Naes'zan Thablar

he city of Naes'zan Thablar is a powerful drow domain, perhaps Aluhryn's only real rival for dominance among the drow city-states. It is ruled, ostensibly at least, by a council of Matron Mothers, but rumor has it that at least one of the Matrons is more than she seems. Each Matron Mother rules a noble House, as is the case in Aluhryn, with a force of drow guards and a legion of slave soldiers each: the defenses of Naes'zan Thablar are quite formidable, in the mystical and military arts alike.

One important factor differentiates Naes'zan Thablar from Aluhryn, and places the two most powerful drow cities forever at odds with one another—perhaps just as well, as far as their duergar rivals and svirfnebli enemies are concerned. That factor is religion. While the drow citizenry of Aluhryn and their ruling Matron Mothers loyally serve the dark goddess Suryn, the drow who live in Naes'zan Thablar instead worship Suryn's great rival, the demonic power Lloth. The Matron Mothers of each city, and the Voice of Lloth in Naes'zan Thablar, condemn the populace of the other city as apostates.