War of the Spider Queen is a fantasy series of novels set in the Forgotten Realms universe published by Wizards of the Coast. The series contains six books focused on the drow and their principal deity Lolth. Each of the six novels in the series is written by a different author with veteran Forgotten Realms author R. A. Salvatore overseeing the project. Cover art for each book in the series was designed by Gerald Brom who has done other Forgotten Realms work including reprints of The Avatar Series.Books by Gerald Brom
Publication history The start of the six-book series War of the Spider Queen was released as part of Wizards of the Coast's "Year of the Drow" multimedia event in 2002. This event also included the City of the Spider Queen (2002) adventure module and R. A. Salvatore's novel The Thousand Orcs (2002).
According to Salvatore, the idea for the series was that of his editor Philip Athans, who also wrote the fifth book of the series. Athans had to convince Salvatore to sign onto the project, and it was the idea that Salvatore "could help some other writers get some much-needed exposure" that won the author over. Salvatore and fellow authors Richard Baker, Thomas Reid, and Richard Lee Byers along with Athans and others then met in Seattle to compile the main overview of the storyline. Afterwards, Salvatore became the content editor, mostly ensuring that content within the drow city of Menzoberranzan "kept the place where I wanted it for future works." Game designer Rich Baker commented that he and James Wyatt "were present in the original planning sessions with Bob Salvatore, Richard Byers, Thomas Reid, and Phil Athans as the whole War of the Spider Queen plan was hammered out, so the game guys and book guys were able to put together a common plot that everyone was happy with".
In September 2006, Wizards of the Coast released the War of the Spider Queen series in two separate gift sets featuring Gerald Brom's artwork on the exterior of the boxes.R.A. Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen Gift Set, Books 1-3R.A. Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen Gift Set, Books 4-6 Graphic design for the gift sets was done by Lisa Hanson and Matt Adelsperger.2006. War of the Spider Queen Set I, Wizards of the Coast. 2006. War of the Spider Queen Set II, Wizards of the Coast. Shannon Appelcline commented that the 2012 "Rise of the Underdark" multimedia event by Wizards of the Coast was "foreshadowed with the re-release of War of the Spider Queen" which was reprinted as an omnibus edition "in April and May of that year". The new edition was titled R.A. Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen Volume I and Volume II with the first volume collecting the first three novels and the second volume collecting the last three novels.
Authors The War of the Spider Queen series is written by six authors with two editors, Philip Athans and R. A. Salvatore.Interview with Fantasy author Paul S. Kemp Authors like Richard Lee Byers and Athans had already adventured into the world of Forgotten Realms with their writingRichard Lee ByersAbout Philip Athans while for others like Lisa Smedman and Thomas M. Reid, War of the Spider Queen was their first real foray into Forgotten Realms writing.Lisa Smedman NovelsThomas M. Reid Writings On the back cover of each book is a quote from Salvatore, a short excerpt of his opinion on the author of the novel.
Books in the series YearTitleAuthorPagesISBN2002DissolutionRichard Lee Byers3722002InsurrectionThomas M. Reid3652003CondemnationRichard Baker3752004ExtinctionLisa Smedman3712004AnnihilationPhilip Athans3732005ResurrectionPaul S. Kemp369 2006R. A. Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen Gift Set, Books 1–3Richard Lee Byers, Thomas M. Reid, Richard Baker2006R. A. Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen Gift Set, Books 4–6Lisa Smedman, Philip Athans, Paul S. Kemp2012R. A. Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen, Volume I (collects Dissolution, Insurrection, Condemnation)Richard Lee Byers, Thomas M. Reid, Richard Baker10722012R. A. Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen, Volume II (collects Extinction, Annihilation, Resurrection)Lisa Smedman, Philip Athans, Paul S. Kemp1074 Since the completion of War of the Spider Queen, two series continuing the stories of certain characters from the series were developed by authors involved in the original series. Thomas M. Reid, author of Insurrection, continued the story of the half-demons Aliisza and Kaanyr Vhok in The Empyrean Odyssey trilogy. Its first installment, The Gossamer Plain, was released in May 2007; the second book, The Fractured Sky, was released in November 2008; and the finale, The Crystal Mountain, was published in July 2009.The Empyrean OdysseyThe Gossamer Plain Lisa Smedman, who developed the character Halisstra Melarn heavily in Extinction, continued the story of the drow priestess in The Lady Penitent trilogy; the first two books, Sacrifice of the Widow and Storm of the Dead, were released in 2007, while the third, Ascendancy of the Last, was released in June 2008.The Lady PenitentSacrifice of the WidowStorm of the Dead
Plot summary
Dissolution The background of the series takes place in the matriarchal Drow society of Menzoberranzan, the ancestral underground city of the Drow, in the year 1372 DRDrow Origins (Dale Reckoning). Lolth, goddess of the Drow, has gone silent and is no longer affording spells to her priestesses. The females attempt to keep this a secret, but soon they are found out, and males begin disappearing from the city for unknown reasons. Pharaun Mizzrym, a magic user, and Ryld Argith, a warrior, are sent by the Archmage of Menzoberranzan, Gromph Baenre, to discover the cause of these missing drow. The two are attacked several times by Pharaun's sister Greyanna, who is in a power struggle for her household, and trying to kill Pharaun for aligning with their other sibling. Pharaun and Ryld press on, and discover a group of renegade males who are planning a hostile takeover of the city using the thousands of kobold, goblin, and bugbear slaves of the city as their army. When the duo attempt to infiltrate the renegades' base they are captured by its leader, the Illithid Lich Syrzan. Using his magic and trickery Pharaun escapes and leaves behind Ryld, who manages to fight his way out of the hideout. In a sub-plot, an emissary from the Drow city of Ched Nasad, Faeryl Zauvirr, is attempting to leave Menzoberranzan. Matron Mother Triel Baenre forbids this, and has Faeryl captured and tortured by her Draegloth son, Jeggred Baenre. The insurrection of the males is crushed by the physical and arcane strengths of Menzoberranzan, and the city remains under female control. Concerned that others may gather the courage to attempt another take over, Triel sends a group to discover the cause of Lolth's silence and bring an end to it, first by traveling to Ched Nasad. The group is made up of Triel's sister Quenthel, her son Jeggred, Master of Sorcere Pharaun Mizzrym, Master of Melee-Magthere Ryld Argith, a mercenary named Valas Hune, and the emissary Faeryl Zauvirr, in order to secure ties within Ched Nasad.Byers, Richard Lee (2002). War of the Spider Queen Book I: Dissolution, Wizards of the Coast. Bryan Thomas. "Dissolution (R. A. Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen, Book I) Review" d20 Zines March 7, 2006.
Insurrection
The group of six travel to Ched Nasad, a neighboring Drow city headed by House Melarn. Along the way, the group are attacked by a group of Tanarukks, minions of the warlord Kaanyr Vhok. Leading them is Aliisza, an insatiable Alu-Fiend, who takes an instant liking to the powerful, witty, and attractive Pharaun Mizzrym. When they reach Ched Nasad, the city is in unrest and upheaval, and Quenthel discovers that Lolth has abandoned Ched Nasad as well. As an ulterior motive for sending the group to Ched Nasad, Triel had ordered them to retrieve goods co-owned between House Melarn and House Baenre. Ambassador Faeryl Zauvirr betrays the group to her mother Ssipriina Zauvirr, head of a Mercantile House in Ched Nasad that works for House Melarn. Ssipriina Zauvirr has developed a plot to overthrow Matron Mother Drisinil Melarn, and have her house ascend to become one of the ruling Houses in Ched Nassad. Matron Mother Drisinil Melarn is tricked by Ssipriina Zauvirr and Quenthel and Jeggred Baenre are taken captive while in the warehouse holding the goods. Valas, Ryld and Pharaun meanwhile, off on their own missions, are eventually convinced to join the others at House Melarn in the belief they are being held as guests. There they meet Halisstra Melarn and Danifae Yauntyrr, the daughter of the Matron Mother and her battle captive. Soon after arriving at House Melarn, the city comes under attack from a clan of Duergar, and Pharaun, Ryld and Valas are able to rescue Quenthel and Jeggred. House Melarn is destroyed, but the group escape along with Halisstra after Jeggred kills Faeryl, and Pharaun saves Danifae from dying in the rubble of the house. The city is utterly destroyed in the attack, which is actually planned and executed by Zammzt, a member of the Jaezred Chausslin. The group escapes the destruction, and Halisstra along with Danifae join their group to find the cause of Lolth's silence.Reid, Thomas (2002). War of the Spider Queen Book II: Insurrection, Wizards of the Coast.
Condemnation The group, now seven strong, plan a trip to Lolth's domain, the Demonweb Pits. They travel along the surface to seek the followers of Vhaeraun, male Drow who seek to overturn female dominance. Halisstra is captured by followers of Eilistraee, but she kills her captors and escapes, where she is found by followers of Vhaeraun. Quenthel asks the High Priest of Vhaeraun for assistance, and after a test he agrees to bring the group's spirits to the Demonweb Pits along with himself. When they reach Lolth's domain, she is blocked off inside a construct, and will not answer their prayers. The priest then betrays them by gating Vhaeraun into the Pits, where he plans to kill Lolth and become the dominant Drow deity. Selvetarm, Lolth's protector, engages in battle with Vhaeraun, during which Jeggred kills the priest and the group is sent back to the temple of Vhaeraun. They decide to go back to the Underdark, where they will make another attempt to contact Lolth in the Abyss.
The other part of the book focuses on a mysterious drow named Nimor Imphraezl, the so-called "Anointed Blade" of a group called the Jaezred Chaulssin. Nimor incites two groups—the legions of the warlord Kaanyr Vhok and the duergar army of Horgar Steelshadow—into attacking the drow at Menzoberranzan, taking advantage of Lolth's silence. First the Lichdrow Dyrr imprisons the Archmage Gromph Baenre, doling out another blow to the city's magical strength. Then Nimor, acting as a drow commander from Agrach Dyrr, informs Triel Baenre of the invasion, who sends the Army of the Black Spider to the Pillars of Woe to defeat the duergar invasion before they reach Menzoberranzan. The army is sent into a trap as the Legions of Kaanyr Vhok join the duergar, along with House Agrach Dyrr, who turn on their own people to obliterate a third of the drow army.Bryan Thomas. "Condemnation (R. A. Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen, Book III) Review" d20 Zines March 7, 2006.
Extinction