Today, Dhedluk is a charming woodland settlement of log cottages tucked among towering trees, mossy groves, and garden plots. No significant land clearance is permitted—officially it’s "strictly regulated," but in practice that means forbidden—and the surrounding bogs have ensured the village remains a modest waystop best known for its skilled woodcarvers and herbalists. Three small quail ranches operate here, along with another farm that raises imported boobries. A few of the boobries roam freely and are welcome for their effectiveness at keeping the village clear of snakes and pests.

Landmarks

Travelers passing through Dhedluk almost always stop at the Blushing Maiden, the only visible industry of note. This well-kept inn is operated by the genial but sharp-witted king’s lord of Dhedluk, the retired adventurer Thiombur. A former member of the Fair Fortune Freeswords, Thiombur is ever ready with tales of that company’s legendary exploits—mostly in Tunland and the Stonelands, both of which have unfortunately fallen back into lawlessness since those bold days.

While he's pleasant company, visitors are warned that anything said to Thiombur is likely to be relayed directly to King Azoun, Vangerdahast, or their agents. Indeed, rumors persist of a permanent gate linking the Royal Court and Dhedluk. There are at least two documented instances of high-ranking court officials appearing instantly when Thiombur required royal authority—usually to deal with aggressive delegations from Thay or Zhentil Keep.

Dhedluk is a breathtakingly lovely place: a dappled glade of birdsong, filtered sunlight, and vast moss-hung trees. Nobles and retired Purple Dragons alike seem drawn here to spend their twilight years. With housing in such high demand, prices are astonishing—a small stone-and-timber cottage might fetch 16,000 lions or more. The village’s beauty and quiet have also drawn those with... unconventional ideas.

The Women of the Woods

Among Dhedluk’s more notorious inhabitants are two contrasting groups: the Women of the Woods and a dangerous underground sect called the High Hunt.

The Women of the Woods are outlawed by law but tolerated—and even quietly favored—by King Azoun himself. Despite being under royal protection, they are constantly monitored and harassed under Vangerdahast’s orders. These women believe that rule of Cormyr—and indeed all Faerûn—rightly belongs to females. Their base of operations is the forest-shrouded ruin of Meliyekur’s Magical Museum, a once-grand manor turned magical exhibit hall by an eccentric noble long ago.

The Museum is protected by cruel enchantments: intruders are levitated and paralyzed, their bodies floating in grim display—freezing in winter, decaying through summer, and eventually becoming skeletons suspended midair. The site has quietly become a deathtrap for Cormyr’s enemies, with many Red Wizards, Zhentarim, and Cult of the Dragon agents perishing in their attempts to breach it.

The Women of the Woods have apparently mastered the Museum’s remaining magical items. At least one is a mage of no small power. I once witnessed a Purple Dragon try to apprehend a lone bathing woman, only to be flattened by a tree she telekinetically ripped from the earth and hurled with a flick of her hand.

Their raids on the village are precise and practical—food, drink, cookware, axes, and jewelry. Many believe the Women shelter a captive deepspawn within the mansion. Whether that’s true or not, Purple Dragons patrolling the woods often report the smell of roasting venison drifting from the trees, though no hunting parties are ever seen.

The Women of the Woods are at least two dozen strong and led by the elusive Vandara “the Vixen” Thulont, a striking figure of former Suzailan merchant stock who once shared a romance with Thiombur himself. Their falling out—described by some as a spectacular heartbreak—was the spark that led Vandara to gather other women disillusioned by their men and forge their own woodland sisterhood. Be warned: Thiombur does not appreciate questions about Vandara, and pressing the matter may result in a sudden chill in hospitality.

Even more dangerous are inquiries regarding King Azoun’s rumored connection to the Women, which Purple Dragons treat as a closely guarded secret of the realm. Whispers abound: is Vandara of Obarskyr blood? Could Azoun be her sire as well as her king? If any traveler learns more—or dares to share what they know—I’d be most eager to hear of it, purely for the sake of updating this guide for posterity, of course.

The High Hunt

Not all the outlawry near Dhedluk enjoys royal tolerance. Quite the opposite: the High Hunt is a deeply unsettling cult, outlawed by the Crown yet still operating in the shadows. Composed largely of decadent Cormyrean nobles from long-standing houses, this group believes that the land’s vitality must be renewed by the ritual slaying of one of noble blood—at least once per year.

The chosen victim, willing or not, is turned loose into the forest near Dhedluk to be hunted like a stag under the light of the full moon. These grim chases begin in secret, but in years past victims often tried to take shelter in Dhedluk itself, which led to frantic pursuits and open skirmishes in the village streets between the cult and Purple Dragons or alarmed adventurers awakened at the Blushing Maiden.

Azoun IV formally outlawed the High Hunt early in his reign, especially once it became clear that some unscrupulous nobles were abusing it to eliminate rivals. The harsh penalties against kidnapping or detaining a noble today stem from those bloody scandals.

Cultists are rumored to wear stag-antlered masks during rituals, and their secret symbol is a point-down dagger trailed by three drops of blood arcing leftward. Members are known to draw three drops of blood when meeting on cult business, pricking their arms or fingers with ceremonious gravity. Travelers are strongly advised never to consort with such folk—or to mention having seen a Hunt, unless they wish a swift and silent death at the hands of those determined to protect the cult’s secrecy.

Places of Interest in Dhedluk

The Blushing Maiden

The sole inn and best-known landmark in Dhedluk, the Blushing Maiden is a sprawling, rustic wayhouse nestled among the towering forest trees. It offers serenity, discretion, and views of breathtaking natural beauty. The private rooms are exceptionally well-appointed, each boasting a bath suite equal to the finest in Waterdeep and luxuriously draped in owlbear and wolfskin pelts.

One long hallway features a marvel: a hundred-pace-long enchanted forest tapestry rumored to be of elven make. It glows with a soft internal light, and locals whisper that the deer and stags depicted within shift their position when no one is watching. According to none other than Elminster, the tapestry may contain multiple gates to locations across Faerûn—and possibly beyond. Only those with the proper knowledge can activate them, by stepping into just the right part of the woven design.

The inn is named after Aradaera “Ravensong” Tinshar, the famed sorceress and once-leader of the Fair Fortune Freeswords—also Thiombur’s first great love. Her illusionary likeness appears from time to time in the entry hall: a dark-eyed, smirking vision in a gauzy, revealing gown. Created by Sembia’s finest illusionists at the cost of more than 50,000 gold lions, it is both a monument and a memento of a lost age.

Aradaera earned her nickname for her favored alternate form—a singing raven—and for once outwitting a beholder in its lair before calling her companions to the fight with a fireball. One of her most celebrated moments came when she witnessed the Simbul of Aglarond arrive in raven shape to correct King Azoun on a trade clause, transforming into her famed self mid-tune and upstaging a minstrel before flying off again. Thiombur, present at the event, still tells the tale with awe. One cold winter, as he told the story again to a gathering at the Maiden, a traveler quietly affirmed the details, transformed into a raven, sang a haunting refrain—and vanished into the night.

Thiombur remains a storyteller, woodsman, and capable host. He can direct guests to the best berry patches, the cleanest springs, warn of dryads and Women of the Woods, and even dispatch search parties if you fail to return from a ramble. The Maiden’s food is hearty and well-prepared, and its reputation draws travelers from all across Cormyr. Merchants even choose the Starwater Road over faster routes, just to rest here before continuing on to the Tankard in Eveningstar.