Szith Morcane

The Guard Captain looks at T’rissae, "Lolth went quiet a few day back and the T'sarran Sisters and their undead seemed ready for it. Zombies attacked the gates to distract us while the wraiths, demons, and Vampire sisters went into House Morcane and killed everyone. Came back out and said they were running the city. Not many of us were going to say no after that."

She shrugs, "I had to go in and get her kiss. Every one of us guards did if we didn’t want to become zombies or skeletons. Honestly these blood suckers aren’t much different than the group they replaced."

She gestures to the two men who are staring at you mostly mindlessly. "Those two might disagree though. They still follow orders but, not much left upstairs." She passes a hand over their eyes and they don’t react.

Kalafein and T’rissae know that powerful vampires can control those that they bite and even turn them into basically mindless thralls but those who have enough willpower can resist this. Clearly the two men don’t have enough willpower and their captain does. Though you suspect that she’s still under a charm effect.

Scouting: Ya Pu can fly and thus doesn’t need the lift. The spirit reports that the Bazaar (Y12) still has some living Drow though clearly not as many as once lived and worked there. Additionally the caves where the common Drow and their slaves live (Y16) seems relatively unscathed by the recent fighting and changes in leadership.

Knowledge House Baenre = Success!

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You need not even put pen to paper to know that Matron Mother Baenre will not be pleased by this situation. At the very least she will ask you to ascertain the condition of Lolth’s ‘Holy’ site in the outpost.

Matron Mother Platin, your own matron mother, would likely prefer you depart and you continue on your way as long as you can somehow work in a truthful report that won’t cause House Baenre to order you further in.

The difficult thing, of course, is doing so. The book you write your report in will assuredly make it difficult to even lie through omissions.

You make your way to the Bazaar level avoiding most of the lingering undead. You note that there is a Drider priestess, clearly not of Lolth, staying near the doors to the Merchant House and closest to the path down into the Commoners area. She is clearly keeping an eye on things on the Bazaar level and likely little will pass her gaze lower into the cavern. When you get closer to her, you easily note that her holy symbol is one of Ghaunadar, the god of outcasts, slimes, and abominations.

The locals in the Bazaar avoid you but, you can approach the Drider priestess of Ghuanadar if you wish. You would also easily note that the doors to the Merchant House down here denote them as House Sylvatreen and have been made holy ground, likely dedicated to Ghaunadar. If you attempt to go down into the common area she will call out, "Do not go down any further, the lower area is protected by House Sylvatreen. I will not allow anyone to pass who does not meet with my approval."

House Morcane itself has some sort or ward in the cavern approaching the doorway and it is very difficult for you to approach it.

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DM Notes:

1) The walkway down has a detect life and detect undead spell placed on it from floor to ceiling. There's nearly no way to avoid being noticed by the priestess. If you want to make the attempt it is a DC 25 spot check and a DC 30 disable device check.

2) House Morcane has a powerful ward around it. DC 18 wisdom save to approach the door. DC 20 wisdom save to actually enter the building.

Driders are not usual within Menzoberanzan, it is understood that they have done something to be punished by Lolth herself and are thus exiled from the city. Szith Morcane clearly couldn’t afford to exile those who might keep the outpost safe and thus they have a Merchant house of Driders within the city. The woman looks to Kalafein her expression is grim.

"You are not undead, nor do I recognize you as a local. This is a poor time for trade visitor and I would recommend you depart as soon as you can because The T’sarran house holds ill will towards any who worship Lolth. Indeed, I suspect ill will towards all who are alive. I only remain to try and ensure as many citizens can escape before they complete whatever they came here to do."

If he asks about the T’sarran house she will say, "They are a clan of Vampires, once a powerful force here and in Maermydra until they attempted to overthrow the clergy of Lolth and replace it with worship of Kiaransalee, mistress of undeath and revenge. Those of the house who were not killed exiled themselves from Maerymydra and Szith Morcane. We had wrongly assumed they had perished in the Underdark but, apparently that was not the case."

If asked what she thinks the T’sarran clan plans she says, "Lolth is silent, what better time to pervert the Fane within house Morcane and begin summoning a tide of undead to attack Daggerdale above or the rest of the Underdark here."