Teshwave

Teshwave was a small town in Teshendale in the Dalelands.

"Teshwave has approximately fifty native citizens left, and they are unable to leave because they have nowhere else to go. The fight has gone out of the people; they accept their lot like dumb sheep. If there is a resistance here, I could not find it. I'll wager you'll find Zhentish steel in your back before you find anyone here with fire in his belly."

- Bard Mendryll Belarod the Half-elven

Description
A ramshackle concoction of ruins, tents, and newly-built barracks and some surviving structured from pre-Zhent town, as of the late 14 century DR. The biggest building in the city was the Manor House, noticeably well-maintained and clean, unlike the rest of the ruins. The town's garrison commander occupied the manor. Another area of interest was the Lair, a big pile of collapsed structured nestled together and used as barracks for monstrous humanoid forces of the Zhentil Keep. Teshwave's docks remained operational through the ruinous time, sending river ferries that traveled between Zhentil Keep and Dagger Falls.

Geography
The community was built along the River Tesh just south of the Dragonspine Mountains. The town was known for its scenic rapids and cascades of the River Tesh.

Trade
The town was the largest trading community in Teshendale and was controlled by the forces of Zhentil Keep. It was an exporter of wood and stone that was moved directly to Zhentil Keep. Zhents upturned and quarried out previously lush farmlands and pastures that surrounded the city. Zhentish caravans often moved west from Teshwave to the Anauroch desert.

Government
Before destruction, Teshwave was represented in the Dales Council. When there was a government, the town was ruled by the Elder with Jaoth Hulnhurn bring the last and presumed long-dead by 1356 DR. As of the late-14 century DR, the Dales Council kept Teshwave representative's seat open in memory of Jaoth and as a shameful reminder of not lending aid to a fellow Dale.

After the Zhentarim takeover, the Black Networked entrusted the entire Dale to a beholder. Manxam, The Tyrant of Teshendale, was that aberrant eye tyrant who could be found in the ruins of Teshwave and its environs. Apart from the beholder Zhent, the military leader of the outpost was a rotational position among the strongest individuals.

Defense
While Teshwave was protected by tribes of orcs, gnolls and ogres, Zhentil Keep had a reserve of two to three thousand troops to defend the town.

History
Teshwave suffered greatly in the. Dragon Run descended on the region and rained destruction on the cities of Teshwave, Phlan, and Yulash. More strife was caused by orcish slavers that started regularly raiding the Dale. Just a decade later, Teshendale fell victim to Zhentil Keep's savagery in the when the Zhent forced attacked and destroyed the Dale taking Teshwave and turning it into their outpost. Many of the town's inhabitants fled for the safety of neighboring Dales. Zhentil Keep did not seek to claim the land, instead, they aimed to completely ravage and destroy the Dale.

Another Rage of Dragons took place in the, but the dragons were driven out by the agents of Zhentil Keep. Later that year, Zhent-ally beholder Manxam took the ruined city as its base. Following the Time of Troubles of the, Fzoul Chembryl retreated to Teshwave for a time, after the demise of Bane, the patron deity of the Black Network. Eventually, Fzoul returned to the Zhentil Keep as a devote follower of Bane's son – Iyachtu Xvim.

Circa the the town was a glorified ruin with a single inn and a sizable force of Zhents stationed there. Tyran the Outlaw, a descendant of Teshwave, gained notoriety as a bandit and aggressive opponent of the Zhent occupation. He assembled guerrilla war parties of woodcutters and rangers to strike against the Black Network and their monstrous humanoid agents. Keepers put a bounty of 500 gold pieces on the Outlaw's head. However, sages believed that even if Tyran were to succeed in driving the occupiers out, Teshendale was beyond salvage.

During the Order of the Crippled Fang crisis of the, the entirety of southern part of the Moonsea was consumed by panic. The strange new menace summoned fiends to sow chaos and destruction, restricting trade, and within first few weeks of the menace – attacked Teshwave. The cult targeted the Black Network and Teshwave was a clear target.

Organizations

 * Church of Bane, a number of members of the church operated the god's shrine in the city after the Black Network claimed Teshendale.
 * Church of Cyric, became the dominant religion in Teshwave after Bane's demise. Cyric's inquisitors operated out of the town to expand the cult.
 * Church of Iyachtu Xvim, with Bane dead and Cyric losing power to insanity, Iyachtu Xvim's worshipers rook over the Black Network.

Individuals

 * Asdag, a devote priest and follower of Fzoul Chembryl in the late 14 century DR.
 * Doryn No-Mouth, a mute stableboy at the Rapids in the late 14 century DR.
 * Ensebel Riotharr, a Watcher of Bane stationed in the Zhent camp circa the Time of Troubles.
 * Guthbert Golthammer, a huge ox-like man, one of the military commanders of the Zhent forces in the late 14 century DR.
 * Hallorfan Teshdale, adding proprietor of the Rapids and one of the surviving inhabitants of pre-Zhent Teshwave in the late 14 century DR.
 * Tula Woodsbridge, a secret Harpers agent operating in the guise of a serving girl at the Rapids in the late 14 century DR.

Inns & Taverns

 * Pit, a dilapidated gambling hall, festhall, and an ale-house that served off-duty Zhent soldiers.
 * Rapids, one of the very few undamaged buildings in the city after Zhentarim takeover.
 * Ruins of the Crested Wave, a cheap inn with a sizable common room being its only lodgings.
 * Teshendale Arms, once a tavern, ruined by the Zhentil Keep. Even in its destroyed state, the inn's ruins were used as a meeting place by travelers and merchants lucky enough not to be targeted by the Black Network.

Shops

 * Vergun's Caravan Shop, a shop established by a corrupt merchant Vergun with an aid of copious bribes to Zhentil Keep occupants in the late 14 century DR.

Temples & Shrines

 * Temple of Iyachtu Xvim, rose in Flamerule 1370 DR after the Zhentarim adopted the Baneson as their deity.
 * Shrine to Bane, offered its services to individuals aligned with Zhentil Keep, the evil god's church, and those who malice evil and destruction.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Curse of the Azure Bonds
 * Shadowdale &bull; Doom of Daggerdale
 * Novels
 * Shadowdale
 * War in Tethyr &bull; Hand of Fire &bull; All Shadows Fled &bull; Prince of Lies &bull; Crucible: The Trial of Cyric the Mad &bull; Silverfall &bull; The Rite
 * Video Games
 * Curse of the Azure Bonds
 * Baldur's Gate &bull; Neverwinter Nights: Tyrants of the Moonsea
 * Curse of the Azure Bonds
 * Baldur's Gate &bull; Neverwinter Nights: Tyrants of the Moonsea
 * Baldur's Gate &bull; Neverwinter Nights: Tyrants of the Moonsea