Ryld Argith

Ryld Argith was a drow master of Melee-Magthere in Menzoberranzan.

Description
Ryld was unusual for a drow due to his large and burly build.

He stood about five and a half feet (168cm) tall. Quite unlike a typical male drow's sense of vanity, Ryld had a warrior's pragmatism and kept his hair close-cropped to prevent foes from grabbing it during combat.

Personality
Although Ryld worshiped Lolth, Ryld was not overly fond of the spider motifs dedicated to Lolth that were so prevalent in the city of Menzoberranzan. He was a sava master. He apparently had a liking for duergar brandy, which he snuck out of Gracklstugh and carried with him on his journeys.

Background
Ryld was a commoner who grew up in the poor district of Braeryn in Menzoberranzan. When Ryld was six years old, he was involved in one of the nobles' notorious Hunts through Braeryn that ended in a massacre of fire. He was badly burned and buried under dead bodies. He attended Melee-Magthere and became lesser master there, the highest rank he could achieve with his non-noble status. However, he later grew bored with his position.

During his years at the academy, Ryld befriended Pharaun Mizzrym, a mage from Sorcere of noble birth. They had as close a relationship as any drow could have. During Pharaun's and Ryld's third year at the academy (whether as students of teachers is unclear), they hunted down a Cloaker Lord and 67 other chasm rays in its raiding party.

War of the Spider Queen
When Pharaun was assigned to track down a number of missing drow males in 1372 DR, Ryld agreed to assist him. Unfortunately, their friendship did not prevent Pharaun from leaving him to fend off and presumably die from pursuers while in a hideout that belonged to renegade drow and driders led by the alhoon Syrzan. Although he survived the encounter, it set a deep rift between them.

Ryld was then chosen as a member of a drow party that was sent to investigate the Silence of Lolth. During the cataclysmic fall of Ched Nasad, the party met Halisstra Melarn and Danifae Yauntyrr, priestesses of Lolth. Halisstra, doomed survivor of a fallen house, had no choice but to follow the Menzoberranyr to find out the fate of their silent goddess. She fled with them through a portal to the surface land of Anauroch. After a grueling fight against lamias, Halisstra revealed her secret knowledge of drow bardic music, or Baeq'ueshel, to pull Ryld from the brink of death.

After losing hope in the Abyss, the two eventually left to try and find a different life, devoid of drow corruption. They eventually decided to return to their former group as Halisstra was determined to destroy Lolth. Danifae later intercepted them on their sojourn, and set the draegloth Jeggred Baenre to hunt down and kill Ryld after deceptively separating the two. After a long and massive fight worthy of song, Jeggred eventually killed him and ate his heart.

Hallistra encounters Ryld's spirit as she comes upon a procession of souls in the Astral Sea. Ryld, regretting nothing, tells her he loved her, and gave up everything for her. Saying his last goodbyes, he continues his journey to the newly established Demonweb Pits to meet Lolth.

Equipment
Rather than wearing chain mail under the traditional piwafwi, as most drow did, Ryld wore black duergar plate mail and vambraces. Ryld had a magical hole/cloth of holding.

He wielded a magical greatsword was known as Splitter. Splitter was capable of penetrating nearly any material and it dispelled magic with a successful hit. Moments before Ryld's death, Jeggred sundered the blade with a magical axe taken from a soldier killed in the midst of the struggle. He also employed a wickedly sharp short sword for close encounters. It saved his life more than once. He was also a decent shot with a bow, but didn't carry one with him.

Halisstra Melarn
During their travels, Ryld grew close to Halisstra Melarn of Ched Nasad, developing a relationship and even coming to love her, in a sense.

Novels

 * War of the Spider Queen
 * 1) Dissolution
 * 2) Insurrection
 * 3) Condemnation
 * 4) Extinction
 * 5) Annihilation