Menzoberranzan City Of Intrigue PDF.pdf

[Maryetta Worm]

MENZOBERRANZAN: CITY OF INTRIGUETM ROLEPLAYING GAME SUPPLEMENTBrian R.James +Eric Menge CREDITS Design Brian R. ja mes, Eri cMenge Additional Design and Development Matt Sernett ,ja mes Wyatt, Tom LaPi lle Editing jennifer Clarke Wi lkes, Cal Moore ManagingEditor Ki m Mohan Development and Editing Lead jere my CrawfordD&D R&D Senior Producer Christopher Perkins D&D R&DGroup Manager Mike Mearls D&D Senior Creative Director jonSchindehette D&D Brand Team Li z Schuh, Kierin Chase, LauraTommervik, Shelly Ma zzanoble, Chris Lindsay, Hilary RossPlaytesters Gary Affeldt, ji m Auwaerter, Ti mothy Bai ley, AndreBegin, Ri chard Brown, jeff Chi n, Pete Cooney, Melanie Cote, ManonCrevier, Tom Dal e, Raymond Franklin Il l, Tom Kish, Ji m Kliss ,Mark Knobbe, Van La charite,jeffla Sala , Eri c Lerou x, GregMarks, Peter Markwart, Sean Mittelstaedt , Ga len Mu llins , DavidN. Krolni k, Patri ck Nea l, john-Alan Pascoe, John Petryszyn,Rydia Q. Vielehr, Lee Sharp, Mike Shea , Ben Siekert , PieterSleijpen, Za ck Sykes , C.j. Thrasher, Sarah Thrasher, Phi l Tobin,Renout van Rijn , Gareth Wallace61039889000001EN ISBN:9780786960361First Printing: August 10119 8 7 6 b 4 3 2 1U.S.,CANADA, ASIA, PACIFIC, & LATIN AMERICA Wizards of the Coast LLCP.O. Box 707Renton WA980570707+18003146496Art Director Kate IrwinCover Il lustration jesper Ejsing Graphic Designer Trish Yochu mInterior Il l ustrations Eri c Belis le, Milivoj Ceran, jesperEjsing, Wayne England, jason A. Engle, Brian Hagan, Ra lph Horsley,Tyler ja cobson , Chris Ma lidore, David Marti n, Lee Moyer, Ji mNelson, Wil lia m O'Connor, Chris Seaman, Mike Sch ley, CraigjSpearing, Matias Tapia , Francis Tsai , Ben Wootten PublishingProduction Manager Angie Lokotz Prepress Manager jeferson DunlapImaging Technician Car men Cheung Production Manager Cynda CallawaySetting details based on the original CRCO11tN KrALvscampaignsetting created by Ed Greenwood with jeff Grubb, the updated (3rdEdition) setting designed by Ed Greenwood, Ri chard Baker, Sean KReynolds , Skip Willia ms, and Rob Heinsoo, and the 4th Editionsetting designed by Bru ce R. Cordell , Ed Greenwood, PhilipAthans, Ri chard Baker, Rob Heinsoo, Brian R.james, and Chris Sims. EUROPEAN HEADQUARTERS Hasbro UK Ltd Caswell Way Newport, GwentNP9 OYH GREAT BRITAIN easckccpthsaddrcsslOryOurrccOrdsWIZARDS OFTHE COAST. BELGIUM lndustrialaan 11702Groot-Bijgaarden Belgium+31.070.133.177DuNGEONS & DRAGONs, D&D, Wizards of theCoast, FoRGOTTEN REALMS, Menzoberranzan: City of Intrigue, allother Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respectivelogos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and othercountries. All characters, and their distinctive likenesses areproperty of Wizards of the Coast. This material is protected underthe copyright laws of the United States of America. Anyreproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artworkcontained herein is prohibited without the express writtenpermission of Wizards of the Coast. Printed in the USA. 1011Wizardsof the Coast LLC. Visit our website at DungeonsandDragons.com CEINTRODUCTION . . . . ... . . . . . . .. ........ 3 A MenzoberranzanCampaign = + + o o o o 4 LuA1rR1 C AMPAIGN OF INTRI G UE 6 CampaignFlavor .. . . . ......... . . . 8 Campaign Era .... .. .......... e1 0 The Founding o = = = = = o = = o o o = = = o 1 0 Sable Years oo o = = = = = = = = o o + o o = = = = 11 Time of Troubles = = = = =o o o o o = = = = 11 War of the Spider Queen o o = o = = = = 1 2The Spell plague = = = o = = = o o o o o = = = = 12 Schemes in theShadows ... . . . .. 1 4 Factions o o o o o o = o = o = = = = o = == = o 14 Intriguing Adventures = o o o o o = = o o 1 S Making theCity Your Own e .e . . . 1 7 LuA1rR2 TH E WAY OF LOLTH ......... 18The Queen of Spiders e e e e e e e . . . 20 lolth o o o o o o = = == = o = o o = = = 20 Drow Justice = o o o o o = = o o o = o o o o oo 20 Deities of Other Eras o o = o o o o o o = 21 All About Drow ..e .... . . . . . .... 22 The Matriarchy o o o o o o o o o = o o o oo o 23 Noble Houses = o o o o o o o o o = = = o = o o o o 23Commoners = = = = o o o o o o o o = = o = o o 24 Slaves o = o = = == o = o o o o o o o = o = = = o o o o 24 Commerce e e e e e e e ..e. . . . e .e ... 2S Currency o o o o o o o o o o = = = = = = = o 2SFavors o o o o = = = = = = o o o o o o o o o = = = o 25 MerchantClans = = = o o = = o o o o o o o 25 leisure . ..e . .e e e . . . e........ . 26 language ... .e e e e . . e .. . ... . . . 2 7LuA1rR3 DROW FACTION S ..... .. .. 28 Understanding the Factions .. . . . 30 Creating Your Own House e .e e e . . 32 House Baenre . .. . e e e e e e e e e e e 32 The Sable Years: Yvonne) the Eternal.o o = = = = = = o . o 35 The Spell plague Era: Dynasty Diminished oo o o = o 37 House Do'Urden e e e . e e e e e e e e e e 39 TheSable Years: Mal ice Rising o = = = 40 House Hunzrin ... e ........ . e . . 43 The Spell plague Era: Mercantile Empire o = = oo o o o o o = = = 43 House Oblodra e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e 45The Sable Years: K'yorl's Bluff o o = = 45 House Melarn e . . . ...e e e . e e e . . 48 The Spellplague Era: Vigilant Inquisitors == = o o o o o o = = = 50 House Xorlarrin . . .. e e e e e . . . ..51 The Spellplague Era: Rise of the Wizards o o = = o o o o o o o =52 House Barrison Del' Armgo .e ..e . 54 House Faen Tlabbar . . . .. . .. . .. 54 House FeyBranche ... . . . e . . . . .. 55 HouseMizzrym e e e e e e . e e e e e e e e e 55 CONTENTS Tier Breche . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Arach-Tinilith e e e e e e e ee e e e e e e e 58 Melee-Magthere .... . . ........ . 60 Sorcere ............ . . ......e e . 62 Bregan D'aerthe e e e e e e e e e ee e e . 64 Jaezred Chaulssin e e e . . e .. e e . . . 68 Scourgedlegion ..e . . . e .... e e . . 71 Sept ofiii'Ghact . .. . . . ..... . . . . 74 LnA1tR4 C ITY OF SPIDE RS . ...... ~ ......... ... .78 Vault of Spiders . . ... . .. .. e . .e . . 80 Donigarten = = =o o o = = = = = = = = o o o o o = 80 Isle of Rothe = = = = = o = o= 80 Kyorbblivvin o o o = o o o o o o o o o o 80 Narbondel . o o oo = o = = = o o = o o o o o o = = = 81 Overways and Underways = o o= o = = 81 The Cistern = o o + = = = = = = = = = o o o o o = 81Bone locker o o o o o o + + o + o + o o o o o o 81 The Rifs o o = == = o o o = o = = = = = = = o o o o o 8 2 Clawrift = = = = = o o oo o = = = = = = = = = = o o o 82 Mistrift o o o o o o o o o + o = =o o o o 8 2 Westrift o o = = = = = = o o o o o o = = = = = = = = 83Spiderfangs o o o = = = o = o o + o o o o = = = = = o 83 City Life...e e .e .. e e . e .e .e e e e e 84 City Streets o o o = = = = oo + o o o o = = = = = = 84 Visitors to the City o o o o o = = = = == 85 The Districts e e e . . . ... ..e . . . . .. 86 The Braeryn oo o o o o o o o o o o = 86 The Wan Hag = = = = = = = o o o o = o == = 87 Slave Markets o o o o o o o o o = 88 Quagoth Drool = = = = =o o o o o o = = = 88 Duthcloim = = o o o o = = = = = = = = o o o oo o = = 88 Adventuring Headquarters o o = = = 89 The Cathlyre o o oo = = = = = = o = o o o o = 89 Rhauvais' Arms o o = = = = = o o o oo = = 89 The Bazaar = = o o o o = = = = = = = = = o o o + o = 89Bhaelundryn's Bestiary o o o o o 90 Dhode's Fine Piwafis = = = = =o o o = 90 Quild's Mobile Parlor o = = = = o = o o o 90 Sense ofSensuous Scents o o o 91 Shimmerdark's Decanter o o o o o 91Whispers in the Dark o = o o o + o + = = 91 Eastmyr o o o o o o = == = = o o o o o o = = 91 Battered Beholder = = = o o o o o = = = =91 Calask's Hands = = = o = o o o o o o = = = 92 Darkled Depths o o= o = o o o o o o o o o 92 Dylchanta's Furfeathers o = o o o o o =92 Narbondel's Shadow = o o o o o = o o = 92 Ruins of House Freth == = o o o o o o = 92 Narbondellyn o o o o o = = = = o o o o o o o == = 93 Red Tears = o o o o o = = = = = = = = o o o o o 93 Brothersjaszarr = o = = = = o o o o o o o 93 Feathered Masqueax = o o o o oo = 94 Black Sapphire Bath - o o o o o o o 94 Qu'el l arz'orl = = oo o o o = o o o o o o o 94 Chamber of the Ruling Council o 95 HouseMizzrym o o o = o o o o o o o 95 West Wal l = o o o o o = o o o o o96 lolth's Web = = o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 96 Elstearn'sEscorts o o o = = = = = o o o = o 97 Fane of the Goddess = = = = += o = o o 97 Xeva's Den = = = = o o o o = = = = = = = o o o o = 97Dark Dominion ..... e . ..... .. 98 The Mantle o o = = = = = o o oo = o o = = = = + + o 98 Ablonsheir's Cave o o = = o o = = = = o oo 98 Cavern of the Masters o o o o = o o 98 Cavern of the SeveredTentacles 99 Driders' Chasm o o o o o o o = = = o o o 99 Glowstoneso = = = = = o o + o o + o = = = o o o 99 Heldaeyn's Pool = = o o o. + = = = o o + 99 The lustrum o o = = o o o o o o = = = o o o 99Pit-Warrens = = = = o = = = = = = = = o o o o UUProving Grounds o oo = = o o = = = = o o o 99 LnA1tR5 THE NO RTHDARK .- 1 00 ShadowedWays ... . . . . ...e e e e 1 02 Blingdenstone = = o o o o o o = o= = = = = + + 1 02 The Darklake = o o o o = o = = = = = o o 1 03Dead Dragon Gorge o o o = o = o o 1 03 Entemoch's Boon = o o o o =o = = = = = = o 1 03 Grackl stugh o o o o = = = o o o o o o o o = == o 1 03 Mantoi-Derith o o o o o o o o o o o o = = = 1 04 MithralHall. o o o o o o o o o o = = = 104 Zz' Pzora's lair o o o = = o == o = o o o = = = = 1 04 Ammarindar e e . e . e . . ... . . . . . .1 olost Treasure of Ammarindar o o o 1 OS Ched Nasad = o o o o o == = = o = = o o o o o = 1 06 Ruins of He ligate Keep o = o o o = =1 06 Splendarrmorn o o o = = = = o = = o o o o = = 1 06 Aruamycos .. . ......e e e e e e e . e . 1 07 The Fardrimm ... ..e e e e e . ee 1 07 Everfire o o o o o o o = = o = = = o o = 1 08 MhaurlokExpanse o o = o = = o = = = o o o = 1 08 The lowroad = = = o o o oo o o = = o o = 1 08 Chaulssin o o o = = = = o o o o o = = o = = == = o o 1 09 The Wormwrithings e . . . .. ..... 1 1 1 Acid Aerie oo o o o o o o o o o o o o = = = = o 111 Gargoyle Tube = = = o o o oo o o o = = o 111 Dungeon of Death o = = = o o o o o o 111Phanlinksal o = o o o o o = = = o = o = 11 2 LuA1LR6 BE ADROW................... . ....... 1 1 6 An Evil Party in an Evil City .... . 1 1 8 Drow Treachery Deck o = o o = = = = o o 11 8 Choosing aHouse .e . ... ....... 1 1 9 Multiple Houses in the Party = o o o119 Character Backgrounds = o = = = = = o o 119 Station in DrowSociety e e e .. e e 1 20 Tiers of Prestige o o o o o o o o 1 2 0Benefits of Station = + + + o = + + = = = o o o 1 21 Roleplaying aDrow e e e e e e e e ... 1 23 Drow Society and Culture o = = = = =o 123 Drow Motivation = = = o o o o o = o 1 2 3 Depravity of theDrow o o o o o o = = = o 1 2 4 Secrets and lies o = = = o o o = o oo = = = = o 125 APPENDIX: MAP e . + . . . + . 1 26 Introduction Aseething powerhouse of malevolent d row, each striving ti relesslyfor supremacy i n the eyes of their fell goddess, Menzoberranzan isthe pinnacle of conceited depravity. Nevertheless, peer deepthrough the strata of selfishness, debauchery, and vice and one canbehold a grand civilization rich in hi story, culture, andartistry. It's this tantalizing dichotomy between the beautiful andthe profane that draws great interest toward draw society.Presented i n this book is the fabled Underdark cityofMenzoberranzan, bi rthplace of famed drow ranger Drizzt Do'Urden. But this isn't his story-it's many stories, yours chiefamong them. This book is designed for maximum utility. No matterwhat edition of the 1NGEONS& BAGONSrules you're using, you'llfind almost all of the material in this book usable in your game.You can use this book to run a campaign set during the years beforethe birth ofDrizzt, in the midst of the War of the Spider Queen, orduring the current era of the FoRGOTTEN EA1MS campaign setting.Menzoberranzan is a whole environment waiting for you and yourplayers to explore, in whatever way you want to use it. AMENZOBERRANZAN CAMPAIGN Running a group of evil drow charactersthrough adventures rife with intrigue and treachery can be quite adi fferent experience from most 1NGEONS & BAGONS campaigns.These six characteristics best encapsulate the spirit of aMenzoberranzan: City of Intri9ue campaign. 1. You' re a Drow I nthis campaign setting, you're no goody two-shoes surface dwellervisiting the City of Spiders on holiday. No, you're a resident.Whether drow or slave, noble scion or commoner, you callMenzoberranzan home. This is your opportunity to di sregard thespiteful propaganda of the surface elves and step into the role ofone ofD& D's most iconic and insidious races. 2. Evil ReignsMenzoberranzan is a nasty place. I n drow culture, treachery andmurder are commonplace, as are acts of debauchery. Draw in thissetting routinely have orgies with demons and engage in despicableacts ofbloodletti ng. Although the tenets of draw society arepresented tactfully, players should be under no illusions;Menzoberranzan is populated by vile and capricious sadists, whoseek to improve their personal standing through the suffering andmisery of others. 3. Lolth I s Supreme No other force i n drowsociety is as pervasive as the Church ofLolth. Although otherdivine entities have appeared in draw religious rites over the millennia, all are secondary to Lolth and are barely visible i n theshadow of the Spider Queen. Beings such as Vhaeraun and Ghaunadaurhave adherents in some eras, but few are worshiped with the samedevotion-and fear-as Lolth. It is she, and she alone, who stands atthe heart of drow religion. 4. Station I s Everythi ng Despite itsmembers being born of chaos, drow society is governed by a deeplyentrenched hierarchy. Each drow divides everyone else-includingother drow-into three categories. + Those with more power, who mustbe appeased and placated (at least until they can be replaced) +Those who are useful to one's own advancement, who must beexploited i n all ways possible * The weak, who are worthlessexcept as labor or disposable troops As drow see it, each day is anew chance to i mprove your station or to elimi nate those in yourway. 5. Secrets Are Currency Draw are not mindless brutes whocharge heaQiong into the unknown. In fact, the residentsofMenzoberranzan, called Menzobarranyr, are meticulous andcalculating in their endeavors. Although wealth and might arecertainly respected, the true currency of the drow lies in secrets.I nformation is power, and with it an individual can wieldinfluence far beyond his or her station. The machi nations of thedrow are legendary, and these sorts oflong-term schemes should bepart of any Menzoberranzan campaign. 6. The Underdark Highadventure isn't confned to the city alone. The myriad intrigues ofthe drow can send the player characters deep into the gloom of theUnderdark. Although drow are renowned for their ruthlessness andvillainy, there are creatues i n the deep places of the world thatgive even them pause. Despite the dangers, few Menzoberranyr shyfrom an opportunity to exploit the myriad riches of the DeepRealms. From the neighboring Dark Dominion to the Shadowed Ways andbeyond, adventure i n the Underdark awaits. FOR THE DM Most of thisbook is designed primarily with the Dungeon Master i n mind. I twill help you craft an exciting and memorable campaign centered ondrow themes. Chapter 1: Campaign oflntrigue is advice for you onhow to set up the basic framework of a drow campaign. Chapter 2:The Way ofLolth narrows the scope, revealing the inner workings ofdrow religion and society. You can share much of this informationwith players, perhaps leaving some facts for their characters todiscover when they begin adventuring. Chapter 3: Drow Factionsprovides you with a full set of tools to create exactly the sort ofchallenge you and your players want to experience. Here are detailsof the most distinctive drow noble houses i n Menzoberranzan; alook at the city's great academy, Tier Breche, and the houselessdrow mercenaries known as Bregan D'aerthe; and descriptions ofthree major power groups that want to destroy the drow and all theystand for. When each player chooses the factions his or hercharacter will be associated with, you can share with that playerthe background choices and other details provided in that section.Chapter 4: City of Spiders is where Menzoberranzan comes alive.Each section of the city and its environs is detailed here, so thatyou can paint a realistic picture as the characters move around inthe setting. Much of the general information given here is commonknowledge to those who live i n the city, and thus li kely to beknown by drow player characters as well. Some of the specifics,though, are a di fferent matter, and might need to be di scovered.Chapter 5: The Northdark is a collection of Underdark adventuringopportunities, locations that you can bring into play if you decideto take the campaign, quite literally, i n a di fferent di rection.Chapter O! Be a Drow is di rected at players, but you should befamiliar with it as wel l. FOR PLAYERS Menzoberranzan: Cityoflntriaue discusses the underpinnings of drow society and beliefs,including their Lolth-domi nated religion-all of which is vitalinformation to players of drow characters. In addition, this bookincludes guidelines for selecting a drow house to ally with, aswell as character backgrounds to aid a player in fleshing out acharacter's backstory and motivations. Chapter O: Be a Drow isdesigned expressly for players, supplementing and fleshing out whatthe rest of the book covers with advice on how to capture the drowpersona at the gaming table. z 0 1u : 0 0 C:1z CHAPTER 1 Running agame set in a reviled city of vi l l ai ny such as Menzoberranzanoften presents interest-ing new twists or challenges for DungeonMasters used to running traditional high fantasy campaigns.Adventures within the city proper have as much excitement,bloodshed, and treasure as a traditional dungeon crawl, but usuallyinvolve more intrigue and less exploration. With campaigns centeredon intrigue, entire sessions might pass without a single combatencounter. However, the rich possibilities for roleplaying in aworld of cruel, ruthless nobles can provide hours of entertainment.Menzoberranzan: City ofintriBue provides a framework for bui l ding an entire campaign in the i nfamous draw city. This chapterprovides a springboard for designing an Underdark campaign orientedprimarily around a party of draw adventurers. The chapter includesthe fol lowing sections. * Campaign Flavor: Different campaignsmight focus on i ntrigue or insurrection, raids upon the surface,or all-out war with other Underdark races. * Campaign Era: Determini ng the time period for your campaign can influence its overalltone and feel. A campaign set during the founding years of the cityis very di fferent from one that takes place during the War of theSpider Queen. * Schemes in the Shadows: As your campaign unfolds,the city does not remain static. Menzoberranzan is rife withcompeting factions, and the characters need to know where theystand with each of those groups at any ti me. This section givesyou a simple system for keeping track of this i nformation, plussome thoughts on plot elements that can radically alter what theadventurers are up against. * Making the City Your Own: This briefsection di scusses customizing the city for your uniqueinterpretation of the game. CAMPAIGN FLAVOR The frst step increating a Menzoberranzan campaign is deciding on the particularflavor for your campaign. While it's possible to run a typicaldungeon crawl campaign with the materials provided i n this book,Menzoberranzan: City ofintriBue offers a great opportunity forDungeon Masters to explore alternate styles of gameplay. Pol i tical Intrigue The everyday plotting and backstabbing common to drowsociety make for a compelling campaign of political intrigue. Thelong-simmering rival-ries between the noble houses ofMenzoberranzan threaten to break out into open warfare at amoment's notice. Sprinkle in the machinations of an outside factionor two, and you have a nearly limitless supply of plot hooks foryour campaign. Placing the player characters within the middle of apower struggle is a hallmark of political intrigue. With the l ikelihood of the adventurers being of questionable morale characterthemselves, they might enjoy playing one or more of the factionsagainst each other. Or they might slowly grind both groups down,pretending to maintain the balance of power between the two whilethey siphon power for themselves. Goals i n a political game caninclu'e: Spy Against your Rivals: Few races are as innately attunedto stealth and subterfuge as drow. A great espionage campaign wouldevolve over time. At low levels the characters might start out ascommon burglars or cutpurses working for a Braeryn street gang. Asthey rise in standing and notoriety, the characters are secretlyapproached and recruited by Bregan D'aerthe to i nfiltrate andgather information against the noble houses. Each successivemission becomes more di fcult than the last, until they areperforming epic feats of espionage such as spying on Lolth i n theDemonweb Pits-think Mi ssion Impossible, but even more dangerous.THE GODFATHER Did You Know: As R. A. Salvatore was designing theunderpi nni ngs of Menzoberranzan society for the novel Homeland,his greatest inspiration was drawn from Mari o Puzo's epic crimenovel The Godfather. It's easy to envision a drow matron mother asa mob boss with her house priestesses serving as "made members" ofthe crime fami l y. Males i n thi s scenario serve the role ofso/data (sol dier), reporting up the hi erarchy to a capo,represented in draw society as a high priestess. Run a Gang: Leadan alliance of noble houses and wage war against your rivals. Thecharacters might start as low-level enforcers for one or twohouses, tasked with overtly intimidating a rival house or faction.As they succeed in their assigned duties, the adventurers gain instation, which i n turn permits them to rise quickly within theorganization. The key to this storyline is to have the charactersgraduate quickly from being mere pawns and thugs, to being adriving force for the organization. As a draw oflow station, one ormore of the characters might have sought the support of a rivalhouse or an individual patron. Now that those characters areindebted to that rival faction or individual, they could be askedto carry out secret tasks that run counter to the goals of theparty as a whole, creating further plot lines. I deological Scheming Another campaign favor you could explore is one of ideologicalconflict. As presented, Menzoberranzan is firmly under theinfluence ofLolth's strong-handed dogma. An intriguing campaignseed might be to pick one or more long- standing tenets of drawsociety, and then pit the player characters against that ideal. Anideological game might include one of the following goals. Abolishthe Matriarchy: Establish equality for males in Menzoberranzansociety. This seed works best with a male-dominated party that hasat least one high-ranking female sympathetic to their cause. SpreadHeresy: Spread the teachings of other faiths beyond Lolth. Thecharacters might adopt the faiths ofEi li straee, Vhaeraun, orGhaunadaur and work to weaken the Church ofLolth, either secretlyor overtly. Spread Insurrection: Lead the slaves ofMenzoberranzanto freedom or open rebellion. Whether out of genuine sympathy or asa power play, the characters galvanize the non-draw communitiestoward insurrection. Topple the Nobility: Weaken the i nfluence ofthe Ruling Council to affect change i n the city. Perhaps thecharacters are members of a merchant clan or other commonerorganization that seeks to strip the nobility of their undueprivilege. Lead an Exodus: Break the drow free of theirsubterranean shackles and lead them into the world above. Perhapsthe characters have discovered that faerzress is responsible forthe drow compulsion to remain in the Underdark and they're seekinga magical means of freeing their people from this millennia-oldaffliction. Turning the Tables: As an alternative to any of theseoptions, the player characters can be drow who are tasked by theirhouses to put down the rebellious efforts of undesi rable forces in the city. Rise of the Underdark In a Rise of the Underdarkcampaign, the player characters are drow of Menzoberranzan who arefocused on raiding the surface world for any of a variety ofpurposes. Menzoberranzan is their home base, their place of(relative) safety, while their adventures take place mostly on thesuface world or in Underdark passages leading from the city to thesurface. Such a campaign is not necessarily free of all theintrigue and backstabbing that characterizes drow society, but itbecomes a background element rather than the primary focus of thegame. Here are three possible reasons for raiding the surfaceworld. Harness Arcane Power for Lolth: In 1480 DR, Lolth i s tryingto take over dead Mystra's control of arcane magic. Under thecommand of her priestesses, drow raiding parties seek out magicalartifacts, the remains of mighty dead wizards, and places of power.At these sites, the drow seize control of the item in question orsiphon the magical energy of the place off and bring it to Lolththrough her priestesses. The following section discussing CampaignEras gives more information about this effort. Capture Slaves: Theproper functioning ofMenzoberranzan relies on the labor of slaves,many of which are captured from the suface world. The charactersmight be part of an organized force that regularly brings slaves tothe city for sale, or independent drow looking for a quick profit.In a twist, they might be duergar or members of other slaving raceshoping to capture slaves for eventual sale in the drow city. KillAll the Elves: Inspired by religious fervor, a thirst for personalrevenge, or sheer hatred, the drow ofen raid the surface for thesole reason of killing as many surface-dwelling elves as possible.Drow at War A campaign centered on war pits the drow playercharacters against the dwarves ofMithral Hall, the deep gnomes ofBlingdenstone, or other races in the Underdark. Such a campaignmight focus on defending Menzoberranzan or on assaulting the citiesand strongholds of its enemies, or a mix of the two as the fortunesof war shif. A war campaign might also i nvolve multiple differentwars against different foes and under di fferent circumstances. Awar campaign offers an opportunity to play through some of thegreat events ofMenzoberranzan's history described in the nextsection of this chapter, including the Time ofTroubles and the Warof the Spider Queen. Any of the following di rections can provideinteresting direction to a drow campaign. Punish the Offenders: Thedrow of Menzoberranzan marshal their warriors to strike against anearby community as an act of revenge for some slight, real orimagined. For example, in 1371 DR, Triel Baene ordered thedestruction ofBi ingden- stone in retaliation for their support ofthe dwarves of wMithral Hall during an earlier conflict. Theoffense might also be a matter of encroaching on territory z \ orstealing resources, harboring a drow fugitive, or si mply drawingthe ire of Lolth in some manner. Smite the Infidels: This is a waragainst another drow city. It might be a city where a god otherthan Lolth is worshiped (for example, Ghaunadaur and Vhaeraun wereworshiped alongside Lolth in nearby Eryndlyn before its destructioni n the Spellplague), or a city that has (at least in the opinionofMenzoberranzan's priestesses) eared Lolth's disfavor through someblasphemous act. In such a campaign, priest-esses play a veryimportant role, and there's no room for anything but unswervingdevotion to Lolth-unless one or more of the characters turns out tobe a secret sympathizer with the enemy! War of Conquest: For somereason, the drow decide that Menzoberranzan isn't big enough and awar party sets out to conquer territory for the city's expansion.This campaign might take place at a point in time whereMenzoberranzan's population is exploding and the drow si mply needmore room. Alternatively, a di ssident group or sect might fleeMenzoberranzan and launch an assault in an effort to found a newcity free from the tyrannical rule of House Baenre. ' DefendMenzoberranzan: I n this campaign, it is Menzoberranzan that isunder attack, whether it's from duergar, dwarves, svirfnebl in,illithids, or some other Underdark race. The characters' role mightbe shoring up the city's defenses, or they could form a strike teamsent on missions to disrupt enemy supply trains, assassinate theirleaders, or plant magical explosives in their midst. During the Warof the Spider Queen, Menzoberranzan came under attack by duergarfrom Gracklstugh, the Scourged Legion, and agents of the ] aezredChaulssi n. Civil War: From time to time, intrigue among the noblehouses rises to such a fever pitch that outright war breaks out.It's common enough for one house to launch an assault againstanother, but such conflicts can escalate i f the attacking housedoesn't fnish the job quickly. If the defenders have time to callon their allies, the twisted networks of allied and rival housescan erupt into open conflict with two or multiple different sides.CAMPAIGN ERA Once you've chosen a campaign flavor, give somethought to the ti me setting of your campaign. Your choice offlavor might suggest a certain era of play-for example, if you wantto run a Rise of the Underdark campaign featuring drow charactersharnessing arcane power for Lolth, you might set your campaignaround the ti me ofDani fae's appearance in the city, in 1480 DR.Most of the material in this book wi l l be useful to youregardless of which era you choose, so select the era that holdsthe most appeal for you and your players. Presented below are briefcampaign ideas tied to specific periods in the historyofMenzoberranzan. The Foundi ng (-3917 DR to 1297 DR) Five thousandyears ago, the great drow city of Golothaer was busily destroyingitself in a civil war. Drow houses faithful to the Spider Queenbattled for supremacy against renegade factions aligned with t heslime deity Ghaunadaur. As decades of death and destruction plungedthe once-spectacular city i nto ruin, a proud and formidablepriestess ofLolth named Menzoberra turned away from the fray,gathering seven families of wealth and station to found a newsettlement loyal to the Way ofLolth. Leaving the chaos of war-tornGolothaer, Menzoberra's band set forth into the unknown, trustingto Lolth's guidance. As Lolth's chosen one, Menzoberra receiveddream-visions sent by the Spider Queen to guide the refugees'progress through the Underdark. After wandering the Underdark formany years, the band of pilgrims suffered its first major setbackin a bloody confrontation with the dwarves of the Black Axe Clan.The drow lost nearly half their number that day i n the Cavern ofCloven Heads. Before hi s body faded mysteriously into the stonefloor, the last dwarf to fal l wished upon the drow invaders "thedoom of many eyes." Menzoberra's band eventually came to a hugevault filled with giant, edible mushrooms, over-run with swarms ofspiders that bubbled up from the depths, and i l luminated by thesoft radiance of a myriad of prismatic lichens. A brief survey ofthe region found the ground choked with the bones of dwarves whohad fallen prey to the cavern's current tenant: an i mmensebeholder whose body was as wide as the base of Golothaer's largesttower. Finding themselves promptly engaged in a perilousconfrontation with the gigantic beholder (called Many Eyes by localdwarves, the drow later learned) and its mind-slaved mi nions, thedrow made preparations for a hasty retreat. Suddenly, the drow weregifted by a rare visit from Lolth, who floated above thebeleaguered band in the form of a beautiful female head whosetresses trailed away into long, dark arachnid legs. The SpiderQueen told the drow that they were her chosen people, and this wasthe place she had chosen for them. I f they were worthy of her,they would defeat Many Eyes and make this cavern their home. Manydrow perished fghting Many Eyes, but in the end they prevailed, andit was Menzoberra who delivered the ki l l i ng blow. Left to standwith her at the baptism of their new home were the families namedS'sri l , Thaeyalla, Baenre, Masq' il'yr, Nasadra, Tucheth, andUusralla. They made a home together in the beholder'streasure-strewn lair, a large cave in the southern wall of thegreat vault. There they raised an altar to Lolth, which wasrewarded by the appearance of a demonic yochlol. This handmaidenofLolth told the survivors to call their home Menzoberranzan, i nrecognition of the priestess's favor earned i n the service of theSpider Queen. All too soon, the same feuding that destroyedGolothaer, born of pride, cruelty, and bloodlust, surfaced withinthe drow of Menzoberranzan. A blood feud between House Thaeyallaand House Nasadra quickly threatened to destabilize the newlyfounded settlement. When Menzoberra sided with House Nasadra, thewizards of House Thaeyalla spent their own lives to fuel a ritualthat rent the side cavern of the noble houses asunder. In a singlecataclysmic strike, the explosion obliterated 'the housesofThaeyalla, Masq' i l 'yr, Tucheth, and Uusralla, as well asMenzoberra herself The explosion transformed the former side caverninto the great plateau that came to be known as Qu'ellarz'orl. Bysome miracle, the great central pillar of the main cavern survivedthe explosion, keeping the entire vault from collapsing. The drowcalled it Narbondel for its strength. The bitter Nasadra survivorssought to proclaim their rule over the other remaining drow, butthe tattered priestesses of House S'sril defed them. The othersurviving house was Baenre, which was powerful enough to decide theissue either way. I n the end, House Baenre sided with S'sril. Toprevent further bloodshed, it was proposed that House Nasadra wouldtravel on to found another city devoted to the glory ofLolth. Lolthappeared di rectly, and firmly blessed the wisdom and forbearanceof House Baenre. The Spider Queen then laid down the Way ofLolth,the basic laws under which both cities would live. She also decreedthat the two cities must remain amicable to each other without fail , or both would face her wrath. House Nasadra left Menzoberranzanthat night, and went on to found the drow city of Ched Nasaddecades later. A campaign set during this period could focus on thefounding itself I f the "Exploring the Deeps" style of campaignflavor appeals to you, perhaps the player characters start byjourneying from Golothaer with Menzoberra, serving as advancescouts for the exiles and navigating the hazards of the Underdark.Even in this earliest stage, rivalry among the seven noble housescould be a signifcant factor in the campaign, made all the moreinteresting by the fact that the houses are not yet established i nany ranking. Alternatively, a similar campaign could take place inthe early years after the establishment of the city. The playercharacters could be responsible for exploring the caverns andtunnels around Menzoberranzan, ensuring that the city is relativelysafe. If a " Rise of the Underdark" campaign is what you're after,the year 942 DR saw drow raiders plundering cities along the SwordCoast, enslaving many humans living along the Dessarin River. Twosmall nations (Talmost and Harpshield) near present-day Waterdeepwere ravaged and burned. I f you want to run a " Drow at War"campaign, consider the strange confict against Chaulssin in 734 DR.Raiders from Menzoberranzan arrived at the city and found itdeserted, though it was haunted by creatures from the realm ofshadow. A few days before Menzoberranzan's attack, the god Vhaeraunhad warned the drow ofChaulssin of the i mpending assault andhelped them flee into Shadow, where they founded their own city.Finally, this period covers more than fve thousand years, duringwhich time the city experienced tumult enough to fuel a hundredcampaigns. The recorded history of the Realms tells us little aboutthese events, so you should feel free to make up events of your ownand set them i n whatever year you choose. Surely during thoseyears the city was from time to time wracked by civil war, ravagedby plague, and besieged by duergar, illithids, or other Underdarkdenizens. This period offers you the greatest degree of creativeflexibility of all the eras discussed here. Sable Years (1297 DR to1358 DR) I n the Year of the Singing Skull ( 1 297 DR) , an infantnamed Drizzt was born to House Do'Urden, marking the begi nning ofits end. Destined to be sacrifced to Lolth as the third-born maleof his fami ly, the young drow survived only through a series offortuitous events. As an adolescent, Drizzt brought great favor toHouse Do'Urden through his accolades at the Academy. Yet by thetime he graduated from Tier Breche i n the Year of the Adder ( 1327 DR), it had become increasingly noticeable that the youngwarrior did not possess a drow's love of treachery and intrigue.Early the following year, Drizzt fled Menzoberranzan for the wildsof the Underdark. With only the magical panther Guenhwyvar as acompanion, Drizzt endured ten years of exile in the Dark Dominionthat stretched out beyond the city. Unable to slay Drizzt andreclaim Lolth's favor, House Do'Urden was later destroyed by HouseBaenre in the Year of the Prince ( 1 357 DR). A campaign set duringthe period between the birth ofDrizzt and the demise of his houseprovides many tantalizing possibilities for fans of the Le9end ofDrizzt series of novels by R.A. Salvatore. One scenario might see aplayer taking on the role ofDrizzt, with the rest of the partyadopting other personas within House Do'Urden. Through carefulroleplaying, the Drizzt character might persuade others i n hisfamily (the party members) to join him i n a crusade against theinjustices of the Way ofLolth. An intriguing alternative would beto alter the course of history by having the i nfant Drizztsacrificed to Lolth on the evening of his birth as was planned.Without Drizzt around to bring disfavor to House Do'Urden, whoknows how far the ambitions of Matron Malice might take her?Another interesting possibility might be to center a campaign onthe Academy. Each character is a member of a different houseserving his or her fnal year at the Academy. The campaign isorganized as a series of tests and challenges for the young drowstudents. The fnal assessment of their ski lls might even i nvolvea contest against the star of the Academy, Drizzt Do'Urden, in theGrand Melee (page 99). Ti me of Troubl es (1358 DR to 1372 DR) TheYear of Shadows ( 1 358 DR) witnessed the gods being cast out oftheir planar dominions and forced to walk Faen1n as mortals. Duringthe four-month period i n which this tumultuous event took place,all priests lost access to their divine spells, while arcanespellcasters suffered through the unpredictable effects of wildmagic. To the great advantage of practitioners of psionic power,such as House Oblodra, the mind magic of the I nvisible Artremained unaffected by the magical chaos. Even more fantastic, theavatar of Lolth appeared i n Menzoberranzan during the later weeksof the crisis. The presence ofLolth within the City of Spiders waskept secret by House Baenre, and during her brief stay, the Queenof Spiders made her displeasure with House Oblodra known to MatronYvonne] Baenre. When the crisis fnally abated, Matron Yvonne! usedher Lolth-granted abilities to summon an elder evil to drag HouseOblodra down into the Clawrift and into oblivion. The appearanceofLolth's avatar can be a signi ficant event in a campaignfeaturing the Time of z l

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