Prestige Classes

Cavestalker

"Welcome to my realm. You'll find naught for you here but privation, fear, and death — oh, and my blade."

— Gaelimor Zyrshaen, drow cavestalker

The Underdark's most dangerous predators are not its horrific monstrosities, crawling and festering in the darkest of grottoes.

Rather, they are the deadly cavestalkers, moving effortlessly through a jungle of living rock — and none are as much at home in these caverns as the drow.

Just as a surface ranger feels at peace in the heart of a virgin forest, so too is a cavestalker is at home in the wilds of the Underdark. Yet even in his most familiar environment, he is aware of the ever-present danger that surrounds him. It is in the task of surviving this endless peril that he finds peace away from so-called "civilized folk."

Becoming a Cavestalker

Rangers and druids are natural candidates for the cavestalker class. Underdark races that choose the path of the druid or ranger find little use for the abilities of those classes that are attuned to the wilderness of the surface. The cavestalker class augments and hones those abilities, making them more suitable for use in the endless night and providing a true advantage for those that live away from the light.

Rogues occasionally become cavestalkers, since their high skill point allotment allows them to achieve the requirements more easily than other classes. Other classes might enjoy the benefits of becoming a cavestalker, but would likely find meeting the requirements to be prohibitive. Regardless of class, only individuals who have natural darkvision can achieve the affinity with the lightless depths necessary to become a cavestalker.

Hit Dice: d8

Requirements

Skills: Knowledge (dungeoneering) 4 ranks, Survival 5 ranks..

Base Attack Bonus: +2.

Special: The candidate must have natural darkvision to allow successful navigation of Underdark tunnels.

Class Skills

The cavestalker’s class skills (and the key abilities for each) are: Acrobatics (Dex), Climb (Str), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (geography) (Int), Knowledge (Underdark local) (Int), Perception (Wis), Profession (Int), Sense Motive (Wis), Stealth (Dex), Swim (Str), and Survival (Str).

Skill Points per Level: 4 + Int modifier per level

Table 5-xx: Cavestalker

Level	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Special
1st	+1	+2	+2	+0	Advanced spelunker, Track
2nd	+2	+3	+3	+0	Underdark affinity, hide of stone +1
3rd	+3	+3	+3	+1	Lesser cavesense
4th	+4	+4	+4	+1	Exotic combat style
5th	+5	+4	+4	+1	Expert spelunker
6th	+6	+5	+5	+2	Gaseous form, hide of stone +2
7th	+7	+5	+5	+2	Improved exotic combat style
8th	+8	+6	+6	+2	Greater cavesense
9th	+9	+6	+6	+3	Void in space
10th	+10	+7	+7	+3	Master spelunker, hide of stone +3

Class Features

As they advance in the class, cavestalkers become more familiar with the Underdark's natural elements. In addition, any abilities they have from the ranger or druid classes become attuned to their subterranean environment.

Advanced Spelunker (Ex): As a cavestalker, your familiarity with the environs of the Underdark allows you to move through it easily, even in the most difficult conditions. As a result, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus on Acrobatics, Climb, and Escape Artist checks in natural subterranean surroundings.

Track (Ex): A cavestalker adds half his level (minimum 1) to Survival skill checks made to follow or identify tracks.

Underdark Affinity (Ex): At 2nd level, your adaptation to the Underdark allows you to use your nature-themed class abilities in natural subterranean surroundings as well. These include the druid and ranger abilities of camouflage, hide in plain sight, trackless step, and woodland stride. If you already have wild empathy, you can now use it to affect vermin. If you have the wild shape ability, add vermin to the types of creatures you can become (subject to all the size and frequency limitations provided by that ability). If you do not already have these underlying abilities, Underdark affinity does not grant them to you; it only augments those you already have.

Hide of Stone (Ex): As you gain levels in the cavestalker class, your body embraces the rigors of the Underdark and takes on something of its hue and toughness. Your skin hardens and becomes flinty, granting you a natural armor bonus in addition to a circumstance bonus on Stealth checks when in natural subterranean surroundings. These bonuses increase as you progress through the cavestalker class, at 6th level and again at 10th level.

Lesser Cavesense (Ex): At 3rd level, you are gifted with a mystical connection to the Underdark, giving you darkvision out to 120 feet. If you already have darkvision out to 120 feet, your darkvision extends an additional 60 feet. Due to your familiarity with the acoustic qualities of the Underdark, you also gain a +4 competence bonus on Perception checks made in subterranean surroundings.

Exotic Combat Style (Ex): At 4th level, you gain mastery of a specific exotic combat style, either the spiked chain style or the hand crossbow style.

If you are not a ranger or have not already selected a ranger combat style, choose one of these two styles. You gain proficiency in that exotic weapon — either the spiked chain or the hand crossbow — if you do not already have it.

If you already have selected two-weapon combat as a ranger combat style, then the exotic combat style provides you with the Exotic Weapon Proficiency (spiked chain) fear and permits the use of a spiked chain as a one-handed weapon.

If you already have selected archery as a ranger combat style, then the exotic combat style provides you with the Exotic Weapon Proficiency (hand crossbow) feat and grants you the Rapid Reload feat, even if you do not have the normal prerequisites for the feat.

If you acquire a ranger combat style after gaining an exotic combat style, then the two styles must correspond in a similar fashion: You must select two-weapon combat after choosing the spiked chain style, or archery after choosing the hand crossbow style.

The benefits of your chosen exotic combat style apply only when you wear light or no armor. You lose all benefits of your exotic combat style when wearing medium or heavy armor.

Expert Spelunker (Ex): Upon reaching 5th level, your familiarity with the tight confines of the Underdark allows you to retain your Dexterity bonus even when climbing or when in a cramped space. Furthermore, you're better able to negotiate cramped spaces, lowering Escape Artist DCs, move penalties, and attack penalties by one category. See Table 6—1: Cramped.

Gaseous Form (Sp): At 6th level, you gain the ability to traverse the treacherous and confined terrain of the Underdark by assuming gaseous form once per day (caster level 12th).

Improved Exotic Combat Style (Ex): Your aptitude for your chosen exotic combat style increases at 7th level. If you do not already have a combat style from the ranger class, then the improved exotic combat style grants you one of those ranger combat styles. If you already have the hand crossbow exotic combat style, you must select archery; if you already have the spiked chain exotic combat style, you must choose two-weapon combat.

If you select archery, then you are treated as having the Rapid Shot feat, even if you do not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.

If you select twoweapon combat, then you are treated as having the Two-Weapon Fighting feat, even if you do not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.

If you already have the ranger two-weapon combat style and the spiked chain exotic combat style, then the improved exotic combat style allows you to treat a spiked chain as one size category smaller for the purpose of use in a cramped space (see Expert Spelunker, above).

If you already have the ranger archery combat style and the hand crossbow exotic combat style, then you are treated as having the Manyshot feat even if you do not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.

You are able to use this feat in conjunction with a hand crossbow.

As before, the benefits of your chosen style apply only when you wear light or no armor. You lose the benefit of your exotic combat style when wearing medium or heavy armor.

Greater Cavesense (Ex): When you reach 8th level, your mystical connection to the Underdark increases, granting you tremorsense out to 30 feet.

Void in Space (Su): When you reach 9th level, your attunement to the particular atmosphere of the Underdark allows you to warp the sounds, scents, and vibrations you give off, making you invisible to creatures that rely on senses other than sight to detect others. This effectively makes you undetectable to blindsense, blindsight, and tremorsense. You still make noises and vibrations (though a successful Stealth check can mask the sounds), but creatures that cannot see are incapable of determining your true location and believe that you are 30 feet in a random direction from where you are actually located.

In addition, this ability nullifies the effect of the Blind-Fight feat against you.

Master Spelunker (Su): By the time you reach 10th level, your affinity for the terrain of the Underdark has become so great that you can negotiate it without difficulty and even merge with it at times. This grants you the ability to use spider climb (as the spell) on any natural stone surface at will. In addition, you can use meld into stone (as the spell) with any surface of unworked stone three times per day.

Drow Spells

Drow have access to the following spells.

Ancestral Regression

School transmutation (polymorph); Level alchemist 2, antipaladin 3, cleric 2, sorcerer/wizard 3, witch 2

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V, S

Range touch

Target willing drow touched

Duration 24 hours (D)

Saving Throw Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistance yes (harmless)

The target drow transforms into a surface elf. The drow loses her darkvision and light-blindness racial traits and gains the low-light vision racial trait in their place. The alignment and personality of the drow are not affected by the transformation, but the spell conceals her alignment as an undetectable alignment spell. The spell grants the target a +10 bonus on Disguise checks to pass as an elf, though she appears to be an elven analog of herself and can be recognized as such by other drow who know her.

Web Bolt

School conjuration (creation); Level magus 1, sorcerer/wizard 1, witch 1

Casting Time 1 standard action

Components V, S

Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Effect fist-sized blob of webbing

Duration 1 min./level

Saving Throw Reflex negates; see text; Spell Resistance no

You launch a ball of webbing at a target, which must make a save or be affected as if by a web spell occupying only the creature's space. If the creature saves or breaks free of the webbing, the remaining webs dissolve and the square is not considered difficult terrain. The spell has no effect if the target is not on or adjacent to a solid surface that can support the webbing.

Web Cloud

School conjuration (creation); Level sorcerer/wizard 4, witch 4

Casting Time 1 standard action

Component V, S

Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)

Effect cloud spreads in 20-ft. radius, 20 ft. high

Duration 1 minute/level

Saving Throw Reflex partial; see text; Spell Resistance no

You create a cloud of flame-resistant strands of adhesive webbing that billows and flows much like a cloudkill spell. The cloud moves away from you at a rate of 10 feet per round, rolling along the surface of the ground.

Figure out the cloud's new spread each round based on its new point of origin, which is 10 feet farther away from the point of origin where the caster cast the spell. Creatures trapped in the webbing remain trapped even after the cloud passes, but the area the cloud leaves behind does not count as difficult terrain.

Because the webbing is heavier than air, it sinks to the lowest level of the land, even pouring down den or sinkhole openings. The cloud of webbing cannot penetrate liquids, nor can it be cast underwater.

The cloud otherwise acts like a web spell. A creature in the cloud at the start of its turn must save against the cloud or be affected. The webbing of this spell is flammable (see the web spell), but has fire resistance 5.

Rumores de Kalan-G'eld y alrededores

Kythorn de 1363 DR

 - El Capitán Balok Ildorno, de los Hellknights de Lloth es encontrado muerto, cayó del cielo con una flecha encantada especialmente para matarlo. Los Hellknights están en alerta máxima.

- Las malas lenguas dicen que Drucena esta en la bancarrota y que busca un mecenas.

- Los rumores de guerra entre Glimmerfell y Gracknulb parecen confirmados.

- Vuelven a producirse terremotos en la zona, no son tan fuertes como los ocurridos unos meses atras.
- Hay rumores de que unos extraños hombres planta, han aparecido en varias partes de la ciudad y han atacado a todo aquel que tenian cerca.

Mirtul de 1363 DR

- Se rumorea que un desconocido, ha sido visto circulando entre las tumbas y mausoleos de Ghaar. Quién es este desconocido sigue siendo misterio, siempre lleva una máscara de cuero marrón cubriendo su rostro.

- Hay rumores de guerra entre los Duergar de Gracknulb y los Svirneflins de Glimmerfell.

- En las últimas dos semanas han habido colapsos importantes en las minas de Kalan-G'eld. Han muerto cientos de esclavos.

- El aumento de los ataques de bandidos hace que Harkston's Hold, refuerce sus defensas.

- En Kalan-G'eld, hay Personas  que desaparecen durante unos días. Cuando vuelven a aparecen no tienen memoria de lo que ha pasado esos días.

- Vuelven a circular los rumores, que dicen que Drucena es el avatar de Zinzerena.

- Recientemente alguien intento entrar en el Zigurat de Morander. Dice que salió con vida aunque medio loco, el Zigurat está protegido por una magia poderosa, trampas peligrosas y golems de arcilla, elementales de tierra y otras criaturas mágicas.

- Se rumorea que Darsiel DuMoire, reside en algun punto del Rift. Esta muy bien protegido y busca vengarse de la Casa Cadryenne.

- Se rumorea que seguidores de Vhaeraun tratan de infiltrarse en el Fane of Lloth y activar un potente elemento mágico para destruirlo.

- Corre el rumor de que una matrona drow asesinada ha sido resucitada y necesita ayuda para recuperar el control de su casa o hacer que su casa renazca de las cenizas.

Tarsakh de 1363 DR

- Una pequeña villa en el Paso de Durvik en The Giant's Belt, esta afectada por una extraña enfermedad, la Plaga Llameante, aunque no es mortal ha diezmado la población de las minas. Los humanos por ahora no pueden entrar en Harkston's Hold. Los rumores hablan de una plaga demoniaca.

- Se rumorea de Darsiel DuMoire ha regresado a Kalan-G'eld.

- En las calles de Kalan-G'eld se ha visto a un hechicero vestido con ropas purpuras, acechando en las "horas más oscuras".

- Algo maligno parece estar rondando en Kalan-G'eld... algo oculto y siniestro.

- Corre el rumor que hay un asesino en el Rift. Eso no sería nada extraordinario, si no fuese por la crueldad con que mata a sus victimas.

- Una joven noble, de cierta importancia, ha sido secuestrada y vendida como esclava.

- Los rumores han estado volando a través de los mercados, a través de las tavernas de que una criatura como un lobo sombrío y beastial ha sido visto en los callejones oscuros del Rift.
 

Ches de 1363 DR

- Una nueva droga llamada "Green Welcome" hace furor en las calles de Kalan-G'eld.

 

Uktar de 1362 DR

- Una patrulla de Kalan-G'eld liderada por Orgoloth Ildorno, descubre unas ruinas de una raza desconocida en el Underdark superior. 

 

Mirtul de 1362 DR

- Corre el rumor que una de las grandes casas de Kalan-G'eld ha perdido el favor de Lolth.

- La mujer e hija de Malavon Auvry'Zynge son secuestradas.  Dos dás más tarde son encontradas despedazadas en Old City, los rumores dicen que fueron un "castigo" a este impertinente hechicero.

Know People of Kalan-G'eld

Molvayas Elendar

Molvayas is tall and stunning drow elf, with exotic purple eyes and fine white hair. She dresses in black clothing trimmed with purple runes and a broad purple silk belt that emphasizes her slender figure. She is a very sexual person and is not afraid to use her appearance to get what she wants. She always makes sure that her familiar is clean and well groomed so as to not spoil her own appearance.

Molvayas was born a commoner, the bastard child of a drow prostitute and an unknown father. Years ago she opened a little shop in the Fuer’yon Quarter of Kalan-G’eld, She has some contacts in the city and her shop it's a reputable shop in the Quarter. This shop is devoted primarily to selling potions, but occasionally does extra work.

Location: FQ10 (Potions & Spells)

Govoc “the Prophet”

Govoc the Prophet is the leader of the Poxbearers. Many years ago, he formed a secret cult dedicated to the worship of Ghaunadaur power whose altar he discovered hidden in the sewers of Kalan-G’eld. The primitive rituals that he and his followers enact, however, do not constitute an actual religion. Instead, their rites are dedicated solely to summoning a manifestation of their “god,” to whom they sacrifice living offerings. Any living creature will suffice, so Govoc and his beggars wander the streets collecting stray animals, or sometimes people, who are never seen again. The city authorities are aware of this fact.

Location: The Rift

The Triad

This three-member troop of Lurking Mimes claims the vicinity of Merkin Street in Kalan-G’eld’s in the Performers Ward of the Bazaar as its territory. They sporadically solicit “donations” from local merchants and artists whom they have quietly intimidated, and take vengeance against any who defy the triad.

Location: Merkin Street

Pan'Phar Thrissek

A short and skinny half-drow, Pan'phar is always gesturing with a rat-skull-tipped cane. He has a tattoo of an eye in the center of his forehead, a small moustache, and a pointed beard.

Born in a northern drow ciry, he was sold as a slave for being too rebelious. He eventually became free and after many years in the Underdark, he open a shop in Kalan-G'eld. Some rumours said that Pan'Phar is consort to Elauganatar Ildorno.

Location: SS1MS (The Mystic Eye)

Bertram Toroth

Ambassador from Zhentil Keep. This decadent, middleaged man dresses in fineries, constantly keeping a perfumed hankerchief to his nose when moving about the city. He has finely coifed blond air and medium build.

Location: CQ22RB, CQ12InBrGH

Banafar Thargyeb

This elderly man pulls his little remaining grayish haor back in a pony tale. Dirty, disheveled and mentally ill, Thragyeb lives in the 15-foot-by-15-foot chamber on the top of the Pyramid of Moander. His meager possessions lie piled in a corner of the room, and a crude rug covers the opning to the narrow winding staircase that leads to the mysteries within the ziggurat.

Location: CQ7T (The Ziggurat of Moander)

Mother Imrae

An elderly drow woman with long white hair tied in a bun, Imrae wears hand dyed rough wool shifts with a fine fox pelt cloack, one of the few luxuries she allow herself. She was the daughter of a minor house in Chael-Rekshaar.

Location: The Rifts and Colnbluth Quarter

Darinth

The home and private fortress of the most successful tax collector in Kalan-G’eld rises seven stories above the city streets. The round, multi-domed edifice of puce-colored stone squats at the junction of Squander and Salvage, near the very center of the Colnbluth Quarter. The palace was briefly put under siege during the Godwar a few years ago, but proved impenetrable despite some damage to the outer facing.

Location: CQ9MLS

 

Punishments of Lolth

Deep beneath the surface world lies a realm of darkness, danger, and betrayal. Although many races claim it as their home, the sinister drow claim to be its rulers. With arrogance that few can manage, the drow lord over their slaves, scheming and plotting behind the backs of their kin.
Despite their sense of superiority, the drow fear one thing: their dark goddess Lolth, Queen of Spiders.
Lolth is a nightmare that few can comprehend. Although she grants the drow incredible power, wealth, and influence, she is also utterly corrupting.
Anyone who worships Lolth walks on a knife’s edge over madness, evil, and death. Described here are the various stages of this life path, called Lolthtanchwi, The Punishments of Lolth.
Urztehii—The Unchosen Like any other race, the vast majority of drow are 1st level by default. In some ways, they are the luckiest, because they do not have to endure the torment and agony of having Lolth’s many eyes turn their way. To the haughty upper classes this is just as well, for they consider drow of such puny power and low status to be cattle and slaves for the elite.
If a drow does not have the ambition to advance in society, then this is where they remain, toiling away as soldiers, servants, and playthings for the rest. They will die, and Lolth will consume their souls in the afterlife. Most are resigned to their fate, and they try to cram as much hedonism into their miserable lives as they can manage.
This usually involves tormenting as many non-drow as possible.
When drow, through accident or determination, show a high degree of ambition, they play a dangerous game.
Not only must they prove themselves to their kin, but they must also show Lolth that they are worthy in her eyes.
This is known as the Test of Darkness.

The Zwy’il
The drow word zwy’il (pronounced zwy-ILL) means “candidate” and is used to represent drow who are being tested by Lolth. In a way, all drow who worship Lolth are considered zwy’il, for the Queen of Spiders is constantly reviewing and putting her children through series after series of tests of worthiness.
However, most drow, especially clerics, reserve the term for specific drow who show the obvious signs of the tests.

The Paths of Lolthtanchwi
The Punishments of Lolth are a series of tests that a drow must go through as she increases in power. The Queen of Spiders is a fickle, cruel, and exacting mistress who delights in seeing drow break down into chaos and insanity as often as she enjoys seeing them expand and dominate.
Each of these tests takes place as the drow advances in level. She is compelled to pass it, or ruin is certain. The drow call these tests “punishments” (chwi, in Drow) because there is no benefit to passing, other than being able to live. Drow who have managed to evade the terrifying web of Lolth’s power by gaining the favor of another deity are not affected by these tests, but they also become the target of every Lolth-worshiping drow.

Chwineka: The Test of Darkness
When a drow has shown ambition, drive, and a willingness to put herself before others, she has taken her first step onto Lolthtanchwi. She is now considered a zwy’il and is subject to the whims of her dark goddess. To the drow, this transition is known as Chwineka (chwee-NEHK-ah), or the Test of Darkness. 

In some ways, this is the most terrifying of tests, because it comes seemingly at random and without warning. The zwy’il is inspected by Lolth to see if she is dark enough of heart to truly be a drow. To the drow, being dark of heart means being without mercy, filled with selfishness, and possessing a remarkable sense of superiority.
This chwi comes suddenly and always at a time in which the drow is performing some deed within view of other dark elves. The drow feels her heart swell with pride, power, and drive, tinged with a sensation of being watched from afar.
If she gives any indication of self-doubt or unworthiness, a terrible pain clutches her heart. Without any warning, the zwy’il’s body begins to convulse and transform. Her eyes blacken and grow to enormous proportions, while six smaller eyes emerge around her face. Two huge poisonous fangs emerge from the zwy’il’s mouth. Lastly, an extra pair of spider-like legs grows from her torso.
The drow has been transformed into an aracholoth—another monstrous creation of Lolth that is feared and persecuted by other drow.
Lolth hates all such transformed drow and takes pleasure in making them mere mockeries of spiders and drow, rather than true members of either species.

Chwikezzar: The Test of Ambition
Surviving the Chwineka, the zwy’il has shown the sense of superiority necessary to advance in drow society. Lesser drow immediately give her deference in most social circumstances, although she must still be mindful of her place in the hierarchy. The zwy’il must now brace for the Chwikezzar (chwee-keh-ZAR), or Test of Ambition.
To those who study the insane logic of Lolth, Chwikezzar is seen as the simplest of the tests, because the natural drive, zeal, and urge to succeed that all drow possess is weighed by the Queen of Spiders. However, no one is ever sure what amount is necessary to placate her desire. Zwy’il at this point commit horrid acts of murder, fraud, deception, and coercion to advance their place in society.
This is tempered by the fact that all drow must continually be mindful of their place in that society. A drow can show tremendous energy in doing what it takes to succeed, but it only takes one wrong move to receive a poisoned dagger in the back—complements of a superior’s assassin. The drow must place herself above others during this stage, wheeling and dealing, jostling for position at the expense of others.

If the zwy’il hesitates or does not use the opportunity presented to her, then Lolth considers her unworthy of ambition. From that point on, almost everything the drow does is doomed to failure—business opportunities dry up, spells fail with alarming regularity, and she is inexplicably shunned by other drow. Eventually, the drow either goes into exile, goes mad, or is killed. When the drow fails the Chwikezzar, a tiny green spider is seen exiting the body.

Chwidridera: The Test of the Drider
The Chwidridera (chwee-dri-DERA), or the Test of the Drider, is the most infamous of the Punishments of Lolth. It is known outside of drow society, mainly because those who fail the test are transformed into the foul creatures known as driders. At this point, the drow has shown a high amount of aspiration, backstabbing, and conniving as she advances up the social ladder, but she walks a fine line between the “healthy” arrogance of a normal drow and megalomania, thinking that she is immune to her dark goddess’s wrath.
When this aspect of the Lolthtanchwi begins, the drow has disturbing visions of her body being consumed from the inside by a mass of spiders. In a manner uncharacteristic for a drow, the zwy’il begins to avoid and fear spiders.
Considering the amount of spiders and spider imagery that abounds in the cities of the drow, the zwy’il must confront this fear almost every waking second.
Her paranoia increases, and she becomes convinced that every spider is waiting to sink its venomous fangs into her flesh. If the zwy’il can manage to overcome this irrational behavior, the fear abates, and her usual respect and admiration for spiders returns.
Those who fail this test do so by fleeing their community. Once this has happened, the zwy’il knows her fate is sealed. She is filled with an overwhelming sense of dread and foreboding, as the visions of the spiders eating her alive fill her mind in their horrible vividness.
Nothing happens until the next time she rests. The visions return with a terrible intensity, and a single miniscule red spider appears and crawls into the zwy’il’s mouth. Once the spider is inside, the drow goes through a grotesque and traumatic transformation during which she turns into a drider.
If horrified onlookers do not kill the drider, it flees into the Underdark, knowing that it can never return. Drow despise driders, recognizing that they are failures in the eyes of Lolth, and will do anything to see them destroyed. The drider’s mind is twisted by the transformation, filled with an incredible hatred for the race to which it once belonged.
Drow clerics tell that Lolth revels in this animosity and the chaos that is sown from the creation of one of these aberrations.

Chwiakrell—The Test of LiesIf the zwy’il manages to survive the dreaded Test of the Drider, she still has many challenges to face. The next test focuses on the zwy’il’s status within drow society. Even the most secluded drow must have some interaction with her kin; even if just to threaten them into leaving her alone.
For a drow who is more entrenched in the workings of her people, the web of intrigue and doublecrossing begins to tighten around her as she enters into the Chwiakrell (pronounced chwee-uh-KRELL), or Test of Lies.
The zwy’il must plant seeds of lies and deception, with the dual purposes of bringing down an enemy and propelling herself higher up the ladder of status.
The lie can be small and subtle, so long as it ripples and grows to monstrous proportions. The lie must also be completely untrue, although the zwy’il can help the lie along by planting evidence and arranging compromising situations for the victim to be caught in.
The zwy’il knows the test has begun when she catches wind of a rumor about her that is completely untrue (possibly the result of another drow’s Chwiakrell). A cocky zwy’il can fail her test immediately if she does nothing. Clerics of Lolth believe that the Queen of Spiders whispers these lies into the ear of another drow to begin the test.
The zwy’il passes the test if her chosen victim is utterly humiliated and removed from her position of power, or (preferably) killed as a result of the lie.

Chwidencha—The Test of Sacrifice
Having learned that the only person she can trust is herself, the zwy’il must now understand the meaning of sacrifice. The drow word for sacrifice (dencha) does not have quite the same meaning when it is translated in the Common tongue. For the drow, sacrifice equals loss without gaining anything in return. The concept of freely giving something to another without gaining any benefit in the process is completely alien to the drow mindset. During the Chwidencha, the zwy’il learns what this sacrifice truly means. Lolth is a greedy goddess and seeks to possess and consume anything that others have. By surviving this test, the zwy’il learns to prize her possessions and hoard anything of significance.
This test begins after the drow has gained something of importance. It is not necessarily a material item—an increase in status, a new skill or spell, or some advance in personal ability is likely, too.
Shortly after the boon, the zwy’il catches sight of the spider messenger of Lolth, which appears on the object or representation of the trait that Lolth wants for herself. It might be a powerful magic item, a fabulous jewel, or even the zwy’il’s hand. Whatever it is, the zwy’il immediately knows what the spider is indicating. Lolth never chooses something trivial—only something that has a close and powerful connection to the zwy’il suffices. In addition, the sacrifice is something that seriously hurts or reduces the drow in some way, whether through the loss of magical might, social status, mental facility, or a physical trait.
The zwy’il must decide if she willingly makes the sacrifice, and she must make the sacrifice within one week of the appearance of Lolth’s messenger. In the case of an object, she must present it to another drow of equal or higher status, preferably a priestess of Lolth. If it is a skill, feat, or ability, the zwy’il experiences a wrenching vision that feels as though her soul is being torn apart, and she is drained of 1d4 x 200 XP. Some zwy’il are even commanded to sacrifice a part of their own bodies, such as an eye, foot, or ear.

Chwidevbrii—The Test of Betrayal
Chwidevbrii, or the Test of Betrayal, is a punishment that strikes deep. As the zwy’il has progressed through the various trials and tribulations of Lolth, she has gained powerful allies as well as powerful enemies. Although trust is a distasteful concept to most drow, they understand that sometimes it does happen and is even necessary. The Test of Betrayal teaches the zwy’il that she can only trust one person—herself.
To succeed at this test, the zwy’il must betray someone who has garnered her trust or in whom she has placed her trust. 

Mentors, teachers, leaders, friends, and family members are all fair game, as long as there has been a solid connection of dependence made in the past. The relationship between master and slave or servant does not count; Lolth knows that betrayal is inherent in such a relationship. The victim must also be on roughly the same (or higher) social step as the zwy’il—murdering a trusted stable hand means nothing to the Queen of Spiders. 

The zwy’il must utterly destroy the other drow in a way that allows her to advance in some manner. The method is not important: Blackmail, slander, and theft are commonly used. In the end, the victim must die. Usually, the victim is murdered by the zwy’il herself, commits suicide, or is killed by a third party as a result of the zwy’il’s slander campaign.
The Chwidevbrii begins when the drow’s attention is drawn to a peculiar black spider with a dagger-like marking on its back. This occurs in the presence of the victim, who is oblivious to its presence. Once the victim has been chosen, nothing can change it, and the result is either a ruinous end for the victim or for the zwy’il—the zwy’il succeeds when the victim is dead. If it takes an unusually long time for the plan to manifest or if the zwy’il attacks the victim but does not kill her, she fails the test.
Punishment for failure results in having the target retaliate against the zwy’il. As in the other tests, a tiny spider is sometimes seen exiting the mouth of the corpse of the failed zwy’il.

Chwihendrell—The Test of DominationHaving dispatched a drow ally in the last test, the zwy’il must now prove that she is capable of ruling lesser beings by leading her people to dominate non-drow. This is known as Chwihendrell (pronounced chwee-hen-DRELL), or the Test of Domination.
Chwihendrell begins when a spider messenger draws the zwy’il’s attention toward a non-drow being. This could be as direct as seeing the spider crawling along the tunic of a duergar slave in the streets, or as abstract as watching it crawl across a map, where it settles on a territory known for its infestation of illithids. To the zwy’il, the meaning is clear: The chosen race must be destroyed.
To pass the test, the zwy’il must raise an army (or elite team) and mount an assault on a significant population of the chosen race.
The goal is elimination and/or enslavement, down to every man, woman, and child. The population must be the equivalent to a small town, although this amount can be spread out over numerous individuals, thorps, hamlets, and villages.
Unlike the other tests, the Chwihendrell does not have a set time limit. The test can take years to complete if the enemy proves particularly tenacious or has a large population.
Certain hard-to-find races, like the kuotoa, can be maddeningly difficult to eradicate, which suits the twisted humor of Lolth.
Failure is also arbitrary.

Chwisasshra—The Test of Vengeance
The zwy’il is now ready to face the Chwisasshra, or Test of Vengeance.
Just as in the Test of Betrayal, when the drow brought down a trusted friend, the Chwisasshra demands that she utterly destroy a sworn enemy.
Considering the treacherous life that most drow live, the zwy’il probably has a large supply of enemies.
Unlike the other tests, subtlety is not allowed. The zwy’il must bring every resource at her disposal to the task of wiping out her chosen enemy. The destruction must be absolute, including the elimination of the enemy’s immediate family, household staff, and residence.
This test is extremely dangerous, not only for the violence that is required, but also for the wrath of the target’s allies. The test begins when the zwy’il sees the tiny spider that has appeared so many times before. It shows itself at a time when the zwy’il visibly sees the target or in some other abstract way (for example, spinning a web on the enemy’s house banner). From that point on, the target can never change.

Once the target has been revealed, the zwy’il must eventually attack her and her household. This is usually done with the help of the zwy’il’s minions and troops. The zwy’il is forbidden to use a third party to assassinate the target, and she immediately fails if she does so—Lolth demands that the zwy’il spill the blood of her enemy directly. If the target is killed, the zwy’il must continue the rampage, looting, desecrating, and destroying her foe’s home as well.
If the zwy’il launches an assault and does not succeed in eliminating the target, the test is considered a failure.

Chwilolth—The Test of Lolth
The zwy’il is now reaching the pinnacle of her existence. She has overcome incredible odds and proven that she possesses the “best” traits that drow admire: uncompromising will, unbelievable cruelty, and an utter sense of superiority. One more test remains, however—Chwilolth, or the Test of Lolth. Having bested her enemies, the zwy’il must face down a representative of the Spider Goddess herself.
The test begins with visions. The zwy’il has a persistent vision of Lolth speaking to her. Lolth taunts, berates, and belittles the zwy’il in as many ways as possible, degrading her victories and revealing her weaknesses. The visions continue over the course of several weeks. Deprived of sleep (or, more accurately, the restful meditation that all elves require), the zwy’il starts seeing hallucinations. Visions of the Spider Goddess fill every moment of her life.
The visions abruptly stop one day, and the zwy’il now knows that she must face Lolth. The next time that she is alone, she hears the sound of skittering claws behind her. When she turns, she sees a monstrosity lurking before her—a proxy of Lolth, complete with the head of a beautiful drow maiden jutting out from a repulsive spider body. She states, “It is time,” before leaping in to feast on the zwy’il’s body.

The zwy’il must fight for her life. She can use any and all means available to him, including weapons, magic items, spells, and traps.

If the zwy’il defeats the proxy of Lolth, she passes the test. The reward for passing is greater than mere survival.

Harkstone's Hold

Harkstone's Hold

The great cave of Harkstone’s Hold itself is a grand and natural grotto, with four excavated caverns nestled in its four corners.

The ceiling of the central chamber is a grand dome, reaching a height of nearly 100' in the center of the room. Numerous stalactites hang down from this sweeping roof, in several places joining with stalagmites to form tall and graceful columns.

Located more than three miles beneath the surface of the earth, this network of caverns is nevertheless a crossroads of commerce, news, and even migration among the denizens of the Underdark. It is a place where creatures of different races. Often peoples separated by a long history of bloodfeud and racial war, come together in uneasy truce, trading for goods that would otherwise be unobtainble in the lightless passages snaking their way through the rock and dirt of the world.

Harkstone’s Hold is one of the few places where members of two underground races, the drow and the svirfneblin, will meet without coming to blows. And even here, in the market, the relations between these two ancient enemies are maintained with as much distance as possible, each group having a separate cave for use as a warehouse.

Two other cultures are represented in Harkstone’s Hold, and if they do not share as much mutual hate as the deep gnomes and the drow, their members enter Harkstone’s Hold with weapons close at hand, and eyes searching for the first indications of treachery.

The latter two groups are the duergar, the dark dwarves. Hailing from caverns even below those of the drow and the deep gnomes, and brave surface dwellers who cHoldenge the darkness in search of the tremendous profits that can be gained here. For those who come back alive.

Harkstone’s Hold is a well-known gathering place in the Underdark.

The caverns of the market can be approached from above (by surface dwellers) through dry, dark tunnels, or via a winding and rapid underground stream; those dwelling below Harkstone’s Hold (primarily the duergar) can reach it only by crossing the waters of a deep and deceptively placid subterranean lake. Routes for the drow and the svirfneblin reach the marketplace via any of the two routes, though the merchants of both races prefer the dry, overland route.

The Law of Harkstone’s Hold

Even in the Underdark there is honor among thieves, and this might be the motto of Harkstone’s Hold. There are only a few prohibited acts here, but they are rigidly prohibited.

Anyone who attempts to violate one of these tenets will most likely be caught; and if caught, he will be shown no mercy.

(He will be shown the lake, however, including its bottom, which the offender will be sent to visit, wrapped in heavy iron chains.)

The prohibited acts:

Overt thievery: The goods in Harkstone’s Hold are carefully watched by their guards. In addition, each of the mushroom grove stalls is studded with shriekers; if anything is removed from a display by someone not attuned to that market, the shriekers will shriek.

Disguise of goods for barter. The use of illusions or phantasms to improve the apparent worth of objects sold, or used to purchase, or even simple counterfeiting, such as plating copper pieces with gold, is considered as bad as outright theft.

Use of magic to aid negotiation: Again, this is considered the same as robbery, and there are enough magic detections, proofs against charms, and the like to insure that this is a very risky proposition.

As far as lies spoken during the course of negotiation, the rule is, “Let the buyer beware!”

A merchant can make any kinds of claims he wants to, without being held to them. Those who deal in the Harkstone’s Hold are advised to carefully examine any purchased items before the deal is closed.

Violators of the actual covenants will, as mentioned, be wrapped in chains and thrown into the lake. If the powers-that-be in the market decide that the thief and his party entered the market for the purpose of violating the covenant, then all the companions of the sentenced one may face a similar punishment. The burden of proof, incidentally, rests on the convict’s companions, they are assumed to be guilty, and must prove their innocence.

By tradition, all transactions take place at the stall of the seller. If a trade is involved. for example, drow trading gems to the svirfnebli in exchange for salt, then the party that wishes to initiate the deal goes to the stall of the other. Though it has little practical effect, it is considered a matter of some status in the marketplace to draw the customer to you instead of you going to him.

Harkstone's Hold

 

1 The Drow Market

The mushroom market in the drow quarter crouches like a huge spider over the trickling stream coursing through the cavern.

Entrance can be gained through any of four doors, one at each point of the compass. No portals guard these entrances, nor are they guarded, anyone in Harkstone’s Hold is welcome to enter the sweet-smelling den within.

Incense, made from powdered fungus, burns in several niches around the large, circular central room. Unlike the deep gnomes, the drow stall is centered in this one area, where all purchases are resolved.

One enters this sanctum through a low arch of mushroom caps; within, the ceiling rises to a little more than 6’, so most visitors can stand upright.

The chief negotiator for the drow’ in fact, she must approve all sales and purchases, is Yyssisiryl, a drow priestess who is attached to House Catanzaro, it has alliances officially (yet who is very much a creature of House Ildorno).

2 The Customhouse

This building serves as the headquarters for the enforcers employed by the Harkstone to keep order in the Harkstone’s Hold. Brugg, the ogre, leads the enforcers.

3 The Duergar Warehouse

The duergar warehouse is a messy and dirty place, fully in keeping with the messy and dirty nature of its occupants. Like the warehouse of the svirfnebli, it is protected by magical wards and barriers to guarantee privacy, no one can teleport into the chamber or use spells or items of scrying to spy upon the area.

Not that there’s much to see, in this case.

Some thirty or forty duergar live here permanently, squabbling and brawling among themselves when they have no external rivals to focus upon. They keep relatively little treasure here.the spiders of a caravan wait around until after the sale, so that they can take the proceeds back to Gracknulb when they depart.

4 Duergar Market

The gray dwarves maintain a vigorous presence in Harkstone’s Hold, cantankerously bartering with traveling merchants and squabbling with residents of the other quarters about such things as water use (a steady bone of contention with the deep gnomes), excessive noise, smoke and odors (especially the drow incense) and anything else that serves as an excuse for a fight.

Indeed, the duergar make such obnoxious neighbors that the other races would be tempted to drive them from Harkstone’s Hold, except for one important fact: The gray dwarves make the finest steel blades in the Underdark.

Duergar blades are the starting component of the finest drow swords, and many enchanted weapons on the surface have begun with the silvery cold, razor-sharp product of a gray dwarf forge. Blades long and short, broadsword and rapier, axe and dagger, all are brought to Harkstone’s Hold in well-defended caravans. As a result, the market is one of the premier locations in the Underdark for the trading of such rare acquisitions.

The duergar are ruthless auctioneers, and will exploit the existing demand as much as possible before selling their weapons, playing off drow against human, ogre against deep gnome. In this way they sell their goods quickly, and gain the maximum profit.

The duergar here represent an outpost from their distant realm of Gracknulb, a teeming city located even deeper in the earth than Kalan-G’eld and Glimmerfell.

The gray dwarves travel a portion of their journey by boat, crossing the Darklake in narrow barges to landings ten miles away. From there, Gracknulb is still a hundred miles of rough passage away, indeed, no drow, deep gnome, or human knows precisely where the city of the duergar lies.

5 Temple of Lolth

The small shrine dedicated to Lolth, Queen of the Spiders, has been established in the Hold. Inhabitants of the Hold often stop by to drop a few coins in the coffers and say a prayer before setting out into the Underdark. The priestess Phaledra tends to the shrine.

6 Drow Residences

The drow contingent in Harkstone’s Hold is controlled by Kalan-G’eld. Still, that great metropolis is some 25 miles distant, and so the drow who control the markets maintain a good deal of independence from their cousins in the city. The dark elves are recent additions to the market.though they have been here for more than a thousand years, both the duergar and the svirfnebli had traded in Harkstone’s Hold for centuries before then.

The market represents several opportunities for the hateful and chaotic dark elves.

The chance to trade for items that would otherwise be completely unavailable to them.

In return, they offer several types of treasure, available for barter. These include enchanted weapons and armor, useful primarily in the Underdark, of course, though in certain instances such treasures can be taken onto the surface.as well as objects of art, and various types of magical treasures and spells created by the mages of Kalan-G’eld.

7 Harkstone’s Mansion

This building is where Severus Harkstone, lives.

8 The Pigeonholes

People who take up residence in the Harkstone’s Hold are welcome to pick out any side chamber not in use. These cramped chambers are known as the Pigeonholes. Most of the occupants are human, kobolds, or dwarf laborers who are down on their luck and hoping to make some gold working in the Hold.

In addition to the Pigeonholes shown on the map, dozens more are situated higher on the cavern walls and scattered throughout the nearby passegeways.

9 The Deep Stair

This passage leads to a stairway that descends about 100 feet before meeting a well-marked tunnel that leads to the Underdark.

10 The Half-moon Inn

This large building sits against the side of the Hold and serves as a trading post, taproom, and inn. The half-elves of the Half-moon family run the place, stocking a variety of foodstuffs and other goods obtained from Half-moon posts in neighboring lands. Unless the adventurers decide to stay in the Pigeonholes, the Half-moon offers the only accommodations in the Hold.

Erra Half-moon runs the inn whose pleasant manner hides an iron backbone. She has built the inn into a profitable enterprise for her family.

11 The Lake

This lake is created by the natural dripping of the surface water, here is where the Law of Harkstone’s Hold is imparted.

12 Market of the Svirneblin

The deep gnomes maintain a steady commerce in Harkstone’s Hold; rumor has it that the market was originally formed by the gnomes, though its origins are lost in antiquity so it is doubtful that the truth will ever be known.

The gnomish portion of the market is known for several things: gems (of course); magical items that are made of, or affect, stone and earth; and, finally, salt. Ironically, it is the latter product that has given the svirfnebli their important status in the bazaar, for they have cornered the market on salt in this portion of the Underdark. Wherever the gnomes excavate the stuff, they keep its location a carefully guarded secret.

13 House Catanzaro

A merchant company headquartered in Turelve, House Catanzaro maintains a trading post in the Harkstone’s Hold. It deals in surface goods, such as wine, ale, leatherwork, and woodwork, trading with the subterranean folk who come to the Harkstone’s Hold.

The trading post is a stout building made of stone blocks taken from the ruins of the surface. It includes living space for five clerks, four guards, and Noristo Catanzaro.

14 Horslavin Trading Post

Enclosed by a rampart, the trading post of the Clan Horslavin duergar appears as a fortress. The duergar trade rare ores, gemstones, liquor, poison, and alchemical reagents from the Underdark for goods from the surface that they can take back to their homeland to sell.

The head of the post is Kedhira, a duergar Magus. She is curt and suspicious but unusually civil and honest for a duergar. Four duergar guards are always present at the post.

15 Relonyrd's Curios and Relics

An expatriate drow with an eyepatch and a predatory grin, the rogue Relonyrd trades in old treasures from everywere. He is smug and greedy, having left behind the Lolth-worshiping ways of his people years ago when his family lost their status in the interminable vendettas of drow society.
Relonyrd recovers some of his wares himself, but he prefers to pay others to risk life and limb in the Underdark. Sometimes he commissions adventurers to seek out specific treasures. Relonyrd is a great source of information about the ruins, but he doesn't offer anything without a price; the more exclusive the information, the higher its cost.

16 The Svirneblin Warehouse

This large building is where the deep gnomes keep their valuable objects for barter, as well as the goods and gold that they take in trade. It is similar in floorspace to the other four warehouses, but is ceiling is a little more than 3, above the floor!

Most of the warehouse is full, mostly with salt. Blocks of the stuff are stored in huge masses, forming narrow and winding corridors between them. In places, loose salt is mounded on the floor, and in others it is stored in the leather sacks that are used to sell it in smaller quantities.

17 Surface Market

This is the most raucous and bustling portion of Harkstone’s Hold, for this is the area of those who long for the sun, and for the most part have not fully reconciled themselves to life below the surface.

Of all the quarters of the market, this is the one that most resembles a marketplace in a city of humans’ a wide variety of goods is offered here, and the negotiations are performed out in the open, often in loud debate.

Though very few surface dwellers know of the existence of Harkstone’s Hold, those who do take advantage of that fact to bring an assortment of goods here, and they invariably depart with a hefty profit to show for their efforts.

The goods from the surface are unique and, often, otherwise unobtainable to the creatures of the Underdark. Items brought down from above include alcoholic beverages of all kinds (with whisky preferred), perfumes, spices, paper and wood, cloth of cotton or silk, and spells that have been de-

18 The Road to Surface

This passage is 10 feet wide and about 12 feet tall.

People of the Hold

Toreg

Toreg, an ogre, leads the enforcers that work for Harkstone. He can usually be found at the Customhouse, relaxing at Pigeonholes, causing trouble at the Halfmoon Inn, or patrolling the Hold.

Severus Harkstone

Owner of Harkstone's Hold, Severus is a strange drow. He can be found at his Mansion, at the Customhouse or around the Hold. 

Severus is Overlord of the drow warriors assigned to the Hold. He is a master warrior, and could easily earn a place as weaponsmaster of a high-ranking house if he chose to dwell in Kalan-G'eld.

Relonyrd

An expatriate drow with an eyepatch and a predatory grin, the rogue Relonyrd trades in old treasures from everywere. 

Phaledra Freth

She tends the Shrine of Lolth, she never goes outside the shrine. A highly paranoid drow.

Yyssisiryl

Yyssisiryl is an extremely attractive drow female, unusually voluptuous in shape when compared to the normally slender dark elves. She wears her long white hair free flowing.

She has commanded the drow presence here for more than a century. She finds the duty enjoyable, being one of the drow who did not care for the seething intrigue and constant savagery of Kalan-G'eld.

Benrik the Wanderer
Bennik is a recent arrival from the West. Originally a resident of Waterdeep, he carries stories and rumors. 

Any of his stories could prove the basis for the party’s next adventure. He also carries a bountiful supply of maps, which he is willing to sell should the PC s prove interested.

Urtbuk Blackstone

The Chief Negotiator for the duergar —and his personal bodyguards lounge around the Hold, conversing (albeit truculently) with anyone who happens by.

Kassawar Plickenstint

The chief negotiator and merchant of the svirfneblin contingent is Kassawar Plickenstint —a shrewd wheeler and dealer with a keen eye for value and a poker face that guarantees whoever sits across the mat from him will not know what he is thinking.

Noristo Catanzaro

Noristo Catanzaro, a young member of the house. Noristo is a tiefling merchant with a sly, sardonic demeanor, and he seems to know something about everything that goes on in and around the Hold.

Kedhira

Chief of the Horslavin duergars.