Population
About 300 residents live in the town and in the duke’s castle. Most of them till the fields outside the town walls. There are about 20 farming hamlets within a day’s walk of Daggerford (15-20 miles), each of which has about five families of around 20 people. Each hamlet has a fortified town house to which the residents can retreat in case of a raid. There are also some isolated farms and a few estates of minor nobility. In all, there are about 1,000 people dependent on the Daggerford market for goods they cannot make themselves, and who would retreat to Daggerford in case of an invasion.
Description of the Town
Daggerford is a walled town built against the side of a low hill. The town wall also surrounds the castle of the duke of Daggerford. The wall protects the town and castle from periodic flooding. Most of the town’s buildings are built on the low ground below the hill holding the duke’s castle. The area surrounding the castle is almost entirely given over to the commons, where horses and cattle graze in times of siege and when the river floods the lowlands around the castle.
Generally, most of the buildings in the town are made of wood and thatch. However, since Derval Ironeater’s family brought their stone working skills to town a century ago, a number of people have built in stone. The duke replaced the last wood in his castle with stone, the wall towers were rebuilt in stone, and several important town buildings have been built or rebuilt in stone.
Most of the residences in the crowded living areas are still made of wood. Placement of these wooden buildings is sometimes rearranged due to the occasional fire. Fortunately, proximity to the river allows the Watermen’s Guild to quench fires quickly.
1. Barracks
After the invasion from Dragonspear Castle, the Council of Guilds decided that the town needed a central place for on-duty troops to stay, as well as a headquarters for the troops stationed in the town by Waterdeep. The barracks is a two-story construction with a new drill field now used by the militia, much to the relief of the tradesmen who were tired of having to tear down their stalls in the marketplace so the militia could drill.
2. Caravan Gate
This is the largest gate in the walls and is usually kept shut, opening only when a caravan is camped outside. There are two 24-foot towers flanking the gate with a walkway over the gate between them. The gate itself is 16 feet tall. The flanking towers have arrow slits covering the gate area on both stories.
3. Caravan Quarter
This is a section of wooden buildings, mostly hotels and shops, with a largely transient population. During the winter when the caravans aren’t moving, the quarter is virtually unpopulated. The permanent population in the quarter has traditionally consisted of the few demi-human residents of the city, mostly halflings, who are not attached to major merchant families like those of Derval and Korbus. However, for reasons shown later, several of the farmers who formerly lived in the farmers’ quarter have been moving into the caravan quarter, increasing the domestic animal population as well as the human one.
4. Erastil’s Temple
Merovyna the priestess presides over this large stone establishment not far from the farmers’ gate. She has several underpriests between 2nd and 5th level, and they spend their time fulfilling the needs of the temple, including blessing fields and researching new plants. The only apothecary in town is Duneden, a 3rd level priest working out of the temple. He has the ingredients for most common spells, but he depends on caravans for more exotic ingredients.
5. Cisterns
These tall stone structures are kept filled by the Watermen’s Guild. The water is used for the horses pastured on the commons and as storage in case of siege or fouling of the river water.
6. Commons
This area, which takes up almost half of the town, is kept purposely clear as an emergency pasture for the farmers’ cattle and sheep. Otherwise, the horses of the duke and the militia pasture here. The only buildings allowed in this area are the duke’s castle, Sarenrae’s temple, the town stables, and the cisterns. By agreement with the duke, this is considered to be ducal property which he leases to the town.
7. Cromach’s Smithy
Cromach is a human blacksmith who specializes in household and animal care equipment. He is not the weaponsmith Derval is and knows it, and he does not try to compete. He has a very nice trade in useful items and is very comfortable with his work. Cromach is something of an artist. His pots and other ironwork are treasured for their fine beauty as much as for their utility.
8. Delfen’s Tower
When the mage, Delfen, came to Daggerford, the north wall tower was under construction. He paid the town a goodly sum to take over the tower in exchange for swearing to keep the town safe from its vantage point on the hillside. This he has done to the best of anyone’s reckoning. The tower’s arrow ports are smaller than usual, since all they are needed for is room to let a magic user see a target for a spell. The windows facing in are much larger, allowing Delfen to look out over the town if he desires. Like all the other towers, this one is three stories tall. The top story is Delfen’s living quarters. The second story is where he teaches his apprentices and where they sleep if they are staying with him. The first story contains a stable for his riding mule and is also used for general storage.
9. Derval’s Smith
Derval Ironeater is a dwarf who has the largest smithy in Daggerford. The back area is full of construction tools created for the building projects he and his family have worked on over the years. Derval leaves most of the construction business to his family. He is primarily interested in war gear. He makes the finest swords, axes, and spear blades from Waterdeep to Baldur’s Gate, or so he says. His work is popular, even though his prices are high compared to the other weaponsmith in town.
10. Ducal Castle
The castle was based on the first building in Daggerford, but it has changed a lot since the old days. For a while, it was the only building, a simple wooden structure surrounded by a palisade fence. After it was burned down in an orc raid from the High Moor, the duke rebuilt in stone. He created a three-story stone keep on the hillside and surrounded it with a two-story stone wall. After the orc raiders were hunted down and destroyed, the people of the castle began building outside the walls of the castle, eventually creating the town as it stands today. The ducal gate leads to the city and is always open. Inside the courtyard are the duke’s private parade grounds, his own blacksmith shop, and stables for his animals. The larder is well-stocked with preserved food, enough for a year’s siege.
About 50 people live in the castle, and there is enough room for 100 more. Most of the duke’s men at arms live in town, but his select guard lives in the keep. For a duke, Pwyll and his forebears keep a very small household. But then, there aren’t any comparable nobility within 100 miles in any direction.
11. Farmers’ Gate
This is the most used gate in Daggerford, as it is the closest to the fields outside of town. This gate is usually open, even at night, unless times are troublesome. The gate is built into a broad tower and has just enough room for one farm cart to enter at a time. The gate is about 10 feet tall.
12. Farmers’ Quarter
This is the section of town mostly occupied by the farmers who till the soil to the north of town. Some of them have small herds of cattle and sheep, while others have chickens in the back yard. This area is noisy and has a definite odor.
13. Farrels’ Fine Jewels and Apparel
Farrel’s is a large store, actually a branch of one of the Waterdeep trading companies. It acts as a middleman for interesting jewelry pieces coming through town, including magical ones (which are always sold for double the price given in the Dungeon Masters Guide). Farrel’s sells cloth, usually imported fabrics from distant regions. If you want cotton, silk, or rare furs, you go to Farrel’s and pay high prices.
14. Guildmasters’ Hall
This imposing two-story structure is relatively new in town and contains the meeting halls for the guildmasters as well as offices for various Waterdeep companies who keep representatives in town to meet incoming caravans. There was some dissatisfaction when the hall was built because several farmers’ homes had to be torn down to accommodate it. The farmers were forced to move to the caravan quarter. Many of these farmers objected to having demi-humans for new neighbors.
15. Happy Cow Tavern
This pleasant tavern is the domain of Fulbar Hardcheese, a halfling who concentrates on a clientele of primarily farmers and townsmen.
16. Korbus’s Jewels and Fine Ornaments
Korbus Brightjewel is a gnomish jeweler who could have a much higher class of customer in Waterdeep but prefers the small town life of Daggerford. Representatives of the great trading companies of Waterdeep visit Korbus frequently to buy anything new he has created. His shop is a small one-story building. As gnomes prefer, the family quarters are in the basement. Korbus can be seen almost every day in the front part of his store, working on some piece of jewelry.
17. Lady Luck Tavern
This two-story structure was once a warehouse for a trading concern which was wiped out by an orc raid. Darryl Orcslayer, an adventurer who helped destroy the orcs, was given the warehouse as a reward by the survivors of the trading family. Darryl died some years ago, but his son, Owenden, presides over the tavern and encourages the patronage of soldiers and adventurers. The walls are decorated with weapons, armor, and trophies various patrons have brought back from their battles.
One interesting feature is a large stone column set in the middle of the floor. On it are inscribed the unique symbols of patrons who have died in battle or disappeared on a quest. Any toast given in the tavern must include a libation to “those who have fallen before us.” Owenden is always eager to hear tales of adventuring and to repeat tales he has heard from others, but the only adventuring he has done has been with the militia. He did fight briefly during the Dragonspear Castle invasion and freely embroiders on his modest achievements if pressed to tell of his adventures.
18. Sarenrae’s Temple
Sarenrae is the god worshipped by Duke Pwyll. Her cylindrical temple is the largest in the town, the only one to share the hillside with the castle. Liam Sunmist leads worship of this bright god of new beginnings and lends magical aid to those in need. He is the only priest in town capable of casting a raise dead spell, and he can only do it once a day.
19. The Marketplace
This large empty area is the site of the market which takes place every tenday. Farmers and small merchants bring their goods to the market and sell them from temporary booths. Recently, the booths have become more permanent, thanks to the installation of the drill field near the southern wall. Before, the militia trained in the marketplace and the booths had to be taken down at the end of each trade day, but now the booths can remain. Many would now take a full day to dismantle.
20. Money Quarter
This is where the wealthy people of the town live. It is a district of larger houses that have little parks surrounding them. The larger merchants who don’t live over their places of business live here, as do a couple of rich former adventurers. Some minor nobility with holdings in the area also have small townhouses here.
21. Named Streets
While the town has many anonymous alleyways, certain streets are broader and distinctive. These have names known by everyone, though none have been formally named.
21a. Farmer’s Road leads from the farmers’ gate to Duke’s Way.
21b. Market Way leads from Farmers’ Road to the marketplace.
21c. Duke’s Way leads from the caravan gate to the front gate of the duke’s castle.
21d. Tanner’s Way is actually a street of leatherworkers and other small clothing manufacturers and sellers. The actual tannery is operated communally by all the tanners and kept outside the wall and downstream from the town so that it doesn’t pollute the town’s drinking water.
21e. Wall Street circles the town next to the palisaded wall and gives easy access to the wall for soldiers.
21f. Hill Road runs along the hillside that separates the castle from most of the rest of the town.
21g. River Road runs through the riverman’s quarter and is noted for its fishseller stalls and minor merchants who sometimes have unusual finds collected from the river.
21h. Horse Way leads from the town’s stables to the drill field.
22. River Gate
This gives access to the river and is usually closed, especially during flood time. Like the farmers’ gate, there is a tower built around it. It is mainly used by water carriers who need to fetch river water for the town. What few wells there are in the town are normally kept untapped in case of siege.
23. Rivermen’s Quarter
This section of town is primarily occupied by the people who make their living from the river. This includes fishermen and some small merchants who make regular runs up the river to Secomber and back. While most traffic abandons the river to take the Trade Way at Daggerford, some traders continue down the river to sell their goods at other hamlets and holdings.
24. River Shining Tavern
This is the main entertainment center for the nobility of the surrounding lands and the major notables of Daggerford. The duke and his sister have been known to eat here, and the main hall of the tavern doubles as the meeting room for the Council of Guilds.
The Delimbiyr family took their name from the river and named the tavern after it, too. The River Shining Tavern is the longest established tavern still operating in Daggerford and claims to date from the town’s founding. Certainly, the wooden building’s architectural style matches that of the oldest buildings in town. The first Delimbiyr was a half-elf known as Kelven. He married a human woman and their children were human, as is the norm in the Realms. Still, the family treasures its elven heritage and uses a forest motif throughout the tavern.
Only the most successful adventurers with much gold to spend are welcomed at the River Shining Tavern, though no one is turned away as long as they have the money for their drinks and meals. Meals start at 1 gp, though some cost as much as 5 gp. The guest rooms in this two-story structure are generally available only to the most noble and influential patrons. The normal price for a room is 2 gp per day.
25. Stables
This is a general livery stable available to the entire town. Militia horses and the water carriers’ horses are kept here, along with personal horses belonging to the adventurers and people living in the money quarter.
26. Shrine of Gorum
Baergon Bluesword came to town with the Waterdeep troops fighting the Dragonspear invasion. He found many fighters ripe for worship of Gorum and established a shrine near the farmers’ gate. With the construction of the new barracks, he has moved his establishment next to that building. Most of the Waterdeep troops are his parishioners, as are a number of men at arms, a few militia, and some adventurers. Many of these people worship at the shrines of both Desna and Gorum. The shrine is a ramshackle wooden building decorated with recent trophies donated by parishioners from the Dragonspear invasion and other campaigns.
27. Towers
The towers of Daggerford are all of stone and firmly set in the local bedrock. They are all about 30 feet tall. The wall towers are split up into three stories plus the roof on which watchers keep their lookout. Most of the area in the tower is used for storage of war gear. Off duty militiamen often rest in the towers.
28. Shrine of Desna
This shrine has moved from place to place since Desna was first worshipped in Daggerford. Desna has always been the second choice god of the ducal family, but its priests have never been powerful. Currently, the shrine is a fairly neat wooden building next to the drill field where militia and men at arms can go to worship their favorite deity, and perhaps get into a dice game with the priest, Bando.
29. Wall
The wall around Daggerford is mostly an 8-foot tall earthfill mound topped with a 10-foot wooden palisade. One of the militia’s various jobs is checking the palisade logs for signs of decay and arranging for repair.
30. Water Carriers
This establishment is the home of the Watermen’s Guild who are responsible for providing most of the water used in the town. While there are several wells in Daggerford, most are capped so as not to be exhausted in case of siege. The carts of the water carriers go several hundred yards upstream of the town to get the purest possible water for their customers. Everyone in the town pays a tax to support the guild. The Watermen’s Guild is responsible for most other water-related activities in the town, including suppressing fires and making sure the drainage ways are working so any excess water flows back into the river. Water carriers can be identified by their distinctive blue caps and blue carts.
31. Wayfel’s Smithy
Wayfel moved into Daggerford a few years ago and set himself up to compete with both Derval and Cromach. His work is cheaper than theirs, and it has a better chance of breaking under hard use. Wayfel does not compete with Derval in the construction business after his river gate tower fell down following a flood. It had not been anchored in bedrock. “As shaky as Wayfel’s best” is a common phrase in Daggerford, but people still go to him for items that will not get hard wear or when they just can’t afford the competing prices of Derval and Cromach. Wayfel is always complaining about the unfair competition, but no one takes him seriously.
