Vizeran's plan calls for the adventurers to place lhe
dark heart in Menlobcrranzan. Vizeran would prefer
for the dark heart to be lc•ft wherever the characters find
Gromph Bacnrc'!> grimoirc in Sorcere the center of
wizardly training in Menzobt-rranzan. However, Vizeran
tells the characters that placing the talisman anywhere
in the City of Spider!> will do.
OBTAINING GROM P H 'S GRIMOIRE
Gromph Baenrc's grimoirc contains notes and
reference!> for hb ill·fated dt>mon !.ummoning. Vizeran
knows from research at Gravenhollow that the grimoire
is in Gromph's sanctum in the tower of Sorcere. To
reach the grimoin•, tlw characters need to penetrate one
of the most important and well-protected places in the
City of Spiders.
Fortunately for the characters. Vizeran isn't without
allies in the city. The Council of Spiders is a secret
alliance of drow mages who want to overthrow Lolth's
priestes!.es. The council has infiltrated Sorcere, the
city's academy for arcane magic. and has sympathizers
among male drow wi1ards. Vizcran has already
contacted his allies, who have agreed to help the party
gain access to the tower and Gromph's sanctum (see
"Sorcere" later in this chapter).
GOING TO
MENZOBERRANZAN
Seventy-two miles of twisting passageways separate
Araj from Menzobcrranzan. Vizeran has a secret route
between the two. which he allows the characters to
use if they agree to follow his plan. Otherwise. the
characters must travel to Menzoberranzan by commonly
known routes monitOred by drow scouts, patrols. and
outposts. If the characters opt to use Vizeran's secret
route. the drow archmage's apprentice, Grin Ousstyl
(see chapter 1 2), accompanies the characters at
Vizeran's behest, serving as their guide.
Vizeran strongly suggests that the characters leave
lheir expeditionary force at Araj. asserting that a small
team has the best chance of infiltrating the drow city.
STATISTICAL MODIFICATIONS FOR 0ROW NPCs
When using the generic stat blocks in appendix B of the
Monster Manual to represent drow N PCs, assume that the
drow are neutral evil and speak Elv1sh and Undercommon.
Also give those NPCs the following additional features.
Fey Ancestry. The drow has advantage on saving throws
against being charmed, and magic can't put the drow to
sleep.
lnnQte Spel/casting. The drow's 1nnate spellcasting ability
is Charisma (spell save DC equal to 10 +the drow's
Charisma modifier). The drow can innately cast the
following spells. requ1ring no material components:
At will: dancing lights
1 fday each: darkness.faerie fire, levitate (self only)
Sunlight Sensitivity. While in sunlight, the drow has
disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom
(Perception) checks that rely on sight.VIZERAN's SECRET RouTE
Grin Ousstyl shows the characters a secret door in the
cavern wall outside of Vizeran's tower. Beyond this door
is a long and winding tunnel that took Vizeran centuries
to create using stone-shaping spells. The passage. whic~.
is free of monsters and hazards. ends at a secret door at
the bottom of the Westrift in Menzobcrranzan. The trip
from Araj to the city takes twelve days on foot. during
which time Grin says very little. Any character who
succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check can tell
that the drow mage is troubled by something, although
he refuses to share his private thoughts and concerns.
lfthe characters read Grin's thoughts or compel him
to speak using magic or torture, Grin reveals that he
has misgivings about Vizeran's plan. Though he has
no affection for the matron mothers and priestesses
that govern Mcnzobcrranzan, Grin has no wish to see
his birthplace and its people destroyed. If Grin sees
firsthand the destruction wrought by Demogorgon's
rampage through the city, he becomes even more
reluctant to see Vizeran's plan through (sec "A Change
of Heart" later in this chapter).
lf the characters prod Grin for information about
Menzoberranzan and what they can expect to find there
he relates the information contained in "The Way of
Lolth'' section. I le can also describe the major districts
of the city.OTHER ROUTES
Characters who can't avail themselves ofVizeran's
secret route or choose not to use it must find another
way to Menzoberranzan. There are many routes to
choose from. such that the party can approach the
City of Spiders from literally any direction. However.
all of these routes are known to the drow. The
characters might have encountered a drow force on
a previous attempt to reach the city (see "March on
Menzoberranzan" in chapter 10). If so, they already
know what they're up against. Even if they decline to us
Vizeran's secret route, the drow a rchmage recommends
that the characters take Grin Ousstyl with them, not so
much as a guide but to help the party talk its way past
drow patrols.
The demonic invasion has put Menzoberranzan·s
defenses on high alert. making it even harder than
normal for non-drow to approach the city safely by any
known route. While the characters are within 18 miles
(three days' travel) of the city. use the Drow Patrols
table to determine random encounters instead of using
lhe tables in chapter 2. Once every hour, roll a d20 and
consult the table to determine what, if anything. lhe
party encounters.DROW DEFENSES
d20 Encounter
1-10 No encounter
11-14 Drow patrol A
15-17 Drow patrol B
18-19 Drow patrol C
20 Drow patrol D