Dale

Dale is a sunbaked, industrious town nestled in the dusty southern foothills of the Kiduel Territory, its buildings carved from the very stone and marble it exports. The town overlooks the glimmering East Strait, its docks bustling with fishing boats, livestock barges, and stone-laden vessels bound for Kapal, the regional trade capital.

Despite its harsh climate, Dale thrives. The foothills yield rich quarries of marble, limestone, and durable brick clay, while the fertile valley below produces barley, lentils, squash, and grapes. Goat and sheep herds wander the rugged hills, and the coast is lined with traps for fish and crustaceans.

Dale’s strategic location and resource wealth make it a vital cog in the machine of the Kiduel economy, earning it the scrutiny—and protection—of King Ricard Saxum himself.

Demographics

Daleans are practical, hard-working, and somewhat wary of outsiders. Generations of labor in stone and soil have made them resilient and self-sufficient. While there’s pride in their work, there’s also a quiet fear of authority—particularly of Lord Marle’s shadowy enforcers.

Government

Lord Hampsted Marle is a calculating and ambitious man, known for his commanding presence and penchant for eliminating rivals—quietly and efficiently. Though feared by his people and political peers, Marle bows without question to King Ricard, his loyalty secured more by dread than honor.

Lord Hampsted Marle's rule is strict, calculated, and deeply entrenched in fear and information control. While he maintains the appearance of order and prosperity, Dale functions under a subtle regime of surveillance, blackmail, and swift punishment for dissent.

Lord Marle is a master manipulator who values loyalty, silence, and obedience above all else. Though he outwardly swears allegiance to King Ricard Saxum, in private, he is obsessed with maintaining his own dominance over Dale. His loyalty to the crown is rooted in fear of Saxum’s wrath, not any sense of honor or duty.

Marle’s administration is made up of carefully selected nobles and merchant lords whose influence is balanced to keep any one from gaining too much power. They serve on the Council of Stone, a largely symbolic advisory body used to legitimize Marle’s decisions.

He rules from Stonehold Manor, an austere estate built into the cliffs above the town. The manor looks east over the sea and west over the stone pits, from which he draws his wealth and authority.

Industry & Trade

Primary Industries:

  • Mining & Masonry: Marble, limestone, clay brick—refined and sent via caravan or ship to Kapal and other cities.

  • Agriculture: Barley, lentils, grapes, figs, squash, and olive groves.

  • Livestock: Sheep and goats dominate the foothills; cattle are rare.

  • Fishing: Mostly coastal, with an emphasis on eel, snapper, and shellfish.

  • Ship Export: The stone port is equipped for trade, especially with Kapal, where Dale’s marble is prized.

Trade Partners:

  • Kapal – Primary recipient of stone and agricultural exports.

  • Temel – Imports produce and livestock.

Points of interest

  • Marle’s Watch: A cliffside tower once used as a lighthouse, now a guard post and prison.

  • The Shimmering Quarry: A marble pit that glistens in the sun, with veins of white, blue, and gold-streaked stone.

  • Harbor of Horns: The town’s crescent-shaped port, named for its jagged rock outcroppings that resemble horns rising from the sea.
Type
Town
Population
2320
Location under
Additional Rulers/Owners
Owning Organization
The World of Pharus