Dissolution
Richard Lee Byers
 Pharaun and Ryld journey to a tavern, where Ryld plays sava (a chess-like game) while Pharaun goes to the basement, where various female drow captives are available for males to do with as they see fit with. Pharaun talks with one of them who reveals the name of several elopers. While he is there, Ryld is attacked by other males whom he has taught. Afterwards, the two companions talk about the quest and decide the males are eloping because of the unusually harsh rule of the females in the last few weeks. Pharaun reveals that he has reason to believe that Lolth is gone and as such the females cannot use divine spells anymore, and are limited to scrolls and magic items. Ryld, though skeptical at first, eventually believes him. They learn of an uprising among the lower class creatures led by a mysterious prophet, and decide to pretend that they support the elopers. They kill a group of Drow to prove their "dedication" to the cause and are reluctantly taken in. They learn that the mastermind behind the rebellion is an evil illithid lich (called an "alhoon" or an "illithilich"), and that when he sends a mental signal, all the lower creatures will attack. While this is all happening, Gromph Baenre is sending various demons to attack Quenthel Baenre, all taking the guise of various aspects of Lloth, e.g. a demon spider, a demon of chaos, a darkness demon, and others. While this happens, a group of students at Arach-Tinilith decide that Lloth is disfavouring Quenthel, and resolve to kill her. She learns of this plan and has the offending students killed. Another subplot involves an ambassador from the neighbouring city of Ched Nasad being refused the right to leave by Triel Baenre. She eventually attempts to leave and is stopped by a traitor in her household. She then escapes the city, but is caught and taken to Triel. She realizes someone has turned Triel against her and is tortured by Jeggred Baenre, Triel's draegloth son. Eventually the lower races get the signal to rebel. Pharaun escapes from the Illithid and gathers the forces of Menzoberranzan to fight. A battle ensues, where much of Menzoberranzan is marred. At the end, the general populace realizes the weakness of the priestesses, and Pharaun, Ryld, Quenthel, Jeggred, and the ambassador, Faeryl Zauvirr, are sent to Ched Nasad to see if they are also afflicted.