Rumors

Rumor puts the count of drow cities to around forty or so but the harsh conditions of the Underdark can change that number on a regular basis.  A typical drow city has around 35,000 drow besides sometimes up to double that number of slaves.  Menzoberranzan is a relatively small city of 20,000 drow but it is known as Menzoberranzan the Mighty.  The faithful Menzoberranyr drow know that if they call upon Lolth in need they may receive aid.  There is a 10 percent chance per level of this happening (minus 10 percent for each time aid has been called for in the last 33 days).  Such aid will always be temporary and accompanied by the arrival of some sort of spider.  Lolth always exacts her price later; often a difficult, dangerous mission or service.  Alternatively, Lolth may send spiders to attack foes of beleaguered drow; this form of aid does not “cost” anything.

Eryndlyn – a fierce three way rivalry between the worshippers of Lolth, Ghaunadaur, and Vhaeraun.  This city is also known to trade with humans along the Sword Coast from hidden caves somewhere in the High Moor.

Llurth Dreier – known for worship of Ghaunadaur only, a city of 400,000 drow ruling vast fungi-farm caverns under The Shaar, northwest of The Deep Realms of the dwarves.

Sshamath – somewhere beneath The Far Hills, there is a drow city dominated by mages with the priestesses in positions of minor power.

Sschindylryn – a distant city, rumor of a gate being discovered to another plane

Maeralyn – far, far to the south, this city has invaded another drow city, that of Jhachlkhyn

Dusklyngh – in the Northern Cold Reaches of the Underdark, has recently expanded tunnels created by purple worms to allow easy access for surface raids

Other Deities

Malyk – The Dark Mage, represents wild and evil magic – all that is mysterious and a challenge to authority.  Some wild mages will worship him and folk of the Underdark will begin hearing of him and his servants more and more.

Fifth Level Priest Spells

Imbue Undead With Spell Ability (Necromancy)

Sphere: Necromantic

Range: touch

Components: V, S, M

Duration: 10 turns/level

Casting Time: 8

Area of Effect: one undead

Saving Throw: none

This spell allows the cleric to turn a single undead creature into a spell focus for the purpose to funnel cleric spells too.  The stored spell is emitted from the undead, but all casting activity is at the priest power level.  A priest can cast multiple spells into the undead focus creature; maximum of one per level of the priest.  Once the spell is cast onto the focus undead the spell is exhausted from the priest spell list for the day.  The spells stored in the undead focus creature last 10 turns per level of the caster or until used.  As long as the spell caster can "see" the focus undead creature, the caster can mentally command the undead to cast one spell instead of attacking.  With this spell, a hidden priest can avoid direct casting and can go for a full fighting-focus.  This makes it difficult to tell high level drow warriors and priests apart.  A Dispel Magic cast on such an augmented undead will only end one stored spell (chosen randomly).

The material component is a single drop of the casters blood, applied to the undead creature's head.

Spider Summoning (Conjuration/Summoning)

Sphere: Animal

Range: 0

Components: V, S, M

Duration: 1 round + 1 round/level

Casting Time: 8

Area of Effect: special

Saving Throw: none

This spell calls 1d4 "large" spiders per level of the caster, to serve the priest.  They 'fade' into view within 100 feet of the caster, on the round after casting, and obey the caster's command on the round thereafter.  They have full possible hit points and poison reserves, and fight to the death for the caster with utter loyalty, following the caster's silent mental urgings as to targets, direction to move, and tasks to do.  The caster can cast other spells without ending this spell's control.  At the spell expiry, surviving spiders 'fade away,' returning whence they came.

Only true arachnids can be summoned by this spell, no similar insect creatures.  The spell cannot be used to command or repel encountered spiders; it only allows the caster to command the arachnids it summons.  The spell's material component is a dried arachnid corpse.

Fifth Level Wizard Spells

Spidercloak Armor (Conjuration)

Range: 0

Components: V, S, M

Duration: 4 rounds + 1 round/level

Casting Time: 5

Area of Effect: the caster

Saving Throw: none

The Spidercloak Armor spell surrounds the caster with a floating, swirling, shadowy network of non-sticky webs and magical shadows.  This magical, partially-solid barrier helps to deflect both physical and magical attacks, improving armor class each round as the shadows fluctuate.  Each round roll 1d3+2 and improve the caster's armor class by that amount.  Spidercloak Armor also gives a variable aid to saving throws, of either nothing (odd roll) or +1 (even roll).  Check each round for the saving throw bonus as well as the armor class adjustment.  The saving throw bonus is cumulative with any other protective spell or item.  Spidercloak Armor also conceals the caster's alignment aura, and any magical auras carried on his or her person, from magical scrutiny.  The Material component of this spell is a bit of spiderweb, or living spider that is crushed during casting.

Passweb (Abjuration/Alteration)

Range: Touch

Components: V, S

Duraton: 1 round/level

Casting Time: 4

Area of Effect: one creature

Saving Throw: special

The Passweb spell enables one creature to pass through existing webs, both natural and magical, as though they did not exist.  It also permits passage through barriers of rope or vine, provided the area to be passed through incorporates only non-magical, organic materials.  The webs are not disturbed or altered in any way by this spell or the passage through them.

A recipient of this spell may try to free creatures or objects already trapped in a web.  Three successful Strength checks and a Dexterity check must be made in the same round for an attempt to be successful.  If a trapped being is unwilling to be freed, and able to actively resist, failure is automatic.