Vhaeraun (pronounced "vay-rawn"), also known as the Masked Lord and the Masked God of Night, is the drow god of thievery, drow males, and evil activity on the surface world in many Dungeons & Dragons campaign settings. His worshipers include assassins, male drow and half-drow, poisoners, shadowdancers, rogues, and thieves.
In the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, Vhaeraun is the son of Corellon Larethian and Lolth, and is the brother of Eilistraee. He is allied with the deities known as Mask, Shar, and Talona. He was cast out of the elven pantheon, along with his mother Lolth, after his and his mother's betrayal was discovered.
The church of Vhaeraun is vaguely organized, because of persecution from the priestesses of Lolth who rule over the majority of the drow race. Vhaeraun's clergy is mostly male, and they practice a passive opposition to Lolth. Aside from that, Vhaeraun strives to reclaim the surface world from which he was forced to flee. This leads to frequent conflicts with the clerics of Eilistraee, who are benevolent dark elves who strive to live in peace with the surface folk and gain redemption for the evil ways of their kind.
Some priests of Vhaeraun advocate unity of the elven races in order to more easily dominate the surface world. Most, however, view this as heresy.
In Lisa Smedman's Sacrifice of the Widow (Wizards of the Coast, 2007), Vhaeraun is believed to have been killed by his sister, Eilistraee, when he tried to enter her realm and assassinate her. His portfolio now belongs to her, and she is presently impersonating him for the purpose of slowly turning his followers towards good. Many Vhaeraunites claim that the opposite is true and that the Masked Lord was victorious. A growing sect believe that the two deities are equally merged and the so-called Masked Lady is the true god. This is supported by the Eilistraeen clerics becoming more ruthless in nature, while the Vhaeraunites become kinder.
--References--
*Athans, Philip. ''Annihilation'' (Wizards of the Coast, 2004).
*Baker, Richard. ''Condemnation'' (Wizards of the Coast, 2003).
*Boyd, Eric L. ''Demihuman Deities'' (TSR, 1998).
*Boyd, Eric L and Erik Mona. ''Faiths and Pantheons'' (Wizards of the Coast, 2002).
*Byer, Richard Lee. ''Dissolution'' (Wizards of the Coast, 2002).
*Greenwood, Ed. ''The Drow of the Underdark'' (TSR, 1991).
*Kemp, Paul S. ''Resurrection'' (Wizards of the Coast, 2005).
*McComb, Colin. ''On Hallowed Ground'' (TSR, 1996).
*Reid, Thomas M. ''Insurrection'' (Wizards of the Coast, 2002).
*Sargent, Carl. ''Monster Mythology'' (TSR, 1992).
*Smedman, Lisa. ''Extinction'' (Wizards of the Coast, 2004).
--External links--
*Citadel of the Mask Lord - contains information on Vhaeraun