D&D Forgotten Realms - Menzoberranzan City of Intrigue

MENZOBERRANZAN:
CITY OF INTRIGUETM

ROLEPLAYING GAME SUPPLEMENT

Brian R.James +Eric Menge

CREDITS

Design Art Director
Brian R. ja mes , Eri c Menge Kate Irwin

Additional Design and Development Cover Illustration
Matt Sernett ,ja mes Wyatt ,To m LaPi lle jesper Ejsing

Editing Graphic Designer
jennifer Clarke Wi lkes , Ca l Moore Trish Yo chu m

Managing Editor Interior Illustrations
Ki m Mohan Eri c Belis le , Milivoj Ceran ,jesper Ejsing,Wayne England ,
jason A . Engle , Brian Hagan , Ra lph Horsley, Ty ler
Development and Editing Lead ja cobson , Chris Ma lidore, David Martin, Lee Moyer,
jere my Crawford Ji m Ne lson , Wil lia m O'Connor, Chris Sea ma n , Mike
Sch ley, Craigj Spearing, Matias Tapia , Fran cis Tsai ,
D&D R&D Senior Producer Ben Wootten
Christopher Perkins
Publishing Production Manager
D&D R&D Group Manager Angie Lokotz
Mike Mearls
Prepress Manager
D&D Senior Creative Director je fferson Dun lap
jon Schindehette
Imaging Technician
D&D Brand Team Car men Cheung
Li z Schuh, Kierin Chase , Laura To mmervik,
She lly Ma zzanob le , Chris Lindsay, Hilary Ross Production Manager
Cynda Ca llaway
Playtesters
Gary Affe ldt,ji m Auwaerter, Ti mothy Bai ley, Andre B egin , Setting details based on the original FoRGOTTEN REALMS®
campaign setting created by Ed Greenwood with jeff Grubb,
Ri chard Brown ,jeff Chin, Pete Cooney, M elanie Cot e, the updated (3rd Edition) setting designed by Ed Greenwood ,
Manon Crevier, To m Dale, Ray mond Franklin Il l, To m Kish , Ri chard Baker, Sean K Reyno lds , Skip Willia ms , and Rob
Heinsoo, and the 4th Edition setting designed by Bru ce R.
Ji m K liss , Mark Knobbe, Van La charit e,jeffla Sa la , Eri c Cordell , Ed Greenwood , Philip Athans , Ri chard Baker, Rob
Lerou x, Greg Marks, Peter Markwart, Sean Mittelstaedt , Heinsoo, Brian R.ja mes , and Chris Si ms .
Ga len Mu llins , David N . Krolnik, Patri ck Nea l,john-A lan
Pascoe,John Petrys zyn , Rydia Q. Vie lehr, Lee Sharp , Mike
Shea , Ben Siekert , Pieter Sleijpen, Za ck Sykes , C.j. Thrasher,
Sarah T hrasher, P hi l Tobin , Renout van Rijn , Gareth Wa lla ce

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ISBN: 978-0-7869-6036-1 Hasbro UK Ltd
& LATIN AMERICA Caswell Way lndustrialaan 1
First Printing: Newport, Gwent NP9 OYH 1701 Groot-Bijgaarden
Wizards of the Coast LLC GREAT BRITAIN
August 1011 Please keep this address for your records Belgium
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Renton WA 980S7-0707 +31.070.133.177
+1-800-314-6496

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House Hunzrin is ambitious, but Matron Shakti While the council members have been largely con­
wisely advances her intrigues more with shrewd tent to coast on their personal power, Shakti's secret
business acumen than with tawdry back-alley assas­ consortium has been earning popplar support among
sinations. Since claiming the title ofmatron mother, the citizenry. By securing food for the populace and
Shakti has quietly amassed economic strength by dealing with the pragmatic day-to-day issues ofcity
subtly usurping control over many of the commodi­ governance, Shakti is effectively attempting a bloodless
ties upon which the city relies. She hasn't used this coup for control ofMenzoberranzan.
activity to force a rise in the house's rank, because
she knows her house lacks the troops and the arcane Notable Personages
might to survive such an attempt. Instead, she prefers
to be recognized as a behind-the-scenes power, never Shakti: Trained from childhood to rule, Shakti
enough ofa direct threat to alarm the Ruling Coun­
cil. With her new power base established, Shakti was subjected to the same sort ofupbringing that any
annulled her mother's alliance with House Baenre. other drow heir apparent would receive in similar cir­
cumstances. Matron Kintuere pushed her daughter
Shakti has long harbored enmity for the First relentlessly to be smarter, tougher, and more ruthless
House, whom she views as a poor steward ofthe city. than anyone around her. Even so, as a young child
In particular, the matron mother holds a long-stand­ Shakti preferred to spend time among the mushroom
ing personal grudge against Liriel Baenre, who once fields and rothe herds ofthe family business, and she
bested Shakti at nai'shedareth-ritual combat between greatly resented the cultural necessity that tore her
two priestesses to determine who has the greater favor away from her passion and sent her to Arach-Tinilith.
ofLolth. In recent decades, Shakti has channeled her Now as a matron herself, Shakti better appreciates her
displeasure into a fruitful alliance with one of Baenre's mother's heavy-handed attitude toward her education,
most hated rivals, House Barrison Dei 'Armgo. but she keeps herself apart from the chaotic desires for
revenge and intrigue that plague other matrons.
Goals
Unlike many matron mothers who surround
Slowly but steadily, Shakti has been building a coali­ themselves with the pomp and ceremony ofqueens,
tion oflesser houses and merchants clans with Shakti is a more grounded leader. She keeps an oni
collective influence rivaling that ofthe Ruling Council. named Korokai as a bodyguard and is rarely seen
without the hulking brute, giving her an air far more
like that ofa merchant queen than a matron mother.