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Noble Houses in Menzoberranzan

Menzoberranzan is dominated by its noble houses even more than many drow cities. They have made themselves the main focus of life, power, politics, influence, and society in the city. Though only 8 houses make up part of the council the city usually has between 60 and 70 noble houses in existence at any time. Other houses also exist of recognizable power but for their own reasons have chosen not to declare for nobility, relegating themselves to a lesser position of power and [generally] less competition.

The Academy:

  The Academy is discussed here as it is controlled by and only meant for the noble houses.  Unattached commoners do not have the opportunity to train at the Academy and so are less likely to ever achieve power.  All nobles are theoretically required to train at the Academy and, in fact, all do.  The reason they are supposed to is supposedly so that the loyalty to Lloth of all the city's nobles will be assured but has more to do with allowing the highest houses (and all other houses, of course) to monitor the power and ability of their rivals.  The reason nobles do train here (even the notoriously reclusive Xorlarrin attend in their robes) and so many houses also send their troops here is even simpler:  nowhere else in the city can offer such a high level of training and bring together so many resources.  Those who graduate the Academy do so at 1st or 2nd level.  Exceptional single classed individuals may even graduate as high as 4th level (PCs who've just graduated the Academy are all 1st level unless the time at the Academy--primarily the final year when actual patrols are gone on and real experience is gained--is played through).
     Every house has the right to send any of its [drow] recruits to train at the Academy and all send at least some.  Generally speaking, no house sends all its troops as many are hired already trained (i.e., they already have a class(es) and are at least 1st level) and the Academy's training is limited to certain classes.  Those houses desiring bards, assassins, thieves, witches, alchemists, bounty hunters, or bandits must train them themselves or recruit already trained ones.  The same is true of savants, though the initial magic-user or cleric training may occur at the Academy.  In theory, only a force solely consisting of graduates of the Academy may be declared to the ruling council as an elite unit.
     The Academy's resources are nearly limitless as all the resources of the city can be called upon to provide for it.  The general roster of spells taught at Sorcere includes every cantrip in UA and all the 1st level spells in the PHB and UA as well as the cantrips and 1st level spells on the magic in Menzoberranzan page.  Magic-users trained at the Academy begin with 2 each offensive, defensive, and miscellaneous spells and their head house wizards choose which ones are taught to them (PCs may request the spells they want though the DM has final say).  All magic-users trained at Sorcere learn the exterminate cantrip (it is the first one taught).  The available weaponry includes every kind found in the city, swords, axes, spears, crossbows, bows, maces, whips, flails, daggers, knives, darts, staves, and so on.  Naturally, the ones used by students are only normal examples, not magical or the special drow versions.  Even many crude weapons such as clubs are practiced with for the drow recognize that there might come a time when a warrior loses their weapon and has to make do with an enemy's (the more pressing reason is that there are spells like heat metal and creatures like rust monsters that could make this a necessity).  The training at Arach-Tinilith is complete, ensuring the graduates understandard Lloth's will and that graduating priestesses have a leg up on their fellows as they understand absolutely what their place is in the faith and how the faith functions as well as what Lloth favors and does not.  Almost every non-weapon proficiency available in Menzoberranzan can be learned at the Academy.  Histories, religious texts, and other items necessary for this are more extensive and up to date than anywhere else in the city.
     A list of courses taught at the Academy can be found here.

Classes: The Academy starts a ten year long training session (though individuals who don't measure up are dropped into the next class for additional instruction and practice so not all graduate in 10 years), know as a class, every time it is deemed there are enough students to make it worthwhile. While this means there isn't a class formed every year (it averages about 1 in 3), there are more than enough classes to handle the needs of the Houses (with every house trying to fill class ranks with their own troops, this is no surprise). Females and males are separated during training (to enhance and reinforce the position of females as well as prevent alliances from arising not sanctioned by the students' houses rather than for matters of propriety). Females live in small dorm rooms while males lives in common barracks (actual wizards also receive dorm rooms as it's more conducive to study, but only while at Sorcere) though any house can choose to have its noble members (and only the actual nobles) live at the house itself. Only Baenre and Xorlarrin are houses of note that do this on any regular basis (Xorlarrin does so with all their nobles). House nobles and troops may also be recalled from training at any time (such as if the house is out of favor) but if this is done only the nobles can finish training with a later class (and, if they survive, are expected to).
Melee Magthere: The fighters' school trains fighters and a lesser number of hunters. This school is the first stop for any attendee of the Academy as even those destined to be priestesses or magic-users must learn the use of weapons and fighting tactics. This school teaches weapons use, tactics, integration of forces with magic, tactical use of innate abilities, integrating with and commanding slave troops, and leadership (not just command but actually leading a group into battle). The abilities, tactics, and types of the most likely, dangerous, and unusual enemies (from illithids, duergar, drow, and svirfneblin to cave fishers and xorn) are also studied and, through the use of summoning magic, displayed when possible. Melee Magthere's instructors are in charge of arranging the training patrols that occur near the end of training, though priestesses from Arach-Tinilith command the patrols and instructors from all three schools are present. Melee Magthere's instructors are a mix of male and female drow though females predominate, especially in the upper echelons.
Sorcere: Sorcere trains both magic-users and alchemists, though nobles may not be alchemists by tradition and law (alchemists are viewed as assistants to magic-users and clerics so matron mothers of old, fearing some of their scions would choose this path to avoid direct danger and in the process weaken their houses had the council declare this against the law). In addition to the Masters of Sorcere (which all must be magic-users though there is one position for a Junior Master of Alchemy--the only junior master position) there is also an actual staff of alchemists who belong to no house (they are all hired from skilled alchemists in the city to keep the rule on non-House drow from training at the Academy) that are employed by Sorcere, though they also work with the priestesses of Arach-Tinilith. The presence of this staff and its compiled records of formula for and accumulated experience with alchemical formulae is reason enough for every house to desire having a Master of Sorcere among their ranks. Sorcere has one other distinction, in that it is nearly impossible for a female to become a master of, no matter how skilled in magic she is. More than one female master has died mysteriously after joining, even those who belonged to powerful noble houses. Quite simply, Sorcere has become the one accepted fraternity in the entire city that is part of the ruling structure. The restriction on female masters does not apply to alchemists or students of any level.
Arach-Tinilith: Theoretically all Lloth's clergy in Menzoberranzan are trained in Arach-Tinilith (excepting immigrants). In fact, however, there are many common clergy in the city who, obviously, could not obtain training here. Additionally, there are many priestesses, noble and common, that choose to train priestesses on their own in order to make them personally loyal and control them (just as matron mothers have children to increase their power). Being an instructor at Arach-Tinilith obviously gives great power in molding new clergy and even non-clergy who go through training. It can also be extremely dangerous, however, for nowhere in Menzoberranzan is politics as fiercely played and power as jealously guarded by so many. Personally losing favor with Lloth while an instructor always leads to death for those who can't immediately escape to their own houses to seek Lloth's forgiveness. In theory every type of Lloth's clergy can be trained here but in fact only clerics and specialty priestesses are. There are no resident witches and under the current structure it is unlikely there ever will be.

Founding a Noble House:

  A noble house can technically be founded at any time by any priestess of Lloth that can cast 5th level spells (if a male made it this high, they still couldn't found a house).  Game Note:  This replaces the usual ability to found a church and draw worshippers.  To do so they have to appear before the Ruling Council and be recognized as a matron mother.  In reality, it takes more than this.  In order to avoid be laughed out and then destroyed for wasting the council's time, the petitioner must be able to show they already have a fortified compound (for new houses, this is often as little as a magically warded house), a force of drow troops (usually at least 10), slave units (generally at least 25 though stronger troops like trolls may be as low as 10 in number), a weapon master (a fighter, cleric, or thief class character with a THAC0 from level of 14 or less), a head house wizard (a magic-user able to cast at least 5th level spells, drow bards won't suffice nor will alchemists), and at least one lesser noble priestess (a priestess of Lloth able to cast 3rd level spells).  Multiple of the second priestess, head house wizard, and weapon master positions may be held by one person but the matron mother may not double as anything else.  Upon declaring their house, they choose its name (taking a new family name for themselves if they were already a noble of an existing house) and symbol (both of which must be approved by the council, disapproval is occasionally fatal so the things the council seeks to avoid like confusion with another house or the seeming resurrection of a dead house through name or symbol are avoided by applicants) and are told its rank based on its declared might.  The Ruling Matrons know that any new house usually doubles its number of troops within 6 months as commoners seek to join it rather than an established house where their position will be much lower and takes this into account when declaring a new house's rank.  Few would-be matrons dare to ask for the Ruling Council to convene on their behalf (the last was at least 15 decades ago), instead seeking an audience with the matron mother of an existing house and requesting she represent the would-be matron to the Council and during the Council (though the would-be matron must be present for the latter).  Generally, ruling houses aren't approached for this service nor are those close to them in position (generally the 30 or so top ranked houses) unless the would-be matron is one of their own high priestesses.  Matrons are usually happy to represent a declarer as it gives them a rare opportunity to be seen by the council (and always in a good light, even if the declarer ends up being destroyed for wasting the council's time, strangely enough) as well as immediately signaling to all the city that they have a new ally, an ally that probably has to rely on them and definitely owes them a great debt (though that has less power among drow than most others).  Despite the fact that it's no apparent risk, any presenting matron mother always checks out the would-be matron's qualifications thoroughly before requesting the Council convene so they may be presented (which is why, to date, no matron mother has ever offended the council by acting as a presenter).  This process can take several weeks, including having their weapon master test the skills of the would-be weapon master and running their troops (including slaves) through drills.  The presenter also checks on the declarer's treasury as they are well aware what an embarrassment (and possibly danger) a newly formed house that suddenly couldn't pay its troops any longer would be to that house's most prominent (and possibly only) ally.  In addition to checking on the treasury most seek to ensure the would-be matron is involved in some business that will provide future income, enough income to sustain the level of troops the house is expected to have within a year.
     One final question usually remains for those unfamiliar with the ways of the dark elves, why would a matron mother allow her daughter or any other high priestess of her house to leave and form her own house?  Obviously the newly formed house is less likely to be as powerful as the loss of power the existing house experiences.  The simple answer, however, is that the new house will be inextricably linked to the more powerful house by blood, debt, and alliance for centuries and thus can be manipulated by the more powerful house to do its will without risking the senior house directly.  The more complete answer is that the situation turns a powerful and definite rival (and an anxious one, at that) into a--however distant--asset and it pleases Lloth (sometimes greatly while refusing has occasionally been known to greatly anger her).
     Members of houses in disfavor cannot choose to form their own house until their current house comes back into the Spider Queen's favor.

House Positions:

There are a number of positions in any noble house that exist by tradition though only the matron mother's position is actually required by law (the ruling council enforces the existence of several of these positions for new houses as noted above, however). Additionally, not having anyone in any of these positions is considered a sign of great weakness. Except in the case of a position only recently vacated, few noble houses would accept the embarrassment of not having someone to declare for any given position of those listed below. Most houses have more (in some cases, many more) positions than those listed but these are the ones other houses care about and the holder of the position is a sign of strength and prestige or weakness to other houses. Of course, one individual may hold more than one position. Being in one of these positions is considered to confer noble status by every house in the city exactly as if the person had been adopted by the matron mother (in case the person holding the position is not already a noble).

Head House Wizard: The head house wizard is, theoretically, the most powerful magic-user in the house, a position usually held by a male. This position is never held by an alchemist or bard. Some matron mothers choose to fill this position with pliant, weaker magic-users, or personal favorites (currently one low-ranked house has the house elderboy as its head house wizard, a skilled apprentice that recently graduated the Academy and is believed to be only 2nd level) while House Oblodra is rumored to fill the position with its most powerful psionic. Traditionally, the head house wizard reports directly to the matron mother (wise matron mothers do not have him report to anyone else or allow any other to interfere with his work) and is in charge of coordinating the available spell rosters of all the house's wizards (usually the noble wizards are excluded), assigning spell rosters among the guards (in coordination with the house weaponmaster and any guard commanders), maintaining the house's library of spells and ensuring it's as complete as possible (traditionally meaning it includes a master copy of every spell any magic-user in the house has access to), and arranging the house's magical defenses, including house defense glyphs as well as any enchantments the house insignia born by all noble members may possess. Because of these last two requirements, houses find it impractical to have a head house wizard of less than 12th level so they will hire one as soon as possible if they lack this level of magical talent. Houses that cannot do so are considerably weakened by this fact (it has even been known to cause the Ruling Council to reduce their rank).
Matron Mother: The matron mother of a house must be a priestess of Lloth of at least 9th level. If the current matron mother drops below 9th level due to energy draining she cannot be replaced by another priestess of Lloth who cannot cast at least 5th level spells (i.e., is 9th level). In the past this has occasionally led to some unusual situations with suddenly low-level priestesses as the matron mothers of houses. Usually the house is quickly destroyed in this event, though if the matron dies and has no successor the house is dissolved by the Ruling Council (and its noble members may choose to seek to join other houses). Currently this is not believed to be the case with any house in the city. It is rumored that some matron mothers are or have looked into becoming undead. Matron Baenre is the most frequently whispered.
Patron: The house patron (usually singular, though occasionally a matron mother will choose to have multiple official patrons) is a very odd position. It has none of the responsibility or power of the head house wizard or weaponmaster but it is equally prestigious. House patrons aren't seen as toys of their matron mothers (she can make a toy of any male she wants) but instead are seen as positions of great favor and trust. A house patron is presumed to be absolutely loyal to his matron mother as he cannot rely on her need for his martial or magical prowess to help him keep his position. He is recognized by all as another set of eyes and ears that report directly to her. No matron mother allows anyone else to interfere with their patron as that defeats the entire purpose of the position.
Weaponmaster: The house weaponmaster is theoretically the most skilled fighter (either fighter or hunter) in the house but some houses fill this position with a priestess, bandit, assassin, bounty hunter, or even thief instead. The house weaponmaster is usually supposed to oversee the training of the house's troops, including weapons, tactics, formations, coordinating missiles, melee, and magic, and so on. The weaponmaster is the one that develops the house's tactics and strategies for defense, organizes the house's forces according to the matron mother's desires (including what weapons will be used--most matron mothers don't worry about such details, however, instead leaving this purely to the discretion of the weaponmaster), and coordinates with the priestesses and head house wizard on coordinating martial might and magic use. The weaponmaster also has the unpleasant (to a drow) duty of seeing to the organization, training, and arming of the house's slave troops. Weaponmasters of successful houses tend to oversee this carefully while more than one house whose weaponmaster has ignored the training of its slave forces in formations and tactics has fallen in very near contests, the ineffectiveness of the slave troops being the telling blow to their defenses. House weaponmasters also have the duty of testing the house's young nobles for martial aptitude (just as the head house wizard tests for magical aptitude) and beginning their training before they are sent to the Academy. Possibly the most dangerous and onerous duty a house weaponmaster has is to personally see to it that the house nobles continue to be trained in weapons use. Continuing a matron mother's training in the martial arts is extremely hazardous! Few matron mothers make their weaponmasters off limits to "instruction" (i.e., interference) from other house personnel so in houses where the weaponmaster's rank is not equal to his position he may find himself dealing with the conflicting demands of several other nobles, most often various priestesses.

The lesser positions: These positions are present in some houses and not others. Though they may be filled by a noble they are not considered to confer noble status simply by holding them. As such some may even be held by non-drow. It is generally considered an insult for a noble to hold one of these positions (thus no one holding any of the above positions will hold one of these, if the house isn't large enough to have separate people for the positions, obviously they aren't needed).

Captain of the Guard: Found in almost every house, the captain of the guard falls under the weaponmaster and is in charge of the house's drow forces. Some houses have only one while others will have one per guard shift or one per formation of drow troops. Captains of the guard are usually female and often priestesses (possibly multi-classed) unless they are divided by unit type, in which case gender will match the unit gender. If not a priestess, every house tries to put a multi-classed magic-user (multi-classed with fighter or hunter) in this position.
Master of Assassins: Once a common position in most houses and holding status equal to the house weaponmaster and head house wizard, the head house assassin, or master of assassins as the title has been changed to to reflect the drop in status, is now a rarely acknowledged position. Few houses have skilled assassins or even bounty hunters (who occasionally also filled this position in older days) today and those that do do not have enough to make the establishment of such a position worthwhile. Houses that openly purport to have such a position are viewed with much less trust and are treated warily while those who hold the position, just as in days gone by, are usually the first target of assassination in the house (houses with no other concern about the house will see to it the master of assassins is killed just to ensure he--for the position is usually held by a male--does not practice his skills against them). This position may even be held by a skilled non-drow in modern Menzoberranzan, the granting of the position itself being a way to help make the holder more loyal (as they feel more powerful) and cut down on harassment by other members of the house (especially drow).
Master of Secrecy: Never a common position, especially in the powerful houses, this position is today only found in a few minor, "traditionalist" houses. The master of secrecy is the house's internal security head. He (the position is typically given to a male, most often a magic-user) is to ensure no one in the house leaks any secrets as well as protecting the house from spies, saboteurs, and scrying. Since the last is most often performed by the head house wizard, the greatest reason to have such a dedicated individual is already filled (this is the prime reason this position never became popular). This position is almost invariably held by a multi-classed magic-user, multi-classed as either a bounty hunter or a thief.
Master of Secrets (referred to by commoners as the Master of Spies or Spymaster): This position was also never a common one, though it is still maintained by several lesser houses, especially ones that believe in returning to "traditional ways". This position was not neglected due to lack of need, however. Instead, few houses see any reason to announce who their chief spy is. Additioally, most matron mothers prefer to run their own spies, rather than relying on others to do so for them. Given all the other demands on a matron mother, as well as her level of visibility, this rarely works out ideally, but drow paranoia is too great for most to overcome.
Master of Slaves (in some houses, Commander of the Slaves): The master of slaves is usually the person in charge of overseeing everything to do with the daily routine of the slaves. In addition, the person that holds this position is also the one that commands them in battle. When filled by a drow a magic-user one with spells like sleep, charm person, web, suggestion, and hold person for use in controlling the slaves is usually looked for while the most preferred non-drow to hold this position are ogre-magi for the same abilities. Some houses with especially large slave forces will have multiple holders of this position but this is rare. Instead the master of slaves usually has assistants that oversee each slave race or formation. Many masters of slaves are slaves themselves. Of note, House Hunzrin does not employ anyone in this position as most of their nobles and troops are involved in overseeing the slaves directly.
Head House Merchant: Despite the name, this position is usually an advisory one. This position is relatively new in Menzoberranzan's houses, having come into vogue as trade has increased and houses have risen and fallen based on their trading income. The head house merchant usually surveys traveling merchants and other visitors to the city as well as observing prices and how well what sells in the bazaar while knowing what the house has to sell or could get into based on resources. This information is taken to the matron mother (or an assigned priestess as most matron mothers still refuse to accept the full importance of trade and dirty their hands with it directly--which is why this is not yet a noble position in any house, or even one filled by a noble) and recommendations are made on how to best sell the house's goods, what to invest in, how much to produce, and so on. As most houses have little mercantile experience they usually have to hire a drow or duergar from the common population to fill this position. In fact, it is for this reason that the position has been created at all, as offering hired outsiders a position in the house not only binds them to it, but gives them prestige, increases loyalty, and reduces harassment and interference from others in the house and outside it. The few houses that have brought in Menzoberriaur have not placed them in this position but may have them report to the person in this position (this is never done with clergy, however).
Mistress of Ceremonies: The mistress of ceremonies of a house is usually the highest ranking priestess that is not one of the matron mother's daughters. In any event, she must be a high priestess by tradition. Simply, the mistress of ceremonies's duties are to oversee the house chapel and to conduct the common ceremonies and services. Ceremonies of great importance are performed by the matron mother herself. The mistress of ceremonies is usually also in charge of the lesser clergy of the house, including overseeing their continued training and deployment in battle.

Duties: The following duties are performed by a variety of members of the house. Some are dedicated positions in some houses while most are simply special duties assigned that are in addition to the normal duties of certain members of the house (like guarding, crafting, training, etc.). Many of these duties fall on hired outsiders or even slaves (especially if the position reports to a non-drow).

Chapel Maintenance: Acolytes and priestesses-in-training perform most of the work of maintaining the house chapel, though the Mistress of Ceremonies is often in charge of the chapel itself or has a lesser priestess (typically around 5th level) with this assigned function. A well-maintained chapel, always ready for presentation to any higher ranking noble matron (or even just the house's own matron!) is an absolute requirement in any house. The Spider Queen is far too unpredictable to risk her disfavor over something as simple as melted candles or dust (webs are allowed as long as they are used, cobwebs--uninhabited webs just gathering dust--are cleared away as well).
Component Preparation: This duty is ideally overseen by a magic-user of 3rd or 4th level, though in most houses, mages of 1st or 2nd level perform this duty. 0th level mages-in-training are often assigned to help along with priestly acolytes. This duty is simply the preparation and preservation of material spell components. Even something as common as bat guano must be collected and stored, lest the house come under attack and not be able to utilize its most effective magics. The wrap cantrip and preserve spell are the most important magics used in this process but more important is that low level spellcasters learn the various material components, their handling, and the methods of their storage and preservation. Cantrips (not just wrap, but also ones like gather) are particularly useful in this process and acolytes are too important to waste on such tedium. This thankless duty can actually have quite a bit of power were the performers of it to be bribed but most of the time it is a thankless job that requires careful record keeping, an eye to detail, and long hours. Most houses try to avoid spending money on material components whenever possible so producing or acquiring their own is also an important task and the person in charge of managing the stores of components must know which are considered the most critical by his seniors. Cantrips and spells can provide some minor components but few houses waste 5th level mages that can hurl fireballs and lightning bolts on this position so the highly useful material spell is less frequently used in this process than might be expected. A few magically powerful houses, such as Xorlarrin, are known to do so, however.
Head Cook: Most often a slave, the head cook of a house actually has much more responsibility than just seeing to it that the food is not poisoned and is flavored to the matron mother's taste. The main duty is to see to it that sufficient stores are on hand at all times and that they are well preserved. Many face increasing battles with vermin, particularly insects, rats, and mice, that try to consume their stores. The Head Cook usually reports to the Head House Merchant.
High Maid: The High Maid is a very coveted and prestigious position that surprisingly is rarely given to priestesses. Most High Maids are descended from a line that has served the house for generations. They are the primary servants of the Matron Mother, attending to her every need and whim. Each also wields incredible authority as they have de facto rule over the house's other servants. Even house troops can be taught subtle lessons if they overstep themselves with the High Maid of a house. Most High Maids are thieves or assassins and many have at least a little magical talent as well. They are always female drow but never members of the family or noble. A High Maid is in many ways the overlooked, secret hand of their mistresses. They spy for the matron mother, are privy to many of her secrets, and perform a variety of secretive but low risk tasks for the matron mother. The High Maid's loyalty is to the matron mother personally and none other and even the dimmest matron mothers treat their High Maids extremely well, though not always publicly (many put on false displays of anger or suffering endurance with their High Maids and few ever reward their High Maids openly, though such rewards are always given by matron mothers that wish to survive long). Given their closeness to the old matron mother, it is no wonder than succeeding matron mothers almost invariably keep them on, regardless of what other changes or purges may occur in the house.
Master of Crafts: The Master of Crafts is an important position in any house that produces any of its own equipment or makes items for sale. This position always reports to the Head House Merchant and is rarely held by anyone other than a drow or duergar. In some houses, those with varied industry, there is one for each area (such as smithing and forging, leatherwork and textiles, gems and jewelry, and so on). The Master of Crafts wields a lot of low level power in the house, as he or she determines which craftsmen are rewarded, which do the best work, which ones are junior and senior (particularly the distinctions between master, apprentice, and joureyman levels), and so on. As well, they are responsible for evaluating any new craftsman to be recruited into the house. Finally, they are in charge of insuring the house maintains enough supplies, whether pots and pans or arrows and bolts, and that those they do have are kept in prime condition (especially weapons and armor). This is a duty they work closely with the House Weaponmaster on. Masters of Crafts who do well are often in line to become Head House Merchants and may be rewarded with favors or money if they increase the house's profits.
Master of Farms: The Master of Farms is a full-time position in houses that have heavy farming interests. Most drow Masters of the Farm are low level wizards (sprout, precipitate, cloudburst, gust of wind, zephyr, material, and similar magics are very useful to them) but usually report to the Master of Slaves, since most farming is actually done by slaves. In addition to overseeing food crops, the Master of Farms also oversees the growth of fungi, lichens, molds, and plants for spell components and defense (shriekers are most common). Of all the additional positions/duites listed here, this one is the least prestigious. It is taken seriously, however, for it can weaken a house's magic and defenses as well as hurting income (depending on the house). Good Masters of Farms do their job without thanks or being noticed by their superiors while poor ones become fertilizer if they can't demonstrate more usefulness to the house in some other position (it doesn't do to waste magic-users if they are actually combat-capable). Every noble of House Hunzrin is a Master of Farms.
Master of Herds (aka, Master of Stables or Master of Animals): Most houses maintain a stable of riding lizard mounts as well as other animals for defense (particularly trained pedipalps), food (rothe herds are most common), and use (such as pack lizards). The Master of Herds is a full time job for those in larger houses or that rely heavily on herding, though even there drow Masters of Herds must be trained warriors (many multi-class as wizards and this is one of the few acceptable occupations for the rare male priests of Lolth). Masters of the Herd have thankless jobs that can mean the difference between life and death for their houses (if the house relies on herding and a large portion of the herd is lost to raiders, disease, or the like) and the superiors therein (such as if a noble takes an injured mount on patrol). Drow society being what it is, this means poor Masters of the Herd usually end up as feed for their own charges while good ones are allowed to maintain their positions and the slight prestige (and heavy responsibility) that comes with them. Since most of the actual caring for the animals is performed by slaves, many Masters of the Herd are either Master of Slaves for their house or and underling thereof. The term Master of Mounts is considered a deadly insult to Masters of the Herd, though no one recalls why. Every one of House Hunzrin's nobles is considered a Master of Herds.
Master of Maintenance: Masters of Maintenance are in charge of ensuring new construction is properly conducted (though mining is generally overseen by a Master of the Mine for each mine the house has, the Master of the Mine is also the foreman and reports to either the Master of Maintenance or the Master of Slaves), that structural integrity of existing constructions is maintained, and that future construction projects are foreseen and planned for. Typically the Master of Maintenance reports to the House Weaponmaster as the house's defense falls into his realm. Despite this, more Masters of Maintenance are magic-users than fighters (mainly because most Masters of Maintenance are proficient in engineering and magic-users more often learn this skill than fighters). Masters of Maintenance have a thankless job but are rarely forgotten by good matron mothers and weaponmasters the way Masters of Farms and Herds are as the defense of the house is important. The incentive to excel in this position can even be high and several houses have spells for construction and defense developed by enterprising Masters of Maintenance looking for favor. All Masters of Maintenance are drow. With the possible exception of House Baenre, no house has enough buildings and construction that it requires a full-time Master of Maintenance.

Mint Coins: Only noble houses may mint their own coinage and all such coins must have the house symbol on them or a more generic symbol (either a spider, representing Lloth, or a column jutting from a pile of rocks, representing Narbondel and the city). It is expensive to mint coinage and easy to have the coins of a house destabilized through counterfeiting. Because of this, few houses ever mint coins and those that do usually stick to the city symbols rather than their personal house symbols. Even House Baenre mints only a few coins with their house symbol and uses them as items of prestige and reward rather than simple money. Since any coinage is accepted in the city (once it's tested to see that it's of standard size and weight) the need for Menzoberranzan coinage has decreased since major trade came to the city. Still, houses that have access to ready sources of precious metals often find minting coins from it is an excellent way to turn this supply into even greater wealth (pound for pound, coins are worth more than simply raw or refined ore).

Nobility:

The definition of nobility is not as clear as it may at first seem. All nobles must be drow, though half-drow, vampires, liches, and other variations are accepted. Every matron mother and all her children and grandchildren are nobles, unless they are sold as infants. Typically great grandchildren (and great-great-ad infinitum grandchildren) are also adopted as house nobles, becoming equal to the matron mother's grandchildren. In fact, this practice is so common that not to do so has been the downfall of more than one matron mother and even entire minor house as it's seen as a powerful and direct insult to the child's mother and grandmother. There is no exile in the case of nobles, the house must kill traitors to be rid of them (failing to do so is what brought down House Do'Urden). Additionally, every high priestess (any priestess able to cast 4th level spells) of the house and any other priestess able to cast 3rd level spells are considered nobles of the house. The house weapon master, head house wizard, and the matron mother's chosen mate, known as the house patron (few matron mother's choose to have multiple patrons as this creates too much tension and infighting, though they are rarely faithful to their patrons) are all considered nobles of the house. Of course, in many houses children and grandchildren hold the posts of head house wizard and weaponmaster and more than one of these positions may be held by the same individual. It is a sign of their desire for power that most house weapon masters are male even though female drow are usually superior warriors to males. The house weaponmaster is usually a fighter class (or multi-class) individual but in a few lower houses the position is notably held by single-classed priestesses. Of course, Matron Baenre has recently suggested clergy of Selvetarm should hold this position. Any house can also adopt nobles of other, usually deceased, houses in which case they become nobles of that house as though they were the matron mother's own grandchildren. Finally, a little practiced method of creating nobles is to adopt a commoner into the house as one. This is occasionally done with siblings, cousins, and other relatives (including from branches of the family in other cities) but is otherwise almost unheard of unless the individual is powerful or otherwise valuable.

Privileges and Powers of the Nobility and Noble Houses:

A few of the key powers and priveleges of the noble houses and their members (why Menzoberranyr desire to be nobles) are listed here. Ultimately, nobility is the ultimate attainment of station in drow society and those who possess it can do as they please openly and without penalty so long as they don't offend a more powerful house or Lloth (in the form of the Ruling Council).

The Academy: The reasons why attendance of the Academy are so desirable are listed above under the section on it.
Equipment:
- Amulets of Phelthong: These amulets are strictly restricted to the Masters of Sorcere, not merely to nobles--technically. It is likely that some houses with wizards among the Masters (at present or in the past) have discovered how to make these items for themselves. Even among the Masters of Sorcere, non-noble Masters are traditionally denied access to any of these items or how to create them.
- Death Lances: Death lances are limited to noble houses and city guards by decree. This law is tightly enforced, just like the law restricting jade spiders. Exactly why this particular law exists and why it is so strictly enforced is unclear, but it is. Instructors at Melee Magthere who've "misplaced" theirs (in actuality selling them on the black market) have suffered gruesome and very public deaths as have the buyers once they're tracked down.
- Driftdiscs: While no laws state it, driftdiscs have become so much a symbol of the matron mothers that no others in the city may possess them besides a couple display models used by mages that make them in the city and are rented at times to matrons who lack their own (these are enchanted to return to their makers after a set time regardless of physical or magical attempts to prevent it). These latter items can be easily made to display the renting house's symbol by a permanent additional enchantment they possess (similar to a wizard mark and only adjustable by its creator/owner) to further hide the poverty of a house.
- Drow Pseudo-Magical Equipment: In Menzoberranzan, theoretically, only nobles may purchase or have made the special drow pseudo-magical equipment. This includes piwafwis, drow boots, and weapons and armor. Over time many, many of these items have made it into the common realm whether through troops fleeing houses under attack (or simply deserting period), lost in battle and later recovered by a commoner (commoners commonly pick through the ruins of houses after their destruction), stolen, given as gifts (usually to clergy of Lloth), used as payment for services or items (especially magical or mercenary services or magical items), or smuggled in from another city. So much so that non-noble houses, merchant clans, established mercenaries, and a few select individuals in the city all possess such items. What is strictly enforced is that any new manufacture of such items must be done by someone working in the employ of a house and this is enforced by the Masters of Sorcere and their counterparts in Arach-Tinilith. Of course, any house that can get such a craftsman does so and grants them many honors (some even become the designated patron in lower houses, even if only in name) to keep them. And the only places such items can be produced (the radiation rich caverns in the Mantle) are all controlled by city troops.
- Golems: Many sorts of magical constructs are regulated in Menzoberranzan. Of the various types, the one most closely controlled is the jade spider. Only noble houses, temples of Lloth, and the city itself may employ these magical guardians and violating this restriction can bring destruction. Caryatid columns are limited to temples (including the shrines and temples within a house's compound) by tradition but this is not actually enforced so thieves should not be surprised to encounter them elsewhere. Clay and flesh golems may be created by individuals but only noble houses may possess iron and stone golems. Sorcere also employs a few but these are for the defense of the entire school. As the golem restriction is neither so easily or well enforced it may well be that some enterprising magic-users have such guardians in personal sanctums. Finally, stone guardians are almost as strictly controlled as jade spiders and may only be employed by the schools or noble houses. This is harder to enforce than the restrictions on jade spiders but as the only known processes for making stone guardians in the city are all in noble houses, this may even work. Other constructs and automatons are banned altogether (such as the brain golem) or allowed without restriction (e.g., homunculi, necrophodi, and iron cobras).
Flag: Any organized military unit can present a banner when moving as a group and shops can display signs and banners but only noble houses can fly actual flags or march with them. The difference is very simple in the eyes of Menzoberranzan's rulers: banners hang vertically from a horizontal bar while anything flag-like, including the streamers at times referred to as banners, that flies horizontally from a vertical pole is a flag. Most noble compounds and businesses directly controlled or owned by a house fly its flag.
Glyphs and Runes:  Sacred and house defense glyphs and drow waymarker runes are the province solely of the nobility in Menzoberranzan, though this is not true in all drow cities.  Both waymarker runes and sacred glyphs are taught at the Academy, specifically in Sorcere (waymarker runes only) and Arach-Tinilith (both).  Due to the presence of some non-nobles among the Masters of Sorcere, the secrets of waymarker runes are learned by some non-nobles at Sorcere but among the students only actual nobles who attend Sorcere (not just those in service to a noble house as is required to attend the Academy in general) are taught their secrets.  Even then, only some noble students are taught their secrets.  Since every instructor at Arach-Tinilith is a noble, there is no such issue here, though once again, those taught to create drow waymarker runes and sacred glyphs must be nobles and not all are given the training.  Except for a few immigrants from other drow cities, the nobles and the Academy have sole control of the knowledge of drow waymarker runes in Menzoberranzan.  If such an immigrant is discovered they are invariably snapped up by a noble house, as houses are always looking to add such well trained individuals to their numbers (most become adopted noble members of the house).
     Drow house defense glyphs are even more closely guarded and are the sole province of the head house wizards.  They closely guard these secrets and share them with no one, other than a few, select subordinates (and that only because their matron mothers force them to--the matrons aren't powerful enough to force them to share the secrets with the matrons themselves).  This exclusive hold is not as firm as the nobility would like, either, as at least two knowledgable wizards have disappeared from their houses (one from House Baenre!) in the last 50 years.  The way this knowledge is controlled, many lesser houses lack the knowledge and most are willing to perform quite extraordinary and risky service to a more powerful house in return for the knowledge (usually the upper house only trains the purchasing house's head wizard in one or two applications so the head house wizard then has to experiment to learn other effects).
     The students that learn to form waymarker runes and sacred glyphs aren't those that attend the Academy for initial training.  Instead, they must return to the Academy for such advanced training and must be at least 5th level.  It costs 300,000 xp for the student to learn the techniques involved and 4-6 weeks.  This teaches only one effect and an additional effect either requires 100,000 xp and 2 weeks of training or research as for developing spells and magical items.  To learn to create sacred or house defense glyphs requires the student to already be able to create waymarker runes (thus they've already spent the xps and time to learn to create waymarker runes and now have to spend it again to learn to create this additional type of runes).  Menzoberranyr do not know the ancient secrets of creating permanent runes and glyphs.
Instructors: Theoretically only nobles may be instructors at the Academy but in fact this is not true. Any instructor at Arach-Tinilith is a member of a noble house, whether a daughter of the matron mother or another high priestess that serves in the house. Those who are suddenly without a house and wish to remain an instructor can always find another house prepared to adopt them. The Masters of Sorcere are mostly drow who are members of houses but skilled enough commoners have attained positions as well (by being hired by a house to fulfill its obligations). Wizards whose houses are destroyed often are allowed to stay on while some seal their labs and quarters up so tightly magically that no one finds it worth the time and risk to force their way in. No noble house would ever think of allowing its weapon master or any of its other senior warriors fill a position at Melee Magthere so the school is run completely by instructors who are not in service to any house or a noble member of any house. All are in the employ of a house, however (there are many common warriors in the city who upon attaining a high level of skill on their own have no wish to enter the dangerous world of a house and instead are only willing to sell their services to a house as an instructor--this is the only version of retirement available).
Ruling Council: The chance to be one of the matron mothers that make up the city's Ruling Council is, of course, the ultimate desire of any who would become a matron mother. The immense power this grants has no equal in the city.
Symbol: Noble houses, of course, aren't the only organizations that have symbols in the city nor are nobles the only people who display symbols. A symbol recognized by the city's Ruling Council and defended by it as unique is very important, however. Simply showing the symbol can get the bearer many things that would be otherwise unattainable. The symbol of a house means that Lloth, through her minions, backs the bearer's actions and that power is at the bearer's beck and call. By Council decree only the actual nobles of a house may use a brooch or other insignia device with the house's symbol. The servitors of the house may only bear its symbol sewn into clothes, on shields, as brands or tattoos, and so on (tabards are as common in a drow noble house as in any human noble's fief).

Requirements of the Noble Houses:

Being a noble house is not all privilege and prestige, along with it come a number of obligations that the Ruling Council enforces strictly. Each of the below requirements is leveled against each house according to its declared ability to meet these obligations (it is very dangerous to lie to so many people who can use detect lie in addition to having so many other sources of information available to them). Declarations are made at a grueling meeting of all the matron mothers on the first day of the year. During this meeting they must declare the resources of their house and are then assigned their "duties" for the coming year. Occasionally ranks of houses are adjusted at this meeting based on the information given. This meeting is looked forward to by the rest of the city as it is a few days later that The Open Days begins.

Contribute to Patrols and Armies: Though the latter has not happened in remembered history and may not have ever occurred, the former is a constant need. Menzoberranzan has no standing army nor even a mercenary or militia force that it can use to patrol the surrounding underdark and the city itself. While students from the Academy nearing the end of their training patrol the Bazaar the rest of the city's patrols are by forces provided by noble houses. Based on their declared strength, every noble house must contribute the equivalent of 1/10 of its drow and slave forces to patrols at any time. While these forces are presumed to come from the house's own forces, those houses with sufficient money (and need) instead hire mercenaries to fill their obligated positions. Patrols are also the best way to gain experience and test new tactics so it is to every house's advantage to send troops (even slaves) on patrol. There are also assigned obligations for each house to send a certain number of noble fighters, wizards, and priestesses on patrols during the year. Again, this is an excellent time to gain much-needed experience though houses whose noble members are all relatively experienced (as decided by the matron mother) do not tend to send their noble scions on these patrols, instead sending adoptees. Houses may always send more troops on patrol than they are required to and many do so at times (especially when a valuable member of the house has to be part of the patrol).
Declare # and Types of Nobles: Each house must declare the number and composition of its roster of nobles. The roster only includes those who completed their training, whether at the Academy or who have attained at least 1st level before being adopted. The declaration must give the number of males and females (not including the matron mother), how many priestesses, how many high priestesses, how many wizards, and how many noble warriors. Alchemists and bards are counted as wizards and assassins, thieves, bounty hunters, and bandits are counted as fighters (along with hunters, which are assumed) in this declaration while multi-classed priestesses are counted as priestesses and multi-classed fighters and wizards are counted as whichever they excel at most as determined by the matron mother. Essentially this declaration is the same as the breakdown for each house given in Book 2 of the Menzoberranzan boxed set.
Declare # and Formations of Troops: Each house must declare the numbers and organization of drow and slave troops it has. Each formation is given separately though multiple units of the same type are considered one formation (so two groups of goblin archers that train separately and are in all respects separate units are still declared as one formation). Elite formations theoretically only refer to units whose members have all graduated from the Academy but there is nothing preventing a matron mother from deciding some of her troops are elite anyway. Changing the declaration constantly for the same formation of troops from year to year can lead to intense scrutiny and questioning, however. Essentially this declaration is the same as the detailed troop listing given for each of the first 8 houses in Book 2 of the Menzoberranzan boxed set.
Provide Instructors: Each house must provide a number of instructors to the Academy. While usually seen of great benefit for magic-users and priestesses this does have its drawbacks since the instructors can only be absent for short spans during the year (there are excess instructors at each of the three schools so that instructors may also persue personal goals--the number of instructors is tightest at Melee Magthere). Thus while those houses required to usually send their own nobles as instructors to Sorcere and Arach-Tinilith there is no reason to send their most skilled warriors to Melee Magthere so instead they recruit a commoner fighter in the city and send her and then pay the school enough for her upkeep. The same can also be done with positions at Sorcere and is in some cases. Houses may even request to send extra instructors to the schools and weaker houses whose wizards aren't powerful enough to be Masters of Sorcere and priestesses aren't powerful enough to be at Arach-Tinilith may trade obligations for Melee Magthere instructors with other houses able to provide the more prestigious positions (for instance, House Xorlarrin has so many Masters of Sorcere by trading away Melee Magthere positions). Since more instructors are needed at Melee Magthere and fewer are available than for either of the other schools, every noble house in the city is required to provide at least one instructor for Melee Magthere.

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