Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Faeryl Zauvirr 06-18-03, 04:09 AM	An NPC cleric of Lolth without spells, domain powers, and the ability to rebuke is almost no challenge for a party of the same level. I thought perhaps by loading the cleric up with magic items she would fare better, but the cleric was quickly defeated and her items split amongst the group. My party is now far more powerful tem they should be as a result (too many scrolls and potions:mad: ). I have not gotten a chance to look at City of the Spider Queen yet and I am still in consideration about using the super module, as the PCs seem very happy investigating the surface drow. So how can I use Lolths clergy as an appropiate challenge for my party whilst she is away?
Dargoth 06-18-03, 04:21 AM	Give them Rods of Cancellation and Scrolls that summon Rust Monsters :devil: Alternatively Make the drow unaffected by Lolths disappearance. For example Followers of Bane could still get spells if they where in a couple of Miles of a Banelich even after banes death during the time of troubles. So why not do something similar have a Yochlol stranded on the Prime Material plane and so long as the Drow clerics remain within a few miles of the Yochlol they are able to memorise and cast spells as they Yochlol is granting the spells
Orbdrin Mizzrym 06-18-03, 04:25 AM	Give her a Scourge of Fangs (typical famous snake-whip of any High Priestess), which was given stats in the City of the Spider Queen web add-on. The whip will strike at any good aligned creature attempting to wield it. Clerical scrolls can work, but that can give your players an extra edge, if they kill her and she still has a good deal of scrolls left. Best bet, I think, is give her some lackeys! What priestess should be without at least two/three 'trustworthy' drow males. Have her stand back, cast a few clerical spells, and order her male 'meat-shields' around. She will still have that 'presence' of being the big mean priestess, if she is ordering her minions to kill the party. Hand-crossbows with drow poison work well. Drow are feared for a lot of reasons. Chief among them, is their deviousness. Ambush, cheat, lie, steal. The drow will do anything to give them the advantage. Since the cleric doesn't have her typical powers, scale her CR down, by lowering her level. Balance the encounter by adding more minions, or minions of higher level, to create an appropriate CR for the encounter.
Masakado 06-18-03, 11:55 AM	Take Orbdrin Mizzrym's approach. The clergy of Lolth hasn't surived this long by the use of personal magic alone. They've instilled enough fear in their underlings to insure their service, and probably have more than a few magical items tucked away for emergencies. Scale down her CR, as previously mentioned, to account for the lack of spellcasting power, & boost the normal number of bodies (drow, bugbears, etc.) available for her to throw at PC's.
Faeryl Zauvirr 06-19-03, 02:02 AM	Thanx Dargoth, Orbdrin Mizzrym, and Masakado they are some great suggestions :).
Darnek Wyrnin 06-19-03, 06:29 AM	Well... there is a drow God that is under Lolths command... why not let him give the Lolth clerics spells while she is gone?
Crust 06-19-03, 09:54 AM	Since I run my games in the Shadowdale area, I've had drow attack the surface from Grimstead and beneath the Tower of Ashaba. They recently made an attempt on Mourngrym's life during a past orc siege. Since having read Dissolution, the drow activity has completely dissolved in my campaign. Why should drow be worrying about the surface when their goddess has gone silent? Whether they be males or females, priestesses or not, the drow have better things to worry about than getting their butts handed to them in an environment they have no advantage in. Until the problems in the War of the Spider Queen series is resolved, I doubt I'll use drow much, it at all, in my campaign (unless the next three novels give me reason to do otherwise).... Maybe the Vhaeraun worshippers could find a role in my campaign... I don't know. There's just something special about a power-mad priestess with a whip of fangs. Anything else seems... un-drow.
Orbdrin Mizzrym 06-19-03, 07:43 PM	In the War of the Spider Queen series, they have yet to address Selvetarm and his clergy. I figure that there are so few of his clerics around, in comparison to the Lolthite clergy, that there is no reason to mention his clerics retaining their powers. However, he is protecting Lolth's domain, and while he does this, he might be unable to grant spells. If you read Condemnation, you know a bit of what happens.
Telagaunt 06-19-03, 08:13 PM	Not only that, but most priests (priestesses) of Lolth are female. They're too stubborn and arrogant to pray to a male god (despite his relation to Lolth) IMO. Even if he is what, Lolth's son?
KaeYoss 06-20-03, 08:28 AM	Selvetarm is the son of Vhaeraun, so he's the Grandson of Lolth. In the City of the Spider Queen, they reduced the ECL of drow priestresses by 1. (Most of the clerics in that game are priestesses of Kiaransalee, though). IMC, Selvetarm isn't there anymore to give anyone spells: Vhaeraun took the chance (after all, Sel cannot hide behind granny when she locks herself in) and assassinated Selvetarm when he was fighting an Elven Demigod (which is a homemade addition to the Seldarine)
Orbdrin Mizzrym 06-20-03, 04:31 PM	Selvetarm is the son of Vhaeraun and Zandilar (Now an aspect of Sharess). He nearly turned to Eilistraee but was tricked by Lolth into battling the demi-god Zanassu, a powerful demon with a spider aspect. From there, he turned evil and now serves Lolth as her knight. He is still worshipped as Zanassu by the Aranea of Chult, and other cults of non-drow.
KaeYoss 06-20-03, 05:01 PM	Originally posted by Orbdrin Mizzrym From there, he turned evil and now serves Lolth as her knight. Replace that "knight" with "lap dog"
Faeryl Zauvirr 06-21-03, 01:44 AM	Crust has a good point when he said: the drow have better things to worry about than getting their butts handed to them in an environment they have no advantage in But I believe that the only sensible thing for the Drow to do is continue to raid the surface. They must but up the act that nothing is wrong, else people are going to wonder why (especially Vhaerunian Drow) the 'Spider-kissers' have stopped raiding. This would lead to further problems. However keep in mind it didn't take Pharaun long to figure out that the priestesses had run out of magic. This is the part my PCs are up too. When we left off on the last session they were discussing why that 'stupid' drow didn't cast any spells. "Must be abit dim," said the Bard. Oh well... I guess they will get it sooner or later.
KaeYoss 06-21-03, 11:11 AM	Well, house Jaelre knows that Lolth has locked herself in and doesn't answer phone calls, and Vhaeraun himself went to knock on her doors (with his sword, no less). Kiaransalee worshippers have taken advantage of the situation, as well. I think that if Lolth won't come back within the year, the other members of the Dark Seldarine will grab all the power they can get, and many Spider-Kissers will either convert or die.