The City of Spiders is the city-state at the center of power for the Underdark Empire of the Drow. It lies a couple miles below the area in the north of Faerûn near the city of Silverymoon. Tunnels connect it to the surface in the Moonwood and the western edge of the High Forest. Heavily guarded caverns and tunnels connect it with nearby (but far more shallow) Mithral Hall.
The city lies within an enormous cavern and filled with buildings of blue and green calcite and abundantly lit with Faerie Fire. Structures were built both from the floor-upward and suspended from or carved into the ceiling's stalactites a thousand feet above the floor. Spider webs and silken platforms spread throughout the city. The entire zone is woven with strange and ancient magics dampening echoes, reducing falls, suspending platforms, and providing surveillance, privacy, and defensive capabilities. Defenses include huge jade spider constructs.
It is nearly 5500 years old, founded by Lady Lolth and seven drow families (who have become vicious schemers against each other). Now populated by over 20,000 drow, with enslaved orcs, kobolds, gnolls, bugbears, goblins, ogres, minotaurs, quaggoths, trolls, and occasionally humans. It is not unknown for there to be beholders, deep dragons, naga, fiends, and even Illithid mind flayers in (temporary?) residence.
The Drow Houses of Menzoberranzan
The Eight Ruling Houses:
- House Baenre has prominently ruled for centuries, uncontested, dominated the priesthood and produced powerful wizards.
- House Barrison Del'Armgo - a fairly young house mainly of wizards and warriors, not priests.
- House Faen Tlabbar - fanatically devoted to Lolth, dwell in a dark castle.
- House Mizzrym - known for skill with illusion and deception.
- House Fey-Branche - mostly a lackey to other houses.
- House Melearn was formed from House Horlbar and House Kenafin.
- House Vandree - collectors of things from the surface (including trophies such as skulls).
- House Do'Urden - fallen, but later restored.
Notable other drow houses include:
- House Duskryn - known for cruelty.
- House Kenafin - known for females subjugating their males.
- House Freth , House Symryvvin , House Horlbar
- House Nasadra
has been exiled long ago and founded another city called
Ched Nasad
, on the far side of the great fungus
Araumycos
, which was destroyed a century ago when they lost control of a summoned spider.
- House Xorlarrin - notable wizards, exiled and formed the city of Q'Xorlarrin .
- House Agrach Dyrr - now vassals of House Baenre after betrayal.
Deceased houses include:
- House S'sril , an original founding house - died off lack of heirs.
- House Thaeyalla
- great wizards, now fallen/deceased.
- House Oblodra - gifted in psionic powers.
- House DeVir - lost favor with Lolth.
- House Hun'ett , House Tuin,Tarl , House Teken'duis , House Srune'Lett
(See also: wiki )