Cormanthor War

The Cormanthor War was a very complex war fought in Cormanthor and the Dalelands in the late 14 century DR that saw Shadowdale occupied by Zhentil Keep and then liberated, the rout of the daemonfeyt, and ended with the restoration of an elven kingdom in Myth Drannor.
==History==
===Daemonfey Occupation of Myth Drannor===
In the , after the failed fey'ri invasion of Evereska, the daemonfey of House Dlardrageth and those released from the Nameless Dungeon followed the suggestion of the fallen solar and yugoloth lord Malkizid and relocated to ruined Myth Drannor on Tarsakh 12, after using a portal network from Myth Glaurach.
On Mirtul 6, Dlardrageth's legions attacked the temple of Lathandar in Myth Drannor. They destroyed the temple and slaughtered the priests; the few survivors escaped through a portal. Scyllua Darkhope of the Zhentarim discovered the fey'ri presence in Myth Drannor on Mirtul 10. Sarya summoned Malkizid himself to Myth Drannor on Mirtul 13.
Then, on Mirtul 19, a band of adventurers led by Araevin Teshurr discovered the portal network used by the daemonfey. 
In Zhentil Keep on Mirtul 22, Scyllua Darkhope, Castellan of Zhentil Keep and High Captain of the Zhentarim, commenced preparations for a march south to Yûlash.
Learning of the daemonfey escape, Lord Seiveril Miritar, the leader of the Crusade sent from Evermeet to aid , held a Council of War amidst the ruins of Myth Glaurach on Mirtul 24. The Crusade commanders supported his vow to destroy the daemonfey for good, and so used the portal network to journey to Semberholme in Cormanthor, with the aid of the resurrected Fflar Starbrow Melruth. At a meeting by Lake Sember on Mirtul 28, Seiveril used the ancient Dales Compact to forged alliances with Theremen Ulath of Deepingdale, Haresk Malorn of Mistledale, Ilmeth of Battledale, and Storm Silverhand of Shadowdale, bring their respective dales into the war, and the Crusade marched north for Mistledale and Shadowdale on Kythorn 1.
===Short-lived Daemonfey Alliance with Hillsfar, Sembia, and Zhentil Keep===
Through her spies and disguises, on Kythorn 4, Sarya Dlardrageth forged alliances with Sembia and Hillsfar, who were both interested in occupying the nearby Dalelands. Sembia hired a mercenary army that it dispatched north to Featherdale and Tasseldale via Rauthauvyr's Road, while Hillsfar mustered an army to advance on Battledale and Mistledale via the Moonsea Ride. Before the tenday was out, Hillsfar made an alliance with Zhentil Keep on Kythorn 12, for which the Zhentarim promised to invade both Daggerdale and Shadowdale and soon after the Sembian mercenaries crossed Blackfeather Bridge and occupied Battledale on Kythorn 16. In the month of Kythorn, Sarya Dlardrageth summoned thousands of devils, demons, and yugoloths and soon after as of Kythorn 16 numerous fiendish troops attacked various Dales, together with Sembian mercenaries and Hillsfar's Red Plumes.
But First Lord Maalthiir of Hillsfar had used the alliance with Zhentil Keep as a ploy to have the elves destroy the Zhents for him. When the Army of Darkhope and the Crusade were due to clash in Shadowdale, Maalthir ignored Sarya's requests to have Hillsfar's Red Plumes support the Zhentilar. When she confronted him on this lack of action in the First Lord's Tower on Kythorn 21, he admitted his plan to her outrage. They fought with magic, but the fey'ri escaped. Thus, Hillsfar broke off the alliance with House Dlardrageth, which granted some victories to the elves and Dalesfolk. The elven Crusade and the Army of Darkhope clashed on Kythorn 24; the latter were routed. Darkhope withdrew her forces to Yûlash.
Learning of the broken alliance between Hillsfar and Dlardrageth on Kythorn 23, Fzoul withdrew Zhenti Keep from the alliance as well. Seeking to profiting off thje situation, the Zhents started to attack both Hillsfar and Dalesfolk holdings.
Meanwhile, Dabron Sashenstar of the Merchant's League had had their own victory over the Iron Throne and the Zhentarim for control of the arms trade. Seeing a growing opportunity in the war around Cormanthor, Dabron set up business in Arabel, Cormyr, and received orders from the quartermasters of the Crusade, Hillsfar, Sembia, and Zhentil Keep alike.
In response to Hillsfar's reneging on the alliance, the fey'ri attacked both the First Lord's Tower in Hillsfar and the largest Red Plume camp at the Standing Stone on Kythorn 26. Maalthiir survived but his Tower was severely damaged and by Flamerule 3 the Red Plumes were defeated, the remainder retreating to their home city. By that time, the disguised daemonfey spy Teryani Ealoeth had assassinated the Sembian merchant-prince Borstag Duncastle. Dlardrageth's continued attacks on the Sembian mercenaries pushed them to the point of collapse as well.
===Daemonfey Ally with the Drow; Sembia Switches Sides; and Zhentil Keep Turns on Hillsfar===
Finally, on Flamerule 21, the Standing Stone was destroyed by House Dlardrageth, who then made an alliance with the House Jaelre drow.
The Sembians signed a truce with the Crusade's emissaries on Eleasis 5. Meanwhile, at Semberholme, House Dlardrageth forces raided the Crusade camp, but were handily repelled. The following day, the Hillsfar garrison at Yûlash were wiped out by the Zhentilar.
Following this, House Jaelre drow assaulted the Crusade and Sembian delegates at Tasseldale on Eleasis 9, though all three took casualties for it. That same day, First Lord Maalthiir of Hillsfar departed his city; where to and why is a mystery. Hillsfar's western lands were then invaded by the Zhentilar the very next day.
The Crusade leaders and Sembia improved their truce to an alliance against House Dlardrageth on Eleasis 11.
===Zhentil Keep Takes Hillsfar; the Crusade Takes Myth Drannor===
On Eleasis 17, the Zhentilar laid siege to Hillsfar, with Fzoul Chembryl of Zhentil Keep issuing terms to High Warden Hardil Gearas, who'd been left in charge after Maalthiir's departure. Hillsfar capitulated to Fzoul and the Zhentilar.
That same day, the Crusade fought the Dlardrageth legions in the Vale of Lost Voices and, together, elves, Dalesfolk, and Sembians destroyed a large army of fey'ri and fiends. and the next day drove them from the Vale whilst they banished Malkizid. By Eleasis 20, Crusade forces had encircled Myth Drannor and two days later retook the city of Myth Drannor in the name of the elves, causing the downfall of House Dlardrageth and the death of their leader Sarya, leaving only a few of the fey'ri to flee. However, the Crusade's leader, Seiveril Miritar, died in the effort.
===Myth Drannor versus Zhentil Keep and the Drow===
Learning of the elven reclamation of Myth Drannor, the powers of Zhentil Keep desired the destruction of the nascent Myth Drannor. To this end, Fzoul held secret negotiations with Jezz the Lame of House Jaelre and representatives of Auzkovyn Clan on Eleasis 27; they all agreed to cooperate against the elves and defeat them before they could gain a foothold. The House Jaelre and Auzkovyn Clan drow allied in the Masked Brigades. For Zhentil Keep's part, Fzoul charged Scyllua Darkhope with leading the war effort. He ordered her to take control of the Moonsea Ride south of Hillsfar by building fortifications down its length.
From Eleint 3 of 1374 DR, the Zhentarim and forces of Myth Drannor began fighting skirmishes up and down the Moonsea Ride, while masked drow conducted targeted assassinations that supported the Black Network. With full-scale conflict between the Army of Myth Drannor and the Army of Darkhope with their Masked Brigades allies, this would be considered the start of the Cormanthor War. Over the following months, both sides would raid and counter-raid the other with ever-greater bloodshed.
The Knights of Myth Drannor, together with Storm Silverhand and Dove Falconhand, came to Myth Drannor on Eleint 12 to help defend the city. But in only hours, drow skirmishers drew them into a series of hit-and-run battles in the eastern forests.
Back in Sembia, Overmaster Kendrick Selkirk was murdered on Eleint 30 and succeeded temporarily by Mirabeta Selkirk on Marpenoth 10. With the threat of civil war rising, Sembia entered into a trade pact and military alliance with the Netherese of Thultanthar. From then on, the realm would be focused on the Sembian Civil War.
Meanwhile, Fzoul Chembryl of Zhentil Keep allied with Esvele Greycastle of the Church of Shar on Uktar 3 on the Feast of the Moon she established a three-sided alliance between the Zhentarim and the drow House Dhuurniv. When Scyllua Darkhope returned to Zhentil Keep the next day to take command of another division for the battle for Myth Drannor, she was abruptly ordered by Fzoul to invade Shadowdale instead, this time with the support of the Sharrans and the Dhuurniv drow.
===Invasion of Shadowdale===
In a prelude to the invasion, on Nightal 15, Sharran assassins stealthily entered town of Shadowdale to assault Elminster in his tower. By the battle's end, Elminster and his tower had disappeared. With the Old Mage gone, the Zhents managed to occupy Shadowdale town with the help of Sharrans and drow early the following morning. With Zhentarim forces making simultaneous assaults on a number of important elven fortifications in the east, the Army of Myth Drannor were unable to come to their ally's aid.
Shockingly, on Nightal 18, Lord Mourngrym Amcathra of Shadowdale welcomed the Army of Darkhope and declared them to be the dale's allies and defenders, and even made an alliance with Zhentil Keep. In fact, Mourngrym had been possessed by the shadow simulacrum of Prince Yder Tanthul of Thultanthar.
After almost a tenday, on Nightal 27, Scyllua Darkhope made ready for a march south at the head of two brigades. Her next target was Mistledale. The Zhentarim Occupying Army, comprising the Brigade of Shadows, members of the Church of Bane, and Zhent naug-adar mages, remained behind for the continuing occupation of Shadowdale.
Finally, Dove Falconhand and Storm Silverhand arrived in Shadowdale at year's end at the head of an elite force of elves. Unfortunately, the silver fire of the two Chosen of Mystra interacted strangely with the Weave in the area, badly injuring them. Compelled to teleport to safety, the elven force was left to deal with the situation as best they could.
Eventually, on Hammer 13 in the , visiting adventurers lifted the possession from Lord Mourngrym and rallied the common folk to Shadowdale's defense. A rebellion erupted, destroying the Zhentarim Occupying Army, and the adventurers managed to kill Castellan Scyllua Darkhope upon her return.
In the aftermath, Mourngrym Amcathra abdicated his lordship and went to Myth Drannor to join his fellows in the Knights of Myth Drannor. He was succeeded by Azalar Falconhand. On Hammer 17, Fzoul Chembryl openly scapegoated Scyllua Darkhope for Zhentil Keep's losses in the Cormanthor War, called her the "Bitch in the Trees", and declared she would never be resurrected. Learning nothing of fighting wars on multiple fronts, he subsequently had Zhentilar soldiers occupy Phlan and make it another vassal state on Tarsakh 3.
===End of the War at Last===
Almost a whole year would pass before the divine facet of the War of the Spider Queen being fought contemporaneously amongst the drow led to the death of Vhaeraun on Nightal 20 and the ensuing collapse of his church and its absorption into the Church of Eilistraee. The Masked Brigades were demoralized at their god's death and in the , the elven Army of Myth Drannor quickly routed House Jaelre and Clan Auzkovyn from the Elven Court. The drow were left dispersed and disorganized.
Soon after, without their drow allies, Zhentil Keep elected to conclude its war with Myth Drannor. A negotiated peace treaty between Fzoul Chembryl and Ilsevele Miritar ceded the forest of Cormanthor to the elves and the open lands north of a line between Hillsfar and Dagger Falls nor came formsllu under the rule of Zhentil Keep. The treaty also gave the Black Network free passage along the Moonsea Ride and Rauthauvar's Road, provided they cut no live trees, harmed no elves, and did step beyond thirty paces from the road into the forest.
The elves' reclamation of Myth Drannor was cemented the following year, when the Srinshee returned to the city after centuries and presented the Ruler's Blade to Ilsevele Miritar in honor of her wise rule of the refounded realm. Accepting it, Ilsevele adopted the traditional title of coronal. Queen Amlaruil Moonflower of Evermeet also came to congratulate Ilsevele and gifted the revived realm with the Tree of Souls.
==Combatants==
The defenders of Myth Drannor were known as the Army of Myth Drannor.
The Zhentish army was called the Army of Darkhope, after its commander, Scyllua Darkhope.
The Masked Brigades were a force of Vhaeraun-following drow from House Jaelre and the Auzkovyn Clan.
==Appendix==
===Appearances===
===References===
Category:Wars
Category:Events in Cormanthor
Category:Events in the Dalelands
Category:Events in North Faerûn
Category:Events in Faerûn
Category:Events on Toril