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Menzoberra

(Menzoberra the Kinless, Servant of Lloth, Dark Servant, Lloth's Eyes)

Demipower of the Abyss, CE
Portfolio: Settlements, Travel, Wanderers, Survival, Patron intercessor of Menzoberranzan and Ched Nasad
Aliases: None
Domain Name:      Unknown
Superior: Lloth
Allies: Selvetarm, Zinzerena
Foes: The Beholder, Dwarven, Elven, and Gnomish Pantheons
Symbol: Black tower spire rising above a black rock outcrop
Wor. Align.: CE, CN, LE, LN, N, NE
Menzoberra the Kinless was the drow priestess of Lloth that led the drow that established Menzoberanzan and Ched Nasad on their long trek through the underdark, fleeing the devastating wars in the drow city of Golothaer.  She died soon after the city that bears her name was founded and was apparently raised to the power of a minor demigoddess by Lloth, as the Spider Queen is fond of doing with many of her most powerful priestesses.  This is not, apparently, how she became an active power in the cities of Menzoberanzan and Ched Nasad, however.
     During the travel through the underdark and founding of the new city the commoners that had followed her had relied on Menzoberra to protect them from the whims of the nobles she had also gathered.  Given that ever drow and slave was needed to survive the journey, it is no wonder that the wise priestess became seen as a protector of the commoners against the whimsical cruelty of the nobles.  So it was that after her death a cult began in her name.  At first the cult tried to make it seem as though she was alive to blunt noble abuses but this quickly developed into worship (probably with the help of some witches of Lloth looking for servants).  As the worship increased Menzoberra began to answer spell requests and a new religion was born.

The Church

Clergy: Clerics, Witches
Clergy's Align.:      CE, CN, LE, NE
Turn Undead: C:  Yes; W:  No
Cmnd. Undead:      C:  No; W:  No
All Menzoberra's clergy receive religion (drow) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency.
     Menzoberra's followers are all male and female drow in and around Menzoberranzan and Ched Nasad.  She accepts both male and female drow as clergy of either sort but males are limited to 4th level unless they prove especially capable or perform some exceptional service (triple xp to rise any higher).  While Menzoberra lacks specialty priest(esse)s, many of her clerics (almost 1/2) are multi-classed hunters.  Her clergy are commonly referred to as Wanderers or Dark Wanderers regardless of rank.
     Menzoberra's worship sites are small, isolated shrines hidden in the wild underdark or in the home.  A few shrines stand near of exist inside common temples of Lloth in Menzoberranzan and Ched Nasad.  Three larger, separate shrines also exist in the mantle and are open to all.  These shrines aren't fortified or guarded but they are tended regularly so monsters have not been able to establish themselves nearby and waylay visitors (which isn't to say there's any guarantee wandering creatures won't happen on those visiting a shrine).  Only one such shrine is known to exist near Ched Nasad.  Menzoberra will not allow her followers to construct any large temples or grand cathedrals dedicated to her.  Hidden shrines in the wilds are occasionally guarded by drow waymarker runes or even sacred glyphs.  Menzoberra's sacred glyphs will not harm priestesses of Lloth, have the same deactivation codes as for a Llothian sacred glyph, and are limited to the same effects as drow waymarker runes.  Note that Menzoberra's clergy are not immune to Llothite sacred glyphs.

Dogma  It is the destiny of all drow to serve Lloth.  It is the destiny of the drow to conquer all of the underdark.  It is the duty of the faithful servants of Menzoberra to aid in this destiny.  By leading the drow to new settlements in the underdark, by teaching them to survive the dangers of the wilds, and by watching over those who would travel the wild underdark, the destiny of the drow will come to pass more quickly.  It is through our service in Menzoberra's house that we do Lloth's will.  The dictates of the Spider Queen and her minions will be followed always.

Day-to-Day Activities  Menzoberra's clergy lead caravans, hunts, and some patrols (not the city patrols organized under and headed by priestesses of Lloth).  They also teach classes in all the skills needed to survive in the underdark, including such non-weapon proficiencies as fungus identification, signaling, fire building, alertness, blind-fighting, and hunting.  Most importantly (at least until trade became such a major concern), they help establish new settlements in the underdark, whether these are farms, fortified mines, outposts, or the like.  Many such isolated settlements not only hire Menzoberra's clergy ahead of time but find it easier to keep them around over time than it is to find Llothite clergy willing to live away from the center of power, the city itself.  With the rise of trade a few houses have taken in followers of Menzoberra, though by council decree no follower of Menzoberra can ever become a noble (they can serve in a noble house, however).  These followers advice on trade routes, establishing outposts, and forming, guarding, defending, and moving caravans through the underdark.  Merchant companies that run caravans and desire no affiliation with the church of Lloth (and thus the nobles) also make use of the clergy of Menzoberra as a safer alternative.

Holy Days/Important Ceremonies  The Festival of Founding in Menzoberranzan is the most holy day in the faith of Menzoberra (even the followers of Menzoberra in Ched Nasad, which has its own Festival of Founding that is a holy day to them mark this day and celebrate it).  While it is said that Lloth walks the streets in drow form on this day it is known that Menzoberra herself does.  On this day divinations are always clearer, spells cast by her clergy are more powerful (random effects always have the best result, saves against these spells are at -2, and the caster's level is considered 2 levels higher for all purposes including overcoming opposed magic resistance), and priestesses of Lloth treat the clergy of Menzoberra as near equals (at least as junior members of their own faith).  Menzoberra's followers in the Ched Nasad area, as noted, also celebrate that city's Festival of the Founding and those outside the city in established fortifications whose sites were picked in part on the advice of followers of Menzoberra celebrate the anniversaries of their establishment as minor holy days.  Finally, all trade festivals (such as the Open Days observed in Menzoberranzan) have begun to have great import for Menzoberra's followers and they often make additional offerings to her on those days.  These are not recognized holy days of the faith, however.
     Menzoberra's most important ceremonies are those involved in the choosing and establishment of settlements.  Each such ritual is unique to the circumstances but offerings are always made.  Menzoberra never receives sacrifices, this greater honor is reserved for Lloth herself.  Much more common than the establishment ceremonies are the yearly Rite of Wandering and Ritual of Renewal.  The Rite of Wandering is performed every year by every member of the faithful.  For at least 1 day the follower must enter and wander the wild underdark.  They may follow trails they are familiar with or wander randomly but may not use any maps or other guides (including magical items and spells such as find the path).  This wandering must last a minimum of 24 hours and usually lasts at least 30 since it is usually unclear where "the wild underdark" begins around a city (followers living in small outposts have a much easier time in this regard).  The Rite must be performed as close to the anniversary of the faithful's initiation into the faith as possible without overlapping a holy day of any sort (so a follower escorting a caravan may wait until the duty is over or perform the rite in advance without interfering with this other important work).  Clergy members must wander one day for every level they possess and try to make their Rite as close to the anniversary of their more recent gain in level as possible.  Additionally they add one additional 24 hour period to their wanderings known as the Ritual of Renewal.  For 24 hours while in the wild underdark they establish a temporary shrine to Menzoberra (usually consisting of a holy symbol, a candle or two, possibly some incense, and a non-magical blessing with unholy water).   Here they will meditate for 24 hours (they must stay awake during the entire period or start over) during which they seek Menzoberra's guidance.  Menzoberra rarely grants any special knowledge during this time except in four circumstances:  to show them some way in which they've earned her disfavor (not always with how to regain it), to help them choose a site for a new settlement of some size (they must have visited the area personally at some point in the past, even if they don't recall the visit, to be offered it as the knowledge is drawn from their own memories by Menzoberra, note that this process will also break any forget spells, obliviax effects, and so on even if they don't relate to the knowledge desired), how to develop a new spell (note this is the only one of the four that may also be granted at other times barring some exceptional circumstance), and how to create a magical item (note this limits Menzoberra's followers to producing a maximum of one magical item other than a potion or scroll per year except in the case of a group of related items or connected items).  These ceremonies may be performed in groups of any size so long as all members are faithful of Menzoberra or Lloth or are slaves or mounts (familiars and constructs may be present as well).

Major Centers of Worship  Menzoberra has no cathedrals, temples, or similar holy sites, though some of her followers travel to the city of Menzoberranzan on pilgrimages as it's the city she founded under Lloth's guidance.  There are isolated settlements that are run by Menzoberra's followers as well and though they don't have anything larger than a shrine present, the entire fortified area has been consecrated to Menzoberra's faith.  These are not centers of worship, however, and her clergy is completely decentralized in control.

Affiliated Orders  Most of Menzoberra's followers operate in small bands, family groups, or alone.  They trade information related to survival, dangers, trade routes, and known settlements and lairs of any race freely (as this is Menzoberra's will) but will not otherwise cooperate with each other, necessarily.  A number of hunters and caravan guides that worship Menzoberra in Ched Nasad have been organized in a loose group with no formal name or organization for several decades.  The most organized groups of Menzoberra worshippers are those that live in isolated settlements dedicated to her.  Given their remoteness, every drow in the settlement is part of an organized defense force and the leaders are clergy and lay followers of the Dark Servant.

Priestly Vestments  Menzoberra's faithful perform ceremonies nude (only when in a city or other "safe" settlement) or in whatever they normally wear when traveling.  Since Menzoberra was a priestess of Lloth her followers consider it to be heretical for them to dress as she did during ceremonies and formal occasions (though they depict Menzoberra herself in such garb) and have never settled on any other appropriate garb for ceremonies than that of travelers.  Menzoberra herself has not objected so the faithful do not worry about it.  Holly symbols of Menzoberra depict a lone tower in relief with a spider crawling or sitting atop it.  Nasadan (her followers from Ched Nasad) add a spiderweb to one side (either will do) of the tower, apparently in indication of the web structure of their own city.  The symbol is always on a medallion of precious metal (silver, gold, platinum, or adamantite) or of stone (granite, basalt, or marble).

Adventuring Garb  Being well trained in underdark survival techniques, Menzoberra's followers always prepare themselves for the area they will be traveling in.  Armor is worn by those whose class allows it unless superior magical protection such as from ring, cloaks, and bracers is possessed.  Shields are common with spiked bucklers favored by many hunters, fighters, and assassins.  Those who don't use a shield always have two weapons they can wield at once and those who do prefer a shield will also carry additional weapons for such purposes.  Extra supplies are always packed (one never knows when they'll have to detour around a nomadic orc tribe or a hobgoblin column on the march) including warm clothing since some areas of the underdark are unusually chilly.  For the most part equipment allowing for self-sufficient survival is preferred over large quantities of supplies but Menzoberra's followers also know that there are dead areas of the underdark where only supplies will see a wanderer through.  Primary supplies used by many of Menzoberra's clergy are a holy symbol, armor, weapons (always several), shield, spell components (usually enough for several castings of any spell), unholy water, grapnel, spider silk rope(s), hammer and spikes, weaponblack, chisel, flint, and knife with whetstone.  Some of the most typical extra supplies carried by a clergy member of Menzoberra are a spare holy symbol, extra unholy water, a brazier, a holy water font (for making more unholy water), several blocks of incense, food for at least 10 days (usually iron rations), alcohol, water, fuel for a small fire, extra spell components, blank paper (or vellum, papyrus, or parchment) and ink and pen for mapping, a number of candles, a bundle of torches, and flammable oil.  Mounts, personal slaves, and pets are common accompaniment even when other drow will be traveling with the wanderer.

Menzoberriaur Spells

Menzoberriaur (plural and singular forms are the same) have not developed any widely known new spells.  They usually have knowledge of most of the widely known spells of a region (e.g., those in Menzoberranzan have access to all the new clerical spells from the Menzoberranzan boxed set) as well as widely known drow spells.  They do not have access to any special Lolthite spells limited to her clergy.

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