Premise: I know that starting a petition over this matter may seem excessive, but this is very important to me and -since it doesn't take away space from petitions dedicated to more important issue- I see no harm in it.

Eilistraee and Vhaeraun (daughter and son of Lolth and Corellon Larethian) are two drow deities who fight -each in their own way- to free their people from the grasp of their mother and to build a prosperous future for them.

Both of them are integral and organic part to the FR, iconic to the realmsian drow as much as Lolth is. They are Ed Greenwood's original creations and (Eilistraee, at least) were part of his Realms even before the publishing of the first ''Drow of the Underdark''. Quoting him:

''Yes, Eilistraee is part of the "home" Realms campaign and has appeared "onstage" and by dream-vision and manifestation in Realmsplay. At the writing of (the first) DROW OF THE UNDERDARK, I was asked to create a deity for "good" drow for the game, and used the opportunity to make official the Dark Dancer female drow goddess I'd already created for my own use.

And, oh yes: Eilistraee lives!''

Now, I know that drow are supposed to be evil: they are brainwashed by Lolth and deprived of most choices: kill or be killed and power-grab is the only kind of life they know, one deprived of love and joy. However, since the drow are free-willed people, there are bound to be some (even if a narrow minority) of them who think differently, that refuse to live such a squalid existence and that want to forge their own future. Individuals who dare to choose something different, to take a stand and fight for the freedom of their people and build aplace in the world for them.

Eilistraee -the Dark Dancer- and Vhaeraun -the Masked Lord- bring exactly this to the drow, with a neatly defined role and place in the Realms.

The Dark Dancer is to the dark elves what no one else could ever be. In her story she chooses to be with them no matter what, she sacrifices her own happines for them, she shares their exile, their suffering, but also their dreams and wishes, the desire for a better life that many of them feel deep inside. Eilistraee has a strong connection with the drow, she tries to be a mother to them --the onethat Lolth could never be--, to make their dream of a life worthy of that name a reality.

She cares about her ''children'', giving them the love, kindness and acceptance that was unjustly taken from their life, but that is what they need the most. Eilistraee brings to the drow the beauty of the existence that they have forgotten, the luminous aspects of life that most of them have never known. The joyin being free of chasing their dreams and creating their own happiness, in being a people who stand together against suffering, helping each other, loving and being loved, instead of living in constant fear and conflict. Her and her followers' efforts to create beauty, to promote joy and happiness through their dance and song, through their kindness and helping of the needy, are not only a way of life, but a way to make the drow understand that (unlike they are brainwahsed to believe) the existence that Lolth imposes them is not the only one, that there is an alternative and that it leads to a much better life.

For this reason, Eilistraee and her priestesses are close to their ''children'', protecting them, helping them in choosing said alternative, to grow and flourishin a hostile surface world. And that even goes to the point of giving them aid in the most practical matters --just like a loving mother would do-- bringing her light and hope to those among them who are lost in the darkness.The Dark Dancer strives for the dark elves and all people to be together, accepted for that they are, free to express themselves and to embrace what makes them unique: ''Eilistraee is forging her own path, one that welcomes beings of all races who revel in life and freedom of expression of all that entails''.

On the other hand, Vhaeraun is a militant, whose purpose is to undermine the already precarious balance of drow society, making it crumble under the weight of people who no longer want to be puppets in the hands of Lolth, and wish to conquer a worthy, free existence for themselves and their race. One where instead of agonizing due to pointless and poisoning infighting and being forced in shiny cages underground, the Dark Elves can becomea powerful, united race worthy of respect, conquering back what was theirs in the past and that should be rightfully theirs now.

The Dark Dancer and the Masked Lord totally deserve their own place in the new 5e Forgotten Realms, as small as it could be.