Lynn's decision to set his sights on Dagger Valley was hardly surprising. The quaint town at the northwestern end of the valley lay at the confluence of the Tais River's source and the Mokou Mountains; thus, it served as an inevitable waypoint for any journey towards the mountains. Finn raised no objections; he simply informed Lynn that he had some personal matters to attend to within the church before they could set forth together.
Three days later, with his affairs concluded, Finn was ready to depart, and Lynn had secured a sponsorship from Miss Vera. With funding and personnel in place, Lynn chose not to wait for Uncle Robin to finalize the land ownership documents in the north. Instead, he entrusted this task to Miss Vera and took the initiative to embark on the journey.
The group of six rented a small boat, navigating upstream towards Dagger Valley. The bustling city of Santier Castle faded into the background as the scenery transformed into expanses of cultivated fields and sparse woodlands. Before long, the outline of distant mountains emerged, with Dagger Valley nestled near the nearby waterfall.
Dagger Valley, once known as Waterfall Town, had flourished under the influence of the Kingdom of Theseyama, situated against the Mokou Mountains. At that time, dwarves mined and smelted iron in the mountains, and Waterfall Town monopolized their production, trading eastward via the river and southward along the Moon Sea Road. These two trade routes, coupled with the unique products of the dwarves, sustained the town's prosperity.
However, disaster struck when the dwarves delved into the Underdark, encountering beholders, and the Theseyama mines transformed into the beholder city of Otu. The dwarves fled, depriving Waterfall Town of its primary resources.
Furthermore, with the rise of Santier Castle, the Tais River's mouth fell under its control, rendering maritime trade nearly impossible. Following the downfall of the Elven Kingdom of Komansor, the dark elves became increasingly audacious. The region near the Old Bone Mountains along the Moon Sea Road saw tunnels leading directly underground, allowing drow to emerge onto the surface and launch assaults alongside the twisted towers to the south, encircling Shadow Valley. In that tumultuous conflict, Waterfall Town's meager strength was rendered insignificant.
Consequently, Waterfall Town deteriorated from a thriving settlement into a forsaken rural area. As desolation set in, various monsters emerged: vampires, winter wolves, and beholders. The town not only lost its wealth but also its safety, transforming from Waterfall Town into Dagger Valley.
Their primary source of income now came from cultivating vegetables for sale to Santier Castle—given the poor climate surrounding Santier, grain production was low, necessitating imports from the southern valleys. However, fresh vegetables were still sought after locally, and the produce from Dagger Valley would quickly reach Santier Castle by river, thus carving out a path for their own development.
"Yet, apart from the excellent cabbages, it seems there is little else in terms of produce. Even the tax officials find it difficult to extract any revenue here; they truly are quite impoverished."
After disembarking, Finn remarked as he gazed at the town that lay so close before them. Marty echoed his sentiment from behind, while Howard remained silent, his brow clouded. As for Gonda, with nothing to occupy him on the boat, he resorted to drinking and was now soundly asleep on the back of the pack horse led by Howard.
This was one of the reasons for Finn's buoyant disposition and willingness to engage in conversation.
"The Santier folk are not mistaken in saying so," Lynn responded with a smile, "For those residing in Santier, the most valuable commodity here is indeed cabbage. However, for the bandits in the mountains and the smugglers beyond the borders of Santier, the situation differs significantly."
"Are there smugglers here?" Finn inquired, somewhat surprised. "I was unaware of this."
"Such matters are hardly disclosed to you clerics of the Dark Lord," Imory interjected softly. "Yet smuggling is rampant in Santier; that is hardly news, surely you must be aware of that?"
Finn fell silent, acknowledging the truth of her statement.
Santier Castle imposed heavy taxes on commerce, leading to persistent smuggling operations. Additionally, due to Santier's political stances, trade with some southern nations frequently oscillated between open and restricted, further fueling the smuggling industry.
Finn was well aware of this, knowing that the conflicts among the Santier Council, major merchant guilds, and the church contributed to the inability to curtail such activities. For them, smugglers were viewed as political tools, capable of undermining adversaries while providing personal gains. Although Santier Castle revered Bane, the internal power struggles rendered unification impossible, which frustrated Finn greatly.
However, he chose not to share these thoughts with the others.
"Dagger Valley has smuggling operations…" Finn mused, recognizing the implications of this revelation. "Indeed, those mountain bandits require weapons and sometimes need to procure food supplies. It stands to reason they would turn to smugglers for such necessities."
"But it is not solely bandits seeking supplies here; strictly speaking, Dagger Valley serves as a hub for smugglers," Lynn quickly interjected. "Both weapons destined for the Mokou Mountains and gems intended for the south are funneled through here. Beyond cabbages, the primary export of this place consists of smugglers."
The scale of smuggling operations astonished Finn, prompting him to rise in agitation. However, considering that individuals from his own church might be involved, he begrudgingly sat back down.
"How can you be certain that this is the smuggling hub?"
"It is not merely my assertion; it is the most suitable location—why did Waterfall Town prosper? It was strategically located upstream on the Tais River, backed by the Mokou Mountains, and adjacent to the Moon Sea Road, forming a crucial intersection. Of course, a new route has emerged: with the opening of the Desert Black Road, accessibility has improved further. Its geographical position makes it the ideal transit point, minimizing the costs of smuggling trade."
The most significant aspect of Santier's commerce remained maritime trade. Guarding the mouth of the Tais River, Santier Castle possessed unparalleled advantages in this regard, having established the largest naval fleet in the Moon Sea region. They even dared to engage in warfare with the followers of Ambo. Such monopolistic power effectively stifled any maritime smuggling routes, leading the majority of smuggling to occur over land.
The crossroads location of Waterfall Town rendered it an optimal distribution center for smuggled goods. No organized effort was necessary; geography dictated the dynamics of trade. Previously, the town thrived on the support of the Theseyama Kingdom; now, it survived due to the smuggling operations linked to Santier Castle.
This was their path to survival, and it was also the reason Lynn chose to initiate his plans from here.