Drislara Torath

The Matriarch of the Black City

One of the most powerful spellcasters to have ever lived, Drislara Torath is the Matriarch of House Torath and the Tyrant of the Underdark. She spent most of her life as one of the four ruling Matriarchs of Var'da, more commonly known as the Black City, the stronghold of the Night Elves of the Underdark. After her mother fell to a deadly poison, Drislara rose and brought the family to prominence. Through cutthroat trade, extortion, and intimidation, the Torath family ascended to become one of the richest families of the continent, including the surface. With her sister Akordia succumbing to addiction, her husband Babros consumed by his possessions, and her cousin Veli more interested in learning than in ruling, the responsibility of ruling the family fell to Drislara alone. And rule she did.

The next two sections are campaign dependent

The Mad Queen

After centuries of rule in the tradition of the Night Elves, a time of turbulence would mark the third century of her reign. Synthia, an unassuming myconid slave of her husband had shown Drislara disrespect one too many times, resulting in her expulsion. She later returned with the Forgotten Fellowship and began provoking Drislara by continuing clandestine interactions with Babros and hindering her operations wherever possible. During this time, Drislara became obsessed with acquiring the so-called Tetrad of Power, a set of four rings which, according to Night Elven tradition, is said to grant the one who possesses all four immense power. Each is tied to an Infernal deity, specifically Valraath, Nyx, Anathexia, and Strife, each god corresponding to one of the four great houses of the Black City. Obsessed with power, Drislara stopped at nothing to acquire all four, including tricking Synthia into handing the third of the set over before using the ring's power to kill her. Afterwards, Drislara went mad with bloodlust, setting the poorer districts ablaze and crucifying her own husband for protesting her slaying of Synthia. The Forgotten Fellowship escaped to the surface but that did not stop Drislara from seizing absolute authority in the Black City, killing, capturing, or routing her rivals, including the other three Matriarchs. Entire districts of the city were exterminated, Var'da was filled with fiendish legions who served Drislara, and her rule become one of irrationality and terror. The reign of the Mad Queen had begun.

The Fall

Soon enough, her tyranny and acquisition of three of the four rings, still enough to amplify her power, drew the Forgotten Fellowship back to the Underdark, this time with an army of rebels, allies, and friends at their back. The War of the Fellowship begun and several skirmishes and battles would take place as this band of heroes and outsiders would make war upon the Mad Queen and her fiendish servants. The Fellowship claimed many victories over the Matriarch, defeating her Master Abjurer, turning her Deep Dragon ally Grathniraak traitor, and successfully defending their camp from several of her top commanders summoned from the Nine Hells. In this victory, however, at the Battle of the Stronghold, the Fellowship lost a number of notable allies. The next chapter of this war and the life of Drislara Torath herself is yet to be written.