Dissolution Dissolution by Richard Lee Byers is the first book in the War of the Spider Queen series . Summary . The city of Menzoberranzan is being subject to the Silence of Lolth : priestesses no longer have access to their clerical magic . Many drow males have apparently discovered this fact and run off . After an accident that kills several of his students , Pharaun Mizzrym , a master of Sorcere , is assigned by the Archmage of Menzoberranzan to track down those renegades to " redeem " himself . He convinces his friend Ryld Argith , a master of Melee - Magthere who is bored of his position , to help him in this endeavour . Meanwhile , Gromph Baenre has decided to assassinate his sister , the matron mistress of Arach - Tinilith , Quenthel Baenre . He sends several demon servants to complete the job , thwarted each time by Quenthel ' s skill in avoiding death . Quenthel discovers and frustrates a coup instigated by lower priestesses , slaying all of the rebels . Additionally , Faeryl Zauvirr , ambassador of Ched Nasad to Menzoberranzan , has been betrayed by her retainers to Matron Mother Triel Baenre , who , fearing the dissemination of the priestesses ' problem , forbids Faeryl from venturing out into the Underdark to determine why no more caravans have traveled from Ched Nasad . Faeryl decides to disobey these orders and attempts to leave the city , but is captured by Valas Hune of Bregan D ' aerthe and turned over to Triel . Triel then allows her draegloth son Jeggred to torture her . Pharaun and Ryld spend time disguised as orcs in the poor district of Braeryn . They dodge an assassination attempt by Pharaun ' s sister Greyanna Mizzrym and discover that the undercreatures ( mainly slaves and former slaves ) have been secretly meeting with the renegade drow males . The two attack an Academy patrol to get the attention of the renegades and manage to secure themselves a meeting with them . They are approached by Houndaer Tuin ' Tarl , seemingly the leader of the group , and are asked to join the renegades . Upon arriving at the renegade ' s fortress , Pharaun and Ryld meet the illithilich Syrzan , who uses his psionic abilities to reveal the true intentions of the two Masters . It is revealed that Syrzan is planning an uprising of the undercreatures against the drow , with the intention of killing as many females as possible in order to take over the city themselves . Ryld and Pharaun are imprisoned , but manage to escape their cell in short order . The two search the hall for an exit , battling renegades along the , and eventually Pharaun decides his best hope for escape is to leave Ryld , who was injured earlier , behind . Upon doing so , he manages to make his way to the exit and escape . Ryld fights his way to an empty room and enters a trance . He is later discovered by Houndaer and a couple other renegades , but in his heightened state he manages to defeat them with ease . Pharaun , meanwhile , heads to Arach - Tinilith and informs Quenthel of the slave revolt . Together , they marshal the forces of the Academy and descend on the slaves . They battle their way through the city , gathering more and more troops as they go along , and eventually meet up with Triel and the forces of House Baenre . Together , they wipe out the last of the slaves , and Gromph summons a rainstorm to put out the fires caused by the undercreatures . Pharaun , seeking further glory , gathers a group of warriors to help him take the fight to Syrzan before he can escape . At the fortress , they meet up with Ryld , who has slaughtered many of the renegades , and manage to defeat Syrzan and the remaining renegades . After all is said and done , Gromph approaches Triel and warns her that now that the priestesses ' secret is out , chaos will soon follow . He advises her to send Quenthel and Pharaun away because of the threats they pose , and she agrees to send them to Ched Nasad to investigate their sudden silence and determine if they know anything about the Silence of Lolth . They also decide to send along Ryld , Faeryl , and Valas Hune . All five are summoned before the council and informed of their mission . Quenthel , Valas , and Pharaun all seem eager to go , as does Faeryl until Triel reveals she intends to send Jeggred along as well . Meanwhile , Waerva Baenre , the one who fed Triel false information about Faeryl , attempts to flee the city and is killed by kobolds .