“No great mind has ever existed without a touch of
madness.”
―
 |
| D3 Vault of the Drow |
That depends.
I can hear the cry of “Sacrilege!” even as I type this. There
are even those who believe, “All things penned by Gary Gygax are brilliance
personified!” Were they?
That too depends.
On what? Perspective.
As an adventure module, D3 is mediocre, at best. That’s
my opinion. Yours may differ. I believe the G series if far superior,
personally. They are focused, to the point, and brief. So too are D1 and D2 –
brief. But where each of the G modules are a mission, D1 and D2 are a journey.
I’m not sure why D2 even exists, to be honest, except to introduce the Kuo-Toa.
Why am I critical of D3? D3 feels like a tournament
module, to my mind. There are 2 or 3 challenges leading up to a “finale,” a Big
Bad Boss battle at the end of a dungeon crawl, in this case the Great Fane of
Lolth.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with tournament modules;
indeed, they were the bread and butter of golden age D&D; but if D3 is
indeed akin to a tournament module, then there is surely a lot of bloat betwixt
its covers leading up to that battle with its Big Bad. There’s even a fair
amount of bloat in the Great Fane, as well. Most of its 2nd through
4th floors are superfluous, bedrooms and barracks stocked with
“innocent” guards and priestesses of Lolth – innocent because they were never
the reason why our heroes delved so deeply into the Oerth, in the first place.
Our heroes descended into the depths of the Oerth to discover and put an end to
the threat facing the nations on the surface.
Giants have been raiding the lands of men in large
bands, with giants of different sorts in these marauding groups. [G123 Against
the Giants – 2]
They are to follow any clues discovered if such point
towards the sinister hand suspected of guiding the rising, but to return at
once if they should determine exactly the reason or force behind the unholy
alliance. Some relic of great evil might be at hand. [G123 – 2]
Eclavdra was always, or should have always been, the
focus of the adventure.
Not Lolth. There, I said it. Crucify me.
But if we set that aside, there is genius within, too.
But only if you’re willing to invest in it.
If the D series is an introduction to the Underoerth,
it’s quite inspired – despite its faults. Gary Gygax packed a ton of lore into those
few pages available to him in that era of super-slim volumes, D3 even more so
than the other D modules – even though a fair chunk of it is regurgitated encounter
tables and “race” exposition. To truly succeed, though, D3 should have been a
tome as weighty as those that eventually followed: Greyhawk Adventures, and the
like. But Gygax being Gygax, Erelhei-Cinlu lore is not confined to D3 alone.
Evidence of faction fighting and religious division dates back as far as the G
series.
 |
| The Drow |
It is there, I believe, that we need to focus, as it ought
to have: Not on Lolth; but on the dramatis personae: the Merchant Houses, the
Nobel Houses, the people, their factions, their alliances, and their inevitable
betrayals.
Where to begin? With the city and its people, I suppose.
You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and
villainy. We must be cautious.”
―
“Here pity only lives when it is dead – Virgil”
― Inferno
Scum, villainy and the dead, indeed.
Between 8,000 and 9,000 Drow live in the city, and
double that number of half-casts, servants, and slaves. To this permanent
population can be added a thousand or so creatures visiting for purposes known
only to themselves. [D3 Vault of the Drow – 15]
The main ways of this ancient and depraved city are
thronged with as unlikely a mixture of creatures as can be imagined. Green
cloaked Illithids and Kuo-Toans rub shoulders with Dark Elves. Ghosts and
ghouls roam freely, and an occasional shadow or vampire will be seen. Bugbears
and troglodytes are common, as are other various servants and slaves of the
Drow (dwarves, goblins, half-orcs, humans, and orcs are sometimes free
inhabitants of the place). All are pale from dwelling in the sunless Vault.
Trolls slink by evillooking men wearing the green garb. None are disturbed to
pass a lesser demon or succubus, a night hag or mezzodaemon. These crowds part
hurriedly for Noble Drow riding nightmares or the more powerful demons or
nycadaemons (see special section at the end), but those of the Dark Elves with
pack lizards must slowly force their way through traffic. Beggars of all sorts
are seen, and half-Drow thieves, pimps, and harlots are as common as the
enslaved human and elven prostitutes displayed before certain establishments.
[D3 – 15]
Daemons and Dark Elves and Spies, oh my!
 |
| Kuo-Toa |
Drow nobles
Noble parties will stop to converse with unusual
groups 75% of the time. If they see anything which appears dangerous to the
welfare of the Drow, they will immediately act (attack, summon a passing
creature(s) to aid them, arrest, etc.). [D3 – 16]
Rakes roaming the streets in
Erelhei-Cinlu are bands of bitter youths, often outcasts. The band will be
composed of either Drow, Drow-elves, and half-Drow (human cross) or Drow,
half-Drow, and (1-2) half-orcs. The former sort of group is 40% likely, the
latter 60%. Drow crosses will have magic resistance equal to their Dark Elven
heritage but no spell ability. The bands with elven-Drow members will be
hostile to all they perceive as part of the system which prevails in their
world, and the Dark Elves with them are of the few who are neither totally
degenerate nor wholly evil—they are haters of the society around them and see
no good in it. All rakes will be fighters of 4th-7th level
of ability (or in the case of groups with half-orcs, fighter/thieves of 3rd-5th/4th-7th
or fighter/assassins of 4th-6th/4th-6th
level are 50% likely for half-Drow and half-orc rakes). The first sort of group
will wear chain shirts under their garments (+1 or +2) and have +1 weapons. The
latter groups will not wear armor, and they will be likely to have a few +3
weapons. Rakes encountered inside will be seated so as to appear to be several
smaller groups. Those outside will be in 2 or 3 groups so as to surround and
surprise their victims. All will scatter when a patrol or nobles appear, for they
are greatly disliked by the Drow military and upper class. (See Thieves below.)
If the party manages a friendly meeting with a group
of Drow/Drow-elves/half-Drow rakes the youths will tell them about the worship
of the Demoness Lolth and the way to her "Egg." The rakes will
accompany the party to the area in question if a plan which seems reasonable to
them is put forth. They will also leave the Vault-Egg areas in the course of
adventuring. [D3 – 16]
Thieves will be of several racial types.
[D3 – 16] Most are either drow or half-drow, but they can also be dwarf (I’d
expect that duergar or derro might better suit than any surface variety),
gnome, human, half-elf, or half-orc.
There are other encounter types, far more; but maybe the
most curious persons our heroes might meet are those humans who are not slaves.
Human cleric party will be […] evil
(chaotic or neutral) [.] These groups will be likely to attack and slay any
humans they meet—such as explorers—who are of good alignment. [D3 – 16]
That would go without saying, wouldn’t it?
This intrigues me far more, though:
Human magic-user party
The alignment of these magic-users will be as follows:
neutral – 25%neutral evil – 20%chaotic evil – 50%lawful evil – 05%
If the magic-users are evil, they will attack good
parties if discovered. Neutral magic-users will be open to any reasonable
offers, of course… [D3 – 16]
Neither of these parties would advance the plot,
probably; but thoughts do rise concerning them, don’t they? Drow were still
altogether unknown on the surface when the G and D series were published, so
one wonders who did know about them, and for how long, and to what purpose they
ventured this deeply to seek them out for? To elicit their help? To conspire
with them?
 |
| Nedylene |
How will our heroes navigate such a motley mess? With
caution, I don’t doubt.
And with a guide, hopefully. Fortuitously, Gygax had
already introduced one such person who could be deemed made to order….
Nedylene – 8th/7th cleric/fighter female (House
Despana) [D3 – 17]
She hates Eclavdra, after all; and her House has already
tasked her with “spying” on her/their “rival.”
It would be best that our heroes were allied with her,
because even before entering the city proper, they are going to have to pass
into the vault, where even there, trip cords cross their pass, and factions
lurk beneath the surface.
The Black Tower will be their first true test.
Drow medallions and badges which would allow them
relatively unquestioned passage in most areas [.] [D3 – 2]
But they are coded: blue enameled prism, white
enameled morel mushroom, bronze coiled whip, silver crescent [D3 – 5], etc.
Our heroes would never know whether one might be a boon
or a bane without help.
Aliens with a brooch of one of the merchant clans or
noble houses are allowed to keep their special pins and need not wear a green
cloak either, but they will be required to display their special pass (the
brooch) whenever requested, and woe to the adventurer who fails to have a glib
tongue if the interrogator happens to be of the clan or house of the pass (or
worse still an enemy of that clan or house). [D3 – 11]
 |
| The Black Tower |
Divolg, the High Bailiff
Behind him are two chests of wood, one with green
cloaks, the other with 4 metal boxes inside — one with 17 medallions, another
with important papers (all pertaining to trade), one with 4 sets of cinnabar
cusps, and the last (triple locked) holds 120 p.p., 6 100 g.p. gems, and (in a
secret space in the lid) a small piece of parchment with Drow script saying:
"The bearer is my most trusted servant and must be speeded and aided as is
his need. Eclavdra". With this message is a brooch of copper formed in the
likeness of a staff with tentacled end, engraved on the back, EILSERVS. [D3
– 11,12]
Merinid, the Bailiff
He hides these in a secret compartment in a leg of his
desk, and therein also is a broach of an adamantite mace bearing the engraved
name DESPANA on the reverse. [D3 – 12]
Tension must be high in the Black Tower, I imagine;
unless each is not aware of the other’s loyalties; but drow being drow, I
suspect they would be suspicious of one another, regardless, as a rule, even if
they were brothers.
One can only imagine what it might be like in the FEMALE
FIGHTERS SOCIETY:
This military sisterhood supposedly counters all other
factions in direct service of Lolth. [D3 – 13]
One would think that, but drow being drow….
Each sorority of fighters represents one of the 8
noble houses, although not all of the members are by any means of that
particular noble family. [D3 – 13]
General Telenna, a 9th level fighter [D3 – 13]
Lieutenant General Drisinil, an 8th level fighter
[D3 – 13]
Gygax does not say which House each of its top brass is
aligned with, but I can only imagine that top ranked Eilservs would have
maneuvered one of their own into its command. It would only stand to reason
then that either the Kilseks or Despanas, or both, ensured one of theirs would
be placed next to the General to keep careful watch over their hated Eilserv
rival.
The MALE FIGHTERS' SOCIETY would be of
lesser importance to that decidedly matriarchal society. But no House would
ever allow another to hold complete dominion over their scions, regardless how
inconsequential a male might be in the grand scheme of things.
Just as the female organization is a neutral
instrument of the Drow clerical hierarchy, so too is the fraternity of male
fighters an instrument to counter any destructive feuding or power seizure by
one or more of the merchant clans at the expense of the others. Of course, the
society also furnishes troops for guard duty, patrols, etc. [D3 – 14]
General Istolil, a 7th level fighter [D3 – 14]
Commander Captain Relonor, a 6th level fighter [D3
– 14]
Relonor is secretly in the service of the House of
Tormtor. [D3 – 14]
I would expect that Istolil is in service to Godeep, that
low House countering Tormtor’s ambitions there.
Merchant clans are as ambitious as the noble houses. And
presumably as scheming, influential, and powerful, too, no matter how low or
weak even the lowest of noble houses may perceive them to be. They survive,
after all. And thrive in the drow’s drider eat drider world.
Merchant clans are nominally allied in pairs to a
noble house, thus making a perfect balance of power, but due to intrigue and
feuding between the merchants and nobles, there is an uneven balance. Feuding
and raids are fairly common. Merchant clans and alliances are shown below:
a. PRISM (Tormtor) allied with h. and c. (Eilservs)b. MOREL (Godeep) allied with d. (Aleval)c. COILED WHIP (Eilservs) allied with a. (Tormtor)d. CRESCENT (Aleval) allied with b. (Godeep) and i. (Noquar)e. PUFFBALL (Kilsek) allied with f.f. HOOK (Kilsek) allied with e. and m. (Despana)g. SHELF FUNGI (Despana) allied with m.h. CHAIN (Tormtor) allied with a.i. MUSHROOMS (Noquar) allied with d. (Aleval) and o. (Everhate)j. BARS (Eilservs) allied with p.k. URN (currently uncommited)l. HORSETAIL MUSHROOM (Noquar) allied with o. (Everhate)m. GEM (Despana) allied with g. and f. (Kilsek)n. STAR (currently leaning towards Eilservs)o. LOZENGE (Everhate) allied with i. (Aleval) and I. (Noquar)p. BONE (Eilservs) allied with j (Bars).
Noble family names are shown in parentheses. The
members of each clan wear the appropriate emblem as a broach […]. [D3 – 14]
One wonders whether they are loyal to the nobility as
all; or whether they are just playing one against the other to keep them “weak”
and “balanced.”
I can’t for the life of me, understand why the bugbears
and troglodytes were treated to as many lines as they were I this volume; but
they were. I suppose they are as much a faction as any, however irrelevant. They are useful though. Someone has to do the
dirty work, after all. It’s not like the bugbears or trogs would harbour any
resentment or ill-will towards their “masters,” would they?
COMPLEX OF CAVES
Kreffok, the Bugbear hetman [D3 – 10]
TROGLODYTE TUNNELS
Ttirssslup the Chieftain [D3- 10]
Neither would aid our heroes, to my mind. The risk would
be too great to them if they did.
I suppose one might consider their lairs a couple of
“side dungeons.”
The more I think on it, the more I think that allying
with Nedylene would be our heroes best chance for success. She’s a female.
She’s nobility. She’s a member of a powerful House. None would oppose her,
regardless who was with her.
 |
| THE GREAT GATE |
Overall commander of the gate is a male
fighter/magic-user of 3rd/6th level [….] He is an ally of
the House of Eilservs, so any person possessing an Eilservs or Tormtor badge
will be passed with only minimal questioning by him. [D3 – 15]
It matters not a whit that the Gate Commander is opposed
to House Despana. What’s he going to do, incur the wrath of one of the most
powerful houses opposed to his own? That smells like suicide to me. Besides, he
lets all manner of human cleric and magic-user parties to gain entry to the
city already.
ERELHEI-CINLU:
The Noble Gate guards the access to the flying bridge
which spans the Pitchy Flow and leads to the high plateau upon which the noble
families have their estates. [D3 – 15]
The commander of the Noble Gate is a female of 8th/4th
cleric/fighter level. She is Jysiln, a member of the Servants of Lolth, wearing
her gold spider broach proudly (and openly hostile to any bearing the Eilservs
or Tormtor device). [D3 – 15]
The Flying Bridge and Plateau Beyond: As
mentioned previously, the only persons permitted to leave the city by the Noble
Gate are those on business of the noble families, i.e. those with the proper
devices and a good reason (fabricated or real) are allowed to pass over the
bridge to the area north. [D3 – 16]
As I noted in my earlier post, I can’t, for the life of
me, imagine why this temple is required if the true enemy is Eclavdra and House
Eilserv; but these NPCs are named, and could presumably be of use in the
campaign.
 |
| Lolth |
High Priestess of Queen Lolth, Charinida, a 14th level
cleric [D3 – 22]
Baltana, 10th level high priestess [D3 – 19]
Vlondril, 9th level female cleric [D3 – 19]
Inidil, another 9th level cleric. She conforms in all
respects to Vlondril [D3 – 19]
Commander Pellanistra, an 8th level female fighter [.]
Pellanistra is of the House of Noquar originally, so she is exceptionally
hostile to any of the Eilservs ilk. [D3 – 19]
Behind the secret door is a cell wherein is chained an
insane human of great strength (9th level fighter; H.P.: 73; 18/81 strength, 11
intelligence, 9 wisdom, 16 dexterity, 18 constitution; 17 charisma) kept here
by Charinida for whatever purposes please her at the time. [D3 – 22]
One presumes these NPCs are not in league with Eclavdra
and House Eilserv, who’ve abandoned Lolth for the Elemental God. They’d harbour
Bad Blood towards them, to be sure.
That said, which noble Houses would aid in defeating
Eclavdra and House Eilserv?
Probably not ALEVAL.
14. ESTATE OF THE HOUSE OF ALEVAL: […] Rank:
8th. This weak family is primarily bent on gaining more power. As they are
relatively unimportant, they can manage a semi-independent position, waiting
for the Kilsek-Despana-Noquar faction or the Eilservs-Tormtor axis to wax
supreme and then join with the victors. [D3 – 17]
They’re too weak to commit, one way other the other until
the outcome is obvious.
There would be little help (probably none) from EVERHATE,
as well.
11. ESTATE OF THE HOUSE OF EVERHATE: […] Rank:
5th. Nominal supporters of the noble houses worshipping the demoness Lolth, but
seldom active against the Eilservs-Tormtor faction, as they prefer to wait to
see the eventual outcome of the contest. [D3 – 17]
EVERHATE would have too much to lose.
Most others would, though. I’ll list them in descending
order.
15. ESTATE OF THE HOUSE OF KILSEK: […] Rank:
2nd. Hatred and jealousy has always existed between Kilsek and Eilservs, and
the Kilsek family is more than happy to be able to play off the Despanas and
Noquars against their rivals. [D3 – 18]
There’s no honour among drow, it would seem. Not that we
ever expected otherwise. No wonder their “war” has been going on as long as it
has.
12. ESTATE OF THE HOUSE OF DESPANA: […] Rank:
3rd. The House of Despana is closely leagued with that of Kilsek and Noquarto
bring ruin upon the Eilservs, for each of these families imagines that their
house would then gain first precedence. [D3 – 17]
Nedylene – 8th/7th
cleric/fighter female [D3 – 17]
13. ESTATE OF THE HOUSE OF NOQUAR: […] Rank:
4th. These close allies of the Despanas and Kilseks secretly hope that the
struggle with the Eilservs will weaken their allies so that Noquar will be the
greatest noble family. [D3 – 17]
16. ESTATE OF THE HOUSE OF GODEEP: […] Rank:
6th. The Godeep nobles are also committed to the anti-Eilservs faction, for
they perceive that they will gain greater rewards from the victorious Kilsek
combination, and thus displace the Everhate House as 5th in precedence. [D3
– 18]
Those who oppose our heroes would be:
10. ESTATE OF THE HOUSE OF TORMTOR: […] Rank:
7th. Actively allied with the House of Eilservs (17.), rising, and thus
incurring the enmity of the other nobles, the Tormtors are very powerful
despite their current low rank. [D3 – 17]
 |
| ESTATE OF THE HOUSE OF EILSERVS |
17. ESTATE OF THE HOUSE OF EILSERVS: […] Rank:
1st. The Eilservs have long seen a need for an absolute monarch to rule the
Vault, and as the noble house of first precedence, they have reasoned that
their mistress should be Queen of All Drow. When this was proposed, the
priestesses of Lolth supported the other noble families aligned against the
Eilservs, fearing that such a change would abolish their position as the final
authority over all disputes and actions of the Dark Elves. Thereafter, the
Eilservs and their followers turned away from the demoness and proclaimed their
deity to be an Elder Elemental God […]. Although there is no open warfare,
there is much hatred, and both factions seek to destroy each other. An attempt
to move worship of their deity into the upper world, establish a puppet kindom
[sic] there, and grow so powerful from this success that their demands for
absolute rulership no longer be thwarted, was ruined of late, and the family is
now retrenching. [D3 – 18]
Eclavdra – 10th/4th
cleric/fighter female [D3 – 18]
Lyme – 5th/12th
fighter/magic-user male consort [D3 – 18]
 |
| Eclavdra |
The back streets and alleyways too boast of brothels,
poison shops, bars, and torture parlors. Unspeakable things transpire where the
evil and jaded creatures seek pleasure, pain, excitement, or arcane knowledge,
and sometimes these seekers find they are victims. All visitors are warned that
they enter the back streets of the city at their peril. [D3 – 15]
It almost as if Gygax were trying to scare us off….
Perhaps we were meant to linger only as long as necessary, and escape
while we still could. It does seem as though the Free City’s worst
neighbourhood is palatial by comparison….
 |
| The Temple |
Maybe that’s too simple. Drow are drow, after all; so, I
wouldn’t dally in the underoerth for long, after dealing a blow to any drow. I
expect they would wish to reward the PCs’ efforts by serving their heads up on
a platter, for their trouble. Because, you know… drow….
And Nedylene is without doubt about as trustworthy as Eclavdra,
no matter how you slice her up. She probably deserves such a fate, anyway.
Then again, she’s the lesser of the two evils, and our
heroes ally; isn’t she…?
“Between two evils, I always pick the one I never
tried before.”
―
One must always give credit where credit is due. This post is made
possible primarily by the Imaginings of Gary Gygax and his Old Guard, Lenard
Lakofka among them, and the new old guards, Carl Sargant, James Ward, Roger E.
Moore. And Erik Mona, Gary Holian, Sean Reynolds, Frederick Weining. The
list is interminable.
The Art:
Eclavdra, by Erol Otus, from D3 Vault of the Drow, 1980
Drow, by Bill Willingham, from D1-2 Descent into the Depths of the Earth, 1980
Erelhei-Cinlu map, by Jason Engle, from Drow of the Underdark 3e, 2007
Kuo-Toa, by Tony DiTerlizzi, from Monstrous Manual 2e, 1995
The Black Tower, by David A. Trampier, from D3 Vault of the Drow, 1978, 1980
Vault of the Drow map, by Christopher West, from Dragon Magazine #298, 2002
Erelhei-Cinlu, by Tomas Giorello, from Drow of the Underdark 3e, 2007
Lolth, by David A. Trampier, from D3 Vault of the Drow, 1978, 1980
Underdark Ziggurat, by Adam Paquette, from Underdark 4e, 2010
Sources:
9025 World of
Greyhawk Folio, 1980
1015 World of
Greyhawk Boxed Set, 1983
2009 Monster
Manual 1e, 1977, 1978
2011 Players
handbook 1e, 1978
2011A Dungeon
Masters Guide, 1st Ed., 1979
9018 G3 Hall of
the Fire Mountain King, 1978
9019 D1 Descent
Into the Depths of the Earth, 1978
9020 D2 Shrine
of the Kuo-Toa, 1978
9059 D1-2
Descent Into the Depths of the Earth, 1978, 1981
9021 D3 Vault
of the Drow, 1978, 1981
9058 G123
Against the Giants, 1978, 1981
