I may eventually make my own campaign, and I think I am going to make it in the Underdark, so I am looking for a list of as many Drow cities as possible. Can anyone help? I know the basics like Mensoberanzen, so I'm looking for some of the m,ore obscure ones. Please include what book you got your information from too, please!
These are good resources to have for this particular topic.
Underdark is quite useful, as are Drizzt Do'Urdens Guide to the Underdark and Menzoberranzan (both 2e).
Abaethaggar – *
Abburth – *
Allsihwhann – Done
Baereghel – *
Blingdenstone – Done
Calimshan – Done
Chaulssin, city of wyrmshadows – Done
Charrvhel’raugaust – *
Ched Nasad, city of shimmering webs – Done (Home of Krash) ;)
Cheth Rrhinn – *
Cormanthor – ¹Done
Dallnothax – Done
Erelhei-Cinlu – *
Eryndlyn – Done
Faeneadar – *
Guallidurth, the temple city of Lolth – Done
Haundrauth – *
Holldaybim – Done
Iskasshyoll – Done
Ithilaughym – *
Jhachalkhyn – ¹
Karsoluthiyl – Done
Kyorlamshin – ¹
Llurth Dreir, the accursed city – Done
Luihaulen’tar – *
Maeralyn – ¹
Maerimydra – Done
Mantol Derith – Done
Menzoberranzan, city of spiders – Too Much (Done)
Orlytlar – *
Rilauven – ¹
Sarenestar (Forest of Mir) – *
Skullport – ¹
Sshamath – *
Sshindylryn (Sshanntynlan) – Done
Szith Morcane (Szithlin) – ¹
Telantiwar – *
T’lindhet – Done
Tyrybblyn – *
Uluitur – ¹
Ultoksamrin – Done
Undermountain – ¹
Undraeth – *
Undrek’Thoz, the segmented city – Done
Ust Natha – Done
V’elddrinnshar – *
Waethe Hlammachar – *
Yuethindrynn – *
* Means I have nothing as of yet
¹ Means I have some stuff, but could use more
Note: This is a list of areas where Drow have a 'significant' presence, and are not all Drow cities.
Some of these places Ive heard of but some Ive haven't. These I haven't:
Abaethaggar
Abburth
Allsihwhann
Baereghel
Charrvhel’raugaust
Cheth Rrhinn
Dallnothax
Faeneadar
Haundrauth
Holldaybim
Iskasshyoll
Ithilaughym
Jhachalkhyn
Kyorlamshin
Luihaulen’tar
Maeralyn
Mantol Derith
Orlytlar
Rilauven
Szith Morcane (Szithlin)
Telantiwar
T’lindhet
Tyrybblyn
Uluitur
Ultoksamrin
Undraeth
Ust Natha
V’elddrinnshar
Waethe Hlammachar
Yuethindrynn
What are the book/books that have information on any of these? The Underdark book, I ordered and should be getting within a week. And what do you mean "done"? Are those cities gone is that what you mean?
It lists the following names of drow cities ... (with a rough location on the map, of course, below ground)
Abaethaggar
Abburth
Baereghel
Charrvhel'raugaust
*Chaulssin (100 miles west of Citadel Adbar)
*Ched Nasad (High Gap, Graypeak Mountains)
Cheth Rrhinn
Dusklyngh (200 miles north of the Frozen Forest & 100 miles east of Anauroch
Eryndlyn (120 miles east of Illefarn
Faneadar
Guallidurth (70 miles WNW Calimport
Haundrauth
Ithilaughym
Jhachalklyn
Karsoluthiyl (200 miles west of Baldur's Gate)
*Llurth Dreier (beneath the Shaar)
Luihaulen'tar
Maeralyn (20 miles west of Tharsult)
*Maerimydra (100 miles west of Zhentil Keep)
*Menzoberranzan (100 miles west of Silverymoon)
Orlytlar
*Sschindylryn (220 miles north of Elversult)
*Sshamath (200 miles east of Scornubel)
Sshanntynlan
Szithlin
Tlethtyrr
*T'lindeth (Dambrath)
Tyrybblyn
Uluitur
Undraeth
*Undrek-thoz (actually a city made up of seven cities, first appearing in Underdark)
V'elddrinnsshar (West Galena Mountains)
Waerglarn
Waethe Hlammachar
Yuethindrynn
Ruined cities (pre 1370)
Bhaerynden
Cloibbra
Clorlyth'naa'tsheen
Golothaer (the city from which Menzoberranzan and Ched Nasad rose)
Obbolor
There are a few more settlements out and about (as noted above, e.g. Ust Natha), though whether these can be ranked as cities is everyone's guess. The definite source for any info on them are the Menzoberranzan boxed set, The Drow of the Underdark, Drizzt do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark, Underdark, Lands of Intrigue, City of the Spider Queen and Demihuman Deities. The 4E FRCG updates the fates of some drow settlements, as do the Lady Penitent novel series. The cities marked above with an * are the only ones you will find more info on than a couple of sentences though ... and even this might not be that much.
Ruined cities (pre 1370)
There is also Chaulssin. It was once a proud Drow City, but then some Shadow Dragons conquered it, enslaved the inhabitants and mixed with them to create some hybrids like half-drow-shadow dragons, drow-dragons and such stuff. Later these creatures overthrow the dragons, were driven to the plane of shadow because of some attack of lolthies favorites and some time ago they came back and since then, well it's now the headquarter of Jaezred Chaulssin, a bunch of drow dragon Vhearaunites, the guys who made a lot of trouble in the War of the Spider Queen.
Besides the novels, there is a Web Enhancement about it (if I find it, I make a link).
Sshamath (200 miles east of Scornubel)
And it's not the typical drow city. Here are male wizards the rulers and Lolthies only second or third in the ruling business. There is a description of the city in the Lady Penitent Series book 2 and a bit in book 3. Some stuff is also in Underdark.
Blingdenstone – Done
Wasn't that a snirvwhatever city?
Besides Drow of the Underdark, where is Erelhei-Cinlu mentioned and is it a city in the FR or suposed to be on another world?
Maerimydra is described in City of the Spider Queen and if I'm not mistaken then the place of the final battle in the Lady Penitent Series, book 2 Storm of the Dead. Not a nice place, since Kiaransalees folowers conquered it and made a little zombie party there.
Chaulssin infos can also be found here:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070425a
About the drow in Undermountain is something written in the Lady Penitent series, it was a city of slimy Ghaunadaur worshippers. But they left long time ago and since then it became the headquarter of Elistraeeans in form of the socalled Promenade. But this was also destroyed in 1379 DR and that's the last I heard of them.
Maybe there are also some infos about drow cities in there:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20020907a
Besides Drow of the Underdark, where is Erelhei-Cinlu mentioned and is it a city in the FR or suposed to be on another world?
Erelhei-Cinlu belongs to Greyhawk, not the Realms.
Besides Drow of the Underdark, where is Erelhei-Cinlu mentioned and is it a city in the FR or suposed to be on another world?
Erelhei-Cinlu belongs to Greyhawk, not the Realms.
-Actually, no. If I recall correctly, MT found evidence of it being present in the Forgotten Realms (I think the 2e Drow of the Underdark [a Forgotten Realms product] outright states that city as being in the Forgotten Realms' Underdark), and I'm sure he'll elaborate.
Another question (sorry for using your thread Dave), is Ust Natha mentioned outside the PC game Baldur's Gate II? I have never found it in the list of Underdark or the other books I have.
Does someone remember the name of the Drow city in the Icewind Dale games and in Neverwinter Nights? Not sure if that were names of cities described or mentioned in the sourcebooks.
As with other FR licensed products, Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale stuff became canon and Ust Natha is mentioned in The Grand History of the Realms. All info on the place must be gleaned from BG II though.
The city mentioned in Icewind Dale is AFAIK Rilauven and you won't get more info on it that there.
and Ust Natha is mentioned in The Grand History of the Realms.
really? Hm, must have slipped through right under my nose. Shame on it!
The drow settlement in NWN: Hordes of the Underdark is Lith My'Athar.
Is it just my PC that underlines everything just now? (Of course, when I quote this sample nothing will be there ... Mulder, Scully?)
Is it just my PC that underlines everything just now? (Of course, when I quote this sample nothing will be there ... Mulder, Scully?)
Well, I didn't underline any part of my statement, so...
Is it just my PC that underlines everything just now? (Of course, when I quote this sample nothing will be there ... Mulder, Scully?)
-Is your tongue coated? Do you see spots before your eyes? I fear you may have rabbititis...
Thank you everyone else for the additional information on those places.
Rabbit season!
Thank you everyone else for the additional information on those places.
If you are going for a drow campaign...
I suggest Undrek'Thoz...
Each segment has its own flavor so it will allow for some interesting game play...this is just brief.
Drezz'Lynur - Segment of Darkness due to the photo-sensitive fungi that the drow use to make a profitable hallucinogenic. Lights are banned.
Brundag - Heart of the LE Monastery Order of the Blackened Fists, who are very influential in the city due to the nature of the portals.
Nanitaran - Skill with your mouth is key here, with strong ties to Bardic tradition. Insults and put-downs fly wild, while direct physical violence in responce to a insult is a punishable offense.
Sshurlynder - With a steady stream of adventurers coming in...there is always fun pitting them against the goblinoids in Upperdark as well as sending annoyances to other segments.
Fyvrek'Zek - Geothermal vents keep the temp up to 90 all year round. The clothes are bare minimal and the drow here have made use of the geothermal energy in a almost dwarflike mechanical way.
Jenn'Yxir - Slave trade rules...if you are not drow...and you are not a slave...you are fair game.
Phaundakulzan - Unusual because there are a high number of sorcerers when normally wizards are dominant.
Vrasl - Necromancy...the dead out number the living here. Becareful not to destroy someone elses undead...there may be some nasty fines...
Mezrylornyl - Wizards who maintain the portal system of all the segments run this region.
Trun'Zoyl'Zl - Worshipping any deity other than Lolth is punishable by death (duh)...but this rule applies to other races as well. People who worship other gods/goddess are punished with death unless they can come up with several thousand gold pieces worth of bribes that are to be paid to the "proper" authorities.
Erelhei-Cinlu belongs to Greyhawk, not the Realms.
Yeah but we stole it Planescape style! It came into realms posesssion when it was named in the 2E DotU :P
Yeah but we stole it Planescape style! It came into realms posesssion when it was named in the 2E DotU :P
Possible that it came into your tainted Realms, full of flaws and finally corrupted by 4e, but not into mine, shining and bright as ever. :D
Yeah but we stole it Planescape style! It came into realms posesssion when it was named in the 2E DotU :P
I think there was a reason why it never actually made it into the sourcebooks though. If something as prominent as Erelhei-cinlu had been within Realmspace, they would have picked on it. (BTW, I don't think that EC comes anywhere near an archetypical drow city, not to mention a FR drow city.)
Up until spellplague, the "most important" drow city was probably Guallidurth, the "most infamous" Menzoberranzan. There is no wonder that the latter is probably still the one known best among surfacers, something that "had to be done" after its prominence in the novels (who in turn only presented someone who would hardly be a prominent figure on Faerûn (outside the novels)).
On the other hand, Ched Nasad and Maerymidra aren't reconstructed.
Fortunately, Menzoberranzan survive, but it has some rarely changes... for example, the Melarn's house...
Riley
With de 4th edition the drow cities loose more power... Eryndlyn is destroyed by the spellsplague...
In the other hand, Ched Nasad and Maerymidra aren't reconstructed.
Fortunately, Menzoberranzan survive, but it has some rarely changes... for example, the Melarn's house...
Riley
The Melarn House stuff was quite absurd. Some lower Houses merged to form a new House Melarn in honour of Lolth's Lady Penitent, whom no-one in Menzo really ever saw ... and those who did were either slain or pressed into her service, as she viewed herself as some sort of demi-goddess. Thus, creating a House in her name in a Lolth-dominated city would no sense at all, as it was from the off herecy at its best.
Killing off Triel was another needless thing, but we had to keep to the tradition of the mean and nasty kin-slaying drow, don't we?
Thats why I stick to my opinion that 4eFR looks more like four different guy's homebrew FR campaigns then one cohesive one.
Many things appear to be done just because 'someone' preferred the events had turned out a certain way, rather then because any sort of logic was applied.
Thats why I stick to my opinion that 4eFR looks more like four different guy's homebrew FR campaigns then one cohesive one.
That is funny. ;)
Not exactly, since they made canon lore of it ...
If it wasn't so sad, it'd be funny... ;)
Weird thought - whenever I see this thread title, I keep thinking Atro Cities. :D
There a joke in there somewhere...
The drow that do exist there are all slaves.
Note that by the year of the Ageless One, Maerimydra is no longer a drow city - fire giants took over after the faithful of Kiaransalee where defeated, and they rule the place now.
The drow that do exist there are all slaves.
That totally rocks! :P
To Fire Giants?
Thats so bizarre... that I think I like it. :D
As much as this retcon in the same entry ...
A powerful priestess of the drow goddess of the undead (who was slain by Lolth long ago)...
...? Other monsters of the Underdark have held drow as slaves, aboleths, beholders and the like. Nothing new in that, especially since 3E reduced large chunks of drow society to NPC classes.
Personally, I'll treat it as this: that the fire giants, when they claimed the city, found traces of a drow goddess of undeath, but could not recall anything about such a goddess existing - leaving them (naturally) to conclude that the goddess must have been slain (obviously by Lolth), and that this must have occurred 'long ago' (since tehrwis ethey surelyw oudl ahe heared of her before).
Gomez
As to what really happened to Kiaransalee's divinity... I prefer to think she's still out there. It has much more potential.
As to what really happened to Kiaransalee's divinity... I prefer to think she's still out there. It has much more potential.
-Worshipers are only part of a deity's total power base. Even without worshipers, she still has the power that her specific portfolios give her. Every time a Drow seeks revenge and retribution, unknowingly or not, they're "feeding" Kiaransalee.
-And, plus, she has the whole world of Threnody, so who knows what's going on there. There could very well be plenty of worshipers there to sustain her without Realmspace.
My point was that because everyone in the Realms either forgot about her or went insane, it is not so strange that - in character - people would make that conclusion, simpyl because they don't have any knowlegde of what really happened.
As to what really happened to Kiaransalee's divinity... I prefer to think she's still out there. It has much more potential.
Note that the spell explicitly worked on 'drow in contact with faerzress at the time' and no-one and nothing else. Books and tomes, shrines and runes are not amongst this, worshippers of her on other planes (we know of the Banshee Knights crusader order* that does a lot of planewalking while hunting Orcus folk) are neither, and one may even argue about drow not being in the Underdark at the time of this mega - breaking-all-known-lore - casting by the drow wizard and his underlings. Anyone returning from the planes or reading a temple's inscriptions and holy text would be able to reestablish her faith in no-time. At least if you go by the description of the spell. (If I had to write somesuch, I'd have tried to make it water-tight before presenting it to the audience.)
It was the intent to get her off the record books, so she had to go somehow. Lolth could have easily reclaimed the part of the Abyss that belonged to Kiaransalee, once she was weakened enough, you would assume. Still, if slain, as by existing lore, her body would float in the Astral Plane (Sea) and her divine essence could be adressed by utilizing special means, e.g. the Servant of the Fallen feat (Lost Empires of Faerûn).
*For some reason, they never appeared in LP II for some matter, even though their chapter house was on the Acropolis of Thanatos.
Ust Natha is mentioned in The Grand History of the Realms. All info on the place must be gleaned from BG II though.
Is it really mentioned in there? Where? Didn't notice it.
Melarn: really weird.
Quenthel/Triel: suspected it.
Sorry there's no Pharaun around.
And the Erelhei-Cinlu references may be a mistake. There's Kiaran's Vault of something and somebody might have confused it.
Note that the spell explicitly worked on 'drow in contact with faerzress at the time' and no-one and nothing else.
I had the impression it was more serious than that - for how else would it be enough for her to dissapear? Surely an author would have realized that much when he wrote up the ritual?
I haven't read the series though (and I am really unsure if I should), but I have, and still am, assuming that she wasn't killed - just forgotten.
Gomez
I had the impression it was more serious than that - for how else would it be enough for her to dissapear? Surely an author would have realized that much when he wrote up the ritual?
I haven't read the series though (and I am really unsure if I should), but I have, and still am, assuming that she wasn't killed - just forgotten.
Gomez
Sure it should have been more serious than that, but that was never written. Much lore is missing about the Selvetarmites, the Vhaeraun and Eilistraee folk who jumped ship when the two latter gods were merged et al.
Ust Natha is mentioned in TGHotR in the 1368 D.R. entry.
Surely an author would have realized that much when he wrote up the ritual?
-There's a lot that Lisa Smedman seemed to either forget, or didn't know, in just the Lady Penitent trilogy.
Easier to write-in, both for authors and DMs.
There was originally a third paragraph to that bit which was excised by the editing process. It read:
"Sschindylryn's Gate leads to the world of Oerth, specifically the Underdark beneath the great range of mountains known as the Hellfurnaces. As the two-way gate's terminus lies near the Vault of the Drow, it is not surprising that ancient tales mistakenly speak of a drow city named Erelhei-Cinlu somewhere deep beneath the Savage Frontier".
-- George Krashos
Thats pretty-much how I figured it, and how LK wrote it up (I think).
It makes the list because at one time there was contact with that city and Faerûn's Drow cities.
Neat. :D
Thats pretty-much how I figured it, and how LK wrote it up (I think).
It makes the list because at one time there was contact with that city and Faerûn's Drow cities.
-I never did anything with the city yet. If I remember correctly- and I don't know if I do- I think we were theorizing that it was a city built at a place with weak planar boundaries, making the city "sort of" on Abeir-Toril was well as Oerth. Something like a Sigil of the Underdark, I think. I don't know...
On p.68 of "Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark" there are a few paragraphs on Sschindylryn's Gate.
There was originally a third paragraph to that bit which was excised by the editing process. It read:
"Sschindylryn's Gate leads to the world of Oerth, specifically the Underdark beneath the great range of mountains known as the Hellfurnaces. As the two-way gate's terminus lies near the Vault of the Drow, it is not surprising that ancient tales mistakenly speak of a drow city named Erelhei-Cinlu somewhere deep beneath the Savage Frontier".
-- George Krashos
Which would have explained the listing of Erelhei-cinlu in Ed Greenwood's The Drow of the Underdark. Thank's for that note, which will be added to "my" book instantly!
There was originally a third paragraph to that bit which was excised by the editing process.
Darn editing. :P
-- George Krashos
:whatsthis @LK - the premise was that a group of 'Orthodox' Drow (if you could even imagine such a thing) broke-off from the rest in Faerûn and travelled VERY deep into the Underdark, eventually founding a settlement of their own, in what they thought was a very out-of-way portion of Toril's Underdark.
But turned out to be on another world entirely.
For awhile, the most religous zealots of Lolth's followers sought this new settlement - Erelhei-Cinlu - and mangaed to find their way there. Over time, however, contact was lost with that city of fanatics and the name has just become a legend witihn Toril.
This explains three seperate things - how the Torillian Drow had an Oerth city on their list, how the Drow first went to Oerth (since we now know for a canon fact that the descent curse occurred on Toril), and also why the Drow of Oerth are TRULY evil and more dedicated to Lolth (who is still known as The Demon Queen of Spiders there).
Fortunately, there is only one major grouping of Drow on Oerth (that I am aware of), so that works, and it also ties in nicely to that bit that George just added (obviously the passage to that 'lost city' was actually through Sschindylryn's Gate).
It all comes full-circle and works out fine.
Nar'Vheen, in Earthfast Mtns in the Vast.
On the other hand...
Ust Natha is mentioned in The Grand History of the Realms. All info on the place must be gleaned from BG II though.
Is it really mentioned in there? Where? Didn't notice it.
Yes. It's appears in "1368 DR Year of the Banner", page 148 of "Grand History of the Realms"
Riley
There's plenty of information in Elves of Faerûn.
Any on Navy S.E.A.L.S of Faerûn? ;)
–206 Year of Elfsorrows: The last Coronal of Illefarn is murdered by raiders from Jhachalkyn, a drow city deep beneath the southeastern Neverwinter Woods.
One thing, Lord Karsus, I can't visit de Forgotten Realms Vault boards...
¿The web is closed?Riley
-For the time being, the message board part is, because the web host, Alediran, is doing some tweaking to it. I don't know exactly what all of that means, but hopefully, it'll be back up soon.