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.[4] It was also the founder of the Sept of Ill'Ghact.[3]
Descriptions[]
Methil was about 6 ft (1.8 m). Its head was slimy and resembled a squid with pure white eyes.[2]
By 1484 DR, Methil had become extremely powerful, existing more in mind than in body. By that point, it was also insane, either from an injury or its great power, or perhaps from both.[5]
History[]
Background[]
Methil was originally from the illithid city of Phanlinksal, where it was born from the host of a human sorcerer. It 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.[6] It was also believed that it was a "double agent" keeping tabs on the drow city.[4]
Methil served Matron Baenre 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 it could spy on their meetings.) Methil was particularly valuable to Matron Baenre in helping her understand the psionic powers of House Oblodra.[4]
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. Its 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.[3]
Injury[]
In 1358 DR, Methil was involved in the drow attack on Mithral Hall and was believed dead. In truth, it had been badly injured but was rescued (by Bregan D'aerthe[7]) and brought back to the tunnels outside of the city, where it remained for more than a century.[1] Leadership of the Sept of Ill'Ghact eventually passed into the hands of Galgast.[1]
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.[8] 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.[9]
Gromph and Quenthel believed Methil to be quite diminished, but in reality, it 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.[10]
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.[11] Methil was subsequently used to further Quenthel Baenre's designs on the Silver Marches, including mindwashing the brothers of Thrym to Quenthel's cause.[12]
Appendix[]
Gallery[]
Appearances[]
- Board Games
- The Legend of Drizzt Board Game
- Novels
- Homeland • Starless Night • Siege of Darkness • Night of the Hunter • Rise of the King
- Referenced only
- Vengeance of the Iron Dwarf • Archmage
- Video Games
- Menzoberranzan
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 R.A. Salvatore (March 2014). Night of the Hunter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 27. ISBN 0-7869-6511-8.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 R.A. Salvatore (September 1990). Homeland. (TSR, Inc.), p. 52. ISBN 0-1401-4372-6.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Brian R. James, Eric Menge (August 2012). Menzoberranzan: City of Intrigue. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 74–75. ISBN 978-0786960361.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 R.A. Salvatore, Michael Leger, Douglas Niles (1992). Menzoberranzan (The Houses). Edited by Karen S. Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc), pp. 17–18. ISBN 1-5607-6460-0.
- ↑ R.A. Salvatore (September 2014). Rise of the King. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 262. ISBN 0-7869-6515-0.
- ↑ Brian R. James, Eric Menge (August 2012). Menzoberranzan: City of Intrigue. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 76. ISBN 978-0786960361.
- ↑ Eric L. Boyd (November 1999). Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark. Edited by Jeff Quick. (TSR, Inc.), p. 65. ISBN 0-7869-1509-9.
- ↑ R.A. Salvatore (March 2014). Night of the Hunter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 47. ISBN 0-7869-6511-8.
- ↑ R.A. Salvatore (March 2014). Night of the Hunter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 159. ISBN 0-7869-6511-8.
- ↑ R.A. Salvatore (March 2014). Night of the Hunter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 232. ISBN 0-7869-6511-8.
- ↑ R.A. Salvatore (March 2014). Night of the Hunter. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 373. ISBN 0-7869-6511-8.
- ↑ R.A. Salvatore (September 2014). Rise of the King. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 8. ISBN 0-7869-6515-0.