Hommlet: Gods and Monsters

In the Temple of Elemental Evil Gygax wrote “If [the heroes] need more seasoning before continuing to the greater challenges, you may – and should – design and develop other adventures in the area”. 

This post is part of a series  of posts about my Ultimate Greyhawk campaign. Much like how comics and movies will reboot a franchise with a new take on an old concept, this is my personal re-imagining of the Greyhawk Campaign Setting beginning with the venerable town of Hommlet. 

The following location is numbered based on how it appears on the map of the village of Hommlet found in T1-4: The Temple of Elemental Evil. You can see the rest of the entries in the Ultimate Greyhawk sidebar of the blog.

20. Church of St. Cuthbert

This edifice was built by the Viscount in honor of services rendered by Archcleric of Veluna during war with the Temple. It was created as both a chance to expand the influence of Saint Cuthbert, but to also provide a holy bastion against the forces of Evil in the area, most especially the return of the Temple.

Canon Terjon - One badass mofo

Canoness Y’dey: Once the the leader of this church, the Canoness has gone into hiding. She had deduced that many foul things were a foot and that her life was in danger. In danger from what, she was not sure, but she decided that the only one she could trust was herself and that a larger conspiracy was afoot. To that end she has hidden in the place that few would even think to look for her, in the villainess town of Nulb. In Nulb she has been gathering intelligence and planning her next move. Her paranoia is such that she waits and hopes for the day she can risk revealing what she knows to those who can take a stand against the forces of evil Elemental and otherwise that are plotting in the Viscounty.

Calmert: This young cleric is zealous in his duty to collect contributions to the church. He is impulsive and naïve hoping to convert all in the village and those he meets to the faith. His pushiness and naivety cause him to have few friends in town. His youthfulness and impulsivity nature cause him to seek out adventuring parties and join them for a chance to prove his worth to his deity.  

Canon Terjon: The current leader of the church is gruff and distant. He took over running the church shortly after Y’dey mysteriously disappeared. Thus far he has no clue as to what happened to her and divinations and prayers in this regard have proven fruitless thus far. Terjon has sent word to his superiors in Verbobonc but thus far they have provided little insight or help. Terjon believes that there are great events at foot and that it is just a matter of time until something gives.

Adventure Seed: The Shrine of the Nameless God

What is going on below the Church? In addition to the Cemetery and catacombs there is an ancient structure that predates the building of the church. Grave robbers working for a local necromancer found the shrine while looting the crypts and now something has awoken from its from its ancient slumber? What nameless horror, best left alone now stalks the musty halls of the dead?

Adventure Seed: Holy War

Someone has been fomenting a war between the Old Faith and Saint Cuthbert. Scuffles have been breaking out between the two factions on a regular basis and its only a matter of time until it comes to actual violence and someone gets hurt or worse killed. While the easy assumption is that it’s the Temple behind this the truth is that this is all being orchestrated by the cult of Wastri. When the time is right the cult will unleash its plan to convert the town members to the Hopping Prophet and bring about a race of new and superior beings to Oerth.