AT A GLANCE:
Shadowdale is a farming community straddling the road from Shadow Gap to Voonlar, its main town (of the same name) located where that road crosses the Ashaba.
The Dale is broken by patches of light woods that run to the borders of the town, and interrupted by a large number of old ruins.
These old haunts of treasure and monsters makes the region very popular with Adventuring Companies, and more than a few have called this region their home.

ELMINSTER'S NOTES:
This quiet but astonishingly hardy agricultural community has recently rebuffed several invasions under the just and wise rulership of Doust Sulwood and his comrades.
These stalwarts in the past led the dale militia and mercenary troops in key battles against Lashan's Army of Scardale,
have defeated powerful mages from Zhentil Keep,
bested dracolich attacks of the Dragon Lords,
and repelled Drow caravans and raiding parties in the caverns beneath the Tower of Ashaba and the woods near the ruins of Castle Grimstead.

Shadowdale has been famous for a
number of things, large and small, and
its community of adventurers ensuring
that the fame of these things carries
furrther through the realms than the
size of the community first indicates. It
is noted for its inn (The Old Skull), a
good smith and a good wagonmaking
shop. The community was the home of
the adventurers known as Mane's Band
(now missing and presumed dead) and
the witch Sylune (also deceased).
Among its living natives the AREA claims
Sylune's sister, the bard Storm Silverhand,
and a wide variety of skilled adventurers.
Shadowdale is also the chosen abode of
Elminster the Sage,
reknowned for his wisdom, power, and
concise, informative histories of the Realms.

The previous Lord, Doust, and his
friends, most notably the ranger Florin
Falconhand, have since their most
recent battle renounced their titles and
offices in Shadowdale. Before departing,
they installed the cavalier Mourngrym
as Lord of the Dale. Mourngrym
has recently married Shaeril Rowanmantle,
a noble lady of Cormyr, and
continues to rule with the assistance
and wise guidance of Elminster. Doust
and his companions have titled themselves
?the Knights of Myth Drannor,?
and are attempting to establish their
own stronghold in that ruined city.
Their success has been hampered by
exploratory parties from Zhentil Keep,
Hillsfar, Sembia, other adventuring
companies, and an increasing diabolic
presence in the ruins.

GAME INFORMATION: Shadowdale is
the best-recorded of the Dalelands, due
in part to the first-hand knowledge of
Elminster. Further information on the
sites of Shadowdale follows, as opposed
to separate entries, and are listed to
agree with the map on page 78.
Elminster the Sage and his Scribe
Lhaeo are not for hire, and the people
of Shadowdale will be quick to inform
passers-by of that fact. The path behind
Tulba the Weaver's house leading up to
Elminster's Tower has warning runes of
danger and a sign reading, in Common
and Thorass: "No Trespassing. Violators
should notify next of kin. Have a pleasant
day."

Old Skull: This huge, lichen-covered,
gnarled, lava-melted and sheepskeleton-
littered height of land that
dominates Shadowdale is well known;
the sheep farmers built a hut on the
north side for shelter during the rain
and for lambing in winter. The body of
Joadath, a former Lord of Shadowdale,
was burned there, in a hollow at the SW
end of the crest. Many people today use
the Old Skull as a lookout, sheep pasture,
laundry-drying surface, and
trysting-ground. It has never, as far as
can be ascertained, had any religious
and/or secretive political importance.
The Old Skull Inn takes its name from
this prominence.

The Tower of Ashaba:

The Tower earns
its formal name from its location,
guarding the northernmost bridged
crossing of the river Ashaba. Its nickname,
"the Twisted Tower," comes from
its off-center spire. This construction is
due to the inclusion of a 'deck' or half-covered
flight platform (and attached
stables) for the use of aerial steeds.
However, often a Dalesman, fed up with
the latest lunacies of its inhabitants, will
refer to them as "the Twists."

The Tower has many secrets and curiosities
and bears the stamp of many
owners. Many towers across the
Realms have such character and mystery.
Though the Tower is currently the
seat of the Lord of Shadowdale and the
forces of law, this stronghold was once
the citadel of an evil power, which
reached up from the Depths Below.

Azmaer, as the last known drow lord
was called, held the Tower in its waning
days, as its wisely-built fortifications
defended his peoples' retreat into the
subterranean realms. (This was 906
Dalereckoning, when the land called
Shadowdale was just beginning to
undergo human settlement). The last
days of the drow rule were made horrible
by disease, caused by a cistern poisoned
by a human slave, and so the
storming of the Twisted Tower was
comparatively easy. The drow defeated,
the town of Shadowdale began to
grow in earnest, until reaching its
present size.

Once in human hands, the Tower of
Ashaba passed through the hands of a
wide variety of owners, and bears
traces of their differing creeds and purposes.
The last good and lawful lord of
the Tower before the coming of Doust
and his stalwart companions was one
Jyordhan. Jyordhan reigned for a short
time, then took ill mysteriously, traveled
to the great city of Waterdeep, and
died there in the company of the Mage
Khelben. Rumor says that Jyordhan
was in truth an evil usurper whom
Khelben enspelled to come to Waterdeep
and there slew. Despite the relatively
short time since these events, it is
difficult to learn the truth. With the
coming of Doust three winters back,
and his recent abdication to Mourngrym,
the Tower is now the haven for a
large variety of adventurers and their
parties, much to the financial profit and
individual headache of the people of
Shadowdale.

GAME INFORMATION: The following
individuals make up the Court of the
Lords of Shadowdale, who take their
residence in the Tower of Ashaba.

    MOURNGRYM, Lord of Shadowdale.
    TURNAL RHESTAYN (of Neverwinter), Seneschal of the Tower of Ashaba and Steward of the Court.

    Household Staff (reports to Turnal):
        SAMMETH, Cellarer
        BRACEGAR, Butler
        CORLA, Chambermaid
        LETTA, Chambermaid
        GEMUTH, Chambermaid
        DELUNE, Chambermaid
        RIIA, Chambermaid
        TANTNA, Chambermaid
        EPANEL, Chambermaid
        TALA, Chambermaid
        NESSEA, Chambermaid
        LINDUE, Chambermaid
        SANTHA, Chambermaid
        DOLBURR, Footman
        METH, Footman
        RINDOL, Footman

    THURBAL, Captain-of-Arms and Warden of Shadowdale
        Household Guard
        25 archers led by Yeoman Helduth
    12 men-at-arms led by Serjeant
    Yothgdim

    ESSEN, Herald and Bailiff of the Lord Mourngrym

    ASEEL, Chatelaine, Herbmistress, Healer, Keeper of the Purse, Head of Kitchens.
    Staff
        LALYM, Master Cook
        SEDROS, Cook
        MASSIM, Cook
        JHANYL, Serving-girl
        MURA, Serving-girl
        DESSA, Serving-girl
        LILUR, Serving-girl
        SATHA, Serving-girl
        NEENA, Serving-girl
        PURK, Kitchen Boy

    THORBOK, Master of the Stables
    Stable Crew
        DAVORR, Hostler
        BLINT, Tacksman
        HAVOR, Tacksman
        DURST, Tacksboy
        BELDIN, Tacksboy
        VODDAL, Constable
        DEGETH, Constable
        SAMAL, Page
        HETH, Page

    ELMINSTER, Sage
    LHAEO, Scribe to Elminster

The dale has also served as home to
other groups under Mourngrym reign,
including:

    Mane's Band: Mane (fighter), Boots
    "the Lucky" (magic-user), Ruldo
    (ranger), Kheldarr (fighter), Despar
    (cleric), Tamshan (bard).

    The Circle: The Druids Mourntarn
    "the Master," Eimair, Deltra, Veshar,
    Orben, and Feldel; and the Rangers
    Briadorn, Rathagol, Temis, Reptar,
    and Selvan.

Watcher's Knoll: The knoll opens into a
clearing in which a great stone pillar
slants to the north, high enough to
afford a view over the forest around. It
has been a watchpost since the days of
Aeancar the Mantled King, who three
hundred years ago ruled all of the lands
between the Moonsea and the Inner
Sea and west to the Stonelands. The
Knoll has been occupied by successive
bands, adventurers, and armies over
the years, particularly in the time since
Castle Krag was built, for the Castle
serves as a home and base for anyone
using the Knoll or the Old Skull as a
lookout.

Sixty winters ago, when the Lord of
Shadowdale was Joadath, the followers
of Tyr in Shadowdale worshipped here.
These worshipers were discovered and
massacred by Joadath's men, and some
villagers have reported haunts to stalk
the Knoll since that time.

Lord Aumry, who ruled after
Joadath's destruction, was buried in a
cavern here hewn out by dwarves,
elves, and men. Out of respect for
Aumry and love for his lady Sylune,
Aumry's ashes were entombed in a coffin
of stone, atop which Sylune laid his
staff and cloak as per his orders, to
await the next lord. The staff and cloak
were later stolen by Lashan of Scardale,
and though the cloak was later
destroyed in battle, the staff is with
Lashan, wherever he may be at the
present.

As far as it is known, only the elves
visit the Knoll regularly now. Most villagers
alive in Shadowdale today have
gone once to satisfy their curiosity,
found it a small clearing requiring a lot
of careful walking through the forest to
reach, and have never returned. It
remains a meeting place for lovers, kids
playing, and the occasional shady deal
or murder.

Harper's Hill: This peaceful, treecovered
hill deep in the forest is named
for its use by the long-dead bard
Alsaerl, and more recently by Storm
Silverhand, as a place of harping practice
and spiritual renewal. It is a place of
great beauty, and has a secondary function
as a rallying point in the forest. The
elves often danced and played music
there, and most villagers avoid it as a
result.

Fox Ridge: The ridge gets its name from
the pests that the farmers of Shadowdale
often hunt with dogs. The foxes of
the ridge live in many, many holes and
burrows in and around the exposed
rocks along the ridge, which falls away
sharply to the north in a man-height
bank. The ridge is pierced by several
clefts and two cave chambers large
enough for men to use; most have over
the years been used to conceal food,
arms, gold, bodies, and messages. Not
much is known of these caves and their
precise location, but the rangers of the
Circle are the people who best know
the caves and other features of the
ridge.

The Realms Below: The land beneath
the land of Shadowdale is dominated by
a subterranean river, which runs NWSE
under the River Ashaba, beneath the
Tower, and connects with Elminster?s
Pool on the surface. It comes to the surface
again far to the southeast, in the
depths of the elven woods, and in the
past its phosphorescent waters were
home to troglodytes, the last known of
which was slain by a warrior of Shadowdale
when Elminster was a boy. It is
not known where this river comes
from, nor if it has any magical powers
or strategic importance. The Realms
Below may be accessed by a number of
other means, including caverns such as
those on Fox Ridge and the deeper
levels of ancient keeps and crypts.
Exactly what lives in these realms is not
revealed in current texts, though it
should be noted that the drow once
ruled this land before being driven
underground, and while their shadow
on the land has diminished, their power
beneath may yet be strong.
 

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