House Baenre

House Baenre is the first drow house of Menzoberranzan, and has been for as long as anyone in the city can remember. It is the oldest (around 5,000 years old), strongest, and most prestigious house in the city.

History
The story of House Baenre's ascension to the premier rank in the city is not known to any living drow; the only person who may have known the true history of the house is Yvonnel Baenre, the former Matron Mother. To the drow of Menzoberranzan, Baenre just is, and always has been, the First House. Recent history has shown that even during periods of strife and political change, House Baenre is always able to retain its position of power. Even with the death of Yvonnel Baenre during the failed invasion of Mithral Hall, the first house's power could not be usurped; Triel Baenre, the first and most powerful daughter of Yvonnel Baenre, took her mother's place as supreme ruler. The main strength of House Baenre lies in clerical prowess; Lolth favours the first house strongly, responding (comparatively) generously to their prayers, and the house is also able to boast 16 high priestesses, including Quenthel Baenre, who holds the crucial and influential position as Matron Mistress of Arach-Tinilith. Gromph Baenre, the archmage of Menzoberranzan, is also a member of House Baenre, which significantly increases the influence of the house both politically and militarily, as he holds sway over Sorcere.

The Baenre Compound
House Baenre occupies the highest tier in the main cavern of Menzoberranzan. The compound is roughly oval in shape, three-eighths of a mile long and a quarter mile wide, and surrounded by a magnificent and magical fence, appearing as a silvery spider's web around the general blue hues of the Baenre compound. This fence stands 20 feet high, and acts as the houses main defense; anything touching the fence will become stuck fast, until the Matron Mother wills it released. It is impossible to pass through the enchanted fence without the aid of the spider mask, a magical item in the possession of Gromph, the archmage.

The compound also houses the largest cathedral of Lolth in the city, which is large enough to seat all 2,600 soldiers maintained in the compound; this is the mainstay of the Baenre army, but rumours suggest that during a crisis, the First House could double this number of troops.

Interests

 * Black Claw Merchant House

Notable members

 * Andzrel Baenre : Weapon master of House Baenre, Commander of the Army of the Black Spider
 * Berg'inyon Baenre : Youngest son of Yvonnel, replaced Dantrag as weapon master, member of Bregan D'aerthe, deceased
 * Bladen'kerst Baenre : Second daughter of Yvonnel, killed in 1358 DR near Mithril Hall by Gandalug Battlehammer.
 * Dantrag Baenre : Weapon master, killed in 1357 DR by Drizzt Do'Urden in Menzoberranzan.
 * Doquaio Baenre : Second son of Yvonnel Baenre, deceased
 * Gromph Baenre : Eldest son of Yvonnel and current Archmage of Menzoberranzan
 * Grendan Baenre : 10th year student at Sorcere, favors Illusion
 * Jarlaxle Baenre : Leader of Bregan D'aerthe
 * Jeggred Baenre : Son of Triel Baenre and her personal bodyguard. Sacrificed to Lolth in the Demonweb Pits during Lolth's Silence by Quenthel Baenre
 * Julani Baenre : Master of Evocation
 * Liriel Baenre : Renegade, wandering surface
 * Maigneth : Captain of the Baenre House Guard
 * Merith Baenre : Adopted into the house
 * Nauzhror Baenre : Cousin of Triel, Master of Sorcere, acting part time Archmage of Menzoberranzan
 * Noori Baenre : Cousin to Gromph and Triel, 10th year student at Sorcere
 * Prath Baenre : 1st year student of Sorcere, in his 30s
 * Quenthel Baenre : Mistress of the Arach-Tinilith and the Matron Mother post-Spellplague.
 * Sos'Umptu Baenre : Keeper of the Baenre House Chapel
 * Tiago Baenre : Grandson of Matron Mother Yvonnel and former weapons master Dantrag.
 * Triel Baenre : Eldest daughter of Yvonnel and the Matron Mother pre-Spellplague
 * Vendes Baenre : A particularly cruel priestess of Lolth, killed in 1357 DR by Drizzt Do'Urden in Menzoberranzan.
 * Vrellin Baenre : Nephew of Triel; Yerri'thal Baenre : "The most accomplished swordsmith in all Menzoberranzan."
 * Waerva Baenre : Betrayed the House and turned renegade during Lolth's Silence.
 * Wilara Baenre : Personal attendant to Triel
 * Yvonnel Baenre : Former matron, killed in 1358 DR near Mithril Hall by Bruenor Battlehammer.
 * Zal'therra Baenre : Cousin of Triel, Commander of the Army of the Black Spider
 * Zillak Baenre : Prime assassin of Gromph
 * Zoran Baenre : 2nd year student at Sorcere