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Farrel
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
239 Posts |
 Posted - 01 Nov 2011 : 16:24:46
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Fellow scribes of Candlekeep, can you help me please?
I've been trying, rather unsucessfully, to find as many named Drow Houses from Maerimydra to help create a Drow NPC, who follows Eilistraee, for my current campaign.
The campaign is set in 1353DR so the events in City of the Spider Queen have not yet occurred and I have only managed to find one house from the aforementioned adventure: House Chumavh.
I've looked through Drizzt Do' Urden's Guide to the Underdark, City of the Spider Queen, and Underdark.
Is the lore regarding Maerimydra so scant?
Have I missed any in CotSQ?
Are any others detailed in any other sources (I'm primarily interested in canon lore and not homebrew)?
Thankyou in advance...
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 01 Nov 2011 : 18:02:32
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You may find something useful in Elves of Faerūn.
I had planned to do each drow settlement independently, but never found the time. I believe Lord Karsus tried to move forward with that plan (so I'm not sure if you'll find what you need - sorry).
There are at least two other scribes here who know the Drow far better then I, so hopefully they might have something. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Farrel
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
239 Posts |
Posted - 01 Nov 2011 : 18:12:30
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
You may find something useful in Elves of Faerūn.
I had planned to do each drow settlement independently, but never found the time. I believe Lord Karsus tried to move forward with that plan (so I'm not sure if you'll find what you need - sorry).
There are at least two other scribes here who know the Drow far better then I, so hopefully they might have something.
Thanks Markus!
I wasn't even aware that this resource existed 
I did a couple of searches of the document with the keywords Maerimydra and House/s and it doesn't contain any information on what I was looking for.
Thanks for the link though, i've bookmarked it for future use  |
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Hoondatha
Great Reader
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 01 Nov 2011 : 20:24:13
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| Just be aware that a lot of it is homebrew. High quality homebrew, on the whole, but not published lore, and they don't differentiate between the two. |
Doggedly converting 3e back to what D&D should be...
Sigh... And now 4e as well. |
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Farrel
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
239 Posts |
Posted - 01 Nov 2011 : 20:30:00
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quote:
Originally posted by Hoondatha
Just be aware that a lot of it is homebrew. High quality homebrew, on the whole, but not published lore, and they don't differentiate between the two.
Cheers Hoondatha
I realised it was homebrew when I started reading, due to the credits section, but it still looks darned impressive.
I really liked the names section, lots of goodies to have a pick through, I often struggle with names  |
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Wrigley
Senior Scribe
Czech Republic
605 Posts |
Posted - 06 May 2012 : 22:31:54
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I am not sure if it is still current but here is what I was able to harvest from official sources. Only population is estimated on description. My main source is book - City of the Spider Queen. If you will like it I can add my musing about life in the city itself but it will take some time to write up.
Maerimydra
Population: 11 000 (cca 5000 Drow)
Noble Houses (7): Chūmavh(1) (leading house), Tsarran (2) (Kiaransalee), Wharreil (3) (archmage of Maerimydra), Nedrazak (4) (Achmage of Szith Morcane), Mar-Shinn (5) (wizard Szith Morcane)
Morcane (6) (Szith Morcane only minor house), Dhuurniv (Shadowdale/Shadowdark only minor house),
Maerimydra lies beneath the heart of the Dalelands, roughly 10 miles below the south-central border of Mistledale. No tunnels lead directly up from the city to Mistledale, but passages
run to Haptooth Hill in Battledale, the Underdark (Shadowdark) beneath Shadowdale, and the outpost of Szith Morcane in the Dagger Hills.
The cavern ceiling is 600 feet high at its highest point, over the boulevard between the Courtyard of Lolth and Castle Maerimydra.
Maerimydras fires would have fouled the caverns air to a lethal point long ago, but the citys builders created a number of tiny, hidden portals to the Elemental Plane of Air in the upper reaches of the cavern. Fresh air enters above the noble palaces in the northwest corner, and a soft but noticeable breeze blows south and east, exiting through another array of tiny portals in the vicinity of the East Gate.
While the collapse of buildings has partially blocked an adjoining street with rubble in many places, most of Maerimydras streets are relatively clear. The typical street is 20 to 30 feet wide. Grand public staircases lead from one level to another at the spots marked on the map. Each is about 50 feet wide and
50 feet long, ascending or descending about 30 to 40 feet between the citys various plateaus.
Szith Morcane
The drow settlement of Szith Morcane has lain beneath the Dordrien Crypts for centuries. Founded in 804 DR as an outpost of Maerimydra when that city also ruled Shadowdale,
Szith Morcane served as a supply station for drow operating on the surface and a staging point for occasional raids into Daggerdale. With the flight of the drow from Shadowdale, the
inhabitants of Szith Morcane lost interest in the surface world until the recent arrival of refugees from Maerimydra. Szith Morcane was built inside a complex of caverns, all of
which open out into a vast chasm that penetrates deep into the earth.A large chasm forms the basic structure of Szith Morcane. Six tunnels lead from the southeast side of the chasm wall into the caverns that house the drow outpost. From the floor, the chasm plunges to a depth of 600 feet before ending in a rushing torrent of black water.
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Eli the Tanner
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
149 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2012 : 03:12:37
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Wrigley's post has got a good chunk of the lore about Maerimydra for you to make a start with. But I'm afraid lore on the functioning Maerimydra is indeed rather scant sadly and scattered among a myriad of books.
You might want to download the City of the Spider Queen web enhancement which can still be found on the Wizards site: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20020907a
It has a list of drow names to use in your campaign. Some of which could well be used as Noble Houses.
As Wrigley pointed out names such as Wharreil, Nelinderra, T'sarran, Dhuurniv and Chumavh belong most likely to Noble Drow Houses. The wandering half-dragon Sshumath Daerindra may well be an outcast of one of the Noble house but I can't be sure of that. In addition, the Jaezred Chauslinn keep a holding there under Patron Father Veszzt Auvryana. Even names from Szith Morcane would not be uncommon (as it was an outpost of Marimydra) like Morcane, Mar-Shinn and Ned'razak, especially as some drow may still be older than Szith Morcane's founding (804 DR).
From the map of Maermydra, the Noble plateau has 8 compounds, not including The Courtyard of Lolth (the temple), which implies at least 8 Noble houses...plus a shadow or ruling High house that would reside in Castle Maerimydra (House Chumavh was the top house before Maerimydar's fall). I imagine this would form a similar ruling council of 8 houses as Menzoberranzan...but where the ruling house Chumavh might serve as a shadow house that can swing deadlocks (4v4) one way or another. This is speculation on my part but seems plausible.
Remember there will still be trading and mixing between other cities too so using other House names (or a hybrid therof) is quite valid...it will also add a little intrigue and an interconnected feel of the place.
As for detailed sources, CotSQ is the best so far along with Underdark. There are snippets of info in the Lady Penitent trilogy by Lisa Smedman but nothing detailed.
Hope this helps and if you have any more queries about Maerimydra ask away.
-Eli the Tanner
P.S. Is there info in Drizzt Do'Urden's guide to the Underdark? I couldn't find any there. |
Moderator of /r/Forgotten_Realms |
Edited by - Eli the Tanner on 11 May 2012 03:13:36 |
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Lord Karsus
Great Reader
USA
3736 Posts |
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Eli the Tanner
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
149 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2012 : 04:41:51
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Which volume is that in LK?
Edit: Can't find it in Volume I, III or IV so I'm going to assume this is locked away in the reclusive Volume II. If so, I would love to have a peek |
Moderator of /r/Forgotten_Realms |
Edited by - Eli the Tanner on 11 May 2012 05:02:58 |
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Thieran
Learned Scribe
Germany
293 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2012 : 08:03:11
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| Ditto. |
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Wrigley
Senior Scribe
Czech Republic
605 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2012 : 10:13:54
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quote:
Originnally posted by Lord Karsus
-If anyone wants it, Maermiydra and Sith Morcane were both completed in the unpublished 'Elven Cities and Nations' section of Elves of Faerūn.
I wouldn't be surprised if it really were Elves of Faerun Volume II and I definitely like to have a peak. So if you will be so kind my Lord Karsus could you lift the shroud over this ancient knowledge? |
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Lord Karsus
Great Reader
USA
3736 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2012 : 20:41:13
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quote:
Originally posted by Hoondatha
Just be aware that a lot of it is homebrew. High quality homebrew, on the whole, but not published lore, and they don't differentiate between the two.
-Most if it is not homebrew, as I've said more times than I can count, with an approximate 80/20 ratio. It is only homebrew when canon information is needed and does not exist, filling in needed gaps that would be fairly conspicuous if they were not filled in, or expanding on a topic.
-If you want the MS Word document, send me a PM with your e-mail, and I'll have it sent to you (probably after the weekend). |
(A Tri-Partite Arcanist Who Has Forgotten More Than Most Will Ever Know)
Elves of Faerūn
Vol I- The Elves of Faerūn
Vol. III- Spells of the Elves
Vol. VI- Mechanical Compendium |
Edited by - Lord Karsus on 11 May 2012 20:44:01 |
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Farrel
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
239 Posts |
Posted - 25 May 2012 : 19:12:31
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Ooops! I forgot about this particular scroll
A big thanks to Wrigley and Eli the Tanner for more info than I dared hope
@Lord Karsus, I would appreciate a copy of the Word document if I may please? I will PM the details to you.
Thanks again to everyone! |
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Jadedgod
Acolyte
USA
9 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jul 2016 : 04:51:41
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| Dotting |
The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with weary feet,
Until it joins some larger way,
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say. |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 15 Feb 2019 : 17:02:32
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(REZ SCROLL)
Has any additional information ever come about regarding Maerimydra? |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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TomCosta
Forgotten Realms Designer
USA
954 Posts |
Posted - 17 Feb 2019 : 02:34:04
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| Maeryimydra was the base for some high level 5E AL adventures during the Out of the Abyss storyline. They were good to play. |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4211 Posts |
Posted - 17 Feb 2019 : 21:49:20
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quote:
Originally posted by TomCosta
Maeryimydra was the base for some high level 5E AL adventures during the Out of the Abyss storyline. They were good to play.
Were there any parts that could be "harvested" for information about Maerimydra in the time of c. 1356 DR or so? |
The Old Grey Box and AD&D for me! |
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TomCosta
Forgotten Realms Designer
USA
954 Posts |
Posted - 17 Feb 2019 : 23:10:45
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| Probably not much that City of the Spider Queen didn't have. |
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cpthero2
Great Reader
USA
2285 Posts |
Posted - 28 Feb 2020 : 06:00:43
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Great Reader Darden,
LEoF
Demihuman Deities
Volo's Guide to Cormanthor
That's all I am aware of from that edition.
Best regards,
quote:
Originally posted by Dalor Darden
quote:
Originally posted by TomCosta
Maeryimydra was the base for some high level 5E AL adventures during the Out of the Abyss storyline. They were good to play.
Were there any parts that could be "harvested" for information about Maerimydra in the time of c. 1356 DR or so?
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Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring |
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Houses of Maerimydra
