The Demonweb Pits
Graz’zt the Dark Prince, one of the most powerful demon lords in the Abyss, approaches the Spider Queen Lolth with a proposal. He suggests that they ally against Orcus and split his power base between them. Lolth refuses. She controls the area of the Abyss known as the Demonweb and is less interested in Abyssal politics than she is in the endeavors of her drow worshipers on the Material Plane.
Graz’zt is not one to take rejection lightly. Since she won’t be his ally, he plans to make good use of her as a pawn. He turns his political ambitions toward undermining Lolth and perhaps gaining a foothold in the Demonweb for himself.
To that end, Graz’zt puts into play a strategy to weaken Lolth. Talk is cheap—and effective. Graz’zt seeds a rumor that Lolth is hastening her campaign of vengeance against Corellon Larethian and his people, the surface-dwelling elves. The thought that their goddess is about to take a more active role in mortal affairs spurs her worshipers to become more aggressive.
Graz’zt already rules three layers of the Abyss, but he wants more. With his cambion son, Rule-of-Three, he plots and launches three schemes to grab power: discredit Orcus, weaken Lolth, and unite the demon lords under his leadership as the founder and speaker of a Demon Council.
To start off, Rule-of-Three spreads rumors about Lolth’s aggression and hostility against her enemies in the Abyss. He slanders her in Sigil and in the ranks of the demon legions, calling her a goddess who considers herself above mere tanar’ri concerns. Given demonic resentment of her divine status, his lies fi nd a receptive audience. Further, Rule-of-Three spreads the word among Lolth’s followers that the Spider Queen herself will soon attack on a broad front on the Material Plane, advising her followers to strike hard now to prepare for her arrival. Graz’zt hopes to attract mortal attention to her, and then direct that attention toward weakening or embarrassing Lolth and her supporters.
At the same time, since mortals might not be powerful enough to defeat the Spider Queen’s aspects, Graz’zt hopes to gather the demon lords together for a council that will unify them against their enemies, even if only temporarily.
All he needs is a group of mortals willing to stir up trouble in the Demonweb so that Lolth and the demon lords listen to his talk of unity and security from interference...
