Zhindia Melarn

Zhindia Melarn was the first matron mother of House Melarn in Menzoberranzan in the late 14 and 15 centuries DR.
==Personality==
Zhindia was known for being extremely fanatical to Lolth, and because of that and her status as the youngest matron on the Ruling Council, she was rarely taken seriously by other matron mothers. Circa 1486 DR, she was known for her zeal in rooting out drow apostates, especially within nobility.
==History==
Zhindia was born circa 1130 DR, being 253 years old in 1383 DR.
Zhindia became the first matron mother of the newly formed House Melarn in the .
Zhindia saw the reformed House Do'Urden as a heresy to Lolth. Thus, in the she plotted with Matron Mother Shakti Hunzrin of House Hunzrin and even with Kiriy Xorlarrin to destroy it. However, the attack completely failed after the intervention of Drizzt Do'Urden and his companions and only Zhindia and Kyrnill Melarn managed to escape alive.
In the Zhindia Melarn summoned the yochlol Eskavidne in order to learn the will of Lolth regarding the resurrection of Zaknafein, hoping it was also possible to resurrect her daughter, Yazhin Melarn. Eskavidne however arrived together with Yiccardaria, who, thanks to strange collateral effects of the demon lords' madness, managed to return to Toril.
 
Later, Eskavidne helped Zhindia to devise a plot to capture or kill Drizzt and Zaknafein. With this objective, the yochlol provided some retrievers for Matron Zhindia. With these monsters, a demon army created with the support of House Hunzrin and the Margasters and advised by Eskavidne and Yiccardaria Zhindia started a war against the surface, still with the objective of killing Drizzt and Zaknafein.
Later, with the support of Charri Hunzrin and both Eskavidne and Yiccardaria, Zhindia obtained the neutrality of Gromph Baenre and his reformed Arcane Brotherhood in her war. After a retriever had presumably killed Drizzt and the demon army was advancing through Gauntlgrym, Eskavidne and Yiccardaria also granted to Zhindia the command of an army of risen driders.
Some time later, however, Eskavidne and Yiccardaria took back the retrievers and pressed Zhindia to send all of her demons to search for and kill Zaknafein.
Afterward, however, Taayrul Armgo secretly went to Zhindia offering House Barrison Del'Armgo's assistance in her war in exchange for the promise to elevate Barrison Del'Armgo to the first seat but Zhindia insisted that she would be the absolute ruler of Menzoberranzan and Taaywrul went back to tell this to her Matron Mother.
Zhindia fought a final battle against the army of Menzoberranzan but during the fight the spells of Quenthel Baenre and Yvonnel Baenre II managed to turn all the driders back into drow again in a miraculous event. When Zhindia screamed to Eskavidne and Yiccardaria, they started to laugh, and told her chaos was the will of Lolth and went back to the Abyss.
During the ensuing all-out civil war, Gromph Baenre, Artemis Entreri , and Cattie-brie attempted to assassinate Zhindia. However, they were foiled when she was possessed by Lolth, becoming her second avatar. She and her house were destroyed when Gromph Baenre returned to the city and detonated his staff, causing a large explosion that banished Lolth and her handmaidens for a hundred years.
==Relationships==
Zhindia was the daughter of Jerlys Horlbar, one of the former co-matrons of House Horlbar. Zhindia's cousin Jhelnae Melarn, an apostate, was the target of her greatest hatred, although the two had once been friends. Zhindia's patron was Sornafein Melarn, whom she truly loved, although she never allowed her feelings to show for fear of being seen as weak.
=== Artemis Entreri ===
Zhindia hated Artemis Entreri for having killed her daughter with a jeweled dagger. Zhindia feared that dagger ever since, because when it had taken the life of her daughter nothing remained of the woman. Her daughter's spirit was beyond resurrection and even Lolth's reach.
==Appendix==
===Appearances===
===References===
Category:Drow
Category:Matron mothers
Category:Members of House Horlbar
Category:Members of House Melarn (Menzoberranzan)
Category:Inhabitants of Lolth's Web
Category:Inhabitants of West Wall
Category:Inhabitants of Menzoberranzan
Category:Inhabitants of the Northdark
Category:Inhabitants of the Upperdark
Category:Inhabitants of Faerûn
Category:Inhabitants of Toril
Category:Inhabitants