〃What will they find there； Nimor？〃 Aliisza asked； genuinely curious。
Nimor smiled； and Aliisza momentarily thrilled at his feral expression。
〃I haven't the vaguest notion；〃 he answered。
〃If they find Lolth？〃 asked Vhok。
〃If they find Lolth；〃 said Nimor； 〃and she's dead； then we can settle in for as long a siege as necessary。 Menzoberranzan is doomed。 If she sleeps and they can't wake her or if she has simply decided to abandon her faithful on this world； the same is true。 If she sleeps and they do wake her or she is ignoring them and they regain her favor； well； that would pose a difficulty for us。〃
〃How do we know what they'll find？〃 asked the cambion。
〃We don't；〃 Nimor answered。
The dark elf folded his arms across his chest and tipped his head down。 His features grew tighter； darker as he wrapped himself in thought。
〃Let them go； but。 。 。〃 Aliisza suggested； the words tripping over her tongue before she'd thought them through。
〃Send someone with them；〃 Nimor finished for her。
The alu…fiend smiled； showing a row of yellow…white fangs。
〃Agrach Dyrr is alone；〃 Triel Baenre said。 〃Alone and under siege。〃
Gromph nodded but didn't look at his sister。 He was captivated by the sight of Menzoberranzan。 The City of Spiders stretched out before him； ablaze in faerie fire； magnificent in its chaos； in its perversion of nature…a cave made into a home。
〃Good；〃 Gromph replied； 〃but don't assume they'll give up easily。 They have loyal servants of their own and allies who make up for what they lack in intelligence with superiority of numbers。〃
From where they stood on a high belvedere on the outside edge of one of the westernmost spires of the House Baenre plex； Gromph had a largely unobstructed view of the subterranean city。 The Baenre palace stood against the southern wall of the huge cavern； atop the second tier of a wide rock shelf。 It was the First House； and its position above the rest of the city was more than symbolic。
〃They may have thrown in with the gray dwarves；〃 Andzrel Baenre said； 〃but no dark elf in Menzoberranzan fights on their behalf。〃
Gromph turned to his left and looked west across the high ground of Qu'ellarz'orl。 Before him was the high stalagmite tower of House Xorlarrin and beyond that the cluster of stalactites and stalagmites that housed the treasonous Agrach Dyrr。 Flashes of fire and lightning…the work of Xorlarrin's formidable and plentiful mages…flickered across the ground and in the air around Dyrr's manor。 The lichdrow who was the rebel House's master was holed up inside there somewhere； and his own mages answered back with fire and thunder of their own。 Gromph could feel his sister Triel and the weapons master Andzrel behind him； waiting for him to speak。
〃It seems as if I've been gone a very； very long time；〃 Gromph said； his voice subdued but carefully modulated to convey to his sister his grave disappointment at the state of the war。
He could sense Triel stiffen behind him then shake his words off。
〃You have been；〃 she said； letting no small amount of acid into her own voice； 〃but let us not dwell on failures in the face of such grave danger to all we hold dear。〃
Gromph allowed himself a smile and glanced back over his shoulder at his sister。 She was staring at him； her arms folded in front of her； cradling them as if she were cold。 He turned back to the ongoing stalemate around the foot of Agrach Dyrr and noted with some satisfaction how well his new eyes were seeing。 The blurring and the pain were mostly gone； leaving Gromph to enjoy the irony of watching House Agrach Dyrr fall with a set of Agrach Dyrr eyes。
〃Not all the Houses are at our beck and call； though； are they？〃 he asked。
Triel sighed and said； 〃It is still Menzoberranzan； and we are still dark elves。 Houses Xorlarrin and Faen Tlabbar are firmly with us。 Faen Tlabbar brings with it House Srune'letr； who's strongly allied with House Duskryn。 Of the lesser Houses we can rely on Symryvvin； Hunzrin； Vandree； and Mizzrym to serve us。〃
〃That's all？〃 Gromph asked after a pause。
〃Barrison Del'Armgo perhaps still stings over Oblodra；〃 Triel replied。 〃They remain loyal to Menzoberranzan； and they fight； but they keep their own council。〃
〃And carry their own allies；〃 Gromph added。
〃Thankfully； no；〃 Triel corrected； obviously pleased with proving her brother wrong at the same time she was pleased that that powerful House was on its own。 〃The other lesser Houses remain neutral but offer their assets in defense of the city。 Better a dark elf neighbor you hate than a duergar in any capacity。〃
〃Or a tanarukk；〃 Gromph added。
〃Or a tanarukk；〃 his sister agreed。
Gromph turned his attention back to the city at large。 There were very few drow in the streets and the archmage could see columns of troops moving； some at double time； through the winding thoroughfares。
〃The city is quiet；〃 he mented。
〃The city；〃 Andzrel cut in； 〃is hard under siege。〃
Gromph bristled at that but knew better than to kill the messenger； at least in that case。
〃We are surrounded on all sides； but we're fighting；〃 the weapons master continued； 〃and will continue to fight。 Our own forces hold Qu'ellarz'orl and are moving to support House Hunzrin in Donigarten north。〃
〃The siege of Agrach Dyrr；〃 Triel offered； 〃is largely House Xorlarrin's； and they seem to have it well in hand。〃
〃Is the lichdrow dead？〃 asked Gromph。
There was a pause； during which neither the matron mother nor the weapons master bothered to answer。
〃Then they could have a firmer hand；〃 the archmage concluded。
Andzrel cleared his throat and continued； 〃Faen Tlabbar； aside from blocking Agrach Dyrr's retreat west； guards the southwest approaches to the Dark Dominion from the Web to the western tip of Qu'ellarz'orl。 They face the largest concentration of gray dwarves； assisted by House Srune'lett。 Faen Tlabbar also supports House Duskryn's efforts to hold the caves north of the Westrift。〃
〃Well；〃 said Gromph with a wry edge to his voice； 〃isn't Faen Tlabbar impressive。〃
〃They are；〃 Triel agreed； 〃and Srune'lett and Duskryn require no more proof。 If Faen Tlabbar were to betray us； they would take those two Houses with them at least。〃
〃Why in all the Underdark might they do that？〃 Gromph joked。
Triel laughed； and the weapons master cleared his throat。
〃What of the lesser Houses？〃 Gromph asked。
〃Symryvvin assists Duskryn above the Westrift；〃 Andzrel said。
〃Another probably in Ghenni's pocket； should it e to that；〃 Triel mented。
Gromph shrugged and said； 〃If they defend Menzoberranzan now； let them make plans for afterward。 If we survive； we survive as First House。〃
〃I agree； Archmage；〃 said Andzrel。
Gromph turned to look at the warrior； letting a cold gaze linger over the drow's rough features and battle…scarred armor。
〃Of course you do；〃 the archmage said； his voice barely above a whisper。
Andzrel looked down then looked at Triel； who only smiled at him。
〃House 。 。 。〃 the weapons master began； obviously thinking it safer to continue his debriefing than further patronize the powerful archmage with his support。 He cleared his throat and continued； 〃House Hunzrin is hard pressed against forces of the Scoured Legion in Donigarten north。 Vandree holds well against duergar south of the Westrift。 Mizzrym lends what it can to Xorlarrin's efforts against Agrach Dyrr； and they also send patrols into the mushroom forest where they've encountered the odd spy。〃
〃The tanarukks are mostly in the east； then？〃 Gromph asked。
〃As one would expect； Archmage；〃 the weapons master risked。 〃They marched from below Hellgate Keep； which lies to our east。 The duergar are from Gracklstugh。〃
Gromph let a breath out slowly through his nose。
〃I never thought I'd live to see the day；〃 Triel murmured。 〃Gracklstugh 。 。 。〃
〃The tanarukks are more formidable foes；〃 Gromph went on； ignoring his sister。 〃Tell me that more than House Hunzrin are holding against them。〃
〃Barrison Del'Armgo fights well in the south of Donigarten；〃 Andzrel replied； 〃against the largest concentration of the Scoured Legion。〃
〃Mez'Barris will have her heroes；〃 Triel sighed。
〃North？〃 Gromph asked。
〃Barrison Del'Armgo again； with help from the Academy； holds the Clawrift；〃 replied the weapons master； 〃mostly east into Eastmyr。 The duergar are thin there。 There have been reports of illithid incursions…mostly one or two at a time…in the east； from beyond the Wanderways。〃
〃The flayers sense weakness；〃 Gromph said。 〃They're scavengers。 They'll harry us when they can and disappear entirely when they can't。 Some of them can prove 。 。 。 irritating； but they'll wait till we're weaker…if we let ourselves get weaker…before they appear in force。〃
Neither Triel nor Andzrel risked ment on that。
〃And the other Houses？〃 asked Gromph。
〃They protect themselves；〃 Triel answered。 〃They patrol the immediate surrounds of their manors； assist in keeping the peace in the st