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Location: Unknown (somewhere within the Underdark)
Inhabitants: Drow (20,000), Spiders, Slaves
Primary Deities: Lolth (spelled Lloth)
Secondary Deities: Vhaeraun, God of Trickery and Theiving
Government: Matriarchy, ruled by 8 Noble Houses, dominated by priestesses of
Lloth
This city is completely detailed in the Menzoberranzan boxed set, and will only be touched on here. Its location is up to the DM, but can be loosely determined by examining other cities to determine where it is not located and the distance between it and those other cities. It is known that Menzoberranzan is reasonably close to Mithral Hall and the western end of the Ice Mountains of the Savage Frontier. It is probably not that close to Skullport beneath Waterdeep. A good guess would put it near Silverymoon in the North. Menzoberranzan is approximately three miles beneath the surface, and 7-10 days from the trade center known as Mantol-Derith which is roughly at the same depth.
The city fills a large cavern, formerly a giant spider lair known by its dwarven name, Araurilcaurak (literally, 'Great Pillar Cavern', referring to Narbondel). The city was founded by Lloth-worshipping refugees led by the high priestess Menzoberra. Menzoberra led seven families away from the chaos of the war-torn city of Golothaer. Golothaer was destroyed by civil war between worshippers of Lloth and worshippers of Ghaunadaur. The end of the journey was punctuated by titanic battles between the drow following Menzoberra and dwarves of the Black Axe Clan and between the drow and the forces of Many Eyes, a monstrous beholder. Even after the city was founded, battles among the surviving drow nearly destroyed the city. Eventually House Nasadra broke off after disputes with House Thaeyalla and House S'sril and left to form their own city dedicated to the goddess called Ched Nasad. Not until the Way of Lloth was declared and refugees from Golothaer and Cloibbra arrived does Menzoberranzan begin to thrive.
Other power groups in the city include the mercenary company Bregan d'Aerthe, led by an outrageous drow known as Jarlaxle and secretly allied with House Baenre, and numerous merchants. Some merchant companies exist, including Xalyth's Company or [The Company of] Three Black Rings. Other merchants band together in 'fellowships' agreeing to cooperate in the use of facilities and in trade agreements such as The High Handed, The Black Claw (an open secret that it is controlled by House Baenre), and The Brown Mushroom (secretly controlled by House Fey-Branche and House Barrison Del'Armgo).