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Location Info
| Type | Drow City-State |
| Region | Deep Underdark |
| Status | Not visited — relevant to backstory |
| Ruler | Matron Mother (House Baenre) |
| Part of | Underdark |
The greatest drow city in the Underdark — a massive cavern filled with stalagmite towers, bioluminescent fungi, and the web of noble house politics. Menzoberranzan is built on hierarchy, assassination, and devotion to Lolth.
Layout
The city occupies a huge cavern. Noble houses are built into stalagmites and stalactites on tiered ledges. House Baenre holds the highest tier — Qu'ellarz'orl — in the main cavern.
Noble Houses (Campaign Relevant)
| House | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| House Baenre | First House | Matron Yvonnel Baenre; Lireal is Liriel Baenre; Jarlaxle by blood |
| House Vandree | Lower nobility | NPCs/Underdark/Valera Jazeera Vandree (alias: Jezerra); Othorion's connection |
| House Agrach Dyrr | Absorbed into Baenre | After 1372 DR; strong magical wards |
| House Hun'ett | Destroyed | Fell to drow justice; considered defiance of Lolth to rebuild |
| House Mizzrym | Active | Skilled illusionists; traders; hires mercenaries |
| House Xorlarrin | Active | Besieged Agrach Dyrr; now Baenre-aligned |
| House Oblodra | Destroyed (1482 DR) | Homebrew: an earlier "destruction" was a deliberate ploy — the Ruling Council kept them because their strength was too valuable. The real, complete destruction came more recently, ordered directly by Lolth when they grew too powerful. Known survivor: Zesstra Velkyn'Oblodra (the Scarlet Widow, drider-transformed). |
Key Locations Within
| Location | Description |
|---|---|
| Qu'ellarz'orl | House Baenre's ledge; the Great Mound; house chapel |
| Narbondellyn | The merchant district |
| The Bazaar | Menzoberranzan's sprawling market |
| The Braeryn | The slums (the Stenchstreets) |
Campaign Threads
- Othorion's biological family — are they a House in Menzoberranzan? Which one?
- Lireal's departure from House Baenre — what does Matron Baenre know?
- Jarlaxle's relationship to Menzoberranzan — he operates from Luskan but has family here
- House Vandree: Valera Jazeera's (alias Jezerra) ties to Menzoberranzan — why was she recalled from Luskan, and does she have new obligations there?
- Is the Blackrazor prophecy ("something the Drow wove into his bloodline") connected to a Menzoberranzan house?