Daggerdale

Daggerdale (originally named Merrydale) is a a remote region of the Dalelands located between the Desertsmouth Mountains and the Dagger Hills. It is a region of dark forests and rocky hills with a single large settlement named Dagger Falls.

History
The human history of Daggerdale goes back to the Jhaamdathan settlers to the dale. Certainly, the history before the arrival of humans was recorded by the elves of Rystall Wood thousands of years ago. These first human settlers fled from destroyed Jhaamdath in the Year of Furious Waves (-255 DR), were led to the northwestern foothills of the Dagger Hills by a man named Dordrien. These Jhaamdathan refugees built a small keep to defend their town, which took the name of Dordrien.

Shield dwarf prospectors discovered veins of iron and adamantine deep within the Teshan Mountains (now the Desertsmouth Mountains) in the Year of Adamantine Ore (-149 DR). In the Year of Depths Unknown (-145 DR), Roryn, blood of Thordbard, of the Iron House of Oghrann founded the kingdom of Tethyamar, but by the Year of Hostile Hails (-88 DR) Tethyamar had fallen for the first time to orcs hailing from the Dragonspine Mountains. The dwarves were able to reclaim their kingdom within two years.

Nestled inside Tesh valley, Daggerdale was once known as Merrydale. A long series of troubles began for the region with the outbreak of a vampiric plague. It was renamed Daggerdale soon afterward as a translation of the valley's original dwarven name.

Like the other dales, Daggerdale fell briefly under the sway of Aencar, the Mantled King in the Year of Warlords (1030 DR). Shortly thereafter, in the Year of Singing Shards (1044 DR), Daggerdale regained its traditional independence when Aencar died.

The Daggerfolk enjoyed prosperity as a trading partner of the Tethyamar dwarves prior to its fall which resulted in economic collapse of the dale. Later in 1336 DR, the first agents of the Zhentarim arrived. The Black Network claimed Dagger Falls as their own, driving Randal Morn, the hereditary lord of Daggerdale into the hills. The House of Morn had ruled the Daggerdale for centuries prior to the arrival of the Zhent, and Randal was the last surviving heir.

Morn began fighting the Zentarim with guerrilla warfare, with the first major victory occurring nearly two decades later with the death of the puppet ruler Malyk in 1353 DR. The Zentarim responded aggressively, leading to a series of events that culminated in all-out civil war by 1369 DR.

With events abroad such as the recent destruction of Zhentil Keep, the Zentarim had its attention elsewhere during this time, allowing Morn the window he needed to reclaim the Dagger Falls and thus the region.

Randal is the last male heir to the House of Morn. His sister, Silver Cormaeril lives to the south, married into the Cormaeril family of Cormyr. Unless Morn produces an heir, control of Daggerdale will pass to the Cormaeril family upon his death.

Geographic features

 * Border Forest:This forest lies on the northern border of Daggerdale. It connects to three other regions but is rarely frequented by travellers.  The native inhabitants are fey, such as satyrs, pixies, sprites and dryads.  These fey have a hostile attitude towards civilized races due to past dealings with Zhentarim loggers working out of Snowmantle.
 * Dagger Hills:This is the hilly area south-east of Dagger Falls. At one time, it contained tilled farmland which has seen been abandoned and reclaimed by nature.    Many monsters and predatory animals make this area their home.
 * Desertsmouth Mountains:These mountains run along the east boarder of the Dalelands. They were previously home to the Tethyamar dwarves, trade partners of the Daggerfolk, prior to the fall of their kingdom at the hands of a savage horde.  Descendants of the monstrous attackers, orcs, ogres and fiends, still live in on the mountain tops.
 * The Dagger Falls:The nearby town of Dagger Falls was named after this waterfall. It has a sheer drop that cannot be navigated by boats or returning salmon.
 * Tarkhen Hills: These hill make up the foothills of the Desertsmouth Mountains that begin south of the River Tesh around an area known as Giant’s Craw and extend north to meet up with the Border Forest. These farmable hills slope gently up towards the granite walls of the Desertsmouth Mountains.  Most of the slopes of the Tarkhen Hills are densely covered by norther pine woods, with scattered patches of oaks and other deciduous trees.