Canonfire! - Upon the True History of the Drow/Giant Incursion

The following article is speculation as to how events might take place in the G1-3, D1-3 & Q1 series of modules. D3 being what it is, there is a wide variance as to how that module might fall out, but this may give you ideas as to how you could run it.

Author: MerricB

Upon the True History of the Drow/Giant Incursion

by MerricB. Used with Permission. Do not repost without obtaining prior permission from the author.

It is generally assumed by most people that the events described in the GDQ series were all orchestrated by Lolth, and that the adventurers in Q1: Queen of the Demonweb Pits are simply facing the ultimate manipulator behind the giant raids. To those reading the modules, it becomes apparent that this cannot be the case; as Eclavdra no longer serves Lolth, and is instead trying to set up a rival worship to an Elder Elemental God.

As such, it becomes entirely improbable that Lolth has anything to do with the Giant raids. What then are the adventurers doing in the Demonweb? The explanation is quite simple: Eclavdra has manipulated the entire thing.

Lolth, as most demons do, loves conquest. One can see from the portals to other worlds on her Demonweb that she is quite skilled at it. However, these other conquests had distracted her from Oerth. When Eclavdra turned rebel, Lolth believed this was just another manisfestation of the rivalry she had encouraged between the various Drow Houses, and did not investigate further.

Eclavdra was quite daring in her rebellion, however, contacting an Elder Elemental God and swearing to serve it rather than Lolth. Thus House Eilservs, the most powerful house in the Vault of the Drow, broke away from the domination of Lolth - and Lolth didn't even realise!

Eclavdra, seeing her plans for dominance in the Vault stymied by the resistance of most of the other drow, then turned her attention to the (by then) almost mythical surface world. By some cutting negotiation and some displays of superior power, she managed to form the alliance of giants that the adventurers meet in Against the Giants.

Eclavdra did have a back-up plan, however - in the event of her plans being foiled in the upper world, she would lead those responsible into the Vault, and hopefully there they would cause enough chaos for House Eilservs to take its proper place as ultimate rulers of the Vault of the Drow. This then is the explanation of the mysterious map of the underworld 'accidentally dropped' by the retreating Drow.

Once the adventurers got to the Vault of the Drow, Eclavdra manuevered them into the position of thinking that Lolth, the goddess of the dark elves, must be responsible for all of this. With the priests of Lolth so determined to stop the aboveworld incursion, things proved much easier - as well, all intelligence the party could gather on the Drow indicated that they served Lolth, few indeed knew of the split of House Eilservs and their embracement of the Elder Elemental God!

Thus the adventurers were manuevered onto the Demonweb. To say that Lolth was surprised to find a party of powerful adventurers had invaded her spider-ship understates things hugely. She was not prepared at all for this incursion.

If, as is the case with many versions of the fall-out of Q1, Lolth is slain, the Drow priesthood suddenly found themselves in an untenable position, with only the most minor spells (1st & 2nd level) still being available for their command. Eclavdra, at the head of House Eilservs, once again bid for domination of the Vault, and this time - after several decades of struggle - was successful.

At last the Drow have become united under a strong leader; their chaotic tendencies at least slightly muted towards neutrality - and perhaps the surface world had look for a new threat to soon appear.

The resolution of the events in the Vault of the Drow is greatly dependent on the individual Dungeon Master. The implication in the Gord the Rogue books is that Eclavdra's plan was discovered, she was banished from the Vault, and then started serving the demon-prince Graz'zt; in TSR Greyhawk we have little indication of the events, but it is likely that Lolth was not killed, and Eclavdra slain.

drow