Liriel Baenre

Liriel Baenre is a fictional drow character in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.

Fictional character biography

Liriel Baenre (created by Elaine Cunningham^[1])—the beautiful, flippant, and sardonic daughter of Gromph— originally belonged to House Vandree, before her talent for arcane magic, and spellcasting in particular,^[2] was discovered by her father. Taken into the ranks of the Baenres, Gromph still sought to keep her separated from the influence of his sisters and mother, and he sent her to stay with a minor House to hone her magical talent rather than study to be a priestess. Liriel grew independent and soon found the restrictions of Arach-Tinilith, where she was subsequently enrolled, too binding. Using a book given to her by her father, Liriel traveled to the surface lands where she met drow followers of Eilistraee, the Dark Maiden of benevolent drow. Caught up in the plots of the Vhaeraunite merchant-turned-mercenary band the Dragon's Hoard, Liriel—a powerful mage, warrior and ex-priestess of Lolth—led a struggle against them with the help of her friends—a human barbarian named Fyodor of Rashemen, the mutant two-headed deep dragon Zz'Pzora, and the Eilistraeean forces of Qilué of the Seven Sisters.

Settling for a life on the surface, Liriel found herself hunted by her House and father. She traveled across the ocean with Fyodor, who became her lover and friend, and a pirate named Hrolf, who took her in as a daughter. Liriel's adventures caused drastic consequences for all drow, including the return of her aunt Quenthel to her old House, as well as allowing drow magic to function on the surface.

Reception

Trenton Webb of Arcane magazine described Liriel as "the oddest Drow you ever met" and suggested that "Purists are bound to condemn Tangled Webs for Liriel's complete lack of Drowness."^[3]

References