Menzoberranzan

```

## Geography

 ### Type

 City

## Society

 ### Demonym

 Menzoberranyr

 ### Races

 Drow, slave races (various humanoids)

 ### Religions

 Lolth

## Commerce

 ### Exports

 Fungi, molds, exotic culinary ingredients, poisons, potions, oils, elixirs, jewelry, perfume, silk, and well-trained slaves

## Politics

 ### Gov't type

 Matriarchal theocracy

 ### Ruler

 The Ruling Council

## History

 ### Population

 20,000 (not including slaves)

```

The great drow city of Menzoberranzan is a glittering jewel in the crown of Graz'zt, Demon Lord of Spiders. Menzoberranzan was the site of the demon lords' appearance in the Underdark, and the Demogorgon left a wake of destruction as the lash of his tentacles demolished all in his path. Since the events of the *War of the Spider*, the drow of Menzoberranzan have cast off the yolk of Lolth in favor a new patron.

The City of Spiders is carved out of and built within a great cavern the drow call *Araurilcaurak*, its vault soaring a thousand feet above the stone floor. Drow dwellings and strongholds are carved from massive stalagmites and stalactites, connected with delicate-looking bridges of hardened spider silk and lit with coldly glowing purple fires.

## **Locations**

### **The Dark Dominion**

The rock surrounding the city is honeycombed with tunnels and passageways forming the Dark Dominion, a territory claimed by the drow but not part of the city proper. Home to all manner of Underdark denizens, this maze forms part of Menzoberranzan's defenses as well as its underworld-a dangerous place for dark dealings and clandestine meetings.

### **The Bazaar**

This 750-foot-wide circle of bare bedrock is a crowded, untidy labyrinth of stalls, many of which were flattened or torn asunder by the Demogorgon. Merchants who survived the attack are slowly returning to the Bazaar and cleaning up the mess, but little business is happening here at present. Drow commoners go quietly about their business, heads down and hoods drawn.

### **The Braeryn**

The Braeryn (also known as "the Stenchstreets") is a shantytown of ramshackle structures overlooking garbage-choked alleyways, inhabited by the dregs of drow society. Fallen priestesses, bankrupt merchants, escaped slaves, and the homeless or maimed are common here, as are visitors to the city who wish to go unnoticed.

### **Donigarten**

Donigarten is the name given to a large lake and the surrounding farmland that dominates the eastern part of the cavern. Herds of rothe graze the island at the center of the lake, whose northern and western shores hold broad stretches of slave-tended fungi fields that feed much of Menzoberranzan.

### **Duthcloim**

Known commonly as "Manyfolk," the area surrounding the Bazaar and bordered by the Clawrift to the east is home to Menzoberranzan's merchants, tradesfolk, and crafters. Duthcloim features small inns, taprooms, and pleasure houses catering to locals, visitors, and high-status drow seeking distraction. Parts of Duthcloim were damaged or destroyed after the Demogorgon emerged from the Clawrift. Nevertheless, business has been booming as drow celebrate the deaths of rivals.

* Dark Hunters' Haven

### **Eastmyr**

Eastmyr bridges the gap between prosperous Duthcloim and the down-and-out despair of the Braeryn. It is home to the common merchants, tradesfolk, mercenaries, and crafters either making their way up the social ladder or trying to slow the downward descent of shifting fortunes. Though this area suffered relatively little damage during the Demogorgon's rampage, its population has swelled with formerly high-profile drow forced out of their homes and holdings.

* House Hunzrin

### **Kyorbblivvin**

Kyorbblivvin is a spider-haunted forest of giant mushrooms that spreads across the northern portion of the Qu'ellarz'orl plateau. Members of the great houses use Kyorbblivvin as a private hunting domain.

### **Narbondel**

The most dominant feature within the city, Narbondel is a 1,000-foot-tall column of rock that helps support the cavern ceiling. At the same time each day, the city's archmage (or a representative from Sorcere) magically heats Narbondel's base, causing the stone to glow. The band of warm light rises slowly up the column to mark the passage of time, taking twenty-four hours to reach the top.

### **Narbondellyn**

The estates of the various drow houses are clustered beneath the plateau of Qu'ellarz'orl in an area called Narbondellyn, allowing the superiors of those drow to literally look down upon them. Although it was the primary battleground during the *War of the Spider*, the so-called "Broad Streets" district remains the bright center of Menzoberranzan, as the lesser houses vie to outdo each other in shows of wealth, power, and influence. Soaring stalagmite towers and great manors rise across the area, which is also home to luxury shops, pleasure houses, and discriminating merchants.

* House Melarn
* House Ousstyl

### **Qu'ellarz'orl**

Untouched by the demonic rampage, the high southern plateau of Menzoberranzan is home to many of the oldest and greatest noble houses, with House Baenre situated at the plateau's highest point, to the east. At the west end of Qu'ellarz'orl is a small cavern containing a sculpted stalagmite tower. Within this tower rests the Chamber of the Ruling Council, where the matron mothers of the seven great drow houses gather with the Council of Spiders and meet.

* House Baenre
* House Mizzrym (destroyed)
* House Xorlarrin
* Ruins of House DeVir

### **The Rifts**

Three large chasms score the floor of the cavern of Menzoberranzan.

* Clawrift, where the demons appeared after Gromph's summoning failed.
* Mistrift
* Westrift

### **Tier Breche**

The Great Stair of Tier Breche rises from the floor of Menzoberranzan to the cavern housing the three branches of the Academy.

* Melee-Magthere, a pyramid-shaped edifice where drow warriors are trained.
* Arach-Tinilith, a spider-shaped cathedral where drow priests worship their demon lord.
* Sorcere, a magnificent tower where drow mages learn to master the magical arts.

### **West Wall**

West Wall (also called "the Old Quarter") is a primarily residential neighborhood. Largely untouched by the demonic assault on the city, West Wall is a quiet district, as its residents like to keep their dark schemes and vile indulgences behind closed doors. Amid the twisting streets and quiet mansions of West Wall stand scores of stone monuments dedicated to important figures and moments of the city's history, as well as numerous statues and graven images of Lolth, which have been mostly destroyed and defaced during the *War of the Spider*.

* House Duskryn
* House Vandree (destroyed)
* Ruins of House Do'Urden

## **Organizations**

All drow characters mentioned below have the following features in addition to any statistic blocks referenced:

* ***Fey Ancestry.*** The drow has advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put it to sleep.
* ***Innate Spellcasting.*** The drow's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma. It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:
	+ At will: *dancing lights*
	+ 1/day each: *darkness*, *faerie fire*, *levitate* (self only)
* ***Sunlight Sensitiviy.*** While in sunlight, the drow has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.

### **The Ruling Council**

The Ruling Council is an assembly of the great High Houses of Menzoberranzan. They decide the laws, they dictate the actions the city takes against her enemies, and they enforce the will of the Demon Lord of Spiders. Before the *War of the Spider*, there were eight High Houses:

Notable members include:

* Yvonnel Baenre, matron mother of House Baenre and the absolute authority in the city.
* Zeerith Xorlarrin, matron mother of House Xorlarrin and mother to Severa Xorlarrin.
* Miz'ri Mizzrym, matron mother of House Mizzrym and ultimately responsible for the destruction of Tik-Tik's clutch.

After the *War of the Spider*, the Ruling Council changed notably. All of the current High Houses were strong supporters of House Baenre during the *War of the Spider*. The Spider Mage represents the Council of Spiders on the Ruling Council, which acts as an eighth voice outside the hierarchy of the High Houses.

### **The Church of Graz'zt**

The hierarchy of the Church of Graz'zt, Demon Lord of Spiders, assembles at Arach-Tinilith atop Tier Breche. This includes the highest-ranking and most powerful priests in Menzoberranzan. The Church of Graz'zt has recently supplanted to the Church of Lolth after the events of the *War of the Spider*.

Notable members include:

* Triel Baenre, high priestess of Graz'zt, headmistress of Arach-Tinilith, and first daughter of House Baenre.

### **Bregan D'aerthe**

Bregan D'aerthe is a mercenary company with a great deal of power and influence in Menzoberranzan, some might say it rivals the Ruling Council. Bregan D'aerthe benefits from its close ties to House Baenre. The tendrils of Bregan D'aerthe are far reaching, indeed, stretching as far north as the city of Luskan on the Sword Coast and as far south as Calimport.

Notable members include:

* Jarlaxle, leader of Bregan D'aerthe and second son of House Baenre.
* Sharlotta Vespers (a human), close ally of Pasha Pook and Bregan D'aerthe contact in Calimport.
* Rizzen Renethil, Bregan D'aerthe contact in Aion.

### **The Council of Spiders**

The clandestine organization known as the Council of Spiders was instrumental in the events that led to the *War of the Spider*. The council's goal was to overthrow the matriarchy of Menzoberranzan and throw off the shackles of Lolth so that they can truly strive to be a great people.

Notable members in Menzoberranzan include:

* The Spider Mage, an enigmatic figure who keeps an office in the depths of Sorcere.
* Gromph Baenre, the archmage of Menzoberranzan.
* The lichdrow Kharza-kzad, residing at Spelltower Xorlarrin while in Menzoberranzan.
* Severa Xorlarrin, an adventurer who helped to slay the dark lord Strahd von Zarovich and a mistress of eldritch mysteries at Sorcere.