Editing Drow (section)

===Lolth===
{{Infobox character
| name = Lolth
| image = [[Image:Lolth.JPG|200px]]
| caption =
| first = ''[[Descent into the Depths of the Earth]]'' (1978)
| creator = [[Gary Gygax]]
| alias = (''Forgotten Realms'' only): Araushnee, Lloth (Menzoberranzan and Uluitur), Megwandir, Moander, Zinzerena
| race = Deity
| gender = Female
| title = The Spider Queen, Queen of Spiders, Demon Queen of Spiders,<ref name=AA>{{cite book |title=Dungeons & Dragons Art & Arcana: a visual history |last1=Witwer |first1=Michael |last2=Newman |first2=Kyle |last3=Peterson |first3=Jonathan |last4=Witwer |first4=Sam |last5=Manganiello |first5=Joe |date= 2018 |isbn=9780399580949 |publisher=[[Ten Speed Press]] |oclc=1033548473}}</ref>{{rp|103}} Demon Queen of the Abyss, Spider Bitch,<ref>[[Richard Lee Byers]] (2003). ''[[War of the Spider Queen#Dissolution|Dissolution]]''. ([[Wizards of the Coast]]), p. 200. {{ISBN|0-7869-2944-8}}.</ref> Queen of the Demonweb Pits, Weaver of Chaos, the Hunted, the Mother of Lusts, Dark Mother of All Drow, Lady of Spiders
| alignment = [[Alignment (Dungeons & Dragons)#Chaotic evil|Chaotic Evil]]
| home = [[Demonweb Pits]]
| series = [[Dungeons & Dragons]]
| lbl21 = [[List of Dungeons & Dragons deities#Ranks of divine power|Power level]]
| data21 = Intermediate/Greater
| lbl22 = [[List of Dungeons & Dragons deities#Portfolios|Portfolio]]
| data22 = Spiders, evil, darkness, chaos, assassins, drow
| lbl23 = [[List of Dungeons & Dragons deities#Domains|Domains]]
| data23 = Chaos, Darkness, Drow, Evil, Destruction, Spider, Trickery
| lbl24 = [[List of Dungeons & Dragons deities#Divine hierarchy|Superior]]
| data24 =
}}

Lolth is a fictional [[goddess]] in ''Dungeons & Dragons''. Lolth (''Lloth'' in the Drow language), the Demon Queen of Spiders, is the chief goddess of the Drow. She is also known as the ''Spider Queen'' and the ''Queen of the Demonweb Pits''; her realm in the [[Abyss (Dungeons & Dragons)|Abyss]] is referred to as the Demonweb Pits.<ref name="QotDP">{{cite book |author1=Sutherland III, David C |author2=Gygax, Gary | year=1980 | title=Queen of the Demonweb Pits| publisher=TSR, Inc. | isbn=0-935696-20-2|author1-link=David C. Sutherland III }}</ref> Lolth usually appears in two forms: drow and arachnid. In drow form, the Spider Queen appears as an "exquisitely beautiful" female dark elf, sometimes covered in clinging spiders. In her arachnid form, Lolth takes the appearance of a giant black widow spider with the head of a female drow or human peering from between the eight spider-eyes. Sometimes, the two foremost pair of her spider-legs are actually humanoid arms. In third edition, her arachnid form has taken more of a drider-like appearance, due to the events of the ''[[War of the Spider Queen]]'' novel series.

====Conception and creation====
Lolth was created by [[Gary Gygax]] for the ''[[Greyhawk|World of Greyhawk]]'' [[campaign setting]], later appeared in the ''[[Forgotten Realms]]'' setting, and in the 3rd edition became a member of the [[list of Dungeons & Dragons deities|default pantheon]] of ''D&D'' gods. In those various settings, the drow pantheon of gods consists of the leader Lolth, as well as Kiaransalee, Vhaeraun, and Zinzerena and also the one good goddess Eilistraee. Other drow gods may be present in different campaign settings.

According to the [[Forgotten Realms]] storyline, Lolth began as an intermediary goddess abiding in the sixty-sixth layer of the Abyss, the Demonweb Pits. Through the events that transpired in ''War of the Spider Queen series'', she transformed herself into a greater goddess as depicted in 4th Edition, the Demonweb Pits becoming its own plane.

====Publication history====
Lolth was first mentioned in the modules ''[[Descent into the Depths of the Earth]]'' (1978) and more fully described in ''[[Vault of the Drow]]'' (1978), and was the main antagonist of the module ''[[Queen of the Demonweb Pits]]'' (1980).<ref name="QotDP" /> These modules were later reprinted as part of the ''[[Queen of the Spiders]]'' collection in 1986. Lolth's role as a deity was first explored in ''[[Deities & Demigods]]'' (1980).<ref name=AA/>{{rp|111}} Her game statistics were reprinted in the ''[[Fiend Folio]]'' (1981).

Lolth's role in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting was first detailed in [[Ed Greenwood]]'s second edition ''AD&D'' sourcebook, ''[[Drow of the Underdark]]'' (1991).<ref>[[Ed Greenwood|Greenwood, Ed]]. ''[[Drow of the Underdark]]'' (TSR, 1991)</ref> Lolth was detailed as a deity in the book ''[[Monster Mythology]]'' (1992), including details about her priesthood.<ref name="Sargent 1992"/> Her role in the cosmology of the [[Planescape]] campaign setting was described in ''[[On Hallowed Ground]]'' (1996).<ref>[[Colin McComb|McComb, Colin]]. ''[[On Hallowed Ground]]'' ([[TSR, Inc.|TSR]], 1996)</ref> Lolth received a very detailed description of her role in the Forgotten Realms in ''[[Demihuman Deities]]'' (1998).<ref>[[Eric L. Boyd|Boyd, Eric L.]] ''[[Demihuman Deities]]'' ([[TSR, Inc.|TSR]], 1998)</ref>

Lolth is detailed in ''[[Defenders of the Faith (Dungeons & Dragons)|Defenders of the Faith]]'' (2000),<ref>Redman, Rich and [[James Wyatt (game designer)|James Wyatt]]. ''[[Defenders of the Faith (Dungeons & Dragons)|Defenders of the Faith]]'' ([[Wizards of the Coast]], 2000)</ref> and ''[[Deities & Demigods]]'' (2002),<ref>Redman, Rich, [[Skip Williams]], and [[James Wyatt (game designer)|James Wyatt]]. ''[[Deities & Demigods]]'' (Wizards of the Coast, 2002)</ref> and her role in the Forgotten Realms is revisited in ''[[Faiths and Pantheons]]'' (2002).<ref>[[Eric L. Boyd|Boyd, Eric L]], and [[Erik Mona]]. ''[[Faiths and Pantheons]]'' (Wizards of the Coast, 2002).</ref> Lolth's priesthood is detailed for this edition in ''[[Complete Divine]]'' (2004),<ref>[[David Noonan (game designer)|Noonan, David]]. ''[[Complete Divine]]'' (Wizards of the Coast, 2004)</ref> and her role in the [[Abyss (Dungeons & Dragons)|Abyss]] is detailed in the ''[[Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss]]'' (2006).<ref>[[James Jacobs (game designer)|Jacobs, James]], [[Erik Mona]], and [[Ed Stark]]. ''[[Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss]]'' ([[Wizards of the Coast]], 2006)</ref> Lolth and the Drow are further detailed in both ''[[Drow of the Underdark]]'' (2007),<ref>[[Ari Marmell|Marmell, Ari]], [[Anthony Pryor]], [[Robert J. Schwalb]], and [[Greg A. Vaughan]]. ''[[Drow of the Underdark]]'' ([[Wizards of the Coast]], 2007)</ref> and the adventure ''[[Expedition to the Demonweb Pits]]'' (2007).<ref>[[Wolfgang Baur|Baur, Wolfgang]], and Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel. ''[[Expedition to the Demonweb Pits]]'' ([[Wizards of the Coast]], 2007)</ref>

Lolth appears as one of the evil deities described in the ''[[Dungeon Master's Guide]]'' (2008) for the 4th Edition of ''Dungeons & Dragons''.<ref>[[James Wyatt (game designer)|James Wyatt]]. ''[[Dungeon Master's Guide]]'' ([[Wizards of the Coast]], 2008).</ref>  The story of her dissent from and war against Corellon and Sehanine is fleshed out in the supplements ''Underdark'' and ''[[The Plane Above: Secrets of the Astral Sea]]''. A slightly different (and arguably more powerful) version of Lolth is presented in the ''[[Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide]].'' Lolth in the Forgotten Realms has a different appearance, dogma and personality than the core Lolth.<ref>[[Bruce Cordell|Cordell, Bruce R.]], [[Ed Greenwood]], and Chris Sims. ''[[Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide]]''. ([[Wizards of the Coast]], 2008)</ref> Wizards of the Coast's D&D Compendium and D&D Character Builder record the core Lolth and the ''Realms'' Lolth as separate entities. Lolth (Demon Queen of Spiders) appears in the 4th Edition's ''[[Monster Manual 3]]'' (2010).<ref>[[Mike Mearls|Mearls, Mike]], Greg Bilsland, and [[Robert J. Schwalb]]. ''[[Monster Manual 3]]''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2010</ref> She is the mascot for this volume, which includes statistics for Lolth in both drow and spider form.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Product.aspx?x=dnd%2Fproducts%2Fdndacc%2F253840000 |title=Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page – Product (Monster Manual 3) |access-date=9 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130905020130/http://www.wizards.com/dnd/Product.aspx?x=dnd%2Fproducts%2Fdndacc%2F253840000 |archive-date=5 September 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2021, Lolth was featured on two cards as a "legendary planeswalker" in the ''Adventures in the Forgotten Realms'' line from the ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]'' collectible card game.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hall|first=Charlie|date=2021-05-20|title=D&D's Drizzt is coming to Magic: The Gathering, these are the first preview cards|url=https://www.polygon.com/22445601/dungeons-dragons-magic-the-gathering-crossover-drizzt-card-previews|access-date=2021-05-21|website=Polygon|language=en|archive-date=2021-05-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520210711/https://www.polygon.com/22445601/dungeons-dragons-magic-the-gathering-crossover-drizzt-card-previews|url-status=live}}</ref> Lolth was featured on the alternative cover edition of the 2024 Revised 5th Edition ''[[Dungeon Master's Guide]]'' with art by Olena Richards.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Abbott |first=Benjamin |date=May 30, 2024 |title=Exclusive: D&D Dungeon Master's Guide alt cover channels every DM's inner schemer' |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/tabletop-gaming/exclusive-dandd-dungeon-masters-guide-alt-cover-channels-every-dms-inner-schemer/ |access-date=May 30, 2024 |website=[[GamesRadar+]] |language=en}}</ref>

====Reception====
''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' #359 (September 2007), the final print issue of the magazine, described Lolth as one of the 20 most memorable villains of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' game.<ref name="Lolth">{{cite journal |last1=Bulmahn |first1=Jason |author-link=Jason Bulmahn |last2=Jacobs |first2=James |author-link2=James Jacobs (game designer) |last3=McArtor |first3=Mike |last4=Mona |first4=Erik |author-link4=Erik Mona |last5=Schneider |first5=F. Wesley |author-link5=F. Wesley Schneider |last6=Stewart |first6=Todd |author7=Jeremy Walker |date=September 2007 |title=1d20 Villains: D&D's Most Wanted; Preferably Dead |journal=[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]] |publisher=Paizo |volume=32 |issue=359 |pages=54–69}}</ref> Witwer ''et al.'', in the book ''Dungeons & Dragons Art & Arcana'', considered Lolth one of the "iconic D&D characters", present throughout the decades of the game.<ref name="AA" />{{rp|5, 110–111}}

Lolth was #10 on ''[[Screen Rant]]''{{'}}s 2018 "Dungeons & Dragons: The 15 Most Powerful Villains, Ranked" list—the article states "The ''War of the Spider Queen'' series would show Lolth's transformation into a greater goddess, making her one of the most powerful beings in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' multiverse. [...] Lolth can appear in the form of a monstrous spider, which many fans have mocked, due to the fact that it only has sixty-six hit points. You likely won't get a chance to get close enough to harm Lolth, due to the fact that you are battling her in her home dimension, which is filled with an army of demonic spiders. Lolth can also transform into the form of a high-level magic-user/cleric, which gives her access to a wide-range of powerful spells. This is to say nothing of her psionic abilities, though these are given to her at the discretion of the dungeon master".<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-06-09|title=Dungeons & Dragons: The 15 Most Powerful Villains, Ranked|url=https://screenrant.com/dungeons-dragons-powerful-villains-ranked/|access-date=2021-05-21|website=Screen Rant|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-05-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210521160642/https://screenrant.com/dungeons-dragons-powerful-villains-ranked/|url-status=live}}</ref> Lolth was #8 on [[Comic Book Resources|''CBR'']]{{'}}s 2020 "Dungeons & Dragons: 10 Endgame Bosses You Need To Use In Your Next Campaign" list—the article states "the DMs can even get rather creative with the stage; since Lolth is a creature of the Underdark, the fight leading up to her and the boss herself can take place in a dark and nightmarish cave that requires some spelunking and vertical maneuvers. Bonus points if the fight happens in a web network suspended midair with an abyssal drop".<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-07-25|title=Dungeons & Dragons: 10 Endgame Bosses You Need To Use In Your Next Campaign|url=https://www.cbr.com/dungeons-dragons-endgame-bosses-use/|access-date=2021-05-21|website=CBR|language=en-US|archive-date=2020-07-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725032248/https://www.cbr.com/dungeons-dragons-endgame-bosses-use/|url-status=live}}</ref>