The Drowish Play

Background
An illiyitrii is what the drow call their most extravagant gatherings, and such events are seen by powerful drow as the most important venue for wining, dining, and scheming with the rest of the elite. Such events are hosted annually in the dead of winter by the Queen of a drow citadel, and are attended by all the most influential nobles of the ruling noble house. But Izzirahc Stronghold is not like most other drow citadels, and this illiyitrii, too, is unlike any other.

The Izzirahc illiyitrii of 13,702 is being hosted by Lady Matron Palla of House Todeskrone rather than by Izzirahc’s queen, and this year it has a second layer of meaning as a celebration of Lady Palla’s recent victory in battle over another noble house. Izzirahc’s rival citadel, Baendriira, was until recently protected by a formidable wall which kept its prized farmlands safe from would-be raiders. Through cleverness and might, however, Lady Palla was able to infiltrate the city herself with a group of Izzirahc soldiers and brought down the wall from within. This victory would not have been possible without the help of Lady Palla’s ally, Madame Verr’stekt, who is the mysterious director of the Gilded Webs Clan (the most powerful merchant clan within the stronghold) and a notorious purveyor of secrets.

The Cast

 * Queen Ilphrim: Queen Ilphrim Todeskrone is a mindflayer who took the drow citadel of Izzirahc by force in an invasion about 500 years ago, slaying the old drow royals, but who then had a change of heart and spared the denizens of the city rather than annihilate them or commit other atrocities associated with the illithid. Instead, the Queen took in the orphaned daughter of the former queen, Palla, and granted the young drow the Queen’s family name, allowing her to keep the birthright of house matron--but never the throne.
 * Her title is the Queen of Whispers.
 * Addressed as Your Royal Majesty and referred to as The Queen of Whispers or Queen Ilphrim.


 * Princess Vierxae: Princess Vierxae is the granddaughter of Queen Ilphrim and is heir to the throne. Her mother was Princess Istlara Todeskrone, Queen Ilphrim’s adoptive drow daughter, who sadly perished recently in an assassination attempt which claimed the life of Istlara and almost claimed that of Vierxae.
 * Her title is Princess of Izzirahc.
 * Addressed as Your Royal Highness and referred to as Her Royal Highness.


 * Lady Palla: Lady Palla is the Matron of House Todeskrone, although she was known as Lady Helvitortran before Queen Ilphrim’s invasion of Izzirahc, in which Palla’s mother, the late Queen Vermisse, was killed by Queen Ilphrim.
 * Her title is Lady Matron of House Todeskrone.
 * Addressed as Your Highness and referred to as Her Highness.


 * Lord Kala’Shr: Lord Kala’Shr is Lady Palla’s consort and the father of her three children.
 * His title is Lord Consort of House Todeskrone.
 * Addressed as Your Highness and referred to as His Highness.
 * Lady Laera: Lady Laera is the eldest daughter of Lady Palla and Lord Kala’Shr, and is the heir to House Todeskrone and to the title of Matron.
 * Her title is Lady Heir to House Todeskrone.
 * Addressed as Your Grace and referred to as Her Grace.
 * Lord Belathus: Lord Belathus is the House Wizard of House Todeskrone and is the lowborn ward of Lady Palla and Lord Kala’Shr. His commoner origins have caused some to look down on him, but he has proved his arcane merit ten times over in the century and a half he’s been with the house.
 * His title is High Wizard of House Todeskrone.
 * Addressed as My Lord and referred to as His Lordship.
 * Madame Verr’stekt: Madame Verr’stekt is the director of the Gilded Webs Merchant Clan of Izzirahc Stronghold. She has become fast friends with Lady Palla in recent times.
 * Madame Verr’stekt: Madame Verr’stekt is the director of the Gilded Webs Merchant Clan of Izzirahc Stronghold. She has become fast friends with Lady Palla in recent times.

Other Characters of Note

 * Lord Ilminidil: Lord Ilminidil is the elder son of Lady Palla and Lord Kala’Shr, and has neither rank like his brother nor inheritance like his sister. In fact, he makes a point of distancing himself from all family affairs and only shows up reluctantly at gatherings such as this one.
 * He has no title, but is often called "heir to nothing."
 * Addressed as Your Grace and referred to as His Grace.
 * Lady Brizztana: Lady Brizztana is the House Mistress of Fangs and Venom, who serves as assassin-in-chief and orchestrates the deaths of the house’s enemies.
 * Lady Yazrae: Lady Yazrae is the House Mistress of Night and Secrets, whose job it is to cover up the wicked deeds of Lady Brizztana and to make sure the secrets of the house stay secret.
 * Lady Triel’Myr: Lady Triel’Myr is the House Mistress of Silk and Webbing, an expert in manipulation and blackmail who devises clever social traps in which to catch the house’s foes.
 * Lady Ilmshaelee: Lady Ilmshaelee is the House Mistress of Eyes and Tremors, a rank which gives her command over a vast network of spies and requires her to keep dossiers on all enemies of the house, carefully documenting their strengths, weaknesses, and secrets.
 * Lord T’rissvrae: Lord T’rissvrae is the house Weapon Master, and commands both the elite guard that protects all the holdings of House Todeskrone, but also special task forces created for missions led by Lady Palla. He has no jurisdiction, however, over the Queen’s private guard.

PARTY AGENDA
(times are fictitious, time scale is roughly accurate)

5:30-8pm (condensed to 2-3ish irl): masquerade dance in the ballroom

8-10pm (condensed to 3-3:30ish irl): banquet feast in the dining hall

10pm (3:30 irl approx): sacrifice to lolth on the veranda

the partygoers shall then retire to their chambers

guests depart for their homes upon the morrow

ball: a masked dance which is the first revelry of the evening. refreshments will be served and bards will play live music.

banquet: the masks come off and the partygoers feast in celebration of izzirahc stronghold's victory over the forces of an enemy citadel (a victory lead, of course, by house todeskrone).

sacrifice: the lord and lady of the house have managed to secure quite an excellent sacrifice for lolth. killing her will surely please the spider queen!