Army of the Black Spider

The Army of the Black Spider was an army put together by the noble houses of Menzoberranzan to defeat the approaching armies of Gracklstugh (joined by Kaanyr Vhok's Scourged Legion) in 1372 DR during the Silence of Lolth.

Description
The Army of the Black Spider was composed of soldiers from all great houses, as well as 16 minor ones. There were 30 commanding high priestesses, 4,000 drow soldiers, and 2,500 slaves.

After the first battle, a fourth to a third of the army had been lost. House Baenre had 90 dead and 44 wounded — more than a quarter of their strength. House Barrison Del'Armgo lost a quarter of their forces and all of their wagon trains.

Base
The army mustered in a plaza near the border of the West Wall and Narbondellyn districts in Menzoberranzan.

History
At the end of 1372 DR, during the Silence of Lolth when the city's priestesses were greatly weakened, the forces of Gracklstugh, driven by Nimor Imphraezl of the Jaezred Chaulssin, moved to attack Menzoberranzan. Allied with House Agrach Dyrr within the city and wanting to draw the city's forces out, Nimor disguised himself as Captain Zhayemd of House Agrach Dyrr and reported that Rhazzt's Dilemma, a drow outpost in the Underdark, had been attacked. That report spurred the mustering of the Army of the Black Spider.

The army moved to engage the attacking duergar at the Pillars of Woe. However, that was in fact a trap manufactured by Nimor. Once at the Pillars of Woe, the soldiers of Agrach Dyrr turned on their fellows and the tanarukks of the Scoured Legion led by Kaanyr Vhok joined in the fray. The drow army was not very unified, particularly after the loss of Agrach Dyrr. Reinforcements from House Baenre arrived after Nauzhror Baenre scried the battle and saw their predicament. The Baenre contingent allowed the army to retreat, but not without heavy losses. The companies of Houses Fey-Branche, Duskryn, and Kenafin had been wiped out, but many soldiers of Houses Baenre, Xorlarrin and Tuin'Tarl, among others, were able to retreat back to the city. Nimor was briefly captured by Andzrel Baenre, but he was able to escape using his ring of shadow.

After the defeat of the Army of the Black Spider, the duergar and tanarukk armies subsequently marched forth and began the Siege of Menzoberranzan.

Members of the Army of the Black Spider

 * Mez'Barris Armgo : The nominal commander of the army, though the male commanders truly ran the show.
 * Andzrel Baenre : As weapons master of House Baenre, he was the male commander of the army.
 * Nimor Imphraezl : Under the alias Captain Zhayemd of House Agrach Dyrr, this prince of the Jaezred Chaulssin was able to infiltrate the army to weaken it and foster its betrayal by the forces of House Agrach Dyrr.

Novels

 * Condemnation
 * Extinction (mentioned)