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Menzoberranzan#

Quenthel Baenre is the magnificent matriarch

city not in great shape after demon lords.
place raided by Irae.

Quenthel + Silth still alive. All priests have been out investigating the underdark. Taking over Gracklstough after Menzo's demise. They defeated Fraz there. They teleported most of their city on top of it? They have more control over the world if they just sit this one out (fits the evil archetype).

Development#

NB: players never went here, never fleshed it out more than what's in this doc
- some time pre-07-sloobludop-ritual - demogorgon raised in the city, plows through causing huge damage
- ilvara sent to chase party escaped from velkynvelve
- ???
- EP122 players scry on kiaransalee as she destroys the city

Kiaransalee Destruction Scene#

They will guaranteed scry on kiaransalee. Here's the cutscene:

  • Your vision is taken toward an immaculate looking female elf. Long flowing white hair, silk woven dress, starkly contrasting dark skin, and wielding a large staff.
  • You only fixate on her for a second a she points her staff up in an eastern direction
  • and as you adjust your eyes, you see 5-10-20 a large number of other female drow with a variety of different adornments / armor / weapons at the ready
  • some are charging in, others are retreating
  • you see two giant spiders with humanoid bodies (from the torso up), lead the charge with swords in hand
  • a lightning bolt emanates from one of the drow priestesses staff, rightward
  • your sight fixates onto it, rightward, where you see an immediate green flash
  • you see the visage of Kiaransalee, as the green visage of her head tilts to the side
  • valindra crazy voice: "ahh, that was quite the jolt. "
  • TOOD: someone can hit her here to reinforce the difficulty of hitting valindra's form
  • "anyway. ladies, nice to make your acquiantance, but you have unfinished business, and as servants of lolth, I am afraid I must test you."
  • slaps both hands together, starts channelling, see a green fiery orb in the center form as she quickly moves her hands apart
  • 1s into the channelling she turns her hands, both palms facing openly towards the drow as this enormous cone of green wretched energy pulsate over the battlefield
  • seconds pass before you get another glimpse.
  • you see a the sinking form of a giant spider, the humanoid shape previously attached now sinking into the ground on the side, in what looks like a pool of acid
  • a large part of the drow army lies fallen, the previously beautiful white silk dress on the high ranking drow, corroded away, as still corroding acid coat parts of her her naked flesh.
  • strained "i am the matron Quenthil Baenrae, and you are treading upon the domain of the Araushnee, the Weaver of Destiny, the Fleshcarver, the Queen of Spiders"
  • "your actions will have consequences"
  • the matron mother starts summoning a yochlol (demonic yellow ooze creature with a giant eye) appaers from a huge transluscent and disembodied eye that suddenly scans the battlefield. as this quickly completes you see a flash of white from kiaransalee.
  • Irae arrogant voice: "I look upon your pathetic little faces, cowering as my minions merely pass through your city..."
  • (for the first time you vision gets to scan the city for a few seconds, drow, clearly, but not one you've seen)
  • (giant cave system with a huge gash running straight through the city, large fallen towers, and huge talon shaped footmarks(DEMOGORGON) from a creature at least 20ft tall)
  • Irae: "tell me; how much did Araushnee help when the prince of demons said hello? how many of your houses fell to a single creature"
  • Irae: "face it, your backstabbing leader uses you like puppets. tell your citizens to lay down their weapons and at least THEY will be spared"
    TODO: lolth takeover to indicate lolth subplot?
  • Quenthil: "I will never do your dirty work for you, you traitorous." YOOOCCHHLOOOL
  • improv: as scythes come out, slashes through yochlol with ease
  • improv: slow movement up to her // blink into high level Blight touch? as she nears death? maybe modify memory.
  • Irae: "if you are willing to sacrifice a city for your misguided deity, then you will be the first to suffer."
  • describe extremely violent scene: blight necroticing arms, legs, just a torso left with a head left, a floating black needle comes out, sowing the mouth of the matron shut with mage hand
  • describe force carry her with hold person concentration WHILE she scythes through the remaining warriors: showcase scythe badass slash
  • improv: put down the torso of the matron mother
  • Irae: "this is what your misguided principles get you"
  • improv: slowly drag the scythe up through her torso, guts slowly fall out, keeps dragging, matron passes out, she's healed to stay concious
  • Irae: "sleep well matron baenrae, enjoy the abyss." drags scythe quickly up through her head in a quick black flash, everything is quiet. two skull parts clank off in the distance
  • hear soft crunch as a disfigured, limbless, and headless torso is softly skewered, into a sword on the ground and left there, impaled

End of scene:
- purple flash; stoic voice from K
- "you all make it so grotesque. who are you putting on such a show for."
- "now we have to wait because of this."
- "yes, yes. calm down ladies. we will all get our revenge here."
- "but you know our purpose; we cannot let these innocent go to waste. we will raise them first."
- "a few thousand souls, minute to cast, best make ourselves comfortable for a little while"
- "but then we kill two birds in one stone in from Evernight to Neverwinter."

  • maybe turn her into an undead drider

NPCs#

  • silth
  • Tortured drow – nothing left but their ambition.

Hook#

Go there under an invisibility spell to learn what happened and gain their trust.

Maybe go there under the guise of Themberchaud or Adalon to regain eggs. Adalon is high enough level to cast a high level disguise on them.

Quests#

  • Kill a deep gnome patrol for them (but they'll be nice people)
  • Fight high ranking drow in arena for glory
  • Fight for an aboleth. Accidentally let it loose?
  • Someone selling them an artifact "protecting against magical effects" for 1kGP – does nothing.
  • Get extorted by a house leader threatening to reveal them. Hint about house to raid/loot/pillage.
  • Fetch Eye stalks / beholder blood for a matron mother
  • Free hostage eggs that keeps the silver dragon out ?
  • Help Matron Mother who's doing a ritual offering eggs to a demon
  • Replace eggs with fakes for Matron mother to ruin her ritual (4wannabe matron priestess)
  • Betray the wannabe matron mother to teach her a lesson (give her less obvious fake eggs from another priestess)
  • Must ensure matron is dead before leaving the city
  • Maybe give eggs to demon for boon and betray dragon

See Baldur's Gate II - Part 167- Whose eggs are we stealing again (HD) for crazy egg replacements story
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8WIJ9nV7Wo&index=167&list=PLB6451FEB6C825765
Stealth mission!

Matron mother has a Vestige. Reason for going through with all this.
Doing evil quests must hint at slow deterioration of morals. Particularly towards paladin (drop an ability temporarily as a warning).

Shade Maidens#

Narrated D&D Story: How A DnD Campaign Gave The Party Our Most Emotional & Tragic Moment (Ever)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLpoaQzU81U

Flowers that can mark people for death (no death saves), mind control

Initiation rite has 90% chance of success 10% chance of instant death

Females only. Males have chances reversed.

Treason => drider conversion