Dyrr

Lord Dyrr, commonly known as Lichdrow Dyrr or simply the Lichdrow and also called "Old Dyrr" or "Master Dyrr", was a drow lich and the de facto ruler of House Agrach Dyrr in Menzoberranzan and the power behind Yasraena Dyrr's throne.

In addition to his great magical and political power, the Lichdrow had lived for at least two millennia, and he was once shown to contemplate his possible ascension to divinity in the future. Thus, before his death, he was probably one of the most powerful magic users in the Underdark. His only rivals in power, in fact, were possibly the Archmage of Menzoberranzan himself&mdash;Gromph Baenre&mdash;and Jalynfein the Spider Mage.

Description
The Lichdrow used his magic to appear as a normal male drow, most often one of exceptional age. However, his true appearance, which could be seen by those with arcane abilities, was that of a typical skeletal, decaying lich with yellow bones and emerald flaming within his empty eye sockets. He kept up his façade even when around most members of his family.

Abilities
Lord Dyrr could read minds and possessed all the abilities that one would expect of a lich.

As a cleric of Velsharoon he had access to spells of the Death and Undeath domains. The spells that he typically had prepared as a cleric were cure minor wounds, deathwatch, detect undead, guidance, mending, and sanctuary.

As of 1372 DR, the sorcerer spells that Dyrr knew encompassed the following:
 * acid splash, alter self, analyze dweomer, circle of death, color spray, cone of cold, daze, detect magic, detect scrying, detect secret doors, dispel magic, disrupt undead, energy drain, enervation, finger of death, fly, ghost sound, haste, hold monster, horrid wilting, imprisonment, invisibility and greater invisibility, light, lightning bolt, limited wish, mage hand, magic missile, mind blank, plane shift, polymorph, ray of enfeeblement, read magic, resist energy, resistance, scorching ray, see invisibility, shield, summon monster V and summon monster VIII, teleport, true seeing, wish and limited wish.

Possessions
As a powerful magic user that had lived for over two millennia, Lord Dyrr had amassed a great deal of magical items. Several of which he crafted himself. He also had access to the entire armory of House Agrach Dyrr.

Items that were unique to him included the crown of sorcerous terror, his own impervious vestment, a +4 animated mithral buckler known as the spiteful imp, and the staff of mastery. He also owned a spellbook that consisted of copper sheets and bone leaves.

Some more general items that Dyrr possessed included a drow house insignia, a belt of giant strength +4, a pair of boots of elvenkind, a pair of gloves of dexterity +6, a single glove of storing, a mirror of mental prowess, a piwafwi of resistance +5, a ring of protection +5, a ring of wizardry IV, a wand of inflict critical wounds, and the staff of withering. The last one of which was considered to be his favorite weapon that he carried at all times.

History
By 1372 DR, Lord Dyrr was over 2,000 years old.

During the Silence of Lolth, as the priestesses of Lolth and the matriarchal society that they ruled were weakened and exposed, the Lichdrow visited the Archmage of Menzoberranzan, Gromph Baenre, to encourage him to join the revolution spurred by the male-led Jaezred Chaulssin. Dyrr suggested that together they could overthrow the priestesses and turn Menzoberranzan into some kind of (possibly patriarchal) magocracy. Gromph Baenre refused, and the two most powerful wizards of Menzoberranzan were left on opposing sides. Several lengthy spell battles ensued. One of these battles led to Gromph's imprisonment.

Gromph Baenre was eventually victorious. Due to the Lichdrow's ability to regenerate at his phylactery, however, he ultimately remained undefeated. With his sister Triel Baenre's help, Gromph infiltrated House Agrach Dyrr and destroyed the Lichdrow's phylactery, which was cunningly hidden in House Agrach Dyrr's temple's guardian golem and protected by many powerful defenses. As a last revenge, however, the Lichdrow had weaved the master ward of House Agrach Dyrr such that if his phylactery was destroyed, an explosion of gigantic proportions would ensue, while a dimensional lock prevented magical escape (and physical escape would be impossible because the distance that would have to be covered in the short time between activation of the ward and explosion). Gromph Baenre, however, escaped with a contingency spell he had placed upon his person prior to his infiltration of House Agrach Dyrr, leaving the Lichdrow finally and comprehensively destroyed.

Appearances

 * Novels:
 * Condemnation
 * Resurrection