Menzoberranzan

It is 1491 DR, Year of the Scarlet Witch.

Quenthel Baenre rules supreme over Menzoberranzan, her house as ever unrivalled in status among the drow nobility. Few know, however, that her brother the arch-mage Gromph Baenre mistakenly summoned Demogorgon, Prince of Demons, into the city the year before, causing great destruction and loss of life. Gromph has recently returned from a long, mysterious absence, and once more adopted the duties of his position. Quenthel has decided to host a gala to welcome back her kindred. She hopes the wizard's return will bolster their family in the constant chaos that is politics among the great houses. Houses Barrison Del'Armgo, Faen Tlabbar, and Mizzrym are nominally allies, but none would hesitate to supplant Baenre if given the opportunity. And the Spider Queen's favor can be fickle...

In the Stenchstreets, the Black Sun criminal organization has splintered. New groups rise to fill the vacuum, including the Red Skulls, largely made up of feed (and some escaped) slaves. Only a handful of drow have bothered to notice the increasing popularity and power of this movement made up of goblins and bugbears, but it's only a matter of time...

At the Sorcere, where drow wizards study, the renowned illusionist Sendal Vrylan is investigating an artifact recently recovered from elsewhere in the Underdark. Vrylan is very interested in working with other like-minded colleagues to identify where the artifact came from and, most importantly, how it might help the drow...