Methil El-Viddenvelp

Methil El-Viddenvelp was an illithid from Phanlinksal who served Yvonnel Baenre, and later Quenthel Baenre, as a secret advisor in the drow city of Menzoberranzan. He was also the founder of the Sept of Ill'Ghact.

Background
Methil was originally from the illithid city of Phanlinksal, where he was born from the host of a human sorceror. He quickly became one of the most influential members of the city. When House Baenre, the ruling house of Menzoberranzan, threatened the illithids, Methil agreed to serve as an advisor to Matron Mother Yvonnel Baenre in order that the settlement be spared. It was also believed that he was a "double agent" keeping tabs on the drow city.

Methil served Matron as her chief (and secret) advisor on affairs outside the city — as well as providing her with valuable insight on Ruling Council affairs. (She even built a secret room attached to the chamber of the Ruling Council where he could spy on their meetings.) Methil was particularly valuable to Matron Baenre in helping her understand the psionic powers of House Oblodra.

Sept of Ill'Ghact
In 1339 DR, Phanlinksal was destroyed while Methil was still in Menzoberranzan. The next year, Methil founded the Sept of Ill'Ghact, a hidden society of illithids and thralls intent on rebuilding Phanlinksal and restoring the elder brain. His greatest success was implanting an illithid tadpole in a drow psion from House Oblodra, which subsequently became an ulitharid named Galgast, capable of serving as the foundation for the elder brain.

Injury
In 1358 DR, Methil was involved in the drow attack on Mithral Hall and was believed dead. In truth, he had been badly injured but was rescued (by Bregan D'aerthe ) and brought back to the tunnels outside of the city, where he remained for more than a century. Leadership of the Sept of Ill'Ghact eventually passed into the hands of Galgast.

Return
In 1484 DR, Gromph Baenre brought Matron Mother Quenthel Baenre to Methil, who infused her with the memories and indeed some of the personality of their late mother. Quenthel subsequently became much bolder in her actions and planned a Surface conquest for the glory of Lolth. Methil provided the "Darkening" spell to Tsabrak Xorlarrin to aid in Quenthel's plans.

Gromph and Quenthel believed Methil to be quite diminished, but in reality, he was still connected to the illithid hive mind. Kimmuriel Oblodra, who spent a great deal of time with the illithids, was able to secretly gain information from Methil's perspective and discuss it with Jarlaxle.

After Dahlia Sin'felle and Artemis Entreri were captured by the drow in Q'Xorlarrin in 1484 DR, Methil invaded Dahlia's mind, effectively turning her insane and later allowing her to connect with the will of Lolth. He later used his psionic abilities to save Dahlia's life after a tunnel collapse, before turning her over to Gromph and Quenthel.

Novels

 * Homeland
 * Starless Night
 * Siege of Darkness
 * Night of the Hunter