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Drizzt Do'urden's Guide to the Underdark

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Drizzt Do'urden's Guide to the Underdark Drizzt DoUrdens Guide to the Underdark by Eric L. Boyd Whether or not you choose to admit it, there is a whole world beneath your feet! You may believe that building a great moat or a ring of fortifications around your surface borders will ensure your safety, but I assure you that such two-dimensional thinking will not avail you when an army of the Underdark sallies forth from your own cellars. I say that the admission of Blingdenstone to the alliance of Luruar is simply an acknowledgment of that three-dimensional truth and not a dangerous overextenstion of our borders. When you hide your heads in the sand, you may not like the face you find staring back at you! -Bruenor Battlehammer, King of Mithral Hall, Year of the Tankard (1370 DR) addressing the Council of Twelve Peers of Luruar Dedication To Letitia, my princess bride. Credits Design: Eric L. Boyd Original Design: Ed Greenwood (Menzoberranzan, Realm of Stone and Shadow), Michael Leger (Menzoberranzan), Douglas Niles (Menzoberranzan), R. A. Salvatore (Menzoberranzan), Steven E. Schend (Karsoluthiyl) Research/Design Aid: Dale Donovan, Ed Greenwood, George Krashos, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend, and David Wise Referenced Authors: Aaron Allston, Belinda G. Ashley, Jim Bambra, Wolfgang Baur, Tim Beach, Scott Bennie, Don Bingle, Grant Boucher, Jim Butler, Monte Cook, Bruce R. Cordell, Elaine Cunningham, Troy Christensen, Arthur Collins, Dale Donovan, Jan Duursema, Nigel Findley, Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb, E. Gary Gygax, Eric Haddock, Dale Slade Henson, Paul Jaquays, James Lowder, Julia Martm, Colin McComb, Kevin Melka, Roger E. Moore, Bruce Nesmith, Douglas Niles, Chris Perry, R. A. Salvatore, Carl Sargent, Steven E. Schend, Christopher M. Schwartz, Dave Simons, John Terra, Mike Whelan, Skip Williams, Ray Winninger. Editing: Jeff Zippy Quick Cover Art: Fred Fields Interior Art: Michael Collins Cartography: Dennis Kauth Typography: Eric Haddock Graphic Design and Production: Dee Barnett Creative Direction: Kij Johnson and Stan! Art Direction: Paul Hanchette Special Thanks to: Elaine Cunningham, Ed Greenwood, George Krashos, Jeff Quick, R. A. Salvatore, and Steven Schend for their inspiration, assistance, and advice. Campaign setting based on the original game world by Ed Greenwood. ® Based on the original DUNGEONS & DRAGONS rules created by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Ameson. U.S., CANADA, EUROPEAN HEADQUARTERS ASIA, PACIFIC, & LATIN AMERICA Wizards of the Coast, Belgium Wizards of the Coast, Inc. P.B. 2031 P.O. Box 797 2600 Berchem Kenton WA 98057-0707 Belgium +l-800-324-6496 +32-7C-23-32-77 ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, AD&D, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, FORGOTTEN REALMS, and the TSR logo are registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. MONSTROUS MANUAL is a trademark owned by TSR, Inc. All TSR characters, character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. Distributed to the toy, hobby, and comic trade in the United States and Canada by regional distributors. Distributed worldwide by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and regional distributors. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of TSR, Inc. This product is a work of fiction. Any similarities to actual people, organizations, places, or events are purely coincidental. ©1999 TSR, Inc. All rights reserved. Made in the U.S.A. TSR, Inc. is a subsidiary of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Visit our website at www.tsr.com Table of Contents Introduction .............................................. 4 Alphabetical city listing: Drizzts Survival Guide ...................................... 7 Blingdenstone (Major; Svirfneblin) .................. 33 Underdark Civilizations................................ 12 Environs of Blingdenstone .............................. 41 Aboleth .................................................. 12 ChChitl (Minor; Illithids). ................................ 43 Beholders .............................................. 14 Environs of ChChitl ...................................... 47 Cloakers ............................................................... 16 Ched Nasad (Minor; Drow) ................................ 49 Drow .................................................................... 17 Environs of Ched Nasad ................................. 53 Dwarves ................................................................ 19 Gracklstugh (Minor; Derro/Duergar) ................. 56 Illithids ................................................................. 21 Environs of Gracklstugh ................................ 60 Ixzan ..................................................................... 23 Iltkazar (Major; Shield Dwarf) ............................ 97 Kuo-toa ................................................................ 25 Environs of Iltkazar ...................................... 105 Svirfneblin ........................................................... 27 Malydren (Minor; Ixzan) ................................... 107 Other Races ......................................................... 28 Environs of Malydren.................................... 111 Northern Cities ................................................. 33 Menzoberranzan (Minor; Drow) ....................... 61 Blingdenstone (Major; Svirfneblin) .................. 33 Environs of Menzoberranzan .......................... 66 Environs of Blingdenstone .............................. 41 Ooltul (Minor; Phaerimm/Beholders) .............. 69 ChChitl (Minor; Illithids) .................................. 43 Environs of Ooltul .......................................... 72 Environs of ChChitl ..................................... 47 Oryndoll (Major; Illithids) .................................. 74 Ched Nasad (Minor; Drow) ................................ 49 Environs of Oryndoll ..................................... 85 Environs of Ched Nasad ................................. 53 Rringlor Noroth (Minor; Cloakers) .................. 110 Gracklstugh (Minor; Derro/Duergar) ................. 56 Environs of Rringlor Noroth ....................... 111 Environs of Gracklstugh ................................. 60 Sloopdilmonpolop (Minor; Kuo-toa) ............... 116 Menzoberranzan (Minor; Drow) ........................ 61 Environs of Sloopdilmonpolop .................... 120 Environs of Menzoberranzan ......................... 66 Sshamath (Major; Drow) ................................... 86 Central Cities .................................................... 69 Environs of Sshamath ..................................... 95 Ooltul (Minor; Phaerimm/Beholders) .............. 69 Zokir (Minor; Beholders) .................................. 122 Environs of Ooltul .......................................... 72 Environs of Zokir ......................................... 126 Oryndoll (Major; Illithids) ................................. 74 Environs of Oryndoll ..................................... 85 Sshamath (Major; Drow) ................................... 86 Environs of Sshamath ..................................... 95 Southern Cities ................................................. 97 Iltkazar (Major; Shield Dwarf) ............................ 97 Environs of Iltkazar ...................................... 105 Malydren (Minor; Ixzan) .................................. 107 Rringlor Noroth (Minor; Cloakers) ................. 110 Environs of Malydren and Rringlor Noroth. 111 Sloopdilmonpolop (Minor; Kuo-toa). .............. 116 Environs of Sloopdilmonpolop .................... 120 Zokir (Minor; Beholders) ................................. 122 Environs of Zokir .......................................... 126 2 Introduction 30th day of Nightal, Year of the Tankard o Queen Alustriel of Silverymoon, Lady Hope of Luruar, does Drizzt Do Urden send greetings. My dear friend and liege, it is with mixed emotions that I deliver the report you requested less than a year ago. I understand that efforts to forge a strong union of the once independent city-states and kingdoms of the Moonlands and Delzoun that now make up the nation of Luruar are proceeding as well as one might reasonably hope. I admire both your patient resolve and your ability to lead a fractious coun- cil that numbers King Bruenor Battlehammer of Mithral Hall, King Harbromm of Citadel Adbar, and King Emerus Warcrown of Citadel Felbarr among its dwarven contingent alone! Over the past year, I have collected a great number of reports from my contacts in the Underdark, a few of whom I know personally, but most of whom I know only through their missives. While all have been vouched for by one means or another, each may still speak with his or her own agenda and through the Lens of persona! experience, so I caution you to tread carefully when evaluating the truth- fulness of the reports which follow. As we discussed, I have concentrated primarily on the cities of the Night Below which might one day pose a threat to the surface world as opposed to the oft-malevolent beings which roam the wilds of the Underdark. Some discussion on the environs of each city as well as ways in and out are included in my report as well. After being the recipient of several angry tirades by the eighth and tenth king of Mithral Hall regarding the actions (or inaction, as he sometimes grumbles) of the Council of Twelve Peers, I have gathered that there is more to your request than the need for an evaluation of the political, economic, and military tradeoffs
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