace like twinkling stars. Though snow crunches underfoot nearby, the weather seems only pleasantly cool. Within a courtyard is the legendary Fountain of Beauty, said to be the source of the beauty of the eladrin and elven races. Morwel's palace is a place of gentle intrigue; her tulani nobles love their politics and schemes, though these are not a driving force in their society.
Morwel never leaves her realm, and some believe it would collapse without her presence.
History
Morwel is many thousands of years old, and none can remember an eladrin ruler before her. Her people believe she has always existed. She was already queen of the eladrins during the Age before Ages. After the Battle of Pesh, she saw weakness in the ranks of the obyrithObyrith
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, an obyrith is a member of an ancient race of demons that predate the tanar'ri. All obyriths have monstrous forms which can drive mad anyone who dares look at them.-Publication history:...
demons, and ordered her ghaele knights to slaughter the obyrith lords and their tanar'ri minions in the thousands. The tanar'ri took advantage of the confusion to revolt against their masters, and as a result the hierarchy of the Abyss was forever changed, though not for the better.
In vengeance, the obyrith lady Pale Night
Pale Night
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, Pale Night, the so-called "Mother of Demons," is an Abyssal Lord, both enigmatic and unbelievably ancient...
misled Morwel's then-consort, Ascodel, tricking him into believing he could only safeguard the well-being of the eladrin children by entering into a blasphemous pact. The pact had the opposite result that he intended, and an entire generation of young eladrins was imprisoned in the layer of Androlynne in the Abyss. Ascodel died trying to protect them, as have many subsequent consorts that Morwel has taken. Even her current consort Faerinaal spends much of his time defending the young ones still imprisoned on that remote Abyssal layer. The pact keeps the children eternally young, but less than a hundred still survive.
Ilsidahur
Ilsidahur
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Ilsidahur is a demon lord. Called the Howling King, he claims rulership over the simian demons known as bar-lguras, and is served by nalfeshnees as well.- Publishing history :...
and Demogorgon
Demogorgon (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Demogorgon is a powerful demon prince. He is known as the Prince of Demons, a self-proclaimed title he holds by virtue of his power and influence; which in turn, is a title acknowledged by both mortals and his fellow demons...
conspired several centuries ago to slay Morwel's consort Gwynharwyf, but Morwel rescued her while the two demons were squabbling over how best to torture her to death. According to Iggwilv
Iggwilv
Iggwilv is a fictional wizard from the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. She was created by Gary Gygax and was named one of the greatest villains in D&D history in the final issue of Dragon....
in Dungeon
Dungeon (magazine)
Dungeon Adventures, or simply Dungeon, was a magazine targeting consumers of role-playing games, particularly Dungeons & Dragons. It was first published by TSR, Inc. in 1986 as a bimonthly periodical. It went monthly in May 2003 and ceased print publication altogether in September 2007 with Issue 150...
#149, Morwel has kept Gwynharwyf "on a short leash" regarding Demogorgon ever since.
Morwel appears at the end of "Quicksilver Hourglass" in Dungeon #123, rewarding the player characters for inflicting a defeat upon the scheming Union of Eclipses. Player characters meet with the queen in her Court of Stars during the course of the adventure "Enemies of My Enemy" in Dungeon #149.
Additional reading
- Baur, WolfgangWolfgang BaurWolfgang Baur is an American game designer, best known for his work with Dragon magazine. He designs role-playing games and also is known for his work at Wizards of the Coast.-Biography:...
. "Enemies of My Enemy." DungeonDungeon (magazine)Dungeon Adventures, or simply Dungeon, was a magazine targeting consumers of role-playing games, particularly Dungeons & Dragons. It was first published by TSR, Inc. in 1986 as a bimonthly periodical. It went monthly in May 2003 and ceased print publication altogether in September 2007 with Issue 150...
#149. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2007.
- Caralya, Anson. "Quicksilver Hourglass." DungeonDungeon (magazine)Dungeon Adventures, or simply Dungeon, was a magazine targeting consumers of role-playing games, particularly Dungeons & Dragons. It was first published by TSR, Inc. in 1986 as a bimonthly periodical. It went monthly in May 2003 and ceased print publication altogether in September 2007 with Issue 150...
#123. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2005.
- Perkins, ChristopherChristopher PerkinsChristopher Edward Perkins was an artist in England and New Zealand.-Background and education:...
. Warriors of Heaven. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1999.
- Stark, Ed, James Jacobs, and Erik MonaErik Mona-Career:Erik Mona served as the editor-in-chief of Dragon magazine since 2004 and Dungeon magazine from 2004 to 2006; at the time, both magazines were published by Paizo Publishing, until the license through Wizards of the Coast expired in September 2007...
. Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the AbyssFiendish Codex I: Hordes of the AbyssFiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss is an optional supplemental source book for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game.-Chapter 1: Demonic Lore:...
. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2006.