Dissolution

Dissolution is the first book in the War of the Spider Queen series.

"Menzoberranzan the Mighty.

City of grandeur and cruelty, home of deadly swordsmen and diabolical necromancers, the brightest jewel of the vast subterranean world called the Underdark, and proudest achievement of the sinister race known as the drow, Menzoberranzan is a place with a mystery at its heart, a secret flaw that threatens to destroy it.

When the power that sustains the city is cut off at its source, enemies flood in from the darkness all around. And what greater enemy could a drow imagine than another drow?"

Summary
The city of Menzoberranzan is being subject to the Silence of Lolth: priestesses no longer have access to their clerical magic. Many drow males have apparently discovered this fact and run off. After an accident that kills several of his students, Pharaun Mizzrym, a master of Sorcere, is assigned by the Archmage of Menzoberranzan to track down those renegades to "redeem" himself. He convinces his friend Ryld Argith, a master of Melee-Magthere who is bored of his position, to help him in this endeavour.

Meanwhile, Gromph Baenre has decided to assassinate his sister, the matron mistress of Arach-Tinilith, Quenthel Baenre. He sends several demon servants to complete the job, thwarted each time by Quenthel's skill in avoiding death. Quenthel discovers and frustrates a coup instigated by lower priestesses, slaying all of the rebels.

Additionally, Faerzyl Zauvirr, ambassador of Ched Nasad to Menzoberranzan, has been betrayed by her retainers to Matron Mother Triel Baenre, who, fearing the dissemination of the priestesses' problem, forbids Faerzyl from venturing out into the Underdark to determine why no more caravans have traveled from Ched Nasad. Faerzyl is eventually captured by Valas Hune of Bregan D'aerthe and turned over to Triel, who allows her draegloth son Jeggred to torture her.

Pharaun and Ryld spend time disguised as orcs in the poor district of Braeryn. They dodge an assassination attempt by Pharaun's sister Greyanna Mizzrym and discover that the undercreatures (mainly slaves and former slaves) have been secretly meeting with the renegade drow males. This renegade group, instigated by the illithidlich Syrzan, is planning an uprising of the undercreatures against the drow, with the intention of killing as many females as possible in order to take over the city themselves. Syrzan detects Pharaun's intentions to report the group's activities to the matron mothers of Menzoberranzan and attempts to kill him; despite Ryld's efforts to revive him, the recovered Pharaun betrays Ryld by leaving him behind to face the renegades on his own.

In the end, Pharaun helps Triel and Tier Breche overcome the revolting slaves. As a "reward," Triel sends him, Ryld, Quenthel, Faerzyl, and Jeggred to Ched Nasad to determine the city's status.

Main characters

 * Pharaun Mizzrym, Menzoberranyr mage
 * Ryld Argith, Menzoberranyr warrior and companion of Pharaun
 * Quenthel Baenre, matron mistress of Arach-Tinilith

Supporting characters

 * Faerzyl Zauvirr, ambassador of Ched Nasad to Menzoberranzan
 * Gromph Baenre, Archmage of Menzoberranzan
 * Greyanna Mizzrym, sister to Pharaun
 * Jeggred Baenre, draegloth son of Triel Baenre
 * Syrzan, alhoon leader of male drow outcasts
 * Triel Baenre, matron mother of House Baenre

Minor characters

 * Drisinil Barrison Del'Armgo, priestess instigating a coup against Triel Baenre
 * Houndaer Tuin'Tarl, a ringleader of male drow outcasts
 * Valas Hune, scout of Bregan D'aerthe
 * Waerva Baenre, priestess of House Baenre
 * Zeerith Q'Xorlarrin, matron mother of House Xorlarrin

Locations

 * Menzoberranzan
 * Northdark

Zersetzung