Power Groups of Menzoberranzan

Businesses:

• The Black Stalactite:  This Braeryn tavern is famed for its illithid entertainer who performs mental tricks with customers, whether they're willing or not (the illithid doesn't bother nobles, priestesses, and other obviously powerful sorts, however).  The place is rumored to be owned by a thieves' guild (or possibly the illithid is sufficient to allow it to avoid paying protection money).
• The Cathlyre:  This shop sells surface birds of all sorts, including the exotic cathlyre bird.  Birds may be purchased live, dead, or cooked in a variety of ways.  There is also a side business in feathers.  This shop is located in Manyfolk.
• Eye of the Beholder:  This huge Braeryn tavern caters to no specific clientelle, serving any intelligent species in the city.
• Lair of the Lizardking:  This Braeryn tavern is a favorite hang-out for the more powerful humanoids, especially gnolls and ogres, though other non-drow are also accepted without being bothered too much.  Drow who enter, however, are likely to be a target for roughing up.
• The Purple Wyrm:  This Braeryn tavern has a reputation for catering to duergar and unusually ugly drow.  Since many of the latter are outcasts and have been disfigured by Llothite priestesses, this is not a good place for nobles or priestesses of Lloth to show themselves openly.  The tavern uses spicily scented incense heavily.
• The Web:  This Braeryn tavern is a favorite dive for arrogant drow (usually from better parts of town but not usually nobles--though many noble house troops do come here) who commonly assault, rob, and possibly even kill patrons of other races (they allow slaves at work, messengers, and so on to go unmolested, however--after all, they're used to other races working for them).
• The Well of Darkness:  This Braeryn tavern is an actual pit in the stone floor of the city.  It features numerous private booths cloaked by continual darkness spells.

The Guilds and Individuals:

• Black Balaeryn's Band:  This gang of orphaned young drow is led by the warrior-mage Balaeryn who is also a known contact for Bregan D'Aerthe.  Despite this affiliation, however, neither Balaeryn nor any of his band has actually been seen operating alongside or as part of Bregan D'Aerthe.  Their Braeryn abode is partially burnt.
• The Black Shadows Confederation:  This guild was originally founded by an escaped human slave and priest of Mask.  It has since become a nominal alliance of several small bands including groups of thugs, Ibrandul worshippers looking to free slaves, and a couple small bandit gangs.  Their main cooperation with each other is to share information and fence goods but they also use the alliance to keep larger groups from harassing them and will come to each other's aid in this if it doesn't seem hopeless.
• Black Thunder Brewery:  In addition to a reasonable assortment of standard fungal drinks, Black Thunder Brewery is also known for its unusual and valuable 'shroomberry wine.
• Black Tusk Ogre Gang::  The Black Tusks are a small gang of ogres that enjoy throwing their weight around in the slums of the Braeryn.  They avoid all but the weakest drow and most duergar but anyone else is fair game.  Generally their bullying takes the form of non-fatal roughing up and extortion/theft.  They can also be hired as muscle for limited times but their employer needs to have equal or greater might backing them up in order to get reliable service out of them (and keep from being victimized themselves--in this case usually resulting in death).  The Black Tusks have no real leader but just seem to hang together in a disorganized fashion.  Hiring them for long term, complex, or distant (outside the Mantle) jobs is worthless.  They also have no set hang-outs, bases, or contacts so locating them can be problematic.  The gang has unusual longevity given their haphazard ways and has varied from 5 to a dozen members (and even had an ogrillon member at one point) over its existence.  It is currently thought to number about 10-12 ogres including 1-3 of leader or chieftan strength.  They have no distinctive marks or signs.
• Fenwick and Sarpy:  Fenwick is a troll and the constant companion and bodyguard of Sarpy, an annis.  The two lair in the Dark Dominion close to the city and are a hazard to less powerful creatures that pass by.  She is willing to trade information and even service for magical items, which she has an unusual knack for noticing.  She and Fenwick are deadly combatants, proving extremely clever tactically.  She is not foolish enough to attack a drow patrol or group, however.
• Harn Irontongue:  Harn is a duergar mining engineer who's well known among the duergar community as someone to go to if you need your dead entombed securely in the nearby underdark.  He does good work (including traps) at cut rates.  Harn has a bigger secret, however, as a powerful deathmaster who seeks out, recruits, and trains other deathmasters, focusing on drow, half-drow, and duergar.  All of his apprentices are junior deathmasters.  He is known to the few Orcus worshipers in the city but his secret is otherwise safe.
• Ilmryn, "The Historian of Menzoberranzan":  Ilmryn is Menzoberranzan's most prestigious sage and is the closest thing to an official historian the city has (most noble house's keep some sort of official history as do a number of would-be houses but these are all limited to events involving the house or its interests).  Ilmryn is well known for his in depth social, political, and religious knowledge of the city both as it is now and as it has been.  He's a powerful archmage with numerous unique divinatory spells all his own that he uses to gather information as well as questioning summoned creatures.  What's most notable about him, however, is he only sells the truth (or as best he knows) of events unless they are unimportant.  Minor, unimportant events he can be bribed to "alter" his recollection of slightly (such as saying Baenre was the most likely manipulator of the destruction of a minor house that was vanquished three centuries ago rather than house Agrach Dyrr).  Ilmryn acts as contact for several other sages in the city that he works closely with.  All their areas of interest are historical, political, social, religious, demographic, linguistic, or artistic, though the others aren't generally interested in drow or Menzoberranzan.  The group is not interested in fauna, flora, geology, geography (except as it relates to migrations and such), and other physical sciences, nor are they interested in magical developments except as they've affected their main areas of study or of planar lore.  Among the small group, which almost acts like a guild, there are experts on humanoids, giants and their kin, dwarves, kuo-toa, and other intelligent races.  They study migratory patterns, social changes and cultural changes, cross-cultural influences, technological and magical developments and their cultural effects, religious adaptations and legends and myth, and the like.   All the sages are known to be relatively honest, though some choose to charge set fees while others charge higher fees for higher detail and accuracy.  For those who seek them out, the group is well thought of, for those who don't, they are safely ignored as they have no political or power agendas beyond their own learning.
• The Iron Sledges:  This is a duergar guild run by Abbathoran priests.  The guild deals in smuggling and extortion.  They are not afraid to take their activities to the poorer drow.  They have been known to leave caltrops (often spread by a trap) in front of a caravan that has not paid protection money.
• The Rat Bite Guild:  The Rat Bite Guild consists primarily of goblins but includes a few kobolds as well.  The guild has a surprising amount of power among the free humanoids of the city and mantle and confines their activities to them in order to avoid the attention of drow or duergar.
• Steege, Goblin Warlord:  Steege is not an inhabitant of Menzoberranzan itself, though he does concentrate on the city.  Instead this self-styled goblin warlord raids caravans, farms, patrols, mines, and such, making life even more difficult for Menzoberranzan's drow.  He constantly seeks to liberate slaves to join his "army" as well as recruiting wild troops.  His group is nomadic, moving about the dark dominion so they can't be easily tracked and destroyed.  In addition to performing raids, he also stops some groups to collect tolls of food, weapons, and slaves.  The key to his power is said to be the powerful goblin wizard, Druifl, that travels with the band.  Several merchant companies and noble houses have standing prices on both Steege's and Druifl's heads.

Mercenaries:

• The Blue Spear Company:  The Blue Spears are one of the cheaper and more effective mercenary bands in Menzoberranzan.  They enjoy the chaos of the drow city and the constant conflict and maneuvering.  They charge only 300 gp/month for their services but also get 50% and first pick of any loot.  The company's exact make-up varies some over time.  Usually there are 15-20 derro, 1-3 duergar (any class), and a few other humanoids (norkers, goblins, and xvarts are preferred).  There is also a core cadre of three derro.  A derro savant and his student provide the company's magical support but the true heart of the company is its battle-loving leader, Virith "Bloodstreak".
• Bregan D'Aerthe:  Run by the flamboyant drow male Jarlaxle, this unusual mercenary company is believed to consist of at least a 100 drow of all sorts, from thieves and assassins to warriors and mages.  It has no known priests, however, fueling speculation that some of its members serve Vhaeraun.  Many priestesses would like to see the company hunted down and wiped out but that's not going to occur anytime soon as Jarlaxle is known to deal with such luminaries as Matron Mother Baenre herself!  Bregan D'Aerthe can only be contacted through certain known establishments and agents in Braeryn.  In return for this simple service Bregan D'Aerthe ensures that these individuals are not bothered by any other guild and their protection is such that even noble houses and powerful merchant families and clans do not bother known Bregan D'Aerthe friends.
• Denin's Rabble:  Denin is a very skilled drow warrior who recruits warm bodies to whatever jobs he's been paid for.  He's a good source of cheap mercenaries for simple jobs and acts much like a recruiter, though he insists all mercenaries work through him so that he's ensured a continuing cut of their pay as well as any loot.  He accepts any race but is careful about what priests he hires.
• Drosh's Legion:  Drosh is an ogre mercenary leader who hires ogres and hobgoblins to oversee his goblin and kobold slave troops.  Drosh's forces command average wages.
• The Gilded Lances:  This unit of 40 skilled drow lizard riders has recently had a change of leadership.  Their new leader is a female drow.  Their rates are higher than normal (1500 gp/month) but they are an elite unit, used to working together and practiced in a number of unusual maneuvers, which makes them worth the money.
• Huegrath's Archers:  This company of 30 elite hobgoblin longbowmen is supported by 5 mages who cast spells such as flame arrow, wall of ice, protection from normal missiles, and enchanted weapon in support of the archers rather than using their magic to directly supplement the archer's fire.  Their prices are considered high (200 gp/month) but when they are hired it is usually for deployment to an area where they can make full use of the range of their longbows.
• Phaeril "One-Hand":  This deadly female drow warrior lost one of her hands long ago but doesn't seem to be hampered by it from all reports.  She doesn't do general mercenary work but will hire out as a guide or weaponmaster (to train an individual or group).  She sells weapon poisons as well as weapons meant for holding poisons (such as hollow daggers) on the side.  Phaeril is well known for her skill with a thrown knife.  She is a known contact for Bregan D'Aerthe but is not a member of that band.  She resides in Braeryn.
• The Spider Fangs:  The spiders fangs consist of 12 drow clerics, cleric/fighters, and arachne (specialty priestesses) of Lloth.  They are the only priestly mercenary company in Menzoberranzan and their rates reflect this (6000 gp/month).

Merchant Companies and Clans:

• The Black Claw:  This merchant company (technically a fellowship of independent merchants banded together, though those days are in truth long gone) is openly controlled by House Baenre.  It is the largest and most powerful merchant company in Menzoberranzan.
• The Brown Mushroom:  Founded by house Fey-Branche and several other powerful houses (including Barrison Del'Armgo and Oblodra), this company is meant to be a direct counter to The Black Claw Company controlled by House Baenre.  House Fey Branche was the most influential in its original founding and still has a disproportionate share of power in it (disproportionate to its house rank vs. that of some other houses involved with it).
• Clan Eishin:  This merchant clan deals in drugs, poisons, and surface wines.  They aspire to being a noble house but are said to be split too heavily by internal rivalries.  Rumor has it that the main rivalry currently is between the clan head (a priestess of Lloth) and her husband (a skilled wizard and hunter) for control of the clan.
• The High Handed:  The High Handed is a merchant alliance of a number of lesser noble houses and even a few would-be noble houses.  The alliance is not a success in that it cannot rival the Black Claw or the Brown Mushroom but it has helped its members cut costs, improve caravan security, and do all the other things a cooperation is supposed to do.
• Clan Neekoth:  This merchant clan consists of vintners and brewers.  They are famed for their glowing fungal wine (Neekoth Glow Wine) that comes in amber, light violet, dull pink, dark orange, and emerald.  They are headed by a cabal of male drow wizards.
• Three Black Rings:  Three Black Rings is a lean, well-organized company based around an unusual group:  a drow mage, a duergar priest, and a female ogre-magi.  The group has bonded together under their leadership a number of skilled warriors and mages and provides training for all its personnel.  Drow and half-drow hunters are especially valued as they lead caravans along alternate routes through the underdark.  The company spends much time (and many hunters) looking for new, alternate routes through the underdark.  In fact, selling maps of these routes and hiring out guides to other merchants is becoming a large part of their business.  The company employs most any race, though each race is limited in what rolls it may perform.  They never use slaves, however, even though they will trade in them.
• Xalyth's Company:  Xalyth is a powerful female drow merchant whose exploits have drawn several lesser merchants into cooperation with her (and each other).  Xalyth's Company is said by some to dominate the gem trade.  One thing is certain, Xalyth deals fairly with everyone and holds to all agreements and she insists that all those who join the alliance that bears her name act equally scrupulously.  Xalyth herself has become something of a folk hero, rising from humble origins, doing deeds that would get anyone else killed (then or later by vengeful nobles and priestesses) and so on.  Beyond her wares and manner of doing business, she is shrouded in myth.

Merchants and Merchant Houses:

• Blind Alyss:  Despite the name, this Braeryn potter and sculptor is not blind, as the old female drow warrior has proven to many a snatch thief.  Since she's now a known contact for the Bregan D'Aerthe mercenaries, however, she doesn't have to worry much about such things anymore.
• Baelaskros Del'Ilisharr:  This grossly fat drow is an influential Manyfolk dealer in bulk grains and other foodstuffs.
• Bargal Ironmace:  Bargal is a well known duergar merchant who travels between Menzoberranzan and Gracklstugh.  He deals in both slaves and weapons and will pick up whatever's worthwhile in Menzoberranzan for the return trip, though when heading back he prefers to travel light (making magic and other totables a favorite).  Bargal is well-respected and often takes orders for specific makes and numbers of weapons or types of slaves which he always returns with on his next trip, as agreed.  The person placing the order is invariably given the first chance to purchase the item at either a pre-arranged price (if one was established) or at market prices on arrival (if no price was set when the order was placed).  Bargal always travels with a contingent of well equipped duergar warriors and one or more priests of Abbathor.
• The Battered Beholder:  This shop is run by the duergar warrior Olosk Dhaulvin.  He deals in weaponry, food, and healing potions as well as, it is said, fencing goods.  He is known for his no questions asked attitude as well as the monsters that defend his shop.  The shop is located in Eastmyr.
• Blaethiira Duth Del'Ammyth:  This old drow warrior-high priestess serves Lloth and is said to be more powerful than some matron mothers in the city.  Why she lives in Braeryn selling poisons, potions, and information (much of it from the upper crust of society, things that are only talked about among powerful priestesses or is only gainable via divination spells) is open speculation by those around her.  She doesn't even operate her own small temple to Lloth as many common priestesses do.  Some have suggested she isn't as old as she looks and that she's looking for vengeance against Kiaransaleen whose undead minions aged her before her time.
• Bluerrin:  This drow family resides in Manyfolk where they make spiced sausages of underdark meat whose provinence is best not looked into too closely.
• Bhaern del'Hluanter:  Bhaern is an influential Manyfolk merchant that deals in crates, chests, casks, barrels, and carts.
• Calask's:  This Eastmyr shop is run by Myrlyth Calask, a human priest of Lathander and contact for the Black Shadows Confederation (mainly for the anti-slavery Ibrandul worshippers).  The shop deals in healing (he only casts spells on Black Shadows or those they vouch for but will sell healing potions to anyone), cosmetic and other surgery, hairstyling, and underdark map sales.
• Calauthe Mez'talyth:  This female drow warrior lives in Braeryn where she sells poisons and drugs and buys and sells information.
• Daelein Shimmerdark's Decanter:  A fixture of the Bazaar, this stall's proprietor sells rare and fine drinkables from all over the Realms but only at extremely high prices.  This covers his true business of selling love potions, sleeping potions, and liquid poisons to those who know the proper way to ask and proper amount to offer.  He is also thought to be a contact for several fences.
• Dhaunythe Blaer'duis:  This old drow warrior is a vendor of love philtres, poisons and magical potions in Braeryn.  Her home is guarded by a number of monsters, including a slithering tracker and at least one black pudding that she keeps to eat her garbage.
• Dhellorn and Diriziir Jaszarr:  Known as "Perfumers to Nobles", these brothers live in Narbondellyn and specialize in love-drugs and personal scents for fashion and party use.
• Drythaera Bryn'Tereth:  This old drow woman sells maps of the underdark and information on its known dangers and recent monster sightings and such.  She is also a fence, something not unexpected in a Braeryn resident.
• Du'arthe Klendara:  This influential Manyfolk textile merchant deals in both local and more exotic varieties of cloth, twine, yarn, thread, and finished goods.  Silk is, of course, a very common material in the city but woven ropes of leather, rothe hair fabrics (rothe hair is shorn and used much like sheep's wool), woven reed items (hats are the most common but shoes, belts, clothes, and ropes that aren't meant to support much weight are also made), woven vine ropes, and other items are also available here.  Du'arthe doesn't deal in leather goods or furs, unless they are combined in some fashion with his textile products.
• Durth and Drung Ironpot:  This pair of duergar brothers are well known scorpion breeders in the city.  Primarily they supply those looking for creatures for gladiatorial events or spell components.  They also sell poison they've milked from various types and sizes of scorpion.
• Dylchanta's Furfeathers:  A good massage parlor located in Eastmyr, Dylchanta's regularly hosts parties for large groups.
• Dzurren the Weaver:  This aged drow warrior lives in Braeryn and makes his living as a weaver, usually of spidersilk.  He is also a known contact for the Bregan D'Aerthe mercenary company.
• Elsteam's Escorts:  Elsteam's escorts provides good looking male and female drow escorts for nobles and non-nobles alike that serve in a variety of roles.  All are skilled at bodyguard work and also as guides to the city and its immediate environs (the inhabited areas of the mantle).  Most are also capable interpreters and well connected to important merchants in the city.  The Elsteam headquarters is in the West Wall district.
• Faeera's Floating Plants:  Deals in exotic plants from both above and below the surface, all displayed in levitating pots.  The shop is located in Manyfolk.
• Halaera:  A lame old drow woman, Halaera is not just a Narbondellyn perfumer but also heavily involved in the slave trade, so much so that it is said she has some part in half the slave-trades made in the city.  Dark whispers link her to many kidnappings as well, however.  What is known is that she walks with a stick and has a variety of powerful magic on her person at all times.
• Hondel Belek'tyr:  Gem merchant living in Narbondellyn.  Hondel is well known for the variety and quality of his stock and on a daily basis deals in surface world oddities and treasures.  He is a bitter rival of Mritt Shadalun as the two compete for the bragging rights to "best gem merchant in the city".
• Ilitree's:  This Eastmyr rooming house serves drow only.
• Infinyl Mestpar:  Infinyl is a mercenary drow warrior but her primary focus is on fencing stolen goods.  She often works the two trades together, transporting the items away from the city, either to meet with a contact leaving the city in the mantle or working as a guard for a caravan headed for another city.  This willingness to personally leave town makes her one of the best people to fence easily recognized and unique items to but in turn she often offers a lower rate than her competitors.  She also has a shop dealing in gems that she runs when in town.
• Lylar's Helm:  This Eastmyr rooming house gives preference to humanoids over other races, even drow and duergar.
• Malaric Darkstar:  This drow wizard is known to possess strange mental powers which have led many to speculate that he is actually an escaped, illegitimate, exiled, or even undercover Oblodran noble.  Malaric sells his spellcasting skills, even for monster hunting (which costs quite a bit extra) as well as acting as an agent for certain illithid interests in the city (he makes purchases and delivers messages on their behalf and acts as a contact for any wishing to do business with them).  He is also a known contact for Bregan D'Aerthe.  Malaric likes his privacy and lives in a heavily warded residence in Braeryn.
• Mhaershala of the Flowers:  Maershalla is a perfume maker who dwells in Narbondellyn.  She is famous across the underdark for her scents that purport to capture the smells of surface-world flowers.
• Mritt Shadalun:  Gem merchant living in Narbondellyn.  Mritt is well known for the variety and quality of his stock and on a daily basis deals in black opals, fire opals, and other "common" gems of the city.  He is a bitter rival of Hondel Belek'tyr as the two compete for the bragging rights to "best gem merchant in the city".
• Myrip Minstrelwish:  This stout (subrace) halfling is a perfume maker in Narbondellyn.  He is reputed to be half-crazed or even possessed and said to dance, caper, and sing while working.  Others assert this is nothing more than a defense against all the potentially hostile drow around him.
• Nantlel of the Three Fingers:  Nantlel is a retired warrior who is guarded at all times by a variety of monsters, including a greater peltast.  He has good reason to travel with such protection as he is a Narbondellyn money-lender.
• Narbondel's Shadow:  Narbondel's Shadow is a boarding house run by a trio of human ex-adventurers and caters to visitors to the city.  The hosts have a number of contacts for the discreet purchase of magic, healing, weapons, and other gear.  The boarding house is located in Eastmyr.
• Ologh "Gathergold" Ilyri:  This fat, gluttonous Narbondellyn money-lender started his business by poisoning his entire family.  He is also a retired but still knowledgable warrior.
• Ooltar the Beholder:  Ooltar is a small beholder merchant that travels to Menzoberranzan regularly.  He is always accompanied by his bodyguard and enforcer, Oroog, a powerful ogre said to be equal to an ogre chief.  He also uses charmed orc slaves.  Ooltar deals in exotic and specialty goods of all kinds and his arrival in the city always attracts the notice of nobles as well as other merchants eager to see what wares he has this time.  He never stays more than a few days before moving on.
• Ouol:  The Ouol family are gem merchants in Narbondellyn who specialize in amethysts almost exclusively.
• Farseeing Phurn:  A one eyed and magically well-armed warrior, Phurn deals in "repossessed" goods (he's a fence).  He will deal in anything and can be reached by leaving a message for him at most of the drinking spots in the city.
• Rhauldyn "the Old":  This ancient drow warrior has retired from swordsmithing but he still teaches the art of weaponsmithing to those willing to pay.  He maintains his home and forge in Braeryn where he also acts as a contact for Bregan D'Aerthe.
• Rhauvais del'Ygana:  This influential Manyfolk weapons dealer sticks to the exotic and high quality.  She is known to do quite a bit of business with nobles looking for something special.
• Ruilath's Rental Coaches:  Ruilath deals in all sorts of animal drawn conveyances, from coaches, to carriages, to wagons, to carts, to chariots.  If it isn't meant to be pulled by an animal (including a slave or team of slaves) or isn't meant to have at least one rider, however, he won't make it and doesn't keep any around.  Ruilath's keeps a variety of carts, wagons, coaches, and such around for rental, including slave drivers (they are shackled to their post) and full teams.  His conveyances may not go beyond the inhabited areas of the mantle, however.  This shop and its slave barracks, stables, and wagon yard are located in West Wall.
• Ryrrl:  The Ryrrl family of gem merchants operates out of Narbondellyn and specializes in diamonds.  They are rivals of the Thadalyx family.
• Sh'aun Darnruel:  Sh'aun is a warrior priestess of Lloth who deals in personal fashions, including clothing, body dyes, and body adornments.  She also consults on current fashions.  She is an influential Manyfolk merchant.
• Sheeress of the Many Eyes:  Sheeress does well as a Narbondellyn money-lender since she's also an archmage who once served at Sorcere before being kicked out.  She claims this is because of jealousy and fear over her rising power but she is definitely paranoid so not everyone takes this story at face value (though they don't say so to her face).
• Sysmeera's:  An Eastmyr rooming house, Sysmeera's is owned and operated by a human ex-adventuress.  She charges reasonable rates and caters to visitors to the city.  She also has numerous contacts for the discreet acquisition of most any gear a traveler could desire.
• Thadalyx:  The Thadalyx family of gem merchants operates out of Narbondellyn and specializes in diamonds.  They are rivals of the Ryrl family.
• Thaelara Oblare:  Thaelara is a drow priestess (of Lloth) as well as a skilled gem re-cutter.  She deals mainly in high value portable purloined goods (she's a fence), i.e., primarily gems, jewelry, and magical items.
• Tebryn Hostuth:  Tebryn is the owner and operator of Tebryn's Fine Woods, located in Manyfolk.  Tebryn is a drow magic-user and craftsman who works in wood, though he used to work with funguswood.  Wood items in the city used to cost 5 or more times as much as funguswood items, depending on the type of wood and amount required (a cart would cost easily 100x as much for wood over funguswood).  Tebryn opened his shop more than 2 decades ago and changed that.  He started selling carved wooden items and raw wood for only 3x the local funguswood price, immediately setting off a storm of anger and attracting innumerable enemies.  Within days his sho and his person had been attacked numerous times but his magical defenses held, and even captured a number of the attackers for him (including at least one Master of Sorcere who was ransomed back to his family openly for all to hear of and for an amount that embarrassed and bankrupted the now defunct noble house (they were attacked and destroyed within months after their troops had mostly abandoned them for lack of pay and the Master had been assassinated since all now knew his magical defenses were weak).  Tebryn survived and has flourished since then.  Tebryn's supplies of wood were highly limited at first but have since grown so that now he can supply almost any type of wood a person needs with only a few day's notice.  He can supply the wood in quantity or carved into various forms but mostly deals in bulk sales to others who use wood in the city (he gives cut rates to other craftsman, apparently a deal worked out to ensure the increasing number of assassins didn't get him), which allows them to remain competitive.  Other than bulk sales to other established craftsmen in the city he primarily sells to a number of caravans heading to other cities as well as to spell casters (spell components are important).   Most of his rivals believe his secret is the use of material and fabricate spells but this hasn't been proven.  In addition to magical wards he keeps hobgoblin and orc slaves and a pet fire lizard to defend his shop and home.  Tebryn still faces assassins, saboteurs (arsonists, mainly), vandals, thieves, and magical attacks on a regular basis (and occasionally, so do his customers).
• Tlar Quel'tlarn:  This influential Manyfolk jeweler performs locksmithing, gemsetting, and fine metalsmithing.
• Ulaver:  This Manyfolk drow family produces a luminous, light green wine that is growing in popularity in the city.  The Ulaver's are already having trouble with imitators who sell "counterfeit" Ulaver wine even as they are trying to build an export market (particularly to neighboring drow cities).
• Uluruela Drael Tuabbar:  This warrior priestess of Lloth deals in travel goods made of leather, lizard skin, and carved bone.  She is also said to cast minor healing spells for hire when business is down.  She is an influential resident of Manyfolk.
• Vhurn Bhaelyndryn's Bestiary:  A fixture of the Bazaar, Vhurn deals in pack lizards and trained riding lizard mounts as well as all possible tack and harness for them, from carry-frames and lead lines to goads.  Vhurn is known for keeping several prepared mounts tied up at his stall at all times and will, for several times the usual amount sell one in a hurry as well as sending his dozen drow and gnoll guards to delay the customer's pursuit, even from patrols.  Vhurn also sells "Underdark packs", each of which contains 20 torches, 3 silk 50' ropes, 2 grapnels, 100 spikes, a mallet, a tinderbox with extra funguswood shavings, 6 flasks of oil in a metal carrying case, a hooded bullseye lantern, a 10' pole with a reel and 40' plumb line on one end, a dagger, a rock hammer, a prybar, and iron rations to feed a human for 30 days.  Those who make a purchase from him and ask will be directed to good places to purchase other weapons, gear, and gems.
• Vilteern's Fine Chains:  Vilteern's deals in chains of all types, all materials, and all sizes from thin necklace and amulet chains to chains with huge links are as long as a drow and thick as an ogre's thigh.  Any length up to 1000' feet may be purchased, even lone links.  Typical materials (based on chain size) are silver, copper, gold, bronze, platinum, brass, steel, iron, stone, and funguswood.  Mithril and adamantium may also be purchased, though it will take time to procure and work the desired materials.  The shop is located in Manyfolk with warehouses nearby.
• Yuimith Shulcloak:  This old female drow lives in Narbondellyn and is well known throughout the city.  She is so well known not because of her open trade but because she also sells information, any information, anytime.  She employs a dozen stoutish halflings and a half-dozen drow orphans as guards (and, some say, spies).

Use the following links to learn more about Menzoberranzan, the city:

• Customs of the City and the Underdark
• Description of the City and its Environs
• Fauna of the local Underdark
• Flora of the local Underdark
• Goods in the City
• Hirelings in Menzoberranzan
• Languages [most commonly] spoken in the City
• Magic in Menzoberranzan
• Duties and Powers of Noble Houses
• A List of Noble Houses
• Religion in the City