Pharaun Mizzrym

Pharaun Mizzrym is a fictional character in the War of the Spider Queen series, part of the Forgotten Realms setting. He is a mage from House Mizzrym of Menzoberranzan. He is charismatic and is a fine example of a drow mage—well-dressed, eloquent, and never left standing on one foot. He employs a variety of tools to get the job done—magic and subterfuge are the two most often seen, but he will not hesitate to make a deal with a whore or murder seven apprentices to gain power. He is often contrasted with Ryld Argith, but the two share a steadfast friendship that is somewhat shaken at the end of Dissolution, the first book in the War of the Spider Queen hexad.

Pharaun lived his early life as a typical young drow male—acting as servant for House Mizzrym, straining to master his natural abilities, and trying to stay out of sight. He soon left his House for Sorcere, the drow academy of magic. While he was gone, his two twin sisters continued a feud that ended with the humiliation and degradation of his sister Sabal. When he returned to House Mizzrym, he sided with Sabal because he preferred the challenge of supporting the losing sister.

Pharaun remained loyal to Sabal, but eventually his other sister killed her. She sprung a trap for him, using an undead Sabal as bait, and nearly killed him, had he not thought quickly and escaped on a foulwing.

During his time at Sorcere, Pharaun attempted to gain control of a powerful demon called Sarthos, but he had to use seven apprentices in the spell. He didn't want aid from other Masters of Sorcere, as they would also gain credit for the summoning, so he used apprentices. The Sarthos demon killed them all within a heartbeat, resulting in Gromph Baenre's ire.

Pharaun was later chosen for a mission by Gromph Baenre (as punishment for his waste of apprentices) to investigate a matter of a large number of males eloping from their Houses. However, Gromph may have underestimated him, for Pharaun developed his own agenda by the end of the adventure.

With the aid of his friend Ryld Argith, Pharaun discovered that the eloping drow males were being recruited to an organization led by an alhoon (also known as an illithilich). This organization was later discovered to be connected to the Jaezred Chaulssin.

Due to their success in exposing the rebel group, Pharaun and Ryld were chosen to be members of an expedition led by Quenthel Baenre whose purpose was to discover the cause of Lolth's Silence and obtain some merchandise co-owned by House Baenre and House Melarn in Ched Nasad. The members of the party were Pharaun Mizzrym, Ryld Argith (weaponsmaster of House Argith and a Master of Melee Magtheree), Halistra Melarn and Danifae Yauntyrr (both of the now destroyed Ched Nasad), Valas Hune (scout of Bregan D'aerthe), and Quenthel Baenre.

Pharaun had a volatile relationship with Quenthel. Quenthel is female and the second highest-ranking person in the matriarchal society of Menzoberranzan, but due to Lolth's Silence, she had no clerical powers. Pharaun is egotistical, cocky, and witty. Coupled with that personality (which is considered insubordinate to the drow females), and as he is the only mage in the small expedition, that left Pharaun with the most power, and the group depends on him for survival. Pharaun treats Quenthel with the proper respect after she regains her clerical powers.

In Resurrection, the final novel of the War of the Spider Queen series, Pharaun is left to die on the blasted land of the Demonweb Pits, where he is devoured by a horde of spiders. His finger, still wearing a ring of Sorcere is later taken by his alu-fiend lover, Aliisza. This opens up the possibility that she may have him resurrected. In the novel, "The Gossamer Plain," by Thomas M. Reid, it is revealed that Pharaun is the father of Aliisza's child.