D&d 4e - Menzoberranzan - City Of Intrigue.pdf

Io

r

AGONS

M enzoberranzan CITY OF INTRIGUE™_____

R O L ^ LAYING GAME SUPPLEMENT J*

Brian R. Jam es ♦ Eric M enge

M enzoberranzan: C it y o f I n t r i g u e "

ROLEPLAYING

GAME SUPPLEMENT

Bria n R. Ja m e s ♦ Eric M eng e

CREDITS Design Bria n R. Ja m es, Eric Menge Additional Design and Developm ent M att Sernett, Ja m es W y a tt , Tom L aPille Editing Je n n ife r Clarke W ilk e s , Cal Moore Managing Editor Kim M ohan

A rt Director K ate Irw in Cover Illustration Je s p e r Ejsing Graphic Designer Trish Yochum Interior Illustrations Eric Belisle, M ilivo j C era n ,Je sp er Ejsing, W a y n e England, Jaso n A . Engle, Bria n Hagan, Ralph Horsley, Tyler

Developm ent and Editing Lead

Jacobson, Chris M alidore, David M artin, Lee Moyer,

Je r e m y Craw ford

Jim Nelson, W illia m O ’Connor, Chris Seam an, Mike Schley, Craig J Spearing, M atias Tapia, Francis Tsai,

D & D R & D Senior Producer C hristopher P erkins

Be n W o o tte n

D & D R & D Group Manager

A ngie Lokotz

Publishing Production Manager M ike M earls D & D Senior Creative Director Jo n Schindeh ette

Prepress Manager Jefferson D unlap Imaging Technician

D & D Brand Team

Carm en Cheung

Liz Schuh, K ierin Chase, Laura T om m ervik, Sh elly M azzanoble, Chris Lindsay, H ila ry Ross

Production Manager Cynda C a llaw ay

Playtesters G a ry Affeldt, Jim A u w aerter, Tim o thy Bailey, A ndre Begin, R ichard Bro w n , Je f f Chin, Pete Cooney, M elanie Cote, M anon Crevier, Tom Dale, Raym ond Franklin III, Tom Kish, Jim Kliss, M ark Knobbe, Yan Lacharite, Je f f LaSala, Eric Leroux, Greg M arks, Pete r M a rk w a rt, Sean M ittelstaedt, Galen M ullins, D avid N. K rolnik, P a tric k Neal, John-Alan Pascoe, Jo h n Petryszyn, Rydia Q. V ielehr, Lee Sharp, M ike

Setting details based on the original F o r g o t t e n R e a l m s ® campaign setting created by Ed Greenw ood w ith Je f f Grubb, the updated (3rd Edition) setting designed by Ed Greenwood, R ichard Baker, Sean K Reynolds, Skip W illia m s, and Rob Heinsoo, and the 4th Edition setting designed by Bruce R. Cordell, Ed G reenw ood, Ph ilip Athans, Richard Baker, Rob Heinsoo, Bria n R. Jam es, and Chris Sims.

Shea, Ben Siek ert, P ie te r Sleijpen, Z a ck Sykes, C.J. Thrasher, Sarah Thrasher, P hil Tobin, R enout van Rijn, G areth W a lla c e

62039889000001 EN ISBN: 978-0-7869-6036-1 First Printing: August 2012 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

U.S., CANADA, ASIA, PACIFIC, & LATIN AM ERICA Wizards of the Coast LLC P.O. Box 707 Renton W A 98057-0707 +1-800-324-6496

EURO PEA N HEADQ U ARTERS Hasbro UK Ltd Caswell W ay Newport, Gwent NP9 0YH GREAT BRITAIN Please keep this address for your records

W IZ A R D S OF THE COAST, BELGIUM Industrialaan 1 1702 Groot-Bijgaarden Belgium +32.070.233.277

D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s , D & D , Wizards of the Coast, F o r g o t t e n R e a l m s , Menzoberranzan: City of Intrigue, all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. All characters, and their distinctive likenesses are property of Wizards of the Coast. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of Wizards of the Coast. Printed in the USA. ©2012 Wizards of the Coast LLC.

V isit ou r w e b s ite at D u n g e o n sa n d D ra g o n s.co m

C€

CONTENTS IN T R O D U C T IO N ................................3 A Menzoberranzan Campaign........... 4 Chapter 1 C A M P A IG N O F I N T R I G U E .............. 6 Campaign F lavo r................................ 8 Campaign E r a ................................ 10 The Founding................................ 10 Sable Years.................................... 11 Time of Troubles........................... 11 W a r of the Spider Q u e e n .............12 The Spellplague............................. 12 Schemes in the Sh ad o w s.............. 14 Factions......................................... 14 Intriguing A d ven tu res.................. 15 Making the C ity Your O w n .......... 17 Chapter 2 T H E W A Y O F L O L T H .......................18 The Queen of Spiders.................... 20 Lolth...............................................20 Drow Justice.................................. 20 Deities of Other E ra s ....................21 All About D ro w .............................. 22 The Matriarchy...............................23 Noble Houses.................................23 Com m oners.................................. 24 Slaves............................................. 24 C om m erce...................................... 25 Currency........................................25 Favors............................................. 25 Merchant Clans............................. 25 Leisure............................................ 26 Language........................................ 27 Chapter 3 D R O W F A C T IO N S ............................28 Understanding the F a c tio n s ........ 30 Creating Your O w n H ouse............ 32 House B a e n r e ................................ 32 The Sable Years: Yvonnel the Eternal....................35 The Spellplague Era: Dynasty D im inished.................. 37 House Do’U rd e n ............................ 39 The Sable Years: Malice Rising---40 House H u n z rin .............................. 43 The Spellplague Era: Mercantile Em p ire......................43 House O b lo d ra .............................. 45 The Sable Years: K’yorl’s B lu f f ---45 House M e la r n ................................ 48 The Spellplague Era: Vigilant Inquisitors.................... 50 House Xorlarrin.............................. 51 The Spellplague Era: Rise of the W iz a rd s....................52 House House House House

Barrison D e P A rm g o .......... 54 Faen T la b b a r...................... 54 Fey-Branche........................ 55 M izzrym .............................. 55

Tier B r e c h e .................................... 56 Arach-Tinilith.................................. 58 M elee- M agth ere............................ 60 So rce re .............................................62 Bregan D ’a e r t h e ............................ 64 Jaezred C h a u lssin .......................... 68 Scourged L e g io n ............................ 71 Sept of IIF G h a c t ............................ 74 C h a pt er 4 C I T Y O F S P I D E R S ............................ 78 Vault o f Spid ers.............................. 80 Donigarten.................................... 80 Isle of R o th e ...............................80 Kyorbblivvin.................................. 80

Narbondel...................................... 81 Overways and U n d e rw a ys ........... 81 The C iste rn .................................81 Bone L o c k e r...............................81 The R if t s ........................................82 Clawrift........................................82 M is trift........................................82 W e s t r if t...................................... 83 Spiderfangs.................................... 83 C ity L if e ...........................................84 City Streets.................................... 84 Visitors to the C i t y ....................... 85 The D is tr ic ts ...................................86 The B ra e ry n .................................. 86 The W a n H a g ............................. 87 Slave M arkets............................. 88 Quaggoth D ro o l..........................88 Duthcloim ...................................... 88 Adventuring Headquarters....... 89 The C athlyre...............................89 Rhauvais’ Arm s........................... 89 The B a z a a r.................................... 89 Bhaelundryn’s Bestiary...............90 Dhode’s Fine P iw a fw is.............. 90 Q uild’s Mobile P a r lo r ................ 90 Sense of Sensuous S c e n ts ......... 91 Shimmerdark’s D ecanter........... 91 W hispers in the D a r k ................ 91 E astm yr..........................................91 Battered Be h old e r......................91 Calask’s H a n d s ........................... 92 Darkled D e p th s ......................... 92 Dylchanta’s Furfeathers.............92 Narbondel’s Sh ado w .................. 92 Ruins of House Freth.................. 92 Narbondellyn.................................93 Red Tears.................................... 93 Brothers Ja s z a rr ......................... 93 Feathered M asqueax.................. 94 Black Sapphire B a t h .................. 94 Q u’ellarz’o r l .................................. 94 Cham ber of the Ruling Council . 95 House Mizzrym........................... 95 W est W a ll...................................... 96 Lolth’s W e b .................................96

Elstearn’s Escorts........................97 Fane of the G odd ess.................. 97 Xeva’s D e n .................................. 97 D ark D o m in io n .............................. 98 The M a n tle .................................... 98 Ablonsheir’s C a v e ......................98 Cavern of the Masters................ 98 Cavern of the Severed Tentacles 99 Driders’ Chasm........................... 99 G low stones.................................99 Heldaeyn’s P o o l......................... 99 The L ustrum ...............................99 Pit-Warrens.................................99 Proving G ro u n d s........................99 C h apter 5 T H E N O R T H D A R K ........................ 100 Shadow ed W a y s .......................... 102 Blingdenstone.............................102 The D arklake...............................103 Dead Dragon Gorge....................103 Entemoch’s B o o n ........................103 Gracklstugh.................................103 M antol-Derith............................. 104 Mithral Hall.................................. 104 Zz’Pzora’s L a ir ............................. 104 A m m a rin d a r................................ 105 Lost Treasure of Am m arindar---105 Ched N a s a d .................................106 Ruins of Hellgate Keep................ 106 Sp lend arrm orn........................... 106 Aruam yco s.................................... 107 T he F a rd rim m .............................. 107 Everfire..........................................108 Mhaurlok Expanse........................108 The L o w ro a d ...............................108 Chaulssin...................................... 109 The W o rm w rith in g s .................... 111 Acid A erie.................................... 111 Gargoyle T u b e .............................111 Dungeon of D e a t h ......................111 Phanlinksal.................................. 112 C hapter 6 B E A D R O W .....................................116 An Evil Party in an Evil C ity ........ 118 Drow Treachery D e c k ................ 118 Choosing a H ou se........................ 119 Multiple Houses in the P a r ty ---119 Character Backgrounds.............. 119 Station in D ro w So cie ty.............. 120 Tiers of Prestige........................... 120 Benefits of Station........................121 Roleplaying a D r o w .................... 123 Drow Society and Culture........... 123 Drow M otivation......................... 123 Depravity of the D ro w ................ 124 Secrets and Lies........................... 125 A P P E N D I X : M A P K E Y ................. 126

Introduction A se eth in g p o w erh o u se o f m alevolent drow , each striv in g tirelessly for su p rem acy in th e eyes o f th e ir fell goddess, M e n z o b e rra n z a n is th e p in n a c le o f c o n ­ ceited depravity. N evertheless, p e e r d e e p th ro u g h th e stra ta o f selfishness, d ebauchery, a n d vice an d one c a n behold a g ra n d civilization ric h in history, c u ltu re, an d artistry . I t’s th is ta n ta liz in g dichotom y b etw een th e b eau tifu l a n d th e p ro fan e th a t draw s g re a t in terest to w ard d ro w society. P re se n te d in th is b o o k is th e fabled U n d e rd a rk city o f M e n z o b e r­ ra n z a n , b irth p lac e o f fam ed d ro w ra n g e r D rizzt D o ’U rd en . But th is isn ’t h is story—it’s m a n y stories, yours c h ie f a m o n g th e m . T h is book is d esig n ed for m a x im u m utility. No m a tte r w h a t ed itio n o f th e D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s ® ru le s you’re using, y ou’ll fin d alm o st all o f th e m a te ­ rial in th is b o o k u sab le in y o u r gam e. You ca n use th is book to r u n a c a m p a ig n set d u rin g th e years before th e b irth o f D rizzt, in th e m id st o f th e W a r o f th e S pider Q u een , o r d u rin g th e c u rre n t era o f th e F o r ­ g o t t e n R e a l m s ® c a m p a ig n setting. M e n z o b e rra n z a n is a w hole e n v iro n m e n t w aitin g for you a n d y o u r play­ ers to explore, in w h atev er w ay you w a n t to use it.

A M en zo berran zan C a m p a ig n R u n n in g a g ro u p o f evil d ro w c h a ra c te rs th ro u g h ad v en tu res rife w ith in trig u e a n d tre a c h e ry ca n be q u ite a d ifferen t ex p erien ce from m ost D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s cam p aig n s. T hese six ch a ra c te ristic s best en cap su late th e sp irit o f a M enzoberranzan: City o f Intrigue cam p aig n .

1. You’re a Drow In th is c a m p a ig n settin g , you’re no goody tw o-shoes su rface d w eller v isiting th e C ity o f S piders o n holiday. No, you’re a resid en t. W h e th e r d ro w or slave, noble scion or co m m o n er, you call M e n z o b e rra n z a n hom e. T h is is y o u r o p p o rtu n ity to d isre g a rd th e spiteful p ro ­ p ag an d a o f th e su rface elves a n d step into th e role o f o ne o f D & D ’s m o st iconic a n d in sid io u s races.

2. Evil Reigns M e n z o b e rra n z a n is a n asty place. In d ro w cu ltu re , tre a c h e ry a n d m u rd e r a re co m m o n p lace, as a re acts o f d eb au ch ery . D ro w in th is se ttin g ro u tin e ly have orgies w ith d em o n s a n d engage in desp icab le acts o f blo o d lettin g . A lth o u g h th e te n e ts o f d ro w society a re p resen ted tactfully, players sh o u ld be u n d e r no illusions; M e n z o b e rra n z a n is p o p u la te d by vile an d

cap ricio u s sadists, w ho seek to im prove th e ir personal s ta n d in g th ro u g h th e suffering an d m isery o f others.

3. Lolth Is Supreme No o th e r force in d ro w society is as pervasive as th e C h u rc h o f Lolth. A lth o u g h o th er d ivine entities have a p p e a re d in d ro w religious rite s over th e m illen n ia, all are se co n d ary to L olth a n d are barely visible in the shadow o f th e S pider Q u een . B eings su ch as V haer a u n a n d G h a u n a d a u r have a d h e re n ts in som e eras, b ut few are w o rsh ip ed w ith th e sam e d e v o tio n -a n d f e a r - a s Lolth. It is she, an d she alone, w ho sta n d s at th e h e a rt o f d ro w religion.

4. Station Is Everything D espite its m em b e rs b ein g b o rn o f chaos, d row soci­ ety is governed by a deeply e n tre n c h e d hierarchy. E ach d ro w divides everyone e ls e -in c lu d in g o th er d ro w —in to th re e categories. ♦ T hose w ith m o re pow er, w ho m u st be appeased a n d p lacated (at least u n til th ey c a n be replaced) ♦ T h o se w ho a re u se fu l to o n e’s ow n advancem ent, w ho m u st be exploited in all ways possible ♦ T h e w eak, w h o a re w o rth less except as lab o r or disp o sab le troops As d ro w see it, ea c h day is a n ew ch an ce to im prove y o u r statio n or to elim in a te those in your way.

5. Secrets Are Currency D ro w a re n ot m in d le ss b ru te s w ho ch arg e headlong in to th e u n k n o w n . In fact, th e resid en ts o f M enzober­ ra n z a n , called M en zo b arran y r, a re m eticu lo u s an d c a lc u la tin g in th e ir endeavors. A lthough w ealth an d m ig h t a re c e rta in ly resp ec te d , th e tru e c u rre n c y of th e d ro w lies in secrets. In fo rm a tio n is pow er, and w ith it a n in d iv id u al c a n w ield in flu e n c e far beyond h is o r h e r station. T h e m ach in atio n s o f th e d row are legendary, a n d th ese sorts o f long-term schem es sh o u ld be p a r t o f an y M e n z o b e rra n z a n cam paign.

6. The Underdark H ig h a d v e n tu re isn’t co n fin ed to th e city alone. The m y ria d in trig u es o f th e d ro w c a n send th e player c h a ra c te rs d e e p in to th e gloom o f th e U nderdark. A lth o u g h d ro w a re re n o w n ed for th e ir ru thlessness a n d villainy, th e re are c re a tu re s in th e d e e p places o f th e w orld th a t give even th e m pause. D espite the d an g ers, few M e n z o b e rra n y r shy from a n o p p o rtu ­ n ity to exploit th e m y ria d riches o f th e D eep R ealm s. F rom th e n eig h b o rin g D a rk D o m in io n to th e S had­ ow ed W ays a n d beyond, ad v en tu re in th e U nderdark aw aits.

The drow w ill be you r hosts. Watch y ou r back. a

-*taS -fJfrs,.

For t h e D M Most of this b o o k is d esig n ed p rim a rily w ith th e D u n ­ geon M aster in m in d . It w ill h elp you c ra ft a n exciting and m em orable cam p aig n cen te re d on d ro w them es. Chapter 1: C am paign o f Intrigue is advice for you on how to set u p th e b asic fram ew o rk o f a d ro w campaign. Chapter 2: The W ay o f Lolth n a rro w s th e scope, revealing th e in n e r w orkings o f d ro w religion an d society. You ca n sh a re m u c h o f th is in fo rm atio n w ith players, perh ap s leaving som e facts for th e ir c h a ra c ­ ters to discover w h en th e y b eg in ad venturing. Chapter 3: D row Factions pro v ides you w ith a full set of tools to create exactly th e so rt o f ch allen g e you and your players w a n t to ex p erien ce. H e re are details of th e m o st d istin ctiv e d ro w noble h o u ses in M enzoberranzan; a look at th e city ’s g re a t academ y, Tier Breche. a n d th e houseless d ro w m erc e n a rie s known as B regan D ’aerth e; a n d d escrip tio n s o f th re e major pow er groups th a t w an t to d estroy th e drow and all they sta n d for. W h e n each p lay er chooses the factions his or h e r c h a ra c te r w ill be associated with, you can sh a re w ith th a t player th e b ack g ro u n d choices and o th er d etails pro v id ed in th a t section. Chapter 4: City o f Spiders is w h e re M enzober< ranzan com es alive. E ach sectio n o f th e city a n d its f environs is d etailed h ere, so th a t you c a n p a in t a

realistic p ic tu re as th e c h a ra c te rs m ove a ro u n d in th e setting. M uch o f th e g e n eral in fo rm a tio n given h e re is co m m o n know ledge to th o se w h o live in th e city, a n d th u s likely to b e k n o w n by d ro w player ch a ra c te rs as w ell. Som e o f th e specifics, th o u g h , are a d ifferen t m atter, a n d m ig h t n e e d to be discovered. Chapter 5: The Northdark is a collection o f U n d e rd a rk a d v e n tu rin g o p p o rtu n ities, locations th a t yo u c a n b rin g in to play if you d ecid e to ta k e th e cam p aign, q u ite literally, in a d ifferen t d irectio n . Chapter 6: Be a D row is d ire c te d at players, b ut you sh o u ld be fa m ilia r w ith it as well.

F or P l a y e r s M enzoberranzan: City o f Intrigue discusses th e u n d e r ­ p in n in g s o f d ro w society a n d beliefs, in clu d in g th e ir L o lth -d o m in ated relig io n —all o f w h ich is vital in fo r­ m atio n to players o f d ro w ch aracters. In ad d itio n , th is book includes g u id elin es for selectin g a d ro w h o u se to ally w ith , as w ell as c h a r ac te r b a c k g ro u n d s to aid a player in flesh in g o ut a c h a ra c te r’s b ack sto ry a n d m otivations. Chapter 6: Be a D row is d esigned expressly for players, su p p le m e n tin g a n d flesh in g o ut w h at th e rest o f th e book covers w ith advice on h o w to c a p tu re th e d ro w p e rso n a at th e g a m in g table.

CHAPTER

1

Campaign of Intrigue R u n n in g a gam e set in a rev iled city o f villainy su ch as M e n z o b e rra n z a n o ften p re se n ts in te re st­ ing n ew tw ists or ch allen g es for D u n g eo n M asters u sed to r u n n in g tra d itio n a l h ig h fan tasy cam p aig n s. A d v en tu res w ith in th e city p ro p e r have as m u ch ex citem en t, b lo o d sh ed , a n d tre a su re as a tra d itio n a l d u n g eo n craw l, b u t u su a lly involve m o re in trig u e a n d less ex p lo ratio n . W ith cam p a ig n s ce n te re d on in trig u e, e n tire sessions m ig h t pass w ith o u t a single co m b at en co u n ter. H ow ever, th e ric h possibilities for rolep lay in g in a w orld o f cru el, ru th le ss nobles ca n p ro v id e h o u rs o f e n te rta in m e n t. M enzoberranzan: City o f Intrigue provides a fram ew o rk for b u ild in g a n e n tire c a m p a ig n in th e in fam o u s d ro w city. T h is c h a p te r p rovides a s p rin g ­ b o a rd for d esig n in g a n U n d e rd a rk c a m p a ig n o rien ted p rim a rily a ro u n d a p a rty o f d ro w ad v en tu rers. T he c h a p te r in clu d es th e follow ing sections.

♦ C am paign Flavor: D ifferent c am p aig n s m ight focus on in trig u e or in su rre c tio n , ra id s u p o n th e surface, o r all-out w a r w ith o th e r U n d e rd a rk races.

♦ C am paign Era: D e te rm in in g th e tim e p e rio d for y o u r c a m p a ig n c a n in flu e n c e its overall to n e a n d feel. A c a m p a ig n set d u rin g th e fo unding years o f th e city is very d ifferen t fro m one th a t ta k e s place d u rin g th e W a r o f th e S pider Q u een .

♦ S chem es in the Shadow s: As y o u r c a m p a ig n un folds, th e city d o es n ot re m a in static. M e n z o b e r­ ra n z a n is rife w ith c o m p e tin g factions, a n d th e c h a ra c te rs n e e d to k n ow w h e re th e y sta n d w ith each o f th o se g ro u p s at an y tim e. T his sectio n gives you a sim p le system for k eep in g tra c k o f th is in fo r­ m atio n , plu s som e th o u g h ts on plot elem en ts th a t ca n rad ically a lte r w h a t th e ad v e n tu re rs a re up against.

♦ M aking the City Your O wn: T his b r ie f section d iscu sses cu sto m izin g th e city for yo u r u n iq u e in te rp re ta tio n o f th e gam e.

C a m p a ig n F lavo r T he first step in c re a tin g a M e n z o b e rra n z a n c a m ­ p aig n is d ec id in g o n th e p a rtic u la r flavor for y o u r cam p aig n . W h ile it’s possible to r u n a ty p ical d u n ­ geon craw l c a m p a ig n w ith th e m aterials p rovided in th is book, Menzoberranzan: City o f Intrigue offers a g reat o p p o rtu n ity for D u n g eo n M asters to explore a lte rn a te styles o f gam eplay.

Political Intrigue T he everyday plo ttin g a n d b ack stab b in g co m m on to d ro w society m ak e for a co m p ellin g cam p aig n o f political in trig u e. T h e lo n g -sim m erin g riv al­ ries b etw een th e noble houses o f M e n z o b e rra n z a n th re a te n to b re a k o u t in to o p en w a rfa re at a m o m e n ts notice. S p rin k le in th e m a c h in a tio n s o f a n outside faction or two, a n d y ou have a nearly lim itless supply o f plot hooks for y o u r cam p aig n . P lacing th e p layer c h a ra c te rs w ith in th e m id d le o f a p o w er stru g g le is a h a llm a rk o f political in trig u e. W ith th e lik elih o o d o f th e a d v e n tu re rs b ein g o f q u e s­ tio n ab le m o rale c h a ra c te r them selves, th e y m ig h t enjoy p laying one o r m ore o f th e factions ag ain st each other. O r th ey m ig h t slowly g rin d b o th g ro u p s dow n, p re te n d in g to m a in ta in th e b a la n c e o f po w er b etw e e n th e tw o w h ile th ey sip hon pow er for them selves. G o als in a political gam e ca n include: Spy A gainst your Rivals: Few races are as in n ately a ttu n e d to ste a lth a n d su b terfu g e as drow . A g reat espionage c a m p a ig n w ould evolve over tim e. At low levels th e c h a ra c te rs m ight sta rt out as com m on b u rg lars o r cu tp u rse s w orking for a B raeryn street gang. As th ey rise in sta n d in g a n d notoriety, th e c h a ra c te rs are secretly a p p ro a c h e d a n d re c ru ite d by B regan D ’a e rth e to in filtra te a n d g a th e r in fo rm atio n ag ain st th e noble houses. E ach successive m ission b eco m es m o re d ifficu lt th a n th e last, u n til th ey are p erfo rm in g epic feats o f espionage su ch as spying on Lolth in th e D em o n w eb P its—th in k M ission Im p o s­ sible, b u t even m o re d an g ero u s.

THE GODFATHER D id You Know: As R. A. S alv ato re w a s d e sig n in g th e u n d e rp in n in g s o f M e n z o b e rra n z a n s o c ie ty fo r th e novel H om elan d, his g re a te s t in sp ira tio n w a s d ra w n fro m M ario P u zo ’s e p ic c rim e n o v el The G o dfa th er. It’s easy to e n v isio n a d ro w m a tro n m o th e r a s a m o b b o ss w ith h e r h o u s e p rie s te s s e s serv in g a s “m a d e m e m b e rs ” o f th e c rim e fam ily. M ales in th is sc e n a rio serv e th e role o f s o ld a to (soldier), re p o rtin g u p th e h ie ra rc h y to a capo, re p re s e n te d in d ro w so c ie ty as a high p rie ste ss.

Run a Gang: Lead a n allian ce o f noble houses a n d w age w ar ag ain st y o u r rivals. T he ch aracters m ig h t sta rt as low-level en fo rcers for one o r two houses, task ed w ith overtly in tim id a tin g a rival house or faction. As th e y succeed in th e ir assigned duties, th e ad v e n tu re rs g ain in station, w h ic h in tu r n p erm its th e m to rise quickly w ith in th e o rganization. T he key to th is storyline is to have th e c h a ra c te rs g rad u ate quickly from b ein g m e re p aw n s a n d thugs, to b eing a d riv in g force for th e organization. A s a d ro w o f low station, one o r m o re o f th e ch a ra c te rs m ight have sought th e su p p o rt o f a rival ho u se o r a n in d iv id u al p a tro n . N ow th a t th o se ch aracters a re in d e b te d to th a t rival faction or in d iv id u al, they could be asked to c a rry out se cre t tasks th a t ru n co u n ter to th e goals o f th e p a rty as a w hole, creatin g fu rth e r plot lines.

Ideological Scheming A n o th e r c a m p a ig n flavor you could explore is one o f ideological conflict. A s p resen ted , M e n zo b erran za n is firm ly u n d e r th e in flu e n c e o f L olth’s stro n g -h an d ed dogm a. A n in trig u in g cam p aig n seed m ight be to pick o n e or m ore long-standing tenets o f d ro w society, an d th e n pit th e player c h a ra c te rs against th at ideal. A n ideological gam e m ight include one o f th e fol­ low ing goals. A b olish the M atriarchy: E stablish eq u ality for m ales in M e n z o b e rra n z a n society. T his seed w orks b est w ith a m ale-d o m in a ted p arty th at has at least one h ig h -ran k in g fem ale sy m p a th e tic to th e ir cause. Spread H eresy: S pread th e teach in g s o f o th er faiths beyond Lolth. T h e c h a ra c te rs m ight adopt the faiths o f E ilistraee, V h a e ra u n , or G h a u n a d a u r an d w ork to w eak en th e C h u rc h o f Lolth, e ith e r secretly o r overtly. Spread Insurrection: Lead th e slaves o f M en zo ­ b e rra n z a n to freed o m o r open rebellion. W h e th e r out o f g en u in e sy m p a th y or as a pow er play, th e c h a r ­ acters g alvanize th e n o n -d ro w co m m u n ities tow ard in su rre c tio n . Topple th e Nobility: W eak en th e in flu e n ce o f th e R uling C ouncil to affect ch an g e in th e city. P erhaps th e c h a ra c te rs are m em b e rs o f a m e rc h a n t clan or o th e r c o m m o n er o rg an izatio n th a t seeks to strip the n obility o f th e ir u n d u e privilege. Lead an Exodus: B reak th e d ro w free o f th e ir s u b te rra n e a n shackles a n d lead th e m into th e world above. P erhaps th e c h a ra c te rs have discovered th at faerzress is responsible for th e d ro w com pulsion to re m a in in th e U n d e rd a rk a n d th e y ’re seeking a m agical m e a n s o f freeing th e ir people from th is millennia-old affliction. Turning the Tables: As a n altern ativ e to any o f th ese options, th e player c h a ra c te rs ca n be d ro w w ho are task ed by th e ir h o u ses to put d ow n th e rebellious efforts o f u n d esirab le forces in th e city.

Rise of the Underdark In a Rise o f th e U n d erd ark cam p aig n , th e player ch aracters are d ro w o f M e n z o b e rra n z a n w ho are focused on raid in g th e su rface w orld for an y o f a vari ety o f p u rp o ses. M e n z o b e rra n z a n is th e ir h o m e base, th e ir place o f (relative) safety, w h ile th e ir ad v en tu res tak e place m ostly on th e su rface w orld o r in U n d er d ark passages lead in g from th e city to th e surface. Such a cam p aig n is not n ecessarily free o f all th e in trig u e a n d b ack stab b in g th a t c h a ra c te riz e s d row society, b u t it b eco m es a b a c k g ro u n d elem en t ra th e r th a n th e p rim a ry focus o f th e gam e. H ere are th re e possible reaso n s for raid in g th e sur face w orld. H arness A rcane Pow er for Lolth: In 1480 DR, Lolth is try in g to tak e over d e a d M ystra’s control o f arc a n e m agic. U n d er th e c o m m a n d o f h e r priestesses, d ro w raid in g p a rtie s seek out m agical artifacts, th e re m a in s o f m ig h ty d e a d w izard s, a n d places o f pow'er. At th ese sites, th e d ro w seize co n tro l o f th e item in q uestio n o r siphon th e m agical en erg y o f th e place o ff an d b rin g it to Lolth th ro u g h h e r priestesses. T h e fol­ low ing sectio n d iscu ssin g C a m p a ig n E ras gives m ore in fo rm atio n ab o u t th is effort. Capture Slaves: T he p ro p e r functioning o f M enzo­ b e rra n z a n relies on th e lab o r o f slaves, m an y o f w hich are cap tu red from th e surface world. T he characters m ight be p a rt o f a n o rg an ized force th a t regularly brings slaves to th e city for sale, or in d e p e n d e n t drow looking for a quick profit. In a tw ist, th ey m ight be du erg ar or m em b ers o f o th er slaving races hoping to cap tu re slaves for ev en tu al sale in th e d ro w city. K ill A ll the Elves: In sp ire d by religious fervor, a th irs t for p erso n al revenge, or sh e er h a tre d , th e d ro w often raid th e su rface for th e sole reaso n o f killin g as m an y su rface-d w ellin g elves as possible.

Drow at War A cam p aig n cen tered o n w a r p its th e d ro w player ch a ra c te rs ag ain st th e d w arv es o f M ith ral I Iall, th e d e e p g n o m es o f B lingdenstone, or o th e r races in th e U n d erd ark . Such a cam p aig n m ight focus on defend ing M e n z o b e rra n z a n or o n a ssau ltin g th e cities and stro ngholds o f its en em ies, or a m ix o f th e tw o as th e fortu n es o f w ar shift. A w ar c a m p a ig n m ig h t also involve m u ltip le d ifferen t w ars ag ain st d ifferen t foes an d u n d e r differen t circu m stan ces. A w ar cam p aig n offers a n o p p o rtu n ity to play th ro u g h som e o f th e g reat events o f M e n zo b erran za n ’s h isto ry d escrib ed in th e next section o f th is chap ter, in clu d in g th e T im e o f T roubles an d th e W ar o f th e Spider Q u een . A ny o f th e follow ing d irectio n s c a n provide in te r­ estin g d irectio n to a d ro w cam p aig n . P unish the Offenders: T h e d ro w o f M e n z o b e r­ ra n z a n m a rsh a l th e ir w a rrio rs to strik e ag ain st a

n ea rb y c o m m u n ity as a n act o f revenge for som e slight, real o r im ag in ed . For exam ple, in 1371 DR, Triel B aen re o rd e re d th e d e s tru c tio n o f B lingden­ stone in re ta lia tio n for th e ir su p p o rt o f th e dw arves o f M ith ra l H all d u rin g a n e a rlie r co n flict. T he offense m ight also b e a m a tte r o f e n c ro a c h in g on territo ry o r ste alin g reso u rces, h a rb o rin g a d ro w fugitive, or sim ply d ra w in g th e ire o f L olth in som e m an n er. Sm ite the Infidels: T h is is a w a r ag ain st a n o th e r d ro w city. It m ig h t b e a city w h e re a god o th e r th a n Lolth is w o rsh ip ed (for exam ple, G h a u n a d a u r an d V h a e ra u n w ere w o rsh ip ed alongside Lolth in n earb y E ry n d ly n before its d e stru c tio n in th e Spellplague), or a city th a t h a s (at least in th e o p in io n o f M enzoberra n z a n 's priestesses) e a rn e d Lolth's disfavor th ro u g h som e b lasp h em o u s act. In su ch a cam p aig n , p rie st­ esses play a very im p o rta n t role, an d th e re ’s no room for a n y th in g b ut u n sw e rv in g devotion to L o lth u n le ss o n e o r m o re o f th e c h a ra c te rs tu rn s out to be a se cre t sy m p a th iz e r w ith th e enem y! W ar o f C onquest: For som e reaso n , th e drow d ecid e th a t M e n z o b e rra n z a n isn't big en o u g h a n d a w a r p a rty sets o ut to c o n q u er te rrito ry for th e city’s ex p an sio n . T his cam p aig n m ight ta k e place at a p o in t in tim e w h e re M e n z o b e rra n z a n 's p o p u latio n is ex p lo d in g a n d th e d ro w sim ply n e e d m o re room . A lternatively, a d issid en t g ro u p o r sect m ig h t flee M e n z o b e rra n z a n a n d lau n c h a n assault in an effort to found a new city free from th e ty ra n n ic a l ru le o f H ouse B aenre. D efen d M enzoberranzan: In th is cam p aig n , it is M e n z o b e rra n z a n th a t is u n d e r attack , w h eth er it’s from d u erg ar, dw arves, svirfneblin, illithids, or som e o th e r U n d e rd a rk race. T h e c h a ra c te rs’ role m ig h t be sh o rin g u p th e city ’s defenses, o r th e y could form a strik e te a m sen t on m issions to d isru p t enem y supply tra in s, assassin ate th e ir leaders, o r p lan t m agi­ cal explosives in th e ir m idst. D u rin g th e W a r o f th e S pider Q u een , M e n z o b e rra n z a n ca m e u n d e r attack by d u e rg a r from G rack lstu g h , th e Scourged Legion, a n d agents o f th e Ja ezred C h au lssin . C ivil War: F rom tim e to tim e, in trig u e am ong the noble ho u ses rises to su ch a fever pitch th a t outright w ar b reak s out. It’s co m m o n en o u g h for one house to la u n c h a n assaid t ag ain st an o th er, b ut such conflicts ca n escalate if th e attack in g h ouse d oesn't finish the jo b quickly. I f th e d efen d ers have tim e to call on th e ir allies, th e tw isted n etw orks o f allied a n d rival houses can e ru p t into o p en co n flict w ith tw o or m u ltip le dif­ ferent sides.

C a m p a ig n E r a O n ce y ou’ve ch o sen a cam p aig n flavor, give som e th o u g h t to th e tim e se ttin g o f y o u r cam p aig n . Y our choice o f flavor m ight suggest a c e rta in e ra o f play—for exam ple, if you w a n t to ru n a Rise o f th e U n d erd ark cam p aig n featu rin g d ro w c h a ra c te rs h a r ­ n essing a rc a n e p o w er for Lolth, you m ig h t set your cam p aig n a ro u n d th e tim e o f D a n ifa e ’s a p p e a ra n c e in th e city, in 1 4 8 0 DR. M ost o f th e m a terial in th is book will be usefu l to you reg ard less o f w h ich e ra you choose, so select th e e ra th a t h olds th e m ost ap p eal for you a n d y o u r players. P re sen ted below are b rie f c a m p a ig n ideas tied to specific p erio d s in th e h isto ry o f M e n z o b e rra n z a n .

The Founding (-3 9 1 7 D R to 1 2 9 7 D R ) Five th o u sa n d years ago, th e g reat d ro w city of G o lo th aer w as busily d estro y in g itse lf in a civil w ar. D row h o u ses faith fu l to th e S pider Q u e e n b attled for su p rem acy ag ain st ren eg ad e factions alig n ed w ith th e slim e d eity G h a u n a d a u r. A s d ecad e s o f d e a th an d d e stru c tio n p lu n g ed th e o n c e -sp e ctacu lar city into ru in , a p ro u d an d fo rm id ab le p riestess o f Lolth n a m e d M e n zo b erra tu r n e d aw ay from th e fray, g a th ­ e rin g seven fam ilies o f w e a lth an d statio n to found a new se ttle m e n t loyal to th e W ay o f Lolth. L eaving th e ch ao s o f w a r-to rn G olothaer, M enzob e rra ’s b a n d set fo rth into th e u n k n o w n , tru s tin g to L olth’s g u id an ce. As L o lth’s c h o sen one, M e n zo b erra received d ream -v isio n s sent by th e S pider Q u e e n to g u id e th e refu g e es’ pro gress th ro u g h th e U n d erd ark . A fter w a n d e rin g th e U n d e rd a rk for m an y years, th e b a n d o f p ilg rim s su ffered its first m ajor setback in a bloody co n fro n tatio n w ith th e d w arv es o f th e Black Axe C lan . T h e d ro w lost n early h a lf th e ir n u m b e r th a t day in th e C av ern o f Cloven H eads. Before his body faded m ysteriously in to th e stone floor, th e last d w a rf to fall w ish ed u p o n th e d ro w invaders "the d o o m o f m an y eyes.” M e n zo b erra’s b a n d ev en tu ally ca m e to a huge vault filled w ith g ian t, edible m u sh ro o m s, over­ ru n w ith sw a rm s o f sp id ers th at b u b b led u p from th e d ep th s, a n d illu m in a te d by th e soft ra d ia n c e o f a m y riad o f p rism atic lichens. A b rie f su rv ey o f th e region found th e g ro u n d ch o k ed w ith th e bo n es o f d w arv es w h o h ad fallen p rey to th e cav ern ’s c u rre n t ten an t: a n im m e n se b e h o ld e r w hose body w as as w id e as th e b ase o f G o lo th a e r’s largest tower. F in d in g th em selv es p ro m p tly engaged in a p e ril­ ous co n fro n tatio n w ith th e gigantic b e h o ld e r (called M any Eyes by local d w arves, th e d ro w later le a rn e d ) an d its m in d slaved m in io n s, th e d ro w m a d e p re p a ­ ratio n s for a h asty re tre a t. Suddenly, th e d ro w w ere

gifted by a ra re visit from Lolth, w ho floated above th e b eleag u ered b a n d in th e form o f a beautiful fem ale h e a d w hose tresses traile d aw ay into long, d a rk a ra c h n id legs. T he S pider Q u een told th e d row th a t th ey w ere h e r ch o sen people, a n d th is w as the place she had ch o sen for th e m . I f th ey w ere w orthy o f her, th ey w ould defeat M any Eyes a n d m ake th is cav ern th e ir hom e. M any d ro w p erish ed fighting M any Eyes, b ut in th e en d th e y prevailed, a n d it w as M e n zo b erra w ho deliv ered th e killing blow. Left to sta n d w ith h e r at th e b ap tism o f th e ir new hom e w ere th e fam ilies n a m e d S ’sril, T haeyalla, B aenre, M asq’il’yr, N asadra, Iu c h e th , a n d U usralla. T hey m ade a h om e to g eth er in th e b e h o ld e r’s tre a su re -stre w n lair, a large cave in th e so u th e rn w all o f th e g reat vault. T h e re th ey raised an alta r to Lolth, w h ich w as re w a rd e d by th e a p p earan ce o f a d em o n ic yochlol. T his h a n d m a id e n o f Lolth told th e survivors to call th e ir hom e M e n z o b e rra n z a n , in recognition o f th e priestess’s favor e a rn e d in th e se r­ vice o f th e S pider Q ueen. All too soon, th e sa m e feuding th a t destroyed G olothaer, b o rn o f pride, cruelty, an d bloodlust, s u r ­ faced w ith in th e d ro w o f M e n z o b e rra n z a n . A blood feud b etw een H ouse T haeyalla an d H ouse N asadra quickly th re a te n e d to d estab ilize th e new ly founded settlem en t. W h e n M en zo b erra sided w ith H ouse N asadra, th e w izard s o f H ouse T haeyalla sp e n t th eir ow n lives to fuel a ritu a l th a t ren t th e side cavern o f th e noble houses asu n d er. In a single cataclysm ic strik e, th e explosion ob literated th e houses o f T h aey ­ alla, M asq’il’yr, T ucheth, a n d U usralla, as w ell as M e n zo b erra herself. T h e explosion tra n sfo rm e d th e fo rm er side cavern into th e g reat p lateau th a t cam e to be kn o w n as Q u ’ella rz ’orl. By som e m iracle, th e g reat c e n tral pillar o f th e m a in cav ern survived th e explosion, keeping th e e n tire vault from collapsing. T he d ro w called it N arbondel for its stren g th . T h e b itter N asad ra survivors sought to proclaim th e ir ru le over th e o th e r re m a in in g drow, but the ta tte re d priestesses o f H ouse S’sril defied th em . T he o th e r surv iv in g h o u se w as B aenre, w hich w as pow ­ erfu l en o u g h to d ecid e th e issue e ith e r way. In the en d , H ouse B aen re sided w ith S’sril. To prevent fu r­ th e r bloodshed, it w as pro p o sed th a t H ouse N asadra w ould travel on to found a n o th e r city devoted to the glory o f Lolth. Lolth a p p e a re d directly, an d firm ly blessed the w isdom a n d fo rb ea ran ce o f H ouse B aenre. T he Spider Q u e e n th e n laid d ow n th e W ay o f Lolth, th e basic law s u n d e r w h ich b o th cities w ould live. She also d e c re e d th a t th e tw o cities m u st re m a in a m i­ cable to each o th e r w ith o u t fail, or b o th w ould face h e r w rath . H ouse N asad ra left M e n z o b e rra n z a n th at night, a n d w en t on to found th e d ro w city o f C hed N asad d ecad e s later.

A cam p aig n set d u rin g th is p erio d could focus on th e fo u nd in g itself. I f th e “E xploring th e D e e p s” style o f cam p aig n flavor ap p eals to you. p erh ap s th e player c h aracters sta rt by jo u rn e y in g from G o lo th aer w ith M e n zo berra, serv in g as ad vance scouts for th e exiles and navigating th e h a z a rd s o f th e U n d erd ark . Even in th is earliest stage, riv alry a m o n g th e seven noble houses could be a sig n ifican t factor in th e cam p aig n , m ad e all th e m o re in terestin g by th e fact th a t th e houses a re not yet estab lish ed in an y ran k in g . A lternatively, a sim ila r c a m p a ig n could tak e place in th e early years a fter th e e sta b lish m e n t o f th e city. T h e player c h a ra c te rs could be responsible for exploring th e cav ern s a n d tu n n e ls a ro u n d M e n z o b e r­ ra n z a n , e n su rin g th a t th e city is relatively safe. I f a “Rise o f th e U n d e rd a rk ” cam p aig n is w h at you’re after, th e y e a r 9 4 2 DR saw d ro w ra id e rs p lu n ­ d e rin g cities along th e Sw ord C oast, en slaving m any h u m a n s living along th e D essarin River. Two sm all n atio n s (Talm ost a n d H arp sh ield ) n e a r p resent-day W aterd eep w ere ravaged a n d b u rn e d . I f you w a n t to ru n a “D row at W a r” cam p aig n , co n sid er th e stran g e co n flict ag ain st C h a u lssin in 7 3 4 DR. R aiders fro m M e n z o b e rra n z a n arriv e d at th e city a n d found it d e se rte d , th o u g h it w as h a u n te d by c re a tu re s from th e re a lm o f shadow . A few days before M e n z o b e rra n z a n ’s attack , th e god V h a e ra u n had w a rn e d th e d ro w o f C h a u lssin o f th e im p e n d ­ ing assault an d h elp ed th e m flee in to Shadow , w h ere th ey fou n d ed th e ir ow n city. Finally, th is p erio d covers m ore th a n five th o u sa n d years, d u rin g w h ich tim e th e city e x p erien ced tu m u lt en o u g h to fuel a h u n d re d cam p aig n s. T h e reco rd ed h isto ry o f th e R ealm s tells u s little ab o u t th e se events, so you sh o u ld feel free to m ak e u p events o f y o u r ow n a n d set th e m in w h atev er y ear you choose. Surely d u rin g th o se years th e city w as from tim e to tim e w rack ed by civil w ar, ravaged by plague, a n d besieged by d uergar, illithids, o r o th e r U n d e rd a rk d en izen s. T his p erio d offers you th e g reatest d eg ree o f creative flexibility o f all th e eras d isc u sse d here.

Sable Years ( 1 2 9 7 D R to 1 3 5 8 D R ) In th e Y ear o f th e Singing Skull (1 2 9 7 DR), a n in fan t n a m e d D rizzt w as b o rn to H ouse D o 'U rd en , m a rk in g th e b e g in n in g o f its en d . D e stin e d to be sacrificed to Lolth as th e th ird -b o rn m ale o f h is fam ily, th e young d ro w surv iv ed only th ro u g h a series o f fortuitous events. As a n adolescent, D rizzt b ro u g h t g reat favor to H ouse D o ’U rd en th ro u g h his accolades at th e A cad­ emy. Yet by th e tim e h e g ra d u a te d fro m Tier B reche in th e Y ear o f th e A d d er (1 327 DR), it h ad becom e increasin g ly noticeab le th a t th e young w a rrio r d id not possess a d ro w ’s love o f tre a c h e ry an d in trigue. Early th e follow ing year, D rizzt fled M e n z o b e rra n z a n

for th e w ilds o f th e U n d erd ark . W ith only th e m agi­ cal p a n th e r G u e n h w y v a r as a co m panion, D rizzt e n d u re d te n y ears o f exile in th e D a rk D om inion th at stre tc h e d o ut b eyond th e city. U nable to slay D rizzt a n d re claim L o lth ’s favor, H ouse D o’U rden w as later d estro y ed by H ouse B a en re in th e Y ear o f th e P rince (1357 DR). A c a m p a ig n set d u rin g th e p e rio d b etw een the b ir th o f D riz z t a n d th e d em ise o f h is house provides m a n y ta n ta liz in g possibilities for fans o f th e Legend of D rizzt series o f novels by R.A. Salvatore. O ne scenario m ig h t see a player ta k in g on th e role o f D rizzt, w ith th e rest o f th e p a rty ad o p tin g o th e r p erso n as w ithin H ouse D o ’U rd en . T h ro u g h ca re fu l roleplaying, th e D riz z t c h a ra c te r m ig h t p ersu a d e o th ers in h is fam ily (the p a rty m em b ers) to jo in h im in a cru sa d e against th e in ju stices o f th e W ay o f Lolth. A n in trig u in g altern ativ e w ould be to alter the co u rse o f h isto ry by hav in g th e in fan t D riz z t sac­ rificed to L olth on th e ev en in g o f h is b ir th as w as p la n n e d . W ith o u t D rizzt a ro u n d to b rin g disfavor to H ouse D o ’U rd en , w h o know s how far th e am bitions o f M atron M alice m ight ta k e her? A n o th e r in te re stin g possibility m ig h t be to center a c a m p a ig n o n th e A cadem y. E ach c h a ra c te r is a m e m b e r o f a d ifferen t h o u se serv in g h is or h e r final y ear at th e A cadem y. T he c a m p a ig n is org an ized as a series o f tests a n d ch allen g es for th e y o ung d ro w stu d en ts. T h e fin al assessm en t o f th e ir skills m ig h t even involve a co n test ag ain st th e sta r o f th e Academ y, D rizzt D o ’U rd en , in th e G ra n d M elee (page 99).

Time of Troubles (1 3 5 8 D R to 1 3 7 2 D R ) T h e Y ear o f S hadow s (1358 DR) w itn essed th e gods b ein g cast o ut o f th e ir p la n a r d o m in io n s a n d forced to w alk F a e ru n as m o rtals. D u rin g th e four-m onth p erio d in w h ich th is tu m u ltu o u s event took place, all p riests lost access to th e ir d iv in e spells, w hile arcan e sp e llcasters su ffered th ro u g h th e u n p re d ic ta b le effects o f w ild m agic. To th e g re a t advantage o f p ra c ti­ tio n ers o f psionic pow er, su ch as H ouse O blodra, the m in d m agic o f th e Invisible A rt re m a in e d un affe cted by th e m agical chaos. Even m o re fantastic, th e av atar o f Lolth a p p e a re d in M e n z o b e rra n z a n d u rin g th e later w eeks o f the crisis. T h e p re se n c e o f Lolth w ith in th e C ity o f Spi­ d e rs w as k ep t se cre t by H ouse B aenre, a n d d u rin g h e r b r ie f stay, th e Q u een o f Spiders m a d e h e r d isp le a ­ su re w ith H ouse O b lo d ra k n o w n to M a tro n Yvonnel B aenre. W h e n th e crisis finally ab ated , M atron Yvon­ n el u se d h e r L olth-granted abilities to su m m o n an e ld er evil to d rag H ouse O b lo d ra d ow n into th e Clawrift an d into oblivion. T he a p p e a ra n c e o f L olth’s av atar c a n be a sig­ n ific an t event in a c a m p a ig n fe a tu rin g th e T im e o f

T roubles. W h a t if H ouse B aenre h a d failed to k eep th e event secret? T he public revelation o f L olth’s d iv in e p resen c e w ith in th e city could sp a rk a n allout civil w ar as each h ouse seeks to g ain Lolth's favor. A lternatively, th e Q u een o f S piders m ight rally all th e d ro w ho u ses u n d e r a single b a n n e r a n d instigate an attack ag ain st M e n z o b e rra n z a n ’s n e ig h b o rin g se ttle ­ m en ts in th e U n d erd ark . A p sio n ic-th em ed cam p aig n set in M e n z o b e rra n ­ zan d u rin g th is e ra could b e e n te rta in in g . M atro n K’yorl O b lo d ra w as foolish a n d failed to atta c k her rivals u n til it w as too late. By placing th e c h a ra c te rs at th e h elm o f H ouse O b lo d ra’s destiny, coupled w ith a w ell-tim ed betray al o f M atro n B aenre by h e r illith id ad v iso r M ethil, it w o u ld n ’t be h a rd to envision th e fall o f H ouse B aen re a n d th e a sc e n d a n c y o f a new d ro w p siocracy in M e n z o b e rra n z a n . Y vonnel’s Folly: E x u b eran t w ith th e favor o f Lolth, M atro n Y vonnel B aen re tu r n e d h e r sights on th e d w arv en delve o f M ith ral H all. In a single stroke, she sought to slay th e ren eg ad e D rizzt D o’U rd en a n d se c u re for H o u se B aenre th e valuable m ith ra l m ines held by C lan B a ttleh am m er. U n fo rtu n ately for Yvon­ nel, h e r h u b ris u ltim ately failed her, lead in g to h er ow n d em ise a n d th e loss o f six th o u sa n d troops. T his ill-fated w a r could serve as th e se ttin g for a “D row at W ar" cam p aig n . Triel A scendant: For a b rie f tim e a fte r th e d e a th o f Yvonnel, M e n zo b erran za n 's histo ry is m a rk e d by th e rise o f Triel B aen re as m atro n m o th e r o f th e First H ouse o f M e n z o b e rra n z a n . W ith H ouse B aen re s position called into q u estio n by th e defeat at M ith ral H all, T riel h a d h e r h a n d s full try in g to solidify h e r p o sition as m atro n m o ther. H er early reign w as m ark ed by m o u n tin g u n re st th ro u g h o u t th e city as rival ho u ses sought to test th e in e x p e rie n c e d m atro n . Fall o f B lingdenstone: In th e Y ear o f th e U n stru n g H a rp (1371 DR), T riel m a d e a d esp era te g am b le to se c u re th e su p p o rt o f th e R uling C o u n c il an d s tre n g th e n h e r hold on th e re in s o f pow er. She lau n ch ed a n atta c k on th e d e e p g n o m es o f B lingden­ stone, in revenge for th e assista n ce th ey h a d given to M ith ral H all. T h ro u g h th e castin g o f g re a t m agic r itu ­ als, th e d ro w co n ju red a h o rd e o f d em o n s an d loosed it u p o n th e sv irfn eb lin city. In th e sp a n o f a few hours, th e h o rd e era d ic a te d th e city's p o p u latio n .

b ro u g h t a large d u erg ar arm y from G racklstugh to th e city, bo lstered by K aan y r V h o k ’s Scourged Legion. T h e follow ing year, L olth’s Silence en d e d an d the d ro w broke th e siege o f th e City o f Spiders. T he Jaez­ re d C h a u lssin quickly m oved to cem en t th e ir control over th e ru in s o f C h e d N asad. A c a m p a ig n set d u rin g L olth’s silence m ight fea­ tu re player c h a ra c te rs ta k in g th e place o f th e heroes o f th e W ar o f the Spider Queen novel series, traveling to th e D em onw eb Pits to investigate th e cause o f the S ilence a n d vying to becom e L olth’s Yor’thae, her C hosen. A lternatively, it could focus on th e state o f M enzo­ b e r ra n z a n d u rin g th e silence. T he in stab ility o f the p riesth o o d as d ivine p ractitio n e rs try to conceal th eir s u d d e n w eak n e ss provides a fine o p p o rtu n ity for in s u rre c tio n in a n "Ideological S ch em in g ” cam paign. T h e c o n tin u in g in trig u e am o n g th e houses com es to a height, a n d th e th re a ts from beyond th e city, th e attack s o f th e Ja ezred C h au lssin a n d th e Scourged Legion, m ak e a fine b ack d ro p for a “D row at W a r” cam p aig n . The R eckoning: Soon a fter th e en d o f Lolth's silence, Lolth an d E ilistraee played a cosm ic m atch o f sava (a d row -invented g am e sim ila r to chess) to d e te rm in e th e d estin y o f th e drow. W h ile th e co m ­ p etitio n played out, Lolth's new ch am p io n , th e Lady P en iten t, r e tu rn e d to F aeru n to d estroy th e last hope o f th e d ro w race. As th e follow ers o f E ilistraee fell one by one to th e Lady P e n ite n t’s w ra th , Lolth tu rn e d her atten tio n to th e o th e r gods o f th e d ro w p an th eo n . T he R eckoning b egan as E ilistraee killed V haerau n , a n d it en d e d w ith th e D ark M aiden, in the m o rta l body o f h e r C hosen, being d ecap itated by th e Lady P enitent. A fter E ilistraee’s fall in 1379 DR, only th e a n c ie n t en tity G h a u n a d a u r re m a in e d to challenge Lolth for su p rem acy am o n g th e deities o f th e drow. T he S pider Q u een a ttem p ted to d estro y G h au n ad a u r, b ut T h at W h ic h L urks proved to be a stro n g er foe th a n Lolth su sp ected . A c a m p a ig n set d u rin g th is p e rio d could cast th e c h a ra c te rs as faithful servitors o f Lolth helping th e Lady P en iten t to tra c k d ow n th e apostates w ho serve E ilistraee, o r th e c h a ra c te rs could be such apostates them selves, co n stan tly h u n te d for th e ir beliefs an d th e ir rejectio n o f th e W ay o f Lolth.

War of the Spider Queen

The Spellplague

(1 3 7 2 D R to 1 3 8 5 D R ) Lolth’s Silence: In th e su m m e r o f 1372 D R, Lolth

(1 3 8 5 D R to 1 4 8 0 D R )

inexplicably fell silent, c u ttin g o ff th e flow o f div in e m agic to h e r priestesses. T h e Ja ezred C h a u lssin took ad v an tag e o f th e situ atio n to lau n c h attack s on drow ru led cities th ro u g h o u t th e N o rth d a rk . By y e a r’s end, M e n z o b e rra n z a n w as besieged: th e Ja e z re d C h a u ls­ sin se cu re d a n allia n c e w ith H ouse A g rach D y rr a n d

T he S pellplague th a t ravaged F a e ru n in 1385 DR b ro u g h t little ch an g e to M e n zo b erran za n . T he lands o f th e n o rth , w h e th e r on th e su rface or d e e p u n d e r­ g ro u n d , w ere n ot rack ed w ith th e sam e changes seen in places su ch as C h e sse n ta a n d M u lh o ran d . The city w as n ot u n to u c h e d by an y m e a n s—sp e llscarre d m o n sters ram p ag in g th ro u g h th e U n d erd ark eru p ted

into th e h e a rt o f th e city, stran g e m agical effects blew th ro u g h like sto rm s, a n d M e n z o b e rra n z a n ’s neighbors lau n ch ed h alf-h ea rted attack s to test th e city’s defenses. In th is tim e o f crisis, th e rival noble houses an d o th e r factions actu ally ca m e to g eth er an d w orked in relative h a rm o n y like never before. I f you w an t to r u n a c a m p a ig n th a t dow nplays th e in trig u e an d riv alry am o n g th e d ro w houses, th is is a good era in w h ich to do so. Such a c a m p a ig n could cen ter in stead on th e role o f outside factions such as th e Jaezred C h a u lssin or th e Sept o f Ill’G hact. You could p o stu late a series o f su rface raid s as the drow try to ta k e ad v an tag e o f th e in stab ility in th e su nlit w orld above, o r co n cen trate on w ar w ith o th e r U n d erd ark races. You m ig h t also d ecid e th a t th e Spellplague o p en ed u p n ew caverns a n d tu n n e ls b en e a th M e n z o b e rra n z a n , a n d cast th e player c h a r ­ acters in th e role o f th e first in tre p id ex p lo rers o f th is u n c h a rte d territory. The D em on W eave (1 480 DR): Follow ing her ascension to g re a te r go d h o o d , Lolth h as b e e n biding her tim e, sp in n in g h e r w ebs o f tre a c h e ry an d a m b i­ tion, an d looking for ways to in c re a se h e r sw ay still fu rth er. H er goal in th is age is to seize co n tro l o f arc a n e m agic in th e w ak e o f M ystra’s death . To facilitate th is g rasp for pow er, Lolth h as sent a p ro p h et, D an ifae Y auntyrr, to all th e cities o f the drow. D u rin g th e W a r o f th e S pider Q u een , D anifae was a fallen priestess, a sc o u n d rel, a n d a sed u ctress, but h e r jo u rn e y to th e D em o n w eb Pits m a rk ed h e r as L olth’s Yor’thae, h e r C hosen. L olth d ev o u red an d assim ilated D an ifae to co m p lete h e r tran sfo rm atio n . D anifae h as now r e tu rn e d to M e n z o b e rra n z a n , ap p aren tly as a n av atar o f Lolth herself. D anifae w h isp ers to th e lead ers o f all th e g reat d ro w houses, b rin g in g a revelation o f L olth’s d ivine w ill. Lolth will be served by p riests an d w iz a rd s alike, she says, as th e S pider Q u een sp in s th e D em on W eave to replace M ystra’s u n rav eled W eave. D anifae sp u rs th e d row leaders to g a th e r a n c ie n t k now ledge to aid L o lth ’s co n tin u ed ascent. D u rin g th is p erio d , th e d ro w are sco u rin g th e world for g reat relics, g a th e rin g a rtifa c ts once sacred to M ystra, a n d fig hting for control o f m agical lo ca­ tions on th e w o rld ’s surface. As th e d ro w g a th e r a rc a n e en erg y a n d c h a n n e l it to Lolth, th e god d ess’s p o w er grow s. H er w eb ex ten d s to cover m ost o f th e w orld, fo rm ing a D em o n W eave to replace th e su n d e re d W eave th a t M ystra h a d m a in ­ ta in e d —a new fabric o f a rc a n e m agic. Now th e p riests an d w izard s w ho serve Lolth have access to g re a te r pow er th a n ever before, an d th e ir task is to u se it. A cross th e su rface w orld, L olth’s servitors d raw on th e D em o n W eave to cre a te sh ro u d s o f d a rk n e ss th at cover league u p o n leag u e o f su rface lands. U n d er th is pall o f d ark n ess, th e d ro w ca n m ove an d fight freely

d u rin g w h at w ould n o rm ally be daylight hours. W ith th is aid, th e y c a n co m p lete Lolth's tran sfo rm atio n an d b rin g th e w orld to ru in . D row society is stra in e d to th e b re a k in g p o in t by D an ifae’s revelation. T h e fem ale-d o m in ated p rie st­ hood d o esn ’t ca re to h e a r h e r m essage, w h ich w ould dilu te th e ir o w n im p o rta n c e an d raise u p m ale w iz­ a rd s as eq u als, or w orse. T hey invent reaso n s to doubt D a n ifa e ’s p ro v en an ce as a n avatar. M any reject her a n d h e r m essage, a n d try to b ra n d h e r as a fraud and a heretic. But w iz a rd s am o n g th e drow , a n d th e p rie st­ esses o f w izard -frien d ly houses (in clu d in g B arrison D el’A rm g o a n d X o rlarrin , a m o n g others) set about c a rry in g o ut L olth’s p lan . T hey in te n d to lay th e fo u n d atio n for a n ew W eave . . . a n d b rin g about the ev erlastin g d a rk n e ss th a t w ill cover th e w orld above. A c a m p a ig n set in th is era could focus on th e s u r ­ face raid in g th a t facilitates L olth’s ascent to pow er. Player c h a ra c te rs ca n form or jo in ra id in g p arties w ith a cle a r objective: to a c q u ire som e elem en t o f m agical pow er an d th e n c h a n n e l th a t pow er to Lolth. A lternatively, th e c a m p a ig n could focus m ore on M e n z o b e rra n z a n a n d th e effects o f D an ifae’s m a c h i­ nations. T h e in creasin g im p o rta n c e o f w izard s, an d th erefo re o f m ales, sh a tte rs th e u n ity am o n g th e ho u ses th a t w as e n g e n d e re d d u rin g th e S pellplague a n d leads to in fig h tin g b etw e e n an d even w ith in houses. It also provides yet a n o th e r o p p o rtu n ity for in s u rre c tio n ag ain st th e priestesses.

THE COUNCIL OF SPIDERS A rc a n e s p e llc a s te r s a c ro ss M e n z o b e rra n z a n v ie w th e c re a tio n o f th e D e m o n W ea v e as a n o p p o rtu n ity to e le v a te th e ir social s tan d in g . A g ro u p o f w izards d ra w n fro m sev eral n o b le h o u s e s h as d u b b e d itself th e Council o f Spiders, a ck n o w led g in g th e suprem acy o f Lolth e v en as it o b liq u e ly c h a lle n g e s th e a u th o rity o f th e c ity ’s R uling C ouncil o f p rie s te ss e s . T h e ir goal is to s e e w iz ard s re p re s e n te d o n th e R uling C o u n ­ cil, o v e rtu rn in g th o u s a n d s o f y e a rs o f t r a d itio n - b u t re m a in in g tru e to Lolth’s w ill a s sh e h as e x p re sse d it th ro u g h h e r p ro p h e t. V a rio u s le s s e r w iz a rd s o f H o u se X orlarrin a n d H o u se B arrison D e l’A rm g o fo rm th e b a ck b o n e o f th e Council o f Spiders. T h e se tw o h o u ses a re b o th know n for th e p ro m in e n t roles o f th e ir w izards, a n d X orlarrin in p a rtic u la r scandalously g ra n ts its p ro m in e n t m ales n e a r-e q u a lity w ith th e fe m a le s. A n u m b e r o f w izards from o th e r h o u s e s a re involved in th e council as w ell, b u t a s y e t n o h o u s e w iz ard s o r m a ste rs o f Sorcere have given th e ir full s u p p o rt to th e c o u n c il’s a g en d a .

S c h e m e s in t h e S hadow s It’s possible to ru n a cam p aig n featu rin g d ro w c h a r ­ acters m u ch like y o u ’d ru n an y o th e r D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s cam p aig n , w ith th e c h a ra c te rs exploring th e deep s, fig hting m o n sters (and m em b e rs o f o th e r civilized races), a n d in teractin g w ith th e o th e r re si­ d e n ts o f M e n z o b e rra n z a n . At th e sa m e tim e, th e City o f In trig u e lends itself w ell to a c a m p a ig n featu rin g a m ore in trica te w eb o f schem es, allegiances, a n d tre a c h e ry th a t can d o m in a te th e actio n o r ad d a fasci­ n atin g tw ist to m o re sta n d a rd ad v en tu rin g . N aturally, a c a m p a ig n focused on flavors o f p o liti­ cal in fig h tin g or ideological sc h em in g w ill be rich in o p p o rtu n itie s for in trig u e, but even i f you’ve ch o sen a d ifferen t flavor for y o u r cam p aig n , th e relatio n sh ip o f th e c h a ra c te rs to th e h o u ses a n d factions o f th e city, an d th e in teractio n s am o n g th o se factions, ca n ex ert a stro n g in flu e n c e over th e cam p aig n .

Factions Key to ad d in g th is level o f in trig u e to yo u r M e n z o b e r­ ra n z a n c a m p a ig n a re th e factions d e ta ile d in c h a p te r 3, w h ich in clu d e th e m ajor noble h o u ses o f th e city as w ell as th e th re e b ra n c h e s o f th e A cadem y, th e m e r­ c e n ary co m p an y o f B regan D ’a e rth e , a n d a couple o f factions o p p o sed to th e drow . As m u c h as th e player c h a ra c te rs m ight try to re m a in in d e p e n d e n t agents, th e y ’re alm o st inevitably tan g led up in th e sc h em es of th ese factions. W h e n yo u ’re c re a tin g a M e n z o b e rra n z a n c a m ­ paig n , it's b est to ch o o se a few factio n s—th re e is a fine sta rtin g p o in t—th a t w ill be th e m ajor players in y o u r gam e. T he in teractio n s a m o n g th re e factions are m o re com plex th a n a sim ple dich o to m y b ut not so co m p licated th a t th ey ’ll m ak e y o u r h ead sw im try in g to k eep th e m straig h t. P icking th re e factions from c h a p te r 3 gives you a read y supply o f N P C s w ith th e ir ow n goals, allian ces, a n d rivalries, w h ich you can th e n d ro p th e player c h a ra c te rs into. Player c h a ra c te r d ro w m ight be c o n n e c te d to th e noble ho u ses or o th e r factions a lre a d y —in fact, it’s a good id ea to en co u rag e th ese so rts o f co n n ectio n s. You ca n choose to lim it th e players’ options to th e th re e (or so) factions you’ve ch o sen , b u t you d o n ’t have to. W h e n players ch o o se d ifferen t houses for th e ir ch aracters, it ad d s ad d itio n al s tra n d s o f p o ten tial c o n ­ flict a n d allian ces into th e m ix, b ut th o se houses ca n re m a in relatively m in o r players in th e g ra n d political gam e o f y o u r cam p aig n .

in y o u r gam e. You ca n m ea su re th ese relationships on a five-step scale: hostile, suspicious, indifferent, toler­ a n t, or allied. A h o stile faction actively seeks th e d e a th o f the ch aracter. T he faction m ight send assassins after its enem y, a rra n g e a n “acc id e n t” in th e U n d erd ark n ear th e city, o r send th u g s to assault th e c h a ra c te r in one o f th e se ed ier p a rts o f th e city. A suspicious faction keep s its eye on th e c h a ra c ­ ter, w atch in g h is o r h e r every m ove carefully. The faction’s m em b ers or lead ersh ip assum e th a t the c h a ra c te r is p lo ttin g ag ain st th e m , an d are sim ply w aitin g for evidence to c o n firm it. T hey m ight send spies to follow th e ch a ra c te rs, in tercep t th e ir co m m u ­ nications, or o th erw ise k eep tabs on th e ir actions in th e city. A n in d ifferen t faction is e ith e r u n a w a re o f the c h a ra c te r b ecau se he or she h a s n ’t com e to its notice yet, or it’s u n in te re ste d in th e c h a ra c te r because his or h e r actio n s have no b e a rin g on th e faction’s in te r­ ests o r goals. A to leran t faction gives som e favor to th e c h a ra c ­ ter. T h e c h a ra c te r m ight be able to pull som e strings to get assistan ce from th e faction, th o u g h not at the risk o f an y o n e’s life or standing. In a n o th e r cu ltu re, a to leran t faction m ig h t be co n sid ered friendly, but th e d ro w k now th at frien d s are friends only as long as on e re m a in s useful to them . A n allied faction reg ard s th e c h a ra c te r as a m e m b e r in good sta n d in g , affording th e c h a ra c te r all th e privileges o f m em b ersh ip . As th e d escrip tio n s above suggest, it’s b est to track each c h a ra c te r’s relatio n sh ip to each faction se p a­ rately. It’s q u ite co m m o n for c h a ra c te rs to p erfo rm side q u ests or m in o r m issions on b e h a lf o f th eir houses th a t help th e ir sta n d in g w ith th e ir ow n houses b u t have no im p a c t on th e sta n d in g o f th e rest o f th e party. To tra c k each c h a ra c te r’s relatio n sh ip to the factions in y o u r gam e, use a system o f pluses and m inuses. E ach tim e th e c h a ra c te r h elps th e faction in som e way, give th e c h a ra c te r a plus for th at faction. E ach tim e th e c h a ra c te r crosses th e faction, give th e c h a ra c te r a m in u s for th a t faction. For exam ple: + T h e c h a ra c te r com pletes a q u est on b e h a lf o f a m e m b e r o f th e faction. + T h e c h a ra c te r p e rfo rm s a n action th at d irectly aids th e faction’s goals. + T h e c h a ra c te r does so m e th in g th a t h a rm s a rival o f th e faction or in terferes w ith a riv al’s goals. -

T he c h a ra c te r in su lts a m e m b e r o f th e faction or refuses to ta k e on a m ission on b e h a lf o f th at individual.

-

T he c h a ra c te r d irectly h a rm s a m e m b e r o f th e fac­ tio n o r in terferes w ith th e faction’s goals.

-

T he c h a ra c te r aids one o f th e faction’s rivals.

Characters and Factions in a n

in trig u e ­ lad en cam p aig n , it’s im p o rta n t to k eep track o f each player c h a ra c te r’s relatio n sh ip s w ith th e key factions

Pluses a n d m in u ses d o n 't cancel each o th e r out, so keep track o f b o th . A c h a ra c te r’s re la tio n sh ip to th e faction is d e te rm in e d by th e total n u m b e r o f pluses or m in u ses an d th e d ifferen ce b etw e e n th e n u m b e r o f each m ark: I f a c h a ra c te r h a s 4 o r few er m a rk s o f e ith e r so rt w ith a faction, th e faction is in d iff e r e n t-th e c h a ra c te r h asn ’t risen to th e faction's notice yet. A ll factions are in d ifferen t to c h a ra c te rs w h o are ju st sta rtin g th e ir ad v en tu rin g careers. I f a c h a ra c te r h as m o re th a n 4 m a rk s w ith a fac­ tion b u t th e d ifferen ce b etw e e n th e n u m b e r o f pluses an d th e n u m b e r o f m in u ses is 0 or 1, th e faction is in d ifferen t as w ell. T he faction c a n ’t decid e w h e th e r to tru s t or h ate th e ch aracter. I f a c h a ra c te r has m o re th a n 4 m a rk s w ith a fac­ tion a n d has at least 2 m o re pluses th a n m in u ses, th e faction is to leran t o f th e c h a ra c te r; If a c h a ra c te r h a s no m o re th a n 3 m in u ses a n d at least 6 pluses, th e factio n is allied. I f a c h a ra c te r h as m o re th a n 4 m a rk s w ith a fac­ tion a n d h as at least 2 m o re m in u ses th a n pluses, th e faction is suspicious o f th e ch aracter. I f a c h a ra c te r h as at least 6 m in u se s w ith a fac­ tion, reg ard less o f th e n u m b e r o f pluses, th e factio n is hostile.

Intriguing Adventures T he player c h a ra c te rs' relatio n sh ip s to th e factions in y o u r cam p aig n b eco m es im p o rta n t w h e n you weave th o se factions in to y o u r ad v en tu res. O n e w ay to do th is is to have m e m b e rs o f th o se factions offer or assign q u ests to th e ch a ra c te rs, e ith e r as a g roup or individually. For ex am p le, G ro m p h B aenre m ight hire th e p a rty to retriev e a n a rtifa c t from a well g u a rd e d sh rin e o n th e surface. C o m p letin g th is q u est e a rn s each m e m b er o f th e p a rty a plus w'ith H ouse B aenre. At th e sa m e tim e, w h e n H ouse W izard B rack 'th al X o rlarrin le a rn s o f th is m ission, he con tacts a c h a ra c te r w h o ’s affiliated w ith h is ho u se a n d ord ers th a t c h a ra c te r to u se th e a rtifa c t in a specific w ay before d eliv erin g it to G rom ph. If th e c h a ra c te r com pletes th is task, h e or she e a rn s a plus w ith H ouse X o rlarrin , b u t th e o th e r c h a ra c te rs d o n ’t. T h o se relatio n sh ip s ca n get com plicated. I f H ouse W izard Iltz tra n M e la rn o rd ers a c h a ra c te r to do th e sam e th in g , th e c h a ra c te r e a rn s a plus w ith H ouse B aenre for retriev in g th e artifact, a plus w ith H ouse M elarn for u sin g th e artifact, a m in u s w ith H ouse M elarn for aid in g a rival h o u se (B aenre), a n d a m in u s w ith H ouse B aen re for aid in g a rival house! R e m e m ­ b er th a t th o se p luses a n d m in u ses d o n ’t cancel each o th er out, so th e m ission isn ’t a w a s h - it ju s t co m p li­ cates th e c h aracter's life. Beyond th is m e th o d o f co m p licatin g ad v en tu res, you ca n b u ild e n tire ad v en tu res on th e fo undations o f faction in trig u es a n d riv alries. T hese ad v en tu res

m ig h t involve th e c h a ra c te rs ta k in g specific actions to in flu e n c e th e relatio n sh ip s am o n g factions, or they m ight revolve a ro u n d th e c h a ra c te rs’ attem p ts to re sp o n d to o r in te rfe re w ith som eone else’s actions. A lternatively, sig n ifican t in te ra c tio n s am o n g factions m ight form th e b a c k d ro p to ad v en tu res th a t a re n ’t strictly ab o u t th o se in teractio n s.

Character Actions

E x am p le s o f c h a ra c te r a c tio n s th a t c a n a lte r th e p o litical la n d s c a p e o f M e n ­ z o b e r r a n z a n in clu d e: Espionage: T he c h a ra c te rs m ig h t u n d e rta k e a m ission to le a rn about tro o p m o v em en ts o r defenses o f a rival co m p o u n d , steal in fo rm atio n o r tre a su re from a rival faction, or a c q u ire in c rim in a tin g secrets ab o u t rival factions. B olster D efen ses: A side from p ro v id in g p ro te c ­ tio n in case o f a n attack , p u ttin g effort into fortifying a faction’s h o m e c o m p o u n d or h e a d q u a rte rs sends a c le a r m essage to allies an d rivals alike: T h e faction ex p ects a n atta c k a n d is re a d y to d e a l w ith it. T he c h a ra c te rs m ight be ch arg ed w ith su p e rv isin g co n ­ s tru c tio n (w hich includes d efen d in g th e w orkers from attack a n d w atch in g for spies), re c ru itin g lab o rers or c a p tu rin g slaves to do th e w ork, o r a c q u irin g in fo rm a ­ tio n a b o u t th e p la n s o f a p o ten tial attacker. M uster Troops: T h e flip side to bolstering defenses, m u ste rin g tro o p s ca n send a signal th a t a faction is read y in g to m ak e a n atta c k ag ain st a rival. But su ch a n overt signal is often u n w ise in th e City o f Spiders, since it p u ts rivals on th e ir g u a rd . I f c h a r ­ acters a re involved in m u ste rin g troops for a faction, is th e faction actu ally p re p a rin g for a n atta c k or a tte m p tin g to deceive a rival faction? T h e ch a ra c te rs m ig h t be placed in ch arg e o f h irin g m ercen aries, tra in in g re c ru its o r conscripts, or sp re a d in g m isin fo r­ m a tio n about th e p u rp o se o f th e m uster. A ttack Rival: A c h a ra c te r w ith sufficient sta n d in g a n d a stro n g relatio n sh ip w ith a n allied faction can p ersu a d e th e faction lead ersh ip to la u n ch a n attack a g ain st a rival. A lternatively, th e ch a ra c te rs m ight be o rd e re d by th e ir su p e rio rs in a faction to sp e arh e ad th e attack or p e rfo rm a special m ission as p a rt o f th e assault. T h e c h a ra c te rs m ight also be h ire d as m e rc e ­ n a rie s to h e lp w ith th e attack.

Backdrop Events Signif icant events can form th e b ack d ro p for ad v en tu res, rein fo rcin g th e chaotic n a tu re o f M e n z o b e rra n z a n a n d u p se ttin g th e estab lish ed relatio n sh ip s am o n g houses. E xam ples of su ch events include: H ouse A n nihilation : A m ajo r noble ho u se o f M e n z o b e rra n z a n successfully destroys a rival house. P erh ap s th e triu m p h a n t h ouse is on e of th e m ajor factions o f y o u r cam p aig n , w hose ra n k a m o n g the h o u ses is im proved as a re su lt o f th is success. T he

a n n ih ila te d h o u se co u ld also be one o f th e m ajor fac­ tions, leaving a hole you ca n fill w ith a n o th e r faction. If th e player c h a ra c te rs are allied w ith th e a n n ih i­ lated house, th e ir ow n sta n d in g m ight su ffer—o r they m ight find th em selv es targ ets d u rin g th e attack. O n th e o th e r h a n d , p erh a p s tw o houses th a t play no m ore th a n a m in o r role in y o u r c a m p a ig n a re involved, an d th e a n n ih ila tio n o f a ho use is ju st th e b a c k g ro u n d to a n o th e r ad v en tu re. A m e m b e r o f a faction allied w ith a c h a ra c te r m ig h t ask th e c h a ra c te r to look for a specific item in th e ru in s o f th e d estro y ed house, for exam ple, o r assassin ate a m e m b e r o f th e triu m p h a n t h o u se k n o w n to have b e e n in ju re d in th e fighting. C hange o f Leadership: T he m a tro n m o th e r o f a noble ho u se or th e le a d e r o f a n o th e r faction is assas­ sin ated . A gain, you c a n choose to m a k e th e affected faction one o f y o u r c a m p a ig n ’s m ajor players o r a less im p o rta n t faction, d e p e n d in g on th e im p act you w an t th is event to have on y o u r players’ ch a ra c te rs a n d y o u r cam p aig n . A p ow er v acu u m at th e top o f a faction leaves ro o m for a g reat d eal o f sc h em in g b o th in side th e faction a n d outside, as th e faction’s rivals assess its stab ility an d stre n g th in th e w ake o f its le a d ­ e r ’s dem ise. It also p resen ts a n o p p o rtu n ity for player c h a ra c te rs to affect th e lead ersh ip o f th e faction, p e r h ap s even ste p p in g in to ta k e charge. M onster Incursion: M o n stro u s d e n iz e n s from th e U n d erd ark invade M e n z o b e rra n z a n . T his in c u r ­ sion co u ld b e a m in o r n u isa n ce or a full-scale assault ag ain st th e City o f Spiders. It could be a n a p p aren tly ra n d o m event, th e resu lt o f som e m ig ra tio n p erhaps, b u t it m ight also be a d elib erate a ttack by som e e x te r­ nal o r in te rn a l enem y. T he c h a ra c te rs ca n c e rta in ly b e called u p o n to fight o ff th e m onsters, b ut they m ight also b e task ed w ith discovering th e so u rce o f th e in cu rsio n . D id so m e th in g d istu rb th e m o n ste rs’ lair o r e n c ro a c h o n th e ir territory? D id a pow erful w iz a rd —fro m M e n z o b e rra n z a n , from E ry n d ly n , or from th e su rface w o rld —m agically su m m o n th e m o n ­ sters a n d d riv e th e m to w ard th e city? Is th e in cu rsio n a n act o f tre a c h e ry aim e d at d estro y in g th e city or o v e rtu rn in g its social order, o r a d istractio n in ten d ed to cover som e o th e r subversive activity? Natural Disaster: M e n z o b e rra n z a n suffers a n a tu ra l disaster, a n y th in g from a n u isa n ce to a cataclysm . M in o r events in clu d e landslides, m in o r Hooding, a n d fire. M ajor even ts in c lu d e ea rth q u a kes, plagues, a n d fam in e. As w ith a m o n ster in cu rsio n , th e re ’s alw ays a q u estio n w h e th e r a d isa ster is tru ly n a tu ra l or a m agical attack on th e city. T h e c h a ra c te rs m ight help th e city recover from th e disaster, try to help a faction b en efit from th e event, o r investigate its cause. Supernatural Event: In a city w ith a large p o p u ­ lation o fsp ellcasters, it’s su rp risin g th a t m agical m ish ap s a re not m o re co m m o n p lace. S u p e rn a tu ra l

events m ight ta k e th e form o f m o n ster in cu rsio n s (a d em o n ic invasion o r a horde o f restless u n d ead ) or n a tu ra l d isa sters (a ritu a l gone bad), or th e y ca n be m ore overtly m agical, such as a pocket o f Spellplague or w ild m agic p assin g th ro u g h th e city, or th e m a n i­ festation o f Lolth before h e r p riesth o o d . It can also have a social o r political flavor: P erhaps th e w izard s o f th e city rebel ag ain st th e m a tria rc h a l p riesthood. T h e c h a ra c te rs m ight be tasked w ith stopping th e event, ex p lo rin g its causes, or using it as cover for a n o th e r action. Slave R ebellion: Several slave rebellions have o c c u rre d since th e city’s founding, an d w hile none have raged for m ore th a n a few days, th e dam age left in th e w ake o f such in su rre c tio n is significant. W h o in stig ated th e revolt? W h o profits from it? W h a t secret activities h a p p e n u n n o ticed d u rin g the brief, raging chaos? T h e ch a ra c te rs m ight help quell th e rebellion, or th e y could com e to th e aid o f th e o ppressed. T h e in su rre c tio n m ight p resen t th e p e r­ fect o p p o rtu n ity to lau n ch a n attack against a rival faction. Exotic Surface D w ellers: A b a n d o f a d v en tu rers from th e su rface w orld h as com e to M e n zo b erran za n . So far, th e houses have e ith e r allow ed th e a d v e n tu r­ ers to stay o r h aven’t b e e n able to defeat th em . Do th e c h a ra c te rs view th ese heroes as p o ten tial allies or th re a ts? Like any o th e r event d escrib ed h ere, the arriv al o f th ese su rface dw ellers in tro d u c es a little bit o f ch ao s into th e p recario u s b alan ce o f th e city, a n d every faction in M e n z o b e rra n z a n is aw are o f th e o p p o rtu n itie s th ese ad v en tu rers rep re sen t. As d if­ ferent factions try to m ak e use o f th e ad v en tu rers to f u rth e r th e ir ow n en d s, w hat h ap p e n s if th e surface dw ellers are in ten tio n ally playing factions o ff against ea c h other?

M a k in g t h e C i t y Y o u r Ow n The th re e key decisions d escribed in th is c h a p te r— your cam p aig n flavor, th e era o f play, a n d th e factions that w ill add in trig u e to y o u r gam e—a re th e m ost im p o rtan t steps tow ard m ak in g th e city your ow n, custom izing it to suit yo u r cam p aig n an d th e elem ents you w ant to highlight. All o f th e options described here assu m e th at you w an t to cleave to th e M e n zo b er­ ran zan established in F o r g o t t e n R e a l m s ® novels an d gam e pro d u cts over th e last twenty-five years. T h e re ’s n o th in g p rev en tin g you, how ever, from straying fa rth e r afield, tru ly m a k in g th e city yo u r ow n. T he easiest w ay to d o th is is to m ak e d rastic ch an g es to th e factions o f th e city. S om e relatively sim ple tw eak s can a lte r th e feel o f M e n z o b e rra n z a n w ith o u t ch an g in g its essen tial n atu re. O n e ex am p le is cle a r from looking at th e o th e r cities th at lie b e n e a th th e lan d s o f F aeru n . O n e o f th e key elem en ts th at d istin g u ish es th e m fro m ea c h o th er is th e relative p ro m in e n ce o f th e C h u rc h o f Lolth an d o th er faiths in th e city. In E ry n d ly n before th e S pell­ plague, b e n e a th th e H ig h M oor, w o rsh ip ers o f Lolth stood in a ten se riv alry w ith follow ers o f G h a u n a d a u r an d o f V h aerau n , w ith n o one faction consistently ho ld in g th e u p p e r h a n d . A sim ila r ta k e on M e n zo ­ b e rra n z a n w ould m ak e th o se th re e factions th e key elem en ts o f th e cam p aig n . Sim ilarly, in G u a llid u rth (deep u n d e r th e sa n d s o f C alim sh an ), scores o f sects v en erate Lolth in a d if­ ferent m a n n er. In effect, ea c h o f its m ore th a n tw o h u n d re d noble ho u ses is a h o u se a n d a c h u rc h in one, an d th e struggle for control o f th e tw enty-one-seat R uling C o u n cil is a theological as w ell as a p o liti­ cal one. You could use ho u ses an d o th e r factions p resen ted in c h a p te r 3 m o re or less u n c h a n g e d , b ut add a d ifferen t ta k e on L olth’s w o rsh ip to each o f th e th re e factions th a t tak e c e n te r stage in y o u r cam p aig n to form a n ad d itio n al layer o f d e p th in th e in trig u e o f th e city. S sh am ath , located b e n e a th th e F ar H ills, is ru led not by priestesses but by w izard s. A gain, you could u se th e houses as p resen ted , b ut th e house w izard s show n in each house e n try hold positions eq u iv a­ lent to th e m atro n m o th ers in M e n z o b e rra n z a n . S sh am ath is one city little affected by th e events s u r ­ ro u n d in g th e creatio n o f th e D em o n W eave, m a k in g it a n in terestin g se ttin g for a cam p aig n focused on th e w iz a rd s’ role in c h a n n e lin g a rc a n e po w er to Lolth. You ca n tw eak th e city in su b tler b ut equally in terestin g w ays by c re a tin g yo u r ow n noble houses or o th er factions, u sin g th e g u id elin es in clu d ed in c h a p te r 3. T he goals a n d attitu d e s o f th e factions th a t an c h o r yo u r cam p aig n play a large p a rt in d e te rm in ing th e flavor an d style o f y o u r cam p aig n . W h a t if

one ho u se is co n tro lle d by an illith id m a ste rm in d posing as a n advisor to th e m a tro n m other, but secretly d ic ta tin g h e r every order? W h a t i f a house has forged a n allia n c e w ith th e Z h e n ta rim on the su rface w orld a n d d ire c ts m o re o f its a tte n tio n to the su rface th a n to th e in trig u e o f th e city? O r p e rh a p s a house view s its sole p u rp o se as th e e x te rm in a tio n o f th e race o f elves from th e su rface w orld. You ca n u se o th e r factions besides noble houses to com plicate th e politics o f y o u r city as w ell. W h a t if th e Red W iz a rd s have estab lish ed a n enclave in or n e a r M e n z o b e rra n z a n a n d b eco m e a significant player in th e city ’s politics? You could u se a m o re d is­ ta n t faction in stea d , such as th e d w arv es o f M ithral I lall. A player c h a ra c te r m ight be a good-aligned d ro w w ho's w illingly staying in th e city as an agent o f th e dw arves, or a n evil d ro w w h o ’s p re te n d in g to serve th e dw arves w hile secretly w orking to u n d e r­ m in e th e m from w ith in . O r a c h a ra c te r m ight be an enslaved d w a r f w ho has found som e w ay to c o m m u ­ n icate w ith M ith ral H all.

Alternate History T h e h isto ry o f M e n z o b e rra n z a n o u tlin e d in th e p rev i­ ous sectio n is th e official h isto ry o f th e city, b ut it’s not th e only possible one. T h at o u tlin e a lre a d y suggested som e p o ten tial v ariatio n s in th a t h isto ry th a t m ight give rise to a n in te re stin g cam p aig n . A sking yo u rself “W h a t if th is w ere differen t?” is a good w ay to sta rt m a k in g th e city u n iq u ely yours. The Founding: W h a t if H ouse B aen re h a d n 't m an ag ed to u n ify th e d ro w d u rin g th e ir earliest civil w ar? W h a t if, in stea d o f th e sc h ism th a t led to the fo u n d in g o f C h e d N asad, th e reb ellio u s H ouse Nasad ra an d its allies h a d form ed a d issid en t coalition p rev en tin g H ouse B aen re from c e m e n tin g its rule? Im ag in e a R uling C o u n c il d iv id ed b etw e e n tw o rival coalitions, b o th h o n o rin g th e W ay o f Lolth b ut forever vying for d o m in a n c e in th e city. The T im e o f Troubles: W h a t ifY vonnel B aen re’s strik e ag ain st M ith ra l H all w as successful an d th e d w arves w ere killed or enslaved? You m ight en d up w ith a c a m p a ig n in w h ich th e enslaved dw arves are a m ajo r faction striv in g for th e ir freedom . A nd w hat h a p p e n e d to D riz z t w h e n M ith ral H all fell? W ar o f the Spider Queen: W h a t i f M e n zo b er­ r a n z a n fell to th e invaders d u rin g L olth’s silence? T he player c h a ra c te rs m ight be m em b ers o f houses th a t a re subjugated u n d e r th e ru lin g invaders, w orking to resto re th e city to d ro w ru lersh ip , w hile th e Jaezred C h a u lssin an d H ouse A grach D y rr vie for control an d th e Scourged L egion keeps th e city u n d e r m a rtia l law. T h ese are ju s t a few ex am p les o f d irectio n s you m ight choose to steer yo u r cam p aig n . A ny o f these o ptions keep s th e essen tial flavor o f th e city—a place o f m u rd e ro u s in trig u e, vice, a n d ch a o s—intact.

C H A PT E R

2

The Way of Lolth Few su rface dw ellers k now th e tru e n a tu re o f th e drow . T he o b sid ian sk in n e d elves w ith snow -w hite h a ir a re th e c re a tu re s o f n ig h tm a re th at c re e p from th e h id d e n d e p th s o f th e e a r th to kill, pillage, a n d enslave. Legends sp e ak o f huge cities th a t fill caverns lit by flic k erin g e ld ritc h light w h ere th e d ro w have created a d e cad e n t an d p ro u d civilization. T h o se w h o have m et th e d ro w a n d su rv iv ed tell o f a terrify in g m a tria rc h y in w h ic h m a le s o f th e race are ex p en d ab le p aw n s. T h ey say th a t th e d ro w w o rsh ip a dem o n goddess o f spiders, a n d a ra c h n id s a re revered by th e ir c ru el a n d tre a c h e ro u s society. T h e elves o f th e su rface w orld sh u d d e r a n d tu r n aw ay w h en th e ir d a rk k in a re m e n tio n ed . M ost will n o t sp e ak o f th e drow , except as tra ito rs to th e Seldarin e. T he sages am o n g th e elves say th a t th e d ro w suffer a fate th ey rich ly deserve, a n d for w h ic h th ey have only th em selv es to blam e. T h is c h a p te r p ro v id es a n overview o f d ro w c u ltu re in M e n z o b e rra n z a n , as d ic ta te d by th e w ill o f Lolth. It in clu d es th e follow ing sections.

♦ The Q ueen o f Spiders: A look at th e role o f Lolth, h e r w o rsh ip in M e n z o b e rra n z a n , a n d th e system o fju stic e th a t sp rin g s fro m th e te n e ts o f h e r faith.

♦ A ll A bout Drow: A d iscu ssio n o f th e h ierarc h y o f th e d ro w —th e fem ales w ho tell th e nobles w hat to do, th e nobles w ho lord it over th e com m o n ers, a n d th e n o n -d ro w slaves th a t k e e p th e city r u n ­ n in g th ro u g h th e ir efforts (and o ften th e ir lives)..

♦ C om m erce: A look at th e tw o m a in ty p es o f d ro w co m m erce, c u rre n c y a n d favors, as w ell as th e m e rc h a n t clan s th a t c o n d u c t tra d e in th e city.

♦ Leisure: H o w th e d ro w relax a n d enjoy th e fru its o f th e ir statu s. T h re e tim e s a year, M e n z o b e rra n ­ za n is th e site o f elab o rate festivals d u rin g w h ich th e d ro w celeb rate th em selv es a n d th e ir goddess.

♦ Language: W h e n se cre ts a re y o u r stock in trade, b ein g ab le to c o m m u n ic a te in a n u m b e r o f d if­ feren t w ays is vital. T his sectio n also in clu d es a n u m b e r o f w id ely h e a rd pro v erb s a n d adages, ex p ressed in th e d ro w tongue.

The Queen of Spiders M e n z o b e rra n z a n , like m an y d ro w cities, ad h e re s to th e ten ets laid d o w n by Lolth. T h ese basic laws, u n d e r w h ich h e r favored cities w ould live, estab lish ed th e d o m in a n c e o f th e fam ily n e tw o r k -k in b o n d e d to g eth er (w hen it is convenient) u n d e r a m a tria rc h a l ho u se for m u tu al p ro tection.

L olth Queen o f the D em onw eb Pits Chaotic Evil Greater God Lolth, also k n o w n as th e D em o n Q u een o f Spiders, th e M istress o f Lies, a n d th e Lady o f S hadow s, is a cru el, c a p ri­ cious goddess w ho revels in b etray al a n d b loo d sh ed . T he S pider Q u e e n d e m a n d s absolute o b ed ien ce fro m th e drow, p resid in g over th e ir m an ifo ld sch em es a n d b etray als, a n d is sovereign over all a ra c h n id s. L olth’s favor is fickle; she m a n ip u ­ lates th o se in h e r serv ice an d ex p en d s th e m w ith o u t th ought. Lolth claim s co n tro l over every asp ect o f d ro w society. H er p a rtic u la r are a s o f in flu e n ce involve spiders, evil, d ark n ess, chaos, an d assassins. A ro u n d 1480 DR, she attem p ts to e x p a n d th a t portfolio to in clu d e a rc a n e m agic, try in g to u s u rp th e position o f th e d ead d eity M ystra. Lolth favors th e g u ise o f a lith e d ro w w o m an d ressed in a g o ssam er g ow n w oven from spider silk. H er long, silvery h a ir fram es a face o f exquisite b eau ty a n d cascad es d o w n h e r back. T h is a p p e a ra n c e is a d ecep tio n , how ever: L olth’s tru e form is th a t o f an en o rm o u s a ra c h n id w ith a b o d y bloated on th e souls o f h e r p etitio n ers, a n d th e torso a n d h e a d o f a drow . L o lth ’s d o m a in is th e D em onw eb Pits. P rio r to th e W ar o f th e S pider Q u een , th is location occupied tw o layers o f th e Abyss, b ut since th a t p erio d it h as b e e n a p lan e or a n astral d o m in io n o f L olth’s ow n. T ru e to th e d eity ’s n a tu re , th e D em onw eb P its is a vast ex p an se o f w oven an d tan g led w ebs. C reatu res, b uildings, vessels, ev en c h u n k s o f lan d to rn from v arious w orlds are cau g h t in th e w ebs, d a n g lin g like tra p p e d in sects w aitin g for Lolth to feed on th e m or lying like em p ty h u sk s alread y d ra in e d o f life. T h ere she is served first a n d forem ost by th e d em o n s called yochlol, k n o w n as th e h a n d m a id e n s o f Lolth. T hough one ca n a p p e a r as a b eau tifu l d ro w fem ale, th e tru e

form o f a yochlol is a h id eo u s m ass o f p u trid slim e w ith several ropy tentacles.

Veneration of Spiders S piders o f all sizes are ev ery w h ere in M e n zo b er­ ra n z a n , co n stan tly craw ling u n d erfo o t a n d scuttling o verhead. W ebs h a n g from ceilings, d ra p e d ow n across w alkw ays, a n d stre a m b etw e e n bu ild in g s an d tow ers. A cco rd in g to surface-w orld folktales, d a rk elves v en erate spiders so fervently th a t a d ro w w ill never h a r m one. T h a t’s a ch aracteristically o u tsid er m is u n ­ d e rsta n d in g o f d ro w psychology. A ctually, th e d ro w o f M e n z o b e rra n z a n asp ire to be like s p id e rs -m e a n in g th a t th e y rem orselessly devour th e ir ow n k in d . D row m a k e no sp ecial effort to h a rm th e ir eight-legged cohorts, b u t a re n 't above destro y in g th e m if th e y get in th e way (though not in th e presence o f a zealous p riestess or a su p e rio r d ro w w ho m ight u se th e act ag ain st th em ). Som e d ro w cerem o n ially eat a spider at th e b e g in n in g o f each m eal as a way o f giving th a n k s to th e a ra c h n id goddess.

D r o w J u s t ic e T h e idea o f d ro w ju stic e is little m ore th a n a b itter facade in stitu te d to su p p o sed ly stem th e chaos th at en su es w h en ru th le ss a n d am b itio u s d row fight each o ther. M ight m ak es right in th e city, an d th e law is little m ore th a n a m ockingly iro n ic set o f ru les in w h ich th e only ones to get p u n ish e d are th o se w ho get cau g h t a n d d o n ’t have th e w h erew ith al to evade ju stice. T h e priestesses o f Lolth d e te rm in e g u ilt an d m ete out p u n ish m e n t in M e n z o b e rra n z a n . A priestess, w h e th e r from th e A cadem y o r a house, leads every stre e t patrol a n d a d m in iste rs ju stic e im m ed iately as she d e e m s ap p ro p ria te w h en th e patrol a rre sts law ­ b reak ers. T h ere is no ap p eals process, b ut a priestess m u st be carefu l not to be too h a rsh on “c rim in a ls” w ho have h ig h -ran k in g protectors. If she offends a superior, th e priestess ca n ex p ect retrib u tio n . A cla im o f in n o cen ce is not th e b est defense ag ain st a n accu satio n o f w rongdoing. H aving a c o n ­ n ectio n to som eone high in th e h ie ra rc h y —in o th er w ords, som eone w ho can cause th e ju d g in g priestess serio u s h a r m —is th e only reliable w ay for a defen d an t to avoid th e scourging lash or a w orse p u n ish m en t. B eyond th e base ten ets o f th e W ay o f Lolth, w hat precisely co n stitu tes a c rim e becom es ten u o u s and ran d o m . C rim es o f p ro p e rty (theft, burglary, v an d a l­ ism ) are illegal in M e n z o b e rra n z a n , but street patrols do not h u n t d o w n stolen goods. I f a n o w n er can n o t p ro tect h e r property, th e n in th e eyes o f th e d ro w the o w n e r does not d eserv e to possess it.

I Likewise, crim e s o f violence a re tec h n ic a lly illegal, but th o se w h o are attack ed in th e city a re ex p ected to defend them selves. T he stre e t patro ls ten d to violently p u n ish anyone cau g h t fighting, so all co m b atan ts com m only flee w h en a p riestess arriv es on th e scene. M en zo b erran zan has no form al criteria for m a tc h ­ ing p u n ish m en ts to crim es. Instead, p u n ish m e n t for any offense is at th e w h im o f th e d ro w priestess a d m in ­ istering justice, w h ich m ean s it is arbitrary, capricious, and alm ost always cruel. S entences for various form s of law breaking include im m ed iate execution, d e a th by torture, m utilation, castration, to rtu re w ith o u t death, exile, im p riso n m en t, w hipping, servitude, an d exorbi­ tant fines th at go into th e priestess’s purse. W h ip p in g and to rtu re are th e m ost co m m on penalties, because th e priestesses enjoy delivering th e sort o f p u n ish m en t they ca n in flict repeatedly.

LOLTH’S CODE M e n z o b e rra n z a n ’s p rin cip al law is th e W ay o f Lolth, a c o d e o f b e h a v io r k n o w n in d e ta il by e v e ry high p rie ste ss, a n d a d m in is tra te d by th e R uling C ouncil. Its te n e ts are: ♦ T h e re is no g o d o r g o d d e ss o th e r th a n Lolth. Any w h o fo llo w s th e d ic ta te s o f a n o th e r e n tity w ill b e slain, p re fe ra b ly in sacrifice to Lolth. ♦ R itual w o rs h ip o f a n y e n tity o th e r th a n Lolth is fo rb id d e n w ith in th e c ity ’s v a u lt. N o n -d ro w w h o v io la te th is t e n e t a re fin e d a n d e x p e lle d fro m th e city. S e c o n d o f f e n d e rs o r a n y d ro w w h o d o so a re slain . ♦ Slaves have n o rights, a n d th e re are n o lim its to th e p u n is h m e n ts o r d u tie s th a t can b e s e t fo r th e m . T rea tm e n t o f slaves is th e affair o f th e ir o w n e rs. It is a capital o ffense fo r a slave to refuse a n y o rd e r from a d ro w o f th e h o u se th a t o w n s th e slave. ♦ A c o m m o n e r o r a s tu d e n t o f th e A c ad e m y w h o refuses to o b e y a p rie ste ss can b e p u n is h e d a s th e o ffe n d e d p rie s te ss s e e s fit, u p to a n d in clu d in g d e a th . If t h e o ffe n d e r is th e p ro p e rty o f a n o th e r h o u se a n d th e n o b le o f th a t h o u s e is p re s e n t an d objects, th e tw o m u st a g re e o n a p u n is h m e n t (usually flogging). ♦ A ny d ro w w h o falsely w e a rs th e colors o f a n o th e r h o u se o r w h o d e lib e ra tely a lte rs his o r h e r a p p e a r­ a n c e to m a s q u e ra d e a s o n e o f a d iffe re n t sta tio n will b e slain. ♦ A ny n o n -d ro w w h o a d o p ts th e a p p e a ra n c e o f a p a rtic u la r drow , a d ro w o f a n o b le rank, o r a d ro w o f a h o u s e o th e r th a n his o r h e r o w n will b e slain. ♦ If it c a n b e p ro v e d t h a t tw o o r m o re h o u s e s a tta c k e d a n o th e r h o u se , all th e h o u s e s th a t p a r­ tic ip a te d in th e a tta c k will b e d e stro y e d jo in tly by th e re m a in d e r.

S en ten ces a re typically c a rrie d out on th e spot to serve as a n exam ple to o th ers. T hose sen ten ced to im p riso n m e n t are ta k e n to th e Pit W a rre n s n ear D o n ig a rte n ’s m oss bed.

D e it ie s of Oth er E r as Lolth is by far th e m ost im p o rta n t god to th e drow, b u t she is n ot th e only d ro w deity th ro u g h o u t all of history. W h e n Lolth (th en called A rau sh n ee , th e W eav er o f D estiny) first reb elled ag ain st h e r co n ­ so rt C orellon L a re th ia n , she se cu re d th e aid of several o th e r deities. T hese in c lu d e d h er c h ild ren by C orellon, E ilistraee a n d V h a e ra u n , as w ell as the m y sterio u s god G h a u n a d a u r. D u rin g th e th re e earliest c a m p a ig n eras describ ed in th is book, d ro w w o rsh ip ed five o th e r deities in ad d itio n to Lolth: Eilistraee: G oddess o f song a n d d an ce, b eau ty and sw ordw ork, a n d p atro n o f good-aligned drow. Ghaunadaur: G od o f oozes, slim es, jellies, outcasts, a n d rebels. Kiaransalee: G oddess o f th e u n d e a d a n d vengeance. Selvetarm: G od o f d ro w w arrio rs. Vhaeraun: G od o f thievery, d ro w m ales, a n d s u r ­ face raids.

W ar o f th e Spider Queen: A fter h e r tra n sfo rm a ­ tio n in to a g re a te r deity d u rin g th e W ar o f th e Spider Q u een , L olth b eg an e x te rm in a tin g th e deities she p erceived as h e r rivals for th e w orship o f th e drow (see “T h e R eckoning,” page 12). The Spellplague: By th e tim e o f th e Spellplague, Lolth stood alone as th e sole d ro w deity, though G h a u n a d a u r escap ed h e r w ra th a n d established h im ­ s e lf as a n in d e p e n d e n t deity ra th e r th a n a drow god.

Ghaunadaur Even in th e S pellplague era, G h a u n a d a u r re m a in s a significant subversive force in M e n z o b e rra n z a n a n d o th e r d row cities. A lso k n o w n as T hat W h ic h Lurks, G h a u n a d a u r is a n an cien t, cow ardly being tin g ed w ith m ad n ess w ho seeks only to co n su m e th e w orld. H is follow ers believe th a t all c re a tu re s are fit to w ield po w er if they c a n ex ert it over o th ers, so th e y rebel ag ain st th e ty ra n n ic a l g rip o f L olth’s priestesses.

All About Drow M any h o rrib le m o n sters lu rk in th e d a rk e n e d d e p th s o f th e U n d erd ark , but few are as reviled a n d feared as th e o b sid ian -sk in n e d m a ra u d e rs k n o w n as drow . Physically, d ro w resem b le su rface elves w ith w iry b u ild s an d pleasing features, b ut th e ir m id n ig h t black sk in sets th e m a p a rt. T h eir heat-sensitive eyes are fiery red , a n d b o th g en d ers w e a r th e ir snoww h ite h a ir long. In g en eral, th e d ro w enjoy life sp a n s s tre tc h in g w ell over tw o h u n d re d y ears, an d ex cep ­ tio n al m em b ers o f th e race m e a su re th e ir years by cen tu ries. D ro w are b o rn in to d ark n ess. F rom infancy, a d ro w c h ild m u st b e c u n n in g . C h ild re n ca n e x p e c t no k in d n ess, w a rm th , or com passion. S uch expressions en g e n d e r fatal w eak n ess. D row a re cold p aren ts, in stillin g self-reliance a n d in d e p e n d e n c e in th e ir o ffspring to m a k e th e m stro n g en o u g h to survive a bloody adolescence. Ill tre a tm e n t rein fo rces th e race's n a tu ra l in clin atio n to w ard evil. F rom b irth , d ro w a re tau g h t th at th ey a re s u p e ­ rio r to all o th e r ra c e s -th o s e w ho lack th e stre n g th to defen d th em selv es d eserve to b e u se d as th e d ro w see fit. T h erefo re, d ro w are a rro g a n t a n d co n d escen d in g in all th e ir d ealin g s u n til th ey a re sh o w n re a so n to re sp e c t th e ir associates. In th e to n g u e o f elves a n d fey, d ro w a re re fe rre d to by several n am es: tirl aukhbhet ess, tuer lothnil, duiss aszbhar, a n d dhaerow. It is believed th is last an cien t Elven m o n ik er, w h ic h roughly tra n sla te s to “traito r,” is th e so u rce o f th e te rm “drow .” O f co u rse, th e d ro w d isp u te th is claim , saying th e a n c e stra l n a m e o f th e ir k in d is duaral, o r “H u n te rs o f th e C rescen t,” bestow ed u p o n th e m by L olth directly. M ost d ro w a re sin g u larly w icked. T hey a re c ru el in th e ir in teractio n s w ith o th e rs a n d tre a c h e ro u s am o n g th em selv es. In th e p u rsu it o f stre n g th , status, a n d L olth's favor, d ro w h o u ses co m p ete w 'ith each o th e r to am ass w ealth a n d enslave w eak e r races. T h e fickle w h im s o f L o lth ’s p riestesses d e m a n d absolute o b e d i­ ence, d riv in g th e race to f u rth e r evil. D ro w u n d e rs ta n d th e value o f allian ces a n d enjoy co n g en ial co m p an io n sh ip , b u t th ey re g a rd an y such a rra n g e m e n ts as tem p o rary . T hey le a rn a t a n early age to d istru s t love a n d c a m a ra d e rie , b ecau se such relatio n sh ip s alm o st alw ays p resag e b etray al. T h e re ­ fore, d ro w alw ays w atch for treach ery , e x p e c tin g th e w orst in th o se th ey m eet. D row a re never su rp rise d w h en th e k n ife a p p ears, a n d m a k e every effort to be th e first to d ra w steel. T hey co n seq u en tly rare ly form lastin g frien d sh ip s.

Som etim es, the power behind one’s throne is a tangible thing

C h ao s is a p re d o m in a n t tra it o f th e drow , a fault th a t h as cost th em potential co n q u ests tim e and ag ain th ro u g h o u t history. Infighting, backstabbing, a n d tre a c h e ry are accepted facts o f life in drow soci­ ety. Yet th e re is a fram ew o rk o f o rd er u n d erly in g the chaos, o th e rw ise th e d ro w w ould have b e e n red u ced to e x tin c tio n long ago. T h is fram ew ork is specific a n d u n y ield in g , a n d th e p e n alty for overstepping o n e’s b o u n d s w ith in it is m eted out in typical d ro w fash­ ion—w ith o u t m ercy. W ith in M e n z o b e rra n z a n , every p erso n h as a sp e ­ cific place in th e social order. M atrons o f th e R uling C o u n c il govern th e city, su p p o rted by noble houses of lesser ran k . F em ales in d ro w society enjoy th e g reat­ est favor a n d typically tra in to be priestesses. D row m ales, reg ard le ss o f station, typically w a rra n t little m o re re sp e c t th a n slaves do. T he m ost prom ising m a le s co m m o n ly tr a in as w iz a rd s o r w arrio rs, w hile th o se w ho display ta le n t for n e ith e r are ap p ren ticed to a m e rc h a n t clan o r a m a s te r tra d e sm a n . N on-drow in M e n z o b e rra n z a n a re alm o st universally enslaved, u ltim ately giving th e ir lives in forced labor, g lad iato ­ rial spectacles, o r o u trig h t sacrifice.

T h e M a t r ia r c h y The su p rem acy o f th e fem ale is deep ly in g ra in e d in drow cu ltu re. F em ales a re seen as stronger, sm a rter, and m ore em o tio n ally co n tro lled th a n m ales, a n d — above a ll- m o r e devoted to Lolth. M ales are view ed as spiritually, in tellectually, an d physically inferior, prim arily usefu l as u n sk illed lab o r a n d for b re e d in g purposes. Even so, a m ale d ro w is se en as su p e rio r to a m em b er o f an y o th er race, b u t still in ferio r even to a fem ale d ro w o f sig n ifican tly low er status. M ale d ro w have little, if any, clout, b u t n ot all o f th em a re m ere p ro p erty , even if m ost fem ales see th em as such. Som e o f th e m ost skilled crafters, w a r­ riors, a n d a rc a n e casters am o n g th e d ro w a re m ale. The m ost successful m ales in d ro w society a re those w ho are d riv en to overcom e th e ir su b serv ien t role by m ak in g th em selv es as u sefu l as th e y can . M ale dro w ca n lay claim to little au thority, an d th ey are con stan tly at risk o f b ein g d isc a rd e d by th e ir fem ale leaders, so only th o se p o ssessed o f skills an d a b ili­ ties th a t are not easily rep laceable ca n be relatively con fid en t o f th e ir positions. F rom a yo ung age, m ales are tau g h t not to look at th e faces o f d ro w fem ales, or to sp eak to fem ales u n less b id d en . T his tre a tm e n t teach es th e m th e ir su b o rd in a te place in d ro w society.

Ruling Council In M e n zo b erran za n , th e eight strongest h o u ses ru le th e city, w ith th e o th e r fifty or so (the n u m b e r flu c­ tu ates yearly) sc ram b lin g for position b e h in d th em . T he m atro n s o f th o se ho u ses co n stitu te th e R uling C ouncil, w h ich m eets in a n a tu ra l cav ern on the Q u ella rz ’orl plateau. W h e n th e co u n cil is in ses­ sion, th e cave is lit by h u n d re d s o f sw eet-sm elling can d les p laced a ro u n d its p erip h ery . A ny ru lin g m a tro n ca n tech n ically call a m eetin g o f th e council, but w hile Y vonnel B aen re lived (th ro u g h th e Sable Years, e n d in g in 1358 DR), th is govern in g body w as largely a sh am , w ith I lo u se B aenre ho ld in g all th e tru e po w er in th e city. In re c e n t decades, how ever, th e R uling C o uncil has reclaim ed m u c h o f th e clout it lost d u rin g Y vonnel’s ru le.

N o ble H o u s e s T he W ay o f Lolth m ight be th e p rim a ry driving force in drow cu ltu re, b u t it’s not th e only option. S tanding beside th e priesth o o d as eq u als on th e political and social playing fields are th e g reat noble houses. T hese m onolithic institu tio n s are th e closest th in g s th e drow have to a form al governm ent. P erh ap s n o th in g in all o f M e n zo b erran za n is as im p o rta n t to a dro w as h e r house's ran k —except h e r p erso nal station, o f course.

N oble h o u se s are led by a m a tro n m o th er, th e se n io r fem ale o f th e fam ily. H e r ru le is absolute, en fo rc ed by th e fem ales b e n e a th h e r (usually h e r d au g h ters, since an y siblings o f a n a sc e n d a n t m a tro n lose th e ir noble sta tu s a n d a re typically assassin ated soon after). A ll lesser roles a re d e c re e d by, an d can b e c h a n g e d a t th e w h im of, th e m a tro n m o th er. H e r reig n en d s only w ith h e r d e ath , w h ich o ften com es at th e h a n d s o f h e r eld est daughter. A ll fem ales o f th e m a tro n ’s blood, u su a lly in o rd er o f age, follow th e m a tro n in d escen d in g o rd er o f th e ir statu s. U sually, th e y w ield little tru e a u th o rity u n til th e y com plete th e ir tra in in g at th e A cadem y. The eld est d a u g h te r claim s th e title o f first priestess an d serves as advisor to th e m a tro n m o th er. A daughter w ho is not in direct line to ru le (due to having several older sisters) som etim es separates from h e r m atro n ’s house (w ith perm ission, o f course) and form s a house o f h e r ow n, w ith n o m in al loyalty to the “p a re n t” house. In th is way, d ro w houses spread th eir influence b ut also often create th eir ow n eventual rivals. B elow th e d au g h ters a re th e m a le officers o f the ho u se (in d e s cen d in g order): h o u se w izard , house w eap o n m aster, a n d p a tro n (c u rre n t c o n so rt o f th e m a tro n m other). M ale h e irs a re also ra n k e d by age: elderboy, secondboy, th irdboy, a n d so on. A s a m a tte r o f tra d itio n , th e th ird b o y is cu sto m a rily offered to Lolth a n d th e b o d y secretly disp o sed of. O n ly one su ch sacrifice is r e q u ire d o f ea c h m a tro n m o th er; it is co n sid ered a on e-tim e test o f h e r loyalty to Lolth. O nly th e nobles o f a house a re typically allow ed to use th e n a m e o f th e ir house as th e ir ow n. B eneath the noble “blood ” m em b ers a n d officials o f house ra n k are th e co m m o n w arrio rs, crafters, servants, a n d slaves.

HOUSE AND CLAN INSIGNIA In th e s tre e ts o f M enzoberranzan, c u sto m d ic ta te s th a t all p e rs o n s o p e n ly display a n insignia in d ic a tin g th e n o b le h o u se o r m e r c h a n t c la n th e y b e lo n g to. Each in sig n ia is c o m m o n ly fa sh io n e d as a black m e ta l m e d a llio n s ta m p e d w ith th e h o u s e ’s o r c la n ’s g ly p h . H o u s e in s ig n ia s o f t h e n o b ility a re in trica te ly sc u lp te d a n d o fte n im b u e d w ith m agical tra its.

A houses m atron m other passes ju d g m en t on an upstart m ale brought before her by one o f her priestesses

Co m m o ners

S laves

T he m ajo rity o f d ro w fam ilies in M e n z o b e rra n z a n have n o t e a rn e d th e favor o f Lolth, a n d th u s th e ir m e m b e rs d o n o t enjoy th e privilege o f nobility. T hese co m m o n ers are free citizens, b u t m ost e n d u re nigh co n stan t sco rn a n d rid ic u le from th e ir n oble-born kin. D espite th is p reju d ice, noble d ro w still view th e dregs o f th e ir race as su p e rio r to any non-drow , no m a tte r ho w ta le n te d or im pressive a slave m ig h t be. A c o m m o n e r’s only av en ue to elevated sta tu s lies in e n h a n c in g h e r p erso n a l esteem , typically th ro u g h skill an d re p u ta tio n as a m e rc h a n t, a rtisa n , or m e rc e ­ nary'. C o m m o n ers w ith exceptional skills a re u su a lly ad o p ted by th e n oble h o u se th e y serve, or, m ore rarely, by th e first noble h o u se to no tice th e ir skill a n d seize th e m . T h ey receive th e h o u se n a m e , sp o n ­ sorship, an d a p o sitio n —alb eit a p re c a rio u s one, based on p erfo rm an ce a n d th e w h im o f th e ru lin g m atro n o f th e house. At an y tim e, th e ir m a ste rs ca n choose to d ispose o f th e m . In th e case o f a m a le d ro w of g reat b eau ty ap p o in ted to th e p osition o f p a tro n (consort to th e m atro n ), th is sta te m e n t is all too literally tru e , an d m ost do not last long.

Slaves m ak e u p th e m ajority o f M e n z o b e rra n z a n ’s p o p u latio n . T hese lowly folk are n on-drow th at have e ith e r b e e n c a p tu re d in th e U n d erd ark o r specifically b red into a life o f service. No d ro w citizen o f M e n zo ­ b e rra n z a n is ever officially th e slave o f a n o th e r drow , b ut som e a re slaves in all b ut n a m e —o th er d row tak en as captives d u rin g a battle outside th e city ca n be b ro u g h t b ack an d held openly as in d e n tu re d servants. N on-drow are typically refe rred to as colnbluth, or u n d e rc re a tu re s , by M e n zo b erran y r. T he m ost co m m o n k inds o f slaves in clu d e goblins, kobolds, ores, hobgoblins, an d bu g b ears, tho u g h m ore exotic varieties c e rta in ly exist. E ach slave is afforded a place acco rd in g to its talen ts. M ost are laborers, farm ers, an d ho u se servants. T hose w ith fighting skill end up as e x p e n d a b le first-line d efen d ers in ho u se arm ies.

Commerce C om m erce in M e n z o b e rra n z a n consists o f two separate b u t in te rtw in e d system s o f exchange, each specific to a c e rta in social a n d political caste.

Cu r r e n c y W h e n som eone p ro c u re s goods o r services from a drow o f low station, su ch as w h e n a ho u se scion buys som ething from a v en d o r at th e B azaar, th e tra n s a c ­ tion is c a rrie d out by th e u se o f v ario u s coinage o f silver, gold, an d o th e r p recio u s m etals. T he city has n o u n iv ersal cu rre n cy . In stead , each o f th e noble ho u ses o f th e R uling C o u n c il m in ts its ow n coins. T he prev alen ce o f a p a rtic u la r c u rre n c y in th e city is a good in d icato r o f th e ra n k o f th e house th at m in ted it. T he c u rre n c y a n in d iv id u al use s is a display o f his or h e r affiliation; m oney ch an g ers do a brisk b u siness as allian ces shift. T he m e rc h a n ts o f th e city do not tu r n aw ay any currency, n o m a tte r its source. Foreign coins are assigned value b ased on th e ir w eight an d purity.

Fav o r s The second ty p e o f co m m erce, co m m o n am o n g noble drow, is th e ex ch an g e o f favors. T his system creates a w eb o f debts an d obligations th a t b in d s o n e d ro w to an o th er. For a drow , hav in g too m an y obligations hanging over o n e’s h ead is ta n ta m o u n t to social su i­ cide. W h ile she is in d eb ted , a d ro w c a n n o t afford to directly ch allen g e an y o n e to w hom she owes a g reat favor, for fear o f th at favor b ein g called in a n d ru in in g one o f h e r sch em es. D espite th e ir selfish n a tu re , few drow w ould ever d a re ignore a legitim ate debt, out o f fear th at n o one w ould do b u sin e ss w ith th e m (or worse, th e ir house) in th e fu tu re. S uch a stig m a w ould quickly b e follow ed by a loss o f favor w ith Lolth, lead ing to rival ho u ses callin g for th e d e stru c tio n o f th e offending faction.

M erch an t C lan s M en zo b erran za n is ch o ck full o f m erch an ts: house agents, trad ers, an d th e m o re n u m ero u s in d e p e n ­ den t co m m o n ers. T hese e n tre p re n e u rs (p a rtic u la rly those w ho travel th e U n d e rd a rk to o th e r cities an d trad e sites) k eep M e n z o b e rra n z a n vital, im p o rta n t, an d rich. T raders a n d crafte rs often b a n d to g eth er to form co m p an ies or fellow ships. In som e respects, th e larger m e rc h a n t clan s serve as a c o u n te rb a la n c e to th e h au g h ty no b le houses, b ut in tru th , m ost o f th ese org an izatio n s serve at th e w h im o f th e R uling C ouncil an d can be d ism a n tle d at a m o m e n t’s notice.

Noble houses m ost likely to ally w ith a m e rc h a n t clan include H ouse D ru u g iir, H ouse H u n z rin , a n d H ouse M izzrym . M e rc h a n t c a re e rs in M e n z o b e rra n z a n a re d a n ­ gerous a n d often short. To a n g e r a m atro n or even a p ro u d you n g ho u se noble is to c o u rt d e a th or d isaster to o n e’s livelihood. T h e d a n g e r o f th is lifestyle, co u ­ pled w ith th e restlessness o f m a n y m e rc h a n ts (who at h e a rt are h ap p iest w h e n traveling), m ak es tu rn o v er high am o n g th e city ’s m e rc a n tile roster. T h e m ost p ro m in e n t m e rc h a n t clan s in th e city are d e sc rib e d below. Black Claw M ercantile: O nce th e m o st extensive an d in d e p e n d e n t m e rc h a n t fellow ship in th e city, th e Black C law soon ca m e u n d e r th e sp o nsorship, th en th e d ire c t in flu e n ce, o f H ouse B aenre. O ver tim e, B a en re’s control b ec a m e a n o p en secret, p ro m p t­ ing rival houses to sp o n so r th e ir ow n fellow ship, th e B row n M u shroom . T h e Black C law h as a v irtu a l m onopoly on d ro w goods flow ing in a n d out o f M anto l-D erith (page 104). Brown M ushroom Coster: F u n d ed by a cadre o f noble houses, in clu d in g B arrison D el’A rm go, Fey-B ranche, a n d H u n z rin , th is cla n specializes in high-risk tra d e b etw e e n M e n z o b e rra n z a n a n d d istan t d ro w enclaves th ro u g h o u t th e U n d erd ark . Three Black Rings: T his lean , w ell-organized m e rc h a n t co m p an y is u n u su a l b ecau se it em ploys cre a tu re s o f alm o st an y race as lab o rers an d caravan gu ard s. T h e clan reinvests m u ch o f its profits into seeking new , a lte rn a te ro u tes th ro u g h th e U n d erd ark ; selling m ap s o f th ese ro u tes a n d h irin g o ut guides to o th e r m e rc h a n ts h as b eco m e a large p a r t o f its business. H igh-H anded Fellowship: T he H ig h -H an d ed Fellow ship is th e p rim a ry im p o rte r o f exotic foodstuffs from th e su rface w orld. T h ro u g h its secret netw ork o f contacts, th is clan keeps th e lard ers o f th e m atron m o th ers stocked w ith ra re c u lin a ry tre a ts from realm s across F a e ru n an d beyond. D elicacies include blood w in e from A glarond an d chocolate w afers from rem ote Lopango across th e T rackless Sea. X alyth’s Com pany: M e n z o b e rra n z a n ’s m e r­ c h a n ts a re ch iefly d ro w m ales, b ut M istress X alyth enjoys playing ag ain st g en d e r stereotypes. She rose from h u m b le o rig in s to d o m in a te gem -d ealin g in th e city. She is k n o w n as a fair ap p raiser (and a n u n d er-th e-tab le fence o f stolen goods), as w ell as a h ard b a rg a in e r w ho alw ays buys low a n d sells high. It helps th a t she h as little co m petition, b ecau se she is th e only steady source o f spell c o m p o n en ts in th e city.

Leisure D row love p arties. T h eir revels consist o f w ild m usic, d an cin g , th e d rin k in g o f exotic beverages, a n d th e in h alin g o f scen ted sm oke. H ouses, w ealth y fam ilies, a n d m e rc h a n t clan s re n t su m p tu o u s m an sio n s as n e u tra l g ro u n d for e n te rta in in g , a n d a w ell-attended p a rty c a n m a k e a h o st’s rep u tatio n . P artie s o ften last m ost o f a day, a n d excessively d r u n k e n a tte n d e e s are d u m p e d u n cerem o n io u sly into th e street. I f th e rev­ elers are noble, m atro n s sen d esco rts to p ro te c t th e helpless scions an d c a rry th e m hom e. D row o f d ifferen t houses m e e t each o th e r at m ore form al d an ces called illiyitrii. T h ese stately affairs offer o p p o rtu n itie s to be seen a n d are rife w ith politics. D ro w love to score social p o in ts in b a rb ed co n v ersatio n an d engage in charhylniss, a g am e w ith th e sole p u rp o se o f d riv in g a conversational o p p o n en t into a n o p en rage, p ro ving th e in stig ato r to be th e b e tte r m an ip u lato r. In sh a rp co n trast to th e illiyitrii a re th e nedeirra o f th e y o u n g er an d w ild er drow . T hese w ild, acrobatic “sw eat d a n c e s” leave th e p a rtic ip a n ts d re n c h e d in p e rsp iratio n a fter th ey d an c e to sy ncopated, d riv in g rh y th m s o f d r u m s a n d pipes. M ost nedeirra e n d in w ild fighting, v an d alism , fires, a n d d ebauchery. T h e u ltim a te se n su o u s p le a s u re in life for a d ro w is a w a rm b ath follow ed by a th o ro u g h body m assage, typically w h ile lying o n a co n to u re d couch. M assage houses are th e favored leisu re spots in M e n zo b er­ ra n z a n , a n d th e y b o ast private ro o m s w h ere th o se receiv in g serv ices c a n chat, arg u e, o r do business. D row th e a tric a l p ro d u c tio n s featu re slapstick com edy, singing, th e use o f m asks a n d exaggerated co stu m es, th e p assin g on o f sly gossip, a n d im p a rtin g o f th e latest new s. Plays a re staged as th e c en terp iece e n te rta in m e n t at p a rtie s, b u t a re also p u t on in re n te d w areh o u se s n e a r th e Bazaar. N oble d ro w enjoy going on h u n ts in to th e U n d e r­ d ark . M ost are re stric te d to th e D ark D o m in io n , b ut som e go fu rth e r afield in a tru e test o f skill. C o m ­ m only, th e h u n te rs release m o n sters o r slaves in to the tu n n e ls, giving th e d o o m ed c re a tu re s a h e a d sta rt. Even if th e ru le s o f a h u n t re stric t w h ic h w eap o n s ca n b e used, th e m em b e rs o f a h u n tin g p a rty go o ut fully a rm e d to e n s u re th a t a rival h ouse w o n ’t strik e w hile th ey a re relatively u n p ro te c te d .

M en zo berran zan F e s t iv a l s T h e d ro w o f M e n z o b e rra n z a n celebrate th re e m ajor festivals annually.

C erem ony o f G raduation (Feast o f the Moon): G rad u atio n from th e A cadem y is a tim e o f w anton a b a n d o n w h e n stu d e n ts a n d priestesses celebrate as eq u als. It is tra d itio n a l for all houses th at have m em b e rs g ra d u a tin g to celebrate w ith a feast, acco m ­ p a n ie d by m u c h d a n c in g an d d rin k in g . T radition an d L olth’s w ill forbid an y co n flict betw een houses on th e day before, th e d ay of, a n d th e day after th e c e r­ em ony. At th is sa m e tim e, th e houses allow m ost o f th e ir se rv an ts to h ave th re e days o f leisure. A cadem y stu d e n ts a n d m a ste rs d escen d th e g reat stairs from T ier B reche a n d visit th e ir fam ilies. Visitors are not w elcom e in th e city d u rin g th is tim e, tra d e is forbid­ d en , a n d th e B azaar is closed.

F estival o f the F ounding (20th day o f Ches): E ach y e a r on th e a n n iv e rsa ry o f th e form al fo u n d ­ ing o f th e city by M e n z o b e rra an d th e d e a th o f M any Eyes (see “T h e F o u n d in g ,” page 10), all M enzoberr a n y r celeb rate th e ir h eritag e by d in in g w ith a fam ily w ith w h o m th ey do n o t cu sto m arily dine. At th e m eal, feasters to ast Lolth, th e n M e n zo b erran za n , an d fin ally th e fo u n d ers o f w hatever fam ily is h o stin g th e d in n e r. P a rtic ip a n ts tell tales o f th e exploits o f th e ir ancestors. W h ile th e d in n e r lasts only h a lf a day, th e e n tire day is one o f leisure. N o passing stran g er is refu sed hospitality, since L olth som etim es w alks th ro u g h th e city on th is day in th e form o f a m o rta l drow , listen in g an d ju d g in g h er people. L olth rew ard s th o se w h o p lease h e r a n d strik es d ead those w ho irri tate her. T h e e n tire city tak es h e a rt if Lolth is seen. A ny fam ily lucky en o u g h to host h e r at its p a rty is h o n o red a n d acco rd ed resp ec t for th e rest o f th e year.

The O pen D ays (23rd day o f F lam erule to M idsum m er): T his stre tc h o f eight days serves th e city as a so rt o f tra d e fair. V isitors are allow ed into th e city to w a n d e r fre e ly -e v e n in to th e co m p o u n d s of th e noble houses. Since anyone c a n enter, th is event provides th e citizen s w ith as m u ch o f a spectacle as th e visitors. T h e p u rp o se o f th is tim e is to encourage tra d e , a n d estab lish m en ts are alw ays open for b u si­ ness w hile h o u se agents set u p m eetings w ith visiting m e rc h a n ts to m a k e deals. D u rin g th e O p e n Days, d ro w houses p u t on spe c ial d e m o n stra tio n s o f m agic an d m a rtia l read in ess to aw e p o te n tia l foes a n d rivals. H ouse g u a rd s execute p recisio n m an eu v ers in full b a ttle arm o r, m asters o f S orcere engage in spell-h u rlin g com petitions, and p riestesses ta k e tu rn s w eaving elaborate illusions of Lolth in th e a ir above th e city, m ak in g h e r a p p e a r in a succession o f d ifferen t form s.

Language D row a re as elo q u en t an d m u sical in th e ir sp e ech as o th er elves, a n d a re cap ab le o f read ily rep ro d u c in g th e so u n d s o f o th er languages. M ost d ro w a re good m im ics; a d ro w w h o im itates th e w ords a n d to n e o f a n o v erh eard bit o f sp e ech c a n be easily m ista k e n for th e in d iv id u al b ein g im itated . M ost d ro w have little ex p o su re to su rface tongues (outcasts, slave trad ers, an d a d v e n tu re rs b ein g th e p rin cip al exceptions). A citizen o f an u n d e rg ro u n d city w ho seldom v en tu res far afield w ill k now two tongues: th e everyday sp o k en lan g u ag e o f th e drow , also called D eep D ro w (w hich v aries slightly from co m m u n ity to co m m u n ity , in th e sa m e w ay th a t spoken C o m m o n h as regional accents, p h rases, a n d words), an d th e so u n d less lan g u ag e o f g estu res an d expressions developed long ago. T h is silent lan g u ag e o f drow , so m e tim es called th e h a n d code, is a lan g u ag e as d e ta ile d as th e spoken w ord. L earn in g th e n u an ces a n d co m b in atio n s o f th e un sp o k e n to n g u e re q u ire s m o n th s o f c o n cen trated tutoring. D eep D row is th e everyday tongue o f th e drow , co rru p ted by p assin g fashion, trad e-to n g u e jarg o n , an d even w o rd s from o th e r lan g u ag es (notably O rcish, D w arv en , su rface Elven, a n d h u m a n w izard ly term s). It h as a sim ila r stru c tu re to th e C o m m o n tongue, specifically to th e d ialect k n o w n as U nder com m on, used th ro u g h o u t th e U n d e rd a rk . W h e n w ritten , its flow ing letters resem b le old Elven an d fre e h a n d T h o rass scripts, b u t a perso n fa m ilia r w ith b o th Elven an d C o m m o n w ritin g ca n puzzle o ut only a fraction o f th e g en eral n a tu re o f a d ro w in scrip tio n . D eep D row is a living, ch an g in g tongue, a n d it varies from place to place in th e U n d erd ark , as w ell as over tim e (although d ro w sp eech , d u e to isola­ tion a n d tech n o lo g y slow ed by tra d itio n a n d a rigid class- b ased society, does not ch an g e w ith th e ra p id ­ ity o f su rface languages). T he DM is free to in tro d u c e n ew w o rd s an d p h ra se s at w ill—a n d m ight e n c o u n te r w ords a n d p h rases in o th e r so u rces th a t are not found here. V isitors to d ro w se ttlem en ts m ight also so m etim es h e a r H igh Drow, a n arch aic, rarely u sed d ialect kn o w n by an d h e a rd ch iefly am o n g th e clergy o f Lolth (used in spell in can tatio n s, or b etw e e n p rie st­ esses w h en th ey d o n ’t w a n t lesser d ro w w ith in h ea rin g to u n d e rsta n d th e ir speech). H igh D row inco rp o rates som e sp e cialized g estu res (p a rt o f th e silent language), w h ich d ro w not fa m ilia r w ith th e h a n d code so m etim es refer to as th e se c re t signs. D row are usu ally silen t in battle. I f sta rtle d o r in pain , th ey m ig h t call o u t to Lolth, or u tte r a n oath, i A d ro w cu rsin g a n o th e r d ro w m ig h t say, “Ssus| su n pholor dos!” w h ich m e a n s “Light u p o n you!” or i m erely, “Ssussan!” (“Light!”). I f h u rled at a non-drow ,

th e eq u iv alen t c u rse is “O loth p ly n n dos!” o r “D ark ­ ness ta k e you!” To rally co m rad es in battle o r call for aid, drow m ight cry th e ir h o u se n am e. A d ro w o f H ouse X orlar­ rin m ight cry, “X o rla rrin u lu u sstan !” w h ich m ean s “X o rlarrin to m e!” o r p erh a p s “X o rlarrin u ltrin !” (“X o rla rrin su p re m e !”).

Proverbs and Phrases Jal khaless zhah waela. A ll tr u s t is foolish. Oloth zhah tuth abbil lueth ogglin. D ark n ess is b o th frien d a n d enem y. Xun izil dos phuul quarthen, lueth dro. D o as you are o rd ere d , a n d live. Lolth tlu malla;jal ultrinnan zhah xundus. Lolth be p raised ; all victo ry is h e r doing. Ilharessen zhaunil alurl. (M atron) M others k n o w best. Lil alurl velve zhah lil velkyn uss. T he b est knife is th e u n s e e n one. Lil waela lueth waela ragar brorna-lueth w und rand, kyorlin elghinn. T h e foolish a n d u n w a ry fin d surp r is e s - a n d a m o n g th e m , w aitin g d eath . Khaless nau uss mzild taga dosstan. T ru st no one m ore th a n yourself. N indyn vel’uss kyorl nind ratha thalra elghinn dal lil alust. T h o se w h o w atch th e ir back s m e e t d e a th fro m th e front. Ulu z’hin m aglust dal Q u’ellar lueth Valshoress zhah ulu z ’hin wund lil phalar. To w alk a p a rt fro m H ouse an d Q u e e n is to w alk into th e grave. Kyorlja l bauth, kyone, lueth lil Quarvalsharess xal belbau dos lil belbol del elendar dro. W atch all about, w arily, a n d th e G o d d ess m ay give you th e gift o f c o n tin ­ u e d life. Vel’uss zhaun alur taga lil Quarvalsharess? W h o know s b e tte r th a n th e G oddess?

CHAPTER 3

In a setting driven by intrigue, nothing is more im portant than understanding the various players in the political games of the city, the factions that might hire, m anipulate, or oppose the player characters. The most im portant factions in M enzoberranzan are the drow noble houses. This chapter offers details on six of the strongest houses in the city through the ages, plus other factions that exert their own special inf luence. It includes the following sections. ♦ U n d e rsta n d in g th e F actions: This opening sec­ tion explains the term s and symbols used in the faction entries. ♦ H ouse B aenre: The First House of M enzoberran­ zan has ruled the city for centuries. ♦ H o u se D o ’U rden: Few houses have risen more quickly or fallen more rapidly th an the house of the famed Drizzt Do’Urden. - H o u se H u n z rin : This m inor house improved its lot through control of trade in the city. + H ouse O blodra: This house is notable for its psionic talent, ambition, and limitless cruelty. ♦ H o u se M elarn: The union of two lesser houses produced a more significant power. ♦ H o u se X o rla rrin : Notable for the prom inent role held by its wizards, House X orlarrin plays a key role in th e events of the Dem on Weave. ♦ O th e r H ouses: Four of the many other noble houses are described more brief ly here. ♦ T ier B reche: The threefold academy of M enzo­ berranzan includes Arach-Tinilith, where Lolth's priestesses are trained; Melee-Magthere, for its warriors; and Sorcere, for its wizards. ♦ B regan D 'a erth e: This m ercenary company has unexpected influence despite the leadership roles played by male drow in this group. ♦ Jae zre d C h au lssin : These assassins seek noth­ ing less th an the dissolution of drow society. 4-

S courged Legion: Formed from a band of demonic ores, these enemies of the drow lurk in the Underdark while they gather strength.

♦ Sept o f IlFGhact: A secret society of illithids wrhose agents have spread throughout the world.

Understanding

the Factions

The factions of M enzoberranzan fall into three gen­ eral categories. The noble houses control all aspects of the city, from enforcing its few laws to dom inating trade. M enzoberranzan has no standing army. Instead, the house guard of each of the noble houses provides the m ilitary might of the city. Their com pounds are heav­ ily fortified castles. The eight greatest houses have places on the Ruling Council of M enzoberranzan. The council determ ines the fate of the city, from the ranking of each house to w hether an errant house must be destroyed. Drow factions that more or less uphold the social order of M enzoberranzan are the second category. These include the academy of Tier Breche and the m ercenary company of Bregan D ’aerthe. Their struc­ ture is different from that of the houses, and they lie outside the house ranking system (and thus have no say on the Ruling Council), but they are both influ­ enced by the intrigue among the houses and exert a subtle influence on them in return. The third group of factions consists of various internal and external forces opposed to the social order of M enzoberranzan. Three of those that dwell nearest to M enzoberranzan—the Jaezred Chaulssin, the Scourged Legion, and the Sept of Ill’Ghact—are described at the end of this chapter. O f course, M en­ zoberranzan has enemies near and far, so this roster is far from exhaustive. The inform ation in this chapter includes these details about factions of M enzoberranzan.

Name In a society that places so m uch weight on house rank, a drow ’s surnam e m eans everything. After they descended into the Underdark, m any dark elf clans altered their ancestral nam es. A famous example of this practice is clan Daerm on N ’a’shezbaernon, who later adopted the house nam e of Do’Urden. Many centuries later, the practice of invoking the ancient clan nam e in formal settings cam e into vogue. The practice was so popular that drow houses that arose long after the originals also adopted the practice by retroactively establishing a formal name. The shaded box near the start of each faction entry shows the faction’s nam e and other information.

Glyph In the ancient days when dark elf clans still lived in the sunlit world, they used runes to m ark clan

territorial boundaries, to brand possessions, and as way-markers for travelers. Now the noble houses dis­ play glyphs, unique to each family, upon the insignia each drow carries. Defensive glyphs are common among the noble houses as well, protecting belong­ ings and guarding homes. Magic woven into the rune will discharge whenever disturbed by a being who does not bear a house insignia, or who does not whis­ per the secret “word of passage.” Each noble house’s entry includes a depiction of its glyph.

Traits Each faction has at least two prom inent traits that define it. These term s are used as shorthand to describe the factions succinctly. A u th o rita ria n : Brooks nothing less than absolute obedience from its m em bers and allies. A varicious: Driven by the acquisition of wealth. D uplicitous: Quick to betray allies and shift allegiances. H e d o n istic: Pursues the path of greatest pleasure and instant gratification. M ilitaristic: Glorifies might and power. S adistic: Relishes the act of inflicting pain and suffering upon others. S ecretive: Paranoid and untrusting of others. Z ealous: Fervent in its adoration of Lolth.

Power Rating A faction’s power rating is a general indication of its significance in the world. In the case of noble houses, it is also used as a modifier to determ ine how chal­ lenging it is for an individual to raise her W orth (page 120) w ithin that house. The rating is a value between 3 and 15 derived by totaling the faction’s Might, Favor, and W ealth scores (see below). The higher a faction’s power rating, the more difficult it is to rise in status within the house—it’s easier to advance w ithin a lesser noble house, for example, than w ithin a ruling house.

Might Might is an aggregate of a faction’s m ilitary strength, determ ined by the num ber of slaves, soldiers, noble warriors, wizards, and priestesses under the house’s com m and. Factions w ith the militaristic trait also tend to have greater Might. Might is m easured on a scale from 1 to 5, shown in each faction entry using dagger icons: /

Favor Favor is a faction’s standing w ith the Church of Lolth, m easured by the num ber of priestesses w ithin the faction and a noble house’s rank. Factions with the zealous trait tend to have greater Favor. Like Might, Favor is m easured on a scale from 1 to 5, shown

using spider icons: S. Factions that are opposed to the Church of Lolth have 0 Favor.

Wealth Wealth is a simple m easure of a faction’s affluence. Wealth tends to correspond to a noble house’s rank and favor. Houses w ith the avaricious trait tend to be wealthier, but houses w ith high might are usually less wealthy (it costs a great deal to m aintain a strong m il­ itary force). W ealth is also m easured on a scale from 1 to 5, shown using gem icons: <▼ >

Membership This entry lists the m em bership of the faction in general or very specific terms. For houses, this infor­ mation includes house nobles, soldiers affiliated w ith the house, and slaves.

Headquarters This entry nam es the faction’s headquarters. Typi­ cally, this place is described in m ore detail in the text or a sidebar within the faction entry.

Religious Affiliation This entry shows the faction’s association with a particular deity’s faith or organized church, w ith a parenthetical notation indicating, in relative terms, how closely affiliated the faction is. H O U S E R A N K S IN M E N Z O B E R R A N Z A N Sable Yecirs Drizzt’s Exile Birth of Drizzt (1297)

(1328)

House Rank In noble house descriptions, this inform ation appears at the start of a separate box in the longer, more detailed entries. The inform ation in this box is spe­ cific to a certain era in M enzoberranzan’s history, nam ed in the entry. In shorter house descriptions, the two boxes are run together, but the house’s rank is still particular to a specific era. The status of the drow houses, like the status of specific drow, waxes and wanes over the course of years. I low well a house m anages to hold onto its influence depends in part on the personal successes of its m em bers, but also on how it handles its interac­ tions w ith the rest of society. M enzoberranzan has roughly fifty noble houses at any given time, and only the top eight earn a seat on the Ruling Council.

Ranked Houses The table below sum m arizes the twenty highestranked houses in M enzoberranzan during most of the eras discussed in this book. Because the Found ing era covers such a large span of tim e and little historical record of the ranking of houses survives, it is not included in this table. The Sable Years, on the other hand, were a tum ultuous tim e m arked by the rise and fall of House Do’Urden, so two specific dates in the Sable Years are shown.

Spellplague/

Time of Troubles

W ar of the

Spider Queen

Demon Weave

(1358)

(1372)

(1480)

Baenre ~* Baenre Baenre Baenre ~* Baenre ~* Barrison Del’Armgo Barrison Del’Armgo ~* Barrison Del’Armgo -*■ Barrison Del’Armgo -*■ Barrison Del’Armgo Xorlarrin Faen Tlabbar v Oblodra Oblodra X Oblodra -» Faen Tlabbar Xorlarrin Faen Tlabbar ** H rost Ulu’ar X DeVir X Mizzrym Agrach Dyrr X Xorlarrin Hun’e tt X Hrost Ulu’ar Fey-Branche Mizzrym Agrach Dyrr * Faen Tlabbar * Hun’e tt Melarn Mizzrym Fey-Branche Xorlarrin * Faen Tlabbar * Vandree Tuin’Tarl X Fey-Branche * Agrach Dyrr * Xorlarrin * Duskryn Duskryn ~> Tuin’Tarl Do’Urden X Agrach Dyrr * Druu’giir Kenafin (Melarn) <* Duskryn * Fey-Branche <■* Do’Urden * Hunzrin Srune’Lett X Srune’Lett ~* Fey-Branche * Mizzrym * Ixit’shii Horlbar (Melarn) <* Horlbar ~* Tuin’Tarl * Freth X Higure Kenafin D ruu’giir «* Duskryn * Mizzrym * Millithor Hunzrin / D ruu’giir S rune’Lett Tuin’Tarl * Ignin’ri Shobalar X Hunzrin * Kenafin -* Duskryn * T’orgh Ixit’shii * Shobalar * Horlbar * Kenafin * Despana Vandree *■» Higure * Druu’giir * Teken’duis X Symryvvin Symryvvin -*• Symryvvin ~* Symryvvin Symryvvin -*• Ousstyl Fathomlin X Hunzrin * Ixit’shii Srune’Lett Godeep Vandree * H’K arX Shobalar -* Horlbar v : House rank declined from this era to th e next. * : House rank improved from this era to th e next. X : House ceased to exist during or after this era. -*■: House rank stayed th e sam e from this era to the next.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Leadership

Encounters

For noble houses, this entry consists of five roles, specific to one era of play: the house m atron m other (the dictatorial ruling female head of the house), first priestess (typically the m atron m other’s eldest daugh­ ter, who supervises the day-to-day operations of the house), house wizard (the leader of the house’s arcane spellcasters), house weapon m aster (who trains and leads the house warriors), and patron (the favored consort of the m atron mother, who holds the highest rank possible for a male drow). Dates shown in p aren ­ theses after the nam e of the m atron m other indicate the dates of her rule, not of her life. For other factions, this is a single entry showing the leader or leaders of the faction.

The entries for non house factions also include sug­ gestions for what an encounter with m embers of that faction might look like—where they’re found, what a group of m em bers might look like, and how an encounter might play out.

Allies and Rivals The Allies entry shows other factions that are formally or informally allied with the faction, while the Rivals entry indicates factions that compete or war with the faction. This information can shift (sometimes fre­ quently), so it might not apply to all campaign eras.

Adventurers Most of the entries in this chapter include a section describing the typical characteristics and possible backgrounds of player characters and other adventur­ ers affiliated with those factions. These backgrounds carry no rules weight, though you can decide to add bonus skills or other benefits as you see fit. Rather, they focus on character history and motivation as an aid to roleplaying. Some of these entries describe lofty positions that your character might aspire to rather th an backgrounds for starting characters.

Goals The longer entries contain an extensive description of the faction’s goals, w hich might or m ight not be specific to a particular cam paign era. A faction’s goals are key to determ ining its role in your campaign, p ar­ ticularly when the goals of different factions conflict w ith each other.

Notable Personages Longer faction entries include a description of some of the most im portant personages in the faction, typi­ cally specific to one or more cam paign eras.

Relationships Non-house faction entries include a longer descrip tion of the faction’s relationships w ith other factions and forces.

Creating Your Own House M enzoberranzan has dozens of noble houses, and little is known about most of them. For purposes of your campaign, it’s a fairly simple m atter to come up w ith a house of your own, as a new faction either to oppose your player characters or for a character to be a m em ber of.

Name M aking up the nam e of a drow house can be chal­ lenging. Fortunately, an abundance of houses are already nam ed, with little other established inform a­ tion about them: K N O W N H O U SE N AM ES Known Minor House Names

A uvryndar Bront’tej Celofraie Elec’thiel Freth Freth (Homeland) Godeep H’Kar Hekar (Starless Night) Maivert (Homeland) Masq’il’yr

Millithor Mlin’thabbyn Nurbonnis Ousstyl S’sril Syr’thaerl Takandoys (Homeland) Teken’duis Thaeyalla X’larraz’e t’soj Zolond

Known Non-noble Families

Asbodela Balartyr Bluirren Chueth’duis Dlaen’ Del’A m atar Fael Olyphar Hael’lrin H’tith e t lllith’vir liueph liystryph Klor’lbar Llarabbar Miliskeera N eereath

Ol’il’isk Orlzz’Hune Ouol Ryrrl Shun Tahaladar Ssh’starm Thadalix Tirin Tuek’tharm Ulutar Urundlet V ahadarr W aeth del’ta r Yulaun’tlar Yune’duis

Rank

Favor

You can choose your house’s rank or roll on the fol­ lowing table. If you decide to create a major house or one on the Ruling Council, you might set your cam ­ paign during the Founding Years (when the ranks of these houses is not recorded), or else m ake an inten­ tional change from w hat has been established in this and other sourcebooks.

This formula determ ines a house’s Favor.

HOUSE R A N K

H O U S E FA V O R

RltH— 1 - 8 ........ 9-30 31-50 51-100

Q2EEI Favor Score 1 40 41-70 » s

Rank

Ruling Council G reater noble Lesser noble Common family

71-90 91-98 9 9 -1 0 0

Traits Choose or roll on the table below to determ ine at least two traits for your house. You can also m ake up your own traits. HO USE T R A IT S d8

Trait

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

A uthoritarian Duplicitous Avaricious Hedonistic Militaristic Sadistic Secretive Zealous

Might Score

m

10 points if a lesser noble house 25 points if a g reater noble house 50 points if p art of Ruling Council 25 points for avarice trait 10 points per favor score (1 -5) -5 points per m ight score (1-5)

<*> iWk/i% \w lO&JWk /A\ \W \Y/ \Y/ iWi iCtfk M .aWl >▼/■ iWk iWi iVk iVk iWk \T/ \Y/ \Y/’ >▼/

0-29 30 40 55 75+

W ealth W ealth W ealth W ealth W ealth

Points Points Points Points Points

Power Add the ranking (1-5) for the house's Might, Favor, and W ealth to determ ine its power.

Once these starting factors are determ ined, you can flesh out your new house w ith a headquarters, the nam es of its leadership, its allies and rivals, and its goals, using the examples in this chapter to guide you.

H O U SE M IG H T

//// /////

This formula determ ines a house’s W ealth.

Other Characteristics

1 point per house solider 2 points per noble w arrior 3 points per wizard 4 points per priestess 5 points per high priestess 50 points for having militaristic trait

0-299 3 00 500 1,250 3 ,000+

Favor Points Favor Points Favor Points Favor Points Favor Points

Wealth

1-40 41-70 71-90 91-98 99-1 0 0

Use the formula below to determ ine your house’s Might. Alternatively, you can choose a Might ranking (or roll randomly) and use that as a guide to deter­ mining the house’s membership. 54point per slave

/ //

nm mm

0-29 30 50 75 150+

H O U SE W EA LTH dlOO Wealth Score

Might

d100 1-40 41-70 71-90 91-98 99-100

1 point per priestess 5 points per high priestess 10 points if a lesser noble house 25 points if a g reater noble house 50 points if p art of Ruling Council 50 points for zealous trait

Might Might Might Might Might

Points Points Points Points Points

House Baenre The autocratic ruling house o f Menzoberranzan, head of the Ruling Council almost from the city’sfounding

House Baenre Traits: Authoritarian, zealous Power: 15 m h t > <*>

<*>

Membership: 63 house nobles (16 high priest­ esses, 31 priestesses, 4 warriors, 12 wizards), 2,600 soldiers, 700 slaves Headquarters: Baenre compound; Q u’ellarz’orl Religious Affiliation: Church of Lolth (strong)

Far older th an most people realize, House Baenre has roots extending back past the founding of M enzober­ ranzan. The house was em broiled in civil w ar in the lost drow city of Golothaer, and its first families fled w ith M enzoberra on her exodus through the U nder­ dark. As one of only seven families to stand w ith the M enzoberra at the founding of her city, House Baenre stood poised to reap m any glories in the Spider Q ueen’s name. After a cataclysmic explosion slew M enzoberra and obliterated all but two other families, House Baenre seized control of the City of Spiders and has never lost its vaunted position in the five m illennia since. Since then, House Baenre has rem ained the stron­ gest and most envied house in M enzoberranzan. W ith sixteen high priestesses, few doubt the divine m andate bestowed upon the First House by Lolth. W hile not as prestigious, House Baenre’s arcane prowess is impressive as well, w ith House W izard Grom ph holding the title of Archm age of M enzober­ ranzan, the highest-ranking mage in the city. House Baenre’s elite warriors are second to none, well trained and equipped w ith the finest gear available in the city. House Baenre’s tendrils reach deep throughout M enzoberranzan, com m anding the loyalty of more major houses th an any other, as well as enjoying close ties w ith the masters and high priestesses of Tier Breche. Perhaps the First H ouse’s m ost cunning alli­ ance is with the renegade m ercenary band know n as Bregan D ’aerthe. Through that organization’s spy net­ work, House Baenre has been successful in ferreting out and elim inating num erous challengers to its rule.

Baenre Compound House Baenre occupies the highest tier in the m ain cavern of M enzoberranzan, at the eastern end of Qu’ellarz’orl. The compound is roughly oval in shape, three-eighths of a mile long and a quarter-m ile wide, surrounded by a magnificent and magical fence that has the appearance of a silver spider’s web wrapped around the general blue hues of the Baenre com­ pound. Twenty feet high, this barrier is formed of iron strands as thick as a drow’s arm , and enchanted so that anything touching it becomes stuck fast until the m atron m other of the house wills it to be freed. Rumors suggest that not even the sharpest of drow weapons can put a nick in this Lolth-given gift. Entrance is gained through one of several sym m etri­ cal web-gates, the principal one being set between the outer com pound’s tallest two stalagmites, which spiral out, creating a circular gap. The central structure of House Baenre is a glow­ ing, purple dome, which covers a chapel large enough to seat all 2,600 of the house drow. Around its anchoring symmetry, twenty huge stalagmite mounds extend upw ard in a variety of shapes, some tall and slender, others short and squat, all interconnected w ith gracefully sweeping and arching bridges and parapets. These cham bers are hollow, w ith their inte­ riors providing living space for the house members. Even more striking are the inverse structures of the thirty stalactites that loom over the compound. Not all are hollow like the stalagmite mounds, but each is ringed w ith balconies, curving downward like the edges of a screw. Some connect tip -to -tip w ith sta­ lagmite mounds; others hang freely, except for stone skywalks linking them to other structures. A thousand soldiers, adorned in their meticulous Baenre silver uniform s and displaying badges distin­ guishing their house and rank, are always on patrol along these skywalks and balconies. The largest gar­ rison, forty-five elite female warriors, patrols the area around the central dome and the two stalagmite m ounds immediately flanking it (where the noble family resides: females in the more elaborate struc­ ture, males in the lesser mound). The great m ound occupied by M atron Baenre and her daughters also houses its own inner garrison of fifty elite female warriors, twenty-five per shift, who patrol in groups of five. Throughout the house’s storied history, each Baenre m atron m other has sat upon the same fear­ some black th ro n e—a wonder in whose gleaming depths w rithe strange shapes rum ored to be the spir­ its of House Baenre’s victims.

ADVENTURERS OF HOUSE BAENRE “Do not forget your place, or I will beforced to remind you who bears the favor of Lolth.” Join House Baenre if you w ant to: ♦ Be a scion of the highest-ranked and most powerful house in Menzoberranzan. ♦ Play a paragon of drow privilege and birthright, favored of Lolth. ♦ Fight for every scrap of social standing to distinguish yourself from your siblings. B A E N R E H O U S E P R IE S T E S S As a house priestess, the course of your life has been laid out since the day you were born. O f course you entered the priesthood-it was your duty as a daughter of Baenre-and you expect to advance quickly. Your duty to Lolth is important to you-almost as important as your duty to the matron mother. Consider

of traitorous rhetoric is repeated by bored males with too much ability for their own good. Matron Baenre has tasked you with infiltrating one of these mage gatherings and ferreting out the truth of their agenda. If Gromph is found to be complicit in any treason, you are ordered to find incontrovertible evidence of his crimes. Characteristics: Bloodthirsty, cruel, disciplined. Prerequisites: Drow (female only; male drow are never accepted into Lolth’s priesthood); member of House Baenre. B A E N R E ELIT E G U A R D No force in all of Menzoberranzan is as well equipped as the soldiers that serve in House Baenre’s elite guard. As a member of the elite house guard, you report up the ranks to the house weapon master, who in turn reports directly to Matron Baenre. Depending on your skills, you might be an archer, a foot soldier, a lizard rider, or a templar.

every quest or endeavor you undertake equally in terms of how it benefits Lolth and how it advances House Baenre. The stronger your house grows in Lolth’s favor, the more you can ask of it in exchange. React to others based primarily on their value to you. Your adventuring companions are vital to your survival, so don’t alienate them. Judge all individuals by how much influence they wield, and offer them respect accordingly. You do not revere life for its own sake, and you are puzzled by those who speak about the inher­ ent value or dignity of living beings. Still, you are not a wanton murderer, but you have no compunctions about killing when it’s expedient or convenient. You take pleasure in inflicting pain, as is your birthright. You always w atch the males in your house for treachery. The masters of Sorcere have long been

House Baenre’s slave force is not as numerous as those of other houses, so many menial burdens are placed upon guards of low rank. You try to avoid such work. Most of your fellow guards are tasked with patrol­ ling the Baenre compound, but you have been given special orders reserved for a select few-you have been tasked with assembling a reconnaissance force that has no overt ties to House Baenre. W ith this force, you will scout out the environs of the ruined City of Wyrmshadows and report on any Jaezred Chaulssin activity in the vicinity. C h a ra c te ristics : Self-assured, short-tempered, experienced. Prerequisites: Drow (primarily male, but the Baenre elite guard does host a battalion or two of female w ar­

rumored to convene arcane moots in which all manner

riors); member of House Baenre.

T h e S a ble Y e a r s : Yv o n n e l t h e E t e r n a l No drow living in M enzoberranzan during the Sable Years has known a time when Yvonnel Baenre did not rule as First Matron. In her centuries as head of the First House, Yvonnel established House Baenre as an indelible bastion of power with the unquestioned favor of Lolth. Belying her sobriquet, Yvonnel died in 1358 DR after a life spanning more than two thousand years. Thus, most of the inform ation presented here is appli­ cable during m uch of the Founding era as well as the entirety of the Sable Years and the Time of Troubles.

H ouse B aenre in the Sable Years Rank: 1st [Ruling Council] Matron Mother: Yvonnel Baenre ( -7 DR to 13S8 DR) First Priestess: Triel Baenre House Wizard: Gromph Baenre House Weapon Master: Dantrag Baenre Patron: None Allies: Bregan D’aerthe, House Agrach Dyrr, House

Faen Tlabbar, House Xorlarrin Rivals: House Barrison Del’Armgo, House Oblodra

Left to right: B la d en ’K erst, First P riestess Triel, M atron M other Yvonnel, Vendes, W eapon M aster D antrag

Over the last few centuries, Yvonnel Baenre has eroded the power of the Ruling Council. Severely dim inished, the council is little more than a gather­ ing of puppet houses unwittingly enacting edicts that favor the continued supremacy of House Baenre. Having secured unprecedented control over the city, M atron M other Yvonnel Baenre serves as the closest thing M enzoberranzan has ever had to a queen—a title she would surely claim, if such offices had not been forbidden by the Way of Lolth. House Baenre’s spy network is vast, and the m atron m other is not the least bit hesitant to employ non-drow, including illithids and hum ans, to forward her twisted schemes. Yvonnel’s chief advisor concerning matters beyond M enzoberranzan’s borders is the m ind flayer El-Viddenvelp, known as Methil. M atron Baenre has secretly delved a small hollow adjacent to the coun­ cil chamber so that Methil can secretly monitor the thoughts of those participating in the proceedings. As First M atron, Yvonnel has principal say in the disposition of surviving nobles and soldiers of defeated drow houses. To m aintain appearances, M atron Baenre does not hoard all of these refugees, but it’s no accident that the most prom ising and malleable ones find themselves among the ranks of House Baenre.

O f the other m em bers of the Ruling Council, only House Barrison D el’A rmgo and House Oblodra pose any threat to the supremacy of House Baenre. Yvon­ nel has set in motion decades-long plans to discredit both houses in the eyes of Lolth.

Goals Having risen to the zenith of political might m illen­ nia past, House Baenre achieved its greatest desires long ago. Yvonnel and her daughters appear content to serve Lolth and allow M enzoberranzan’s chaotic story to unfold around them . Their complacency during this tim e period will lead to poor decisions, including an ill-fated invasion against the dwarves of M ithral Hall. LTntil that event occurs, House Baenre devotes its energy toward m aintaining the status quo in M enzoberranzan, w ith itself secure at the top.

Notable Personages B erg ’inyon: Yvonnel’s youngest and favorite son, Berg’inyon trained at Melee-Magthere alongside Drizzt D o’Urden, to w hom he always came in second. Berg’inyon has never forgiven D rizzt for outclassing him , and that hatred still runs deep. B la d e n ’K erst: The second oldest daughter of Yvon­ nel. Bladen’Kerst might have been assigned a m inor house of her own, but she is so cruel and difficult to

control that she has been held back at House Baenre, put in charge of torturing captives. Lacking even the cold civility of the drow, Bladen’Kerst revels in caus­ ing pain. She is particularly contem ptuous of male drow, whom she sees merely as test subjects for her latest techniques for inflicting agony. D an trag : W eapon m aster D antrag is the house’s principal m ilitary leader and its most skilled warrior. Dantrag has a curious code of honor for a drow, p re­ ferring not to attack unarm ed opponents or to strike from behind. W ith the aid of magic bracers, D antrag fights w ith am azing speed and acuity. His favorite weapon is the sentient and m align blade K hazid’hea. Liriel: Born of the union betw een Grom ph and Sosdrielle Vandree, Liriel was taken into House Baenre at a young age so that the archm age could cultivate her latent magical potential. After growing independent and restless because of the m any restric­ tions at Arach-Tinilith, Liriel fled to the surface world for a life of exploration. H unted by her house and her father, Liriel joined up w ith a hum an berserker and set sail across the Sea of Swords. Triel: At just under five feet tall, Triel is smaller in stature th an most drow females, yet she carries herself w ith such grace and gravitas there can be no doubt she enjoys the favor of Lolth. As Mistress Mother of Arach-Tinilith, Triel com m ands a voice in the city equaled only by the First Matron, but lacks the political acum en or quick wit to utilize her posi­ tion to its fullest potential. Triel is content in her current role and has no designs on usurping her m other or stepping down to foster a lesser house. If she is irritated, Triel’s cool dem eanor quickly evapo­ rates to reveal an incendiary temper. Vendes: Another daughter ofYvonnel, Vendes is sadistic and wicked. Like her sister Bladen’Kerst, Vendes enjoys the art of torture and goes about her assignments with a grim relish that has earned her the nickname Duk-Tak, from the drow words for "unholy executioner.” Some of the few monuments to adorn the City of Spi­ ders are the drow she has turned into ebony statues. Yvonnel: Older than any other drow known, Yvonnel carries herself with an ease that reeks of cockiness. If she ever had any fears or worries, they have been long forgotten. H er youthful appearance faded centu­ ries ago, though she sometimes uses elixirs to present the illusion of comeliness. Her true visage is criss­ crossed with numerous deep wrinkles, and her hair has become thin and stringy, giving her a wraith-like appearance. Having grown tired of most physical plea­ sures, Yvonnel devotes her time to political intrigue and psychological web-weaving. Her favorite toy is her prized spider wand, which she can use to entangle an enemy (or a disrespectful subordinate) in a sticky strand of webbing, or to deliver a poison-laced blow. She enjoys entangling victims and then listening to their screams as poison races through their bodies.

T h e S pellpla g u e E r a : | D y n a s t y D im in ish e d < 83

The events of the last century have eroded the abso­ lute power that House Baenre once enjoyed. In Baenre’s struggle to m aintain its position as the First House of M enzoberranzan, its w eakened influence has brought about the restoration of meaningful authority to the Ruling Council. Quenthel Baenre succeeded her sister Triel around 1383 DR, m aking this inform ation applicable throughout the Spellplague era.

House Baenre in the Spellplague Era Rank: 1st [Ruling Council]

M atron M other: Quenthel Baenre (1383 DR to present) First Priestess: Sos’Umptu Baenre House W izard : Gromph Baenre House W eap o n Master: Andzrel Baenre

Patron: Velkryst Baenre (Xorlarrin) Allies: Bregan D ’aerthe, House Faen Tlabbar, House Xorlarrin, House Vandree

Rivals: House Barrison Del'Armgo, House Melarn

Favored by Lolth at a young age, Q uenthel set her sights on the title of Mistress M other of Arach-Tinilith and rose to the rank of high priestess faster than any before her. Before she could seize her prize, how­ ever, Quenthel was cut down by the renegade drow Drizzt. She languished in the Demonweb Pits for four years before being restored to the m ortal realm . Soon after, Quenthel joined w ith a band of drow to inves­ tigate Lolth’s silence, and later directly witnessed the rebirth of Lolth as a greater deity. A decade after returning to the City of Spiders as a dark heroine to her fanatical people, Quenthel Baenre pushed her sister Triel into a confronta­ tion w ith her that Triel couldn’t hope to win. After delivering the former m atron m other’s soul to Lolth personally, Quenthel enjoyed a unique level of favor and intim acy w ith the Queen of Spiders. But as First Matron Quenthel was set to dissolve the Ruling Council, the Spellplague struck, irrevocably halt­ ing Q uenthel’s grand ambitions at forging a dark elf em pire not witnessed since fabled Ilythiir of old. Awakened to the new realities of life in the postSpellplague era, House Baenre has moved to secure the city from external threats previously unknow n to the citizens of M enzoberranzan. Over the last century, a more pragmatic Quenthel has proven to be a strong and even-tempered matron, though her insistence on keeping the title and duties of the Mistress Mother of Arach-Tinilith has drawn her attention away from the machinations of the Ruling Council.

Q

L eft to right: Tiago, First P riestess Sos’U m ptu, M atron M other Q u ^ ^ t^ M y in e r y l , Aum on

Goals Q uenthel’s prim ary goal is to fulfill her role as m atron m other of the First House by ensuring that M enzoberranzan is secure from outside threats during a time of ongoing chaos. To that end, she has increased patrols in the D ark Dom inion (page 98) and has spies everywhere, alert to any news that might m ean im m inent danger to the city. H er secondary goal is to make sure that House Baenre has and keeps the favor of Lolth—and its right­ ful place at the head of the Ruling Council. She is particularly displeased at House M elarn’s new selfappointed role as the inquisitors of Lolth, and is trying to decide how best to obliterate this upstart house.

Notable Personages A ndzrel: The epitome of discipline, Andzrel became weapon m aster of House Baenre after his cousin Berg’inyon joined Bregan D ’aerthe and left the city.. He is tall and slender, rarely seen without his signature blackened m ithral plate arm or and dark cloak. His expression is often direct and purposeful, an unusual trait in a drow of high birth. A um on: At age twenty, Aum on is currently com ­ pleting his first year at the Academy. As elderboy, he is expected to replace Andzrel as weapon m aster when his studies conclude, but Aumon has other aspirations. The young m ale is being surreptitiously

coerced by the Jaezred Chaulssin to betray his m other and seize control of House Baenre. M yrineyl: As Q uenthel’s firstborn, Myrineyl has been groomed from an early age to rule. In stark contrast to her aunt Sos’Umptu, Myrineyl is sadistic through and through. The young priestess harbors a bizarre fascination w ith surface elves, always keeping one as a personal attendant; such playthings rarely survive long and are quickly replaced. Myrineyl is equally adept at both divine and arcane magic. Q u e n th e l: Quenthel is the epitome of the noble drow priestess. She is arrogant, confident, and fearless; few drow would dare gainsay her least com m and. The First M atron is a tall, athletic, and graceful w om an of great beauty. Though an accom­ plished high priestess in her own right, Quenthel lacks the gifts of patience and subtlety that m arked her m other’s long rule of the city. The circum stances of Q uenthel’s resurrection rem ain shrouded in mys­ tery, and the First M atron does not speak of the event. Quenthel employs a scourge w ith five sentient snake heads, each with its own wicked personality and desires. These snakes have been known to exercise some influence over Q uenthel’s decisions. Sos’U m ptu: Quenthel’s only rem aining female sib­ ling, Sos’Umptu is serving as the house’s first priestess until Q uenthel’s eldest daughter Myrineyl graduates from the Academy. Since Myrineyl is in her final year of study, Sos’Umptu is prudently laying the ground­ work for establishing a new house of her own. She

spends much of her time at the Fane of the Goddess in West Wall, a public cathedral constructed in no small measure through her own efforts. Sos’Umptu has Quenthel’s height, but her reserved dem eanor is more akin to that of her deceased older sister, Triel. She has a sharp, subtle mind, and keeps her calculated, delib­ erate maliciousness carefully held in check. Tiago: Handsom e and skilled w ith a sword, Tiago has inherited all the best traits from his grandfa­ ther Dantrag. Only a few years separate the elder Tiago and his uncle Aumon in age, and the two are fierce but friendly rivals. Currently, Tiago serves as Andzrel’s first assistant, and is often seen riding his spectacular lizard m ount Byok in th e city. Tiago is having a very special sword and shield m ade in Gauntlgrym that he believes he will need to fend off Aumon and supplant Andzrel as weapon master. Velkryst: Quenthel claim ed Velkryst, a former Xorlarrin house wizard, as her patron at the tu rn of the century despite his family’s protests. The two have birthed five healthy daughters and two males. In recent years, Quenthel has grown increasingly dis­ satisfied w'ith Velkryst’s affections, and he rightfully fears that his days are num bered.

The Demon W eave During the events surrounding Lolth s creation of the Demon Weave, Quenthel is torn. On one hand, Quen­ thel wants and needs to retain the favor of Lolth. On the other, the fact that Lolth chose the form of Danifae to bring her message to the drow feels like a slap in the face to Quenthel, who wanted the honor that Danifae stole from her. And she is not willing to share her power, or the power of the priestesses as a whole, with upstart male wizards. She feels as though she is balanced on a knife’s edge, with the abyss of Lolth’s disfavor on one side and the horror of losing her grip on power—of upsetting the entire Way of Lolth—on the other. Q uenthel’s position is complicated by her brother Gromph, the head of Sorcere and the Baenre house wizard. For decades, Gromph has lurked in the shad­ ows, steering the city according to his wishes and subtly underm ining his sister’s authority. Quenthel believes he must be deeply entw ined in schemes to usurp her power, but she is unable to discern exactly what he’s up to. Her spies have told her of a cabal of wizards calling themselves the Council of Spiders and seeking wizard representation on the Ruling Council, and she believes that Grom ph m ust be involved in this treachery. So far, she has not been able to prove it. See the sidebar on page 13 for more information about the Council of Spiders.

House Do’Urden Aspiring to greatness, but brought low by the actions o f one errant secondboy and his unusual conscience

House D o’Urden Traits: Militaristic, sadistic Power: 9 /

/

/ / /

/

^

(TO
'' A ' i i V t iW k

\ w \T/- \W

Membership: 21 house

nobles (4 high priest­ esses, 8 priestesses, 7 warriors, 2 wizards), 350 soldiers, 350 slaves Headquarters: Do’Urden

com pound; W est Wall Religious Affiliation: Church of Lolth (strong)

For centuries, House Do’Urden worked to crawl its way from a lesser house to a rising power perched on the cusp of true prominence. By the end of the Found­ ing era, Do’Urden (or Daerm on N’a’shezbaernon, its ancient and formal name) was the Tenth House of M enzoberranzan and clearly on the way to a seat on the Ruling Council. W henever the name Do’Urden was spoken, M atron Baenre could be seen to give the slightest nod of approval, suggesting that Lolth’s favor upon the house was great indeed. To all appearances, House Do’U rden is a perfect m odel of the way the game of status in M enzober­ ran zan should be played. Always careful to weigh the favor of Lolth, the house has clim bed the ranks of power by striking against more powerful houses that have lost the Spider Queen’s favor. The house m akes strong alliances, notably with House Baenre, and avoids m aking enemies needlessly. And its lead­ ership has always been savvy in the subtler games of intrigue, securing positions of influence for even the younger daughters and sons of the house. For all of House Do’U rden’s devotion to Lolth and attention to the webs of intrigue in the city, however, its ultim ate fate is a testimony to the fickle favor of the Spider Queen, easily lost and difficult to regain. Some peoples might look to the example of House D o’Urden and draw' a lesson about the dangers of hubris, observing how easy it is for the proud and ambitious to m eet a grim end. For the drow, however, House Do’Urden is a rem inder of how im portant it is to be utterly ruthless and unfailingly true to the Way of Lolth. M atron Malice, it is said, knew' the traitor­ ous heart of her weapon m aster and former patron, Zaknafein. She knew that he questioned Lolth’s ways

and despised his own race, and yet she allowed him to live, channeling his anger and aggression into training the house’s soldiers, m aking them an elite fighting force that facilitated House Do’U rden’s climb to the threshold of the Ruling Council. This weakness, allowing an apostate to live, was the downfall of House Do’Urden, for if it were not for Zaknafein’s soft heart, Drizzt Do’Urden could never have become the good-hearted, selfless, fair-m inded abom ination he is. Because of Zaknafein and Drizzt, House Do’Urden lost Lolth’s favor, and Drizzt was only sixty years old when his house collapsed in ruin. After the Sable Years, the houses of M enzoberran­ zan look to the ambition, the subtlety, and the cruelty of House Do’U rden as an example, but only while realizing that they must be m ore ruthless th an House Do’Urden if they w ant to stay in Lolth’s favor.

Do’Urden Compound House Do’Urden’s residence is built into the great cav­ ern’s W est Wall, rather than being inside stalagmites and stalactites as most noble houses’ headquarters are. Two huge stalagmite pillars serve as anchoring posts for the compound gate and also house the slave and drow commoners attached to the family. Most m em ­ bers of the house, including all its nobles, reside in the two-level cave complex w ithin the wall. The first level is a virtual m aze of tunnels and small residence halls, featuring a large dining area and a training ground. The house chapel looms at the back wall, two stories high and of sim ilar design to House Baenre's. The upper level can be reached only through the chapel balcony or the outer balcony overlooking the Do’Urden compound, and neither entrance has a staircase. The family drow use their levitation abili­ ties to reach the balconies. A long, straight corridor runs w estward from the outer balcony. Seven side passages to the north lead to the small suites of the ruling family, the last belong­ ing to M atron Malice, and the one before that serving as the m atron m other’s alchem ical laboratory. The south side of the upper complex holds a large dining hall, a two-room suite for Rizzen (the current patron), and a three-room suite occupied by W eapon M aster Zaknafein, including his private quarters, a small training area, and the house’s war room. At the end of the upper complex’s m ain hall lies the most im portant cham ber in the compound, the chapel anteroom. Malice and her principal priest­ esses gather there in times of war, directing their forces against enemy houses and factions. The ante­ room connects to the chapel proper.

T h e S a b le Y ea r s: M a l ic e R is in g Fiercely ambitious, conniving, loyal only to Lolth, and ruthless in the extreme, Malice Do’Urden is by all m easures the perfect m atron mother. But will fate perm it D aerm on N ’a’shezbaernon to ascend to the Ruling Council, or bring it crashing down? The period of the Sable Years is defined by House Do’Urden. This era begins w ith House Do’Urden’s attack on House DeVir in 1297 DR and ends with the destruction of the house in 1357. Malice was killed by her daughter Briza in 1337 in a futile attem pt to regain Lolth’s favor upon her house, but House Baenre violated its alliance with Do’Urden and destroyed that house on Lolth’s orders in the same year. Vierna Do’Urden attem pted to rebuild the house in 1357, but her death at Drizzt’s hands put an end to that effort, leaving Drizzt the last surviving Do’Urden. This entry is most suitable for play during M alice’s rule, anytim e between 918 and 1339 DR.

House D o’Urden in the Sable Years Rank: 10th until 1297, then 9th Matron Mother: Malice Do’Urden (918 DR to 1339 DR) First Priestess: Briza Do’Urden House Wizard: Ozomar Do’Urden House Weapon Master: Zaknafein Do’Urden Patron: Rizzen Do’Urden Allies: House Baenre Rivals: House Hun’ett, House Fey-Branche

Llouse Do’U rden is clearly on the fast track toward the Ruling Council, having recently ascended to the ninth rank w ith one of the finest house eliminations ever carried out in M enzoberranzan against House DeVir. M atron Ginafae learned firsthand the pen­ alty for falling out of the Spider Queen’s favor when Zaknafein cut out her tongue with his whip. On the same day that House DeVir was destroyed, a male child was born to Malice: Drizzt, a drow who would seal the fate of the Do’Urden family and, unintentionally, shake the foundations of M enzo­ berranzan in years to come. As the third living son, Drizzt was m arked for sacrifice to Lolth, but his eldest brother, Nalfein, was killed in the DeVir assault (by his brother Dinin) and therefore the babe was allowed to live. The might of House Do’Urden lies in the unques­ tioning fealty to Lolth of M atron Malice and her three eldest daughters, as well as the unrivaled instruction of Zaknafein. the House Do’Urden weapon master. Malice is an expert in the game of intrigue within the city, placing her children in im portant positions

ADVENTURERS OF HOUSE D O ’URDEN “My house has many claim s to greatness, and I w ill be one more.” Join House Do’Urden if you w ant to: ♦ Study with the greatest weapon master the city has ever known. ♦ Aid your house in seizing a position on the Ruling Council. ♦ Live secretly as a renegade apostate eschewing the Way of Lolth. DO’U RD EN R E N E G A D E Although thinking this way flies in the face of every­ thing you’ve been taught since a young age, you see the Way of Lolth for the corruptive dogma it truly is. You know in your heart there must be a better way, if only it would present itself to you. Because you are being raised in a city where treachery and underhandedness are rewarded, it’s only a matter of time before your apostate beliefs are recognized for what they are. H ow­ ever dangerous doing so might be, you strive daily to hold true to your principles. Until you can find trusted allies, you are resolved to keep your head down and avoid revealing your true beliefs. To purge you of any lingering vestiges of compassion, a trait many priestesses of Lolth view as a heretical weakness, Matron Mother Malice has demanded that you undergo the Rite of Blooding, a coming-of-age ritual that involves traveling to the surface world with your brothers and slaying a faerie elfin sacrifice to Lolth. To maintain both your personal code and station within your house, you must somehow deceive your drow comrades and deliver what they believe to be a suc­ cessful kill. If you fail to accomplish this task, your life

at the Academy or among prestigious troops patrol­ ling the Dark Dominion. Every move Malice and her daughters make is carefully weighed by the most p er­ tinent of all drow questions: Would it please Lolth, thereby elevating the station of House Do’Urden?

Goals One obsession alone has guided Malice’s actions over the last century and more. W ith House DeVir destroyed, M atron Malice is now only one rank away from her long-coveted seat on the Ruling Council. With her youngest son growing into an exceptional w arrior-his accolades at the Academy further enhancing House Do’U rden’s standing in the c ity attaining her ultim ate goal seems all but assured.

Notable Personages Briza: First priestess of House Do’Urden, Briza is most notable for her intim idating presence. Not only

will be forfeit. O r will you betray your principles and execute the surface elf, reveling in the merciless glory of being a drow? Characteristics: Honorable, secretive, self-reliant Prere q u isite s: D row (renegades can be of any gender, but are prim arily disenfranchised males); member of House Do’Urden D O ’U R D E N W E A P O N M A S T E R You are the premier master-at-arms of House Do’Urden, chosen by Matron Malice to train and lead the warriors of the house in combat. You are quick, deadly, and everything a drow warrior strives to be. Tutored by the legendary weapon master Zaknafein, you are a paragon of self-discipline and a master of the twin-sword fight­ ing style. As house weapon master, you have achieved a level of respect accorded to few males in Menzober­ ranzan society. Having been recently promoted, you will be con­ stantly tested by other drow warriors to see how your fighting ability compares to the legendary Zaknafein Do’Urden. You understand that it’s only a matter of time before Malice demands that you challenge your former instructor to settle the matter definitively. In the meantime, you’ve been tasked with marshaling new forces to strengthen the defense of the Do’Urden compound. Matron SiNafay Hun’ett has been making less than subtle threats against House Do’Urden, and Matron Malice believes an attack to be imminent. Characteristics: Composed, deadly, proud Prerequisites: Drow (weapon masters are primarily male-though a female can achieve the title, she would be accorded far less status than even a mediocre priest­ ess); member of House Do’Urden

physically m enacing, Briza has a sharp, angry tongue that gets her in trouble w ith superiors and strikes fear into those of lesser rank. Briza is always the first to punish her brothers or anyone else unfortunate enough to cross her. Dinin: The second-born son of Malice, Dinin killed his older brother Nalfein the moment he had an opportunity, allowing him to rise to the status of elderboy. A skilled fighter, Dinin seeks to become the m aster of the Academy at Melee-Magthere. Drizzt: As the third-born son of Malice, Drizzt was to be sacrificed to Lolth, but he was saved by the coin­ cidental m urder of his older brother Nalfein. Through his training at Melee-Magthere and his tutelage under Zaknafein, Drizzt has become an expert swordsman. His balance, speed, and agility are all superior to those of most of his opponents. Possessed of keen senses, Drizzt is almost unnaturally perceptive and nearly impossible to surprise. Drizzt’s lavender eyes set him

apart from most drow, whose eyes are typically red. Though born into a society where treachery is the rule of the day, Drizzt endeavors to live w ith honor and integrity. Drizzt’s most prized item (some say also his best friend) is a figurine o f wondrous power—an onyx panther called Guenhwyvar. O zom ar: Formerly of House D ruu’giir, this prom ­ ising Sorcere graduate gladly defected to House Do’U rden to serve Malice as house w izard after the m urder of his long-time enemy, Nalfein. Malice: Malice Do’Urden is the matriarch of House Do’Urden. She is a high-ranking priestess of Lolth, as well as a skilled alchemist capable of mixing various potions, elixirs, and salves. H er ability to bind a spiritwraith, a process she performed on former house patron Zaknafein, frightens rival drow priestesses. She has lived for five centuries in the unforgiving City of Spiders, rely­ ing on cunning and treachery to see her through. M aya: Little is known about the youngest of M alice’s three daughters. She plays the proper, sub­ servient role in family business, attendant to her m other’s every whim . Briza and Vierna constantly vie for their little sister’s attention, each of them trying to exert the most influence over her development. R izzen: Rizzen became patron of House Do’Urden after Malice stripped Zaknafein of that rank. The title

is largely, if not entirely, ceremonial, and Rizzen takes his orders from Briza as often as from Malice. A w ar­ rior and a former student of Zaknafein, Rizzen also has limited arcane talent-enough to make him useful to Malice and irritating to the first priestess. V ierna: The second daughter of Malice, Vierna was expected to slink into the background, but she has ambitions of her own. Her mother charged her w ith the upbringing of her brother Drizzt when the boy was a toddler, and during the first five years of his life, Vierna instilled in her brother the rigorous evil of the dark elf matriarchy. W hen Drizzt entered MeleeMagthere, Vierna becam e a high priestess in her own right and a mistress of the Academy, and soon came to set her sights on her m other’s throne. Vierna is as much at home in the wild Underdark as she is on the streets and w ithin the mansions of Menzoberranzan. Zaknafein: Arguably the finest weapon master in Menzoberranzan’s history, Zaknafein of House Do’Urden is also Drizzt’s father. Although Zaknafein has fought everything from demons to elementals in his nearly four centuries of life, he likes to kill drow most of all, especially priestesses of Lolth. Zaknafein prefers the twin-sword style ofMelee-Magthere, and he passes that style on to his son, along with his distaste for drow customs.

House Hunzrin A shrrwdfamlh' offarmers and merchants still regarded with scorn even by tower houses

House Hunzrin Traits: Avaricious, duplicitous Power: 9 /// • *

slave forc e and thwarting the occasional aberration* that rose from the depths of l.akr Donigaricn.

Hunzrin Compound House Hunzrin has many holdings--workshops, warehouses, and ranchcs—scattcled throughout Men/oberranzan, but the family’s primary residence remain* the ancestral estate in Eastmyr. The fenc ed compound stands about a stone s throw from the West Braeryn Gate.

# 3V 3';

Membership: 12 house

nobles (1 high priestess, 3 priestesses, 7 warriors, 1 wizard), 200 soldiers, 1,850 slaves Headquarters: Hunzrin compound; Eastmyr Religious Affiliation: Church of Lolth (weak)

Not all noble houses have the luxury of persisting on divine might and political intrigue alone. Lesser houses like Hunzrin must content themselves with pragmatic livelihoods in artifice or trade. Traditionally, this family of “stone head” farmers was notable for its near monopoly over agriculture within the city. Millennia past, Matron Ezka Hunzrin secured the parcel of land known today as Donigarten. The fungi farms, the moss bed, and the herd ofdeep rothe that sustain the citizens of Menzoberran­ zan all are property of House Hunzrin. If it were not for House Hunzrin’s small number of priestesses, this agricultural powerhouse would surely hold a position on the Ruling Council. Much of the family’s early success stemmed from a mutu­ ally beneficial alliance with House Baenre. As long as the Hunzrins limited their political aspirations and focused on the agronomic needs of the city, House Baenre agreed to lend its aid in policing the farm

T he Spellplague E ra : M ercantile E m pire House Hunzrin has control of the agricultural trade in Menzoberranzan, a fact that has led to the house being viewed as a bunch of “stone head" farmers. The fortunes of House Hunzrin have accelerated over the last century, kick-started by the accession of Shakti as matron mother in 1412 DR. The entry below applies throughout the Spellplague era.

House Hunzrin in the Spellplague Era Rank: 11th Matron Mother: Shakti Hunzrin First Priestess: Charri Hunzrin House Wizard: Xeva Hunzrin House Weapon Master: Keptus Hunzrin Patron: Barag Hunzrin Allies: House Barrison Del’Armgo. House Mizzrym, Brown Mushroom Coster Rivals: House Baenre, Black Claw Mercantile, Xaiyths Company

ADVENTURERS OF HOUSE HUNZRIN “I’d rather have a ‘stone head ’ than a soft one filled with useless ideas,” join House Hunzrin if you want to: ♦ Ally with a merchant clan where hard work is rewarded over political intrigue. 4- Play a drow commoner in a house that doesn’t turn up its nose at such humble origins. ♦ Be elderboy of an up-and-coming noble house. DROW TRADER

For centuries many a drow commoner has earned a living working as a sharecropper in one of House Hun­ zrin’s many farms. Particularly hardworking farmers can even aspire to join the merchant clan as a titled member of the family, earning slaves and additional perks along with the title. Tenant farmers that fail to

meet seasonal quotas, however, find themselves out of work or drowned In Lake Donigarten. As a trader in one of Hunzrin’s many guilds—involved in agriculture, mining, carving, or metallurgy-you have recently learned that one of the Donigarten overseers has been extorting tolls from caravans passing into the city from the Eastways. The exorbitant percentage the overseer is demanding has stifled trade, with some caravan masters opting to meet with competing clans. The decision set before you is this: Do you expose the overseer’s exorbitant skimming to your matron mother to curry her favor, or do you instead blackmail the overseer into cutting you in on the profits? Characteristics: Hard-working, patient, shrewd Prerequisites: Drow; member of House Hunzrin

L e ft to right: M atron M other S h a k ti, h e r bodygu ard K o rd k at, First P ries tessC h d rri, H otise y y iza r^ ^ ev d , W ea p on M aster K eptu s

House H unzrin is ambitious, but M atron Shakti wisely advances her intrigues more w ith shrewd business acum en than w ith tawdry back-alley assas­ sinations. Since claim ing the title o f m atron mother, Shakti has quietly am assed econom ic strength by subtly usurping control over m any o f the com m odi­ ties upon w hich the city relies. She hasn't used this activity to force a rise in the house’s rank, because she knows her house lacks the troops and the arcane might to survive such an attempt. Instead, she prefers to be recognized as a behind-the-scenes power, never enough o f a direct threat to alarm the Ruling C oun­ cil. W ith her new power base established, Shakti annulled her m other’s alliance w ith House Baenre. Shakti has long harbored enm ity for the First House, whom she views as a poor steward o f the city. In particular, the m atron m other holds a long-standing personal grudge against Liriel Baenre, who once bested Shakti at nai’s hedareth—ritual combat betw een two priestesses to determ ine who has the greater favor o f Lolth. In recent decades, Shakti has channeled her displeasure into a fruitful alliance w ith one o f Baenre’s most hated rivals, House Barrison D el’A rmgo.

Goals Slowly but steadily, Shakti has been building a coali­ tion o f lesser houses and m erchants clans with collective influence rivaling that o f the Ruling Council.

W h ile the council m em bers have been largely con­ tent to coast on their personal power, Shakti’s secret consortium has been earning popular support among the citizenry. By securing food for the populace and dealing with the pragmatic day-to-day issues o f city governance, Shakti is effectively attempting a bloodless coup for control o f M enzoberranzan.

Notable Personages S h a k ti: Trained from childhood to rule, Shakti was subjected to the same sort o f upbringing that any other drow heir apparent would receive in similar cir­ cum stances. M atron Kintuere pushed her daughter relentlessly to be smarter, tougher, and more ruthless than anyone around her. Even so, as a young child Shakti preferred to spend tim e among the mushroom fields and rothe herds o f the family business, and she greatly resented the cultural necessity that tore her away from h er passion and sent her to Arach-Tinilith. Now as a m atron herself, Shakti better appreciates her m other’s heavy-handed attitude toward her education, but she keeps h erself apart from the chaotic desires for revenge and intrigue that plague other matrons. U nlike m any m atron m others who surround them selves w ith the pomp and cerem ony o f queens, Shakti is a m ore grounded leader. She keeps an oni nam ed Korokai as a bodyguard and is rarely seen w ithout the hulking brute, giving her an air far more like that o f a m erchant queen than a m atron mother.

House Oblodra Known fo r its use o f psionics in preference to other m agic, it tried to take advantage o f the Time o f Troubles

House Oblodra Traits: Authoritarian, secretive Power: 12 m

m

m

/A ’ . iW i .W . i'A \ M

\Y/ \Y/ \Y/ XT/ >▼/

Membership: 32 house nobles (6 high priest­ esses, 16 priestesses, 4 warriors, 6 wizards), 450 soldiers, 600 slaves Headquarters: Oblodran compound; Duthcloim Religious Affiliation: Church of Lolth (weak) The Third House o f M enzoberranzan has a reputa­ tion for unpredictability, one that is well deserved because it m akes and breaks alliances w ith aban­ don. House Oblodra’s lofty place in the hierarchy of M enzoberranzan is built upon psionic power and the ability o f the mind, talents that are foreign to the other Lolth-worshiping drow o f the city. The Oblodrans do nothing to bridge this gap; they are intensely secretive, refusing to discuss their abilities or strengths with others. From its founding early in M enzoberranzan s his­ tory, House Oblodra has been ruled by priestesses who also possess psionic talents. Perhaps aided by these unusual powers, House Oblodra slowly crawled its way up the house ranks. Although the house repeat­ edly teetered on the brink o f extinction, wars with the Oblodrans were horrific, bloody affairs, leaving other houses loath to provoke them. By 1 2 9 7 D R, Oblodra was the Third House o f M enzoberranzan, with more than a dozen obliterated houses left in its wake. In the Year o f Shadows (1 3 5 8 DR), Faerun was gripped by the Tim e o f Troubles, when the gods were stripped o f their ability to answer prayers, and m agic becam e dangerously unpredictable. Psionic ability was unaffected by the crisis, m aking Oblodra the most powerful house in the city, at least temporarily. After determ ining that the seem ing failures o f spells and prayers wasn’t a trick, M atron M other K’yorl Odran attacked House Faen T labbar and killed her old rival, M atron M other G h en n i’tiroth, by telekinetically ripping her beating heart from her chest. K’yorl then attacked the gathered Ruling Council, intending to wipe out all rem aining opposition and claim rulership o f M enzoberranzan. But K ’yorl had waited too long. H er petty ven> geance against House Faen Tlabbar cost her the

advantage. Lolth made a deal with the balor demon Errtu, who sent dem ons to the aid o f the Ruling Council and House Baenre. T he demons drove K ’yorl away and laid siege to the O blodran compound, while obliterating its kobold army. As vengeance for O blodra’s offenses, M atron B aenre called upon Lolth to banish K ’yorl Odran into the Abyss, w here she would b e tortured for eternity by Errtu. Lolth m anifested an enorm ous black ten ­ tacle that reached out o f the Claw rift and pulling the entire house—compound and noble a lik e—into the chasm , dram atically ending the existence o f House Oblodra.

Oblodra Compound House O blodra occupies a sm all stalagm ite and sta­ lactite compound in the center o f the city, betw een two “fingers” o f the Clawrift. The compound is pro­ tected on three sides o f the rift, and the west face is guarded by a contingent o f no less than 25 soldiers arm ed w ith bows and short swords. The compound is roughly diamond-shaped and very large. Because o f the house’s sm aller num ber o f inhabitants, the compound seems sparsely populated com pared to those o f other houses, especially House Barrison D el’A rmgo. Oblodran nobles enjoy extensive suites and even lower-stationed drow have private rooms. The silent nature o f the psionic power utilized by the O blodran psionicists gives the compound an eerie hush that is unnerving to visitors. In an ancient network o f tunnels and walkways extending deep into the Clawrift, House Oblodra keeps at least six hundred kobolds as fodder in the event o f a war. Rumors in the city suggest that the tunnels could house tens o f thousands o f kobolds, and word o f that possibility has dissuaded m any houses from launching an attack against House Oblodra. H a lf o f the Oblodran soldiers and at least one noble daughter are out o f the compound at any given tim e. M atron K ’yorl has openly declared that should any house attack the Oblodran compound, this force w ill bring the battle to the aggressor’s gates (while the noble daughter convenes the Ruling Council).

T h e S able Y e a r s: K ’y o r l ’s B l u f f House Oblodra plays a dangerous game. By all m ea­ sures, it is w eak—far w eaker than m any o f the houses below it in rank. It m aintains its position through intim idation, secrecy, and psionic m anipulation. House O blodra held its position as Third House through the Sable Years until its destruction ju st after the Tim e o f Troubles. The entry below is thus appli­ cable throughout the Sable Years.

ADVENTURERS OF HOUSE OBLODRA “You will never understand the secrets o f my house, and what you cannot understand you will learn to fear.”

Join House Oblodra if you want to: ♦ B e a scion of the most feared and secretive house in Menzoberranzan. ♦ Play a psionicist who uses mental powers in a city dominated by divine magic. ♦ Intimidate your foes through your reputation for insanity and mutual destruction.

been commanded to keep your true ability hidden from those outside the house. If this concealment results in your death, so be it. Keeping the house’s secrets is more important than a single psionicist’s life, and if you spread false information about your house and your powers in the process, so much the better. C h a racteristics: Secretive, treacherous, fanatical P rereq u isites: Drow; member of House Oblodra who uses psionic power O B LO D R A N FANATIC

O BLO DRA N PSION Like many members of House Oblodra, you are gifted with unusual powers of the mind. These powers have made you and your house respected and feared in Menzoberranzan. Those weaklings in House Faen Tlabbar cower before your power, and they have held back from attacking your house for years for fear of it. Matron Mother Baenre is so terrified of your power that she now has an illithid advisor. Fool! The illithid will lie to her, exaggerating the power of psionics to the point where House Baenre will believe that the Oblodran psionicists are capable of anything. In your mind, the illithid is not far off the mark in terms of your power. You are not reliant on some petty goddess or hobbled to arcane tomes filled with the ramblings of ancient wizards. No—your power comes from the mind. It is what separates you from the ani­ mals, from the slaves, and from the teeming hordes that infest the streets of Menzoberranzan. Someday, these crutches of arcane and divine power used by the other houses will fail. When that day comes, the city will tremble at your power and that of House Oblodra. Until then, you continue to hone your skill. Matron Mother K’yorl Odran demands secrecy, and you have

House Oblodra is a schem ing, treacherous group that uses its m astery o f psionics as a weapon against the other houses. The O blodran w arriors are savage and considered insane by those o f most other houses. The m atron m other o f House Oblodra has becom e the principal overseer o f the m any patrol groups scouting the tunnels in the D ark D om inion. She places her finest w arriors in those patrols, w hich w eakens her compound but puts h er in a position to watch and strike at the noble children o f rival houses. Although the two houses have an alliance, B a r­ rison D el’A rmgo does not trust Oblodra. This is wise because O blodra has no intention o f honoring the alliance w ith the Second House. House Faen Tlabbar views Oblodra as the next step in its quest for ascen ­ sion, and th e tw o houses feud constan tly.

House Oblodra is notorious for killing its own as often as killing its enemies. The house members’ love for the near suicidal game of khaless (page 82) is testament of that fact. You have managed to survive such infight­ ing and joined the ranks of the warriors. You know no fear and attack the enemies of your house relentlessly. Odds mean nothing to you. Only the weak fear death; you win through intimidation and a willingness to die while taking many enemies with you. For you, danger is thrilling. It gives shape and meaning to life, and you seek it out at every turn. The more foolish and suicidal an objective is, the more you like it. The fact that other drow see you as insane doesn’t bother you a bit. Because you are strong, and they are weak. Other houses consider only their lowest-worth members to be expendable. But you know the truthevery drow is expendable. The only question is how much damage can you do before you’re done. If you don’t care about survival and your opponent does, then you have already won the battle. C h a ra cteristics: Suicidal, unpredictable, fanatical P rereq u isites: Drow; member of House Oblodra

Goals Like all noble houses, O blodra wants to advance in rank and eventually becom e the First House o f M en­ zoberranzan. Two houses stand in its way—Baenre and B arrison Del'Armgo. O f the two, Oblodra respects House Baenre far more. K ’yorl is waiting for M atron Yvonnel to m ake a m istake and expose herself. K ’yorl does what she can to encourage House Baenre into missteps by needling and provoking at every opportunity. Even if Yvonnel does not show any w eakness, she is old, and K ’yorl believes she will likely die soon. K ’yorl also believes h erself far supe­ rior to Triel, and House Oblodra will m ake its move once the succession occurs.

Notable Personages K ’y o r l O d r a n : M atron K’yorl is a small, seemingly w eak drow. She wears simple robes and carries no

L eft to right: W ea p o n M aster H azau fein , First P riestess Q uavylene, M atron M other K ’y orl, P atron T sabanor, W ea p o n M aster D rizfryn

visible weapon, even when leaving the compound or attending meetings o f the Riding Council. D etection spells reveal no magic on her at all. The Menzoberranyr whisper o f this fact as K’yorl's Bluff—but so far no one has found the courage to call her on it. K’yorl is cocky, arrogant, and openly hostile. She offers no pretense o f friendliness toward anyone outside House Oblodra, and precious little to those inside the house. She is barely devout, often skirting the edge o f blasphemy. It is am azing that she has sur­ vived, especially when she appears so vulnerable. A sadist o f the first degree, K’yorl enjoys tormenting her fellow matron mothers, flashing her signature wicked smile that tells the others that she is undoubtedly lying, she knows that they know, and she enjoys that they know. K ’yorl is dedicated to the pleasures o f the mind. She mostly uses her psionic abilities to anger her rival matron mothers rather than for any real gains. She has a deep and abiding hatred for G h en n i’tiroth T lab ­ bar, because the unflappable M atron G henni resists intimidation and m aintains her serenity. Quavylene: K’yorl’s eldest daughter, Quavylene, is the first priestess o f the house and shares her mother’s psionic talent. No matter how hard she tries, Quavylene cannot measure up to her m other’s expec­ tations, which change arbitrarily. She is often the target “ of her mother’s telepathic tirades. She once conspired 5 to murder her mother, but her thoughts betrayed her

House Oblodra in the Sable Years Rank: 3rd [Ruling Council] Matron M other: K’yorl Odran (961 DR to 1358 DR) First Priestess: Quavylene Oblodra House W izard: Hazaufein Oblodra House W eapon M aster: Drizfryn Oblodra Patron: Tsabanor Oblodra A llies: House Barrison Del’Armgo Rivals: House Baenre; House Faen Tlabbar

to K yorl and she never dared try again. Centuries of abuse have ground the eldest daughter into a broken shell that trembles at her m other’s glance. Hazaufein: The position o f house wizard is often overlooked among the Oblodra. Matron Mother K’yorl and her psionically endowed daughters have little respect for the arcane arts. The position is currently filled by Hazaufein, the elderboy. His role is to craft magical arm s and arm or for use by the house warriors. He is very good at this task, and he churns out quality items on a regular basis. Because o f his skill at crafting, his brother Drizfryn facetiously mocks him for being part dwarf. Hazaufein accepts the warrior's jests with a wan smile, since they are easier to take than beatings.

D rizfry n : Drizfryn, the house weapon master, is a violent psychopath who is barely held in check by his mother. He is Kyorl’s fourth son, but holds the position ofsecondboy because two o f his older brothers have died-one while playing the dangerous game khaless (page 82), and the other sacrificed to Lolth. Drizfryn constandy looks for ways to test himself and his warriors. He is notorious for putting him self and them into seemingly impossible situations on patrol or in exercises. The dread­ ful casualty rate does not bother him or his folk—another reason why House Oblodra is thought o f as mad. T s a b a n o r : Tsabanor, House Oblodra's patron, is not very strong or handsome. O ther houses jo ke that this fact makes him the perfect consort for the plain and unimpressive K ’yorl. The m atron m other chose him as her patron because o f his latent psionic ability, which would increase the likelihood that their ch il­ dren would possess the trait. She did have his tongue cut out o f his head when he tried to speak to her too often, however, m aking Tsabanor a pathetic figure in the compound. He was once a skilled speaker, but now he can manage little more than gargled m um ­ bling. He knows that his life continues only at the whim o f K ’yorl, who taunts and torm ents him m erci­ lessly. He regularly contemplates hurling h im self into the Claw rift to put h im self out o f his misery.

RELEASING TH E DAMNED At the end of the Time of Troubles, Lolth utterly destroyed House Oblodra and banished K’yorl Odran to the Abyss, where she is tortured to this day by Errtu, a balor of enormous strength. A rescue attempt could free the matron mother from her punishment. If Errtu is slain, K’yorl could flee the Abyss and return to the Underdark. Alternatively, if the offer were enticing enough, Errtu would not be above bargain­ ing for the freedom of his prisoner. His hatred for Drizzt Do’Urden is legendary, and information on the renegade drow and a path for the demon to enter Faerun would make excellent bargaining chips. K’yorl will not be grateful for her rescue, but she is vindictive, and has a major axe to grind with House Baenre. If she was unleashed upon the house in its current weakened state, she might be able to destroy House Baenre, or at worst provide a tremendous dis­ traction for another house to do so. Minolin Fey-Branche has pondered this option for some time. However, K’yorl was damned for blas­ phemy against Lolth, so freeing her might anger the Spider Queen and cause Minolin to lose the goddess’s favor. But Lolth damned K’yorl well over a century ago, and the Lolth is notoriously capricious. Perhaps if Minolin used pawns to free K’yorl, the high priestess's involvement would go unnoticed by Lolth.

House Melarn The union o f two fa m ilies suspected o f heretical leanings, turned into the fie rc e inquisitors o f Lolth

House Melarn Traits: Militaristic, zealous Power: 11

// H H H H i W i i V i i W t jOSk 4'AV >▼ /- \T/ >▼ /•\V/ M em bership: 14 house

nobles (3 high priest­ esses, 3 priestesses, 5 warriors, 3 wizards), 325 soldiers, 150 slaves H eadquarters: Melarn compound; West Wall (Lolth’s

Web) Religious Affiliation: Church of Lolth (strong)

The youngest o f the ruling houses by far, House Melarn was formed from a union o f House Horlbar and House Kenafin a decade after the end o f Lolth’s silence. In years prior, House Horlbar (the Twelfth House by the Time o f Troubles) was distinguished primarily by its two matron mothers, the two posts traditionally being held by sisters or first cousins. Productive agriculture, ambitious trade, and long-simmering resentment helped the house maintain its standing, just below the status o f those on the Riding Council. House Kenafin was the Thirteenth House during the Time o f Trou­ bles and vaulted up to Tenth House by the W ar o f the Spider Queen. It was known for the complete and utter subjugation o f its males as well as its unusually fanatical devotion to the Way o f Lolth. D uring the struggle for supremacy that followed the W ar o f the Spider Queen, the daughter o f Matron M other Ker Horlbar, First Priestess Jh eln ae Horlbar, was revealed to be a secret follower o f Eilistraee. This revelation rocked M enzoberranzan, since the apos­ tasy o f a first priestess cast tremendous suspicion upon the entire house. W ith in days, House Tuin’Tarl took it upon itself to squash the heretic house. House H orlbar had long shared a close alliance w ith House Kenafin, and Kenafin's soldiers cam e to the aid o f House Horlbar. Their com bined forces not only beat back House Tuin’Tarl’s attack but coun­ terattacked with lethal effectiveness, destroying the Eighth House. Even the two houses’ success in this co n flict didn’t remove the pall o f suspicion that had now spread to House Kenafin. Several other houses launched tentative attacks against one house or the other, but H orlbar and K enafin survived them all. Soon the two houses, w eakened by the constant fight­ ing, united into a single house.

ADVENTURERS OF HOUSE MELARN “You claim the favor o f Lolth, but how have you served her lately? The zeal o f my house cannot be questioned.”

Join House M elarn if you want to : ♦ Be a member of a house that stands alone in a city

full of enemies. ♦ Play a devotee of Lolth who is constantly under suspicion of treason and blasphemy, and returns the favor with zeal. ♦ Prove that you can be as evil and wicked as any drow. MELARN A RACH N O M AN CER You are obsessed with spiders. They fill your dreams and your waking thoughts. You are fascinated by all of spiderkind, from the monstrous arachnids of the Underdark to the dreaded bebiliths that the priest­ esses conjure for the most profane rituals. Images and icons of spiders have always been part of your life, with society teaching you to venerate these creatures as the children of Lolth. Your house chose its name in honor of the Lady Penitent, who was a drow-spider demon. It’s no wonder that you became obsessed with spiders. You threw yourself into the study of spiders, interact­ ing with them and allowing them to pierce your flesh so that you could experience the ambrosia of their venom. You bent your Sorcere-gained magical knowledge to their study until you could mimic their powers and learn to make them do your bidding. What began as idle curiosity-a preoccupation with the movements of their graceful forms, the intricate beauty of their magnificent webs, and the predatory effectiveness of their kind—has become your life’s work. You command the spider swarms that patrol the

D eterm ined to prove their loyalty to Lolth, the priestesses o f the united house took the nam e o f Lolth’s Lady Penitent, H alisstra M elarn. Their military success, proving Lolth’s favor, elevated the combined houses to a place on the Ruling Council (despite many objections). Since then, House M elarn has absorbed a trickle o f survivors from the original House M elarn, which fell in the destruction o f Ched Nasad, but Matron M other Zhindia M elarn is the daughter o f M atron M other Jerlys o f House Horlbar. House M elarn’s drive to prove itselfloyal to Lolth has led to a new role for its m em bers. M atron Mother Zhindia has appointed h erself the enforcer of the W ay o f Lolth, prying into other houses’ affairs (particularly but not exclusively the m inor houses outside the Ruling Council) to ensure that no heresy to Lolth’s tenets lurks within. They hunt out the dark secrets o f other houses—but unlike other houses, they do not hoard these secrets for future use, but quickly and publicly point out the ways in w hich the W ay

compound and work with the driders that serve House Melarn. Your magic is a potent force in the defense of your house, capturing enemies in magical webbing or slaying them with poison. Characteristics: Creepy, obsessed, selfish Prerequisites: Drow (most arachnomancers are male); graduate of Sorcere D R EA D FANG O F H A LISSTR A

As a dread fang of Halisstra, you enforce the will of the priestesses of your house. The goddess favors you, filling your mind with her whispers and mutterings. You were trained at Melee-Magthere as most warriors were, but after your graduation the priestesses of House Melarn chose you for a special path of service brought to Men­ zoberranzan by the refugees from Ched Nasad. You opened yourself up to Lolth in a way that other warriors of the city do not. After you underwent years of study and religious indoctrination, the mark of Lolth’s favor began within you as a faint whispering, but it soon became far more insistent. The whispers pushed you to the brink of madness, until you embraced them just as Halisstra embraced her role as the Lady Penitent. You are now an elite soldier who fights for the priest­ esses of House Melarn without doubt or question. Like Halisstra, you have equal training in the ways of the warrior and the assassin. You have perfected the drow tactics of stealth, mobility, and surprise, and you can hold your own in a face-to-face fight, but you much prefer ambushing your enemies. C h a ra cte ristics: Mad, obedient, silent P rereq u isites: Drow (of either gender); graduate of Melee-Magthere

o f Lolth has been flouted and call for punishm ent. M atron M other Zhindia believes that this behavior w ill increase Lolth’s favor upon the house and per­ haps even open up a path toward the position o f First House as well as the leadership o f Arach-Tinilith. In truth, all that has happened so far is that House M elarn has earned the hatred and resentm ent o f vir­ tually every other house in the city.

Melarn Compound Located in W est W all in Lolth’s W eb, the new M elarn compound is unique in M enzoberranzan—it rests in the crystalline webs that stretch betw een the great colum ns, stalagm ites, and stalactites o f that place, held aloft a hundred feet above the cavern floor. Its construction is due to the survivors o f House M elarn from Ched Nasad, who brought w ith them the knowledge o f how to craft the slender filam ents of

m agically calcified webbing that endlessly dance and flicker w ith the radiance offa e r ie fir e spells. The layout o f the compound resem bles a nauti­ lus shell—a giant spiral w ith a shrine to Lolth at the center, surrounded by the fam ily cham bers. Slaves and soldiers live in the outer rings o f the spiral. Guards, tam ed spiders, and the dreaded driders patrol the paths o f the webbing leading to it. Numerous assaults have tested the compound, and it has held. The drow do not have the alchem ical stonefire bom bs o f the duergar, but the M elarni are looking for solutions to prevent another fall like that o f Ched Nasad.

T h e Spellpla g u e E r a : V ig il a n t I n q u is it o r s House M elarn o f M enzoberranzan was born in blood, death, and suspicion. A hundred years later, those chal­ lenges have made them strong, just as Lolth promised. The houses o f K enafin and H orlbar were united around 1 3 8 3 DR, so the entry below is usable at any point during the Spellplague era.

House M elarn in the Spellplague Era Rank: 7th [Ruling Council] Matron M other: Zhindia Melarn (Rule: 1383 DR to

present) First Priestess: Kyrnill House W izard : lltztran Melarn House W eapon M aster: Nar’dorltyrr

Patron: Sornafein Melarn A llies: None Rivals: House Baenre, House Fey-Branche, House Faen

Tlabbar

The vicious drow o f House M elarn must constantly prove them selves to a city that hates them for what they are and yearns to see them destroyed. As a result, M elarni are zealous in their efforts to uproot heresy and apostasy in other houses. They resort to violence in response to any slight, and back up their devotion to Lolth with murderous conviction. House M elarn is a m ilitant house, its w arriors ready for an attack at any m om ent. They recru it new troops regularly to replace those fallen in the con ­ stant skirm ishes w ith drow unw illing to accept the religious oversight o f the M elarni. The house does not hire m ercenary groups such as Bregan D 'aerthe, how­ ever, because it doubts the loyalty o f any outside the house, instead relying on its own personal might.

Recently, however, House M elarn made overtures to House Faen Tlabbar for an alliance. The two devout houses have m uch in common, and if the Tlabbaren accept the M elarni, other houses might do so as well.

Goals The prim ary goal o f House M elarn is to elim inate any and all apostates among the drow. The very idea o f noble houses harboring worshipers o f Ghaunadaur or persisting in the worship o f the dead drow gods is an unconscionable affront. And M elarn believes that such abom inations are everywhere in the city, though that is certainly a gross exaggeration. House M elarn ’s secondary goal is to continue to rise in the ranks o f the houses. Zhindia has ta r­ geted the seem ingly w eak House Fey-Branche as the next step in her ascension, but the Sixth House has rem arkable support, so a d irect assault might be n ec­ essary to remove it.

Notable Personages Zhindia: At only 2 5 3 years old, Zhindia is the youngest m atron m other on the Ruling Council. Due to her youth, she is often underestim ated and disre­ garded by the other m atron m others, w hich irritates Zhindia no end. H er true hatred is reserved for her cousin Jhelnae. Zhindia adm ired and even enjoyed the company o f her cousin in their youth. W h en Jhelnae was revealed to be an apostate and fled the city, it was a betrayal that Zhindia could not forgive. She wants nothing more than to hunt Jh eln ae down—i f she is still alive-an d m ake her feel the same pain o f loss that Zhindia feels. Because o f the suspicion that Jh eln ae cast upon her house, Zhindia believes that must show h erself to be a more devout worshiper o f Lolth than any o f the other m atron m others. The pressure is intense, and Zhindia is wound as tight as a spring. She often flies

DRIDERS OF H O USE M ELARN House Melarn makes use of driders to an extent unmatched by any other house in Menzoberranzan. The Melarni believe that the drider form is not a curse but a blessing that reflects the new shape of the Spider Queen. After all, the Lady Penitent had the form of an immensely powerful demonic drider. In the past, the priestesses sent the driders to the pits below the city, using tales of the creatures to terrify the drow into obedience. Now, the driders can be seen openly, climbing over the crystalline webs that support the Melarn compound. The sight disturbs many of the more traditional houses of Menzoberranzan, giving them one more reason to hate House Melarn.

into a screeching display o f tem per when thwarted, and the entire compound trem bles in fear when she is in a foul mood. Her patron Sornafein can calm her down w ith a soft song and a caress, and she has com e to love him over the years. She hides her true feelings, not for fear o f how it would affect her standing, but for fear that other houses m ight strike at him to get at her. Perhaps she is not as ruthless as she appears. Kyrnill: The first priestess o f House M elarn is the former matron m other o f House Kenafin. Kyrnill allowed Zhindia to claim leadership o f the united house at the tim e, because H orlbar was more pow er­ ful and she assumed that the young drow would die in the fighting, leaving Kyrnill's claim uncontested. W h en Zhindia instead led the house to victory and recognition by the Ruling Council, Kyrnill could only watch. She fans Zhindia’s hatred o fjh e ln a e and nur­ tures Zhindia’s conviction that heresy is widespread in the City o f Spiders, hoping that Zhindia w ill con­ tinue to alienate h erself from the rest o f the Ruling Council without bringing too m uch wrath upon the house as a whole. Iltztran: The house wizard is a refugee from Ched Nasad and an arachnom ancer. He is responsible for weaving the crystalline threads that support the com ­ pound. He takes this task very seriously and is terrified that the compound will fall, as his old home did. Iltz­ tran constantly searches for a solution to the issue, and his current theory is to try turning the webbing into a substance unaffected by alchem ical stonefire. Nal’dorltyrr: Nal’dorltyrr ascended to the posi­ tion o f house weapon m aster ten years ago when the previous occupant, the elderboy o f the house, was murdered at a party. N al’dorltyrr’s appointm ent caused a scandal in the city because he is a drider. No drider had ever been appointed to a position o f authority in the city before, but Nal’dorltyrr’s skill w ith weapons is without equal in the house. He has had to prove h im self constantly, since no other weapon m aster in the city has been challenged as often as he has, but he has bested all com ers so far. Sornafein: The patron o f the house is a handsom e drow w ith fine hands and a beautiful voice. Sornafein is skilled with a num ber o f stringed instrum ents, and has strangled rivals w ith most o f them . Zhindia first saw him more than eighty years ago at a perform ance and decided that she must have him . Sornafein is very intelligent, exceedingly charm ing, and enjoys the notoriety o f bedding such a controversial noble. His ability to mitigate the volcanic tem per o f the m atron m other makes him the most popular m ale in the house.

House Xorlarrin Mysterious m asked wizards, suspicious and consumed by their spellcraft

House Xorlarrin Traits: Sadistic, secretive Power: 12 iMJi ami.

\Y/ "W \Y/ \T/r

M em bership: 36 house

nobles (5 high priest­ esses, 9 priestesses, 1 warrior, 21 wizards), 250 soldiers, 5,000 slaves Headquarters: Xorlarrin Spelltower; Qu’ellarz’orl Religious Affiliation: Church of Lolth (weak)

House Xorlarrin is ancient and powerful, even though it defies drow convention in more than one way. It has held a position on the Ruling Council since late in the Founding Era, and in the centuries since the beginning o f the Sable Years it rose from Eighth House to Third. This prom inent position derives from more than its num bers—the true strength o f House Xorlarrin is the role o f its m ales, who are accorded an unusual (some m ight say heretical) level o f n ear­ equality w ith the females o f the house. Naturally, the priestesses o f House X orlarrin still hold the reins o f power, and they are the ones who screen and steer young m ales. Those who display any aptitude for m agic are drilled m ercilessly in the arcane arts, w hile the rest are disposed of. Some are sacrificed to Lolth; others are sold to Bregan D ’aerthe or into slavery. O ther houses, including Baenre and Barrison D e l’A rm go, can boast o f th eir arcan e might, but even mighty Baenre keeps a w ary eye on the wizards o f House Xorlarrin. (It is no accident that Matron M other Q uenthel Baenre, in the Spellplague era, chose a X orlarrin as her patron.) Even among the fanatically secretive drow, House X orlarrin is unusually reclusive. All the house nobles, w hether wizards or priestesses, conceal their identi­ ties w hen they venture into public. A veil or a m ask covers the face, and loose, flowing clothing disguises the physique and even gender o f the noble. The fam ily badge is worn prominently, as i f to com m u­ nicate that House Xorlarrin is present, though the identity o f the individual is im m aterial.

Xorlarrin Compound The family center is the Spelltower X orlarrin, an ele­ gant spire located in the center o f Qu'ellarz'orl, in one of the most com m anding locations in M enzoberran­ zan. The structure rises like a narrow spire from the floor o f the cavern, far removed from any overhang­ ing stalactites or other natural m eans o f approach. The walls o f the tower are iron, reinforced with adam antine. A single, arched gateway allows access into the base o f the tower. Arrow slits circle the tower, beginning about twenty feet above the ground, allow­ ing archers (and more, im portant, wizards) a wide field o f view to take down would be attackers. The approaches to the tower are steep and smooth, pol­ ished to an alm ost m etallic finish by the m agic o f Xorlarrin wizards, m aking them nearly im possible to scale without using tools or magic. The ground floor o f the tower is the audience cham ber o f the m atron m other as well as a general council cham ber and mustering hall for the clan. Sev­ eral grand thrones stand on a platform at the center o f the room, providing appropriately grand seating for the m atron mother, the th ree highest-ranking priest­ esses, and the three most well-regarded wizards). At the top o f the tower, above the family qu ar­ ters and troop barracks, are the laboratories o f the house’s wizards. W ell stocked w ith tomes, scrolls, reagents, and mysterious ingredients, these cham bers are famous for the role they have played in elevat­ ing House Xorlarrin to such a prom inent place in the city. They are, o f course, guarded by a host o f m agi­ cal traps as well as a coterie o f guards trained in both m agical and m artial arts. B eneath the tower lies its true heart, however, in secret cham bers and caverns whose existence is unknow n beyond the walls o f the house. The most sacred altar o f the house is in a huge cavern deep underground, warded by m azes designed to baffle intruders. A giant statue o f the Spider Q ueen looms over the altar in this secret temple.

Th e S p e llp la g u e E r a : R ise o f t h e W iz a r d s W hen Danifae brought the message to Menzoberranzan that Lolth sought to spin a D emon Weave, House Xorlar­ rin was ready. Already the house had sent agents to the caverns around Gauntlgrym to explore the possibility o f channeling the power o f the primordial imprisoned there. Matron Mother Zeerith secredy hoped that Gaunt­ lgrym, with the aid o f that primordial’s power, might become a new drow stronghold to rival M enzoberran­ zan, under House Xorlarrin’s control. Danifae’s message only intensified Zeerith’s resolve.

The entry below focuses on the events surround­ ing the creation o f the Dem on Weave, but is largely applicable throughout the Spellplague era.

House X orlarrin in the Spellplague Era Rank: 3rd [Ruling Council] Matron Mother: Zeerith Q’Xorlarrin First Priestess: Kiriy Xorlarrin House Wizard: Brack’thal Xorlarrin House W eapon M aster: Jearth Xorlarrin Patron: Tathas Xorlarrin

Allies: House Baenre Rivals: House Faen Tlabbar, House Mizzrym

The secretive drow o f House X orlarrin are on the move, energized by a situation that promises upheaval in M enzoberranzan and poised to seize new power in the chaos. D anifae’s declaration—that Lolth seeks to becom e the new goddess o f arcane magic, filling Mystra’s vacant seat—threatens to overturn the rule o f Lolth’s priestesses and give a newly im portant role to drow wizards. Although this new order would send most houses into tumult, it is nothing different from what House X orlarrin has been doing for centuries. The wizards o f House Xorlarrin, like all wizards in Faerun, were set back by the Spellplague. Their old, fam iliar ways o f accessing magic, tapping into the Weave, failed them, and all the arcane knowledge o f their libraries did little to aid them. However, the house boasts that its wizards were the first to emerge from the Spellplague, giving them a clear advantage over the other houses for a time. The promise o f a Dem on W eave under Lolth’s control promises another upheaval in the ways o f magic, but Xorlarrin is confi­ dent that its wizards will once again emerge stronger. Although House Xorlarrin is nom inally allied with House Baenre, M atron M other Zeerith chafes under B aen re’s rule. She believes that leadership o f the city is the house’s rightful position. Although the house has form al alliances with House Faen Tlabbar and House M izzrym , M atron M other Zeerith fears attack from either or both houses in the near future.

Goals Even before D anifae’s arrival in the city, Matron Mother Zeerith had lifted her sights beyond Menzoberranzan. W h en she caught wind o f Bregan D 'aerthe’s peculiar interest in the Neverwinter region, she sent a con­ tingent o f drow to investigate, led by her second son, Ravel. Besides the obvious advantages in trade and ter­ ritory offered by a new drow city, the primordial within Gauntlgrym offers limitless potential for magical exper­ imentation, promising to bolster the house’s magical prowess still further.

ADVENTURERS OF HOUSE XORLARRIN “With the help o f its males, our house has risen to the Ruling Council. More drow should heed our voices.”

Join House X orlarrin if you w an t to:

♦ Be a male drow who can command respect and wield authority, at least within your house. ♦ Play a mysterious and mighty wizard or priestess, shrouded in secrecy behind masks and veils. ♦ Range far and wide in search of arcane power to help Lolth spin the Demon Weave. XORLARRIN SPELLSP1NNER A wizard of House Xorlarrin, you have been trained in the arcane arts almost since your birth. You have worked as hard as you possibly could to excel-because you knew the penalty for lagging in your training was death or a life of slavery. House Xorlarrin settles for nothing less than the best in its wizards, so that is what you have become-the best. As a male in House Xorlarrin, you are an anomaly in drow society. In gatherings of the family, arguments are

In the wake o f D anifae’s proclam ation, Z eerith ’s ambitions have grown still larger. She still seeks the power o f the prim ordial in Gauntlgrym , but her agents are now spread across the North, seeking magical artifacts to bolster Lolth’s arcane p o w er-an d her house’s knowledge. I f Lolth is to spin her Demon Weave and take control o f arcane magic, House X o r­ larrin intends to be the m asters o f the new magic.

Notable Personages Z e e rith : M atron Zeerith is an unassum ing drow female o f indeterm inate age. She carries h erself with a dignified, alm ost regal, b e a rin g -a n d this, more than any specific aspect o f her appearance, is how other drow rem em ber her. Perhaps more than any other m atron m other in M enzoberranzan, M atron Z eerith has learned the value o f listening to those around her. She can be as cruel and ruthless as any drow, but employs such tactics for the fear they induce, not for the sense o f pleasure that most drow derive from pure m alice. She is also unusually diplomatic in her approach to discussion, and has been successful in getting other drow to see her point o f view. This utilization o f dia­ logue instead o f threats and intimidation, naturally, is regarded with a great deal o f suspicion by other drow. Rumors persist that she is using a subtle form of charm magic that is disguised as ordinary persuasion. Zeerith affects the surnam e Q’X orlarrin, append­ ing the Q prefix as an honorific, indicating that she is the paragon o f House Xorlarrin.

permitted, even disagreeing with the matron mother is rarely punished. Males are allowed to speak up, to voice opinions, even to disagree with females. This is a privilege accorded to few male drow, and you had best not forget that it is a privilege unique to your house. If you were to exercise the same freedom in your speech and manner in the presence of a priestess from another house, you would be flogged to within an inch of your life, if not beyond. If your adventuring party contains a priestess of another house, how will your relationship play out? Your drive is simply to acquire more arcane power, for the glory of your house as well as your own personal worth. House Xorlarrin boasts a prominent place among the masters of Sorcere, and one day you might join that supreme council, perhaps even challenge Gromph Baenre for the title of Archmage of Menzoberranzan. Any knowledge, magic item, artifact, or secret that can help you reach that goal is more precious to you than gold. C h a ra cte ristics: Ambitious, outspoken, mysterious P rereq u isites: Drow (male only), member of House Xorlarrin.

B rack ’thal: Before the Spellplague, elderboy Brack'thal X orlarrin was the most powerful o f Zeerith's children and much favored by the matron mother. The Spellplague ruined him , however, leav­ ing his magical ability severely diminished. He is now elderboy in nam e only, less favored than his brother. Ravel (who is also his son). He has experienced the excruciating pain o f his m other’s disfavor many tim es since Ravel’s birth, and he fully expects to be displaced as elderboy before long. As a result, he is eager to inter­ fere w ith R avel’s plans whenever possible. Ravel: The second-born son o f the house, Ravel is the son o f Zeerith and his older brother, Brack’thal. Born after the Spellplague, he took to the new ways o f magic like a natural, becoming among the first o f House Xorlarrin’s renowned “spellspinners,” whose casting resembles the dance o f a spider. Though he is still young, he has a network o f spies and allies throughout the city. Ravel led the contingent o f drow, driders, and slaves to Gaunt lgrym with his mother’s blessing (much to Brack’thal’s displeasure), and remains in the region near Neverwinter—safely out o f his brother’s envious reach. Je a rth : The weapon m aster o f House X orlarrin is passionate and argum entative—attitudes that would have cost h im his life by now in any house but X o r­ larrin. He is the m ilitary authority o f the family, and prides h im self on his fam iliarity with all m atters violent and combative. He com m ands the house com ­ panies, and he designed the m ech an ical and m ilitary aspects ofSpelltow er X orlarrin’s defenses. Som e part o f him secretly yearns to see those defenses tested in battle—if only some lesser house would dare to attack.

H ou se B a rr is o n D e l ’A r m g o Physically and em otionally superior m ales arm ed with cold hard steel and w arded by eldritch sorcery

House Barrison Del’Armgo Traits: Authoritarian,

militaristic Power: 11

//// * » * iWi Men*. Att*i \Y/ 'W Membership: 46 house nobles (2 high priest­ esses, 5 priestesses, 20 warriors, 17 wizards), 1,000 soldiers, 1,100 slaves

H o u s e Fa e n T l a b b a r Fanatical priestesses who em ploy seduction and guile to corner the inform ation trade in M enzoberranzan

House Faen Tlabbar Traits: Hedonistic, zealous Power: 12

//// n m n *

»

iWi

\V \T/ >▼/ V f'

Membership: 40 house nobles (5 high priestesses, 17 priestesses, 12 warriors, 6 wizards), 750 soldiers, 800 slaves Headquarters: Faen Tlabbar compound; Narbondellyn Religious Affiliation: Church of Lolth (strong)

H eadquarters: DePArmgo compound; Qu’ellarz’orl Religious Affiliation: Church of Lolth (strong)

Although hom e to fewer priestesses th an the other ruling houses, B arrison D el’A rm go has collected a sta ff o f m ale wizards and w arriors second to none in M enzoberranzan. M ez’Barris Arm go seeks to use her influence w ith Gromph Baenre to achieve greater influence in Sorcere and establish her house as the preem inent force o f arcane m agic in the city. At eight centuries old, Barrison D el’Armgo is the second-youngest house on the Ruling Council. How it cam e to achieve its high rank rem ains shrouded in sus­ picion and envy. Its most dramatic leap, from rank 4 7 to 16, was precipitated by the abrupt disappearance o f House Bron’tej in 1 2 2 6 DR, with only a pool o f murky sludge rem aining to m ark the fallen house’s passing. House Barrison D el’A rm go had a cram ped compound in Narbondellyn through the W ar o f the Spider Q ueen era, but in the Spellplague era it erected a sprawling fortress estate on the Qu’ellarz’orl plateau. Its form er compound is now a barracks, and it m aintains a training facility in W est W all.

House Barrison Del’Armgo in the Spellplague Era Rank: 2nd [Ruling Council]

The priestesses o f Faen Tlabbar are among the most devout in M enzoberranzan. They are so extrem e in th eir devotion to Lolth that even some o f the m atron m istresses o f Arach-Tinilith are made uneasy by House T lab b ar’s wild orgies with demons and mass sacrifices in the nam e o f the Spider Queen. M atron Vadalm a seized control o f Faen Tlabbar when a Jaezred Chaulssin assassin slew her sister G hilanna during Lolth’s silence. Today, Vadalma is a confident leader who has surpassed the exploits o f her prom iscuous and sadistic mother, G h en n i’Tiroth. So favored is House Faen Tlabbar in the eyes o f Lolth that its high priestesses are rewarded with divine rituals that greatly outshine the com m on bless­ ings granted to most o f those in other houses. Though mighty, these rituals require the com bined effort o f a circle o f high priestesses to cast. For all its depravity, House Faen Tlabbar has a repu­ tation as a fair-minded and relatively non-treacherous clan. Vadalma is very accommodating to houseless drow who swear undying obeisance to Faen Tlabbar. However, she fervently despises the self-appointed inquisitors o f House M elarn, and is the staunchest opponent o f the new house on the Ruling Council.

House Faen Tlabbar in the Spellplague Era

Matron Mother: Mez’Barris Armgo

Rank: 4th [Ruling Council]

First Priestess: Taayrul Armgo

Matron Mother: Vadalma Tlabbar

House Wizard: Kaitain Armgo

First Priestess: Luafae Tlabbar

House W eapon M aster: Malagdorl Armgo

House Wizard: Relonkah Tlabbar

Patron: Tardax Armgo

House Weapon Master: Pir’Oront Tlabbar

A llies: None

Patron: Kron Tlabbar

Rivals: House Baenre, House Vandree

Allies: House Baenre Rivals: House Xorlarrin, House Mizzrym

H o u s e F e y -B r a n c h e

H o u s e M iz z r y m

An ancient house whose history o f bad fortu n e and ridicule seems to bode illf o r its fu tu re on the Ruling Council

W ily and duplicitous black m arket smugglers with trade contracts throughout the U nderdark and the W orld Above

House Fey-Branche

H ouse M izzrym

Traits: Hedonistic, secretive

Traits: Avaricious,

Power: 10 /// iWi m

Power: 11

Membership: 12 house nobles (4 high priest­ esses, 3 priestesses, 2 warriors, 3 wizards), 300 soldiers, 400 slaves

M em bership: 14 house

Headquarters: Fey-Branche compound; Narbondellyn

H eadquarters: Mizzrym compound; Qu’ellarz’orl

\Y/' \T/ \W

Religious Affiliation: Church of Lolth (strong)

duplicitous / / / HHH iV i iW i M iW i XT/\W \Y/ nobles (3 high priest­ esses, 5 priestesses, 3 warriors, 3 wizards), 300 soldiers, 450 slaves (Overways) Religious Affiliation: Church of Lolth (weak)

Fey-Branche is one o f the longest-lived houses in M enzoberranzan, second only to House Baenre. Unfortunately for this clan, its history is not filled with triumphs and accom plishm ents. Although it now claim s a seat on the Ruling Council, it’s am azing the house survives at all given the forty-one centuries o f bad luck that has plagued Fey-Branche. The house currently occupies the rank o f Sixth House (slowly climbing from Eleventh House in the Sable Years), but many nobles expect that the fast-rising houses o f M elarn and Vandree w ill soon risk an assault against the ill-fortuned house. Rivals credit much o f the longevity o f Fey-Branche to having played the lackey to houses o f higher station for so long. The house took orders from Baenre for many centuries—vassals in all but n am e—and could always be counted upon to side with the stronger house in any dispute, hoping to curry favor. The dark cloud that has long daunted this clan has been reflected most often in the untim ely deaths o f its noble mem bers. Some o f these have fallen to freak . accidents, while others have been slain in the course o p m easin rth o els u fd

Having pacts w ith six o f the seven other houses on the Ruling C ouncil, House M izzrym is quick to make alliances but slow to honor their com m itm ents. In a city o f black-hearted betrayals, M izzrym is the most double-dealing, back-stabbing clan o f the lot. The m ajority o f M izzrym ’s treasure com es from back-alley dealings in the Braeryn and the Bazaar, far from the house’s opulent compound in the Overways o f Qu’ellarz’orl. Along with the trafficking o f illicit m agic item s and reagents, House M izzrym controls m uch o f the slave trade in M enzoberranzan. In an effort to increase trade revenue, House M izzrym has negotiated private trade agreem ents w ith the enem ies o f M enzoberranzan—deals that are traditionally brokered only at M antol-D erith. In one such pact, M izzrym agents have agreed to provide inform ation to the svirfneblin o f Blingdenstone about rival drow operations in th eir vicinity, in exchange for rare gems m ined by the deep gnomes. The M izzrim yr are accomplished in illusion magic, w hich they use to great effect against enem ies an d a llie s a lik e , R e lo n ar, t h e M izz ry m second boy, is the m aster of th e School of Illusion at Sorcere.

House Fey-Branche in the Spellplague Era

House M izzrym in the Spellplague Era

Rank: 6th [Ruling Council]

Rank: 5th [Ruling Council]

Matron Mother: Byrtyn Fey

Matron M other: Miz’ri Mizzrym

First 'Priestess: WinoYin 'Fey-BrancYie House Wizard: Zeknar Fey-Branche

House W izard: Courdh Mizzrym

House Weapon Master: G’eldrin Fey-Branche

House W eapon M aster: Vuzirahc Mizzrym

Patron: Calaghar Fey-Branche

Patron: Kelfein Mizzrym

Allies: None

A llies: House Baenre, House Xorlarrin

Rivals: House Melarn, House Vandree

Rivals: House Tlabbar

Tier Breche Dom inating the northern reaches o f the city is an expansive stone stairway that ascends to the plateau o f Tier B reche w ithin a side cavern that overlooks the city. Any who dare approach the stairway must face deadly traps, an honor guard o f two M elee-M agthere upperclassm en, and two 15-foot-tall jad e spiders that anim ate to protect the location. Built upon the plateau o f Tier Breche is the Acad­ emy, the center o f learning and source o f drow justice in the City o f Spiders. The Academy both serves and controls the m atron mothers o f the great houses. Young noble drow are sent there for training in one o f its three branches: A rach-Tinilith for the priestesses o f Lolth, M elee-M agthere for the warriors, and Sorcere for the wizards. Students in the Academy work and study year-round. Training is intense, and those who com plete it are prepared for the cruel, cutthroat soci­ ety o f M enzoberranzan.

History At its founding, M enzoberranzan did not have Tier Breche and its Academy to teach the children o f noble drow. Instead, each o f the houses was responsible for the instruction o f its next generation. One house in particular, the founding House S’sril, was concerned that this practice resulted in numerous differences in the interpretation o f the W ay o f Lolth and weakened the city because it failed to produce devout priestesses, quality warriors, and adept wizards. Devoid o f any heirs, House S ’sril was a dying house (perhaps the only house to die o ff o f natural causes in the history o f M enzoberranzan). The last o f the S ’sril elders created the Academy upon Tier B reche to train drow newcomers in the M enzoberranyr way o f Lolth worship. Under their guidance, M enzoberranzan soon b ecam e a place o f pride. House S’sril has since passed away, but its teachings laid the foundation for the cu rricu lu m o f the Academy, and its lessons are still taught to drow students who attend it. House Baenre has long extended its dom inance in M enzoberranzan to the affairs o f the Academy. For generations, its m atron m others have manipulated the Ruling Council to appoint Baen re nobles to lead­ ership positions at the Academy. This practice has continued for so long that the Academy is com m only seen as an extension o f House Baenre. Triel Baenre took the unprecedented step o f being matron m other o f h er house while being the matron mistress o f the Academy. Q uenthel Baenre, her suc­ cessor, followed the practice and continues to hold both positions.

Goals The institutions in Tier B reche exist to train each gen­ eration o f drow in the teachings o f the Spider Queen while giving it the skills needed to survive in M en­ zoberranzan. Beyond that, the Academy is a nest of vipers with hundreds o f different plots developing all the tim e. The two most im portant factions in Tier Breche are both centered in Arach-Tinilith. One faction is solidly aligned with House Baenre and seeks to protect the Church o f Lolth’s political position through the First House. The second faction wants to separate the Acad­ emy and the Church o f Lolth from House Baenre and make it an independent faction in the city. Lolth has not given any indication which side she favors, most likely waiting to see which side is stronger.

Organization Tier B reche is a sprawling organization that has ties at all levels o f society. Because nearly all noble drow pass through its halls, its curriculum , philosophies, and biases spread throughout M enzoberranzan. Drow w arriors fight using the techniques they learn in M elee-M agthere, drow wizards learn their spells and rituals in Sorcere, and drow priestesses chant the rituals and recite the prayers taught to them in Arach-Tinilith.

Hierarchy The m em bers o f the Academy fall into two categories: the students and the instructors (called mistresses and masters). The students are grouped into classes according to age. Older students are superior to younger. The youngest students have it the worst, because everyone is their superior. W ith in each class, ranking is deter­ m ined by com petitions, such as the Grand M elee o f M elee-M agthere. The instructors at the Academy, the masters and m istresses, stand above the students. The instructors have near complete control over their students, up to and including killing them in the course o f their education. Each o f the schools has different styles of teaching. Sorcere relies on a mentor structure, MeleeM agthere uses lectures and demonstrations, and A rach-Tinilith uses sm all group instruction. There is little hierarchy among the masters and m istresses except the ranking that defines drow soci­ ety. The m istresses o f Arach-Tinilith are o f course more respected and powerful than the instructors o f the other branches o f the Academy, and the male w a rriors w h o te a c h at M e le e-M a g th er e share some o f the stigma attached to their gender and class throughout the city. The m atron m istress o f ArachTinilith is also the m atron m istress o f the Academy, and her position is second only to the matron mothers

T h e g re a t c h a m b er o f w orship in sid e A rach-Tinilith dw arfs those w ho en ter it

o f the Ruling C ouncil—at least until M atron M istress Triel ascended to the head o f House Baenre, effec­ tively consolidating the power o f both offices into one.

Recruiting In theory, all drow, w hether com m on or noble, are required to attend the Academy. It is possible for a house to keep one o f its children out o f the Academy, but such an act is rare and draws the attention o f the C hurch o f Lolth. Com m oners who seek to avoid the Academy have a m uch easier tim e, since the church pays little attention to such insignificant drow. Students’ length o f education is dependent on their gender and occupation. W arriors (who are mostly male) spend ten years at the Academy, wizards spend thirty years learning the way o f magic, and fem ale priestesses spend fifty years learning the rites and prayers o f Lolth. The vast m ajority o f a student’s tim e is spent w ithin a specific school; however, each stu­ dent spends a portion o f his or her last year at each of the other schools, gaining a basic understanding o f the strengths and w eaknesses o f those attending the other institutions.

THE SELECT FE W Nearly all noble drow attend the Academy, but not every character will be part of this faction. Most drow spend the ten, thirty, or fifty years necessary to gradu­ ate from their school in the Academy. They leave Tier Breche and take their places in their houses in the larger city below. Only those drow who continue to be a part of Tier Breche after graduation are part of this faction. The primary attribute for a drow who is part of the Tier Breche faction is to be an instructor of other drow. Tier Breche is foremost an academy to pass on the lessons of drow society to the next generation of drow.

Arach-Tinilith The training ground fo r drow priestesses produces the cru dest o f all drow.

Arach-Tinilith Traits: Duplicitous, sadistic, zealous Power: 13 //// /ft \T/

\W

Membership: Scores of drow training at the Academy; thousands in the city in positions of leadership in the houses. Headquarters: Tier Breche, a cavern on the north side of Menzoberranzan’s great vault.

m atron m other o f House Baenre fills that role. W h en Triel Baenre, already the m istress o f the Academy, ascended to the throne o f House Baenre in 1 3 5 8 DR, succeeded by her sister Quenthel in 1 3 8 0 , both posi­ tions were effectively united into one. Under the leadership o f the m atron mistress, twelve high priestesses typically serve as instructors in A rach-Tinilith at any given tim e. Having a daugh­ ter who has served as a m istress in the Academy brings honor to a drow house, and having two daugh­ ters in that group is a great honor indeed.

Notable Personages M inolin Fey-Branche: The first priestess of House Fey-Branche is also a mistress o f Arach-Tinilith in the Spellplague era. She handles m uch o f the adm inistrative work o f the Academy when Quenthel is absent or consum ed with other pressing matters. Q uenthel considers M inolin a weakling and a fool, w hich m akes her perfectly suited to her subordinate position in Q uenthel’s eyes. M inolin’s honored status

Religious Affiliation: Church of Lolth (strong) Leadership, Sable Years through War of the Spider Queen: Triel Baenre Leadership, Spellplague Era: Quenthel Baenre Allies: House Baenre Rivals: Jaezred Chaulssin N orthernm ost o f the Academy buildings—and the most im pressive—is the spider-shaped cathedral o f A rach-Tinilith. Visitors rarely see anything more than a few small audience cham bers near the entrance and the large upper cham ber dedicated to worship o f Lolth. The rest o f the temple is largely shrouded in darkness. Anyone other than a M enzoberranyr priest­ ess o f Lolth is decidedly not welcome. The m istresses o f A rach-Tinilith constitute the C hurch o f Lolth in the city. T h eir duties are to pray to Lolth and to m ake sacrifices to keep the city in her favor. They also serve on the street patrols to keep the peace and support the houses in tim es o f war. Fem ale drow are sent to A rach-Tinilith at the age o f forty to complete five decades o f training in the cruel service o f th eir demon goddess. Like the other branches o f the Academy, students o f A rach-Tinilith spend six m onths at the end o f th eir term s in each o f the other schools, learning the basics o f m agic and combat. The graduation cerem ony includes demon sum m oning and orgies involving the new priestesses and the m ale wizards or fighters, reinforcing the sub­ servient role o f the drow males. The matron m istress o f the Academ y resides here and serves both as head instructor o f Arach-Tinilith and as leader o f the Academy. Theoretically, she acts as the voice o f Lolth in the city, but more often, the A m istress o f A rach-T inilith a n d an inquisitor o f Lolth

ADVENTURERS OF ARACH-TINILITH “If by my service I can please the G oddess and bring honor to my house, I am content.” Join Arach-Tinilith if you w ant to: ♦ Follow the W ay of Lolth and benefit from its matri­ archal doctrine, ♦ Enjoy crushing your opponents beneath your heeled boot. ♦ Wield the power of a capricious and chaotic goddess.

DROW IN Q U IS IT O R O F LO LTH In chaotic M enzoberranzan, enem ies and traitors abound. The drow have made many enemies among the other races of the Underdark. Some of these ene­ mies are sly and cunning. They move against the City of Spiders using deception or mind control. These agents must be ferreted out and exposed to the righteous wrath of the priestesses of Lolth. But the greatest enemies can be found among the drow themselves. Not all drow keep the W ay of Lolth and serve the Spider Queen with absolute convic­ tion. They stray from the W ay of Lolth or plot against the great houses. W hether they are males seeking to overthrow the matriarchy or drow who have somehow developed a conscience, you must find these traitors and eliminate them. It takes a keen eye to ferret out all the plotters and conspirators that wander the streets of the city. Blessed by the Spider Queen, you use your profane abilities to spy and eavesdrop on suspected traitors. If these tal­ ents are not enough, the hand of a skilled torturer will extract what you want to hear from prisoners.

Characteristics: Sadistic, perceptive, thorough P r e r e q u is i t e s : F e m a le d ro w ; g ra d u a te Arach-Tinilith

of

M IS T R ES S O F A R A C H -T IN IL IT H You have survived fifty years of training at Arach-Tinilith. No, you have more than survived—you have thrived in the cruel, treacherous world of the drow priestesses. You have mastered the W ay of Lolth and know the demands of your patron goddess. You have summoned demons in rituals, bound them to your desires, and mated with them for the power they gave you. You have climbed the social ladder of the Academy, using the bodies of your peers as rungs. Let all who look upon you know that you have the favor of Lolth. W ith the exception of the matron mothers, no other group in Menzoberranzan w ields more power than you and your sisters. You act on the will of the Spider Queen (and occasionally on your own whim), speaking her will to the drow of the city, and they are bound to obey. All around you, the common drow quail in terror and grovel before your wrath. Even the nobles fear your power and curry your favor. Yet for all this power, the ones you fear the most are your fellow mistresses of Arach-Tinilith. They covet your position and favor with the Spider Queen. You must always be wary of betrayal, for only the foolish let down their guard. One slip and the fiends will be upon you, ready to tear out your heart and offer it to Lolth on her altar. C haracteristics: Proud, cruel, treacherous P r e r e q u is i t e s : F e m a le d ro w ; g ra d u a te

of

Arach-Tinilith

puts House Fey-Branche in Q uenthel’s debt and p re­ vents m ore ambitious daughters o f other houses from angling for the position. However, Q uenthel’s estim ation o f M inolin falls dangerously short o f the truth. The young priestess has an inner ste e l-th e sam e strength and resilience that brought her safely through the W ar o f the Spider Q ueen—that allows her to ignore Q uenthel’s relent­ less verbal and sometimes physical abuse. Recently, M inolin has found an ally and advisor in Gromph Baenre, who is eager to undercut his sister’s authority in any way he can. M inolin hopes to use the old m ale to break the Academy free o f House B aen re’s control. A rdulrae Tlabbar: The third daughter o f Kyr­ nill M elarn has bullied her way into the ranks o f the m istresses o f Arach-Tinilith with the support o f her house behind her. Though she is hated by all her fellow instructors, it is hard to deny that she effec­ tively teaches young priestesses the W ay o f Lolth, punishing any violation (real or suspected) o f the Spider Q ueen’s dictates w ith her whip o f fan gs. She

m akes no secret o f her b elie f that House M elarn should control A rach-Tinilith. H er spies move con­ stantly am ong the halls o f the Academy, trying to u nearth dam ning secrets she can wield against her colleagues in h er struggle for power.

Melee-Magthere H om e to the greatest drow w arriors—an d som e o f the m ost pow erful m ales in M enzoberranzan.

M elee-Magthere Traits: Duplicitous, militaristic Power: 13

///// itOi i W k i W i i W k

W ”W

\T/ 'W

Membership: Hundreds of students at Tier Breche; thousands in the service of the houses and independent operations.

m e le e -th e champion claiming the first rank, the next best combatant taking second rank, and so on. The m asters o f M elee-M agthere are some o f the best w arriors in the city and act as instructors to the students. Each has m astered a p articular weapon and passes on that knowledge to interested students through unrelenting and exhausting training. Unlike in A rach-Tinilith, there is no single m aster in charge o f M elee-M agthere, but a constant jockeying for power among the various masters. Also in contrast to Arach-Tinilith, house politics play little part in these rivalries, largely because most houses do not consider authority or influence over the city’s male warriors im portant enough to fight over.

Headquarters: Tier Breche, a cavern on the north side of Menzoberranzan’s

great vault. Religious Affiliation: Church of Lolth (strong)

Leadership: Multiple masters holding a range of positions Allies: House Barrison DePArmgo

Rivals: Bregan D’aerthe The easternm ost building in Tier B rech e is the unadorned stone pyram id o f M elee-M agthere, the fighter’s school for m ale drow. The pyram id is vast, containing arm ories, spartan sleeping cells for stu­ dents and m asters alike, sparring cham bers, a few dungeon cells and torture cham bers, and a handful of large w ar-council cham bers and assem bly halls. M any cellars and lower levels sprawls ben eath the pyramid as well. M ale drow w ith no arcane aptitude enter MeleeM agthere at age twenty and spend ten years there, training in the ways o f war. Beginning students spend their first fifty days under the tutelage o f the M aster of Lore, who teaches them the history o f the drow and steeps them in rage and hatred for all surface races, particularly the other races o f elves. In the tenth and fin al year, students spend tim e studying at Sorcere and then at A rach-Tinilith to learn the ways o f the w izards and the rites and rituals o f the Spider Queen. Early each year, the masters o f Melee-Magthere hold a Grand M elee to determ ine the rank o f students within each class. During this event, the masters set the students loose in a maze-like cavern outside the city with simple wooden poles as weapons. As each student is defeated, he is called out by an instructor to stand down. The last warrior standing wins the competition and earns the title o f class cham pion for a year. Stu­ dents are then ranked based upon their duration in the A m a ster o f M elee-M agthere (left) confronts a drow slaver

ADVENTURERS OF MELEE-MAGTHERE “Be grateful that this time I only hit you with the flat o f my blade-this time.”

Join Melee-Magthere if you w ant to: ♦ Play a warrior skilled in the graceful and deadly fight­ ing styles of the drow. ♦ Thrive on the constant competition between your­ self and your peers. ♦ Strive to succeed in a society where you are the underdog.

DRO W SLAVER Menzoberranzan is built on the Work of thousands of slaves. Every day, dozens of those slaves die from neglect, accidents, malnutrition, and punishment. To keep the slave pens full, the drow constantly mount raids on other races. Menzoberranzan’s soldiers form the primary force for these raids, but more powerful captives must be hunted down by skilled slavers. You are one of these individuals. You scour the sub­ terranean tunnels for marks that seem likely to fetch a high price. You are not interested in the common goblin or the stray ore. No, you seek the unusual, the strong, and the talented. Sometimes, you venture into the World Above to find exotic slaves for the markets of Menzoberranzan. Human artisans are often sought after for their skill and docility. You are a tenacious hunter, capable of tracking crea­ tures through the hard stone tunnels of the Underdark for days. W hen you get close, you take to the shadows, waiting for the right time to strike. The best marks are usually well protected, and you are an expert at avoid­

Notable Personages S y r’d au n H u n z rin : A cousin o f M atron M other Shakti H unzrin, Syr’daun is a m aster o f MeleeM agthere renowned for his skill w ith the glaive. However, his origins in House H unzrin dim inish the respect he receives both inside and outside the Academy. Though no student would dare show open disrespect, his fellow m asters call him “Syr’daun Stone-Head,” using the com m on and derogatory n ick­ nam e for what is often viewed as a house o f farm ers. Syr’daun is determ ined to bring honor to his house and increase its standing through his m artial skill, preferring the traditional m eans o f advancing his house’s standing to the schem ing o f M atron Sh ak ti’s secret coalition o f m erchant clans. He frequently lob­ bies his cousin Keptus, weapon m aster o f the house, to persuade Shakti to attack a higher house. H a tc h ’n e t: H atch ’net is the M aster o f Lore o f M elee-M agthere through the entirety o f the Sable Years into the Spellplague era, and he held that posi­ tion for at least two hundred years before the birth o f

ing guards, traps, and defenses. Once you have captured your chosen mark, you spirit the slave back to Menzo­ berranzan, often with pursuit close behind. You rarely kill your quarry, since dead slaves have no value. C haracteristics: Diligent, merciless, ruthless Prerequisites: Drow; almost all drow slavers are trained at Melee-Magthere M A S T E R O F M E L EE-M A G T H E R E You are a master at Melee-Magthere. You trained for years at the school until you were recognized as one of the greatest warriors in Menzoberranzan. You have mastered every weapon, every technique, and every tactic available to the drow. Your deadliness on the field of battle is supreme. Not being in line for a house weapon master posi­ tion, you remained at the Academy as an instructor for the hordes of drow males that pour through its halls. You are responsible for separating the weak from the strong, and instilling in your charges the lessons they will need to survive in drow society. For the vast major­ ity of your students, life is short, with most sacrificed in battle for the greater gain of the city, a house, or Lolth. W ithin the Academy, your profession is scorned by the priestesses of Arach-Tinilith, who consider you dis­ posable. You will never be anything more than a tool in their eyes, but you know the value of your skills. Your worth is proven in battle a thousand times over. Characteristics: Vengeful, relentless, disciplined P re re q u isite s: D row (Melee-Magthere does not make distinctions based on gender, but most masters are male); graduate of Melee-Magthere

D rizzt D o’Urden. He is a talented orator. His speech is alm ost hypnotic, w ith variations o f inflection and rallying cries. H e fills the m inds o f young drow with an endless stream o f hateful rhetoric. The matrons o f the ruling fam ilies understand the value o f his practiced tongue, and he has more prestige in M en­ zoberranzan th an nearly any other m ale drow and m any o f the females.

Sorcere Secluded in their towers, the m age lords o f Sorcere im agine themselves the equals o f the priestesses.

Sorcere Traits: Duplicitous, secretive Power: 12 /////» » » jWi A \ iWi

\Y/ AT/ \T/" >▼/ Membership: Dozens of stu­ dents at Tier Breche; several hundred spread throughout the houses. Headquarters: Tier Breche, a cavern on the north side of Menzoberranzan’s great vault.

The mage lords are the most powerful male mages active in the city. They are tough, twisted survivors who have risen to approach hum an archm ages in ability, while overcoming far greater obstacles. The A rchm age is the head o f Sorcere and the only one o f its m asters w ith a high public profile. His role is to advise and serve the Ruling Council. He also keeps tim e in the city by casting the spells that light up Narbondel (page 81). The Archm age is almost always a w izard o f House Baenre, who uses its in flu ­ ence to place one o f its own in the high seat.

Notable Personages G ro m p h B a e n r e : Gromph Baenre is the A rch ­ mage o f M enzoberranzan throughout the Sable Years, the W ar o f the Spider Queen, and the Spell­ plague era, as well as the elder brother and ch ief rival o f Q uenthel. The two have never seen eye to eye, and each has tried to kill the other over the centuries.

Religious Affiliation: Church of Lolth (weak) Leadership, Sable Years through Spellplague Era: Gromph Baenre Allies: House Barrison DePArmgo, House Xorlarrin Rivals: Arach-Tinilith The sculpted stalagm ite tower o f Sorcere rises near the western w all o f Tier Breche. The lower floors are lecture halls, laboratories, and libraries. H igher in the tower are the sanctum s o f the m asters o f Sorcere. The rooms and passages o f the tower are often veiled, dis­ torted, hidden, or altered by the wizards. Drow (mostly males) who show a talent or in cli­ nation for m agic are identified at a young age and groom ed for Sorcere. At the age o f twenty, wouldbe wizards begin a five-year apprenticeship with an older w izard to learn the basics o f spellcraft. At twenty-five, they begin a course o f study in Sorcere that lasts thirty years. The last year o f their tra in ­ ing is spent in M elee-M agthere and A rach-Tinilith, learning the ways o f those institutions and the proper place o f m ales in M enzoberranyr society—under the heels o f the priestesses o f Lolth. Sorcere is supervised by the m atron m istress o f A rach-Tinilith to ensure that the w izards do not defy the rule o f Lolth. The m asters o f Sorcere have orders to watch their students closely, and m ost realize that they too are being watched by the m istresses of Arach-Tinilith. The masters o f Sorcere are a mysterious, reclusive group o f wizards w ith an awesome reputation. They have few ranks and titles, but m any differences in influence, from positions such as teaching m asters at the Academy to the student aspirants (house wizardsin-training) to the mighty m age lords. A m aster o f S orcere an d a h ou se w izard

ADVENTURERS OF SORCERE “Prattle on about the Way o f Lolth, little priestess. She will not save you.” Join Sorcere if you w an t to :

♦ Find a route to power outside the matriarchy that dominates the city. ♦ Explore the deepest arcane secrets without concern of morality. ♦ Strike your enemies with blasts of arcane power. HOUSE W IZ A R D

You have trained at Sorcere and obtained the most powerful position available to a male noble-house wizard. Within your house, you hold the highest station a male drow can hope to achieve. The other males look upon you with envy, and the priestesses must treat you with a modicum of respect. You are responsible for all arcane matters in your house. You create enchanted wards, craft magic items, and tutor the younger drow in the ways of the arcane. These chores fill your days since the matron mother always wants more magic items, more powerful wards, and more wizard apprentices. You walk a fine line for survival. Do poorly, and your matron mother will deem you expendable. Do too well, and the priestesses will consider you an ambitious threat. Matron mothers prefer house wizards to be their own sons to ensure loyalty and to assert control over the sometimes stubbornly independent wizards. Being a house wizard comes with many risks, because you will always be embroiled in the politics of the city. Rival houses will strike at you first, since your presence on the battlefield can change the course of a fight. Even away from the battlefield, your magic can shape the power of your house. For these reasons, you have to be constantly alert for assassination attempts.

Gromph is older than most o f the m atron mothers and has reached the zenith o f power available to a m ale in M enzoberranzan. H e is a cold, bitter, and calculating old drow. Although he could have seized control o f M enzoberranzan during Lolth’s silence, he prefers to lead from the shadows. G rom ph’s current plot is to mold M inolin FeyBranche to challenge his sister, Q uenthel, for control o f the Academy. I f M inolin succeeds, Q uenthel will be hum iliated. I f she fails, then the m atron m other will be forced to kill one o f her own allies. Either way, Gromph com es out the victor. Uhlsrysn X o rlarrin : U hlsrysn is a teaching m aster o f Sorcere and secondboy o f House Xorlarrin. His elder brother is a far m ore accom plished wizard, so Uhlsrysn rem ains at Sorcere as an instructor. Uhlsrysn is an expert on transm utation magic, and

Characteristics: jealous, resourceful, hateful P r e r e q u is ite s : Drow (one of either gender can become a wizard in Menzoberranzan, but almost all house wizards are male); graduate of Sorcere M A ST E R O F SO R C E R E

After decades of study, you have finally reached the rank of master of Sorcere. You are one of the most pow­ erful arcane casters in the city. The magical might you wield can devastate scores of enemies. Your ingenuity and magical talent make possible many of the luxuries found among the drow. As a master, you have students and set duties within Sorcere, but beyond these interactions, you are likely a recluse, dwelling in the spell-guarded tower of Sorcere. You have orders from your matron mother to watch your students and fellow wizards for weaknesses that can be exploited. You would be a fool to assume that you are also not being watched. You have developed the habit of concealing what you’re really doing from other wizards and from the scrying spells of the matron mother. You are nominally under the authority of the mis­ tresses of Arach-Tinilith, but your command of magic and your position in Sorcere has finally put you beyond the direct reach of the priestesses. However, the other masters present a broad spectrum of eccentric and nasty personalities, and Sorcere has its own intrigues, cabals, and betrayals. Characteristics: Cold, devious, calculating Prerequisites: Drow (one of either gender can become a wizard in Menzoberranzan, but almost all masters of Sorcere are male); graduate of Sorcere

any student attending the Academy is likely to come in contact w ith h im because o f it. He is particularly renowned for transform ing goblin slaves into larger and more dangerous monsters. Like all nobles o f his house, Uhlsrysn wears a m ask and formless robes when appearing in public. He has a prickly pride, however, due to the inad­ equacy he feels in com parison to his brother, and can be easily provoked.

Bregan D ’aerthe A m ercenary band with rem arkable freed om , and one o f the best avenues fo r outcast or m ale drow to gain power.

lucrative ventures for the m ercenary company are the inter-house conflicts betw een two noble families. Few know that m any o f these feuds were ignited at the w him o f Jarlaxle him self, one spoken falsehood or incrim inating docum ent at a tim e.

Bregan D ’aerthe

Organization

Traits: Militaristic, secretive

Bregan D ’aerthe is led by an unusual m ale rake nam ed Jarlaxle, an individual whom m ost in the city would nam e among M enzoberranzan’s most powerful m ales. Through the organization’s in tri­ cate network o f scouts and spies, Jarlaxle is apprised o f nearly everything that happens—or soon will happen—w ithin M enzoberranzan or its environs. Few understand those conflicting gray areas o f m oral­ ity and pragm atism better than the eccentric leader o f Bregan D ’aerthe. Every week Jarlaxle changes his base o f operation, and he seldom travels without a secret escort o f at least six highly skilled and unquestioningly loyal lieutenants.

Power: 8 / // O M \w i\w 'AV \w /// Membership: Approxi­ mately 150 members of various races Headquarters: Many scattered hideouts in and around Menzoberranzan and Ched Nasad, all temporary Religious Affiliation: Church of Lolth (weak) Leadership: Jarlaxle Baenre Allies: House Baenre Rivals: House Hunzrin, Jaezred Chaulssin This infam ous brotherhood o f drow spies, m erce­ naries, and assassins is undeniably unscrupulous, but also unquestionably effective. Despite being an unlaw ful faction, Bregan D ’aerthe has largely avoided the attention o f the Ruling Council. This fact is due in no sm all m easure to the close ties the crim in al organization has long enjoyed w ith House Baenre. Yet even without the support o f the First House, m any noble fam ilies have enjoyed victories thanks to inform ation or soldiers supplied by Bregan D ’aerthe. Despite coin changing hands, however, at the end o f the day Bregan D ’aerthe owes its allegiance only to itself.

Goals Despite engaging in such illicit trades as assassina­ tion, espionage, smuggling, and kidnapping, Bregan D ’aerthe rem ains first and foremost a for-profit en ter­ prise. Although secretive, Bregan D ’aerthe has been know n to engage in open w arfare i f the payout is significant. In one famous engagement, the m erce­ nary band even aided in an assault against a noble house, only to sw itch sides halfw ay through the con ­ flict upon receiving a better offer from the besieged matron mother.

Profits in Chaos It is in Bregan D ’aerth e’s fin an cial interest to sow instability and chaos throughout the city. Because w here there is con flict, there is war, and wars are won through superior num bers and strength o f arm s—and Bregan D ’aerthe supplies both. The m ost A B reg a n D ’a e r th e scout a n d a m ercen a ry stand ready

ADVENTURERS OF BREGAN D’AERTHE “I’ll follow Jarlaxle’s lead, wherever he takes me. Better that

BREGAN D ’AERTH E M ERCEN ARY

than my sister’s lashes.”

As a mercenary, you serve among the front-line troops of Bregan D’aerthe. In addition to defending your own brothers, you are often called upon to wage war at the behest of the highest bidder. Although Bregan D’aerthe mercenaries are typically engaged in conflicts against threats external to the City of Spiders, it’s not unknown for them to fight alongside house armies during a take­ over of a rival house. Recently recalled to Menzoberranzan after an extended tour serving Bregan D ’aerthe interests in Luskan, you have had little time to acclimate yourself to the new intrigues of your motherland. Mere hours after you set foot back in Menzoberranzan, the hidden Bregan D’aerthe compound in the Clawrift was set upon by a cadre of spellscarred illithids. Although the invasion was ultimately repelled, the question remains of how the mind flayers uncovered the secret location of the base and what their ultimate purpose was. With your wounds from the attack just recently tended, your commanding lieutenant has requested that you assemble a small reconnaissance force from outside the brotherhood to investigate the Clawrift for further clues. C h a ra cteristics: Intense, deadly, regimented P rereq u isites: None (although predominantly com­ posed of houseless drow males, Bregan D’aerthe has been known to accept exceptional non-drow recruits into its burgeoning mercenary corps)

Jo in Bregan D’a e rth e if you w an t to :

♦ Play a wandering drow without a house or clan. ♦ Have the heart of a mercenary and the martial prow­ ess of a weapon master. ♦ Enjoy the thrill of espionage and have the stomach for assassination. BREGAN D ’AERTHE SC O U T

For decades, you have served as a scout for Bregan D’aerthe, tasked with everything from-escorting cara­ vans through the treacherous byways of the Underdark to assassinating elite dignitaries visiting Menzoberran­ zan from faraway settlements. You are attuned to your keen instincts and a master of Underdark survival. In recent years, Bregan D’aerthe has become increas­ ingly concerned with the encroachment of Jaezred Chaulssin infiltrators within the city. While, as a male, you might sympathize with the patriarchal views espoused by the Jaezred Chaulssin, you suspect that turning the city over to a band of zealous weredragons would be bad for business. Therefore, you’ve been tasked by Jarlaxle to scout out Menzoberranzan for signs of Jaezred Chaulssin activity. If possible, you should gain the trust of any Jaezred Chaulssin agents and report back to Jarlaxle with your findings. C h aracteristics: Keen, cunning, stealthy P rereq u isites: Drow (Bregan D’aerthe maintains contacts and alliances with several non-drow factions, but only true-blooded drow are permitted to join its elite ranks)

Hierarchy Although he has tem porarily turned leadership over to a trusted lieutenant in the past, as the group’s founder, Jarlaxle undeniably sits at the top o f the brotherhood’s hierarchy. Six lieutenants serve below him , leading the m any operations Bregan D ’aerthe is juggling at any given moment. Beneath them is a cadre o f warriors, spies, assassins, and inform ants, each blood-sworn to Jarlaxle and the brotherhood. Even with the organization’s reputation, few in the city could accurately guess its num bers. Every m em ber o f the brotherhood is sworn to secrecy and unquestionably abides by the decisions o f Jarlaxle or his appointed captain.

Recruiting Bregan D ’aerthe is crewed m ainly by rogue male drow drawn from the lower ranks o f the m ajor houses and from the tattered rem nants o f destroyed houses. Jarlaxle has more respect for non-drow than

most drow nobles do, and the com pany’s m em bers also include hobgoblins and bugbears. W ith profit his prim ary concern, Jarlaxle doesn’t let pride stand in the way o f accepting a talented warrior, w izard, or tracker into his band. New recruits are well equipped and train out o f num erous hidden encam pm ents in and around M en ­ zoberranzan, including a hidden safe house in the depths o f the Clawrift.

Notable Personages Although Bregan D ’aerth e’s m em bership is largely anonymous, very few in M enzoberranzan have not heard o f the band's sw ashbuckling leader Jarlaxle. Jarlaxle B aen re: As a young student at MeleeM agthere, Jarlaxle was recognized early on as a b rilliant strategist and tactician, but he always preferred the stealthy dagger o f an assassin to the flashing swords o f his fellow students. For centu­ ries he has felt som ething was wrong in the city o f

L eft to right: V alas Ilu n e, K im m u riel O blodra, Ja r la x le B aen re, R ai-gy B o n d a lek

his birth, and he rejects the view that everything worthw hile in M enzoberranzan is the d irect result o f Lolth’s will. Truly chaotic in nature, the rake always keeps his opponents and friends alike guessing. Jarlaxle appears to be a handsom e, flam boyant dandy, but his outrageous appearance is a carefully crafted decoy hiding a pragm atic, intelligent, and observant leader. His wild clothing and jew elry carry a wide array o f enchantm ents, and Jarlaxle is seldom encountered without his signature w ide-brim m ed purple hat adorned with a large, flam boyant diatrym a feather. The eye patch he w ears—over w hichever eye suits h im -p ro tects him from spells that could reveal his thoughts. K im m uriel Oblodra: One o f the few survivors o f House O blodra following its destruction, K im m u ­ riel is a talented and dangerous psion. The dim ension doors he creates allow Bregan D ’aerthe agents to move across great distances w ith a single step, and when he is employed as an assassin, Kim m uriel is as creative as he is cruel. As Jarlaxle understood when he allowed the drow psion to lead Bregan D ’aerthe for a tim e, Kim m uriel does not covet power as other drow do. The psion’s designs dwell in the realm o f the m ind, and he

prefers intellectual sparring with illithids to bargain­ ing for position w ith the w retched m atron m others o f M enzoberranzan. K im m uriel is an unusually patient drow with a sardonic, dry wit and an expressionless demeanor that Jarlaxle often describes as soulless. Kim m uriel does not attack w ith a weapon, but instead with the unfettered strength o f his mind; one o f the psion’s m ost potent attacks allows him to possess the corpo­ real body o f a victim . Unknow n to his brothers w ithin the m ercenary clan, K im m uriel m aintains contact with the Sept of Ill’G hact (page 74). Rai-guy (R ai’gy) Bondalek: Among Jarlaxle’s lieutenants in Bregan D ’aerthe is this incredible rarity among the drow: a m ale who is not only a powerful w izard but also a priest o f Lolth. Hailing from Ched Nasad, he was unseated from his prom inent position in that city in a coup orchestrated by Jarlaxle so that Bregan D ’aerthe could benefit from his extraordinary talents. W ith his im p fam iliar D ruzil, he provides sig­ nifican t m agical support to the company through the Sable Years and into the Tim e o f Troubles era. Valas H une: This drow rogue comes from the m erchant fam ily O zzl’Hune in M enzoberranzan. A fter the destruction o f his family by its rivals, he

joined Bregan D ’aerthe, lending his considerable skills in stealth, scouting, and bladework to the m er­ cenary band. D uring the W ar o f the Spider Queen, he was chosen to accompany Q uenthel Baenre in her quest to solve the puzzle o f Lolth’s Silence. In the wake o f that terrible adventure he has returned to Bregan D ’aerthe, staying as far away from M enzober­ ranzan as possible. Late in the Spellplague era, he is assisting Jarlaxle’s operations around Neverwinter.

R e l a t io n s h ip s Inform ation gathering is a key com ponent o f Bregan D’aerthe’s spy network. As such, the group keeps tabs on its rivals and its allies alike. House B aenre: To the consternation o f m any rival houses, the First House o f M enzoberranzan m aintains a close alliance with Bregan D ’aerthe. J a r ­ laxle is a com m on visitor to the m agnificent Baenre compound, and some w hisper that he is m ore in Matron Baenre’s eyes th an a business partner. The truth—and a well-kept secret—is that Jarlaxle is in fact born o f House Baenre. As the third-born m ale o f his house, Jarlaxle was set to be sacrificed to Lolth, as is drow custom. Inexplicably, as M atron Yvonnel thrust forth the sac­ rificial dagger to deliver the killing blow, the blade would not penetrate the flesh o f the new born Ja r ­ laxle. Taking this turn o f events as a divine omen, M atron Baenre hid the child away and has supported his endeavors in secret ever since. House H unzrin: Although the two organizations specialize in different com m odities, Bregan D ’aerthe views the rapid m ercantile expansion o f House Hunzin with some alarm . Jarlaxle has most other m erchant clans in his pocket, but M atron Shakti has thus far proved resistant to his charm s. Jaezred Chaulssin: Jarlaxle views the in filtra­ tion o f this cadre o f dragon-blooded assassins into M enzoberranzan society as the gravest threat to Bregan D ’aerthe. M any disenfranchised m ales that would have traditionally been swept into his broth­ erhood o f m ercenaries are instead being lured to Jaezred Chaulssin by promises o f a future maledominated regime w ithin the city. Bregan D ’aerthe has made several attempts to infiltrate and spy on the Chaulssinyr, but each attempt has resulted in the agent’s brutal murder.

E n co un ters Agents o f Bregan D ’aerthe can be encountered in any corner o f M enzoberranzan or the Underdark. Encounters on the surface are less comm on, but Bregan D ’aerthe does m aintain ongoing operations in several surface-world cities. D uring the Spellplague era, Jarlaxle squeezed coins and secrets from the Sword Coast city o f Luskan, then turned his attention to Neverwinter. W h erever they are found, Bregan D ’aerthe agents operate quietly w ithout attracting attention. Even in M enzoberranzan w here nearly everyone knows they exist, the m em bers cover th em ­ selves in layers o f secrecy to rem ain undetected. W h en Bregan D ’aerthe is contracted to provide m ercenary services, brotherhood w arriors integrate them selves so seam lessly w ith the hiring organiza­ tion’s troops as to appear indistinguishable, to the greatest extent possible. For the duration o f the con­ tract, Bregan D ’aerthe m ercenaries are unwaveringly loyal to th eir hiring sponsors. A typical encounter with Bregan D ’aerthe is unexpected, and at the behest (and coin) o f a third party. M ore than likely, the m ercenaries have no personal issue w ith the ch aracters—it’s ju st business. Grudgingly respected by drow in the highest posi­ tions, Bregan D ’aerthe is not a foe to challenge unless one has serious intent and is w illing to risk serious ram ifications. The m ercenaries o f Bregan D ’aerthe do not attack in a haphazard fashion. Each drow knows his or her role in a fight and sticks to it. W arriors always move to flank, allow ing rogues to sneak attack. These elite m ercenaries use terrain to th eir advantage. W h en preparing an am bush, they learn every detail o f the location and its terrain, and discuss what tactics their enem ies m ight use and how those foes will try to use the terrain to th eir advantage.

Expansive Network As a result o f Jarlax le’s wanderlust over the last century, Bregan D ’aerth e’s interests have widened considerably, taking the brotherhood far beyond the confines o f M enzoberranzan. Bregan D ’aerthe now has hidden cells in m any o f the larger drow com m u­ nities o f the Underdark. Although Jarlaxle rem ains the nom inal leader o f the overall organization, each cell operates largely independent o f the others. Outside M enzoberranzan, the brotherhood’s greatest successes have com e from operations in and around T ’lindhet. The T ’lindhet cell has b een so profitable for Bregan D ’aerthe that Jarlaxle is contem ­ plating m aking a change in the roster o f his captains. This change would bring in new blood and ideas to the brotherhood and grant K im m uriel the freedom from leadership he has long desired.

jaezred Chaulssin D ragonblooded drow who seek to help the drow throw o f f the yoke o f Lolth’s dominion.

jaezred Chaulssin Traits: Authoritarian, sadistic, secretive Power: 3

Goals Members o f the Jaezred Chaulssin believe that to save the dark elves from the madness and tyranny o f Lolth, drow society must be shattered. If cities fall and thou­ sands o f drow die to do so, then that fate must be borne, since misery and disaster will turn the drow away from Lolth and toward other deities. The assassins are will­ ing to risk subjecting the drow to centuries o f weakness, enslavement, and suffering to remove Lolth's hold over the race and raise up the Jaezred Chaulssin as the secret head o f a drow society shaped to its liking.

/ / \y>

Membership: 140 drow, dragonblooded drow, and shadar-kai Headquarters: House of the Hidden Masters in Chaulssin

Sabotage Arach-Tinilith Late in the Spellplague era, the Jaezred Chaulssin becam e more overt in its tactics, directly targeting

Religious Affiliation: Before the Reckoning: Vhaeraun (weak); after the Reckoning: none Leadership: Patron Grandfather Mauzzkyl Jaezred Allies: None Rivals: Church of Lolth, Bregan D’aerthe The Jaezred Chaulssin is a secretive, patriarchal order o f assassins who claim descent from the ancient drow o f Chaulssin and the shadow dragons that long ago enslaved them . A fter centuries o f exile w ithin the Shadowfell, the surviving lords o f House Jaezred, reduced to a m ere handful o f dragon-blooded sorcer­ ers and assassins, returned to Faerun to challenge Lolth’s crushing dom inion over the drow. The shad­ owy city o f Chaulssin (page 109), w hich exists in both the Shadowfell and the Underdark, serves as the base for this cadre o f m aster assassins. The Jaezred Chaulssin operated in the shadows, through infiltration and assassination, from the tim e o f its return to Faerun in 1 1 3 6 D R until the W ar o f the Spider Q ueen in 1 3 7 2 D R provided an oppor­ tunity for a more overt attack on M enzoberranzan. Throughout the period o f Lolth's silence, the Ja ez ­ red Chaulssin spurred revolt in drow cities across Faerun, w ith some spectacular results—including the destruction o f Ched Nasad. D uring the Spellplague, Chaulssin shuddered as the planar order shifted, and the m em bers o f the Jaezred Chaulssin found their shadow m agic disrupted. The death o f V haeraun during the Reckoning also dealt a significant blow to the order. As a result, the Jaezred Chaulssin w ith­ drew from active strikes against the “spider-kissers” who worship Lolth, and spent m uch o f the next cen ­ tury rebuilding their strength.

A Ja e z r e d C haulssin in filtra to r an d a shadow agen t

ADVENTURERS OF THE JAEZRED CHAULSSIN “Subject to the lash again, eh, brother? You are better than th at—you know you are.” Jo in Jaezred Chaulssin if you w an t to :

♦ Actively oppose the Way of Lolth and its matriarchal doctrine. ♦ Play an assassin who has the drive to hunt down your query no matter how difficult the challenge. ♦ Be a drow with the blood of shadow dragons in your veins. JA EZ R E D CHAULSSIN INFILTRATOR

Long have your dragon-blooded kin lurked upon the periphery of Menzoberranzan observing the decadent “spider kissers” and their contemptible ways. A century past, your brothers, the Jaezred Chaulssin, instigated a plan to overrun the City of Spiders with armies of duergar and tanarukk, yet fate intervened and the siege ended in failure. The sting of that debacle yet endures, but as a new generation of the Infiltrators, you seek the opportunity to remedy the missteps of your forebears. Many evenings you have wandered Menzoberran­ zan, alternating guises as a common laborer or rakish noble as the opportunity presents. To the many disen­ franchised males in your travels, you whisper subtle sedition against the Way of Lolth, sowing seeds of doubt among commoners and noble-born alike. You have little fear of retribution, because even if you were exposed for spreading heresy, your mastery of shadow would allow you to quickly and silently spirit yourself to safety. You operate primarily out of the Jaezred Chaulssin fosterage in Menzoberranzan, reporting to patriarch

high priestesses o f Lolth for assassination. In M enzo­ berranzan, the organization has its sights set squarely on the m istresses o f Arach-Tinilith. In the Year o f Splendors Burning (1 4 6 9 DR), Jaez­ red Chaulssin sleeper agents posing as students at the Academy successfully disrupted the Ceremony o f Graduation, unleashing a horde o f demons w ithin Arach-Tinilith’s walls. Before the demonic host was expelled, the Academy temple suffered severe damage, resulting in heavy casualties. W ith the success o f this assault, the Jaezred Chaulssin has becom e embold­ ened to attempt even grander attacks in the future.

Foment Insurrection The open attack on A rach-Tinilith aside, the Jaezred Chaulssin’s prim ary methods are subtle and decep­ tive, designed to redirect suspicion toward a third party, if possible. At every opportunity, the Jaezred Chaulssin seeks to foment cynicism and bitterness in M enzoberranzan’s m ale population. The organiza­ tion’s ultim ate aim is to ratchet up so m uch anim osity

Nimor Imphraezl. As an Infiltrator, you are Nimor’s eyes on the street, tasked with fomenting discord and doubt at every opportunity. C h a ra cte ristics: Calculating, furtive, patient P rereq u isites: Drow JA E Z R E D CH AULSSIN S H A D O W AGENT

You are a child of shadow, a harbinger of doom, and a scion of death. Long eons in the Shadowfell have shaped the shadar-kai into a grim people filled with loathing and self-contempt. Both cursed and blessed by your affinity with the Shadowfell, you have mastery over the art of stealth and subterfuge, but you must constantly work to channel the darkness within you, lest it utterly consume you. To further the cause of the Jaezred Chaulssin, you have permitted yourself to be taken as a slave and sold to a noble house within Menzoberranzan. Your exotic, tattooed skin and comely appearance have served you well. The matron of your adopted house has taken a special liking to you and set you on the path to power and prestige. Little does the foolish matron know that you foment dissent in her house with your every breath. Before accepting this sleeper assignment, the anointed blade personally tasked you with a second­ ary objective in utmost confidence. As the opportunity presents itself, you are to encourage the matron mother to ally with House Nurindyn, whereupon you are to spy on Nimor Imphraezl and report his activities back to the anointed blade. C h aracteristics: Charismatic, duplicitous, vindictive P rereq u isites: Shadar-kai (half drow)

toward the city’s priestesses that it triggers a city-wide uprising. The Jaezred Chaulssin is already well posi­ tioned, w ith opposition groups w ithin Sorcere and M elee-M agthere. A ll it need to do now is to drum up popular support am ong the com m oners and the lesser houses, believing that insurrection will then be all but assured.

Organization The Jaezred Chaulssin is ruled by a council o f eight patron fathers, led by the order’s founder, Patron Grand­ father Mauzzkyl Jaezred. These leaders are all shadow dragons whose mastery o f shadow magic allows them to take on humanoid form and move unnoticed among the drow. Each o f the seven patron fathers commands a minor noble house in a different drow city. R eporting directly to the patron grandfather is the anointed blade, who technically stands higher among the Jaezred Chaulssin than any o f the other patron fathers. The anointed blade does not have authority

over a fosterage, but acts as an independent agent to carry out the w ill o f the cou ncil—typically through infiltration, espionage, and assassination. Beneath the anointed blade are several ranks o f blades, from first blades to eighth blades. The num ber o f operatives at each tier is lim ited, and advancing from a lower rank to a higher requires defeating a higher-ranking rival. No more than three first blades exist at one tim e, five second blades, seven third blades, and so on down to the fifteen seventh blades. The num ber o f eighth blades is unlim ited, but even the ranks o f the seventh blades are not always full. Dragon blood runs through m any o f the drow agents o f the Jaezred Chaulssin, from the full-blooded shadow dragons who form the ruling council o f patron fathers to a scattering o f half-dragon drow in the upper ranks o f the blades. Lower-ranking blades often claim draconic blood, but rarely have anything to show for it beyond an aptitude for shadow magic.

Notable Personages W h en dealing w ith the Jaezred Chaulssin, appear­ ances are most certainly deceiving. A ntrysn B arriath : Antrysn held the ran k o f anointed blade o f the Jaezred Chaulssin for m any years before he was murdered by an ambitious rival, Nimor Im phraezl. Patron Father X orthaul o f Jh ach alk hyn resurrected Antrysn, but kept his return to life a secret from the rest o f the Jaezred Chaulssin. Following Nimor’s demotion, A ntrysn em erged from the shadows to reclaim the rank o f anointed blade, much to N im or’s dismay. The two rivals continue to seek advantage over the other, and battle betw een them is inevitable. Antrysn is a half-dragon drow, the son o f Patron Father Xorthaul o f Jh ach alkh yn, with a nasty tem per and a sadistic streak. He appears as a m uscular, hairless drow m ale with dark-scaled skin that is heavily scarred w ith arcane runes. He favors bloodred robes w ithout ornam entation. Mauzzkyl Jaezred: The patron grandfather o f Chaulssin, Mauzzkyl cannot tolerate any person, organization, or even deity who would claim author­ ity over him. This rebellious streak formed the basis of his hatred for the shadow dragons o f Clan Jaezred, accounts for his differences w ith the patriarchs o f the Church o f Vhaeraun, and forms the core o f his hatred o f the Spider Queen. The patron grandfather is wholly committed to the ideals o f the Jaezred Chaulssin, and he views House Jaezred as the living extension o f his will. Mauzzkyl is an incredibly ancient shadow dragon, but he uses his drow form most o f the tim e. In that form, he is a hale old dark e lf with broad shoulders, a wide chest, and thinning hair forming a widow’s peak. Nimor Im phraezl: O nce the most talented and deadly assassin o f the Jaezred Chaulssin, Nimor suf­ fered an em barrassing setback during the aborted

siege o f M enzoberranzan last century. He has spent the last several decades working to regain his former glory and rank as anointed blade. Presently, Nimor is serving as patron o f the M enzoberranzan foster­ age under the guise o f the rakish noble Nagyon Nurindyn. In this role, he appears as a slender, alm ost boyish drow m ale o f striking good looks, with the easy grace and blinding speed o f a professional duel­ ist. As a half-dragon, Nimor is far stronger than he appears and has m astered many dark and deadly spells o f the assassin’s trade.

R e l a t io n s h ip s The Jaezred Chaulssin has courted an eclectic col­ lection o f allies since its founding, but patron fathers would gladly abandon each in furtherance o f their long-term goals. Shadar-kai: Over the past two centuries, many sm all clans from throughout the Shadowfell have b een recruited by the Jaezred Chaulssin to serve as m ercenaries and spies, observing the activities o f Lolth-worshipers throughout the Northdark. Most serve in team s o f th ree or more under the com mand o f an individual Jaezred Chaulssin velve. Netherese: Through the shadar-kai, the Jaezred Chaulssin has attracted the attention o f Netheril. For the tim e being, the two groups share an uneasy amity, though the Jaezred Chaulssin is wise enough to know that it’s only a m atter o f tim e before the Netherese try to forcibly annex the sm aller organization into their empire. I f the Netherese act on these desires, the patron grandfather has issued standing orders for retaliatory hits against the twelve Princes o f Shade. C hurch of Lolth: “Spider kisser” is a derisive epithet reserved am ong the Chaulssinyr for drow who worship Lolth, including pretty m uch anyone from M enzoberranzan. Despite numerous assassina­ tions and acts o f terror, the Church o f Lolth rem ains largely unaw are o f the Jaezred Chaulssin, and the patron fathers prefer it that way. B regan D ’aerthe: The Jaezred Chaulssin views Bregan D ’aerthe, as a crude tool and nothing more. Nimor placed several agents w ithin Jarlaxle’s brother­ hood, but attempts to infiltrate the m ercenary’s inner circle have so far proven ineffectual. W h en the tim e com es for insurrection to rise in the streets, Jaezred Chaulssin plans to have plenty o f coin on hand to pur­ chase Bregan D ’aerth e’s loyalty. Council o f Spiders: D uring the events surround­ ing Lolth’s attempt to create a Demon Weave, a group o f wizards seeking to overthrow the rule o f Lolth’s priestesses have come together. Bringing Lolth’s efforts to fruition can only aid these wizards in pursuing their own goals. The leadership o f the so-called Council o f Spiders consists o f various lesser wizards o f House X or­ larrin and House Barrison D el’A rmgo, but one agent of

the Jaezred Chaulssin—a dragonblooded drow nam ed Faraen Nuryndin—is steering the council toward out­ right rejection o f the Way o f Lolth.

En co un ters Greater blades (those o f the first, second, or third order) are almost always encountered alone, with the majority o f their victim s unaware o f who delivered the killing blow. Greater blades are the ultimate assassins, enjoying both the benefit o f supernatural dexterity and mastery over shadow magic. Some o f the half-dragons among them are aided further by shadowy wings. Lesser blades (of the fourth order or lower) typically lead squads o f three or more shadar-kai on scouting missions to spy on strongholds o f Lolth. The blades require unwavering devotion and obedience from their shadar-kai agents, but they are by no means immune to the treachery so endem ic in drow society. Outside their base in Chaulssin, the Jaezred Chaulssin are most active in and around their seven fosterages.

Jaezred Fosterages To aid in their schem es, the patron fathers o f the Jaezred Chaulssin decided to establish fosterages in the guise o f m inor noble houses in seven drow cities ruled by the Spider Q ueen’s followers: Ched Nasad, Eryndlyn, Karsoluthiyl, Jhachalkhyn, M aerim ydra, M enzoberranzan, and Sschindylryn. O f the seven, only M enzoberranzan initially proved resistant to infiltration, so the more distant city o f Dusklyngh was chosen instead as the site o f the seventh fosterage. In addition, six additional sm aller fosterages were established in Underdark settlem ents w here Lolth’s followers were a m inor faction but nonetheless drow could walk openly, such as Skullport and Ssham ath. W ith their efforts in Eryndlyn and Ched Nasad spec­ tacularly successful, the Jaezred Chaulssin tried once more to infiltrate the City o f Spiders. This tim e it was successful, establishing a secret fosterage in House Nurindyn (rank 48), which masquerades as a lesser house o f bounty hunters and slavers.

Scourged Legion A horde o f fien d -bred ores m ight be the greatest military threat to M enzoberranzan.

Scourged Legion Traits: Militaristic, sadistic Power: 6 ///// Membership: 7,000 or more Headquarters: Splendarrmornn, in the realm of Ammarindar Religious Affiliation: Caragos Leadership, War of the Spider Queen: Kaanyr Vhok Leadership, Spellplague Era: High Warchief Ghiirvox Allies: None Rivals: Ched Nasad, Gracklstugh, Menzoberranzan A ncient Hellgate Keep has been a center o f evil in the North for centuries. D uring the Sable Years, the keep was ruled by a balor demon nam ed Grintharke, whose forces pillaged and plundered the surrounding population in the H igh Forest and the D elim byr Vale. A few years before the W ar o f the Spider Queen (in 1 3 6 9 DR), Hellgate Keep was destroyed and its forces routed. One half-dem on leader o f incredible cha­ rism a and power survived, h ow ever-K aanyr Vhok, called the Sceptered One. In the deep caverns and tunnels beneath Hellgate Keep and the Delimbyr Vale, Kaanyr Vhok brought together five clans o f tanarukks (ores with demonic blood) to recreate the feared Scourged Legion that had served Grintharke so well. Just a few years later, the Scourged Legion was powerful enough to lay siege to Menzoberranzan, with the secret backing o f the Jaezred Chaulssin and the aid o f the duergar o f Gracklstugh. After the failed siege, the Scourged Legion retreated back into the tunnels o f A m m arindar. The following year, Kaanyr Vhok led his restless troops in an attack on the surface city o f Sundabar. Ultimately, the siege was broken and the Legion was repelled, fracturing soon after when Kaanyr Vhok and his dem onic consort A liisza disappeared. Before the band completely dissolved, the tanarukk w arriors cam e under the leadership o f one o f th eir own, W a rch ief Ghaarzhvex. Over the in ter­ vening century, the tanarukk tribes multiplied and

C H A P T E R 3 |D r o w F a c t i o n s

ADVENTURERS OF THE SCOURGED LEGION “Draw’s good eatin’.” Join the Scourged Legion if you want to: ♦ Enjoy playing a monstrous humanoid. ♦ Seek glory as a gladiator. ♦ Despise drow and see them crushed beneath your boot. SC O U R G ED LEGION B LO O D R EA V ER Peace is for the weak, honor for the foolish. Only cow­ ards avoid conflict, and retreat is never an option. Battle

lust is a gift from the Reaver; with it, the faithful find focus and clarity from the confusion and pain of the battlefield. You are a bloodreaver, champion of Garagos the Reaver—Master of All Weapons and Lord of Conflict. As a bloodreaver of the Scourged Legion, you’re charged with inciting berserker rage in your allies and spreading the fear of Garagos to your enemies. Although you take orders from the high warchief, your true alle­ giance lies with Grand Bloodreaver Jervaan, the head of your divine order. At the last Blood Festival-a religious rite that involves feasting upon a freshly butchered sacrifice— Jervaan divined your current mission. Non-drow races of the Underdark are not an uncom­ mon sight in Menzoberranzan. In the drow’s estimation, ores, goblins, and kobolds are all pathetic and inferior. As such, they are permitted to roam the streets unescorted, as long as they travel in small numbers. Knowing this, Jervaan has been cautiously smuggling bloodreavers into the City of Spiders, where they disappear into the slums of the Braeryn. You are one such operative, secretly orga­

took up the Scourged Legion nam e again. Under the com m and o f the cu rrent com m ander, High W arch ie f Ghiirvox, the Scourged Legion endures into the Spellplague era as the elite defender o f the horde’s headquarters at Splendarrm ornn (page 106). Since its aborted siege a century past, the Scourged Legion has largely avoided the Shadowed Ways and the hated drow o f M enzoberranzan. But circu m ­ stances have changed in recent decades. Under the leadership o f High W a rch ief Ghiirvox, the Scourged Legion has rem ained cohesive and has strengthened its holdings in A m m arindar. This strength in unity is due in no sm all m easure to the horde’s com m on faith. Introduced by the mysterious Bloodreaver Jervaan, the fervent worship o f Tempus’s exarch Garagos has spread rapidly through the ranks.

Goals W ith A m m arindar largely under his control, High W arch ief Ghiirvox has turned his attention toward the north. In the previous century, Kaanyr Vhok allowed

nizing an insurrection that will rise up against the drow when the Scourged Legion invades. Characteristics: Bloodthirsty, sadistic, ardent Prerequisites: Ore or half-orc, though the occasional goblin or kobold joins the bloodreaver ranks SC O U R G ED LEGION GLADIATOR

You are a tanarukk, a demon-tainted ore bred for slaughter and pandemonium. As an elite warrior of the Scourged Legion, your orders are simple—kill or be killed. Your commanding officer is High Warchief Ghiirvox, whose word is law, and it was he who ordered you and your legionnaires far from Ammarindar to the remote warrens of the Shadowed Ways. As captain of a squad of forward observers, your task was to observe and report drow movements through­ out the Shadowed Ways. Suspiciously, a brief lapse in discipline during your last patrol led to the death or capture of all in your unit. For the last eighteen months you have been living in Menzoberranzan as a slave, sating the bloodlust of its drow citizenry as a gladiator in the drinking pits of the Braeryn. Of your fellow tanarukks, you alone have survived to fight another day. Your prowess in the pits has not gone unnoticed, and you have been scheduled to compete in a showcase match at the Fane of the Goddess. The victor of the games has been promised freedom, though you shrewdly expect treachery should you win the day. Characteristics: Ferocious, militant, crazed Prerequisites: Ore or half-orc tainted by demon blood

certain tanarukk tribes to escape into the Nether Mountains, to better consolidate the rem aining tribes under his command. Ghiirvox now seeks to reclaim these lost tribes, which would create the greatest and m ost organized horde ever seen in the North. G hiir­ vox plans to use these amassed forces to m arch upon M enzoberranzan. W h en the drow city lies in ruins, he will then turn his horde upon the surface world, first annexing the ore kingdom o f Many-Arrows before sweeping through the Silver Marches.

Organization Before his disappearance in 1 3 7 3 D R, a charism atic half-dem on nam ed Kaanyr Vhok led the Scourged Legion. A dozen or so other half-demons and fiendblooded creatures served Vhok as officers, with Rorgak, a tanarukk o f formidable size and ferocity, serving as his personal bodyguard. In the days prior to the siege o f M enzoberranzan, V h ok’s tanarukk forces num bered approximately 1 ,2 0 0 . Currently, the Scourged Legion has swelled into a horde m ore th an seven thousand strong, enough to

L eft to right: A liisza; K aan v r V hok, H igh W a r c h ie f Ghiirvox, G ran d B lo od rea v er J e r v a a n

m ake a significant m ark on any target it chooses to strike. W ith m uch o f the lost treasure and artifacts o f A m m arindar at its disposal, the Scourged Legion might ju st have enough w ealth and might to achieve V hok’s dream o f forging a lasting dem onic realm in the Underdark to rival Hellgate Keep at its height.

Notable Personages Kaanyr Vhok: Kaanyr Vhok is the demonic spawn o f a m arilith and a hum an father. Most observers see only his light olive complexion and silver-gray hair and believe him to be an aging half-elf due to his pointed ears—but beneath Kaanyr’s rich clothes and cloak, his chest, upper arms, and legs are covered with deep green scales revealing his demonic heritage. Kaanyr is regal, bearing him self with an elegance and dignity that belies his chaotic blood. Though he seems cu l­ tured and polite, his charm is purely for show. Kaanyr uses his attractive looks and milder tem peram ent to infiltrate rival groups. In battle, Vhok wields a wicked abyssal spellblade and the Scepter Malevolus, for which he is known as the Sceptered Lord. Vhok headed the Scourged Legion throughout the era o f the Tim e o f Troubles and led the siege o f M en­ zoberranzan during the W ar o f the Spider Queen, but disappeared during the siege o f Sundabar in 1373 DR. Aliisza: The daughter o f a succubus and a mortal m an, Aliisza serves the Scourged Legion as com m ander o f Kaanyr V h o k ’s personal guard. Cal| culating and cold, Aliisza never seems to do anything S without planning six steps ahead. She smiles often,

usually to m anipulate observers, though her sense o f hum or is as dark as her hair. H er sea-green eyes seem inviting to those she charm s, but they flash a deeper green when she is denied or spurned. Not one to reveal her dem onic nature unless necessary, A li­ isza adopts m any different shapeshifting form s under w hich she hides her wings. Ghiirvox: Far more reserved and calculating than m ost tanarukks, G hiirvox is the fourth high w arch ief to head the Scourged Legion since V h ok’s disappearance. A veteran o f twelve bloody Underdark cam paigns, G hiirvox stepped up to com m and when his predecessor succum bed to the Araumycos dream m adness. G hiirvox’s skin is violet-blue, an uncom m on coloration for a tanarukk that suggests an unusual dem on in his ancestry. Ghiirvox rightly suspects that Grand Bloodreaver Jerv aan w ill soon move to sup­ plant him as high w archief.

R e l a t io n s h ip s Araum ycos: Beneath the High Forest in the Upper Underdark lives the largest single life form on Toril. Araumycos is a sentient fungal colony encom ­ passing hundreds o f square miles. The Scourged Legion has waged num erous cam paigns against this alien entity and its innum erable myconid m inions. Drow: Now that M enzoberranzan has reestab­ lished trade w ith Ched Nasad w ithin the last decade, drow caravans are once again intruding into the

tunnels o f A m m arindar. At present, Ched Nasad is still largely in ruins and is hardly w orth invading. The City o f Spiders, on the other hand, represents a ju icy target for the glory-seeking high w archief. D w arv es: The neighboring dwarves o f Old Delzoun are largely ignorant o f the atrocities the Scourged Legion is exacting upon their buried kin in A m m arin­ dar. Using unearthed artifacts o f the dwarves’ own m anufacture, Grand Bloodreaver Jervaan is sum m on­ ing the ghostly spirits o f fallen A m m arindar warriors to fight alongside the Scourged Legion. C u lt o f G arago s: Grand Bloodreaver Jervaan brought the fervent worship o f Tempus’s exarch G ara­ gos, traditionally an entity worshiped by hum ankind, to the Scourged Legion. Since the introduction o f this faith, a rare tanarukk is born every generation with an extra set o f arm s. These targaat—chosen o n es-a re believed to be the blessed spawn o f the Reaver himself.

Sept of IlPGhact A secret society o f m in dflayers-slavers, predators, and breeders.

Sept of Ill’Ghact Traits: Duplicitous, secretive Power: 4 //

#>

Membership: 23 illithids, 79 thralls of various races Headquarters: Phanlinksal

Religious Affiliation: llsensine (weak) Leadership: Galgast El-Venken Allies: House Baenre

E n co un ters Although they are occasionally hired as m ercenaries, the m em bers o f the Scourged Legion are most com ­ monly encountered in the ancient dwarven tunnels o f A m m arindar. Adventurers exploring in this region are considered looters and trespassers. O f the nine tanarukk tribes once trapped beneath Hellgate Keep, four o f them abandoned Kaanyr Vhok to settle in the N ether M ountains. The five tribes that still swear fealty to the Scourged Legion include the Hungerknives (the largest), the Gorytusks, the Scaleskulls, the Balorclaw s, and the Bonefires. T a n a ru k k s: Descended from ores and demons, tanarukks are short, stocky humanoids w ith razorsharp teeth and prom inent tusks that ju t out from their lower jaw. W h en Tfellgate Keep was ruled by demons (8 8 2 D R to 1 3 6 9 DR), a breeding program betw een demons and ores guaranteed a steady supply o f soldiers for the keep’s garrison. A fter centuries o f m ixing bloodlines, tanarukks now breed true among themselves or w ith ore mates. Although they are more intelligent than com m on ores, tanarukks still respect only strength. W h en they perceive a leader as weak, challenges result until the leader either m aintains his position or lies dead at the feet o f his successor.

Rivals: House Oblodra

The Sept o f Ill’Ghact is a sinister force in the Underdark that operates in near total secrecy. Few know about this hidden society o f illithids, and fewer still know its reach and ambitions. Keeping its secrecy is vital since the illithids in this faction have many foes throughout the Underdark. In particular, the drow o f M enzoberran­ zan would crush the sept if they knew o f its existence. So the illithids move in secrecy while they gather their strength. Their psionic ability is a growing menace that could one day threaten the City o f Spiders.

History El-Viddenvelp (also known as M ethil) founded the Sept o f Ill’G hact during the Year o f the Lion (1 3 4 0 DR, late in the Sable Years) in the wake o f the destruction of the elder brain at his home city o f Phanlinksal in the previous year. M ethil was in M enzoberranzan, serv­ ing as an advisor to M atron M other Yvonnel Baenre at the tim e, and escaped the fall o f his city that claimed so many o f his fellow illithids. M ethil vowed to rebuild the city and restore the elder brain. For the next eighteen years, M ethil slowly built the sept while continuing to serve House Baenre. He recruited other illithids and dominated new thralls to serve them . He chose the ruins o f Phanlinksal as his base, but purposely left the city’s appearance as an abandoned ruin. W orking deep w ithin the city’s bowels, he started creating new illithids and prepar­ ing the briny pool for a new elder brain. M ethil accom plished one goal toward re-creating the elder b rain when an ulitharid arose from an illithid tadpole im planted in a drow psion from House Oblodra. This more powerful form o f an illithid gave him a foundation for the elder brain. In the Y ear o f Shadows (D R 1358), the sept nearly collapsed. M ethil was grievously injured in the attack

ADVENTURERS OF THE SEPT OF ILL’GHACT “M y will is not my ow n—I do what my lord and master

M EN TO RED PSIO N

commands.”

You have always had incredible potential with the power of the mind, but recently a stranger approached you and made an enticing offer. With his face hidden inside a deep hood and his body swathed in voluminous robes, you were rightfully suspicious of him, but his offer was too good to refuse. He would tutor you in the ways of psionics and teach you power beyond your imagination. In return, you would be an obedient student and under­ take tasks for him from time to time. Lacking any other instructors in Menzoberranzan, you agreed. You quickly discovered that your instructor was an illithid. This did not surprise you. Illithids are not unheard of on the streets of Menzoberranzan, and they are renowned for their psionic might. Lately, you have begun to suspect that this illithid is partofa larger organization, but you don’t know its numbers or its intentions. Your mentor has been good to his word. He has revealed many psionic secrets to you, and your power has grown immensely. The tasks he asks of you are trivial in comparison to what he is offering. He has not asked you to betray your city, your house, or Lolth, but your suspicions have grown. Illithids are not known for their generosity. You are right to be doubtful of the open hand of the mind flayers. They intend to harvest you as a host for an illithid tadpole at some point in your future. When your psionic power reaches a desirable level, the Sept of Ill’Ghact will come for you, and they will come in force. And if you’re unlucky, shortly thereafter, a new illithid will join the ranks of the sept. C h a ra cte ristics: Treacherous, haunted, ambitious P rereq u isites: Character with psionic power

Join the Sept of lll’Ghact if you want to: ♦ Be free of any responsibility for your actions. ♦ Serve horrific alien creatures who aim for nothing less than the subjugation of all the Underdark. ♦ Become a powerful psionicist by learning from the ultimate psions. M IN D PLA GUED THRALL

You are a thrall of the Sept of IIPGhact, but probably don’t even know it. At some point in the past, the mind flayers kidnapped you and whisked you away to a secret laboratory. There, the illithids implanted powerful mental controls deep in your mind. They then returned you to Menzoberranzan with a Colorful cover story for your absence. Your life continues as it always has. Your friends don’t notice anything different. You don’t notice any­ thing different, except in your vivid and horrible dreams where soulless, milky-white eyes look down on you from an alien head, while a mucus-covered tentacle strokes your face. When one of the tentacles slips inside your ear, you awaken screaming. Someday the illithids will call upon you. You don’t know when, and you don’t know for what. But when they do, you will not be able to resist their commands. C h a ra c te ris tic s : Any (the illithids have need of thralls with a wide variety of abilities) P rereq u isites: Mindslaved by an illithid

on M ithral Hall, and he vanished into the Underdark. The sept slid into several decades o f listless passivity until the ulitharid Galgast cam e into full control o f its abilities. This creature now runs the organization.

Goals The Sept o f Ill’G hact intends to re-create the elder brain o f Phanlinksal that was slain years ago. This process is long and laborious, but the illithids are patient. They have created the ulitharid. W h en they have enough illithids o f sufficient ability in the sept, the m em bers o f the elder council will jo in their minds with the ulitharid to create a new elder brain. Until the elder brain is created, the sept has three m ain goals that can all be m et by capturing more thralls: to serve the illithids, to provide a steady supply o f brains for illithid consumption, and to create m ore powerful illithids to strengthen the sept. The final task is proving to be the greatest ch al­ lenge. M ethil believed that the chance for creating an ulitharid relies on the psychic power o f the host.

W ith the destruction o f House Oblodra, he was unable to gain subjects for further experim enta­ tion. Today, Galgast attempts to encourage psionic use among the drow. He has offered training in the power o f the m ind to several o f the lesser houses in M enzoberranzan. None have accepted his offer, but a few are tempted.

Organization The Sept o f Ill’G hact is based out o f the ruins o f P hanlinksal (page 112), but it has agents both in M enzoberranzan and on the surface world. An elder council o f five illithids leads the sept. El-Viddenvelp steered the council when he was alive, but with his loss, Galgast the ulitharid has taken over. The sept also increases its m em bership by creat­ ing illithids from drow hosts, a process know n as cerem orphosis. The rest o f the sept is composed o f m entally dom inated thralls or charm ed sleeper agents in nearby com m unities.

Notable Personages El-Viddenvelp (M ethil): M ethil was born in Phanlinksal from the host o f a hum an sorcerer. He quickly rose to becom e one o f the most influential illithids in the city. W h e n the drow o f House Baenre threatened the illithid settlem ent, M ethil agreed to return to M enzoberranzan as an advisor to M atron Yvonnel B aen re in exchange for sparing his city. A fter decades o f service to House Baenre, M ethil was severely injured in the failed siege o f M ithral H all. Suffering from a severe head wound and bereft o f his sponsor after the death o f M atron M other Yvonnel Baenre, M ethil left the drow behind and wandered the Underdark in blinding and delusional pain for years. His ultim ate fate is unknow n, but he is alm ost certainly dead by now.

Galgast: Galgast is an ulitharid, a rare and espe­ cially formidable form o f illithid. He was born from the host o f a drow psion o f House Oblodra. He rose to power in the wake o f El-Viddenvelp’s loss in the Under­ dark. Galgast is determined to pick up the goals o f the sept where M ethil left o ff and finish the completion of the elder brain. Galgast’s abilities greatly outstrip those o f other illithids. W h ile M ethil considered the elder council more or less as equals with the sam e goal, Galgast treats the other illithids as subordinates to use as he sees fit. The highly lawful illithids see this relation­ ship as only natural. He is an ulitharid, and only an elder brain is greater in their society. Uluruela Drael Tuabbar: This female drow is the m ain agent o f the sept in M enzoberranzan. Uluruela owns a business in Duthcloim where she sells travel goods. This profession is the perfect cover, since she often deals with outsiders or drow leaving the city. She buys most o f the supplies for the sept, which she deliv­ ers to couriers sent to the city by the sept mind flayers. Uluruela was trained as a priestess o f Lolth in Arach-Tinilith but graduated low in her class. She has since learned the techniques o f a warrior. The illithids' mental control o f her guarantees that she will never reveal their existence or their goals in Menzoberranzan.

R e l a t io n s h ip s Illithids do not have allies. They view the rest o f the world as thralls or potential food. W h en an illithid treats a creature o f another race as anything other than something in one o f those two categories, it is a pretense. However, the illithids respect the strength and num bers o f the drow. They move cautiously with the dark elves, seeking to rem ain an elusive threat that the M enzoberranyr have little desire to hunt down. House B aen re: W h ile M ethil El-Viddenvelp was alive, the Sept o f Ill’G hact had a tenuous alli­ ance with the First House o f M enzoberranzan. In fact, w ith the exception o f M atron M other Yvon­ nel Baenre, the drow o f House Baenre were never aware o f the sept’s existence. Yvonnel Baenre used El-Viddenvelp as an advisor for psionic matters. She also utilized his m ental abilities to give her an advan­ tage in drow house politics. At the same tim e, Methil exploited his relationship with the m atron m other to study the drow and their city. The inform ation he gleaned over the decades is invaluable to the sept or any other enemy o f M enzoberranzan. W ith M eth il’s loss after the defeat at M ithral Hall, the alliance betw een the sept and House Baenre evaporated. The illithids have not approached Q uenthel, the cu rrent m atron m other o f the house, believing her to be more a religious zealot o f Lolth and less a pragm atic opportunist as her m other was.

5 z

L eft to right: G algast El-V enken, M ethil El-V iddenvelp, U lu ru ela D ra e 1 T u abbar

Instead, the sept now works independently o f House Baenre. House Oblodra: The drow o f House Oblodra have incredible psychic talent, w hich the m ind flay­ ers consider a threat. For m uch o f its history, the sept sought to destroy the house at all costs. W h en M ethil El-Viddenvelp discovered that using powerful drow psions as hosts for illithid tadpoles greatly increased the possibility o f creating ulitharids, the sept’s view of the house completely shifted. Instead o f eradica­ tion, the Sept o f Ill’G hact seeks to capture the scions of House Oblodra for im plantation. The illithids con­ sider the destruction o f the house at Lolth’s hands as either a tragic waste o f potential hosts or a deliber­ ate act by the Spider Queen to prevent the sept from gaining more influence.

En co un ters The illithids o f the Sept o f Ill’G hact prefer to rem ain in the safety o f th eir fortress at Phanlinksal. How­ ever, their constant need for brains to feed upon draws them forth into the Underdark for raids and am bushes. They also need supplies and special­ ized equipm ent that they and their thralls cannot m ake, w hich is found in places like the Bazaar in M enzoberranzan. W h en illithids leave their fortress cities, they take num erous thralls along for protection. The illithids choose th eir thralls based on the needs o f the m is­ sion. A trade delegation has bodyguards, scribes, and interpreters, w hile raids for thralls and brains resem ­ ble war parties. Som etim es, the illithids entrust their m issions to reliable and thoroughly dominated thralls. Thralls w ithout an illithid overseer are usually composed o f m em bers o f the sam e race to avoid suspicion.

CHAPTER 4

City of Spiders M enzoberranzan. The very n am e is enough to invoke trepidation among even the hardiest folk o f the Savage Frontier. To the drow who live there, the City o f Spiders is a nest o f treachery and intrigue, yet a welcome sanctuary from the even greater horrors o f the Underdark. This chapter provides a prim er on the City o f Spi­ ders; everything a native-born drow should know to survive in the dangerous streets o f M enzoberranzan. It includes the following sections.

♦ Vault o f Spiders: A n introduction to the natural splendors to be found inside Araurilcaurak, the great pillared cavern that houses—among other things—the City o f Spiders. Som e o f those “other things” are D onigarten, a lake that has been used as a crypt for drow notables; Narbondel, a centrally located colum n o f rock that serves the city as a tim ekeeping device; and the R ifts, three gaping crevasses in the cavern floor that lead everywhere and nowhere at the sam e tim e.

♦ City Life: A glim pse o f the sights and sounds o f life in M enzoberranzan, from the rough-and-tumble city streets to the breathtaking architecture.

♦ The D istricts: The six districts o f M enzober­ ranzan are the occupied neighborhoods w here citizens live, work, and die. The districts range in disposition from the extrem ely crowded and squalid slums o f the Braeryn to the wondrously lavish m anors and gardens o f Q u’ellarz’orl. Sev­ eral o f the locations in each district are fleshed out w ith details about those places and their proprietors.

♦ Dark D om inion: M enzoberranzan claim s as its dom ain more than ju st the volume o f the Vault o f Spiders, enorm ous though that cavern is. A laby­ rinth o f narrow passages, know n as the M antle, leads away from the walls o f the cavern. The drow have navigated all these tunnels and the small side caves that lead o ff them from tim e to tim e, and they regularly send patrols out into most o f the D ark D om inion . . . but there are some places here where even drow do not desire to tread.

v

"

Vault of Spiders M enzoberranzan fills a large vault, form erly a giant spider lair and beholder lair know n by its dwarven nam e, A raurilcaurak (Great P illar Cavern), because o f N arbondel—the great natural rock pillar at the vault’s center that jo in s floor and ceiling. M enzober­ ranzan’s cavern is roughly shaped like an arrowhead, w ith the pool o f D onigarten at its tip, and stretching two m iles across at its widest point. The ceiling rises a thousand feet high, and the floor is studded w ith m any stalagmites and lesser columns. Two areas rise above the rest o f the city: Tier Breche, the side cavern occupied by the Academy where most drow citizens are trained for adult­ hood; and the larger Q u’ellarz’orl (or House-Loft), a plateau that is home to m any o f the city’s m ightiest noble houses, separated from the lower city by a giant m ushroom forest. From either o f these heights, a sur­ veyor can view the city. The view shows row upon row o f carved, spired stone castles, their salient points and sculpted highlights lit by the soft, tinted flows o f perm anent fa e r ie fir e lights. W ith few exceptions, not a stone o f the city’s construction has been left in its natural shape—every­ thing has been worked into a smooth, unbroken, unjointed expanse o f rock shaped toward drow sensibilities.

D o n ig a r t e n D onigarten is a natural lake that fills the smoothest, lowest end o f the city’s great cavern. Its ch ill waters are vital, feeding nearby farm lands and providing fish and eels for the slaves to catch from their poled rafts. At first appearance, it seem s as i f the city’s p ri­ m ary water supply com es from D onigarten. Although the lake water is used for irrigation and is potable enough to slake the thirst o f the city's dom esticated anim als (and slaves), few drow would ever th in k o f drinking from D onigarten’s fetid waters. M ost o f the city’s drinking water is instead taken from a natural aquifer deep w ithin the M istrift. Early in M enzoberranzan’s history, it was the custom to consign the bodies o f m atron m others o f the Ruling Council and drow heroes favored by Lolth to the waters o f D onigarten. The corpses were dressed and adorned in finery, warded w ith m agic to prevent divination spells from locating their trea ­ sures, then lashed to a stone spar and sunk to the bottom o f the lake. Nowadays, it’s com m on knowledge in M enzober­ ranzan that dark things reside under the usually still waters o f Donigarten. O ne o f the games slavers play is to m ake the goblins and ores swim from the isle to

shore, to see i f any o f them are pulled down to their deaths. D onigarten is surrounded by vast fields o f tilled earth worked by ore farm ers. Slaves pour water into carefully irrigated dung fields, renew ing and expand­ ing the fields w ith wagonloads o f excrem ent brought in from the city proper. The soil is moist and rich in nutrients, m aking it excellent food for the count­ less varieties o f moss, algae, mold, fungi, and lichen that thrive in that environm ent. One large bed along D onigarten’s w estern shore yields moss eaten by noble drow as a delicacy. North o f the lake stands a grove o f giant edible mushroom s, carefully cultivated by drow horticulturists.

Isle of Rothe A sm aller moss bed covers the island at the center o f the lake, know n as the Isle o f Rothe. This vegeta­ tion feeds a herd o f deep rothe confined there by the surrounding lake. The rothe are watched by ore slaveshepherds. Sm all pens on the shore allow the ores to tend other anim als, such as sheep or edible monsters brought back by drow raiding bands. Closely related to the cattle o f the same name herded by surface-dwelling ranchers throughout the North, deep rothe are Underdark herd anim als that stand th ree to four feet tall at the shoulder. Unlike their surface-grazing cousins, deep rothe have the ability to conjure m agical light that they use to com ­ m unicate simple concepts w ithin a herd. These hardy beasts are also inured to the harm ful effects o f fungus and mold. Drow are fond o f deep rothe meat, w hich m any m aintain to be more tender and less gam ey than that o f surface cattle.

K y o r b b l iv v in Translated loosely in the drow tongue as “to play with lurking spiders,” Kyorbblivvin is the forest o f m ush­ rooms separating the Qu’ellarz’orl plateau from the rest o f the vault, and m any consider it the most strik­ ing natural feature in all o f M enzoberranzan. The forest plateau is carpeted in a fantastic labyrinth o f lichen and fungi ranging from common-sized variet­ ies to titan-sized monoliths. M ore spectacular th an the towering fungi are the clouds o f brightly phosphorescent spores drift­ ing lazily throughout the forest, filling its overgrown depths w ith a soft prism atic radiance. A few, exotic varieties o f fungi glow w ith their own soft light in slowly shifting colors. Kyorbblivvin is used for m eetings, picnics, and games, yet no prudent drow enters it unarm ed. Innu ­ m erable spider colonies nest in the forest, and a stray ettercap or two is occasionally found lurking within. Perhaps worse, House Baenre and other houses use

The heat rises from the base ofN arbondel to the top over the course o f twelve hours, and then it cools over the sam e duration. Through this hot, glowing tower o f rock, the M enzoberranyr m ark the passage o f time in the sunless Underdark. The m idnight hour o f the surface world is know n locally as “the black death o f Narbondel.” Although the natural shape o f the colum n has rem ained unaltered since its discovery, the surface o f Narbondel has been engraved in a spiraling mosaic o f images depicting everything from great battles to etchings o f Underdark creatures long extinct.

OVERWAYS AND U n derw ays

As a n o th er day daw ns, th e h a se o fN a rb o n d e l begin s to glow

magic or spies to eavesdrop on drow in the m ush­ room forest as a m atter o f course. Most o f the vegetation in the forest is supple and spongy, though some varieties have sharp, dagger-like edges that easily slice flesh. It’s a crim e punishable by a heavy fine or even death to willingly damage (or cut, for eating) any growing thing in the forest. W ith ­ out such enforcem ent, Kyorbblivvin wotdd long ago have vanished, as have most o f the mushroom s that were growing in the m ain vault when M enzoberran­ zan was founded.

Na rbo n d el An im m ense natural rock colum n looms at the heart o f M enzoberranzan, jo in in g the floor and ceiling o f the city’s great cavern. Know n as Narbondel, this pillar serves the com m unity as a gigantic tim epiece. At the end o f each day, the A rchm age o f Sorcere (or a master o f Sorcere, in the rare instances when the A rchm age is dead, otherw ise occupied, or absent from the city) magically heats the base o f the colum n.

Tunneling into the rock above or below the city can be difficult dangerous, and m agical wards prevent digging that might cause a collapse or cave-in. Never­ theless, some o f the city’s greatest feats o f architecture are the Overways wound into the cavern ceiling and the Underways beneath. The Overways include not only caverns nestled in the rock in the cavern ceiling (such as the compound o f House M izzrym ), but also the carved, worked, hollowed-out stalactites that hang over m uch o f the central vault and particularly over Qu’ellarz’orl. They are linked to the m ain city below by a hundred leaping, railless, stone bridge spans, by spiraling stair­ cases rising hundreds o f feet, and by passages w ithin the cavern walls. The Underways include only a few tunnels and diggings aside from the sm all cellars beneath alm ost every building in the city. A fter a few major disasters arising from extensive m ining in the city’s early days, hard restrictions on tunneling below the city floor.

The Cistern O riginally the hom e o f the giant spider that laired in the cavern and its num berless brood, this vaulted gallery has long served as the prim ary water supply for a m ajority o f M enzoberranzan’s twenty thousand residents. Roughly the length o f the Narbondellyn district, the cistern was originally intended for use only by noble drow houses, but as the waters o f D onigarten becam e increasingly stagnant over the centuries, public wells were dug for com m oners.

Bone Locker Th e dead in drow society are m ost often taken to a charnel house to have the corpse sanctified to Lolth in purifying flam e. After the cleansing ritual, the bones are moved to a funeral ossuary for long-term storage. The Bone Locker is the colloquial nam e o f the largest and oldest such site in the city. The

ossuary itself is a sprawling catacom b delved ju st below the street level o f W est W all, and it descends downward an indeterm inate num ber o f levels deeper. The ossuary’s largest vaults serve as m ausoleum s for the great houses o f the city. The bones o f drow com ­ moners have no special resting place; they are simply stacked one atop another in rough-hewn cham bers until the stack can support no more weight. At such tim es, duergar slaves are brought in to expand the catacom bs. Junior-level priestesses o f Arach-Tinilith are tasked with clearing the Bone Locker o f verm in, as well as deterring drunken nobles from any m is­ c h ie f or vandalism.

T h e R if t s The cavern floor is broken by th ree m ajor rifts and many sm aller ones. The larger, nam ed rifts o f M en ­ zoberranzan are virtual abysses-vast, em pty voids o f incredible depth that appear bottom less. Few who have fallen into these rifts have ever been seen again.

KHALESS Khaless, the drow word for trust, is also the name of a game played above one of the city’s three large rifts. In preparation for the game, a globe of darkness is hung in the open air above the drop point, and the area is also enchanted with a magical silence. The challenging drow levitate themselves and are pushed into this dark and quiet globe by the referees, using long catch poles called kheal. The rules are simple: the first drow to come out of the darkened area, either by floating down and calling for a pole, or by hanging beyond the duration of her levitation abili­ ties (thus falling to her death) loses. A drow willingly coming out of the globe does not automatically lose, however. If the challenging drow, oblivious to the other’s surrender while among the darkness and silence, remains in the area too long and falls, the survivor wins. Two or more drow can play khaless (it gets really wild when a dozen or more go up into the globe!), with even younger drow invited to play and given levitation spells by the house mages. (Of course, these ignorant young drow have no idea how long the wizard’s spell might last.) Winners are accorded a vacation of pleasure (slaves or drow of lesser station of their choice included) in the luxuries of the first family’s house; losers (if they survive) must spend a month cleaning the kobold caverns. Of course, there is often no winner. The game was first practiced by members of House Oblodra, but the popularly insane sport has spread throughout the city in recent decades. Some male nobles even use khaless to settle grievances in something akin to a duel.

Clawrift This claw-shaped chasm is one o f three that m ar the surface o f the City o f Spiders, but the Claw rift has the m ost storied past and most frightening reputation. The former Third House o f M enzoberranzan, House Oblodra was once located in a huge and luxuri­ ous compound betw een the first and second “fingers” o f the Clawrift. After a prolonged war with House Baenre, Oblodra was dragged into the seemingly bot­ tomless crevasse by Lolth's own monstrous claws. Now a breeding ground for kobold slaves and one o f m any safe houses for Bregan D ’aerthe m ercenaries, the Claw rift stands as an enduring symbol o f House B aen re’s strength.

Mistrift This long gorge at the city’s center earned its name from the rolling clouds o f steam that forever billow up from below. A num ber o f subterranean stream s flow out o f the M istrift’s vertical walls, their icy waters

D eep in sid e a rift, fo r c e s v ie to ta k e control o f a b rid g e w ithout destroyin g it

cascading into the darkened void below. H a lf a mile down, the ru n off collects in an ancient aquifer, its waters superheated by an adjacent m agm a flow. Drow ingenuity has led to the engineering o f several arcane watermills that collect water from the plung­ ing falls. The siphoned water is then stored in the city’s grand cistern that runs through the Underways.

Westrift The newest o f the city’s large clefts, W estrift appeared three centuries past, swallowing three noble houses and a score o f lesser dwellings as the scar opened its yawn­ ing maw. No natural phenomenon, W estrift’s creation is widely rumored to have been perpetrated by high priestesses from House Duskryn. Although destruction within the city at such a scale is severely frowned upon, House Duskryn conveniently used the event to move up several ranks within the city’s nobility.

S p id e r f a n g s This large east-west line o f stalagm ites north o f House B arrison D el’A rm go serves as a bulw ark and com m and post against hostile incursions from the Eastways. At short notice, House B arrison D el’A rmgo can have five-hundred drow soldiers positioned w ithin the Spiderfangs to rain fiery death down upon invaders passing into the city. In days past, sim i­ lar death has been visited upon the citizenry o f the Braeryn w hen the dregs o f th at district dared incite rebellion.

City Life M enzoberranzan is a thriving, vibrant city. Dozens o f drow houses are scram bling for status. Their intrigues, their secret wars, and their w ealth fuel the restless, seething danger ever present in the city. Visitors from hundreds o f difference races through­ out the Northdark walk its streets to trade or to plot. Thousands o f slaves labor in constant m isery to keep the city functioning. Most importantly, M enzober­ ranzan is home to many. It’s a place w here people live, laugh, and die—arrogant, cruel drow, but people nonetheless.

C it y S t r e e t s The streets o f M enzoberranzan are dim ly and weirdly lit by the vivid phosphorescent hues o f fungi, m agical fields, and extravagant use o f perm anent fa e r ie fir e spells. The eldritch flam es line m ost build­ ings in the city, creating a constantly flickering montage o f soft blue, green, purple, and orange hues. The effect is beautiful i f otherworldly. R ather than growing wildly, vegetation is pruned by slaves and shaped to grow in pillars, arches, and shaped clusters. The streets are solid rock, worn sm ooth through centuries o f use. Rocks are scarce to deprive slaves o f ready weapons. A rachnids are ever present in the City o f Spiders. Sm all ones scurry underfoot, while larger ones spin webs betw een buildings, in the corners o f rooms, or in the eaves. To m istreat an arachnid except in prescribed ways is frowned upon, and m any drow believe that Lolth spies on them through the eyes o f the spiders. The vault that holds the city is damp near the D onigarten and dry elsew here. T he decay o f rotting plants and fertilizer at the eastern end o f the cavern creates a large am ount o f heat, w hich causes gentle breezes to waft around the cavern. The air is scented w ith the spicy but unpleasant musk o f fungi spores. Sounds w ithin the city caverns are dim m ed, due to long-term silence spells placed on the hanging stalactites by the wizards to prevent endless ech o ­ ing. This practice has reduced the noise in the city to an endless m urm ur o f movem ent on stone, dripping water, and the hissing and chatter o f speech, w hich is highlighted here and there by the soft piping o f drow music and the occasional high scream o f pain. Loners are targets in M enzoberranzan. Drow move about in fam ilies or in arm ed groups. Bands o f bugbears, ores, gnolls, and other hirelings m arch through the thoroughfares. In the city’s better areas,

non-drow are less com m on and tend to be accom pa­ nied by an overseer or guide. Nobles move through the street traffic the way large ships displace sm aller craft in a crowded harbor. M ale nobles ride lizards, while fem ales use lizards w ith couches or litters carried by slaves (litters having a grander status). House m atrons use silently drifting drift disks, flanked by heavy escorts o f house troops and high priestesses on foot.

City Patrols By order o f the Ruling Council, the Academy o f M en­ zoberranzan mounts constant street patrols in the Bazaar and along the m ain thoroughfares o f the city. These patrols enforce the W ay o f Lolth and contain the constant street violence from exploding into full riots. A n Academy patrol, called a “hand,” consists of eight to twelve w arriors led by an Academy instru c­ tor from M elee-M agthere. Patrols are commanded by a priestess from A rach-Tinilith and sometimes accom panied by a wizard from Sorcere. Patrols in the Bazaar, w here things can quickly get very wild, are larger than norm al. A typical B azaar patrol consists o f th ree “hands” in an open formation. In addition to the Academy patrols, house guards roam the streets. Each house regularly patrols the streets near its com pound to impose its influence over those who live nearby and to watch for any incursions from other houses. These patrols are struc­ tured sim ilarly to the Academy patrols, but vary with the resources o f the patrolling house.

FEAR OF THE LAW Law enforcement in Menzoberranzan is feared. The priestesses leading a guard patrol have the legal authority to whip, torture, and execute for the slight­ est provocation, and they use it. Most Menzoberranyr head in the other direction when they see a street patrol. Those who can’t slip away keep their heads down and pray that they don’t attract attention. For more information on law enforcement in Menzober­ ranzan, see “DrowJustice,” page 20.

V is it o r s

to th e

C it y

Menzoberranzan receives countless visitors from near and far. Most non-drow (called colnbluth) found in the city are either slaves or hirelings o f the various houses. Although the Ruling Council does perm it n on -drow in to th e city fo r t h e p u r p o s e s o f trad e, fr e e movement is generally restricted to th e northern districts o f D uthcloim , Eastmyr, and the Braeryn; elsewhere, non-drow must be escorted by a perm a­ nent drow detachm ent. In truth, the drow cannot be bothered w ith ch eck­ ing or rationing the num ber o f visitors in th eir city. Instead, they rely on the brutal ju stice o f the street patrols and the natural predatory nature o f the city’s citizenry to ensure visitors behave. Illithids are allowed into the city, but the houses watch them carefully. D uergar are perm itted free rein, unless they gather in significant num bers. Humans are considered weak and ripe for enslave­ ment, but influential or wealthy hum ans are tolerated in the city as long as they pay lip service to Lolth and don’t cross the priestesses. Any elven or half-elven visitors are seized by the drow and sacrificed to Lolth unless the e lf has a high-ranking sponsor protecting him or her. Svirfneblin are tolerated in the city, but a deep gnome visitor who is not a slave is very rare. Less com m on and more dangerous creatures, such as beholders, dragons, and neogi, are occasionally allowed into the city w ith an arm ed escort. W ith in the city, non-drow are expected to follow the tenets o f the Way o f Lolth (no m atter how dis­ tasteful or repulsive), ju st as is expected o f any drow. Similarly, all outlanders must at all tim es display the insignia o f the house or m erchant clan who spon­ sored their entry.

Menzoberranzan Architecture The poorest dregs o f the Braeryn shelter in structures called “cairn s”—a sad construction o f bone poles and hides, serving as entryway to a shallow dug-out cellar. A dozen or more creatures can be packed w ithin a cairn without the slightest vestige o f privacy. A standard drow com m oner o f Eastmyr resides in a sparsely furnished apartm ent w ithin a lim estone tenem ent, most o f w hich stand four or five stories tall and are six tim es as long as they are wide. Sm all courtyards betw een tenem ents contain a com m on well for drinking and washing. The m erchant class o f D uthcloim enjoys better accom m odations, with most living in three-story, single fam ily tallhouses constructed from m agi­ cally hollowed and molded stalagmites. Although a wealthy m erchant might rent or own a second home to escape business pressures or to use for secret

m eetings, liaisons, and the like, alm ost all m erchants live in the same fortified building that houses their shop, to better guard their stock and wealth. W est W all and N arbondellyn are home to beau­ tifully carved, spired stone m anors and villas, increasing in size and grandeur w ith the w ealth o f the owner. The m ost ostentatious o f these structures e mulatespiderwebsorarachnidsintheirdesignand are adorned w ith glittering filam ents that endlessly dance and flick er w ith the radiance o f faerie fire spells. Partly to com pete w ith the m erchants, m any noble houses have constructed rows o f shops along the walls o f th eir com pounds, w hich they rent out. These shops are constructed o f stone and made to look a part o f the central fortress. Anyone trying to tunnel from a shop into the wall o f the castle beyond typi­ cally finds a grim w arning once they pierce the shop’s back wall, furnished by the priestesses o f the house: a drow skeleton, w hich i f touched anim ates and attacks. Finally, shrouded behind a forest o f giant m ush­ rooms on Qu’ellarz’orl stand the grand estates o f some o f the m ost powerful houses in the city. Sit­ ting upon a b lu ff overlooking the rest o f the city, the Baenre Compound is easily tw ice the size o f the next largest estate. At the h eart o f the great fortress stands a huge, circular, domed tem ple to Lolth—an am phi­ theater dom inated by an im age o f the Spider Queen that shifts endlessly from one o f her forms to another. M any o f the city’s largest dwellings, especially the compounds occupied by noble houses, were created by linking stalagm ites together w ith m agically raised and m elded stone.

The Districts Each of Menzoberranzan’s six districts shares cus­ toms and traits with the larger city, but it also has distinct characteristics and personality traits. Brief descriptions of the districts follow. The B raeryn : A decrepit slum, home to the lowli­ est non-drow residents of Menzoberranzan. Life in the Braeryn is desperate and cutthroat, with a perva­ sive feeling of hopelessness on every corner. Only the ruthless and the cunning survive these rough streets for long. D uthcloim : The middle-class, mercantile heart of the city, home to many well-to -do commoners. Duthcloim also hosts the Bazaar, a bustling labyrinth of stores and markets where nearly anything imagin­ able can be procured for the right price. Eastm yr: A lower-class neighborhood of strug­ gling merchants, lesser tradesfolk, and mercenaries. Numerous workshops and drinking establishments fill the cramped tallhouses in this sordid district. Narbondellyn: A fashionable neighborhood of elegant manor houses, eclectic artisans, and rising socialites. Many of the city’s prominent theatres and arenas are found in this district, marking Narbond­ ellyn as the place to see and be seen. Qu’ellarz’orl: The grandest district of the city, home to the greatest noble houses of Menzoberranzsau tlen b rio h T fp y .er,asif the very earth has been sanctified to Lolth. Common­ ers and outsiders are absolutely forbidden to trespass there. W est W all: A quiet district of “old money” and hidden intrigues. Its streets are quiet and soulless. Houses in this area exude opulence, but show none of the extravagant vulgarity found in Narbondellyn or Qu’ellarz’orl.

Places of Business Menzoberranzan enjoys a wide range of shops and marketplaces where adventurers and city folk can procure just about any desire. To help the Dungeon Master gauge the relative value and expense of these establishments, each business is graded according to a scale established in the last century by the famed human mage and explorer Volothamp Geddarm (Volo for short). P rice: In a city full of grifters and cheats, a high price tag doesn’t always equate to a quality prod­ uct. Price is measured on a scale from 1 (cheap) to 5 (expensive), shown in each business entry using stacked-coin icons: S Quality: Not every merchant or craftsman sells goods of the highest quality. Quality is measured on

a scale from 1 (worst) to 5 (best), shown in each busi­ ness entry using star icons: '^T T hreat: Some establishments seem to draw an unsavory clientele. Characters frequenting these shops are advised to watch their backs. Threat is mea­ sured on a scale from 1 (unsafe) to 5 (deadly), shown in each business entry using skull icons: fjj!

Th e Braeryn The Braeryn “Stenchstreets” A decrepit slum, home to the lowliest undercreatures of Menzoberranzan, the Braeryn is little more than a suffocating cesspit of filth and desperation. Population: 5 0 0 drow (infirm or fugitive), 6 ,0 0 0 non-drow (transient populace of kobolds, bugbears, goblins, ores, hobgoblins, quaggoths, and minotaurs). Population fluctuates greatly due to frequent outbreaks of disease, internecine strife, and capri­ cious noble hunts. Noble Houses: None. No drow houses of importance or reputation dwell in the Braeryn. Trade: Individuals flashing enough coin can easily secure poisons, narcotics, or slaves. Assassins, kidnappers, and thieves openly sell their services in drinking pits throughbow the ditsrict. Individuals with underworld connections can broker an audi­ ence with the Wan Hag, information broker and boss of the Braeryn’s most prominent thieves’ den. Security: Drow guards make a show of patrolling the district’s main thoroughfare in large numbers, but few ever step foot into the alleys and byways that constitute the heart of the Stenchstreets. Many residences align themselves with tribal gangs for p rotection-the most influential being the Skortchclaw Horde (ore) and the Blue Shackle (hobgoblin).

Extending north from the western end of the Spiderfangs are the dark alleys and hovels the Braeryn. This is Menzoberranzan’s slum, home to sick and outlaw drow, goblins, ores, bugbears, and other non-drow who are sometimes hired for odd jobs (such as heavy loading or digging) by Menzoberranyr, or for guard or mercenary pillage-raid duty. Some are even stupid or desperate enough to try their luck in the city as thieves or kidnappers. Not all residents of this filthy district are outsid­ ers. The Braeryn also serves as the final home for drow undesirables, including criminals, beggars, halfbreeds, and survivors of fallen noble houses. The mercenary band Bregan D’aerthe maintains contacts in the district for those wanting to hire the group. Certain aged drow dwelling in the district also

The collection of creatures to hefound in Stenchstreets is as motley as their surroundings concoct and sell poisons, drugs, and love philters. Some also sell information, but seldom live long, once they become widely known. One such crone, city lore swears, was once reveafed as (he Spider Queen in disguise—when the goddess shed her rags to blast a priestess who treated her cruelly. Rumors persist that Lolth keeps w a t c h o v e r f o r e v e n , in d is q u is e d fo r m , d w e lls in th e numerous spiders of all sorts and sizes that scuttle and lurk about the area , despite the m any attempts by outsiders to slay them or drive them off.

The Wan Hag Information Broker

III

(3P©

During the Time of Troubles era and the beginning of the War of the Spider Queen, an information broker named Smylla Nathos operated in the Braeryn. A human, she captured the attention of a drow slave raid on the surface world and returned to Menzober­ ranzan as something more than a slave and less than an honored guest o f House Faen Tlabbar. For a time, she used her skill as a sorcerer and diviner—as well as her drowlike poise, charm, and ruthlessness—to serve as advisor to Matron Ghenni’tiroth. But when she fell

THE HUNT Even the m ost hardened street toughs give pause w hen th e brazen trum peting o f horns echo through­ ou t th e Braeryn. The w ise scam per quickly into th e ir d arkened hovels or fa ce th e sporting ch e ers and slashing blades o f noble drow on th e hu nt-slaying every wret chw ithinsight.Thislightalertedblood sport is a thankfully infrequent but celebrated tradi­ tion in th e Braeryn, often spurred by boastful young

bfades after an evening o f too m uch drink.

ill, and healing magic failed to offer remedy, her sick­ ness was viewed as a curse inflicted by Lolth. Escaping assassination by her former benefac­ tors, Smylla fled to the Braeryn to eke out a new life among the dregs of drow society. Although her ill­ ness left her withered and weak, the W an Hag, as she came to be known, employed her eldritch talents to cobble together a formidable web o f informants and spies. However, by the beginning of the W ar of the Spider Queen, her illness had robbed her even of her divination talents, and she was soon killed by Ryld Argith.

creatures slaughter one another in bloody contests. One such place is the Quaggoth Drool. As is common in such pits, revelers must surrender all weapons when they enter the tavern. Then they can get as drunk as they want, shout, argue, talk, and have a good fight. Priestesses often use magic to eavesdrop in such ruinous places, listening for treachery, plans for attacks on houses, or other business being dis­ cussed. The entertainment focuses on the sunken arena at the center of the common room where patrons wager heavily on brutal and often lethal pit matches.

D u t h c l o im Duthcloim (Manyfolk) The middle-class and mercantile heart of Menzober­ ranzan, Duthcloim is home to well-to-do drow of common standing, as well as a sizable population of wealthy non-drow. Population: 8 ,0 0 0 drow, 1 0 ,0 0 0 non-drow. Noble Houses: Oblodra, Vandree Common Families: Bluirren, Klendara, Drael Tuabbar, del’Hluanter, Darnruel, Do’IIisharr, Quel’tlarn, and del’Ygana. Trade: Duthcloim sees the greatest amount of trade in the city outside of the Bazaar. Business is conducted from any of the innumerable street-level, family owned shops that line the narrow boulevards. Security: Drow patrols are frequent enough to deter most open criminal activity.

A cloakedfigure en route to a dark destination

Slave Markets The heavily patrolled southern ghettos of the Braeryn serve as pens and holding facilities for thousands of wretched souls sold into slavery. Drow slavers peddle their wares around the clock in the markets. Slaves that don’t “make it to market” are simply wheeled away and dumped into Lake Donigarten.

Quaggoth Drool Tavern

I I I

k'

© © $

The Stenchstreets is notorious for its declasse “drink­ ing pits”—those crude establishments where drow of every station go to forget about caste and rank for a few hours, guzzle raw spirits, and watch lesser

Duthcloim (or Manyfolk) is by far the most colorful, interesting, and tolerant district of Menzoberranzan. As its informal name implies, it is a melting pot of middle-class drow commoners and wealthy mer­ chants of varying species. This large district is home to the majority of the shops and businesses o f the city, running the gamut from small collapsible kiosks to large multi-story outfitters. Menzoberranzan is not friendly with most of its neighbors in the Underdark, but the Ruling Coun­ cil does recognize that a modicum of trade with the lesser races is necessary to maintain the city’s deca­ dent standard o f living. This reality necessitates a certain amount of restraint on the part of the drow living in Duthcloim to treat peaceably with the nondrow citizenry. O f course, all outsiders must abide by the city’s traditions—even those they find distasteful or repulsive. Non-drow quickly learn to keep their heads down since they can be attacked with impu­ nity by any noble-born drow. Shrines dedicated to deities other than Lolth are not permitted in the city,

and outsiders are encouraged to keep their beliefs to themselves. Of the small number of nobles that dwell in this district, House Oblodra (depending on the time period) is the best known—its bizarre compound clinging to the cliff face between two fingers of the Clawrift. Most noble houses outside the district also maintain a secondary or secretive “safe” residence in Duthcloim.

Adventuring Headquarters Manyfolk is an ideal district for Dungeon Masters seeking to insert businesses, inns, and drow houses of their own creation. As the characters in your cam ­ paign will likely be allied with different houses and organizations, it might make sense for the adven­ turers to establish a common base within the city. Initially it might be at a local tavern, but as the char­ acters accumulate wealth and status, it could be more prudent for them to purchase a compound. Rebuild­ ing from the ruins of House Oblodra would be one cheap alternative, but the characters would have to be vigilant against kobolds and other dangers rising up from the depths of the Clawrift.

The Cathlyre Exotic Bird Aviary

S1 1 11

Anchored to a sweeping battlement of stalactites along the Clawrift’s easternmost perimeter is a spectacular latticework enclosure crafted of basalt support beams and a mesh of calcified webbing. W ithin the free flight structure soar countless types of avians from the World Above, including many exotic species (among them the namesake peacock­ like cathlyre). From the large shop, perched along the ledge of the Clawrift, the birds are sold as pets, live targets, or roasted alive before the customer’s eyes—a hot meal seasoned and done to order.

Rhauvais' Arms ler p su to in M

PIWAFWI A piwafwi is a magical cloak woven from spider silk. These garm ents are incredibly popular in M enzober­ ranzan, and all patrols both inside th e city and out use them . W hen the hood is drawn over th e head, th e w e a re r b e co m e s a lm o st invisible to norm al sight, including to creatures th a t can ordinarily see in th e dark. Many piwafwis hold additional m agi­ cal enchantm ents, such as protecting th eir wearers

and sale o f exotic, high-quality ranged weapons and ammunition for her noble clientele. Specialty armaments of her design include “the spinagon” (a repeating hand crossbow), “the kocrachon” (a hover­ ing, envenomed, dart-like projectile that strikes upon a triggered condition), and “the hamatula” (a basiliskhide bandolier that magically recalls any dagger thrown from its pockets); all are named after devils of the Nine Hells.

T h e Bazaar The ever-changing, never-sleeping Bazaar is the com­ mercial heart of Menzoberranzan. This circle of bare bedrock about 750 feet in diameter is a crowded, untidy labyrinth of stalls and hagglers. The ongoing trade fair attracts merchants and goods from all over Faerun, and the drow go there to buy and sell almost everything imaginable. Warriors training at the Academy patrol the B a z a a r h e a v ily . T h e p a t r o ls a r e p e r f o r m e d to k e e p

a lid on the violence, but they do not interfere with haggling, arguments, or fraudulent dealing. The m er­ chants suffer the patrols to keep the house nobles in line. The Ruling Council maintains the patrols to prevent giving the merchants a reason to hire large numbers of guards that could grow into private armies. By decree o f the Ruling Council, the Bazaar con­ tains no permanent structures. No stall can remain in one spot longer than 6 6 days. The law is intended to keep the Bazaar from dwindling away as permanent buildings replace the stalls. Also, the constant shuf­ fling forces buyers to tour the Bazaar, searching for favored stalls or merchants. Fights and covert sabotage are common, since vendors jostle for more space for their booths or try to avoid being relegated to a bad location. W hile merchants are not allowed to openly sell their space at the Bazaar, wise merchants arrange to trade spots with other established vendors for favors. Merchants o f al l races and lands are welcome in the Bazaar, and shoppers can get almost anything they desire in its curtained booths and stalls, given enough patience and money. The stalls carry goods and services that range from the mundane to the wondrous. Tailors, potters, and crafters of every stripe can be found in the twisting paths of the Bazaar. Surgeons, potions, and herbal medicines can also be found there by those who want to avoid seeking heal­ ing from the priestesses of Lolth. Some vendors even sell wines, cheeses, and other exotics from the surface lands, and one is able to send and receive messages to and from the World Above. Living commodities can also be purchased in the Bazaar and many drow go there to hire mercenaries and wizards. Slaves can be bought here too.

A typical day in the Bazaar: How much for that dagger in the window? there, most purchasers looking f o r the Braeryn to fill those needs.

s u c h g o o d s, g o t o

Quild’s Mobile Parlor

Bhaelundryn’s Bestiary Underdark Hostler

Information Broker

111

Heavily guarded by a dozen drow guards and gnoll overseers, this stall provides pack lizards and ridinglizard mounts, including the harnesses, goads, lead lines, and carrying frames for the creatures. Vhurn Bhaelundryn, and old, fat, affable, and heavily scarred drow warrior, always has one of each sort of lizard harnessed and ready, but the cost is astronomi cal. The fee does include immediate help from the overseers, however, in delaying pursuit, patrols, and anything up to angry high priestesses. In addition to beasts, Vhurn sells “underdark packs” for adventur­ ing in the Underdark, and is knowledgeable about places to buy other gear and weapons.

Dhode’s Fine Piwafwis Tailor and Clothier

I I I I

number of contacts in Sorcere willing to add enchant­ ments to a piwafwi i f the price is right.

k'

^

lk k'

Dhode Lu’orz is a tailor who sells all manner of cloth­ ing cut in drow fashions, but he specializes in making piwafwis. He staffs this stall with six apprentices who he treats as little more than slaves. Dhode has a

§ §

f' c

This stall is little more than a bench and a cart full of cheap trinkets. Quild, a wiry, muscled male drow, moves his cart and bench regularly to follow shifts in traffic around the Bazaar. He engages non-drow and other males with nonstop chatter while he works, but is quiet and submissive before female drow. Quild is an excellent source for rumors and gossip, and he can give directions to most locales in and around the city. O f course, gener­ ous tips greatly enhance the accuracy of the information.

HAGGLING Am ong th e drow, haggling happens only when the buyer and th e seller are roughly o f equal station. O therw ise, the drow o f higher station states the price she will pay for th e goods and the lower-status drow must accept. For this reason, drow m erchants always keep their b est wares hidden from view, out of fear of a powerful drow noble taking a liking to som ething and offering a fraction o f its worth.

Sense of Sensuous Scents Perfumery

i i l l

iy lk lk

The mixture of scents wafting on the light breeze of Menzoberranzan ensures that shoppers smell this stall long before they see it. Rauva Zoldyth, a female drow, sells a wide variety of incense, from bricks that burn in braziers to sticks that smolder slowly. She also sells oils and candles, most of which are treated to burn with a low eldritch-colored flame that won’t hurt sensitive drow eyes. Rauva notes which priestesses buy what incense and how much, and discreetly sells this infor­ mation to those who might be interested in knowing what houses are preparing certain rituals.

Shimmerdark’s Decanter Vintner & Alchemist

1111

Named for its handsome, charming (and smart­ mouthed) young drow proprietor, this stall stocks rare and fine potables from all over the Realms. Daelein Shimmerdark carries a wide selection, from forti­ fied wines of the Sword Coast to hard liquors made by the dwarves. Daelein offers love potions and sleep poison to rich and discreet shoppers. For a small fee, he will also provide directions on the best places to sell stolen goods.

Whispers in the Dark Courier

111

A human wizard named Fethlorn Kelapanch set up shop in the Bazaar late in the Spellplague era, specializing in delivering messages around the city. Young drow commoners, especially orphans, camp outside his stall, waiting for a chance to run a message and make a few coins. Fethlorn also has con­ nections with many caravan masters and can arrange for messages to be delivered to far-off locations in the Underdark or even to the surface. He can also arrange for messengers to run the missive directly, but this is ruinously expensive. A number of spells and rituals for magical communication are at his disposal, allowing him to contact virtually anyone in Faerun, including in the World Above.

E a s tm y r

>

IS 9 K I1 -

^

H

Eastm yr

■

<

“ M e re E a s t”

The lower-class neighborhood of struggling merchants, lesser tradesfolk, and mercenaries. Population: 5 ,0 0 0 drow, 3 ,0 0 0 non-drow. Noble Houses: House Hunzrin, House Kenafin (until the Reckoning) C om m on Fam ilies: Asbodela, Dlaen Del’Amatar, Fael

Olyphar, llystryph, Uluar, and Zalyzryn.

Trade: Artisans making common, necessary items, such as pottery, tools, furniture, boots, and clothing, as well as barbers and massage parlors. Security: Drow street patrols regularly sweep through the neighborhood’s main avenues, but not as fre­ quently as in the other more prosperous parts of the city. House Hunzrin patrols near its compound, and their forces respond to calls for help from their underlings.

Those not successful enough to dwell in Manyfolk live in the poorer, less esteemed neighborhood of Eastmyr. In many ways, Eastmyr is a neighborhood in decline. The ruins o f House Freth are home to squatters and escaped slaves. Shortly after the War of the Spider Queen, when House Kenafin merged with House Horlbar to form House Melarn, its former compound fell into the same state. The empty shells of the former houses cast a pall over Eastmyr as examples of defeat and despair. After the departure of House Kenafin, the only noble house of any standing in the district is House Hunzrin, but most noble drow would argue that Hun­ zrin is not of any consequence. Below House Hunzrin in status are six families that seek to rise in status, taking Hunzrin’s place. None of these families have the resources to challenge the house for dominance, but they constantly bicker and feud among themselves. Yune-duis used to be among their number, but Dlaen Del’A matar destroyed the family nearly ten years ago. Beside the seven noble houses and six common families of note, the narrow, shabby streets of East­ myr are the home of lesser tradesfolk, mercenaries, and non-drow of no significant wealth or power.

Battered Beholder Arms and Hardware

Q Z < o z

> < 5

11

The inside of this weapons shop is almost as battered as the beholder (said to be Many Eyes) on the sign at the store front. The inventory varies widely from day to day, and the shop fences goods with no questions asked. A male dwarf named Olask Dhauluin runs the Beholder.

Olask came to Menzoberranzan shortly after the War of the Spider Queen and remains there throughout the Spellplague era, which is a good indicator of his cau­ tion and deviousness. Olask lives in the floors above the shop, using monsters to guard it during non-business hours, when they are allowed to roam freely.

Calask’s Hands Hairstylist

I I I

^k^k^k^k

This hair salon is named for the male human who founded the business during the Sable Years—Myrlyth Calask. His shop survived him, passing to a male drow commoner named Filraen after the W ar of the Spider Queen. The clientele claims that Filraen’s delicate drow fingers are much better than Calask’s, but Filraen keeps the name because of its novelty, which attracts customers. Filraen is secretly a spy for Bregan D ’aerthe. He relays messages to other agents and reports on what he overhears. He never takes any action that could expose his cover.

Darkled Depths Tavern III

'k 'k i \ 'k 'k

Located across from the abandoned House Kenafin compound is the Darkled Depths, one of the most popular taverns in the city. The Depths is a higherclass establishment than the drinking pits, though it does admit non-drow. It is renowned for its glow­ ing drinks made from phosphorescent lichen and a wide variety of stuffed mushrooms. The tavern fills four floors carved from the interior of a stalagmite. One wide winding stair connects the floors, but several open locations allow drow to levitate from one floor to another. In addition to music and sing­ ing, the Depths features shadow plays performed on an illuminated canvas. The owner is a commoner drow female named Kialara, who oversees an almost entirely male staff.

Dylchanta’s Furfeathers Massage House

l l l l

'k 'k 'k 'k

The best massage house in Eastmyr, Dylchanta’s Furfeathers regularly hosts massage parties for large groups. The parlor is run by Dylchanta, a female drow commoner, who is assisted by a staff of a dozen masseuses evenly split between genders. Dylchanta has no aspirations for nobility, only for the wealth a successful business can bring and the influence that wealth can buy. Some in Eastmyr whisper that she ensures that Furfeathers remains the only good mas­ sage house in Eastmyr through threats and violence, but nothing has ever been proven. Her principal clients are members of House Hunzrin, but on any given day, members of any of the lesser houses and common families can be found there.

Narbondel’s Shadow Rooming House

||||| 'k 'k 'k 'k 'k

Narbondel’s Shadow is one of the two surviving room­ ing houses that cater to non-drow visitors in the city. Narbondel’s Shadow is very expensive, but the service is excellent. Rates include all meals, basic drink, sta­ bling, and a private room with a magical light source. A human adventurer named Mori founded the room­ ing house shortly before the Time of Troubles. He left the place to his son, but in the late Spellplague era it is run by a halfling named Dalfred Noakes. Dalfred had a violent encounter with a young Hun­ zrin noble, which left him scarred and without his left ear. He has never forgotten or forgiven the noble. To this day, he makes full use the rooming house’s prime location overlooking the Clawrift, and a con­ nected small cave system that does not join up with Dark Dominion, to smuggle goods and hide people fleeing angry drow nobles. Dalfred also has contacts throughout Eastmyr and Braeryn for clients looking to discreetly hire or purchase needed magic, healing, weapons, and other gear. He plays a dangerous game that will likely get him killed in the near future.

Ruins of House Freth House Freth was all but destroyed by House Teken’duis in the Year of the Fallen Throne (1319 DR). Unfortunately, three noble children remained alive to accuse the Teken'duis of the attack, and that house was destroyed in turn by decree of the Ruling Council. Matron Baenre fostered the three Freth children within her house, but they were too young to know the secrets of their former compound. As a rank­ ing noble house, Freth had amassed much treasure, which was said to be hidden in excavated levels beneath their compound. These delvings could still be there, waiting for discovery. Finding the entrance to the dungeons is only the first step. Cunning traps, puzzles, and guardians most likely protect the secrets and wealth of the Freth.

Na rbo n d ellyn Narbondellyn “ B ro ad Stre e ts”

A fashionable neighborhood of elegant manor houses, eclectic artisans, and rising socialites. Po p u latio n : 4 ,0 0 0 drow, 3 ,0 0 0 non-drow. Noble H ouses (all eras): Barrison Del’Armgo, Faen

Tlabbar, Fey-Branche Noble H ouses (un til th e W a r o f th e S p id e r Q ueen):,

Horlbar, Shobalar, Srune’Lett, Tuin’Tarl. Com m on Families: Balartyr, Belek’tyr, Hael’lrin, llith’vir,

Klor’lbar, Mestpar, Oblare, Ouol, Ryrll, Shadalun, Shunn T’ahaladar, Thadalix, Tuek’tharm, and Urundlet. Trade: Luxury boutiques trading in jewelry, perfumes,

exotic finery, and similar goods. Se cu rity: Narbondellyn’s wide boulevards are

patrolled regularly and in large numbers.

Home to many of Menzoberranzan’s wealthiest families, Narbondellyn is a majestic sight to behold.

MONEYLENDING Most ambitious drow run short o f coin at one tim e or another. Som e are in no position to successfully steal or extort funds, murder and rob, or gain a loan from a patron or house superior. They turn to m oneylend­ ers, who also act as m oney-changers for outsiders. M enzoberranyr accep t all surface coinages, but prefer m etal or gem s o f intrinsic value. M oneylend­ ers also deal in trade bars, rare shells, th e jarred and jellied eyeballs used by som e mind flayers, all known types o f gem s, perfum es, and even rare foods and plants. The more exotic th e currency or collateral, the higher the rates offered. A standard loan to a drow citizen is typically in coinage, at an interest rate o f 1 0 percent, com ­ pounded every 2 0 days. C ollateral valued a t 7 5 p ercent of the loan is usually required. Non-drow citizens pay 1 4 percent interest, while outsiders are charged 1 6 percent or more. Both o f the latter groups m ust offer collateral equal to 1 0 0 percent or m ore of the value o f th e loan. Most moneylenders have spellcasters, hired swords, and spies to back up their dem ands and defend their w ealth. They are wily, ruthless, and often adopt a powerful house as patron (giving its m em bers cut rates and ready credit) to gain its protection when a noble debtor of another house decides, as som e o f the younger and more reckless inevitably do, th at having a bit o f sport and wiping out fast-building debts with a quick sword thrust is easier than paying up.

Ascending the terraced slopes beneath Qu’ellarz’orl rise row upon row of masterfully carved manor houses framing wide, arc-shaped boulevards illumi­ nated by the soft, tinted light of permanent faerie fire spells. Many of the spired stone edifices are likewise adorned with intricate magical fire, literally setting the district aglow in a scintillating cacophony of color. This district is also the residence for several lesser but up-and-coming merchant families—the noble houses of the future. These families generally engage in the most luxurious and profitable of trades: gems, perfumes, moneylending, and the like.

Red Tears Cartel of Gem-Cutters & Moneylenders Red Tears is a secretive consortium of lesser mer­ chants that have banded together against the most conspicuous and haughty merchant houses of Men­ zoberranzan. This cartel of “dealers in the shadows” was formed in the Year of the Vitriolic Sage (1047 DR) by a sardonic one-eyed drow known as Farseeing Phurn. Phurn is credited by those in the know for fomenting the bitter rivalry between prominent gemcutting Houses Belek’tyr and Shadalun—a feud that has resulted in countless assassinations and signifi­ cant loss of profits over the decades. Today Red Tears is an expansive crim inal organization with a coterie of smugglers, fences, racketeers, thugs, and cutthroats operating throughout much of the city. Phurn governs his illicit empire from his compound in central Nar­ bondellyn, carved from the ruins of House Tuin’Tarl. The organization takes its name from a rare teardrop­ shaped gemstone of unusually-vivid, blood-crimson hue in Phurn’s possession.

Brothers Jaszarr Perfum ers

I III

©©

Narbondellyn is home to the wealthiest (and most expensive) perfumers in the city. In the crowded, damp underground, perfuming is an art born of necessity. The best drow scents mingle with less desirable smells to mute everything into a pleasur­ able background. The brothers Dhellorn and Dirziir Jaszarr are together regarded as the finest purveyors o f perfume in the city. Sold only to the finest drow of high society, their scents are woven with magical compulsions that make them more than simple cos­ metics. In the right hands, such a perfume is the key to power and influence—two of every drow’s favorite things. Unknown to all but a discreet clientele, the talents of the brothers Jaszarr extend to the crafting of toxic potions and ointments as well. For a hefty sum, these poisons—often seamlessly blended into their exotic perfumes—can cripple or slay a rival with little chance of detection.

Feathered Masqueax Theater and Festhall I I I I

' k ' k ' k i\ ' k Unlike most playhouses in the city, which stage low­ brow comedies, the Feathered Masqueax prides itself on hosting only innovative, well-acted dramas. Most astonishing for revelers in attendance is the fact that many of the actors in the troupe are in fact undead, their performances flawless and eerily lifelike. At show’s end, privileged clientele are welcomed back­ stage to enjoy food, libations, and the company of performers they fancy. The owner and proprietor of the theatre company is an enigmatic male drow named Phaless. Nearly seven feet tall and always shrouded in a dark, blood-splat­ tered robe resembling a funeral shroud, Phaless strikes an imposing figure. A tiny animated skeleton pendant pinned to his robe reveals to those in the know that the drow is a deathsinger, a rare bardic practitioner renowned for songs of dark glory and necromancy.

Black Sapphire Bath Public Bathhouse

|||

One of a dozen public baths scattered about the city, the Black Sapphire Bath is primarily a gathering place for males seeking to rid themselves of a day’s sweat and grime, not to mention a place to socialize and relax in leisurely comfort away from the over­ bearing presence of females. Patrons can be bathed by servants, or left alone as they wish. Many fires keep the octagonal pools warm, its steaming mineral water scented with a choice of fragrances. Although not a festhall, there are no rules against guests enjoy­ ing more amorous activities with each other, or with the bathing staff if additional coin is forthcoming.

Q u ’e l l a r z ’o r l Qu’ellarz’orl “The House-Loft” “Palace o f Nobles” The grandest part of the city, Qu’ellarz’orl is the home of the most powerful noble houses, including House Baenre. Population: 5 ,0 0 0 drow, 4 ,0 0 0 non-drow. Noble Houses (all eras): Baenre, Mizzrym, Xorlarrin. No lesser houses. Noble Houses (specific eras): Barrison Del’Armgo (Spellplague era only), DeVir (Founding era only), Hun’ett (until end of Sable Years), Agrach Dyrr (until War of the Spider Queen). Trade: None. Qu’ellarz’orl is the private demesne of the great houses. No trade is conducted there. Security: The three houses dwelling there patrol and scry Qu’ellarz’orl constantly. There are no street patrols on the plateau.

Screened from the lower city by its forest of giant mushrooms, Qu’ellarz’orl is a broad plateau on the southern end of the vault that overlooks the crowded city. The plateau rises a second time on its east­ ern side, and from that lofty perch the compound of House Baenre looms over the city, a constant reminder of the house’s pervasiveness. Below and west of Baenre is the Spelltower Xorlarrin, while the House Mizzrym compound has been carved from the vault ceiling above. During the Spellplague era, House Barrison D el’A rmgo built a sprawling fortress perched on the edge of the plateau, its tall, crenel­ lated walls overhanging the lower city. The ruins of several other houses litter the area as well. Qu’ellarz’orl is bare and spacious, since House Baenre ruthlessly keeps the rabble out. Soldiers of the powerful noble houses promenade in the district

BUILDING A N EW COMPOUND Q u’ellarz’orl is dotted with the ruins o f fallen h o u sesDeVir, Hun’ett, and Agrach Dyrr are only the three m ost recent houses destroyed on th e plateau. The drow consider it bad luck to claim a fallen house’s compound for your own. However, space is tight in the lower cavern o f Menzoberranzan, and Qu’ellarz’orl hosts only four houses. Gaining the right to build on th e House-Loft would require skilled political m aneu­ vering. At the very least, House Baenre would need to be appeased. Would th e new house want to claim an old compound as its own, or start anew?

C h a m b er o f the R uling C ouncil: T h ron es f o r th e m atron m others, som ethin g less w orthy f o r th eir guests

from time to time on real or assumed business. More often, Baenre, Xorlarrin, and Mizzrym drill their troops and wizards across the open expanses in a show of force displayed for the rest of the city.

Chamber of the Ruling Council In the southwestern corner of Quellarz’orl is the entrance to the Chamber of the Ruling Council. Its arched, ironbound, double entrance doors are closed and guarded by an honor guard from Melee-Magthere at all times. W hen the council is not in session, the doors remain closed and no one is allowed inside. The chamber itself is a small side cavern. Unlike most of the city vault, the cavern’s natural appear­ ance is unaltered by drow hands. The only additions are a spider-shaped table and an altar to Tolth. Drow lore holds that Menzoberra raised this altar after the defeat of Many Eyes, and it was on this altar after their first prayers that a yochlol told the victorious drow to call their cavern Menzoberranzan. W hen in session, the eight ruling matron mothers sit inside in tall, jeweled thrones surrounded by a hundred sweet-smelling candles that light the chamber. A single unadorned chair is provided for guests, and only one

guest is allowed into the cavern at a time. It is rare for a male or a non-drow to be a guest, but not unheard of. Each matron mother is also permitted two bodyguards. By custom, they remain silent, standing against the walls, speaking and moving only when bidden.

House Mizzrym The Fifth House is the only great house whose com­ pound is located entirely within the Overways. Visitors to the compound must first walk a spiraling path around a great stalagmite to its peak, then climb a wind­ ing, crystal stairway outlined in faerie fire—one of the high and glittering sights in the great cavern of Menzo­ berranzan. The stairs lead into the point of the hanging stalactite that houses the Mizzrym compound. A pair of adamantine doors block further progress inside. Both the crystal stairway and the doors are guarded by Mizz­ rym patrols. With a spoken command word, a patrol can cause the crystal stair to vanish. Beyond the doors, three great caverns form the compound. The largest cavern houses the living quar­ ters, which are spacious and airy for the noble females, and cramped and stuffy for everyone else. An elabo­ rate shrine to Lolth fills the second cavern, while the last is for the mercantile interests of the house.

W e s t W a ll W est W all “The Old Q uarter” This quiet district of “old money” and hidden intrigues exemplifies propriety, modest affluence, and tradition. Population: 4 ,0 0 0 drow, 2 ,0 0 0 non-drow. Noble Houses (all eras): Barrison Del’Armgo (bar­ racks), Duskryn, Druu’giir, Melarn, Symryvvin. Noble Houses (until Sable Years): Do’Urden, Teken’duis. Common Families: llueph, Llarabbar, Miliskeera, Neereath, OPil’isk, Tirin, Vahadarr, W aeth del’tar, and Yulaun’tlar. Trade: There are few shops in W est Wall; the drow who dwell there actively discourage such common establishments, and the traffic they bring, preferring to go into adjacent Duthcloim for such services. Security: Although city troops patrol the district regularly, many of the old families openly parade their own house troops throughout W est Wall as a contest of one-upmanship.

This neighborhood of lesser houses and wealthy mer­ chants is a quiet place—and the residents like it that way. Less ostentatious than the assurgent nobility of Narbondellyn, folks of “the Old Quarter” are neverthe­ less occasioned to indulge in esoteric pursuits: staging gladiatorial contests between noble-born drow, cap­ turing exotic species from across the multiverse, or constructing fantastic vessels that sail into the deepest night of the World Above . Anyone walking the streets would never know of these activities, however, because discretion is the watchword in West Wall. Amid the twisted streets and quiet mansions of West W all stand scores of modest stone monuments upon which are carved the images and accounts of the city’s storied past. Although this craft fell out of fashion centuries before the Sable Years, during the Spellplague era a new cadre of artisans is attempting to revive this august tradition. One o f the more exem­ plary examples of this renaissance in stone craft is the construction of the Fane o f the Goddess, an epic union of artistry and engineering completed in 1475.

Lolth's Web Following the destruction of Ched Nasad during the W ar of the Spider Queen, many refugees fled to Menzo­ berranzan and took up residence in the neighborhood between West Wall and Narbondellyn. Over the fol­ lowing century, they built their homes upward in the fashion of their home city, crafting streets of magi­ cally calcified strands of spider silk from the cavern floor to the vaulted roof above, forming a latticework o f near-vertical stories stacked high. For those without the ability to levitate or climb the webs, narrow teeter­ ing ladders stretch up the full height of the web. Great hollow, cocoon-like dwellings are constructed both above and below the layers of webbing. By decree of the Ruling Council, such webworks can be built only in West Wall, and any attempt to tunnel into the ledges above the city is punishable by death and immediate dissolution of the offender’s house. Drider and chitine slaves labor in Lolth’s Web for House Melarn.

El steam ’s Escorts

X eva’s Den

Hireling Agency l l l l i 'k 'k 'k 'k As one of the few businesses that has flourished in West Wall, Elstearn’s Escorts provides carte-blanch services of intelligent, well groomed, and attrac­ tive drow of either gender to its discerning clientele. Although some clients avail themselves o f the agency for simple carnal pleasures, the escort service’s pool of diverse hirelings has a wide variety of skillsets useful to Menzoberranyr social climbers. Many are hired as well-spoken and charismatic escorts for social functions; others as guides and interpreters to outlanders visiting the city. Some even seek out Elstearn’s Escorts for well-trained bodyguards when business takes them to dangerous parts o f the city, or for quick excursions into the surrounding Underdark.

Gaming Pavilion & Tavern H i ' k lk ' / y The common room of this drinking establishment offers its discerning patrons a quiet place to enjoy a relaxing game of sava, table dice (backgammon), or old men’s bones (pick-up sticks). Gamers looking to make wagers can do so in Xeva’s private rooms. Elderboy Aumon Baenre is a frequent guest at Xeva’s, sometimes gambling away hundreds of platinum in an evening.

Fane of the Goddess Amphitheatre and Temple of Lolth The Fane was a “gift” to the city from Flouse Baenre, a grand public gesture to counter what the house perceived as a surge of heretic faiths infiltrating the city in the later Spellplague era. Before the Fane’s construction, most drow worshiped Lolth privately in their homes, because the chapel in Arach-Tinilith was restricted to students and high priestesses. For the first time in the city’s history, drow and non-drow, male and female alike, can together venerate Lolth publicly. This spectacular open air venue is typically restricted to religious ceremonies, but occasionally large secular activities such as gladiatorial bouts are held within the amphitheater.

Dark Dominion Over a hundred tunnels link the great vault of Men­ zoberranzan with the surrounding Underdark. Even to the haughty drow, the world beyond the City of Spiders is a nightmarish labyrinth of deadly terrain with lurking horrors waiting to feast upon the flesh of the foolish and weak. Even so, the drow still thrive in this unforgiving realm of darkness and death. The ruling matrons claim all territory within a five-mile radius of the city as property of Menzober­ ranzan. The drow name their demesne Bauthwaf, but to outsiders this grim region is known as the Dark Dominion. The Dominion is regularly patrolled, but only a fool would refer to the area as safe. Fell crea­ tures of the Underdark regularly enter the Dominion despite the patrols, but most predators that invade deep into it are quickly dispatched. The environs are largely unworked, although some caverns bear evidence of battle, magical experimentation, or smallscale mining.

JADE SPIDERS The large city gates o f M enzoberranzan—as well as m ost o f its tem p les and noble com pounds—are all guarded by tow ering arachnid constructs known as ja d e spiders. Appearing as fifteen-foot-tall statu es until an intrusion triggers th em into action, they take their nam e from the magically treated ja d e th at tips their sharp m andibles and saw -edged legs. Jad e spiders are fearless, unthinking guardians th a t carry out their assigned orders even in th e face o f certain destruction.

The M

an tle

The many passages and side-caverns of the Bauth­ w af within immediate reach of Menzoberranzan’s main vault have long been part of city life. Known as the Mantle, these winding corridors have served for millennia as a destination for young drow seek­ ing to prove their defiant daring, for trysts between forbidden lovers of rival houses, and as handy meet­ ing places for clandestine plotting. They are well patrolled, but there is no such thing as a safe area of the Underdark. On occasion, Underdark creatures are canny enough to reach the Mantle unde­ tected, but more often than not, creatures found in the Mantle were abandoned there by a citizen of Menzoberranzan. The Eastw ays: Unlike numerous other gateways guarding the city, the three tunnels that lead from the vault east of Lake Donigarten are not defended by jade spiders, but by scorpion-shaped, poison-shooting

statues of similar construction. The smallest of the Eastway’s three tunnels leads to Driders’ Chasm; the other two run north and east to the Fardrimm and the dwarf-claimed tunnels of fallen Delzoun. The M asterways: These tunnels north of the Clawrift do not connect to the wider Underdark, and due to this isolation represent one of the “safest” regions of the Dark Dominion. Many nobles use the Masterways for “sport hunting”—wherein a beast or slave is released into the tunnels and then hunted by the noble alone. Slaves unfamiliar with the local geography are often given the false hope of freedom until they realize to their horror that the tunnels of the Masterways lead nowhere. The W anderw ays: Many centuries past, as an invading force moved toward the City of Spiders, the Archmage of Menzoberranzan wove a mighty ritual o f misdirection throughout these northeastern tun­ nels of the Mangle. Disoriented by the arcane maze, the invaders were unable to reach the city as a group and were ultimately routed. The Wanderways are protected to this day by the Archmage’s enduring magic. The W estw ays: These tunnels run west some fifty miles to Blingdenstone, before doubling back east toward Mithral Flail and the surface realm of Luruar. This route also branches toward the trading enclave ofMantol-Derith and Phanlinksal beyond. The Westways are the most heavily patrolled passages of the Dark Dominion. In all the many mil­ lennia of Menzoberranzan’s existence, the Westways city gates have never been breached by an enemy force.

Ablonsheir’s Cave This large, unremarkable cavern of the Eastways is named for Ablonsheir Ulu’ar, one-time Archmage of Menzoberranzan. The cave is so named because Ablonsheir dwells there still, petrified and preserved within bloodstone. Local lore suggests that the former Archmage lost his life in either a spell duel or a bizarre medusa attack. In any event, the statue itself is seemingly impervious to harm and all attempts to restore stone to flesh have failed.

Cavern of the Masters O ff limits to all but the masters of Sorcere, this cavern in the Masterways has long been used as a testing range for arcane experimentation. As part of Lolth’s efforts to create the Demon Weave (page 13), wizards of House Xorlarrin and House Barrison Del’Armgo have cordoned off this cavern for rituals that funnel arcane power to Lolth.

Cavern of the Severed Tentacles In the Year of the Pernicious Hauberk (568 DR), illi­ thids from Phanlinksal (page 112) sought to invade Menzoberranzan through the Eastways. This cavern is so named for the decisive victory the Menzoberranyr achieved against the mind flayers there. Eighty of the aberrant brain eaters were captured in the final hours of the assault and brought to this cave for execution. In a cruel twist of fate, the captives were force to watch as their kin were fed one by one to a ravenous vampiric illithid kept by House Oblodra as a pet. W hen the vampire was finished feasting, the bodies were left to rot in the cavern as a warning against further provocation.

Drivers’ Chasm The smallest of the three passages that comprise the Eastways leads to a chasm inhabited by driders. These failed drow slay and devour all who stray into their clutches, especially prizing the flesh of unaltered drow. From time to time, the driders raid merchant caravans or even a civilized area. Drow defenders and attacking driders suffer heavy casual­ ties in such raids, but surviving driders usually come away with armor, weapons, and supplies.

Glowstones As its name suggests, this well-lit meeting place in the Masterways is aglow with naturally luminescent rocks. Most creatures of the Underdark, with their darkvision, avoid areas ofglowstone, except when using it to ambush unwary explorers. Menzoberranyr traders use this area to meet contacts from the sur­ face world that are too intimidated to set foot in the city proper.

Heldaeyn’s Pool This small, unremarkable pool in a modest south­ eastern cavern of the Mantle is primarily used by drow patrols and slave bands when provisioning for an extended trip into the Dark Dominion. Shortly after the Time of Troubles, a priestess of House Van­ dree attempted to eliminate a House Kenafin rival by infecting the well with a colony of throat leeches. Her plot failed but went undetected. To this day, the throat leeches still claim an occasional victim.

The Lustrum Shortly before the Time of Troubles, House Xorlarrin discovered a rich vein of ore and gemstones in this remote unexplored tunnel of the Westways. Calling this place “the Lustrum” for the great quantities of silver and the astonishing variety of gems within the lode, House Xorlarrin quickly secured the services of Bregan D ’aerthe to protect the secret location of the mines, both from the dwarves of nearby Mithral Hall and the unceasing efforts o f rival drow houses. The Lustrum remained under House Xorlarrin control until the Year of Blue Fire (1385 DR), when three gemstone golems pulled from the silver vein decades before unexpectedly awakened and slaughtered the miners. Only the highest-ranking nobles o f House Xorlarrin know that the constructs are of Mulhorandi design, but none know how they got there or how to defeat them; by all accounts the golems are com­ pletely impervious to mundane and magical attack.

Pit-Warrens Few dungeons and jails of the surface world can com­ pare to the depravity of the city’s pit-warrens in the Eastways. Violators (both drow and non-drow alike) are imprisoned in cramped cells with beasts from the Underdark. W hichever party (beast or drow) survives the night gets to enjoy the cell alone for the remain­ der of the week, when the violator is either paroled or joined by a new “companion.” Carrion crawlers and cave fishers rounded up from Donigarten’s moss bed are commonly used in such tortures.

Proving Grounds Located a short distance down the tunnel at the back of Tier Breche, the proving grounds is a large cavern that serves as an arena of sorts for gladiatorial games and other events such as the Grand Melee. Thrust­ ing stalagmite mounds and pointed stalactites leering down from the ceiling break the chamber into a twist­ ing maze filled with ambush holes and blind corners.

The Grand Melee Each year, in order to establish rank within their class, the students of Melee-Magthere compete in a contest of wit and martial prowess known as the Grand Melee. During this event, twenty-five students are set loose within the Proving Grounds, wielding simple wooden poles as weapons. The rules are simple; the last combat­ ant standing wins. Temporary catwalks constructed around the chamber for the event give the judging masters a good view of the action below. Although his name is seldom uttered openly in the city, Drizzt Do’Urden’s nine consecutive championships in the Grand Melee is still a revered record that has yet to be matched.

CHAPTER 5

The Northdark Faerun’s Underdark is not a single, continuous cavern system. Rather, it is a collection of subter­ ranean locales among which travel is reasonably easy. Beneath the lands north and east o f Waterdeep and Neverwinter lies a vast and notorious domain called the Northdark. Many of the Underdark’s most infamous realms lie in this area, including Menzober­ ranzan, the City of Spiders. Home to the wreckage of numerous ancient realms, the Northdark comprises numerous distinct subregions, of which the following are discussed here: ♦ Shadowed W ays: A high-traffic region of the northern Underdark centered on the Darklake. It includes the major settlements of Menzoberran­ zan, Gracklstugh, and Blingdenstone. ♦ A m m arin d ar: The ancient dwarven tunnels of the lost kingdom of Ammarindar, now under the dominion of the infernal Scourged Legions. ♦ A raum ycos: The enormous mass of sentient fungus that holds sway over a large portion of the Upperdark is reportedly seeking out ways to expand its domain. ♦ The F ard rim m : This expanse of tunnels and chambers was once the proud domain of Delzoun, the fabled Northkingdom of the shield dwarves. Nowadays the Fardrimm’s passages are used, and abused, by many Underdark denizens. ♦ The W orm w rithings: Burrowing creatures find this region of porous, regenerating rock to be irre­ sistible—which is all the more reason why all other creatures would be wise to stay away.

Shadowed Ways Drow waymarkers set aglow with permanent faerie fire spells alert passersby of the boundary between the relative safety of the Mantle and the greater region of the Underdark known to Menzoberranyr as Veldririhar—the Shadowed Ways. Roughly centered on the Darklake (see below), this region is enclosed by the neighboring regions of Araumycos, the Fardrimm, the Wormwrithings, and the Labyrinth (a tangle of interconnected caverns, tunnels, and rifts to the south and west of Menzoberranzan). This region is by far the most active part of the Northdark, well-trod by patrols and caravans of numerous Underdark races—chitines, drow, duergar, goblins, ores, quaggoths, svirfneblin, and troglodytes. The drow of Menzoberranzan view the Shadowed

Ways as a proving ground for young warriors and as a source of slaves for their markets.

B l in g d e n s t o n e One of the few bastions of kindness in an otherwise merciless region of the Underdark, Blingdenstone is home to a benevolent population of svirfneblin, or deep gnomes. Lured by rich veins of metal and rubies, the deep gnomes established their city-state in dangerous proximity to Menzoberranzan and relied on obscurity and isolation to protect them from the ruthless drow. This policy served the svirfneblin well for over two thousand years. However, during the Sable Years, their self-imposed isolation began to crumble when Drizzt Do’Urden arrived in the city. First Blingden­ stone contributed troops to the defense of Mithral Hall against the armies of Menzoberranzan in

THE UNDERDARK ENVIRONMENT Although in many ways th e Underdark is sim ilar to a vast w ilderness in th e surface world, it is m ore like a d esert than a verdant plain. Travelers in th e Underdark must contend with a hostile environm ent characterized by th ese features. The Suffocating D arkness: Although it’s o f little d et­ rim ent to th e eyes o f th e drow, m uch o f the Underdark is shrouded in com plete darkness. Outsiders and slaves traveling with a drow party will need to bring a light source to com pen sate for the poor natural illumination. O f course, not all in th e Underdark live in utter black­ ness. The rocks containing faerzress em it e erie blue and green light. Lum inescent lichen, fungi, and m osses light many subterranean grottoes, although m ost vari­ eties quickly fade if disturbed or rem oved. A n other oft-forgotten hazard is th e scarcity o f breath able air. M ost populated U nderdark caverns are sufficiently ventilated, but not always by a surface connection. The D eep earth : On the surface world, thick vegeta­ tion, raging waterways, and m ountainous terrain slow travel. The Underdark has th ese obstacles and many more unique to the terrain. Passages frequently twist and turn, and rarely in a predictable direction. Tunnels vary in height and width, som etim es shrinking down to a crack or widening into great grottoes. Rivers and lakes can fill entire caverns. Vast patches o f deadly plants and fungi block miles o f passages. Because o f these impediments, a direct route to a destination does not exist. Underdark explorers need great skill in rock climbing, or even better, the ability to levitate or fly. Pack animals must navigate such terrain as well. Most Underdark races employ sub­ terranean lizards in lieu o f mules, oxen, and wagons. Sustenance: The Underdark is like a desert scattered with oases. All th e basic necessities o f life -fo o d , water,

air, and sh elter—are in short supply, and the com peti­ tion to survive is brutal. D om esticated deep rothe are com m on in the Underdark, and alm ost every part of th ese cattle is useful. Cave boars are also plentiful and hunted for food and clothing. Fungi, lichens, molds, and m osses replace m ost agricultural produce, and som e are used to brew alcohol. Fresh w ater is scarce in som e regions o f th e surface world, but it is more pre­ cious than gold in th e Underdark. Like food, magically created w ater is an invaluable resource to explorers. Underdark denizens get no rain, so they rely on rivers, lakes, and seepage through the rocks for water. F a erz ress: This m agical radiation is scattered at random throughout th e Underdark. Faerzress interferes with spells and th e effects o f magic item s in unpre­ d ictable ways, but has th e m ost detrim ental effect on divinations, tele p o rta tio n , and m ost o th er form s of m agical travel. Faerzress can take a variety o f forms, from clusters o f glowing rocks to a barely discernible change in tem perature. Particularly talen ted wizards are capable o f rituals th at can alter th e form o f a pocket o f faerzress in Specific ways, but th o se rituals often attract th e attention o f native beasts o f th e Underdark. S u b te rra n e a n W a te rco u rse s: Underground rivers and lakes often serve as th e m ost efficient m eans of travel in th e Underdark. Many deep delvers ferry small craft though th e tunnels below, som etim es building boats from giant m ushroom s; magical vessels such as

folding boats are highly prized. The lack o f wind makes sailing craft useless, so m ost vessels are rowed or drawn by aquatic draft anim als. As well, cavern ceilings often dip below the w ater’s surface, forcing explorers to come up with creative solutions for safely navigating th e sub­ merged passages.

Yvonnel Baenre’s ill-fated attack on the city. Then, in 1371 DR, the drow destroyed Blingdenstone in retribution for this aid. For the next several decades, Blingdenstone lay in ruins, haunted by a variety of creatures at different times—sentient clouds of ele­ mental dust, deep gnome wererats, and any number of wandering beasts and humanoid scavengers. Toward the end of the Spellplague era, starting around 1440 DR, the original svirfneblin inhabitants of Blingdenstone began moving back into the ruins and rebuilding, under the leadership of Most Honored Burrow Warden Kargien Dissengulp. Through an alliance with the dwarf king Connerad Brawnanvil Battlehammer, the tunnels between Blingdenstone and Mithral Hall (page 104) are now routinely patrolled by combined forces from both realms.

T he Da rkla ke This vast series of water-filled caverns lies at the heart of the Shadowed Ways. Long ago, cascades and swift torrents joined several large caves together as water drained down from the Evermoors to the unknown depths below. The complex was extended when dwarves built a series of dams and locks there to clear a path of dry tunnels for travel. The ceilings above the Darklake caverns are very low, rarely higher than ten feet above the water, and sometimes as low as two or three feet. Many Underdark races, particularly duergar from Gracklstugh, use the linked caverns as a rela­ tively secure shortcut through the dangerous region. The upper reaches of the Darklake are home to many strange and hostile aquatic monsters, includ­ ing schools of ixzan (evil creatures resembling manta rays) and isolated bands of freshwater scrags (aquatic trolls). More rare and dangerous denizens are believed to lurk in the dark waters—more than one boat laden with trade goods has mysteriously sunk into the depths of the Darklake.

D ead D ragon G o rg e This large chasm is six to seven days’ walk south of Menzoberranzan. Named for a sapphire dragon that laired there long ago, the gorge is odd because it con­ tains no faerzress. Connected to a labyrinth of wide caverns, Dead Dragon Gorge is home to cave fishers, giant bats, and many other mostly harmless denizens. The lack of/aerzress in the chasm has allowed the construction of many permanent and temporary portals. For a few decades before the Spellplague, a two-way portal connected the gorge with the Old Monster Shop in Waterdeep. The exact location of its subterranean terminus was known only to the pro­ prietor, Feldyn Goadolfyn. The portal was destroyed during the tumult of the Spellplague.

W ithin a day of Dead Dragon Gorge is Drygulley Tunnel, a steep path that ends several feet from a dry riverbed on the northwestern edge of the High Forest. The tunnel formerly surfaced through a small opening, about the size of a badger hole, but this was collapsed by Liriel Baenre when she escaped to the surface during the Sable Years. The nearest aboveground settlement to the chasm is the village of Trollbridge, located near the northern bank of the River Dessarin.

E n t e m o c h ’s B o o n This large, boulder-strewn cavern is about one day’s walk northwest of Blingdenstone. Its entrance is a small tunnel leading onto a ledge high above the cavern floor. Three stone pillars stand in its center. In their midst is a circle inscribed with magical runes that radiate the power of elemental earth. Here, svirfneblin priests were able to summon Entemoch (son of the primordial Grumbar and twin brother of Ogremoch, the lord of evil earth creatures), just days after the end of the Time of Troubles. Though brief, the appearance of this prince of elemental earth was interpreted by Blingdenstone’s inhabitants as a sign that their ancient god, Segojan Earthcaller, still favored them.

G racklstug h On the southwest shore of the Darklake, almost directly below the Uthgardt ancestor mound known as Flintrock, stands the duergar city of Gracklstugh. The capital city of the duergar Deepkingdom occu­ pies a great subterranean grotto dominated by towering rock formations. Many stalagmites have been transformed into smelters that belch smoke into shafts carved into the ceiling. Around each is a cluster of residences and smithies carved into lesser stalagmites and the cavern floor. A narrow rift, known as Laduguer’s Furrow, runs through the heart of Gracklstugh. More than a dozen stone bridges span its length, which was formed by a subterranean earthquake. Volcanic gases regularly escape from vents in the chasm walls and are col­ lected by duergar rift sappers. The chasm extends more than a quarter of a mile past the eastern and western walls of the central cavern, and these East Cleft and W est Cleft districts are home to many citi­ zens. Each end of the rift has a steeply sloping floor, carved with a set of stairs and a wide ramp for both pedestrians and wagons. These districts are off limits to nonnatives, and duergar patrols watch the gates into both. The West Cleft district houses the city’s derro minority, whose leaders have secretly manipu­ lated the rulers of Gracklstugh for centuries. From 9 7 2 DR to the Time of Troubles, Gracklstugh was ruled by Deep King Tarngardt Steelshadow VII,

DROW PATROLS Long experience has taught the Menzoberranyr that establishing permanent, immobile guard posts in the Underdark merely provides ready food to pass­ ing monsters. Instead, the drow use nimble, mobile patrols, typically warriors-in-trainingfrom the Acad­ emy (led by an instructor), augmented by adept priestesses and mages. The primary responsibility of these patrols is to keep the trade passages to and from the city open. Continual internal strife w ithin Menzoberranzan occupies the Ruling Council’s attention, and the burgeoning merchant clans would rather trade with their neighbors than antagonize them. Occasion­ ally, patrols are organized into hunting bands to raid small, isolated settlements along the periphery of the Dark Dominion, but all-out war is rare. In strategically important areas, slave laborers excavate defensible firing-hollows. A patrol sends a squad of four to six drow to move in and secure a hollow, while the others provide covering fire. Once the area is secured, the squad covers the rest of the patrol as it arrives.

who once waged a war of extermination against the derro and later freed all derro slaves in the city and granted them equal rights with the duergar. Because of the king’s advancing age, the derro savants of the city had him and several of the local lairds beneath him firmly under their control. W ith the accession of his grandson, Horgar Steelshadow IV, however, the derro’s hold was broken and the Deep King reas­ serted the power of the monarchy. Horgar led his subjects to attack Menzoberranzan during the War of the Spider Queen. Late in the Spellplague era, his young son, Horgar V, succeeded him.

M a n t o l -D e r it h A crossroads of commerce, news, and migration among denizens of the Northdark, Mantol-Derith is one of the few places where the drow of Menzoberran­ zan, the duergar of Gracklstugh, and the svirfneblin of Blingdenstone can meet in uneasy truce, trading for otherwise unobtainable goods. By tradition, all transactions take place at the stall of the seller. MantolDerith is not a bustling emporium like the Bazaar in Menzoberranzan. Deals take hours or even days to close, and negotiations are conducted privately. Commerce in Mantol-Derith is governed by cov­ enants that prohibit overt thievery, disguise of goods for barter, and the use of magic to aid negotiations. Breaking of any covenant is punished by wrapping the offenders in chains and throwing them into the Darklake.

M it h r a l H all The most famous dwarfhold in the North earns its reputation from the deeds of its renowned inhabit­ ants, the dwarves of Clan Battlehammer. Mithral Hall is named for the hard silvery metal the dwarves mined there for thousands of years, until the shadow dragon called Shimmergloom emerged from the depths and laid waste to the city, about a century before the Sable Years. Around the Time of Troubles, Bruenor Battlehammer, a descendant of the first king o f the Hall, reclaimed Mithral Hall after a long and arduous quest. Mithral Hall lies near the surface in the region known as the Frost Hills, beneath Fourthpeak Moun­ tain. The mid-level halls include the mithral mines for which the hold is so famed, and beneath them is the Undercity, the main living chambers of the Bat­ tlehammer clan. The hall is a self-contained city, with shrines to dwarven gods as well as homes, forges, workshops, and taverns; everything dwarves need for long and happy lives. Clan Battlehammer sealed the lower tunnels leading to the cavern that was once the lair of Shim­ mergloom, and the dwarves have constructed a series of defensible bulwarks in the tunnels leading lower into the Underdark. Folk in Mithral Hall are cautious when dealing with strangers, and more likely to stick a drow with a crossbow bolt than to parlay with one. In the Spellplague era, Mithral Hall was ruled first by Bruenor Battlehammer (until 1409 DR), then by Banak Brawnanvil (until 1445), and finally by Banak’s son Connerad Brawnanvil, twelfth king of Mithral Hall.

Z Z ’PZORA’S LAIR A few miles south of Menzoberranzan, several small icy streams converge from the surface to form a dangerous and swift-moving river full of whitewater rapids known as the Cascades. Drow sometimes run the rapids in small craft resembling kayaks. Midway down the course, a little-known side chan­ nel leads down a stone chute to a large icy pond in a deeply buried grotto honeycombed with small caves and alcoves. This hidden cavern was once the home of a two-headed deep dragon named Zz’Pzora (or “Zip,” as she was known to her friend Liriel Baenre). The mutant dragon was slain in the Year of Maid­ ens (1361 DR) after journeying to Undermountain through a temporary portal. Zz’Pzora’s lair and her hoard remain undiscovered.

Ammarindar W hen compared to Delzoun or Shanatar, Ammarin­ dar was a relatively minor dwarven realm, but what it lacked in influence and size, it more than made up in wealth. Arising around -4 1 0 0 DR, when dwarf prospectors unearthed rich veins of adamantine ore beneath the Graypeaks, Ammarindar coexisted along­ side the ancient empire of Netheril. The kingdom grew steadily in prosperity, sheltered from any foes. At Ammarindar’s height, its borders on the sur­ face included much of the upper Delimbiyr Vale, taking in the Graypeaks from Naurogloth (Bleached Bones Pass) to Horindon Lhar (High Gap), and from the Fallen Lands to the edge of the High Forest. The underways of Ammarindar ran the length of the upper Delimbiyr valley, permitting travelers to walk from one end of the kingdom to the other without ever returning to the surface. Isolated clanholds arose throughout the Ammarindan Underdark close to the richest veins of ore and gemstones. Ammarindar stood strong through the fall of many neighboring realms, including Netheril and Sharrven. The rise of demons in Hellgate Keep, however, spelled the doom of Ammarindar and left the entire region scarred for centuries. In 8 82 DR, demons from Hellgate Keep allied with ore hordes to overrun Ammarindar and bring the kingdom to ruin. Swift intervention from the Harpers and some of Faerun’s mightiest wizards kept the forces of Hellgate Keep in check, establishing a mighty ward around the castle that kept its greatest dangers locked inside. Over the next four hundred years, however, demons from the keep tunneled throughout the North in an effort to bypass the wards. In 1221 DR, their tunnels connected to the deep tunnels of Ammarindar, allow­ ing the demons to establish a network of outposts throughout the Ammarindan Underdark, guarded by minor demons, half-fiends, tieflings, and ghouls. The expanding demonic forces came into frequent con­ flict with the drow of Ched Nasad and the beholders of the Graypeaks Hive. After the destruction of Hellgate Keep in 1369, Ammarindar became the exclusive domain of the war­ lord Kaanyr Vhok, founder of the Scourged Legion.

L o st T r e a s u r e o f A m m a r in d a r Because the end came with little warning, the dwarves fleeing the murderous hordes from Hell­ gate Keep were forced to leave behind most of their belongings, including their precious gold and gems. z Much of their wealth was subsequently plundered by < demons, drow, and beholders. Nevertheless, hidden

A drow sen try p rep ares to give a n in tru der the sort o f w elcom e th at a ll non-drow deserve

caches of treasure and dwarven heirlooms still lie scattered throughout the tunnels and halls of the fallen kingdom. The dwarves of Ammarindar were renowned for their legendary weapons and suits of armor crafted of adamantine. Most of this treasure and unworked adamantine is still unaccounted for, drawing explorers who seek out undiscovered caches.

Ch ed N a sa d The City of Shimmering Webs was founded by the drow of House Nasadra, who left Menzoberranzan not long after its founding. Upon the departure of House Nasadra, Lolth decreed that Menzoberranzan and Ched Nasad must live in peace with each other. The city rests in a great V-shaped cavern filled with layer upon layer of iridescent calcified filaments, which support the city’s cocoon-like buildings. At its peak, it was home to about thirty thousand drow, and twelve noble houses sat on its Ruling Coun­ cil—although House Nasadra exercised even more authority than House Baenre in Menzoberranzan. During the W ar of the Spider Queen, Ched Nasad was razed by an army of duergar using alchemical stonefire bombs that destroyed the calcified webbing forming the structure of the city. Only the members of a handful of minor noble houses survived because their homes were located on the cavern walls and in side caverns, where they escaped the crush of the fall­ ing debris. During the Spellplague era, many of Ched Nasad’s structures remained in ruin, until a new ruling council led by House Teh’Kinrellz reestablished some semblance of civilization in the lower city. The council is abhorrent to the ruling priestesses of Men­ zoberranzan, however, because the males of House Teh’Kinrellz hold positions equal to or even higher than those of the females. In truth, these patriarchs are merely puppets under the absolute control of the Jaezred Chaulssin. Ched Nasad has tentatively reestablished trade with Menzoberranzan despite the drow’s ideological differences. However, trade between the cities is dif­ ficult because the tunnels surrounding Ched Nasad are contested by the beholders of Graypeaks Hive and the tanarukks of Ammarindar.

R u in s o f H ellga te K eep Once an elven refuge named Ascalhorn, this great citadel was later rechristened Hellgate Keep follow­ ing an outbreak of infernal and demonic invaders. In the Year of the Gauntlet (1369 DR), Harper agents used an artifact—the Gatekeeper Crystal-to destroy the keep and the majority of its vile inhabitants. The sur­ viving demons and demon-blooded ores rallied under the banner of the half-demon Kaanyr Vhok, form­ ing the Scourged Legion. Later, adventurers wielding Mythanthar s Orb sealed off the tunnels that con­ nected Hellgate Keep to the surface world. Since that time, the deep caverns beneath the keep have served as a defensible outpost for the Scourged Legion. Centuries ago, the demons under Hellgate Keep dug an extensive network of tunnels under the lands surrounding the High Forest. Many of these passages connected with Ammarindar and the Fardrimm, with a few reaching as far as the Nether Mountains and Northpeak. These tunnels are heavily patrolled by the Scourged Legion, with standing orders to dis­ patch any intruders encountered within.

Splen d arrm o rn Deep beneath the summit of the Shining Mountain in the Graypeaks rests the site of Ammarindar’s royal capital, Splendarrmorn. Through centuries of dig­ ging and shaping stone, the dwarves hollowed out much of the mountain, creating a tremendous central vault surrounded by several immense caverns. The vast halls of Splendarrmorn are linked by a lattice of sweeping tunnels, and gently arching stone paths bridge the different levels o f the city’s open spaces, creating a magnificent stone lattice of roadways. Splendarrmorn is currently occupied by the Scourged Legion; High W archief Ghiirvox governs from the resplendent Adamantine Palace at the city’s heart. Through some fell sorcery invoked by tanarukk bloodreavers, Splendarrmorn’s halls are also inhabited by the ghostly vestiges of the city’s ancient dwarf citizens, compelled to defend the city against outside threats. A d am an tine P alace: This immense castle, con­ structed entirely of the precious black metal for which it is named, once housed the ruling dynasty of Ammarindar. But the once gilded and gemstoneencrusted halls of the royal palace have largely been stripped of their treasures since those glory days.

Araumycos The largest single life form on all of Toril, Araumy­ cos—Dwarven for “Great Fungus”—might also be the oldest. This sentient fungal colony encompasses hun­ dreds of square miles of the Upperdark (the topmost region of the Underdark) under the High Forest. It is a haven for fungus creatures, especially myconids, who hide within its gray-white mass. Araumycos is a difficult environment to move through and con­ stantly regenerates areas that are cleared. W hen its sentience is aroused, it becomes actively hostile, lash­ ing out with poisonous fumes, independently mobile pseudopods, and violent psionic attacks. Over the course of the Spellplague era, the sen­ tient fungus has summoned thousands of myconids to its domain. Toward the end of that era, Araumycos started sending tendrils and spores throughout the Northdark, forcing many communities, including Menzoberranzan, to guard their approaches against fungal incursion. Travel within Araumycos has always been difficult, but since the Spellplague, many explor­ ers in the region have reported an alien influence invading their dreams. These haunting nightmares speak of comfort in the mass consciousness and the hopeless chaos of individuality. The drow call these visions the dream trap or dream madness. Only illi­ thids seem immune to its influence. Countless drow, deep gnomes, tanarukks, and others have succumbed to its siren call and wandered off into the Underdark, never to be seen or heard from again.

REALMS OF THE FOUNDING ERA D epending on precisely w hen you decide to set a cam paign during th e Founding era, th e Northdark might be a very different place from w hat’s described in th is ch ap ter. T h e regions o f A m m arindar and Fardrimm might not be deserted rem nants o f ancient dwarven kingdoms, but instead thriving dwarf set­ tlem en ts. The phaerim m m ight haunt th e Buried Realm s to th e east, raiding into th e Fardrimm, or the dem ons o f H ellgate Keep m ight still be plundering th e region. Use th e historical inform ation presented throughout th e book as a starting point, but details a b o u t m any o f th e s e realm s are sk etch y a t b est. T h a t’s actually a key benefit o f running a campaign in this era, since it gives you th e m ost room to invent , details w ithout worrying th a t you’re conflicting with w hat has already b een established. An example o f these ancient realms is th e dwarven kingdom o f Delzoun. Many ages ago, it maintained prosperous trade relations with th e mighty nations o f Eaerlann, N etheril, and Illefarn. At its height, the great kingdom o f the shield dwarves extended south­ ward from th e Ice M ountains to encom p ass both th e Rauvin and N ether m ountains. Much like their kinfolk in A m m arindar to th e south, the dwarves o f Delzoun w ere highly regarded by their allies and trading partners for their skill with metalworking and stonem asonry. Starting around - 2 0 0 DR, successive incursions by fo es from th e Underdark and freq u ent ore raids forced th e Northkingdom into a steady retreat. On

The Fardrimm

th e terrible day in th e Year o f th e Black Unicorn ( - 1 0 0 DR) w hen Delzoun finally fell, only Citadels Adbar, Felbarr, Sundbarr (later Sundabar), and a few

The Fardrimm is the name generally used for the sprawling maze of tunnels north and east of Men­ zoberranzan, beneath the lands now known as Old Delzoun. At the height of the Northkingdom’s strength, the Fardrimm was a subterranean artery that linked all the great dwarfholds throughout the realm, roughly bounded by the Ice Mountains, Anauroch, the Nether Mountains, Silvermoon Pass, and the Moonwood. But the tunnels were difficult to keep clear, and Underdark invaders had seized control of much of the Fardrimm long before the fall of Del­ zoun around -1 0 0 DR. The Fardrimm remains an impressive system of broad tunnels, although its rich mineral lodes are largely worked out and its byways are controlled by creatures of the Underdark. The drow of Ched Nasad and scouting parties of tanarukks from the Scourged Legion have taken advantage of the dwarves’ long absence by constructing their own tunnels to link up with the Fardrimm. Nevertheless, the dwarves’ influence remains strong in the passages near their

o th er surface dw arfholds survived. In th e su b ter­ ranean portion o f their realm , th e m ajor halls and entran ces o f th e Fardrimm had been equipped with strong d efen se s, including reinforced w alls, ironbound g ates, and spiked pit traps. The shattered gates, breached walls, and sm ashed d efenses th a t now litter D elzoun’s broken lands offer m ute te sta ­ m ent to th e centuries o f relentless attacks th at finally brought th e great dwarven em pire low.

mighty ancient citadels. Known surface connections include links to Ascore, Citadel Adbar, Deadsnows, Citadel Felbarr, Sundabar, and locations throughout the Rauvin Mountains.

Every twist a n d turn o f the F ardrim m brin gs w ith it n ew vistas a n d new perils

E v e r f ir e Deep beneath the city of Sundabar on the south­ ern edge of the Fardrimm is a volcanic rift known as the Everfire, where dwarves forged the finest blades known in Faerun. These weapons readily took enchantment and often outfasted the warriors who wielded them. Flowever, the great forges surround­ ing the rift were destroyed shortly before the Sable Years. Since that time, the Everfire has been guarded by a dedicated band of dwarves, known as the Vigi­ lant, who are fed, armed, and healed by the people of Sundabar. Their vigil has been interrupted only briefly, during the height of the Spellplague, when monsters coming from the ruins of Ascore to the east overran the Everfire.

M h aurlok Expa n se Not far beneath the ruins of Ascore lies a tumultuous region of the Northdark few dare traverse. Formed where powerful earth nodes and ancient ley lines intersect, this vast Underdark expanse rests at a ju n c­ ture where the veil between the mortal world and the Elemental Chaos is at its weakest. The primal forces manifesting in these tunnels are raw, and rifts into the Chaos are common. Unsubstantiated claims suggest the Expanse is the byproduct of a m is­ guided attempt by the Delzoun dwarves to halt the

encroachment of the phaerimm, an ancient race of dreadful power. The environment in this region is extreme, tran­ sitioning rapidly from deep freeze to blistering heat over less than an hour. Chasms and crevasses are common, forming as the earth rapidly cools and heats. Som e o f them start as glacial gorges, then drop hundreds o f feet into pools of superheated magma.

T he Low road The Lowroad is a vast highway that runs northwest through the Buried Realms (the former domain of the phaerimm) to Ascore, then turns west through the heart of the Fardrimm to Citadel Felbarr. Its course loosely corresponds with the Fork Road and the River Redrun. Largely hewn from solid bedrock using magical force, the Lowroad is an enduring creation of N etheril’s arcanists. Before the phaerimm emerged from the deepest reaches of the Underdark into the Buried Realms below Netheril (around - 4 6 0 DR), the Lowroad was patrolled by dwarves of the Northkingdom. Through all the ages since, deadly monsters have stalked its pathways. The western reaches of the highway, stretching from Ascore to Felbarr, are still used by dwarven caravans seeking safer passage than the ore-infested surface routes, but the underground danger is still considerable. The eastern reaches have largely been abandoned. Travelers rarely follow this ancient road even as far east as Ascore.

C h a u l s s in Nearly ten miles beneath the northern tip of the Rauvin Mountains, the remains of the ancient drow city of Chaulssin endure among the lingering shad­ ows. The remote location and little known history of the settlement make it largely unknown to most Underdark dwellers, let alone inhabitants of the Realms Above, but a secret society of master assas­ sins—the Jaezred Chaulssin (page 6 8 )—uses the place as its hidden stronghold for launching strikes on fol­ lowers of the Spider Queen. The so-called City o f Wyrmshadows acquired its name when an extended family of shadow dragons conquered and enslaved its inhabitants. Centuries after its fall, Chaulssin retains only a faint shadow of its former glory. Large sections of the city stand empty, patrolled intermittently by tribes of quaggoths or claimed by small bands of shadar-kai.

History In the Year o f Shambling Shadows (-221 DR), the shadow dragons of Clan Jaezred conquered the drow city of Chaulssin and enslaved the populace. In the centuries that followed, the dragons slowly eradicated the drow population, twisting them into creatures of shadow and supplanting them with their own wyrmspawned offspring, drawing the city further into the Shadowfell with each transformation. In the Year of the Darkspawn (6 3 4 DR), the shadow dragons of Clan Jaezred were overthrown by their own half-drow progeny, who had mastered formidable planar magic in secret while purport­ ing to serve their masters. Haerinvureem. a shadow wyrm better known as “Shimmergloom,” escaped the carnage, but the rest of his clan were slain and reani­ mated as spectral creatures. Over the century that followed, the newly eman­ cipated scions of Clan Jaezred began to rebuild their city using wealth plundered from their forefathers’ hoards. In the Year of Visions (734 DR), the drow god Vhaeraun appeared to Chaulssin’s leaders in a shared dream and revealed to them that the Spider Queen had decided to punish them for their worship of Vhaeraun instead of Lolth: The Ruling Council of Menzoberranzan had dispatched an army to con­ quer the City ofWyrmshadows. After hurried debate, Chaulssin’s patriarchs chose to withdraw to the Shad­ owfell, with Vhaeraun’s help, rather than make a suicidal stand. Menzoberranzan’s army arrived a few days later to find an abandoned city straddling the tenuous border between Faerun and the Shadowfell. In the centuries that followed, Vhaeraun’s clergy gradually took control of the city. In 792 DR, the church founded House Jaelzred, an elite society of assassins, to deal with the hazards of the Shadowfell

ADVENTURES IN CHAULSSIN W h at might bring a drow to th e City o f W yrm shad­ ows, th e head qu arters o f th e treach erou s Jaezred Chaulssin? Consider any o f th ese adventure seeds, and adapt th em as you see fit. ♦ The animosity betw een Nimor Imphraezel and his successor as Anointed Blade, Antrysn Barriath, is about to boil over into outright warfare. A charac­ te r affiliated w ith th e Jaezred Chaulssin is caught in the m idst o f th e conflict and must decide who to support, or an unaffiliated drow is sen t to fan the conflict into a war that will destroy the Jaezred Chaulssin forever. ♦ A small band o f shadar-kai appears from nowhere in the midst o f M enzoberranzan and starts w reak­ ing havoc. The characters m anage to pursue them into the Shadowfell, and suddenly find them selves in Chaulssin. They must discover how the shadarkai m anaged to shadow w alk into th e heart of th e ir c ity and fin d som e w ay to close th e passage so such attacks don’t happen again. ♦ The jaezred Chaulssin have a tentative alliance with th e shades o f N etheril in th e Spellplague era. If th e drow o f M enzoberranzan can disrupt th a t alliance, or even turn the tw o factions against each other, th e strength o f th e Jaezred Chaulssin will be diminished. C haracters should feel ill a t e a st from th e m om en t they’re in sight o f the dreaded City ofW yrm shadow s. Gloom cloaks the entire city, and parts of the city can appear to vanish or appear suddenly amid the shad ­ ows. Deadly creatures from the Shadowfell haunt the city’s streets, and interlopers som etim es disappear inexplicably w ithout a sound or a trace. Chaulssin provides an opportunity to introduce an elem en t of horror in a gam e otherw ise focused on intrigue, or it can be simply a convenient location for one o f the ch aracters’ allies to betray them .

and the infiltration of alien shadow creatures called malaugryms. In the Year of the Shadowkin Return (1136 DR), House Jaezred returned to Chaulssin and established the House of Hidden Masters in the heart of the ruined city. Existing partly in Faerun and partly in the Shadowfell, Chaulssin was a perfect base for the Jaezred Chaulssin, as the house leaders began calling themselves.

Featured Sites

Howling Abyss

The City of Wyrmshadows is a deserted ruin that overhangs a tremendous abyss through which wind perpetually screams. The city rests on a monolithic spur of stone that juts out into the emptiness, and its ramparts and galleries overlook a terrifying void.

The City of Wyrmshadows extends out into a great chasm in the earth. The Howling Abyss, as it is known, extends at least three miles above Chauls­ sin and descends more than seventeen miles into the depths. Hurricane-force winds buffet the city relentlessly, threatening to sweep away any creature that dares the battlements or attempts to fly through the chasm. Despite the endless gale, the abyss is hardly absent of dangerous creatures. Undead crea­ tures infused with shadow soar on the winds, while spectral shadow dragons—undead remnants of Clan Jaezred—flit about the city they once ruled.

House of Hidden Masters At the heart of ruined Chaulssin in what was once the city’s largest temple to Lolth is the House of Hidden Masters, the chapter house of the Jaezred Chaulssin. At the desecrated temple’s center is the opulent lair of Patron Grandfather Mauzzkyl. The walls are hung with tapestries of woven shadowstuff that depict dis­ torted images of scenes long forgotten. The arched ceilings of the chamber are built of glistening onyx and embedded with the flashing gems known as beljurils, while the floor is piled high with tarnished coins of varying mintage and design. Mauzzkyl’s lair is surrounded by the lavish apart­ ments of the concubines of the Jaezred Chaulssin. Each dwelling resembles the patron grandfather’s lair in miniature and is heavily guarded, since the patron fathers do not trust each other. Each harem largely governs itself between visits by its master, but any worship of Lolth is ruthlessly stamped out when discovered.

Galleries of Shadow The Galleries of Shadow encompass all the lesser halls and chambers of Chaulssin linked by tunnels within the city and not considered part of the House o f Hidden Masters. These areas are home to com­ panies of quaggoths, small bands of shadar-kai, and packs of roving half-dragons. Interlopers from the Shadowfell are common in border areas.

The Wormwrithings

Campaign Setting, page 128) that lived there until the Sable Years. Since the corbies were slain by the spirit-wraith of Zaknafein, the kobolds of the W orm ­ writhings have made the place their own.

The Wormwrithings are twisting, ever-changing tunnels to the west of the Shadowed Ways. Purple worms and all manner of other burrowing creatures are plentiful in the area, creating new tunnels and collapsing old ones as they make their way through the rock. This region of the Underdark is not well traveled by humanoids, who fear becoming trapped in a collapsed tunnel or simply getting lost in the ever-changing network. The best bet for a guide in the Wormwrithings comes from either of two warring factions, a small tribe of kobolds known as the Urlbluk, or svirfneblin excavators from Blingdenstone. The latter track the courses of purple worms in the area, since the drop­ pings o f the huge beasts often contain precious metals and gems.

Garg o yle T u b e

A c id A e r ie On the southeastern outskirts of the Wormwrith­ ings is a gorge several hundred feet across that has been carved by a lake o f green, glowing, foul-smelling acid, the legacy of some past wizard’s experiment. This gorge is notable for the dozens of intercon­ nected narrow stone walkways, from one foot to ten feet wide, that crisscross the chamber. Many of them lead deep into the Wormwrithings, while others wind east toward Blingdenstone. This site gained its name from the flock of dire corbies (NEVERW1NTER™

In the heart of the Wormwrithings, a gem-rich shaft stretches up from a great lava bubble deep under­ ground to the tunnels of the Dungeon of Death. Both gnomes and kobolds have noted gargoyle-like mon­ sters hunting near the shaft, and the svirfneblin gave it its common name. The truth is that the region is hunted by a group of nabassu demons residing in the dungeon above.

D u n g eo n o f D eath The tunnels known as the Dungeon of Death were originally a gem mine established by Clan Deepdelve shortly after the dwarven kingdom of Gharraghaur fell to monstrous invaders in -3611 DR. Most of the dwarves were killed by a band of medusas, who were, in turn, killed by trolls. The cycle of slaughter contin­ ued over centuries, earning the dungeon its bloody name. Due to the innumerable evil acts perpetrated by its various inhabitants, the place carries a unique curse. Any living creature that spends too long in the dungeon is slowly weakened, reduced over time to a mere shadow of its former self—hence its name, the Shadow Curse.

P h a n l in k s a l Only a few weeks march to the west of Menzoberran­ zan lie the ruins of the illithid city of Phanlinksal. At its peak, the city housed scores of illithids, their elder brain, and hundreds of enthralled slaves. But in 1339 DR, the city was brought down in a single day of cha­ otic violence that saw the elder brain and most of the illithids dead. In the years following this massacre, one of the undeveloped illithid tadpoles grew into an enormous bloated monstrosity resembling a purple worm—a neothelid. This psychically-aware slug the size of a dragon haunts the ruins, devouring anything that comes near. Or so the rest of the Underdark believes. In the Spellplague era, Phanlinksal is once again a lair for the illithids. The castle is now the base of the Sept of Ill’Ghact, a group that intends to recreate the elder brain that was once in the city. They have tamed the neothelid and use it as a guardian while they rebuild their base. However, they do not want their enemies, including the drow of Menzoberranzan, to know of their presence, so they maintain the pretense that Phanlinksal is still a monster-haunted ruin.

History The mind flayers founded Phanlinksal in the Year of Faltering Fires (491 DR) at the behest of the elder brains that rule illithid society. After much delibera­ tion, the elder brains chose a cavern relatively near the surface for easy raiding of the Uthgardt tribes of the Lurkwood, yet defensible because of a number of clefts in its floor. O f course, they might have con­ sidered other, more alien reasons for their choice of location. The importance of the site was underscored when the illithids carried one of their revered elder brains to the cavern to create the foundation of Phan­ linksal. Yet even at its height, the city was small, housing only 120 illithids and three times that many slaves—mostly drow, goblins, duergar, hook horrors, ores, and ogres. The drow of Menzoberranzan repeatedly threat­ ened the city over the centuries. Raids by the illithids drew an armed response from House Baenre in the Year of the Adder (1328 DR). The illithids avoided complete destruction of their city when one of their strongest members, El-Viddenvelp, agreed to jou r­ ney to Menzoberranzan and serve Matron Yvonnel Baenre as her advisor in return for her sparing the elder brain of the city.

ADVENTURES IN PHANLINKSAL Draw of Menzoberranzan might explore the ruined city of Phanlinksal for any of a variety of reasons. Consider using or adapting any of these adventure seeds: ♦ Rumors return to Menzoberranzan that Phanlink­ sal is not abandoned, and the adventurers are sent (or decide on their own) to investigate. ♦ A noble house sends a team to retrieve a family member who has been captured by the Sept of Ili’Ghact. ♦ A house wizard dispatches the characters to Phanlinksal in an attempt to retrieve arcane and mysterious information that only the illithids possess. ♦ A house or other faction seeks a powerful magic item said to be lost in the ruins of the ancient city. ♦ A character who has ties to the Sept of lll’Ghact is brought to the city to compete in the gladiatorial arena, and the reward for success is becoming a host for an illithid tadpole. 4- A character who has psionic ability is targeted as a prospective tadpole host, and dominated thralls are sent to retrieve the character. ♦ The characters discover a strange canister that contains the still-living brain of El-Viddenvelp, rich in knowledge and priceless to both the sept of Ill’Ghact and the drow of Menzoberranzan (par­ ticularly House Baenre). In the Year of the Weeping Moon (1339 DR), the illithids of Phanlinksal captured Drizzt Do’Urden and his two companions, putting them to work as slaves. The illithids thought they were fortunate in the capture of such valuable slaves, but that action eventually brought their doom upon them. Compelled by the will of Matron Mother Malice Do’Urden, the spirit-wraith of Zaknafein tracked Drizzt to Phanlinksal. The mind flayers were power­ less against the undead creature, which slaughtered large numbers of them. Meanwhile, Drizzt’s panther companion Guenhwyvar slew the elder brain at the heart of the castle, allowing the slaves to turn against their captors. The resulting slave rebellion destroyed Phanlinksal in a matter of hours. The few surviving illithids abandoned the city and rejoined their distant kin in the fallen city of Gauntlgrym.

El-Viddenvelp (Methil) was in Menzoberranzan at the time and thus survived the destruction of the city. Determined to rebuild Phanlinksal and create a new elder brain to form its heart, he founded the Sept of IIl’Ghact, recruiting other illithids and enthralling new slaves to achieve this goal. Methil began secret forays back to Phanlinksal, where he encountered the feral neothelid that was roaming the ruins of the city. After many attempts, Methil was able to subdue the creature and bend it to his will. He set it loose in a small lake in the cavern o f Phanlinksal, where the creature’s eternal hunger for brains deals with any would-be explorers. In the Year ofShadows (1358 DR), Methil was lost at the Siege of Mithral Hall. By this time, more than a dozen mind flayers lived in Phanlinksal along with roughly fifty thralls. Without Methil’s driving vision, the sept stalled in its efforts to recreate the elder brain. Instead, the illithids pursued individual studies and gathered ever more thralls, which they used for food, labor, and entertainment. Twenty-five years after Methil’s disappearance, the ulitharid Galgast (page 76) assumed control of the Sept o flll’Ghact and Phanlink­ sal. It revitalized the plans to remake the elder brain and continued expansion of the city’s illithid population.

Ph a n lin k sa l Tunnel down to Inner Phanlinksal

Main Entrance C

a v ern

M

in d

F

o f t h e la yers

Featured Sites Phanlinksal lies in a long winding cavern nearly onequarter of a mile wide and more than half a mile long. The main cavern is riddled with deep clefts that plunge into the lower reaches of the Underdark.

Jn

n f .r

Ph

an ltn ksat

,

Up to the Cavern

1. Herd Island This island in the middle of a small underground lake was once used by the illithids to maintain a herd of deep rothe to feed their many thralls. Now the neothelid lairs there, usually resting partly in the water. It attacks any­ thing that comes near, except for the illithids.

2. Illithid Castle Plank-and-rope bridges span the clefts to allow access to a great castle carved into the heart of a massive stalagmite: the illithids’ home. All the following loca­ tions are inside the castle.

One square = 5 feet 1 Herd Island 2 Illithid Castle 3 Axial Plaza 4 Capture Pit 5 Thrall Barracks , 6 Gladiatorial Arena : 7 Birthing Pods 8 Pool o f the Elder Brain

3. Axial Plaza An air of ancient opulence hangs over this large plaza, whose main feature is a great fountain. It would be beautiful were not the ornamentations so disturbing and the geometry so alien. As in most illithid settle­ ments, the central plaza is the heart of the community. The walls of this spacious chamber are honeycombed with individual dwellings. Members of the elder coun­ cil dwell in the lower living spaces while younger illithids claim abodes higher up the walls, which are reached through long spiraling ramps.

4. Capture Pit Prisoners are held in this 20-foot-deep pit until the mind flayers can determine which ones will make good thralls and which ones are best for consumption. Usu­ ally the pit contains six or fewer Underdark denizens, but after a surface raid, it might hold scores of creatures.

5* Thrall Barracks The sept’s thralls sleep in this area. Since they have no desire to do anything other than serve their mas­ ters, the thralls’ barracks contain only simple sleeping chambers, a mess hall, and a kitchen.

6. Gladiatorial Arena The illithids stage gladiatorial combats in this trian­ gular arena. Several rows of stone benches overlook the sunken pit, whose stone floor is stained with blood of many colors. The illithids meticulously clean up bones and other remains after fights.

7. Birthing Pods The mind flayers bring thoroughly enthralled hosts to these small round chambers for ceremorphosis, the process by which an illithid tadpole develops into in adult. A host is strapped to a table to prevent injur­ ing its body, and then a tadpole is inserted into the ear to devour the brain and transform the host into a mind flayer.

8. Pool of the Elder Brain This great chamber lies in the deepest and most pro­ tected part of the castle. It contains no elder brain yet, but the pool has been scrubbed clean, and the illithids have filled it with a briny solution. A few egg clutches stick to the pool’s side, and thousands of tad­ poles swim about in the liquid, waiting for hosts.

The Neothelid This monstrosity arose in the wake of the Phanlink­ sal elder brain’s destruction. A slime-covered worm of immense size, a neothelid is a throwback that develops when an illithid tadpole fails to undergo cer emorphosis. W hen the elder brain dies, the illithid community collapses and the tadpoles devour one another until only one remains. The survivor spends the next hundred years as a mindless slug, develop­ ing psionic abilities only when it eats its first sentient brain. Most neothelids are feral creatures that attack any living thing they can catch. A neothelid’s body is 10 feet in diameter, but the creature continues to grow longer throughout its life, reaching lengths of 120 feet or more. Four 20-footlong tentacles sprout from its eyeless head, thrashing around a circular maw large enough to swallow a drow whole. In addition to its psionic capabilities, it can expel a gout of acid that dissolves everything but brain matter. Its body glistens with poisonous mucus, and a slime trail marks its passage. Neothelids sense the world through innate telepa­ thy and can communicate with intelligent creatures in that manner.

CHAPTER 6

Be a Drow Menzoberranzan is a place where evil thrives. The drow are a depraved, wicked race cursed by the gods and hated the length and breadth of the Faerun. Yet there is a curious allure to the drow. They are elegant, dark, and deadly. They live in secret underground caverns alight with magic and scheming, while serv­ ing a capricious demon-goddess. This chapter provides you with roleplaying and tactical suggestions to help you play one of the infa­ mous dark elves in a campaign set in the benighted city of Menzoberranzan, rather than in the surface world where the drow are outsiders. This chapter includes the following sections. ♦ An Evil P a rty in an Evil City: A party of drow characters is assumed to be thoroughly evil. W hat does that mean for your game? ♦ Choosing a H ouse: This section offers guidance on associating your character with a noble house or other faction, as well as some discussion of what happens when different characters represent dif­ ferent houses. It also includes a summary of the character backgrounds introduced elsewhere in this book. ♦ Station in D row Society: Station is everything to the drow, and this section helps you track your character’s standing in the complex web of houses and other factions in Menzoberranzan. It includes benefits your character can gain as he or she rises in station. ♦ Roleplaying a D row : This section gives advice for taking on the role of a scheming, depraved, manip­ ulative drow.

A n E v il P a r t y in a n E v il C i t y D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s is typically a game of righ­ teous heroes and treasure seekers, but a campaign set in Menzoberranzan offers a very different opportu­ nity for adventure. In Menzoberranzan, the players assume the roles of drow adventurers. They become servants of the Spider Queen, clamoring for her favor. They fight and claw their way to power. Mercy, kindness, and other soft emotions are scorned while strength, cruelty, and perversion are lauded. Treach­ ery is a tool they will use early and often. This setting is not for the faint of heart. Running a campaign with evil characters is not that different from one with traditional heroes. Non­ heroes can still partake in most scenarios a Dungeon Master devises; only the motivation for the adventure is different. Most drow have little interest in altru­ ism, find no motivation in pity, and feel no sympathy for the less fortunate. Instead, the DM must appeal to the key desires of the drow: station, power, revenge, and most important, gaining and keeping the favor of Lolth. Characters in a Menzoberranzan campaign are likely to use different tactics than those in a standard heroic campaign. Drow quickly resort to intimida­ tion and violence to achieve their ends. They have no regard for the weak and innocent, and efforts to blackmail them by threatening supposed loved ones will usually fail. Drow are evasive creatures, rely­ ing on ambush and surprise to win in combat, rather direct assault. They are also willing to deal with evil creatures, such as demons and illithids, though always with blades at the ready.

GETTING ALONG Ju st b ecau se th e adventuring group is com prised o f evil characters d oesn ’t m ean th a t th e characters should con stan tly com e to blow s. Evil ch a ra cters with similar goals or com m on foes can work together w ithout conflict. Like m ost creatures, they achieve their goals faster by working to g eth er than by plot­ ting at cross purposes. On the other hand, sometimes it’s just fun to pit char­ acters against each other. These conflicts don’t need to be duels to the death or cause a permanent parting of the ways. A minor deception or innocuous betrayal is enough to add some backstabbing flavor to a campaign without destroying it.

Drow Treachery Deck The D&D Treachery Deck provides an entertain­ ing opportunity for introducing treachery into a campaign. W hen a player plays a treachery card, it typically creates a detrimental effect for the allies of that player’s character, while granting a benefit to that character. The deck can be used in conjunction with the W orth rules on page 120. Each card has a numeric value listed in the left-hand corner. W hen played, that player’s character gains W orth equal to the card’s number. I f the number is negative, the char­ acter loses that many points of Worth. In each encounter, a player can only gain Worth points equal to the highest-value card that he or she plays.

C h o o s in g a H o u s e

M EN ZO BERRA N ZA N BACKG RO UND S

1 Background

Faction

Page

A rach n om an cer

House M elarn

49

Bloo d reaver

Scourged Legion

72

D read fang o f H alisstra

H ouse M elarn

49

D ro w slaver

M elee-M agthere

61

D ro w trad er

H ouse Hunzrin

43

Elite guard

House Baenre

35

H ouse priestess

H ouse Baenre

35

H ouse w eap o n m aster

House D o ’Urden

41

H ouse w izard

Sorcere

63

In filtra to r

Jaezred Chaulssin

69

G lad iato r

Scourged Legion

72

Inquisitor o f Lolth

Arach-Tinilith

59

M aster o f M elee-M agthere

M elee-M agthere

61

M aster o f Sorcere

Sorcere

63

M entored psion

Sep t o f lll’G h act

75

M ercenary

Bregan D ’aerthe

65

M indplagued th rall

Se p t o f Ill’G h act

75

M istress o f Arach-Tinilith

Arach-Tinilith

59

Multiple Houses in the Party

O blo dran fanatic

House O blodra

46

O blo dran psion

House O blodra

46

Renegade

House D o ’Urden

41

Chances are very good that not every character will want to be from the same house. Below are three examples of how to integrate multiple houses into the same group in a Menzoberranzan campaign.

Scout

Bregan D ’aerthe

65

S h a d o w agent

Jaezred Chaulssin

69

Sp ellspinner

House X orlarrin

53

Drow society in Menzoberranzan centers on the roughly fifty noble houses that are constantly strug­ gling for dominance in the City of Spiders. W hen creating a character for a Menzoberranzan cam ­ paign, you should give careful thought to which house (if any) your character will join or if he or she is part of an independent faction, because each choice will determine many details about your character. A selection of houses is presented in this book, and sev­ eral independent factions exist, like Bregan D'aerthe or Arach-Tinilith. Because of the importance of the houses to character backgrounds, changing houses is not rec­ ommended. I f you and your Dungeon Master decide to enact that change, it should make sense for the story. For example, your house might fall, leaving you free to join Bregan D’aerthe.

A llied Houses: N oble houses often find it prag­ matic to cooperate with one or more other houses to achieve sim ilar goals. Alliances are forged and

broken regularly in the political chaos of Menzoberranzan. Houses are always be realigned as needed. Sim ilar Causes: W hile the characters are from different houses, they share a common interest even if their houses do not. This cause could be as complex as a goal to bring down House Baenre from its lofty position, or as simple as a desire to gain in wealth, worth, and station from adventuring. Outside Influence: The characters are united by an outside force. In other campaigns, this entity would likely be a kind mentor or scheming manipula­ tor. In Menzoberranzan, the characters are pawns in a larger game, played by more powerful drow. Char­ acters might be bribed, coerced, or blackmailed into working together.

Character Backgrounds Character backgrounds are an excellent way to add depth to a character from Menzoberranzan. W hile they have no mechanical effect on the game, a back­ ground provides story elements and potential goals for your character. Below is a list of background suggestions based upon the houses, factions, and foes presented in this book. If you would like to design a unique background, discuss customizing one with your Dungeon Master.

S t a t io n in D r o w S o c ie t y Your station as a drow determines your place in the society of Menzoberranzan. Station is divided into two types: house rank and personal esteem. House rank determines a house’s station in rela­ tion to other houses within the city. W h ile even the noblest drow cannot directly command drow of other houses, members of a lower-ranked house must give deference to members of a higher-ranked house or face the consequences of angering power­ ful rivals. Personal esteem, represented by an individual’s W orth score, determines a drow’s station within her house. Each drow character starts with a W orth score of 0, modified by the circum stances o f his or her birth. A drow can gain and lose W orth in a variety of ways. The W orth Modifiers table provides some criteria that raise and lower a drow’s W orth during his or her lifetime. Your DM can rule that other events raise and lower your W orth as well. A drow’s W orth is affected only by publicly known events. I f a drow slays enemies of her house but no one knows about it, then that character’s W orth is not affected. Drow usually choose to spread rumors about their deeds rather than openly talking about them, since they prefer not to appear desperate to clim b the social ladder. The only exception to this is that gains and losses of worth due to the respect or disrespect of Lolth do not require public acknowledgement. Lolth and her yochlol handmaids spy on her followers constantly, and spread word of their deeds and misdeeds to priestesses of Lolth.

W O R T H M O D IFIER S +5

Becom e m atron m other G rad uate from Arach-Tinilith B eco m e a high priestess o f Lolth R eceive public recognition o f Lolth’s favor

+4

Becom e house w izard C reate a n ew spell o r prayer to Lolth Pass a Test o f Lolth Sla y a personal rival

+3

Becom e house w eap o n m aster C om plete a m ajor quest for your house G rad uate from Sorcere Sla y pow erful en em ies of you r house H u m iliate a rival in public

+2

Becom e house patron B ein g ackn ow ledged by m atron m other B e tra y som eone and get a w a y w ith it S la y significant en em ies o f your house Su rvive an am bush or assassination attem pt

+1

C om plete a m in o r quest fo r you r house G ain a level G ra d u ate from M elee-M agthere Em barrass a rival in public Sla y m ino r en em ies o f yo u r house W in a public com petition

-1

G o a m onth w ith o u t gaining W o rth Let an insult to Lolth pass unansw ered Lose a public com petition Su ffer m in o r public hu m iliation or betrayal

-2

B a c k d o w n from a conflict D isobey a su perior Endure an in su lt to yo u r house w ith o u t seeking revenge D isp lay a w e a k em otion (love, kindness)

-3

Let an insult to yo urself pass unansw ered Perform m enial labor or o th er slave w o rk S h o w m ercy

W O R TH AT BIRTH +5

B o rn fem ale

-5

B o rn m ale

+4

Fem ale or m ale born to m atron m other

OR

+2

B o rn into m atron m o th e r’s extended fa m ily

OR

+1

B o rn into a d ro w noble house

OR

-20

B o rn outside o f a d ro w noble house

Su ffer m ajo r public hum iliation or betrayal -4

D isobey a priestess o f Lolth Endure an in su lt to yo ur person Pass up an op p ortu n ity to slay elves S p e a k ill o f Lolth Strik e a d ro w fem ale

-5

D isobey a m atron m other Receive a public m anifestation of Lolth’s disfavor B e th ro w n out o f yo u r noble house

Tiers of Prestige Each house has nine tiers of personal prestige in its hierarchy, each one associated with a range of Worth values that is particular to each house. There is no ceremony or event that marks moving from one tier to another. W hen a drow obtains or loses enough W orth to change his or her tier, the rest of the drow in the house instinctively recognize the change and respond appropriately.

LOSS OF STATION: DRIZZT’S STORY The inspiration for th e se optional rules on station cam e from th e events o f Drizzt D o’U rden’s life as chronicled in th e novel Homeland by R.A. Salvatore. Here’s a sum mary o f how Drizzt’s W orth w ent up and down (well, mostly down) during th a t story. Drizzt is m ale (-5 ) and is trained as a w arrior (-1). He is the son o f th e matron m other (+ 4) and graduates from M elee-M agthere (+1). He won the Grand M elee nine tim es (+1 each tim e), but was betrayed by Kelnozz in th e first m e le e (-3 ). He showed soft em otion for his fath er Zaknafein (-3 ) and again at th e destruction o f House Teken’duis (-3 ). He stru ck a drow fe m a le w h en he fo u g h t Maya D o’Urden (-4 ). He refused th e ad vances o f a high priestess at th e graduation cerem on y (-4 ), th en d isobeyed high p rie stess V ierna D o’Urden (-4 ) and spoke ill o f Lolth (-4 ). He slew scrags and hook horrors (enem ies o f M enzoberranzan) while patrolling around M enzoberranzan (+1 each time). He suggested parlaying with th e svirfneblin (-2 ) and then showed m ercy to Belw ar Dissengulp (-4 ). He was betrayed by Masoj Hun’e tt (-3 ), but he survived the assassination attem pt (+2). He disobeyed Matron Malice and left th e com pound (-S ). Finally, Drizzt showed mercy to an e lf child (-4 ), and failed to kill elves when he had the chance (-4), which caused him to lose the favor o f Lolth (-5). At the end of the novel, Drizzt’s W orth score was lower than - 3 0 , putting him in th e low est tier o f drow society (see Tiers of Prestige, below).

To move from Tier 0 (where most drow begin) to Tier 1 requires a gain of W orth sufficient to make the drow’s Worth score equal to the house’s power rating. After that, advancing to the next higher tier requires a further gain of Worth equal to the house’s power rating multiplied by the next tier’s number. The mechanic works into the negatives as well. For example, House Do’Urden has a power rating of 9. Therefore, a drow needs a Worth score of 9 to attain Tier 1. The drow then needs another 18 Worth points (9 x 2) to reach Tier 2, or a total Worth score of 27. Attaining Tier 5 would require a Worth score of 144. Filling the boots of Matron Malice will take decades of accumulation of personal worth. Drizzt went in the opposite direction. W hen his Worth reached -9, he descended to Tier -1. W hen it reached -27, he dropped to Tier -2. Since House Do’Urden was about to go to war, Matron Malice decided to sacrifice Drizzt to regain Lolth’s favor. After Drizzt fled the city, he fell to Tier -3, but House Do’Urden was prevented from taking his life.

Benefits of Station Most drow wield influence in the City of Spiders, more so if they are noble born and female. Even in the wilds of the Underdark, those of your race are regarded with grudging respect, if not outright fear. The benefits of station described in this section are meant to model the extent of a drow’s influence within a Menzoberranzan: City o f Intrigue campaign. I f your Dungeon Master adopts this optional system, your drow character gains access to certain benefits of station. Each of these benefits provides a noncombat ability that you can use to gain specific advantages in and around Menzoberranzan. Benefits of station are cumulative. For example, at Tier 3, you enjoy the benefits of that tier and the two lower ones. Conversely, if you lose enough Worth to drop a tier, then you lose the benefit of that tier until you reach it again. In addition to these direct benefits, station also affects social interaction. W hen drow of the same house are interacting with each other, a drow of a higher tier gets a bonus to all interaction skill checks equal to the number o f tiers of difference, while the drow o f lower worth gets a similar penalty to all such checks.

Tier - 3 : Sacrifice You are a blight on the reputation of your house, and your very existence is a threat to the house having the all-important favor of Lolth. The priestesses will sacrifice you on an altar to Lolth at the first opportunity. You must scrounge for your basic needs, because your house gives you nothing. I f you are not yet a prisoner, your accommo­ dations (if you have any) are the most wretched in the house. Tier -2 : Expendable Your worth is so low that your continued existence is not important to the house. More powerful drow will use and dispose o f you for their own gain. The house gives you sub­ standard equipment to perform your duties. Your accommodations are unsanitary and unpleasant. Tier

- 1 : Drudge You aren’t worth much in the eyes o f the matron mother. To her, you are just another in the mass of low-stationed drow. The house does you no favors and will make few efforts to help or protect you. The house gives you used equipment to perform your duties. Your accommodations are cramped and crowded.

Tier 0: Member You have done little to prove your worth. The matron mother barely notices you, and higher-ranking house drow command you to do menial tasks. The house gives you standard equip­ ment to perform your duties. Your accommodations are spartan and severe.

T i e r 1 : A s p i r a n t You’re not completely with­ out value in the eyes o f the house mistresses. You have some level of authority and can command lesser drow of the house. The house gives you quality items to perform your duties. Your accommodations are drab but not uncomfortable. B enefit: Once per week, you can ask a sage, a spy, or other appropriate informant one question. It can be about obscure lore, members o f rival houses, your Underdark surroundings, or any other subject the DM deems it possible to find someone to ask about. The information you receive will be accurate, although potentially incomplete. T i e r 2'. Favored You are a promising member of your house. Higher-ranking drow will consider you for minor leadership positions and might include you in their many plots. Your house provides you with high-quality equipment to perform your duties. Your accommodations are comfortable but not lavish. Benefit: Once every two weeks, you receive mate­ rial assistance from someone else in your house or another associate who wants to curry favor with you. You can use this benefit to bring about one o f the fol­ lowing events. ♦ You gain hard-to-acquire material objects worth a total of 2 0 gp or less. ♦ A cleric or wizard o f your level casts a spell or ritual for you. You must pay all component costs.

high stakes, up to and including your life. Your equip­ ment is among the best the house has to offer. Your accommodations are large, elaborately furnished, and private. Benefit: You can hold meetings in your private accommodations without worry of observation. You gain three noncombatant servants who attend to your needs. You gain also gain a competent drow of your level minus three and a class of your DM’s choice as a lackey. This lackey can run more demanding errands for you or handle significant matters while you are otherwise indisposed. I f any of the servants or the lackey are slain, you can replace them one month later.

Tier 5: Eminence

You are the ultimate authority in your house. All others in the house bow before your power and worth. If you are not the matron mother, then you are the power behind her throne. If you are female, it’s only a matter of time before you kill her and become the matron mother. I f you are male, you take secret or even overt delight in thwarting the established matriarchy. You have access to any equipment the house possesses. Your accommodations are the best in the compound. Benefit: You can command any drow in your house of lesser Worth. Once a month, you can demand a formal audience with the matron mother, house weapon master, or house wizard of any other house.

♦ You receive an invitation to an exclusive social occasion. ♦ You are informally introduced to a powerful noble. You can also use any of these benefits on behalf of another drow you want to assist.

1 ier 3: Scion Your worth is noted by all within your house. The house matrons will consider you for significant leadership positions and for inclusion in their schemes. At the same time, your competence marks you as a rival to be watched or eliminated by other leaders. Your house grants you superior and possibly magical items to perform your duties. Your accommodations are pleasant and relatively spacious, but not private. Benefit: Once per month, you can request and receive a formal audience with your house’s matron mother, house weapon master, or house wizard. This audience lasts no more than ten minutes. Tier 4: Peer

Your worth to the house is with­ out question. The matron mother will consider you for a primary house position, such as high priestess, house wizard, or house weapon master. You are a major player in all house intrigue, and you play for

TYING O FF LOOSE ENDS If a player ch aracter w ho gains a lackey loses W orth and is forced to give up this b en efit, th e form er lackey is a dangerous vulnerability. The lackey likely know s many o f th e c h a ra c te r’s secrets and is no longer loyal. The ch aracter should consider killing the form er lackey a t th e first opportunity, o r-e v e n b e tte r-a c c u s e her o f treason to Lolth and have her sacrificed to th e Spider Q ueen. If th e character can m ake the accusation stick, then he or she stands a chance to restore som e W orth by exposing a trai­ to r and offering her up to Lolth. Devious Dungeon M asters could have th e lackey im m ediately shift allegiance to a powerful rival, putting the character in a difficult position.

R o l e p l a y in g a D r o w Playing a drow character from Menzoberranzan is very different from choosing one of the standard heroic races of the D u n g e o n s & D r a g o n s game. Drow are not just elves with dark skin, and Men­ zoberranzan is not an elf city in which all the trees have been replaced by stalagmites. The drow world is nearly a complete inversion of the society of the surface elves. W hat was once virtue is now vice, and what was vice is now virtue.

Drow Society and Culture Drow society is thoroughly corrupt and evil, having been molded by Lolth for her benefit and enjoyment. In this society, relationships are hierarchical. There is no ability to treat another person as an equal, and all interactions between drow are couched in terms of those who are stronger and those who are weaker. Ascension to highier status is the ultimate goal for most drow, who desire to be the dominant force in all their relationships. Drow are extremely treacherous. They readily make alliances, and then break such agreements the moment the terms are no longer advantageous. Lolth sees her people best served by the competitive striv­ ing of individuals, factions, and houses. This way, the race grows stronger without breeding in decadence, weakness, or laziness. Since they are so duplicitous, drow trust no other creatures, especially other drow. Drow society is strongly matriarchal, with females holding nearly all positions of power. Females are seen as stronger, more intelligent, and more holy than males. Female drow can choose and discard mates freely, though occasionally a female will select one particular male as a consort. Males compete with each other for the female’s attention, hoping to be selected as a consort. W hen a female is done with a consort, she sometimes simply leaves him, but more often, she will slay her former lover to protect her secrets. Child rearing is the responsibility of the whole family. Often, the older siblings raise their younger kin. Males have little if any say in the raising of their children, and many drow do not know who fathered them. Since almost all drow worship Lolth, most drow have a strong affinity for arachnids. Spiders dwell among drow communities in great numbers, and they are prominent in drow art and fashion, with the motifs of webs and arachnids repeatedly displayed. fo r a (7tdeir daws, d raw love beauty; w hether ft is embodied in art, magic, or crafted items. They seek to surround themselves with beautiful things at all times. Ownership of exquisite items fills the drow with pride and improves their status in the eyes of others. The drow body is regarded as the most

ENCOURAGING THE DROW MINDSET To get th e players into th e m indset o f playing drow, a D ungeon M aster also should m ake use o f th is m aterial w hen roleplaying o th er drow. NPCs will see th e characters as rivals to be eith er appeased or exploited. Paranoia is ram pant, and th e charac­ ters’ every word and deed is carefully exam ined for hidden danger. You can ratch et up th e tension by having allies turn against th e group at critical m om ents. After a few such betrayals, th e characters will becom e suspi­ cious o f any drow w ho purports to be an ally.

beautiful object in their civilization. The dark elves work hard to keep themselves in peak physical condi­ tion and proudly display their physiques, dressing in ways that other races consider scandalous. Any chil-

dren exhibiting physical deficiencies a re slain. Finally, magic fascinates the drow. The dark elves exult in wielding magic. They adorn their homes with permanent glimmering/aerie/ire spells and dozens of magical conveniences.

Drow Motivation Drow do nothing out of the goodness of their h eartsgenerally speaking, they have no understanding of the concept. They are motivated almost entirely by anger, fear, and pride, and they are consumed with attaining the three goals of favor, station, and vengeance. A nger: A current of rage runs through the entire drow population. They are a primal and instinctive race, quick to lash out at those who offend them. Vio­ lence is their first option in all conflict, and they hold their seething rage in check only while waiting for a more opportune time to strike. Fear: Though often not aware of it, the drow live every day of their lives in mortal terror. They fear their superiors will eliminate them, they fear their underlings will betray them, they fear losing status, and they fear displeasing Lolth. This fear engenders paranoia, distrust, and a driving need for secrecy. Pride: Drow are a proud people. Every drow believes she is a superior example of a superior race. A drow who is under another’s authority chafes at the servitude. I f a drow fails in some way, it is because of underlings’ failures, enemies’ machinations, or allies’ betrayals. It is never that individual’s fault. Favor: The Spider Queen holds her favor over the drow of Menzoberranzan as a reward to those who please her. She forces the drow to dance about like puppets on a string to gain her favor, and she is quick to take it away for the slightest offense. As a

consequence, all drow constantly beg for Lolth’s favor and try to find new ways to earn it. Station: Social standing is everything to the drow. They yearn to climb in station in order to lord their new authority over even more drow. This driving ambition pushes drow to take risks and forsake good sense. Station is gained through treachery and invites treachery against those who hold it. Vengeance: No insult can go unpunished, and any challenge must be answered, or a drow risks being considered weak, which is as good as a death sentence. Even if payback takes years, drow mull on every slight and plot devastating vengeance.

Depravity of the Drow Beyond the commonplace acts of evil such as lying, cheating, theft, betrayal, and murder, the drow embrace four depravities that define their culture: debauchery, sacrifice, sadism, and slavery. D ebauchery: Drow are extremely sensual crea­ tures with a taste for lechery and the unorthodox. They take and leave lovers with abandon, and their wanton fetes are notorious throughout the Underdark for their licentiousness and depravity. Among the most perverse fetishes o f the dark elves is the ritualized coupling between demons and drow. These acts are typically part of a religious rite performed in Lolth’s honor. In Menzoberranzan, the graduation of students from the Academy is cause for such depraved celebration. On rare occasions, these unholy unions are favored with the conception of a half-demon draegloth.

EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE Even though the overw helm ing m ajority o f drow are evil to the core, not all are. A few drow have broken from th e ir so ciety and m anaged to navigate th e treacherou s ways o f th e drow on th eir own. M ost are eventually rooted out and slain by their wicked kin. A rare few escap e Lolth’s grasp and m ake their own way in th e world, becom ing som e o f th e great­ est heroes in Faerun.

Sacrifice: Lolth demands sacrifice from her wor­ shipers to demonstrate their devotion. These blood offerings cannot be common slayings that occur during the normal course of an adventure. Instead, the sacrifice must be offered in a ritual to the Spider Queen. The successful completion of such a ritual typically rewards the petitioner with a boon or a blessing in return. Lolth often requires sacrifices from drow who seek to avoid divine punishment for a prior transgression.

Sadism: Drow are notoriously cruel and delight in causing pain in others. Seeing a foe flinch from a blow or watching eyes blink back tears is like ambro­ sia to the dark elves. Although drow love physical cruelty, they truly delight in causing emotional suf­ fering. The cutting word that bites deep is just as delicious as a knife thrust, and psychological wounds leave scars that cannot be healed with magic. Drow strongly believe in the survival of the fit­ test. If a creature cannot defend itself, then it is weak and deserves any pain and suffering that is delivered upon it. Furthermore, acts of sadism demonstrate the mastery of the drow over helpless creatures, raising the status of any drow that performs such acts. Slavery: The drow enslave other creatures at every opportunity. Their society is built almost entirely on slave labor, because doing menial tasks is beneath a drow’s sensibilities. From gathering and producing the food the drow eat, to caring for their animals, to mining the wealth out o f the Dark Dominion, slaves do the work in Menzoberranzan that makes the con­ tinued existence of the city possible. A slave’s life in the city is harsh and filled with endless labor and cruel punishment. The drow exploit their slaves with complete disregard for the creature’s health. To the drow, a slave is seen as a tool to be used and discarded. If slaves die, replacements can always be obtained from among the other races of the Underdark or the surface lands.

Make sure your DM knows your secret as well, so situations might arise where the nature of your secret becomes significant to the campaign. W hat happens if your secret is uncovered? One option is to kill everyone who knows it, but if those are your fellow player characters, that course of action might be undesirable. The best answer in such a case is to make sure you know their secrets, too, providing an effective deterrent-if they reveal your secret, you’ll reveal theirs, and you will all be disgraced. You can choose or roll randomly from the list of secret ideas below, or come up with your own secret. d 20 1

You . . . M urdered one of your siblings

2

R eceived unearned praise for an accidental success

3

A re illegitim ate

4

Stole a prized object from a rival house

5

Stole a prized object from your ow n house

6

K illed the elderboy of a rival house

7

C arried on an affa ir w ith a prom inent m em b er o f a rival house

8

H elped a close fam ily m em ber flee to the surface

9

A re beginning to develop a conscience (to your horror)

10

H ave a close relative w ho worships Eilistraee (killed fo llow in g the end of Lolth’s silence, in a post-W ar of the Sp id er Q ueen cam paign)

11

W e r e once tortured on suspicion of w orshiping a god other than Lolth

Secrets and Lies One of the most precious currencies in Menzober­ ranzan is secrets. The secrets of one’s own house must be carefully guarded, for drow who can unearth the secrets of another house hold an advantage over the house. Advantage is power, and sooner or later a situ­ ation of advantage leads to an attack. W hen you’re playing a drow character, come up with at least one dark secret—something you have done or some characteristic that no one else knows about. Guard your secret well, but make sure that it informs your roleplaying. For example, if you killed the elderboy of a rival house, you might be particu­ larly tense in any situation involving that house or a member of that house—even another player character.

12

W e r e w ronged and failed to take vengeance

13

W e r e cast out o f House X o rlarrin or Sorcere

14

M issed an o p portunity to kill an e lf or other surface

15

W e r e once controlled by a m ind flaye r and m ade to

because o f your lack o f m agical aptitude d w eller act against your house 16

A re a su rvivo r o f a destroyed house

17

A re a refugee from Ched Nasad or another

18

A llo w ed som e o f your house’s slaves to escape on

19

W e r e rejected by Bregan D ’aerthe

destroyed drow city you r w atch 20

Negotiated a trade pact or other agreem ent w ith one o f the enem ies of M enzoberranzan

A p p e n d ix : M a p K e y The poster map included with this book uses a com­ bination ofletters and numbers to mark the locations of specific buildings, including businesses, the com­ pounds of noble houses, and the residences of other significant but non-noble families. Each tag on the map begins with a letter indicating the district, followed by a sequential number. The letter codes are as follows. $: The Bazaar B: The Braeryn D: Duthcloim E: Eastmyr N: Narbondellyn Q: Qu’ellarz’orl W: West Wall Each entry in the list of locations below includes the map tag, the name of the location, and sometimes a brief description of the kind of business the place is. Then three additional pieces of information are shown in parentheses: usage, building classification, and building size. Usage: A brief descriptor of the structure in gen­ eral terms. Common usages include: tavern, inn, business, temple, noble villa, city building, shrine, warehouse, and residence. Classification: An artificial categorization of structures into one of four groups (described below), sufficient to allow the Dungeon Master to describe the building on the fly. Class A: These structures are always unique and distinctive landmarks of any scale. Most, however, are of a large and grandiose nature, almost built as much for show as for use. Examples include the city's public structures, major temples, and the nobles’ villas. Class B: These structures cover the larger, more successful and elaborate single buildings within the city. They often have many stories and extensive cellars. Examples include inns, merchant houses, warehouses, and festhalls. Class C: The great majority of structures in Men­ zoberranzan fall into this classification-m ulti story, multi-tenant row houses that line the streets. Row houses usually have shops on the ground floor, with offices or apartments above. This class also includes many of the better-kept taverns and rooming houses in the city. Class D: These structures are small, usually a single story, and constructed of simple materials. Used primarily as individual homes, merchant stalls, or storage sheds, these buildings are mainly found in the poorer districts of Braeryn and Duthcloim. Size: Finally, a notation (usually a number ranging from 1 to 5) that indicates the number of stories in the building.

The Braeryn B1: Drythaera Bryn’Tereth [fence] (residence, D, 1) B2: Black Balaeryn’s Band [gang of orphans] (guildhall, C, 2) B3: Rhauldyn “the O ld” [retired swordsmith] (residence, C, 2) B4: Dzurren the W eaver (business, D, 1) B5: Malaric Darkstar [agent for Sept of lll’Ghact] (mage’s domicile, D, 1) B6: Blind Alyss [potter and sculptor] (business, D, 1) B7: The W an Hag [diviner, information broker] (guildhall, C, 3) B8: Quaggoth Drool (drinking pit, D, 1) B9: Black Thunder Brew ery (drinking pit, D, 1) B 1 0: Lair of the Lizard King (drinking pit, D, 1) B 1 1: Black Tusk Gang (guildhall, C, 2) B 1 2: Zesdorl’s Coffins and Coffers (business, C, 2) B 1 3: Dipkah’s Leathers (business, C, 1) B 1 4: Bastenym the Trader (business, D, 1) B1 5: Gargoyle Spirits (drinking pit, D, 1) B 1 6: Chaszgos Laundry (business, D, 1) B 1 7: Phare’s Chattel [slave pens] (warehouse, C, 3)

Duthcloim D 1 : Shadowcloak Pit (tavern, C, 1) D2: M auryn’s Deep (tavern, C, 2) D3: Vilteern’s Fine Chains (business, B, 2) D4: Tlar Q uel’tlarn [metalsmith, locksmith] (business, D, 1) D5: The Deep Dragon’s Lair (tavern, C, 1) D6: Jhulaye’s Legendary Caresses (massage house, C, 3) D7: Maelchyra’s Massages (business, C, 2) D8: The Spiderdrink (tavern, C, 3) D9: The Dancing D w arf (tavern, C, 3) D 1 0: A m cryl’s [massage house] (business, C, 3) D 1 1: The Quynstone Pit (tavern, C, 2) D 1 2: Gaussaun’s Coins (business, C, 1) D 1 3: Filaril’s Firewine Flagons (tavern, B, 3) D 1 4: The Pampered Drow (massage house, C, 3) D 1 5: Shairsteel’s [massage house] (business, C, 2) D16: Rhauvais’ Arms [weaponsmith] (business, B, 3) D 1 7: The Black Glove (massage house, C, 3) D 1 8: O rm yth’s Tankard (tavern, C, 2) D 1 9: Arachar’s Pit (tavern, C, 2) D20: Myrinzar’s Chasm (tavern, C, 4) D 2 1 : Vickah’s Boots (business, C, 1) D22: The Sign of the Azmyth (tavern, C, 3) D23: Droblyn’s (tavern, C, 2) D24: D u’arthe Klendara [textiles] (business, B, 2) D25: Ulaver’s W inegoblet [family winery] (business, B, 1) D26: Talnilee’s Meats (business, C, 1) D27: Nullfein Stables (business, C, 1) D28: The Cup and Lizard (tavern, C, 3) D29: Orlarbryn’s House (massage house, C, 1) D30: Faeera’s Floating Plants [florist] (business, C, 3) D 3 1 : Tier Llochl (tavern, C, 3) D 32: Sh’aun Darnruel [clothier] (business, C, 3) D33: Uluruela Drael Tuabbar [travel goods] (business, C, 3) D34: The Emerald Pit (tavern, C, 3) D35: Bhaern del’Hluanter [cooper, carpenter] (business, C, 4) D 36: D 37: D 38: D 39:

Vhaudryl’s (massage house, C, 1) Baelaskros Do’llisharr [grocer] (business, C, 3) Bluirren’s Fine Sausages [butcher shop] (business, C, 3) The Cathlyre [aviary] (business, A, 1)

D40: Alessra’s Couches (massage house, C, 3) D 4 1 : The Rothe Rampant (tavern, C, 3) D42: Shondarl’s (tavern, C, 2) D43: House Oblodra (noble manor, A, 5)-ruined after the Time of Troubles

The Bazaar S I : Daelein Shmmerdark’s Decanter (bazaar stall, D, 1) $2 : Vhurn Bhaelyndryn's (bazaar stall, D, 1)

S3: W hispers in the Dark (bazaar stall, D, 1) S4: Quild’s Mobile Message Parlor (bazaar stall, D, 1) S5: Sense of Sensuous Scents (bazaar stall, D, 1) S6: Dhode’s Cloaks and Clothes (bazaar stall, D, 1)

Eastmyr E l: Calask’s (business, D, 2) E2: House of Family Ashodela (residence, B, 3) E3: Narbondel’s Shadow [rooming house] (business, B, 3) E4: The Battered Beholder (business, C, 2) E5: Symeera’s [rooming house] (business, B, 3) E6: House of Family Dlaen D el’Am atar (residence, B, 5) E7: House Freth (noble manor, A, 2)—ruined after the early Sable Years E8: House of Family Fael Olyphar (residence, B, 3) E9: House of Family llystryph (residence, B, 4)

El 0: E l 1: E12: El 3: E14: El 5: El 6:

House of Family Uluar (residence, B, 3) Lylar’s Helm [rooming house] (business, C, 2) Dylchanta’s Feathers (massage house, C, 2) House of Family Zalyzryn (residence, B, 5) Ruins of House of Family Yune’duis (residence, B, 2) llitree’s [rooming house; drow only (business, B, 4) House Kenafin (noble manor, A, 3)—abandoned during

the Spellplague era E17: House Hunzrin (compound, A, 4)

El 8: The Darkled Depths (tavern, B, 4) E19: Jew el Box (tavern, A, 3) E20: Sindorl’s Stables (business, D, 2) E21: Nightwyrm (tavern, C, 2) E22: The Baw dy Trickster (inn, C, 3) E23: Hunzrin Highbench (warehouse, C, 3) E24: The Golem Grocer (business, C, 2) E25: Maloren’s Leatherworks (business, D, 2) E26: The Mithral Codpiece (festhall, C, 4) E27: Old W ruzal’s Shop (business, D, 1)

N25: Hom e of family Tuek’tharm (residence, B, 3) N26: House Barrison D el’Armgo (noble manor, A, 4)—house barracks in the Spellplague era

N27: House Faen Tlabbar (noble compound, A, 3) N28: House Fey-Branche (noble compound, A, 3) N29: House Horlbar (noble compound, A, 3)—abandoned during the Spellplague era

N30: House Shobalar (noble compound, A, 4)-ruined after the W a r of the Spider Queen

N31: House Srune’lett (noble compound, A, 3)—ruined after the W a r of the Spider Queen

N32: House Tuin’Tarl (noble compound, A, 3)—ruined after the W a r of the Spider Queen Feathered Masqueax (theater, A, 4)

N33: N34: N35: N36: N37: N38: N39: N40:

House Godeep (noble compound, A, 3) House Ousstyl (noble compound, A, 3) House Despana (noble compound, A, 3) Black Sapphire Bath (bathhouse, B, 2) Shynt’s Fine Pastries (business, C, 2) Umraevin Spire (wizard’s tower, B, 5) Pickled Halfling (tavern, B, 4)

Qu’ellarz’orl Q 1 : House Hun’ett (noble manor, A, 3)—ruined after the Sable Years Q2: House D eVir (noble manor, A, 3)—destroyed during the Sable Years Q3: House Mizzrym (compound, A, 3) Q4: House Agrach Dyrr (noble manor, A, 3)—ruined after the W a r of the Spider Queen Q5: The Spelltower Xorlarrin (compound. A, 6) Q6: House Baenre (compound, A, 4) Q7: Cham ber of the Ruling Council (special, A, 1) Q8: House Barrison D e l’Armgo (noble manor, A, 3)—built during the Spellplague era

West Wall W 1 : Hom e of family llueph (residence, B, 3) W 2 : Home of family Miliskeera (residence, B, 4)

Narbondellyn N1: Infinyl Mestpar [gem dealer] (business, B, 3) N2: Yuimmith Shulcloak [moneylender] (guildhall, B, 3) N3: Home of family Shunn Tahaladar (residence, B, 3) N4: Home of family Klor’lbar (residence, B, 3) N5: Home of family Ssh’starm (residence, C, 3) N6: Home of family llith’vir (residence, C, 3) N7: Home of family Chueth’duis (residence, C, 2) N8: Belek’tyr Grand Gem s [gem merchant] (residence, B, 4) N9: Thadalix [diamond merchant] (residence, C, 3) N10: Home of family Urundlet (residence, C, 2) N11: Nantlel of the Three Fingers [lender] (business, B, 3) N12: Sheeress of the Many Eyes [lender] (business, B, 6) N13: Home of family H ael’lrin (residence, C, 3) N14: Home of family llith’vir (residence, C, 3) N 1 5: Maershala of the Flowers [perfumer] (business, C, 2) N16: Mritt Shadalaun [gem merchant] (residence, B, 3)

N17: N18: N19: N20: N21: N22: N23: N24:

Red Tears Compound (guildhall, C, 4) Brothers Jaszarr [perfumer] (business, B, 4) Home of family Balartyr (residence, C, 3) Home of family Oblare (residence, C, 3) Hom e of family Hael’llrin (residence, C, 3) Hom e of family Ouol (residence, C, 4) Hom e of family Ryll (residence, C, 3) Home of family Shadalun (residence, C, 3)

W 3 : Home of family Llarabbar (residence, B, 6) W 4 : Six Black Rings (tavern, C, 3) W 5 : Tolkar’s Copper Door (massage house, C, 4) W 6 : Home of family Neereath (residence, B, 3) W 7 : House Teken’duis (noble manor, A, 3)-ruined after the early Sable Years W 8 : Home of family O l’il’isk (residence, B, 3) W 9 : Home of family Tirin (residence, B, 3) W 1 0: Home of family W aeth del’tar (residence, B, 3) W 1 1: Ruilath’s Rental Coaches (business, C, 2) W 1 2: Home of family Vahadarr (residence, B, 3) W 1 3: Elstearn's Escorts [hirelings] (business, B, 3) W 1 4: House D o’Urden (noble manor, A, 3)—ruined after the Sable Years W 1 5: Home of family Yulaun’tlar (residence, B, 3) W 1 6: W arm fires [rentable mansion] (manor, B, 4) W 1 7: House Melarn (noble compound, B, 3)—built during the Spellplague era W 1 8: House W 1 9: House W 2 0 : House W 2 1 : House

Duskryn (noble compound, A, 3) Druu giir (noble compound, A, 3) Symryvvin (noble compound, A, 3) Barrison D el’Armgo training ground (noble

compound, A, 3) W 2 2 : Fane of the Goddess (amphitheatre/temple, A, -) W 2 3 : Xeva’s Den (tavern/gaming hall, B, 5)

PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THE R jse o f t h e U n d e r d a r k The liqhtless realm of the drow has long been a place of danger, deceit, and death. But now, the schemes of the Spider Queen threaten to extend her reach to the surface world like never before. Delve into the darkness to discover: tabletop roleplaying supplements and accessories, novels and comic books, board games and video games, apparel, great play experiences at local game stores, and more.