Ched Nasad

Ched Nasad, or the City of Shimmering Webs or City of Webs, was a drow city in the Middle Northdark that was destroyed on Uktar 3, 1372 DR.

Geography
Ched Nasad was located in the Middle Northdark beneath the High Cap in the northern Graypeak Mountains. In the Underdark, to the immediate east was the great Araumycos fungus. To the south were the remnants of the Graypeaks Hive of beholders. To the east of the city were the phaerimm-held lands of ancient Netheril. To the far north was the dwarven Fardrimm.

It was connected to the surface via tunnels through Ammarindar to the south, which eventually led to orc-held caverns in the Nether Mountains and the Fardrimm. Access points along the way could be found through the Nameless Dungeon, Hellgate Dell, and the ruins of Myth Glaurach.

Menzoberranzan was a journey of several tendays to the northeast on the other side of Araumycos. The path through Ammarindar was the quickest journey between Menzoberranzan and Ched Nasad, but it was less traveled because of the danger that lurked there.

A portal to the ruins of Hlaungadath in Anauroch was located in the Dangling Tower. It is through this portal that Quenthel Baenre, Halisstra Melarn, and their companions were able to escape the destruction of Ched Nasad in 1372 DR.

Pre-destruction
The city was located in a large V-shaped cavern. The grotto was nearly a mile high and half a mile wide at the top (narrower at the bottom). The walls of the cavern were very steep.

The city had magically controlled lighting. The city structure was built of layers of petrified webs that were bathed in faerie fire that was usually purple, amber, green, and yellow. Hundreds of webs stretch across the cavern, with nearly vertical webs connecting layers; for ease, the city was generally split into eleven major horizontal levels. Dwellings on the webs resembled cocoons and were located on both the top sides and bottom sides of the layers.

The higher the level in Ched Nasad, the richer and better its inhabitants were. Non-drow needed permission to visit the upper levels. However, in the lower levels, few drow were found on the streets. The business section of the city was located on the middle levels.

Water runoff along the cavern wall fostered farms of molds, lichen, and fungi. The cavern floor was used for the rearing of deep rothe tended by goblin slaves.

Multiple gates lead into the city. The Fracture Gate opened up into the lowest quarters of the city.

Post-destruction
After its destruction, the city was a ruined heap, with all of the central core having been firebombed by the attacking duergar. The calcified webs were weakened and broken apart. The web strands and what they held up fell to the bottom of the cavern. All that remained were parts of the ruined web strands that stayed connected to portions of the walls of the cavern. It was expected to take many, many years to reclaim the floors and rebuild the city.

The Jaezred Chaulssin quickly moved in to take charge of the rebuilding of the city. Within a few months, the bottom of the chasm had already began melding with the Shadow Fringe (part of the Plane of Shadow).

Founding
Ched Nasad was founded in -3843 DR by exiles from Menzoberranzan who had sided with House Nasadra against House S'sril after the city was nearly destroyed by House Thaeyalla. Afterward, House Baenre encouraged House Nasadra to found another city honoring Lolth, the Spider Queen, while those who sided with House S'sril remained. An avatar of Lolth herself appeared and gave her blessing to this plan, decreeing that the two cities were to remain friendly with each other.

The Nasadran drow wandered for decades before Lolth's avatar led them to the grotto where they were to found their new city. Before it left, the avatar wove a great web throughout the cavern which was turned into stone and lined with faerie fire. The city continued to expand with the help of guardian spiders, which could be summoned from stone statuettes to repair the stone webs or create new ones.

Ched Nasad flourished despite regular fighting with the dwarves of Ammarindar, the beholders of the Graypeaks Hive, the phaerimm beneath Anauroch, and the fiends of Hellgate Keep.

In 1233 DR, a number of drow from House Mylyl left the city for the Far Forest to continue their magical experiments and ended up creating the chitine race.

Destruction
During the Silence of Lolth in 1372 DR when Lolth did not communicate with her clergy or grant them spells, a plot by the Jaezred Chaulssin (inadvertently) led to the near-complete destruction of the city on Uktar 3.

The city was already in upheaval at this time, as mobs arose in the city due to people blaming the priestesses of Lolth for angering the Spider Queen and fearing invasion. Additionally, refugees had flooded the city; it was estimated that there were three times as many people in the city as there were normally, and many of them were starving.

However, the true trouble began when the matron mother of a minor merchant house, Ssipriina Zauvirr of House Zauvirr, used Zammzt to hire the duergar mercenary band Clan Xornbane to aid her in destroying her rival, House Melarn. What Ssipriina didn't know, however, was that Zammzt was in fact a prince of the Jaezred Chaulssin and his intention was to weaken the city so that his group could take over. He provided stonefire to the mercenaries and prematurely gave them word to attack. The stonefire destroyed House Melarn but also had a massively destructive effect on the city, causing the house and the layer of web on which it was build to fall into the chasm and destroy the levels underneath it.

In order to defend the city, the five of the most powerful matron mothers (Aunrae Nasadra, Umrae D'Dgttu, Nedylene Zinard, Ulviirala Rilynt, and ShiNeerune Hlaund) summoned a humongous black guardian spider. However, the guardian spider (and soon another guardian spider it summoned) was never in their telepathic control, due to the artifacts being divine artifacts and tied to the power of Lolth, and began raging through the city, further compounding the chaos.

Eventually, the entire city fell into the chasm in smoke and flames, marking the end of the great days of Ched Nasad. The Jaezred Chaulssin admitted that such utter destruction had not been their plan, but they were determined to take advantage of it.

Post-destruction
It was estimated that half of Ched Nasad perished in the fall and a third fled into the tunnels. There were about 6,000 (presumably drow) who survived the initial destruction of the city and remained there, but over the next few months, nearly half of those died of privation or to monsters or simply left the city. A dozen minor houses who located on the sides of the chasm and in side caverns survived, although their holdings were quickly ransacked and they were forced to live in camps on the edge of the hole that is the city. Gangs, many run by non-drow ex-slaves, cropped up in the area.

House Teh'Kinrelliz was one house that survived because its noble members were away on a chitine hunt. Because of its size, it quickly rose to a position of power, setting up tools for reclamation at the edge of the city's pit and capturing slaves to do the work for them.

Zesstra Aleanrahel, a daughter of one of the ruling houses, survived the city's destruction and gathered a cult of more than 70 worshipers of Shar to enact revenge on her remaining enemies. Her zeal turned away many of the cultists, however.

Additionally, the evil blue dragon Krashos, disguised as a drow named "Quevven Jusztiirn," was living in the city at the time of its disaster. He survived, but lost some magical items he attempted to retrieve by capturing a fire genasi named Hurnoj Rikrekts to do his dirty work.

At the end of the Silence of Lolth in 1373 DR, the Jaezred Chaulssin moved to control the ruins of Ched Nasad. Directed by Patron Father Mauzzkyl, the Shadow Wyrm, overall progress moved slowly but the bottom of the chasm quickly began merging with the Plane of Shadow.

After their siege against Menzoberranzan failed, the Jaezred Chaulssin realized that they couldn't restore Ched Nasad on their own and left for Chaulssin, and enforced to have influence in the city's power structure.

Post-Spellplague
Ched Nasad was officially ruled by a ruling council of seven Houses with House Teh'Kinrellz as the leading House and its matron Faathryll Teh'Kinrellz in full control of it. The council was considered an abomination by the one in Menzoberranzan, because House Teh'Kinrellz's male members held power that equaled and sometimes exceeded the one owned by the female clerics of Lolth. These male drow were controlled by in turn by the Jaezred Chaulssin. The city in general had a close association with the assassins' guild, which maintained its major fosterage as nobility under Patron Father Zammzt Everharn. While much of the city remained in ruins, the arrangement of power proved itself successful. The lower city was civilized enough to allow trade to reestablished with Menzoberranzan. While ideological differences between the cities were a problem, there were also more tangible problems for this trade in the form of the beholders of Graypeaks Hive and the tannarukks from Ammarindar.

In 1463 DR, Menzoberranyr drow talking about the city said it had never been rebuilt.

Pre-destruction
The city was officially ruled by the Council, which was composed of the matron mothers of the first twelve houses of the city. In 1370 DR, those leaders were Aunrae Nasadra, Umrae D'Dgttu, Drisinil Melarn, Shyntlara Auvryndar, Inidil Mylyl, Jyslin Aleanrahel, Talabrina Claddath, Ulviirala Rilynt (House Rilynt'tar), Lirdnolu Maerret, Nedylene Zinard, Pellanistra Ousstyl, and ShriNeerune Hlaund. However, as the matron mother of the most powerful house in Ched Nasad, Aunrae Nasadra of House Nasadra (matron since 689 DR) held the greatest power, said to be unmatched even by the scope of Yvonnel Baenre of House Baenre in Menzoberranzan.

While the rule of the clergy and the noble houses was absolute, both wizards and merchants wielded great influence.

Post-destruction
After the destruction of the city, the Jaezred Chaulssin took control of the city. They were a group of shadow dragon-blooded assassins that were determined to rid drow society of the worship of Lolth and the matriarchy. Because of the great destruction of the city, it would take many years for the Jaezred Chaulssin to reclaim even a fraction of its former glory, but they were determined to rebuild the city in their image.

Pre-destruction
Before Ched Nasad's destruction in 1372 DR,the city had a population of just under 30,000 drow. That figure had been declining somewhat for centuries due to the common in-fighting, politics, and intrigue of the drow. Approximately 1,600 drow were considered nobles, forming about 100 noble houses.

An additional 70,000 inhabitants lived in the city, the majority of them slaves (although officially there were no slaves; only drow battle captives could be openly named slaves). Frequently seen races were dwarves, hobgoblins, orcs, quaggoths, svirfneblin, and thaaluud. Bugbears were also common.

Typically, there were about 2,000 visitors residing in the city. These included aboleths, deep dragons, grell, illithids, and even fiends. Duergar traders were particularly common. However, beholders were not welcome in the city due to past wars with the Graypeaks Hive. Surfacers were relatively rare due to general inaccessibility of the city.

Post-destruction
There were about 6,000 (presumably drow) who survived the initial destruction of the city, but over the next few months, nearly half of those died of privation or monster or simply left the city. Gangs, many run by non-drow ex-slaves, cropped up in the area.

Education
There were a number of wizards' guilds and schools located in the city where aspiring mages could be trained, including the Disciples of Phelthong, the Weavespinners Academy, the Runemasters of the Dangling Tower, and the Arcanist Conservatory. The schools are more or less independent, although a few are tied to noble houses. Rivalries between the schools not only exist but can also serve as proxies for interhouse warfare.

Food and drink
Common staples of Ched Nasad were rothe meat and cheese, as well as the fungus cultivated on the walls of the cavern. The Glowing Goblet tavern has a specialty drink known as glowwine, which is named for its faerie fire glow.

Trade
Ched Nasad produced a great variety of items. These included body dyes, pottery (from calcified webs), everdark ink (from deep dragon scales), fine armor and weapons, giant solifugids (used as guardians), molds (brown, chromatic, death, deep, gray, russet, sonic, and yellow), poisons, potions, riding lizards, rothe wool, meat, cheese, spells, textiles, and water.

Netherese artifacts made up a significant part of Ched Nasad's fortune. Regular raids into the phaerimm lands (known as the Buried Realms) produced valuable plunder, even though more than half of all raiding bands never returned.

Foreign traders in Ched Nasad included duergar, trogs, and kuo-toa. Merchants sold mushrooms, jewelry, potions, chitines, and slugs, among other items Several trading guilds operated in Ched Nasad, including the White Spider Company, Fellowship of the Seventh Scepter, Company of the Flickering Flame, and the Dragon's Hoard (destroyed in 1361 DR). The Council did not allow lesser nobles to invest in a single company, instead pressuring them to invest in multiple companies.

Before its destruction, Ched Nasad provided fully half of Menzoberranzan's goods. Other trading partners included Gracklstugh, Ch'Chitl, and Eryndlyn, Gualidurth, and Underspires.

Defenses
Before its destruction, Ched Nasad had more than 12,000 drow soldiers and 6,000 slaves that were directed by noble houses, merchant companies, or mercenary bands. An additional 1,200 drow wizards and 15,000 priests lived in the city; all of them except the nobles were required to serve one month per year in the military.

The ruling matron mothers could also summon guardian spiders to protect the city. Guardian spiders were huge black spiders that protected and repaired the city. They had originally been summoned by priestesses and wizards at the founding of the city of Ched Nasad to spin the city's webs, which were then turned to stone. They were Lolth's blessing. After they created the city's levels, they were transformed into crystal statues but could be brought to life by the matrons of Ched Nasad in times of great need. They could repair the city or defend it. Guardian spiders were also able to summon other guardian spiders.

Locations of interest
Prior to destruction, the following buildings exited in Ched Nasad. (Note: The major levels are numbered from top to bottom, with the lowest level being the eleventh level.)

Houses

 * House Nasadra, located on the first (top) level. It had had high balconies from which one could view the city and its stone webs and castles.
 * House Melarn, located on the second level.
 * House Aleandrahel, hanging from the bottom of the second level.
 * House Auvryndar, located on the second level.
 * House D'Dgttu.
 * House Rilynt'tar.
 * House Claddath.
 * House Hlaund.
 * House Mylyl.
 * '''House Ousttyl
 * House Zinard, a house that raised rothe.
 * House Maerret.
 * House Zauvirr, a minor merchant house.
 * House Teh'Kinrellz, minor house which survived the destruction of Ched Nasad.
 * '''House Suun Wett.
 * '''House Khareese.

Guilds, etc.

 * The Dangling Tower, a tower hanging from the roof of the cavern and housing the Runemasters of the Dangling Tower.
 * Company of the Flickering Flame, a merchant company located on the third level.
 * Disciples of Phelthong, located on the fourth level.
 * Fellowship of the Seventh Scepter, a merchant company hanging from the bottom of the fourth level.
 * White Spider Company, a merchant company located on the fifth level.
 * Weavespinners Academy, a wizards' school hanging from the bottom of the fifth level.
 * The Dragon's Hoard, a merchant company destroyed in 1361 DR, located on the sixth level.
 * Arcanist Conservatory, a wizards' guild hanging from the bottom of the sixth level.

Inns and taverns

 * The House Unnamed, a fine inn located on the seventh level.
 * The Glowing Goblet, a good inn located on the ninth level.
 * The Lizard's Kiss, a cheap inn located on the tenth level.
 * The Flame and the Serpent, an inn run by an orc and located out of the way.

Shops

 * Garault's Spices, a shop selling spell components.

Pre-destruction

 * Rai-guy Bondalek, formerly of House Teyachumet, wizard/cleric lieutenant of Bregan D'aerthe.
 * Brindlor Zidorion, deathsinger killed in 1361 DR.
 * Aunrae Nasadra, matron mother of House Nasadra and uncrowned queen of Ched Nasad until its destruction.
 * Faeryl Zauvirr, ambassador to Menzoberranzan from ca. 1358 DR to 1372 DR.
 * Halisstra Melarn, First Daughter of House Melarn who survived the city's destruction and traveled on with Quenthel Baenre.
 * Q'arlynd Melarn, a survivor of the city's destruction and later worshiper of Eilistraee.
 * Zesstra Aleanrahel, a survivor of the city's destruction and leader of a Sharran cult.
 * Krashos, an evil blue dragon previously disguised as a drow named "Quevven Jusztiirn."

Environs

 * Ammarindar.
 * Araumycos, the great fungus.
 * Cavern of Cloven Heads, ancient mines now occupied by Uthgardt barbarians.
 * Realm of Stone and Shadow, a network of caves claimed by the sapphire dragon Malaeragoth, the Dragon Unseen.
 * Yathchol, a cluster of chitine villages a day's walk away.
 * Graypeaks Hive, a large beholder nation located beneath Ammarindar.

Novels
War of the Spider Queen:
 * Dissolution (mentioned)
 * Insurrection (major)
 * Condemnation (minor)
 * Annihilation (minor)
 * Resurrection (minor)

Games

 * Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn (mentioned)