# Chapter 2: The Dalelands *Source: Forgotten Realms: Adventures in Faerûn, p. 45* > [!readaloud] > > The Dalelands are broad forest vales with rolling farmlands, linked by narrow trade roads running through beautiful woods. Blessed with fertile soil and a temperate climate (but harsh winters), the Dalelands are the breadbasket of the Heartlands. The independent spirit of Dalefolk balanced with their centuries of cooperation with the elves of Cormanthor have made the Dalelands the home of many of Faerûn's greatest heroes. > > The oldest dales were founded over a thousand years ago by refugees from war-torn regions to the east and south. They found the immense, primeval forest of Cormanthor, home to an ancient elf civilization. Eltargrim, leader of the elves at the time, created the Dales Compact: an agreement that stated in return for promising not to cut deeper into the forest, the Dalefolk were allowed to settle around the forest's edges or in places where the great trees didn't grow. Spellcasters from both sides worked together to raise the Standing Stone in the center of Cormanthor as a symbol of unity. Elves opened the city of Myth Drannor to the Dalefolk, and a golden age flourished for centuries. > > Now, Myth Drannor is abandoned, but the Dalefolk still keep the Dales Compact. Eleven dales exist today, each with its own territory, government (or lack of it), militia, trading pacts, ambitions, and character. But dales come and go, their fortunes waxing and waning in the face of foreign invasion, internal rivalries, and simple bad luck. ^0fc  ## Dalelands Campaigns The Dalelands host classic fantasy adventures and stories of brave families defending their homes on a dangerous frontier. In the Dalelands, the ancient elven city of Myth Drannor—filled with danger and mysterious magic—is never far away. ### Classic Fantasy Adventure The Dalelands encourages adventure in the classic heroic fantasy tradition. Here, goblin bandits ride worgs out of the forest to raid villages and towns. Dragons emerge from mountaintop lairs to hunt for food and plunder. Every village has an inn or tavern where a retired adventurer tells stories about the treasure that got away. Greedy empires threaten the borders, evil mercenaries scheme in the shadows, and any cellar could have a door to the Underdark. ### A Mysterious Frontier Frontiers might seem hard to find in the Forgotten Realms, where every acre of land has been home to multiple civilizations over the millennia. The Dalelands offer can-do folk the opportunity to live in a land with few laws, where self-sufficiency is vital. But immigrants to the Dalelands must build their homes in the shadow of an ancient and primeval forest filled with monsters and long-forgotten magic. Life in the Dalelands is hard, but the people here are determined to defend it. ### Myth Drannor The ancient elven city of Myth Drannor lies at the heart of the Dalelands. Once a magical metropolis, Myth Drannor was abandoned centuries ago, and the magical protection known as a mythal that lies at its heart is failing. Myth Drannor is a megadungeon: an adventure site so large that no single party of adventurers could hope to explore it all. Instead, adventurers gather information on the ruined city, explore a region until resources run out, and then return home to rest and sell their loot to fund their next round of exploration. > [!note] Alias > > Created by an alliance of powerful spellcasters to be a living weapon and repository of ancient lore, Alias appears to be human but is in fact an artificial being. Having existed for almost 150 years, Alias long ago broke free from the magical bonds placed on her when she was created and lives a life of heroic adventure as a principled mercenary and wandering sage. She often travels with her lifelong friend and companion Dragonbait (described in the D&D adventure Tomb of Annihilation). ^alias  ## People of the Dalelands Although Dalefolk are a diverse lot, and the Dalelands isn't a unified kingdom like Cormyr and Sembia, Dalefolk share a history and culture that has remained steady across the centuries. To an outsider, Dalefolk seem closemouthed, suspicious, and reserved. Until newcomers are identified as friends or foes, Dalefolk prefer civil silence to empty pleasantries. However, Dalefolk are open and giving, especially in the common defense. Those accepted as friends by Dalefolk are expected to contribute to the defense of the community; life is dangerous out on the Cormanthor frontier, and everyone's expected to pull their weight. ### A Land Born from Unity The Dalelands were born out of an agreement between elves of Cormanthor and human refugees from the east and south, and this remains a key element of Dalelands culture. Although most elves have left Cormanthor for the remote island of Evermeet, Dalefolk still largely honor the Dales Compact. Prior to the establishment of the Dales Compact, refugees from lands torn by war and disaster were desperate for a place to live, and they eagerly agreed to the pact. But elves of Cormanthor had a different perspective on the Dales Compact. They viewed the influx of newcomers to the lands surrounding the forest as an inevitability. Thus, the Dales Compact was a means for elves to head off conflict with the Dalefolk, as any such conflict might overwhelm even the magic of Myth Drannor. In the centuries since the creation of the Dales Compact, the tenuous alliance evolved into a true partnership. The Dalefolk's adherence to the terms of the Dales Compact assuaged the elves' fears of conquest, and in time the two sides formed a strong alliance. Elves fought alongside human heroes when Myth Drannor fell, and humans have earned their respect. Elves who remain in Cormanthor still work alongside Dalefolk to defend the region against threats. ### People of Many Species In the years since the Dales Compact was forged, the Dalelands has become home to diverse peoples. In particular, nomadic halflings known as lightfoots have embraced the importance of home and family in the Dalelands, moving here in large numbers. Dwarves have old roots in Daggerdale, which lies closest of the dales to the lost dwarven land of Tethyamar. Dwarves of the Brightblade clan, refugees from Tethyamar, settled in Daggerdale long ago and spread throughout the Dalelands, founding villages like Glen in Mistledale. Trade with dwarves who live deep in the Underdark provides a valuable financial lifeline for the Dalelands' largest towns. High Dale's gnomes hid from the eyes of strangers for many centuries, but recently a generation of curious young gnomes ventured out and, with a little ingenuity, rekindled High Dale's old copper mines. This has in turn led to strangers being welcomed into the village of Hidden Vale for the first time. Orcs have lived along the banks of the River Ashaba for centuries, fishing, ferrying travelers across the river, and defending their homes. Over the last two decades orcs have increasingly sought their fortune in settlements throughout the dales, including Shadowdale, the struggling community of Freedale, and larger Scardale Town, where the orc priest Sigora Swordwise maintains a shrine to Tempus. Folk of many other species are found in the Dalelands, albeit in smaller numbers. The land is home to a few dragonborn and tieflings, and it's not unusual for a goliath to wander down out of the Thunder Peaks, or for aasimar to appear among families of the Dales that are devoted followers of Lathander, Chauntea, and other benevolent deities. > [!quote] A quote from Alias > > The first time you walk into a Dalelands tavern, everyone will stare. My advice? Buy a drink, find a corner, and sing your best song. You might not make friends, but you'll win their respect. ### Town and Country Dalefolk can be broadly divided into two groups who intermingle. The first group, exemplified by the folk of Battledale and Featherdale, leads a rural lifestyle focused on farming, ranching, and life in the wilderness. For these Dalefolk, the only settlement worth visiting is the nearest village, and they know by name everyone who lives within a day's travel. The second group is newer, centered around the urban culture found in larger settlements such as Archenbridge and Scardale Town. Dalefolk in these towns are protected by stout stone walls and can join craft or merchant guilds. Dalefolk from the country and Dalefolk from towns disagree on how to live in the Dalelands. To Dalefolk from the country, townsfolk have given up the solitude, independence, and freedom that brought settlers to the Dalelands in the first place. To Dalefolk from towns, country folk choose to live in hardship, vulnerable to everything from raiders to wandering owlbears. While Dalefolk from the country and town might not always agree, they come together when danger threatens—after all, they're all Dalefolk.  ### The Dales Council Each year at Midwinter, every dale sends a delegate to a selected Dalelands town for the Dales Council. Delegates debate issues affecting the dales, such as defense, border disputes, resistance to Zhentarim or Sembian aggression, trade deals, and matters relating to the great forest of Cormanthor. Delegates and their staff engage in backroom deals, negotiation, and intrigues, pursuing their personal interests and the interests of their dales. ## Cormanthor and Myth Drannor Walking beneath Cormanthor's giant maples and towering oaks, explorers enter an ancient, verdant, and mysterious world. The borders of Cormanthor have shrunken slightly over the years—as Dalefolk families have cut back the forest to make room for farms, ranches, and towns—but Cormanthor remains one of the mightiest forests in Faerûn. And at the forest's heart lies the elven city of Myth Drannor. ### Cormanthor Most of the elves who once lived in Cormanthor left long ago. The majority of those who remain reside in the forest settlements of Semberholme and Tangled Trees. In the last decade or so, refugees from the second fall of Myth Drannor have also settled in Semberholme. #### Lake Sember The beautiful freshwater lake called Lake Sember, in southern Cormanthor, is sacred to the elves of the forest. Guards from Semberholme protect the lake, and few outsiders are permitted to visit. More than a thousand years ago, sea elves (detailed in "Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse") settled Lake Sember, building a fabulous city of towers beneath its surface. Legends hold that the elves of Myth Drannor buried their dead in the cold waters of Lake Sember, but no outsider has verified these stories and the elves say nothing. #### Moander's Road For centuries, Moander—god of corruption and rot—was thought dead. But about 150 years ago, the hero known as Alias accidentally awoke the deity, who plowed a course of devastation toward the ruin of Myth Drannor. Moander intended to absorb the uncontrolled magic within the elven city, but Alias and her allies defeated him. The path of destruction the deity carved through Cormanthor is now known as Moander's Road. For decades, Moander's stinking corpse rotted in the forest. But this god of rot was born again in the Second Sundering. Now Moander's corrupting presence pervades the Dalelands, particularly in places such as the Rotting Gorge in Deepingdale. The high hill where the corpse once lay is now empty, but the road and the woods around it are filled with strange fungi, loathsome oozes, and plant monsters, including [Spores of Moander](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/plant/spore-of-moander-fraif.md). #### Semberholme Towering trees fed by Lake Sember's pure waters soar high above the city of Semberholme, creating a cathedral-like retreat for those elves who remain in Cormanthor. Limestone caves beneath the city provide access to Lake Sember and serve as an emergency redoubt and storage area. Ilsivele Miritar, who led the restoration of Myth Drannor a century ago, and her husband, a resurrected hero named Fflar Melruth (Medium, Lawful Good [Questing Knight](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/questing-knight-xmm.md)), rule Semberholme, but the second fall of Myth Drannor has darkened their spirits Ilsivele and Fflar have abandoned all hope of returning to Myth Drannor, and they have resigned themselves to lingering in Semberholme, perpetually mourning the lost glory of ages past. #### Standing Stone When the elves of Cormanthor and refugees from war-torn lands formed the Dales Compact, they erected the Standing Stone in the forest to commemorate the pact. Elven runes winding around the glossy, gray stone detail the formation of the Dales Compact and its rules. The stone magically repairs any damage to itself, so the runes are still readable. The Standing Stone is one of the most important monuments in Daleland culture. Many Dalefolk take a pilgrimage to the stone to read its inscriptions. But despite roads that lead through Cormanthor, the journey to the Standing Stone can be perilous, and travelers must be prepared to face bugbears, gnolls, wild animals, [Ettercaps](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/monstrosity/ettercap-xmm.md), and [Trolls](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/giant/troll-xmm.md). #### Tangled Trees High above Cormanthor's floor spreads a network of interlocking bridges, wooden platforms, and tree forts surrounded by nets of strong but delicate rope. This is the settlement of Tangled Trees, which is home to both Cormanthor and Dalefolk scouts. In the warmer months, the inhabitants of Tangled Trees venture into the forest. They patrol the roads, trails, and paths that crisscross through the woods, and every year at least one group travels to Myth Drannor to inspect the borders of the ancient city and look for threats that might have emerged there. As winter draws near, these expedition parties return to Tangled Trees to rest and prepare for the year to come. ### Myth Drannor Myth Drannor was once the greatest city in Faerûn, a magical metropolis constructed by elves but home to people of all species, invited into Cormanthor on the establishment of the Dales Compact. However, Myth Drannor fell eight hundred years ago, torn by internal strife, wracked by magical experiments gone awry, and finally invaded by an army of fiends. A little over a century ago, Cormanthor elves reopened Myth Drannor and restored the mythal that protected the city. Myth Drannor stood on the threshold of a golden age. But instead, war with the Shadovar led to the flying city of Thultanthar crashing into the city in 1487. The mythal failed again, and the wreckage of Thultanthar made the ruins of Myth Drannor more dangerous and unpredictable than ever. The damage was so extensive that no one knows whether the mythal can be repaired again. The city can be divided into two halves. To the west lie neighborhoods built prior to the Dales Compact, including the Old City, the Lake Ward (where elves lived in elegant and palatial homes), and the Temple Ward. To the east lies the Dlabraddath, an expansion to the city designed to accommodate the influx of Dalefolk. Streams running north to south separate these two regions, and many bridges cross these streams to connect the two halves of the city. Over centuries, researchers in Myth Drannor conducted extensive magical experiments and spent resources on a scale found nowhere else on Faerûn. Not all these experiments are recorded, and many still stand as broken monuments, their magic warped by centuries of neglect. Explorers in Myth Drannor could stumble on fantastic magic of any kind: massive magical highways that allow instant travel across Faerûn, portals to anywhere in the Great Wheel (and even beyond), or even structures designed to manipulate time. The fall of Myth Drannor created regions of dead magic within the city; see the "Dungeon Master's Guide" for the rules for dead magic zones. While the largest dead magic zones in the city remain relatively stable in permanent locations, smaller dead magic zones move throughout the city in unpredictable patterns. > [!quote] A quote from Alias > > I have traveled from the Sunrise Mountains in the east to the Trackless Sea in the west, from Icewind Dale in the north to wondrous Calimport in the south. But even though I know my memories are false, I will always call the Dalelands my home. #### The Mythal Myth Drannor was protected by powerful magic called a mythal, which extended the lives of the city's inhabitants, controlled the weather, and had other wondrous uses, ensuring Myth Drannor remained a magical paradise. After the first fall of Myth Drannor, the mythal eventually deteriorated, its magical effects becoming unpredictable and strange. It was restored for a time in the last century, but when the Shadovar city of Thultanthar crashed into Myth Drannor, the mythal failed again, this time perhaps beyond repair. The mythal now has powerful but unreliable magical effects. Most notably, it blocks most teleportation in or out of Myth Drannor (but not within the city walls) and blocks divination effects such as scrying. It sometimes protects falling creatures from harm and can extend the duration of light-creating spells. But it has also caused strange mutations in those exposed to it for more than a few months. The effects of the malfunctioning mythal are impossible to predict. Any attempt to restore Myth Drannor ultimately depends on repairing the mythal. But no one's sure how to accomplish this, or if it's even possible. > [!note] Megadungeons > > Before the creation of D&D, the first dungeons took shape as sprawling tunnel networks beneath Castle Blackmoor and Castle Greyhawk. Adventurers explored these fantastic labyrinths one level at a time, retreating when resources ran low or after encountering monsters too powerful to overcome. Between delves into the dungeon, characters went on other adventures. Fantastic adventure sites like this became known as megadungeons. > > The abandoned elven city of Myth Drannor is an example of a megadungeon. For guidance on adventuring in Myth Drannor, see "Dalelands Stories" later in this chapter. ^megadungeons > [!gallery] >  >  #### Locations in Myth Drannor Myth Drannor is a vast and expansive city that could provide years of adventure. Only a few of its locations are detailed here. ##### Burial Glen Myth Drannor's primary cemetery lies outside the walls to the west, along a path leading to the city gates. For many adventurers, this is where explorations of Myth Drannor begin. Anyone attempting to plunder the crypts must contend with [Ghouls](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/ghoul-xmm.md), [Skeletons](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/skeleton-xmm.md), and [Zombies](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/zombie-xmm.md) that infest the glen. A triumphal arch in the center of the glen is home to a [Demilich](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/demilich-xmm.md), all that remains of the legendary military strategist Remarkus. ##### Dlabraddath The eastern end of Myth Drannor was built to accommodate the influx of people that followed the establishment of the Dales Compact. The architecture here stands in contrast to the tall marble spires of the Old City; instead, square brick buildings, low houses, and buildings with round doors and windows stand arranged around parks and gardens, linked by broad granite roads or waterways. In addition to homes and townhouses, the Dlabraddath boasted numerous inns, taverns, and shops. ##### Dwarven Dungeons Dwarf immigrants constructed a three-level labyrinthine city beneath Myth Drannor, a settlement known as the Dwarven Dungeons. In the centuries since, these tunnels have become home to a bewildering array of dangerous inhabitants, including lizardfolk, malevolent undead, and restless spirits of Myth Drannor's citizens that are eager to resolve unfinished business and end their haunting. The Cult of the Dragon, led by the [Dracolich](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/dracolich-xmm.md) Pelendralaar, controlled the Dwarven Dungeons for many years; although Pelendralaar was defeated and the cult routed, the dracolich's return is inevitable. ##### Glim-Gardens This large park used to magically heal the bodies and nourish the spirits of the city's residents. Over time, however, the magic of the gardens has become corrupted. Now the park's magic makes wounds reopen, bleed, and fester. Long overgrown, the plants of the Glim-Gardens have become hungry for flesh and thirsty for blood. ##### Hall of Wizards Myth Drannor had many magic academies, where spellcasters of all kinds could gather, share their knowledge, select and train apprentices, and push the boundaries of magical research. The oldest and most famous of these academies was the Hall of Wizards, legendary home of elven magical traditions. This academy contains many magically concealed chambers that have avoided plundering. A magical orrery on the college's grounds can be used to teleport anywhere in the city. ##### House of Gems A stout keep marks the headquarters for the city's jeweler's guild. The House of Gems was also home to one of the city's oldest communities of dwarves. Scholars of Myth Drannor suspect the House of Gems is warded with extensive magical and mechanical traps, as well as protected by [Iron Golems](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/construct/iron-golem-xmm.md). Doors in the guildhall's basement lead to the Dwarven Dungeons. ##### Old City In the oldest parts of Myth Drannor, the estates of noble families rise intermingled with administrative buildings. Castle Cormanthor, which once housed the rulers of the city and ambassadors from across Faerûn, lies ruined in the center of the Old City, wrecked by the Netherese flying city Thultanthar. As Thultanthar fell from the sky, pieces of the vessel fell on the Old City like meteors, clustering around Castle Cormanthor in the city's center where aberrant monsters and other strange creatures have become increasingly common. ##### Temple of Sehanine Moonbow The city's temple to Sehanine Moonbow, an elven god of dreams, death, and the moon was built near Castle Cormanthor in the Old City. The temple is a relatively modest open structure with a dome supported by columns covering a central altar with nearby housing for priests. It's remarkably well preserved, though weathered by rain. As Myth Drannor fell to an army of fiends, priests of Sehanine withdrew to this temple and worked high magic to conceal it behind powerful illusions. It remains hidden to this day, appearing to explorers as an empty lot. In fact, the temple remains intact, protected by a [Hallow](/3-Mechanics/CLI/spells/hallow-xphb.md) spell that wards against Aberrations and Fiends. Additionally, no sound can emanate from the temple, and sounds from outside the temple can't penetrate it. These protections make the temple an excellent place for adventurers investigating Myth Drannor to hide, rest, and recover. ##### Tower of Bones On the north side of Myth Drannor, on the site of an ancient assault on the city, lies a massive war memorial. Crypts large and small lie scattered around a hill that marks a mass grave. Later, necromancers built the Tower of Bones atop the hill to facilitate their unwholesome magical experiments. By night, undead wander the region. ## Dalelands Gazetteer > [!gallery] >  >  The Dalelands consists of a dozen scattered communities, each known as a dale, surrounding the ancient forest of Cormanthor. While Dalefolk share history and culture, each dale has its own unique character. Over the centuries, many dales have risen and fallen. This section details each of the current dales, discussing landmarks, settlements, rulers, and customs, as well as two of the dales' most notable towns: Archendale. The wealthy and militant land of Archendale skirmishes with Sembia, its southern neighbor. Battledale. In Battledale, a dragonborn leader works to restore homes burned in war. Daggerdale. Dwarven refugees and the struggle against the Zhentarim has shaped Daggerdale. Deepingdale. Humans and elves live together in Deepingdale under a wise elf ruler known for his hospitality. Featherdale. Featherdale is a land of scattered homesteads with no laws or rulers. Harrowdale. In Harrowdale, loggers work in the shadow of ancient evils. High Dale. Highdale is a community of farmers and miners hidden in the Thunder Peaks. Mistledale. Goblin raiders and other fey threaten to overwhelm Mistledale. Scardale. In Scardale, rough-and-tumble folk recover from invasion and a magical plague. Scardale Town. Crime syndicates and corrupt politicians run bustling Scardale Town. Shadowdale. Humans, elves, and orcs live peacefully in Shadowdale, along the River Ashaba. Shadowdale Town. The historic Shadowdale Town is home to legendary adventurers. Tasseldale. Tasseldale is famous for its swordsmiths and for training lawyers and judges. ### Archendale The most militant region in the Dalelands is also one of the wealthiest. Archendale is the first stop for trade between the Dalelands and Sembia—or for Sembia's periodic invasions—and a place where traditional Dalelands occupations like farmer and hunter give way to merchant and soldier. The people of Archendale believe mercantile and military strength together keep Archendale safe from longtime rivals Sembia and Tasseldale. This principle created a culture in which the people of Archendale pursue power and wealth at all costs, fearing the consequences of losing either. Archendale's rulers are the Swords, masked individuals who keep their identities a mystery. A generation ago, the Swords of that time were overthrown and cast out, but the dale's wealthy and well-armed families couldn't agree on a replacement government. Finally, three new Swords presented themselves at Swordpoint a few years ago, and the dale accepted their rule. The Archenriders are the dale's primary defenders, six hundred well-equipped warriors divided into ten squadrons that patrol the River Arkhen looking for spies, outlaws, or anyone else who needs a lesson in Archendale justice. The Archenriders' enforcement of the border between Archendale and Sembia has cemented their reputation as one of the most fearsome military forces in the Dalelands. #### Archenbridge Archenbridge is a heavily fortified town that boasts a stone wall surrounding a cramped inner neighborhood known as the Central Ward. Here, many-storied townhouses flank cobblestone streets busy with traffic from the rest of the Dalelands and from Sembia. The doors to these buildings feature arrow slits and barred windows, and even these ordinary homes are trapped with pits, murder holes, and other deadly devices. Many citizens of Archenbridge are merchant-adventurers eager for battle and gold. Due to the wealth its citizens bring in, the town is remarkably cosmopolitan, attracting a diverse array of shops, taverns, and crafters. The town is dedicated to Lathander but also boasts a famous temple to Chauntea called the Bounty of the Goddess. Archenbridge has spilled outside its walls; residents unable to afford property in the central ward built wooden homes and shops outside. When enemies threaten Archenbridge, these outbuildings are a liability in the town's defense, and the Swords have ordered the entire outer town be burned to the ground to discourage such settlement. Outrage among Archenbridge's less-affluent citizens, who live in the outer town, has so far blocked this effort.  #### Arch Wood Greedy merchants in Archendale have coveted the pristine forest of Arch Wood for many years, but Archendale's new Swords have dictated the forest must be left untouched. That's because, a century ago, early efforts to harvest trees from the forest revealed ancient ruins blossoming with rotted vegetation and reeking of death. These structures have since become infested with Moander's corrupted minions, including [Shambling Mounds](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/plant/shambling-mound-xmm.md), oozes, and even a [Spore of Moander](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/plant/spore-of-moander-fraif.md). #### Mount Thalagbror The River Arkhen begins at Arkhen Falls, where a spring on the slope of Mount Thalagbror bursts forth and plunges hundreds of feet. [Pegasi](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/celestial/pegasus-xmm.md) make their home on the mountain slopes and sometimes frequent the falls; this lures followers of Chauntea and Mielikki eager to observe the pegasi, as well as adventurers looking to tame a mount. The mountain was named after an [Oni](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/fiend/oni-xmm.md) that dwells behind the waterfall in a cave rich with copper and gemstones. #### Swordpoint An intimidating stone fortress called Swordpoint overlooks the town of Archenbridge. It serves as a garrison for the Archenriders and a home for the Swords—the dale's three anonymous rulers. The castle's stone walls have been crumbling for centuries. Nevertheless, Swordpoint's catapults and ballistae, combined with its high vantage, make it one of the most formidable fortresses in the Dalelands. The central courtyard boasts the Shrine of Swords, dedicated to Tempus, along with multiple layers of supplementary defenses, such as movable wooden walls fitted with crossbows, moats filled with flammable oil, and rolling platforms with mounted siege weapons. The Swords employed a mage named Orosul to create permanent magical wards around the castle and treat its stone with a hardening formula derived from the blood of a gorgon. Dwarf masons hired to expand the castle added extensive subterranean tunnels, dungeons, and storage chambers capable of supplying Archenbridge for a year. At least 180 Archenriders staff the castle at all times. #### White Ford Long ago, the folk of Archendale rolled boulders into the River Arkhen to create a ford. A fortified village called White Ford grew up around that ford. The village is surrounded by an oval stone wall called the Wolf Wall, which protects the village when goblin raiders and their worg allies ride down out of the Thunder Peaks. Within the wall, an inner keep called the Arch Hold is protected by a ditch and stone wall. A unit of sixty Archenriders is stationed at the Arch Hold. White Ford sees steady merchant traffic between Highmoon and Archenbridge. That's made the folk of White Ford wealthy, though their village is far quieter than the bustling capital to the south. ### Battledale > [!quote] A quote from Alias > > In a land like Battledale, where there are no laws, your friends and kin are your sword and your shield. A person without family—born or chosen—is victim to all of life's mischance. And indeed, is this not true of all places? The people of Battledale are peace-loving farmers, shepherds, and foresters of no particular martial skill. Unfortunately, their homes lie along a central and strategic route invaders of the Dalelands frequently take. Battledale is named for the many pitched battles that have taken place within its borders, much to the dismay of the folk who live here. Rauthauvyr's Road runs through central Battledale, a key highway leading from Ordulin in the south to Hillsfar in the north. Dense forests, rolling hills, and pastureland flank the road. The most fertile part of Battledale is the Belt, a region of fenced farms and cottages, orchards, and sheep pastures blessed with fish-filled streams and ponds. Stone tables sacred to Chauntea line paths and trails; locals leave food on these tables for weary and hungry travelers. Meanwhile, followers of Silvanus mark that deity's influence by stringing bells over the Belt's many pools and woodland springs. This land is sparsely populated; the ravages of war and dangerous beasts have left many farms abandoned. Some former adventurers like to settle here, drawn to a fertile land and a wilderness that needs taming, but people who grow up in Battledale tend to leave. Five centuries ago, Aencar the Mantled King rose to power in Battledale and began an effort to unite the Dalelands. He almost succeeded. But Aencar was lured back to the Battledale town of Essembra, where he was ambushed by a dracolich and slain. His dream of a united Dalelands died with him, but the people of Battledale revere that dream and his memory. A few years ago, a silver-scaled dragonborn named Volsembra (Medium, Lawful Good [Knight](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/knight-xmm.md)) led a group of families back to the ruined town of Essembra, where she took the title of Protector of Battledale and began the town's reconstruction. Volsembra commands the Spears of Battledale, a troop of one hundred [Guards](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/guard-xmm.md) who safeguard the town and patrol Rauthauvyr's Road. Battledale has no formal laws; folk tend to their own affairs. Those suspected of a crime are tried by their neighbors, who mete out whatever justice they think appropriate. Serious problems can be brought to Protector Volsembra, but she has no authority beyond the town in which she dwells. She hires adventurers to investigate problems brought to her attention, as she's busy with the reconstruction efforts in Essembra. #### Abbey of the Sword Two centuries ago, Tempus manifested in a shattered castle; soon after, a follower of Tempus rebuilt some of the fortress and founded the Abbey of the Sword here. When Sembian forces invaded Essembra, the refugees sought shelter here, and the survivors built a town called Ambrose around the abbey. Now, however, Volsembra has led them back to their old homes, and Ambrose has been abandoned. The underground levels of the abbey contain portals to the Underdark through which nomadic drow loyal to the evil deity Vhaeraun once invaded the Dalelands. A hundred [Guards](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/guard-xmm.md) who worship Tempus keep watch, but the human Priest-General Ilya Harndrekker (Medium, Lawful Good [Questing Knight](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/questing-knight-xmm.md)) seeks adventurers willing to go through the portals and find a way to close them. #### Aencar's Manor From Rauthauvyr's Road, the old manor of the Mantled King appears inviting, with well-tended gardens overlooked by statues of mounted knights, and inner chambers lit by warm fireplaces. The folk of Battledale use these gardens and other areas around the manor as the site for their regular Shieldmeet festivals, every four years, strictly avoiding the manor's interior. That's because the interior is haunted by [Ghosts](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/ghost-xmm.md), [Specters](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/specter-xmm.md), [Wraiths](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/wraith-xmm.md) and even the restless corpse of Aencar (Medium [Death Knight](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/death-knight-xmm.md)). Aencar was killed by a dracolich, so the Cult of the Dragon has long felt entitled to Aencar's property; they maintain a hideout in the manor, from which they summon and strengthen the undead that haunt it while the cult explores tunnels underneath the manor that connect to the Underdark.  #### Essembra The largest settlement in Battledale is Essembra, named after a beloved adventurer who eventually revealed herself to be a dragon in disguise. Cottages and farms line the road leading to Battle Court, a walled compound encompassing about fifty buildings that includes a temple to Gond and a moated keep known as Ilmeth's Manor. A statue of Aencar marks the center of the court. Essembra was abandoned for years after Sembians and their Shadovar allies sacked it and burned it to the ground. Now the dragonborn Volsembra, Protector of Battledale, leads the reconstruction efforts, with help from adventurers willing to clear out ruined buildings inhabited by outlaws, wild beasts, or restless undead. Volsembra is widely believed to be related to Essembra, but she refuses to discuss the matter, insisting she be judged by her deeds, not by any familial connection. #### Ghost Holds The forests and hills of Battledale are filled with abandoned manors and keeps known as ghost holds: the former homes of settlers or wealthy Sembians who thought a vacation house in the Dalelands sounded like a good idea—until the Zhentarim or a rampaging [Owlbear](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/monstrosity/owlbear-xmm.md) showed up. The ghost holds now provide shelter to outlaws, foreign spies, and wild creatures. #### Haptooth Hill A tower built by the Red Wizard Dracandros tops Haptooth Hill. Catacombs descend from the tower into the hill. Dracandros and his drow allies were killed by adventurers long ago, but in the intervening years the tower has been used by everything from Zhentarim spies to wandering monsters. Lately, an enterprising human Red Wizard named Pythia Vandermeer (Medium [Mage](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/mage-xmm.md)) has returned to the site, seeking Dracandros's arcane secrets. Adventurers seeking to explore the hill can find the supplies and services they need in the nearby village of Hap, where a dozen buildings surround a shrine to Lathander overseen by the halfling Norin Brit (Small, Neutral Good [Priest](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/priest-xmm.md)). #### Three Rivers The fertile land where the Glaemril and Semberflow meet the River Ashaba is called Three Rivers. Many settler families and adventuring companies have perished here, for [Bulettes](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/monstrosity/bulette-xmm.md), [Manticores](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/monstrosity/manticore-xmm.md), [Owlbears](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/monstrosity/owlbear-xmm.md), and other monstrous creatures congregate in this region, which is littered with burned-out cottages and abandoned strongholds. Merchants seeking to use the rivers to move goods pay adventurers steep prices to protect their boats. ### Daggerdale Centuries ago, refugees fleeing ancient wars founded the realm of Merrydale, forging alliances with the dwarves of Tethyamar, which lay to the west. But a succession of disasters—including an infestation of vampires, occupation by the Zhentarim, and a plague of lycanthropy—left the people here anything but merry. Somewhere along the line they changed the realm's name to Daggerdale, and the survivors became a close-knit, insular people who keep their doors locked, their mouths shut, and their weapons handy. Daggerdale lies south of the Border Forest, stretching to the Dagger River and beyond. Rolling plains and rocky valleys give this realm a different character than the wooded dales to the south and east. Families of dwarf miners, primarily the Brightblade clan, dwell in Anathar's Dell, along with human and elf farmers. The village of Serpentbridge grew up around an old and unstable span crossing the Dagger River. For centuries the Morn family ruled Daggerdale. The legendary hero Randall Morn was ousted by the Zhentarim but led a successful rebellion, reclaiming his throne before eventually dying in his sleep and leaving no heir. Members of the noble family of Cormaeril, related to the Morns by marriage, moved into Castle Daggerdale and ruled for three generations, but the citizens of the dale never accepted them. Barathal Cormaeril, the last such ruler, was forced to flee when his sister Neranya was revealed as a werewolf. Finally, only a few years ago, the foremost priest at the temple of Lathander's Light divined that a scion of the Morn family survived, unaware of their own bloodline. Young Kirkland Stone, the son of a beryl miner from the Dagger Hills, was made Lord Kirkland Morn overnight and now rules unsteadily from Castle Daggerdale. He is idealistic but cautious, quick to listen to advisers but slow to make decisions. But the people of Daggerdale have embraced Kirkland, calling him a "True Morn" and encouraging him to marry and continue the family name. > [!quote] A quote from Alias > > Young Kirkland Stone became Lord Kirkland Morn in an instant. He did not choose the path his life has taken. None of us do. Now he must choose what to do with this new life.  #### Border Forest The Border Forest lies at the confluence of four realms: Daggerdale and the rest of the Dalelands lie to the south, the Moonsea and Zhentil Keep to the east, the Tortured Land to the north, and Anauroch to the west. Many fey call the forest home, but centuries of intrusion by trespassers has made the bullywugs, centaurs, goblins, satyrs, and worgs of the Border Forest especially ruthless. They prey on anyone who enters the woods. #### Castle Daggerdale Lord Kirkland Morn's sturdy stone keep overlooks the Tethyamar Trail. Although the keep is the official seat of Kirkland's rule, he brings his court with him when he travels to Dagger Falls. Castle Daggerdale houses over a hundred mounted soldiers known as the Morn Riders ([Toughs](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/tough-xmm.md) riding [Warhorses](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/beast/warhorse-xmm.md)); they patrol the roads and borders of the dale. #### Dagger Falls The capital of Daggerdale is Dagger Falls, a former trading outpost on the northern shore of the River Tesh near Dagger Bridge. Sturdy stone walls and two gatehouses protect the town. The buildings within, also stone and covered with slate roofs, show the influence of dwarven engineering techniques. The only inn in town is the Fallsview, but an elf musician named Kessla (Medium, Neutral Good [Performer Maestro](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/performer-maestro-xmm.md)) runs the Red Rock Tavern. A temple to Lathander, Lathander's Light, is the largest religious building in the dale; it's managed by Her Radiance Dareen Travaskyr (Medium, Neutral Good [Archpriest](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/archpriest-xmm.md)), the high elf priest who identified Kirkland Stone as the lost heir to the Morn legacy. ##### Constable's Tower Daggerdale's greatest and most imposing stronghold is the Constable's Tower, which rises from a high hill in Dagger Falls called the Spur. The keep has been unusable for decades thanks to a mysterious magical accident that left waves of deadly spells coursing back and forth through the keep and its subterranean levels. Recently, adventurers affiliated with the Zhentarim have promised to cleanse the keep and make it usable again; Lord Morn has supported their efforts and given them a plot of land, which the Zhentarim have in turn made into a clandestine base of operations. The Zhentarim have found a secret way into the keep, which they use to loot it of valuables. #### Dagger Hills The steep and rugged Dagger Hills are broken by thorn-choked ravines and hidden glens. Paths are hard to find and even harder to follow, and the Dagger Hills are infamously home to [Wereboars](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/monstrosity/wereboar-xmm.md) and [Werewolves](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/monstrosity/werewolf-xmm.md). Nevertheless, the hills are key to Daggerdale's prosperity, as they are a famous source for emeralds, aquamarines, and other gems. Shepherds and goatherds also keep their flocks here. ##### Hidden Menace The Dagger Hills hide a threat to Lord Morn's rule: Neranya Cormaeril, the werewolf heir to the Cormaeril claim on Daggerdale, still lives. She leads a pack of werewolves and nurses a grudge against Kirkland Morn. ##### Mysterious Ruin The White Crag is an ancient ruin carved out of the side of one of the Dagger Hills. The structure is incredibly ancient, predating even the elven settlement of Cormanthor, but scholars can't agree if it was created by giants or dragons. Tunnels underneath the ruin descend to the Underdark. #### Desertsmouth Mountains Fearsome dragons and giants lair in the mighty Desertsmouth Mountains and forage out of them for food. Daggerdale miners have worked the edge of these mountains for generations, long after the dwarves of Tethyamar were routed by an army of demons led by evil wizards (see "chapter 2" of "Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerûn)." Many dwarf families of Daggerdale dream of returning to Tethyamar and restoring its splendor. The Zhentarim moved into the old mines some time ago, but the tunnels are home to some of the most dangerous monsters in Faerûn. The Zhents avoid the more dangerous subterranean regions, but as they ransack safer parts of the complex, they send their plunder in wagons back to Zhentil Keep. #### Eagle's Aerie A strategic lookout point on a rocky knoll above Dagger Falls, Eagle's Aerie was used by Randall Morn as a hidden base while he marshaled his rebellion against the Zhentarim. Before that, however, it was a fortress for dwarves of Tethyamar, who kept a vigilant watch on trade routes from this key vantage. Kirkland Morn uses the lookout as a private, personal refuge from affairs of state. ### Deepingdale Deepingdale was founded by a sorcerer named Imryll Eluarshee, who is known as the Deeping Princess. More than any other dale, Deepingdale is dedicated to respecting the forest and living in it without destroying it. Most families in Deepingdale include both humans and elves, and the dale boasts a small community of drow who worship Eilistraee and other good gods. The people of Deepingdale are foresters, hunters, trappers, and rangers; the forest provides everything they need, so long as they don't abuse it or take its gifts for granted. Deepingdale families value learning, song, and martial skill. They take a long view when it comes to crises and emergencies, arguing that problems often resolve themselves if left alone; but when they're proven wrong, Deepingdale folk swiftly rise to the occasion. The dale is organized around the East Way, a major trade road connecting Cormyr and Sembia. Merchants from both realms make the markets in Highmoon among the most popular in the Dalelands. The villages Bristar and Moonrise Hill lie north of the road, deep in the forest. Hamlets and smaller groupings of family homes lie scattered throughout the dale, especially in the eaves along the forest edge. The high elf Lord Theremen Ulath (Medium, Neutral Good [Questing Knight](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/questing-knight-xmm.md)) has ruled Deepingdale for almost two centuries, and his palace—the Tower of the Rising Moon in the town of Highmoon—is a destination for elves throughout the Heartlands. An informal militia called the Wardens of Deepingdale protects the dale when necessary. Bristar contributes a company of deadly archers to the militia, while Moonrise Hill sends swordfighters. This militia is quick to act and respected throughout the dales. > [!quote] A quote from Alias > > Lord Ulath is a fine host, but do not mistake his love of learning and song for weakness. The wisest scholars in the Dalelands visit his hall at Highmoon. Many adventurers, plagued by some riddle or curse, have found their answers there. #### Glaemril River "The Glaemril River", sometimes called the Deeping Stream, has its headwaters near the village of Bristar at Lake Erudruie. Erudruie is sacred to elves of Cormanthor, and its waters have healing properties. The river is famous for its salmon, though locals have strict laws against overfishing. #### Highmoon The capital of Deepingdale, Highmoon, is a walled town on the East Way. Thousands of elves and humans call the town home, demonstrating Deepingdale's commitment to harmony. ##### Leaves of Learning The Leaves of Learning is a temple to Oghma that houses one of the most famous libraries in Faerûn. The library, held in a great spire that overlooks even the Tower of the Rising Moon, specializes in mundane topics; this has spared the library from intrusion by rapacious wizards and power-hungry invaders. Unfortunately, the library's index, a single massive volume bound with gold and encrusted with gems, was recently stolen—a grievous blow to both the library's reputation and its usefulness. The human priest Thanali (Medium, Lawful Good [Archpriest](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/archpriest-xmm.md)) oversees the temple and has given up on locating the index, since any reward she can offer would be but a fraction of what the book is worth. Her only hope now is to find adventurers who revere Oghma and will recover the book out of religious obligation. ##### Rhauntides's Tower Once home to the wizard Rhauntides, who held the post of Sage of Deepingdale, this small hexagonal tower atop Spell Hill in Highmoon was willed to a warrior monk named Teesha Than when Rhauntides died. Teesha founded a monastery in the tower, and monks reside there still, practicing their fighting arts and welcoming a few new students every year. The basement levels of the tower descend into the hill; they hold the remnants of Rhauntides's dangerous arcane experiments. ##### Tower of the Rising Moon Among its many landmarks, Highmoon is the site of the Tower of the Rising Moon, home to Lord Ulath. Ulath's hospitality is well known, and the tower is famous as a site for feasting, music, and other entertainments, not as a military fortress. This frivolous reputation belies Ulath's wise leadership, however. Ulath traditionally keeps an adviser trained in the arcane arts, the so-called Sage of Deepingdale. Unfortunately, no one has been able to hold this title for long, dying by accident, on adventure, or from assassination. The position has acquired a dire reputation, and Ulath can no longer find anyone willing to accept the job.  #### Rotting Gorge South of the Semberflow, hidden by dense forest, lies a deep rift in the earth called the Rotting Gorge, sheltered by twisted trees and knotted vines. On this site, elf wizards long ago used high magic to imprison an aspect of Moander, the horrifying god of rot, decay, and corruption. The people of Deepingdale consider this place, which they once called the Darkwatch, to be cleansed. But Moander's evil legacy was never entirely destroyed, and with Moander's return after the Second Sundering, his grip on the Rotting Gorge has reawoken. Now this chasm is filled with malignant magic. [Shambling Mounds](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/plant/shambling-mound-xmm.md) and [Gibbering Mouthers](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/aberration/gibbering-mouther-xmm.md) are among the least of the evils that crawl forth from the Rotting Gorge. More dangerous are the [Spores of Moander](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/plant/spore-of-moander-fraif.md) born from this rotten earth. Adventurers forcing their way down into the Rotting Gorge find a labyrinth of stinking chambers filled with more of these corrupted spawn of Moander. #### Sessrenglade The realm of Sessrendale was destroyed centuries ago by Archendale in a brief, bloody, and unjust war. Sessrendale's capital was the town of Sessrenglade, but Archendale's mercenaries razed everything to the ground and salted the earth to discourage refugees from returning. The folk of Sessrenglade were diligent miners, but now open pits and dangerous shafts are all that remain of their labor. Few travel this devastated land, but that made it all the more appealing to Thraxata, an [Adult Red Dragon](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/dragon/adult-red-dragon-xmm.md) that lairs in Blood Peak, a mountain overlooking Sessrenglade. Adventurers seeking to slay Thraxata must first contend with the [Revenants](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/revenant-xmm.md) that haunt the ruined town, and this has allowed the dragon to grow to tremendous size and strength in relative safety. Lord Ulath fears the dragon has set its sight on Highmoon, and Ulath desperately seeks adventurers experienced enough to confront the dragon in its lair. ### Featherdale Featherdale encompasses the flat and fertile farmland on either side of the River Ashaba between Blackfeather Bridge and Feather Falls. The people of Featherdale don't believe in government or laws, doing as they please so long as they harm no one. As a result of this free-spirited outlook, Featherdale has no large settlements, no ruler, no standing army, and no capital. Emergencies and long-simmering regional affairs are addressed at a Dalemeet: a gathering of family elders and prominent business leaders at Feather Falls or Blackfeather Bridge. Whoever shows up for the Dalemeet debates any issues brought forward, attempting to persuade others in attendance or forge a consensus. Any decision must be enforced by the winning party, as the dale has no constable or other law enforcement body. Family ties, friendships, and reciprocal relationships are crucial to getting things done in Featherdale. Crime is dealt with through vigilante justice, resulting in feuds between families that go back generations. The lack of military defenses throughout Featherdale makes the realm an easy target for invaders, but the people of Featherdale aren't rich, and they have little to arouse the envy of wealthy Sembian nobles. The wide river plain, however, makes an excellent highway to more lucrative targets, so armies frequently sweep through Featherdale en route to those targets. These armies don't linger long, as all are eventually driven out by the forces of more militant dales. Featherdale is a good neighbor to the other dales, its people have family ties throughout the Dalelands, and they are a reliable and prudent voice on the Dales Council. When Featherdale is in need, the goodwill they have earned is repaid to them. In the meantime, they keep their heads down. Many of the families in Featherdale trace their origin to adventurers who retired to the dale, leaving a life of danger behind in favor of home and family. This legacy contributes to the idiosyncratic political views of Featherdale folk, but it also means many a house, ranch, farm, and cottage has a magic item stowed away for emergencies—and someone ready to use it to defend their home. #### Blackfeather Bridge One of the few bridges across the wide River Ashaba, Blackfeather Bridge originally was a humble, long, and sturdy wooden bridge painted black to give a false impression of stability. Eventually Featherdale raised enough money from tolls to pay for a stone replacement, and that wider bridge stands today. The village named after the bridge is one of Featherdale's two largest settlements, the other being Feather Falls on the opposite end of the dale. The deity Cyric killed Leira, god of deception, on the original wooden Blackfeather bridge over a century ago. Leira eventually returned, but the bustling bridge has become a pilgrimage site for Cyric's faith. The village employs no guards, so these evil pilgrims usually go undetected amid the bridge's daily traffic. They don't conduct schemes in the village, as that would attract attention and endanger their holy site, but they use the bridge as a rendezvous point where they exchange news and hatch schemes enacted elsewhere in the Heartlands.  #### Feather Falls Feather Falls refers to both a waterfall over which the River Ashaba plunges and the village situated at the waterfall's summit. This village is one of the largest and oldest settlements in the dale and a traditional mooring place for local keelboats. In addition to Cholandrothipe's Tower (see below), which overlooks the falls, the village includes the House of Morning, one of the only temples in the dale. The House of Morning is dedicated to Lathander and overseen by a human named Shervin (Medium, Neutral Good [Priest](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/priest-xmm.md)). A portage path winds alongside the falls, where individuals can earn a living transporting cargo. Behind the waterfall lies a series of hidden grottoes referred to as the Temple behind the Falls. No one is quite sure what entity was once worshiped in these grottoes, but its evil reputation is spread in stories told round the campfire or when parents want to frighten disobedient children. ##### Cholandrothipe's Tower Cholandrothipe was a wizard who used his mighty magic to move heavily laden boats safely over Feather Falls. He charged a sizable fee for this service, but merchants paid it anyway to save the considerable time, labor, and money portage otherwise required. The wizard dwelled in a tall, slender tower with a single porch-like entrance, and no one was permitted entry. But Cholandrothipe concealed many secrets, and he drew the attention of Red Wizards who killed him and set his tower aflame. Subterranean levels beneath the tower house dreadful dungeons and tunnels to the Underdark, still guarded by deadly traps and magical Constructs, but Cholandrothipe's wealth continues to lure adventurers. Some of these adventurers are affiliated with the Red Wizards, though they conceal that allegiance from vengeful villagers. #### River Ashaba The River Ashaba is the primary thoroughfare of Featherdale; families along the shore keep keelboats for travel, communication, and recreation. The river has a history of flooding, but Featherdale keeps the Ashaba contained with a combination of dikes, stone walls, and magic. Recently, an enterprising, old halfling named Marco Paroland (Small, Chaotic Neutral [Commoner](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/commoner-xmm.md)) has commissioned a wide, flat-bottomed riverboat and packed it with a bar, gambling tables, a stage, and other entertainments. A few staterooms are available for high-paying customers. This boat, which Marco dubbed the *Ashaban Princess*, sails between Feather Falls and Blackfeather Bridge. It's proven a considerable boost to the economy of both Featherdale villages, drawing travelers and gamblers from throughout the dales. #### Wright's Ferry The small hamlet of Wright's Ferry lies halfway between Blackfeather Bridge and Feather Falls. A horse ferry has operated here for generations, and the hamlet is surrounded by orchards and pig farms. The real landmark, however, is the collection of eleven standing stones known as the Chessmen of Valsprendar. The stones mark the burial site of Valsprendar, a powerful wizard who enchanted the stones so they can be moved with the slightest touch. When moved, each stone summons a deadly monster. But if moved in the proper pattern, the stones open a portal to Valsprendar's former sanctum, and improbable stories are told about the magical treasures therein. The Chessmen has become a holy place for followers of the Red Knight, and a war priest calling herself Elaine of Valsprendar has moved into Wright's Ferry to watch over the site. ### Harrowdale The oldest of the dales, Harrowdale was founded over a thousand years ago by an adventurer named Velar, and for centuries this realm was called Velardale. But a cruel tyrant named Halvan rose to power and used dale labor to cut a path through Cormanthor to Myth Drannor. Ostensibly intended to forge a new trade route to Hillsfar, the Halfaxe Trail—as this road came to be known—would have allowed Halvan to plunder the great elf city at the heart of the woods, but the city's defenders killed him instead. After Halvan's death, the dale chose a new form of government: the Council of Seven Burghers, made up of the wealthiest individuals in the dale. The council renamed the realm Harrowdale in an attempt to break with the past. Decades ago, a temporary alliance with fey living in Cormanthor led the burghers to pave the old Halfaxe Trail into a road to Myth Drannor they named the Harrow Ride, but the road was soon abandoned, and its stones became overgrown and cracked. Now the ride serves as little more than a dangerous invitation to adventurers. Harrowdale has laws against chopping down the trees of Cormanthor, and the folk here have a phrase for those who, like Halvan, trespass too far into the forest; such people are said to be "deep in the Green." Harrowdale farms, orchards, and vineyards are broken up by hedgerows and crumbling stone walls left behind by long-forgotten builders. Besides Harrowdale Town on the coast, the dale includes the villages and hamlets of Dead Oak, Lanfroe, and Velartree. Harrowdale had a period of tremendous growth when Scardale Town, wracked by invasion and the [Shaking Plague](/3-Mechanics/CLI/diseases.md#Shaking%20Plague), descended into chaos and refugees fled here. Although the dale has returned to the quiet of its former years, the people here retain many customs against the spread of sickness; they practice strict personal hygiene, avoid casually touching each other, and wash animals before they come into contact with people. The only armed force in Harrowdale is a group of mounted [Scouts](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/scout-xmm.md) called the Gray Riders. They are commanded by Ellarian Dawnhorn, a grim elf warrior and spellcaster who has seen generations of Harrowdale folk come and go over her long life. Ellarian is infamously unfriendly to adventurers, considering them troublemakers who put innocent citizens in danger. #### Cold Field Cold Field lies between Harrowdale and Scardale. The moor is the site of an ancient, cataclysmic battle. In spring and summer, when the days are long, shepherds graze their sheep on the Cold Field's long grass. But in winter, when the days grow short, the restless spirits of slain soldiers rise from the turf as [Ghosts](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/ghost-xmm.md), [Specters](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/specter-xmm.md), and [Wraiths](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/wraith-xmm.md). #### Harrowdale Town When Scardale Town collapsed into chaos and lawlessness decades ago, Harrowdale Town just up the coast briefly supplanted it as the chief port in the Dalelands. The leaders of the town renamed it to New Velar, after the dale's founder, and this time of prosperity attracted businesses to the town. However, the ascent of Lord Kharu Aumersair restored order to Scardale Town, allowing it to reclaim its status as the foremost port in the Dalelands. Although business is now diminished compared to the days of New Velar, loggers still bring their lumber to Harrowdale Town, selling to merchants who travel throughout Dragon's Reach. The town includes temples to Oghma and Tymora. A third major temple, to Mystra, closed when New Velar went bust—there simply were not enough citizens left who were interested in magical study. High priests of Mystra throughout the Heartlands feel the closing of the temple was tragic, and they're actively seeking a priest of Mystra to reopen and staff it. ##### Halvan Manor House The ancient manor house of Halvan, Harrowdale's reviled former ruler, lies on the outskirts of town, surrounded by a crumbling stone wall. Halvan was famously rich, and folktales insist he buried his treasure in his old keep. This treasure has never been found. Guards have all but given up trying to keep people out; instead, they charge a fee of 50 GP to any group seen entering or leaving the ruins. This keeps out locals but not professional adventurers, who have reported all manner of deadly creatures within the keep, including the restless spirits of prisoners who died in Halvan's dungeons.  #### Velarsburg Velarsburg is the busy heart of Harrowdale's logging and carpentry trades. Logging mills and lumberyards surround the town's cottages and workshops. A large, muddy market space fills the center of the village. The threat of fire posed by mills and lumberyards has prompted the establishment of a permanent ten-person town watch. The people of Velarsburg know they can't overwork the forests of Velarwood or Cormanthor if they want their livelihoods to continue, and they follow centuries of tradition that include strict lumber quotas and replanting. Proud of their relationship with the forest, they consider their way of life a model that other Dalefolk would be wise to emulate. Velarsburg is home to the Temple of the Harvest Moon and a shrine to Malar. ##### Temple of the Harvest Moon The Temple of the Harvest Moon is an impressive temple to Chauntea built around an ancient spire called the Tower of the Moon. The top floor of this tower was torn off long ago, supposedly by a dragon; Chauntea's priests replaced it with a massive copper disc depicting Toril's moon, used magic to make the disc give off brilliant light, and propped it up to shine through the dale like a lighthouse. The rest of the temple, a massive square building with an inner courtyard, surrounds the tower. The folk who staff the temple spend much of their time assisting locals in planting and harvesting. In return, the folk of Harrowdale donate to the temple to see to the clergy's needs. The temple is overseen by the wood elf Thevil Oakenstaff (Medium, Neutral Good [Archpriest](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/archpriest-xmm.md)). #### Velarwood A dangerous forest in the heart of Harrowdale, Velarwood is home to [Cloakers](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/aberration/cloaker-xmm.md), [Stirges](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/monstrosity/stirge-xmm.md), [Trolls](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/giant/troll-xmm.md), and [Werewolves](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/monstrosity/werewolf-xmm.md). Nevertheless, the lumber industry in Harrowdale depends on the Velarwood, so loggers fell trees from the edges of this forest. One reason this work continues despite the danger is that the loggers consider themselves protected by angelic guardians within the forest. These mysterious guardians are, in fact, drow and other elves who maintain Shadowtop Glade, a shrine to Eilistraee in the northern reaches of the forest. The elves dwell in caves on either side of a deep gully shielded by wide-reaching trees. They conceal their presence from those who work the forest but are friendly to those who discover their presence, as long as the strangers vow to keep the shrine's location secret. ### High Dale High Dale is one of the least-known dales, but that's just how the people of High Dale like it. The dale lies along a mountain pass known as Thunder Way; this pass leads from Cormyr and the town of Thunderstone east through the Thunder Peaks to the town of Saerb in Sembia. Many traders take this route, helping to sustain High Dale. High Dale is sandwiched between the two great realms of Cormyr and Sembia. It is protected by harsh terrain, a famous company of mercenary archers, and an ancient defense treaty with Cormyr. Although the mountainous region High Dale occupies is plagued by snow and other harsh weather in the winter, most of the dale lies atop a high plateau that's excellent for farming. Over the centuries, farmers have also carved terraces into the sides of the nearby mountains, further expanding their farms. Several small valleys branch off Thunder Way, and the people of High Dale make their homes there in rugged mountain cabins clustered in small groups. The political and administrative affairs of High Dale are managed by a high constable chosen by the people of the dale. The current high constable is Cordance Coppercroft, a gnome engineer who led the effort to revive the dale's exhausted copper mines. High Constable Coppercroft is a respected but private individual; he accepted the job mostly so that people would stop pestering him about it. His constables gather information throughout the dale and fill out reports that he reads in his study. While such insular behavior might alarm the people of other dales, the folk of High Dale respect privacy, and they're content to let the high constable govern as he sees fit, so long as everyone is left alone to pursue their lives in peace. > [!quote] A quote from Alias > > I know many songs of the Dancing Place. I don't sing them. Nothing but a bunch of self-important deities debating whether we mere mortals can be trusted with our own lives. How kind they were to let us decide our own fates! How generous! #### Arrowpoint The modest stone fortress of Arrowpoint is home to the Pegasus Archery Company, a mercenary unit of a hundred [Scouts](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/scout-xmm.md) led by a dozen [Scout Captains](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/scout-captain-xmm.md). The company has friendly relationship with High Dale and its high constables; it never takes contracts that work against High Dale's interests and has vowed to defend the dale. Would-be archers from throughout the Dalelands come to Arrowpoint for instruction; the company provides training for free, since it helps the company to find recruits. #### Copper Gulp The copper mines in the small valley of Copper Gulp are High Dale's primary mineral resource. For years, the copper was thought to be exhausted, but gnome engineers from Hidden Vale have brought new technologies that recently reinvigorated the mines. However, kobolds moved into the mines while they were abandoned and refused to leave when the mines were reopened. The kobolds retreated deeper into the ground but defend their claim on the mines; miners opening up new shafts face ambushes and cunning traps. #### Dancing Place Eight centuries ago, more than a dozen deities manifested in a hidden valley a few miles northwest of High Castle, an event called the Gathering of the Gods that led to the founding of the Harpers. Ever since, this valley has been a pilgrimage site visited by thousands every year. It is said that anyone infected with a magical contagion will be cured after sleeping one night in the Dancing Place; these cures are said to be accompanied by visions of the gods, who assign a quest to the cured individual. Clerics of Mielikki, Mystra, Oghma, Selûne, and Silvanus maintain the Dancing Place, which they have transformed into an enormous garden. The moss-covered hill where the gathering took place is surrounded by a stream that threads through a ring of duskwood trees. Temples to the deities honored in the Dancing Place fill the valley, along with hostels and other establishments that cater to pilgrims. As part of the treaty with Cormyr, a war wizard is permanently stationed here. Over the centuries, this has become a retirement posting for distinguished war wizards too physically frail to go on campaign. The Dancing Place is well protected, though most pilgrims never notice these defenses. A group of druids known as the High Dance guards the valley's borders. Harpers keep caches of vital equipment around the valley's edge but don't interact with the temples and pilgrims so as to avoid drawing travelers into dangerous Harper operations.  #### Hidden Vale A large population of gnomes dwells in the remote valley known as Hidden Vale. In fall and winter, dense, swirling fog shrouds Hidden Vale, but in spring and summer, the fog retreats to reveal sweeping vistas of colorful alpine wildflowers. The gnomes dwell in ancestral cottages along the rim of the valley and traditionally kept to themselves. Over the last century, however, younger gnomes have increasingly left the vale, seeking new experiences in High Dale proper, and the families who remain in the vale have begun to welcome strangers, hoping for word of their wayward kin. #### Highcastle The largest village in High Dale, Highcastle, has less than a thousand inhabitants. Homes and workshops cluster around a castle that overlooks Thunder Way and gives the village its name. Winters in Highcastle can be inhospitable, with heavy snow and freezing temperatures; the High Fire Tavern is usually the only refuge in town for winter travelers. High Constable Coppercroft lives in the castle with his family and a small retinue of servants and aides. The kingdom of Cormyr has proposed sending a Purple Dragon Knight to Highcastle to serve as an ambassador and to hunt on nearby Wyvernfang, but the high constable keeps rejecting their candidates. #### Wyvernfang Located on the edge of the Thunder Peaks, the mighty mountain of Wyvernfang has long been a home for wyverns. Rangers climb the mountain's slopes to hunt the creatures and harvest their poison, while treasure hunters try to steal the creatures' eggs. Despite generations of such activity, however, the wyverns are more populous than ever. Hunters tell tales of unusually intelligent wyverns that rule over the others, even suggesting the wyverns construct defensive walls out of boulders along the mountain slopes and herd sheep in secure valleys accessible only by air. The Purple Dragons of Cormyr insist these reports point to [Werewyverns](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/dragon/werewyvern-fraif.md), believing the mountain might be the origin point for the werewyverns' curse. ### Mistledale Mistledale is considered one of the most fortunate dales. Its neighbors—Cormyr, Shadowdale, and the elves of Cormanthor—are friendly and powerful, and a meteor that crashed into the land centuries ago made it magically fertile. The villages of Mistledale lie along the Moonsea Ride, a trade road leading from Tilverton northeast through the forest of Cormanthor to Hillsfar on the Moonsea Coast. Every morning, thick mist rolls south from the River Ashaba to fill this valley and give the dale its name. Six councilors, elected from across the dale, make up a ruling body called the Council of Six. They in turn select another individual to act as grand councilor and command the dale's military forces. The current grand councilor is Honorious Vinleaf, referred to as "Yer Honor." Vinleaf handles the day-to-day administration of Mistledale, saving unusual matters for the council's irregular meetings. The villages, hamlets, and isolated farms of Mistledale communicate via sets of bells rung in specific melodies to send messages up and down the valley, an especially useful communication method when the mist is thick. Visitors to Mistledale often mistake the melodious bells for dangerous fey or signals passed by highway bandits. #### Abbey of the Golden Sheaf Priests of Chauntea operate the Abbey of the Golden Sheaf, whose walls enclose three square miles divided into a dozen crop fields. Silos of grain store enough food to feed the dale for years. The abbot is the wood elf Starrica Windsong (Medium, Neutral Good [Archpriest](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/archpriest-xmm.md)); although she isn't one of the Council of Six, she has considerable influence. Adventurers seek her out for healing magic, which she bestows on adventurers who solve problems throughout the Dalelands. In particular, the rise of goblin, hobgoblin, and bugbear raiders on the dale's west border has attracted her attention. > [!quote] A quote from Alias > > "Long have I watched shadows gather around Mistledale, but my watch will soon end. > > If you are brave and battle wise, come to Peldan's Helm, and bring your valor with you." #### Ashabenford The capital of Mistledale, Ashabenford includes a mill, stables, brewery, and workshops. Most of the village lies on the east side of the river, but the White Hart Inn on the west bank caters to adventurers. The largest house in town is reserved for the grand councilor and serves as a meeting hall for the Council of Six. Other landmarks include a temple to Tyr, a shrine to Chauntea, the famous Ashabenford Arms hotel, and the sprawling workshop of the wizened gnome Almaestaddamir Auldcastle (Small, Chaotic Good [Mage](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/mage-xmm.md)), who has lived in Ashabenford for most of his long life. A barrack on the north end of town houses the Riders, Mistledale's only professional military force. Citizens of Mistledale have pressured Vinleaf to relocate the Riders to Peldan's Helm to fight off the goblinoid raiders that plague the village, but he knows cavalry would be useless confined within the walls of Peldan's Helm. Instead, he keeps the Riders on alert, waiting for a signal to ride to Peldan's Helm and take besieging goblins by storm. This, however, would require Peldan's Helm to hold out for at least a day, and that's not something anyone in Mistledale is confident of. #### Barrowfield On the west end of the dale, south of the Moonsea Ride, rise a dozen long, low hills covered in grass and mist. These mounds, called the Barrowfield, conceal the ancient graves of Netherese warrior-wizards buried here after a long-forgotten battle. Wise travelers never camp near the Barrowfield, pushing on no matter how late the hour. [Wights](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/wight-xmm.md) are common in this region, and the Netherese corpses wield unusual and potent magical powers. #### Beast Country The west edge of Mistledale, called Beast Country, has always been dangerous, but over the last few years, goblin raiders accompanied by wolves, worgs, and other creatures have gathered in the hills north of Tilver's Gap and forged into Mistledale seeking blood and plunder. Grand Councilor Vinleaf has responded to this threat by calling up the militia and putting out a plea for help to adventurers throughout the Dalelands. Rangers, foresters, and trackers fight back against the goblins, but the hills are home to beasts that the goblins use magic to command. #### Galath's Roost An abandoned keep stands just inside the forest of Cormanthor. Known as Galath's Roost, it has sheltered all manner of denizens over the centuries, including the bandit lord Galath, for whom it is named. Although Galath was slaughtered by a Sembian war party, his spirit ([Wraith](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/wraith-xmm.md)) haunts the ruins. This hasn't prevented the keep from being used as a base by drow infiltrators, Zhentarim smugglers, and worse. Recently, a bugbear leader named Zolbag led a war party from the Beast Country into Galath's Roost. His plan is to wait for an attack on Peldan's Helm to draw the dale's military away from Ashabenford, then descend on Ashabenford and burn it to the ground. #### Glen A dwarven village known as Glen lies just west of Galath's Roost on the eastern border of Mistledale. Its stone cottages are simple, one-story constructions, but most include two or three subterranean levels, often connected to other buildings by paved and well-lit tunnels. The people of Glen work underground in a complex called the Deep Mine; a single subterranean elevator provides access to this mine. The Deep Mine in turn connects to the Long Road, an Underdark highway running south under the Sea of Fallen Stars. Trade caravans travel between Glen and dwarven cities in the Underdark, taking about three months to complete the journey. The dwarves of Glen operate a special trade in dragon eggs. Glen merchants sell rare mushrooms collected in the Underdark for exorbitant prices and use the proceeds to buy dragon eggs, storing them under the village in temperature-controlled cellars. This operation is kept secret, but the Cult of the Dragon has heard the story. The cult's efforts to steal the eggs have run afoul of Glen's diligent citizens, who protect the Deep Mine and the entrance to the Long Road against subterranean threats.  #### Peldan's Helm North of the Barrowfield, the small village of Peldan's Helm lies along the dangerous western edge of Mistledale. A stout stone wall protects the village, and the gate is never opened between sunset and sunrise, even for known travelers, as [Ghosts](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/ghost-xmm.md) from the Barrowfield have been known to possess folk and use them to gain entrance. Recently, goblins have laid siege to Peldan's Hold twice, so bell ringers now stand ready at all times to send a call for help to Ashabenford—whose militia is a day's ride away. ### Scardale Historically, Scardale has been one of the most influential of the dales. It benefits from clear geographical boundaries, a large population, and flourishing trade. But Scardale has a foul reputation as a home for would-be conquerors, and it has suffered many setbacks, including a terrible plague. Now, under a new ruler, the people of this realm are eager to reclaim Scardale's status as the wealthiest, most powerful, and most important dale. Scardale lies within the Scar, a high-sided gorge that begins at Feather Falls, following the River Ashaba through the towns of Chandlerscross and Scarsdeep until it reaches Scardale Town and the Sea of Falling Stars. The Scar's width varies between fifteen to twenty miles, and the land along the shores of the river is excellent for ranching and farming. Legend has it the gorge was cut by Corellon during a legendary duel with Gruumsh. The River Ashaba flows through Scardale, and countless farms, mills, and ranches line its shore. The current here is swift, as the river rushes from waterfall to river mouth, but the river is too shallow for oceangoing vessels to traverse. Merchants from outside the Dalelands travel to Scardale Town to barter with local traders, who then make the laborious journey upstream to sell goods in Chandlerscross. Scardale's most infamous citizen was Lord Lashan Aumersair, who was a descendant of the legendary archmage Elminster and attempted to conquer the dales. An alliance of many Realms defeated Lashan, and for a time Scardale was ruled by a coalition of the victors of this war. Sembia, Scardale's chief trading partner, even managed to assimilate Scardale for a time. Then the infamous fallen paladin Scyllua Darkhope seized control, armed with a will declaring her Lashan's heir. Proving the apple hadn't fallen far from the tree, Scyllua also led a conquest of the dales. More successful than her father, she was nevertheless slain in turn when the folk of Shadowdale rebelled under her rule. The current ruler of Scardale is her tiefling son, Lord Kharu Aumersair. Details on Kharu can be found in "Scardale Town" below. Among Scardale's legacies is the [Shaking Plague](/3-Mechanics/CLI/diseases.md#Shaking%20Plague). This magical sickness killed two-thirds of the population of Scardale Town when it erupted over a century ago, and it still surfaces occasionally in the towns along the river. > [!embed-disease]- Shaking Plague >  #### Chandlerscross The busy town of Chandlerscross is positioned near the foot of Feather Falls. Unlike the cosmopolitan Scardale Town, Chandlerscross is inhabited almost entirely by farmers, ranchers, and artisans whose families have been here for generations. The town is patrolled by a diligent and well-mannered militia. The ruler of the town is the wood elf Abyssa Whitelock (Medium, Lawful Evil [Gladiator](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/gladiator-xmm.md)), a former adventurer; she watches outsiders closely before quickly and politely urging them to move along. Those who refuse are first thrown into the town jail, then evicted from the town. While Scardale Town was at its most lawless, Chandlerscross temporarily became the capital of the dale, but locals are happy the town has since returned to a quiet life of obscurity, unbothered by Sembians, the Zhentarim, and local crime guilds. Travelers seeking to go upriver from here must carry their boats along a laborious portage route up the edge of the Scar. #### Scarsdeep Oceangoing vessels can't navigate all the way upriver to Chandlerscross. The town of Scarsdeep was founded where most such vessels are forced to turn around. A comparatively young settlement, Scarsdeep draws in farmers and merchants looking to expand their market. Entrepreneurs frequently found new businesses to capitalize on this growth, and the main street of Scarsdeep is crowded with taverns, inns, gambling houses, and more, all competing for the attention and coin of newcomers. The cliffs of the Scar nearest Scarsdeep are home to a nasty group of bandits called the Deep Daggers. They shelter in an abandoned dwarven mine they've renovated, blocking off shafts that lead to the Underdark. Most of the gang are Bandit Scofflaws, led by several [Bandit Captains](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/bandit-captain-xmm.md) who answer to a mysterious rock gnome using the alias Scarless Jon (Small, Neutral Evil [Bandit Deceiver](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/bandit-deceiver-xmm.md)). Jon pretends to be a simple tinker in Scarsdeep while casing potential robbery sites. > [!quote] A quote from Alias > > This so-called 'Lord Aumersair' promises peace, law, and order. But I have heard these promises before. Men like him make good folk close their eyes to fell deeds, adding evil to evil until everyone is caught in its web. ### Scardale Town Scardale Town is the capital of Scardale and was once the largest city in the Dalelands, but its fortunes have waxed and waned over the years. After a long period of rebuilding, Scardale Town is growing into a proper city once more. About five thousand people call this settlement home, but the dockside neighborhood is crowded with merchants, travelers, and adventurers from across Faerûn. Adventurers can find items worth up to 2,000 GP in Scardale Town's many markets, and potentially more valuable items in the cargo of ships docked at port.  #### Lord Kharu Aumersair Lord Kharu Aumersair (Medium, Lawful Evil [Noble Prodigy](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/noble-prodigy-xmm.md)) is the ruler of Scardale and the tiefling son of the infamous fallen paladin Scyllua Darkhope, Scardale's previous ruler. Scyllua's claim to the throne of Scardale was based on a written document, supposedly the testament of Lashan Aumersair, claiming that Scyllua was his daughter. Kharu's right to rule is also based on this document. But Scyllua had deep ties to the Zhentarim, which benefited greatly from her rise to power in Scardale, and many Dalefolk believe the document establishing her as Lashan's heir was forged by Zhents. If the letter were ever proven to be forged, Kharu Aumersair's right to rule Scardale would evaporate. To shore up his power in Scardale Town, Kharu has forged alliances with the town's local criminal syndicates, giving them free rein dockside as long as they help him contain the Zhentarim, the Red Wizards, and economic aggression from Sembia. Kharu is charismatic and brings order to Scardale's docks and byways; the townsfolk put up with a certain amount of political corruption if it means they can safely walk the streets at night. If Kharu can indeed bring peace to this infamously lawless city, the people seem likely to accept his rule, but rivals like the Zhentarim and Sembia are eager to see him fall, and they intend to seize power for themselves or simply allow Scardale Town to fall back into chaos. #### Crime in Scardale Three criminal syndicates—the Dancers, the Shaker Gang, and the Stallions—compete in Scardale Town. The Dancers is a gang of well-armed [Toughs](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/tough-xmm.md) with a lucrative protection racket, fleecing merchant ships and port businesses. The gang's leader is a halfling named Finchley (Small, Chaotic Evil [Tough Boss](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/tough-boss-xmm.md)). The Shaker Gang runs gambling operations throughout the city as a cover for its extensive burglary operations. The human Boss Eli Sneed (Medium, Neutral Evil [Bandit Crime Boss](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/bandit-crime-lord-xmm.md)) commands the Shaker Gang from his palatial mansion overlooking the river. Finally, the Stallions is a band of [Pirates](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/pirate-xmm.md) based out of the *Sea Stallion*, a wrecked galley outside Scar Harbor; the gang's primary business is smuggling, but it also hires out for short seafaring exploits if the money is good. The gang is led by the wood elf Captain Walenna Eventide (Medium, Chaotic Neutral [Pirate Captain](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/pirate-captain-xmm.md)). These three syndicates fought turf wars years ago and nearly destroyed each other; now they eye each other warily but usually leave each other alone. There's one thing Scardale Town's three crime syndicates can agree on: foreign powers should never again be allowed to rule the dale. It is for this reason that they've agreed to work with Lord Aumersair, regardless of his dubious claims. #### Noteworthy Places Scardale Town is a great port at the mouth of the River Ashaba. Scar Harbor is easily defensible with a narrow entrance leading to Port Ashaba, around which most of the town is built. The river is crossed by two bridges: the smaller Dawnstar Bridge in the west and the larger Anvil Bridge halfway through the city. The eastern half of the town is dominated by Port Ashaba. Several inns and taverns cater to Scardale's diverse population. The Spouting Fish and the Fatted Calf are among the quietest, while the Singing Siren is infamous for its rowdy brawls. The Zhentarim uses the Dragon's Tail as a base of operations. The oldest religious buildings in town are shrines to Tymora and Tempus that have survived the town's many calamities. The orc Sigora Swordwise (Medium, Chaotic Neutral [Priest](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/priest-xmm.md)) maintains the shrine to Tempus, and the high elf Rhodantha Sneed (Medium, Chaotic Good [Archpriest](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/archpriest-xmm.md)), who is married to the leader of the Shaker gang (see above), tends the shrine to Tymora. ##### Four Dolphins Fountain The famous Four Dolphins Fountain, which depicts four leaping dolphins, lies near the port. It's surrounded by a courtyard where tourists and criminals gather. But the fountain's real claim to fame is a powerful magical effect that allows individuals within the courtyard to meet privately without being scried on. Kharu Aumersair uses this property of the fountain to meet with the leaders of the town's various criminal syndicates. ##### Harborwatch Keep Harborwatch Keep, the ancestral home of the Aumersair dynasty, stands on the far east end of town, overlooking the entrance to Scar Harbor and Port Ashaba. The central stronghold is an impressive round tower buttressed by a curtain wall facing the sea that protects from bombardment. Lord Aumersair wants Scardale Town to become the permanent host for the Dales Council, so he's renovating the keep to make it as comfortable and attractive to his fellow rulers as possible. Ambassadors from Scardale's major trading partners—including Cormyr, Sembia, and the other dales—keep ambassadors here. The human ambassador from Sembia is Dian Selkirk (Medium, Neutral [Spy Master](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/spy-master-xmm.md)); she's busy creating a network of informers in town. ##### Thayan Enclave The Red Wizards of Thay maintain a modest walled enclave in Scardale Town. The wizard in charge is a human named Jenla Hal (Medium, Lawful Evil [Archmage](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/archmage-xmm.md)), and she is assisted by [Mages](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/mage-xmm.md) and a garrison of [Warrior Veterans](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/warrior-veteran-xmm.md) and [Guards](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/guard-xmm.md). As usual with such enclaves, the land within is considered Thayan territory, but Jenla keeps a low profile and abides by the lord's laws in an attempt to win him over and become his chief adviser. The Red Wizards trade in Common and Uncommon magic items. Jenla might acquire a Rare magic item for a character willing to do her a favor. > [!gallery] >  >  ### Shadowdale > [!quote] A quote from Alias > > "I have many memories of the Old Skull Inn, where my > > sisters in the Company of the Swanmays and I spent > > warm and pleasant evenings sharing tales with > > Jhaele Silvermane. All those memories are false. > > I know that now. But I cannot let them go." In Shadowdale, proud and stubborn families work their farms, mind their own business, and share mugs of ale with legendary adventurers. Meanwhile, the Zhentarim, evil drow from the Underdark, and other malevolent forces gather in the eaves of the forest and in subterranean tunnels, threatening the peace that generations of Dalefolk have purchased with blood and tears. More than one invasion or would-be tyrant has been stopped at Shadowdale. The largest settlement in Shadowdale is Shadowdale Town (see below), and farmsteads, cottages, and cabins can be found throughout the forest. When it comes to claiming land in Shadowdale, there's an old truism: build close enough to see your neighbor's chimney but far enough away that you can't hear your neighbors quarrel. Shadowdale has historically chosen its rulers by popular acclaim, selecting adventurers who've done the people of Shadowdale a great service or otherwise proven their valor and selflessness. The current ruler, Khara Sulwood, is the great-granddaughter of the former lord of Shadowdale, Doust Sulwood, but her true claim to the loyalty of her subjects is that she helped repel an assault on the town decades ago. Lady Sulwood is assisted by a loyal bodyguard named Tharinel. More information on Lady Sulwood and Tharinel can be found in "Shadowdale Town" below. The two primary travel routes through Shadowdale are the Northride and the River Ashaba. The Northride is a well-maintained but dangerous road leading north from the rebuilt town of Tilverton through winding hills that provide havens for robbers and cutthroats; this region is called the Shadow Gap and marks the border of Shadowdale. Merchants using the Northride continue through the forest to the town of Voonlar, Shadowdale's longtime rival. Militia patrol the Northride, but guarding the road has become a rite of passage for novice adventuring parties. The River Ashaba runs south from Daggerdale through Shadowdale Town and into the forest of Cormanthor. The river is wide and shallow, and minor flooding is common every spring. Many orc families live along the river's edge and offer ferry services for travelers, for the only nearby bridge across the river is in Shadowdale Town. The forests of Shadowdale are home to fey, including goblins of the Broken Bones clan and an extended family of centaurs called the Sylvan Guardians. These fey make travel through the forest dangerous. #### Castle Krag Thousands of years ago, drow built the first Castle Krag, including a large central tower and adjoining wall. Over time, however, the fortress has been home to many groups who have wished ill on the people of Shadowdale, including the Zhentarim, followers of Bane, and simple bandits. The castle has burned to the ground more than once, but as new inhabitants moved in, they have tried to clear, rebuild, renovate, and expand the old structure. Now, it is a sprawling half-buried labyrinth, home to undead, forest creatures, and outlaws. #### Freedale Freedale was founded two centuries ago on the banks of the River Ashaba. The goal of the town's founders was to create a new, independent dale. Like so many other would-be dales, however, Freedale briefly flourished, struggled, and eventually collapsed. Now, abandoned buildings fill the center of town, and the few families who remain live in log cabins on the outskirts. The Evening Star Inn, an establishment that mostly caters to orc fishers, continues to be operated by the Starlight family. Recently several youths in the village—would-be adventurers—have claimed the unstable ruins of the Red Dragon Tavern their headquarters. They meet there in their free time to plan ambitious explorations. Freedale was once home to a reclusive wizard who resided in a tower on the edge of town. This tower still stands but is long-abandoned and avoided by the locals. See "Dalelands Adventures" later in this chapter for more on Freedale.  #### Shallain Freehold Generations ago, the Shallain family of halflings built a walled homestead on the northwest border of Shadowdale. The current matriarch of the halfling family, Sunflower Shallain (Small, Neutral Good [Druid](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/druid-xmm.md)), welcomes travelers, hoping to enlist them to deter goblin raiders, gnolls, and other dangerous creatures that threaten the homestead. The freehold sits atop a low hill and encompasses a dozen wooden buildings surrounded by a wall of sharpened logs. The Shallain family numbers about thirty. They keep a herd of goats that graze by day and shelter within the freehold walls at night. #### Spiderhaunt Wood The Spiderhaunt Wood along the Northride is a den for countless spiders and related creatures, including [Giant Spiders](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/beast/giant-spider-xmm.md), [Giant Wolf Spiders](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/beast/giant-wolf-spider-xmm.md), [Phase Spiders](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/monstrosity/phase-spider-xmm.md), and [Ettercaps](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/monstrosity/ettercap-xmm.md). Alchemists, assassins, and wizards come to Spiderhaunt Wood to collect arachnid venom and other rare ingredients. A single trail through the forest, the Arachnid Pathway, leads west from Stormpemhauder, a village primarily consisting of forest gnomes, to Lake Melishar, one of the few places in the woods spiders don't go. The pathway ends at the tower of Gothyl, a long-dead wizard who tried and failed to become a lich. Some believe Gothyl's tower is the resting place of the *Sword of the Dales*, a legendary [+3 Longsword](/3-Mechanics/CLI/items/3-weapon-xdmg.md) with additional unknown properties; the sword was once used in an effort to unite the dales under a single ruler. #### Tomb of Damara South of Shadowdale Town stands an abandoned castle that was once home to the benevolent wizard Damara. Damara possessed a potent orb reputed to have various magical properties (see "chapter 8" for the [Orb of Damara](/3-Mechanics/CLI/items/orb-of-damara-fraif.md)). But he perished at the hands of an ogre warlord named Bonegnasher, who brought an army of gnolls and hobgoblins into the castle to search for the orb. The orb was never found. Bonegnasher is long dead, and now he—along with the unliving corpses of his minions—haunts the castle. Moreover, in his tireless search for the orb, Bonegnasher ordered extensive tunnels dug under the castle, tunnels that might have broken into the Underdark. For more information on this location, see "The Tomb of Damara" later in this chapter. ### Shadowdale Town Located where the North Ride crosses the River Ashaba at a key bridge, Shadowdale Town is a sleepy community of about 1,500 people in the shadow of the Old Skull, a hill of pale, volcanic rock covered in lichen and grass. Shepherds graze their herds on the hill's grassy slopes, and children play atop the hill's summit. Tunnels beneath the hill extend to the Underdark, and drow invaders have used the Old Skull as an invasion route multiple times. Lady Khara Sulwood (Medium, Lawful Good [Knight](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/knight-xmm.md)) is the human ruler of the town and has been in power for a generation. She wears the *Pendant of Ashaba*, an Artifact that represents her authority and sustains powerful wards protecting the town. Tharinel (Medium, Neutral Good [Guard Captain](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/guard-captain-xmm.md)) is Lady Sulwood's most trusted ally and bodyguard, having been at her side most of her life. #### Sage of Shadowdale Shadowdale Town has been home to some of the greatest heroes of Faerûn, most notably Elminster and Storm Silverhand. A great archmage and former Chosen of Mystra, Elminster lived in a former windmill on the southern edge of the Old Skull. The humble, three-story structure, covered in vines and magically restored after being nearly destroyed by assassins serving Shar, has been locked up and abandoned for a decade now. Elminster hasn't been seen in all that time. An old sign still stands along a path leading to the door, reading "No trespassing. Violators should notify next of kin. Have a pleasant day." The tower's exterior is crowded with lean-tos and other patchwork constructions that once held Elminster's vast collection of books and magical trinkets. All these storage facilities are now empty, however. Elminster protected Shadowdale—and indeed all of Faerûn—for centuries. It would be foolish to assume he's dead, and equally foolish to trespass in his home, so everyone gives the tower a wide berth while expecting the old wizard to show up one day as if no time had passed. A few times a year, a figure is spotted moving around inside the tower, but they're always gone by morning. #### Noteworthy Places Shadowdale Town includes temples to Tymora and Lathander; a general store; stables; a central well; and many workshops maintained by the town's blacksmiths, carpenters, and other crafters. A mill lies south along the river, while farms line the north shore. ##### Druid's Grove North of town, well within the forest, stands a circle of ancient menhirs. Long ago, this circle was used by a group of druids, but as Shadowdale Town grew, the druids retreated deeper into the forest of Cormanthor, and this grove was abandoned. Many fey live in and around this circle, and the border with the Feywild is thin here. Individuals with the proper knowledge can use this stone circle to travel anywhere in Faerûn or the Feywild. ##### House of the Lady The House of the Lady is a temple to Tymora on the far west end of town that doubles as a gambling hall and tavern. The domed temple proper is protected by a square stone wall. The wall also encloses outbuildings for the temple staff and occasional guests. The temple is overseen by the halfling priest Marigold Gambol (Small, Chaotic Good [Priest](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/priest-xmm.md)), a lifelong resident of Shadowdale. Marigold considers herself Shadowdale's chief protector now that Elminster is gone. She works tirelessly in the shadows to collect rumors and keep an eye on strangers in town. In public, she appears carefree, but she is quick to pull influential residents aside to remind them of the threat posed by drow cultists or the Zhentarim. ##### Morningdawn Hall Shadowdale's first temple to Lathander, Morningdawn Hall, was an ostentatious landmark: a magically constructed edifice in the shape of a phoenix with its wings outstretched. But that temple was destroyed long ago. A replacement was funded by adventurers eager for curative magic after repeated expeditions to the Underdark, and it better suits the insular and unobtrusive folk of Shadowdale. It boasts a tall spire rising from an eastward-facing prayer hall. Adjoining buildings house clergy and lay assistants. The new temple retains the name of the original. The high elf priest of Lathander is Adanar the Open-Handed (Medium, Neutral Good [Priest](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/priest-xmm.md)), a former adventurer who lives in the spire. Although he's known for his commanding and charismatic presence, Adanar finds joy in the quiet personal acts of his faith, tending to the people of Shadowdale and providing them wise counsel. Adanar's magic is modest, but he does have a [Spell Scroll](/3-Mechanics/CLI/items/spell-scroll-xdmg.md) of [Raise Dead](/3-Mechanics/CLI/spells/raise-dead-xphb.md). ##### Old Skull Inn The Old Skull Inn is one of the most famous meeting spots for adventurers in Faerûn. Its three stories include a large ground floor taproom and almost thirty sleeping rooms, each with a colorful name like "Numpkin's Rest," "The Onyx," or "The Huntsman's Room." Cellars connect to catacombs beneath Old Skull hill and provide access to the Underdark. The current proprietor, the halfling Mungo Silvermane (Small, Neutral Good [Commoner](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/commoner-xmm.md)), is still earning the trust of the regulars, but he has a practical head on his shoulders and a knack for puns. He's put this latter talent into practice with weekly pun contests; the winner of each event gets their tab cleared. Any trouble in the inn is rapidly put down by well-armed patrons. A few Common magic items are usually available in the inn, offered for sale by adventurers eager to sell loot. ##### Tower of Ashaba The Tower of Ashaba is a stone fortress raised by ancient and evil powers long ago. An off-balance tower rises five stories from a tall, square, stone stronghold; this tower's bizarre shape has earned it the name "the Twisted Tower." The tower was a stronghold for drow cultists until the water wizard Ashaba drove them out four hundred years ago and became the first lord of Shadowdale. The rulers of Shadowdale have dwelled here ever since, fighting off assaults by Zhentarim, would-be tyrants, and others. Lady Sulwood is master of the tower now and maintains a garrison of a hundred [Guards](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/guard-xmm.md) under Tharinel's command. The tower's three subterranean levels include entrances to the Underdark, only some of which have collapsed or been sealed off. > [!gallery] >  >  ### Tasseldale  Tasseldale is a land of wide-open spaces. The twelve villages, or tassels, of Tasseldale are connected by the Tasselway, a road that cuts through rolling, mist-covered grassland crisscrossed with streams flowing north into the River Ashaba. The most notable tassels include Archtassel, Arrowmark, Glaun, Halfcrag, Moontassel, Tasselheart, and Tegal's Mark. The others are so small as to be mere hamlets, with no more than a few dozen buildings. The people of Tasseldale are proud farmers, ranchers, and crafters. Tasseldale is synonymous with the forging of excellent swords; the capital of Tegal's Mark is the heart of this tradition. The ruler of Tasseldale is Grand Marshair Rora Rudiland (Medium, Lawful Good [Warrior Commander](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/warrior-commander-xmm.md)), a devotee of Tyr and graduate of the Abbey of the Just Hammer (see below). She is advised by the Elder Council, consisting of one representative from each of the twelve tassels. An excellent swordfighter, Rora inspects the work of Tasseldale's swordsmiths in an annual fair held in the capital of Tegal's Mark. The dale is defended by the Marshairs, a company of sixty mounted warriors who patrol the dale and keep the peace; in time of war, however, Tasseldale can raise a large militia of veteran swordfighters, many of whom carry high-quality swords passed down as family heirlooms. Among the other dales, Tasseldale has a long rivalry with neighboring Archendale. The roots of this dispute stretch back into murky history, but the heart of it seems to lie with a murdered forester in the Arch Wood, on the border between the two dales. This feud erupts into violence every generation, as hotheaded youths grow weary of the cautionary tales told them by elders and seek out their rivals under cover of the trees. Tasseldale's long relationship with its wealthy, aggressive neighbor Sembia has shaped this realm and its people. Other folk of the Dalelands dismiss the people of Tasseldale as weak-willed compromisers who give in to Sembia's every demand in order to avoid being conquered. But those who dwell in Tasseldale know that Sembia can't be countered through force; diplomacy and strength of character will always win the day. This was proven true when Sembia invaded decades ago. When the effort stalled, Sembia sent in enough mercenaries to finish the job, but the cost in blood and treasure proved too high. About fifteen years ago, Sembia retreated from Tasseldale, returning the realm to independent rule. #### Abbey of the Just Hammer The Abbey of the Just Hammer is dedicated to Tyr and, along with the Monastery of the Sun Soul, is responsible for the taming of the Dun Hills. The abbey was the site of a legendary battle when Deren Eriach, Lord High Justicar of the abbey, slew the ancient green dragon Sirvinhandra with a [Holy Avenger (Greataxe)](/3-Mechanics/CLI/items/holy-avenger-xdmg.md) dubbed the Axe of Heavenly Fire. The axe went on to be wielded by a succession of heroes but has been returned to the abbey and is now displayed above the foremost altar to Tyr. Sirvinhandra's lair was never found, though green dragons have since been sighted in the region. The abbey provides legal education to citizens of Tasseldale, making it one of the few places for advanced education anywhere in the Dalelands. Lawyers and judges who complete their training at the abbey are offered lucrative employment throughout the Heartlands, but many help the poor and unfortunate instead. #### Glaun Bog The Glaun Bog is a fetid swamp west of the Dun Hills, home to [Perytons](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/monstrosity/peryton-xmm.md), [Trolls](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/giant/troll-xmm.md), [Will-o'-Wisps](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/will-o-wisp-xmm.md), [Wyverns](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/dragon/wyvern-xmm.md), and countless goblins. Pits of quicksand make travel perilous, and at the center of the bog lie ancient barrows inhabited by [Wights](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/wight-xmm.md). But the bog is rich in iron deposits, and swordsmiths of Tasseldale covet this iron for their work. Fortunately, locals from the village of Glaun know the bog well. They have learned how to avoid the worst of the bog's dangers, and they venture in to gather iron for smelting and peat for burning. Adventurers looking to explore the bog would be wise to hire one of these locals as a guide.  #### Monastery of the Sun Soul Centuries ago, monks following a path known as the Way of the Sun Soul selected a ruined fortress in the Dun Hills as their new home. They rebuilt the Monastery of the Sun Soul despite frequent goblin raids, and ever since, the monks have cooperated with the Abbey of the Just Hammer to keep Tasseldale safe. The monks accept every prospective student who comes to their door, but the grueling training regimen repels many students, and others tire of the monastic life. The monks' philosophy emphasizes intense spiritual discipline that focuses the soul into a fiery source of blazing power. Students unusually attached to wealth and a desire for money receive the most rigorous training and scrutiny. #### Tegal's Mark The capital of Tasseldale is Tegal's Mark, a picturesque village situated between two forested hills and surrounded by gardens that include a shrine to Chauntea. An old elven watchtower known as the Sharburg was long ago repurposed and now functions as the home to Grand Marshair Rora Rudiland. Rora hosts the Tassel Elders at the Sharburg, and the fortress also houses barracks for her Marshairs and a dismal dungeon for prisoners. Tegal's Mark is where the dale's legacy for sword smithing got its start, as the village was founded by the swordsmith Tegal centuries ago. Adventurers seeking excellent swords travel here from across Faerûn. But the smiths of Tasseldale are infamously picky about whom they deal with, turning away buyers they judge beneath their efforts while making others wait for long periods at one of the village's many taverns, including the Markhouse, the Royal Flagon, and the Sword and Sash, the latter of which boasts the village's only theatrical stage. The village includes dozens of vacation homes owned by wealthy Sembian families. These opulent manors are empty most of the year, and locals have come to resent them. Outlaws occasionally take refuge in these houses, and they're often burgled, all of which has led their Sembian owners to protect them with layers of security including locks, deadly traps, mechanical guardians, and magical wards. Several Sembian merchant companies keep warehouses and administrative offices here, making Tassel's Mark an even more lucrative target for thieves. ## Dalelands Stories The Dalelands is a place for adventure in the oldest D&D tradition, and at its heart lies the forested megadungeon of Myth Drannor.  ### Classic Heroic Fantasy A wizard's abandoned tower rises on the edge of town. An insidious cult hides its ghastly rituals in a warren of caves. Drow cultists raid from the Underdark. Hostile and benevolent fey fill the nearby forest, within which a dragon makes its lair. These are elements of classic heroic fantasy adventure, and they perfectly describe life in the Dalelands. This makes the Dalelands particularly appropriate for DMs and players who enjoy D&D's most well-established tropes. This aspect of the Dalelands also makes it a good place to set adventures originally written for other settings. Locations such as the Keep on the Borderlands and nearby Caves of Chaos, both detailed in D&D Starter Set: Heroes of the Borderlands, fit well here, as do the Sunless Citadel and Forge of Fury, both detailed in the adventure anthology *Tales from the Yawning Portal*. ### A Home Worth Defending A campaign in the Dalelands could involve the characters building a home and legacy while defending themselves from dangerous forest creatures, Zhentarim agents, and mysterious menaces from the Underdark. In a campaign of this sort, the characters make up a family and friends who inhabit a Dalelands homestead. The head of the family might be a retired adventurer, or there might be former adventurers in the family's ancestry. Other characters have prominent roles around the homestead as, for example, the blacksmith, cook, or herder. The challenges of running the homestead can mix with the combat and exploration present in any D&D campaign. Adventure can also come to the homestead. Goblin, hobgoblin, and bugbear bandits raid from the eaves of the forest. Moander's corruption of Cormanthor creates blights and bizarre monsters that threaten everyone in the dale. Zhentarim agents try to buy property that stands atop buried caches of treasure, and when the owners refuse to sell, the Zhents respond with threats and violence. As the homestead grows, it draws ever more attention from enemies and jealous rivals. And the characters also travel, going to Shadowdale Town or Scardale Town to sell their wares, resupply, and get the latest gossip. They go on adventures when, for example, a member of the family falls victim to a magical contagion and the only cure lies buried in Myth Drannor. Finally, when danger threatens families throughout the dale, the characters rise to leadership roles, uniting the dale together and marshaling a common defense. Eventually, the characters join the local council, adopt titles, or are elected leaders of the dale. ### Adventures in Myth Drannor The vast, ruined city of Myth Drannor provides endless adventure in a fantastic, magical locale. While you can make exploring Myth Drannor the focus for a campaign, you might begin with brief expeditions into the city. The party might need to recover a magical heirloom lost within Myth Drannor or stop the Cult of the Dragon from exploiting an ancient elven magical experiment. In a campaign focused on Myth Drannor, the city is a sandbox the characters explore at their own pace. Give them opportunities to research the city and learn where to investigate next. When they're low level, the characters probe the outskirts of the city, where woodland beasts and fey are common. As the characters gain experience, they can enter Myth Drannor proper, where they encounter ancient elven mysteries, roving fiends, and rival treasure hunters. Eventually, the characters explore the city center and the wreckage of Thultanthar, battling phaerimm and Netherese creatures altered by long exposure to the Shadowfell. In between their excursions into Myth Drannor, the characters can undertake adventures in other parts of the Dalelands.  ## Dalelands Conflicts Each dale in the Dalelands has its own local problems, ranging from goblin bandits to a hungry dragon. But the threat of Moander, god of rot and corruption, looms over the Dalelands as a whole. ### Heroes of the Dalelands Conflict in a campaign focused on exploring the Dalelands doesn't come from one villain in particular. Instead, the adventurers pit themselves against disparate threats all over the Dalelands. As the party goes from one dale to another, they meet and befriend important NPCs, solve problems, and rise in notoriety and power. An important element of this is the party's role restoring the village of Freedale; success in this venture encourages rulers throughout the Dalelands to treat the characters as equals. #### Heroic Goals This campaign is driven by the goals of the characters—to explore the Dalelands, help Dalefolk, and bring peace and prosperity to the dales—not the goals of a single insidious villain. #### A Dalelands Arc The adventurers' rise to fame in the Dalelands might follow this broad outline. ##### Levels 1–4 The characters come together in the Old Skull Inn, where they're hired to recover a book from a lost library. Use "The Lost Library of Lethchauntos" in chapter 7. Their success on this quest brings them to the attention of Lady Sulwood, who sends them on the adventure "The Tomb of Damara" in this chapter. ##### Levels 5–10 Now proven heroes, the party is asked to return prosperity and hope to Freedale. You can use "Restoring Freedale" in this chapter. The characters become the rulers of Freedale, with one character sitting on the Dales Council. In further adventures, the characters travel to each dale, solving problems and earning goodwill. You can use "The Temple of Transmutation" in this chapter as part of this story. The party might even eventually try to recover the legendary Sword of the Dales and unite the Dalelands! ### Moander, God of Rot Moander is the god of corruption and rot, and heroes in the Dalelands have battled him for centuries. The hero Alias left Moander's rotting corpse on a hill in Cormanthor. But a god isn't so easily killed. #### Moander's Goals Moander's ultimate goal is nothing less than the corruption of Toril itself. To attain this goal, Moander corrupts the forest of Cormanthor and seeks to consume the magic of Myth Drannor. #### A Moander Arc The conflict between adventurers and Moander might follow this broad outline. ##### Levels 1–4 Adventurers encounter Moander's corruption when they enter Cormanthor, where [Twig Blights](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/plant/twig-blight-xmm.md), [Needle Blights](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/plant/needle-blight-xmm.md), and [Vine Blights](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/plant/vine-blight-xmm.md) have made roads and trails dangerous. The party can follow the trail back to a fetid pit of rotting vegetation, home to a [Gibbering Mouther](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/aberration/gibbering-mouther-xmm.md). ##### Levels 5–10 The party is tasked with investigating the Citadel of Fungi. [Shambling Mounds](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/plant/shambling-mound-xmm.md) and [Tree Blights](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/plant/tree-blight-xmm.md) prey on anything that comes near. An [Aberrant Cultist](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/aberrant-cultist-xmm.md) rules the citadel, protected by a [Violet Fungus Necrohulk](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/plant/violet-fungus-necrohulk-xmm.md). ##### Levels 11–16 The characters descend into Rotting Gorge, a vast underground maze of slimy mushroom-covered caverns, home to [Spores of Moander](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/plant/spore-of-moander-fraif.md), a [Gulthias Blight](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/plant/gulthias-blight-xmm.md), and an [Adult Green Dragon](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/dragon/adult-green-dragon-xmm.md). A [Death Tyrant](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/death-tyrant-xmm.md), reanimated by Moander's evil magic, hates its own existence. With its dying breath, it warns the characters that Moander seeks to return in a form so hungry and destructive no one can stand against it. ##### Levels 17–20 Moander manifests as a [Blob of Annihilation](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/ooze/blob-of-annihilation-xmm.md) to enter Myth Drannor and feed on the ancient magic of the broken city, becoming even more powerful. > [!quote] A quote from Alias > > Perhaps leaving the stinking corpse of the god of corruption to rot in a magic forest was less than wise, but what were we to do? It swallowed me, then we were flying, there was a portal, and... It's a long story.  ## DM's Toolbox This section provides tools useful for adventures in the Dalelands. ### Renown in the Dalelands You can use the renown rules in "chapter 3" of the "Dungeon Master's Guide" to track the relationships the party builds with each dale. Track renown for each dale separately, so a character might have higher renown with Shadowdale than with Scardale. Characters who complete adventures that benefit all the Dalelands gain renown with every dale. #### Dale Renown Characters gain renown with a dale when they defend it from danger, explore adventure sites there, and contribute to the health and prosperity of its citizens (by, for example, providing healing magic or employing locals in useful trades). Individual dales might have other ways to gain renown and have unique rewards. For example, Daggerdale might grant renown for recovering dwarven relics from Tethyamar.  ### Dalelands Bastions The adventure "Restoring Freedale" in this chapter establishes the characters as the leaders of Freedale, a village that was once the heart of its own small dale—and that might rise to that status again. Freedale becomes the party's Bastion, with the village's buildings serving as the Bastion's facilities. As the characters' Bastion grows larger, they reclaim and rebuild more of the village. If the characters can befriend Freedale's remaining inhabitants, the village's citizens will support the characters in their effort to bring peace and prosperity to Freedale once again. #### Bastion Characters This section describes unique individuals in Free-dale who might assist the characters as hirelings. ##### New Knights of Myth Drannor Teens who call themselves the New Knights of Myth Drannor have made the ruined Red Dragon Tavern their clubhouse. At first, they're skeptical of anyone who claims to be an adventurer, but once they see the characters in action, they become the party's biggest fans. They graciously make the characters honorary New Knights of Myth Drannor and welcome them into the clubhouse; they also try to tag along on any adventures and pester the characters to teach them adventuring skills. The teens could serve as hirelings or even Bastion Defenders. ##### Orebreaker the Smith The oldest person in Freedale is an ancient dwarf named Orebreaker. Although he's famous as one of the greatest blacksmiths in the Dalelands, most people assume he died long ago. Orebreaker misses the hustle and bustle of Freedale's glory days, and if a character constructs a Smithy in their Bastion, Orebreaker offers his services. ##### Starlight Family The Starlight family runs the Evening Star Inn and includes Patric and Emma Starlight and their children Ban, Nissa, and Woolsey. The lack of trade and travel in Freedale has left the family in dire straits. If the party completes "Restoring Freedale" and makes the village safe for travelers again, Patric and Emma volunteer to assist the party as hirelings. The Starlights would serve best in a facility such as a Garden or Storehouse. ##### Taran Goldenstar Taran Goldenstar is a self-styled "elflord" skilled in swordplay and arcane magic. He has dwelled in Freedale for two centuries and knows every inch of the surrounding forest. The characters win Taran's friendship if they destroy the [Orb of Damara](/3-Mechanics/CLI/items/orb-of-damara-fraif.md) after completing the adventure "The Tomb of Damara "; he then offers to assist them as a hireling, serving in an Arcane Study, Armory, or Barrack.  ### Encounters in Cormanthor Roll `1d20` on the Cormanthor Encounters below to generate encounters in Cormanthor. Alternatively, roll `1d10` if the party is exploring away from Myth Drannor, `1d10 + 5` if the party is exploring near Myth Drannor, or `1d10 + 10` if the party is inside the city walls. > [!embed-table]- Cormanthor Encounters >  ## The Tomb of Damara - **A Location (Dalelands) Adventure for Level 3 Characters** *Recover an artifact from an undead ogre.* - **Situation.** The spirit of the ogre warlord Bonegnasher grows restless and seeks Damara's fabled orb. - **Hook.** Lady Khara Sulwood calls the characters to Shadowdale Town and asks them to enter the Tomb of Damara and destroy Bonegnasher, who has returned from death. Bonegnasher has captured a Dalefolk family, the Silverstars, but Sulwood doesn't know why. Sulwood offers to pay each character 100 GP and suggests the tomb might have other plunder. ### Encounters Bonegnasher dwells in a ruined castle with subterranean tunnels. Use the map on this page, with the characters entering via the area labeled "Start." The following encounters happen in the corresponding areas. #### Barrack and Great Hall Two [Ghouls](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/ghoul-xmm.md) dwell in the barrack. If creatures enter the barrack or make loud noises in the great hall, the monsters pounce. #### Prison The four members of the Silverstar family (Medium [Commoners](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/commoner-xmm.md)) are being kept prisoner here in the corner cell. A [Hobgoblin Captain](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/fey/hobgoblin-captain-xmm.md) and two [Hobgoblin Warriors](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/fey/hobgoblin-warrior-xmm.md) are interrogating the family. The hobgoblins are [Hostile](/3-Mechanics/CLI/variant-rules/hostile-attitude-xphb.md) to anyone other than Bonegnasher who interrupts their work. The youngest Silverstar, Sara, is hiding the key to Damara's tomb. Once rescued, Sara gratefully gives the key to her rescuers. #### Garden An [Indifferent](/3-Mechanics/CLI/variant-rules/indifferent-attitude-xphb.md) [Giant Frog](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/beast/giant-frog-xmm.md) lives here. #### Storeroom Six [Giant Rats](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/beast/giant-rat-xmm.md) lurk among the splintered crates and ambush anyone who approaches. As a Study action, a creature can make a DC 10 Intelligence ([Investigation](/3-Mechanics/CLI/skills.md#Investigation)) check to look for useful supplies, finding a [Potion of Healing](/3-Mechanics/CLI/items/potion-of-healing-xdmg.md) and five days' worth of Rations on a successful check. #### Bonegnasher's Den Bonegnasher (use the [Specter](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/specter-xmm.md) stat block, but Bonegnasher is Large) takes a break from interrogating the Silverstars here with his two pet [Wolves](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/beast/wolf-xmm.md). He is [Hostile](/3-Mechanics/CLI/variant-rules/hostile-attitude-xphb.md) toward any unfamiliar creature that enters his room. #### Vault The vault contains 200 GP. #### Armory A [Carrion Crawler](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/monstrosity/carrion-crawler-xmm.md) lurks on the ceiling. Inside the armory is a [+1 Longsword](/3-Mechanics/CLI/items/1-weapon-xdmg.md) and [+1 Shield](/3-Mechanics/CLI/items/1-shield-xdmg.md). #### Mine A [Gelatinous Cube](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/ooze/gelatinous-cube-xmm.md) roams the cavern. #### Damara's Tomb The magic door to this hidden chamber can be opened only with the key kept by Sara Silverstar. Damara is now a [Mummy](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/mummy-xmm.md) protected by two [Shadows](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/shadow-xmm.md). In addition to the [Orb of Damara](/3-Mechanics/CLI/items/orb-of-damara-fraif.md), the tomb contains a [Spell Scroll](/3-Mechanics/CLI/items/spell-scroll-xdmg.md) of [Fireball](/3-Mechanics/CLI/spells/fireball-xphb.md), and 500 GP. #### Conclusion Lady Sulwood pays the characters as promised on the defeat of Bonegnasher. She says the party can keep any treasure they found while exploring the tomb; if the characters have the [Orb of Damara](/3-Mechanics/CLI/items/orb-of-damara-fraif.md), she recoils at its presence, citing its ominous history and suggesting that the characters find a way to destroy the relic. > [!gallery] >  >  ## Restoring Freedale - **A Location (Dalelands) Adventure for Level 5 Characters** *Bring peace and prosperity to the newest dale.* - **Situation.** The characters are asked to reinvigorate the faded settlement of Freedale, but they'll have to defend it from enemies. - **Hook.** The Dales Council summons the characters and asks them to become the new leaders of the settlement. They can turn the settlement into their Bastion (see "Dalelands Bastions "). ### Encounters As the characters settle into Freedale, they must build relationships with the locals and clear out old buildings that house mysterious threats. Use the map of Freedale below. The characters can explore these locations in any order, but the Zhentarim Foes encounter concludes the adventure. #### Harrow House Harrow House, an old mansion far outside the village is haunted by Gunter Weiss, a wizard who died and returned as a [Vampire Nightbringer](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/vampire-nightbringer-xmm.md). Use the "Spooky House map" in the "Dungeon Master's Guide" for Harrow House. Gunter's various Undead minions—`1d4` [Flameskulls](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/flameskull-xmm.md) and `2d6` [Shadows](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/shadow-xmm.md)—patrol the house. #### Wizard's Tower Freedale was once home to a wizard named Morganth the Mysterious. His tower stands on the east side of the village; use the "Wizard's Tower map" in appendix B of the Dungeon Master's Guide. The tower is trapped with the [fire-casting statue](/3-Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/fire-casting-statue-xdmg.md) trap described in [chapter 3](/3-Mechanics/CLI/traps-hazards/fire-casting-statue-xdmg.md) of the Dungeon Master's Guide. Morganth's [Shield Guardian](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/construct/shield-guardian-xmm.md) still patrols the tower; the controlling amulet is on Morganth's corpse in the tower's dungeon, where a [Ghast Gravecaller](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/ghast-gravecaller-xmm.md) now hides, along with three [Ghouls](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/ghoul-xmm.md). #### Temple of Lathander The Cult of the Dragon secretly performs ghoulish rites by night in this abandoned temple. If the four **Cultist Acolytes** and their [Death Cultist](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/death-cultist-xmm.md) leader can be routed, the characters could reopen the temple and earn the goodwill of Freehold's citizens. #### Zhentarim Foes As soon as the characters arrive, Zhentarim agents discourage them from staying and threaten violence. Eventually, the Zhents make good on that threat, attacking Freedale when the Bastion is near completion. Stage this assault in multiple waves, and describe additional hostile forces fighting any Bastion Defenders the party might have. First, the characters must face a [Tough Boss](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/tough-boss-xmm.md) who leads a force of two [Toughs](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/tough-xmm.md) and four [Dire Wolves](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/beast/dire-wolf-xmm.md). Then, the Zhents send a shock force of four [Bearded Devils](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/fiend/bearded-devil-xmm.md) against the characters. If the devils are defeated, the Zhentarim leader ([Assassin](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/assassin-xmm.md)) and five [Toughs](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/tough-xmm.md) fight the party. > [!gallery] >  >  ## The Temple of Transmutation - **A Location (Dalelands) Adventure for Level 7 Characters** *Explore the magic of Myth Drannor*. - **Situation.** Letha Salen, a Shadovar survivor of the crash of Thultanthar, has entered the Temple of Transmutation, an ancient magical research institute in Myth Drannor. Using a transmutation chamber in the temple, she's transforming people and animals into monsters under her command. - **Hook.** Monster attacks on the edge of Cormanthor suddenly increase. Foresters report the creatures are coming from a large ruin just inside the walls of Myth Drannor. The leader of the local dale, or perhaps the Dales Council, asks the characters to find out what's going on and stop the monster attacks. ### Encounters The party travels to Myth Drannor. Once the characters reach the site, use the map on the facing page for the Temple of Transmutation. Other levels of the temple are blocked by rubble. In their exploration, the characters meet Humanoids and Beasts that have been shape-shifted into various creatures. A character who succeeds on a DC 15 Intelligence ([Nature](/3-Mechanics/CLI/skills.md#Nature)) or Wisdom ([Insight](/3-Mechanics/CLI/skills.md#Insight)) check recognizes a shape-shifted creature as a former Humanoid or Beast, respectively. When any of these transformed creatures die, the shape-shifting effect ends, and they return to their true forms. If transformed back to their original shapes while still alive, Letha's minions are [Guards](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/guard-xmm.md) and Letha is a [Mage](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/mage-xmm.md). This adventure includes the following encounters. #### 1: Baxton Cottage A rustic cottage is under attack by a [Chuul](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/aberration/chuul-xmm.md), an [Ettin](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/giant/ettin-xmm.md), a [Flameskull](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/flameskull-xmm.md), and a [Helmed Horror](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/construct/helmed-horror-xmm.md), minions of Letha Salen who have been shape-shifted. A halfling named Beauregard Baxton is trapped inside with his four family members (Small, Neutral Good [Commoners](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/humanoid/commoner-xmm.md)). When one of the creatures is defeated, the rest flee, returning to area 9 to tell Letha about the party. Once rescued, Beauregard welcomes the party into his home. He has lived peacefully in the shadow of the temple for decades, but recently strange monsters have emerged from it and kidnapped his brother Brandon. The party can use his home as a place to rest as they investigate. #### 2: Crossroads A goat shape-shifted into a [Tyrannosaurus Rex](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/beast/tyrannosaurus-rex-xmm.md) grazes peacefully. If threatened, it flees. #### 3: Lookout Two minions of Letha Salen, now transformed into a [Troll](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/giant/troll-xmm.md) and an [Umber Hulk](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/monstrosity/umber-hulk-xmm.md), keep watch from this hilltop building, looking for potential victims to be transformed. #### 4: Crash Wreckage Pieces of Thultanthar fell on the temple here, crushing many inhabitants. When the party draws close, six of the corpses animate as[Wights](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/undead/wight-xmm.md). Once awoken, the wights fight any living creatures they see. #### 5: Hideout Beauregard Baxton's brother Brandon has been transformed into a [Yeti](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/monstrosity/yeti-xmm.md). He escaped and hid here, unsure what to do. He pretends to be a fierce creature if discovered but responds positively if the characters try to talk to him. Brandon doesn't remember much from before his transformation, but he's eager to find his family and protect them. #### 6: Ruins A human forester named Wila Peat was captured by Letha and turned into a [Cyclops Sentry](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/giant/cyclops-sentry-xmm.md). Letha told Wila to go find more subjects for transmutation, and Wila agreed out of fear. Wila is [Indifferent](/3-Mechanics/CLI/variant-rules/indifferent-attitude-xphb.md) to the characters. As an [Influence](/3-Mechanics/CLI/actions.md#Influence) action, a creature can try to convince her to turn against Letha and make a DC 15 Charisma ([Persuasion](/3-Mechanics/CLI/skills.md#Persuasion)) check, earning Wila's support on a successful check. A character who promises to turn Wila back into a human has Advantage on this check. #### 7: Guard Room Three of Letha's followers, now transformed into a [Chimera](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/monstrosity/chimera-xmm.md), a [Drider](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/monstrosity/drider-xmm.md), and a [Medusa](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/monstrosity/medusa-xmm.md) respectively, guard the temple and await Letha's orders. #### 8: Transmutation Chamber Once a day, a character outside the transmutation chamber can take the [Magic](/3-Mechanics/CLI/actions.md#Magic) action to activate it and shape-shift a Humanoid or Beast inside the chamber into a creature of another type. (On the day the party arrives, the chamber hasn't been used.) The new form is chosen by the DM. The target's game statistics are replaced by the stat block of the chosen creature, but the target retains its alignment and personality. The target is limited in the actions it can perform by the anatomy of its new form; if the new form can't speak, for example, the target can't speak either and can't use Verbal components. When the target shape-shifts, its equipment drops to the ground. Casting the [Remove Curse](/3-Mechanics/CLI/spells/remove-curse-xphb.md) spell on a creature shape-shifted this way restores it to its original form. The effect also ends if the creature dies. Once a creature has been affected by the transmutation chamber, the chamber doesn't work on it again. #### 9: Letha's Lair Letha has transformed herself into a [Young Blue Dragon](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/dragon/young-blue-dragon-xmm.md). If she's not using the transmutation chamber on another victim, she's here, trying to figure out how to better control the chamber or plotting her takeover of the Dalelands. #### 10: Fey Annex Only Fey creatures can pass through the archway entrance to this part of the temple. A [Dire Worg](/3-Mechanics/CLI/bestiary/fey/dire-worg-xmm.md), preserved in magical suspended animation since the glory days of Myth Drannor, sleeps in the chamber. It awakens if touched or if it takes damage. > [!gallery] >  >