Homebase: Hommlet

I’ve been thinking about using Hommlet as a home base for your campaign. Here’s some of the thoughts I’ve come up with.

1)         Atmosphere: Hommlet is a place where nothing is what it seems, wheels within wheels. While on the surface most people may seem happy and helpful, everyone has a secret. These secrets are not necessarily sinister in nature, but over all it should add to the sense that there is a palpable feeling of mystery in the town. I think if you can cultivate a feeling of paranoia, mystery and a feeling that the town itself is its own character, your campaign will feel all that more satisfying in the long run.

2)         It’s not all about Elemental Evil: Yeah the Temple and the Elemental Cults are a major force in the area, but they are not the only thing going on. There should be other adventures and sinister plans going on unrelated to those threats.  If all your players do is hunt down Elemental cultists your campaign will become monotonous. It will also damage the atmosphere and the feeling that your campaign world is actually more that just a one dimensional place.

3)         Make it about your PCs: This goes for any campaign really, but it doesn’t hurt to remind ourselves again about this truth. Your players need to feel that Hommlet is their home. They need to feel it is worth protecting and that some of these people are their friends and family. Remember: As a DM we must givith so that when we taketh it hurts like hell and motivates the players to take action.

Hommlet: Let He Without Sin Cast The First Stone

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”. Thus, this entry in my series on Ultimate Greyhawk. 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.

Stonemason Guild or Secret Society of Evil Elementals

29. The Stonemason

Earth Cultist: Servant of  the Apocalypse

Rurik Whitestone and his wife Edith are recent arrivals to Hommlet by way of Narwell (see Dungeon Magazine # 85 “Lord of the Scarlet Tide”). They have two children Ernst and Emma and three apprentices Sergi, Guther, Wolfgang. All are of the old faith and in the militia. Rurik has become very wealthy and is well regarded by the townsfolk. He has become close with the wizard Burne (area 31). Secretly this family is in league with the Temple. The apprentices are actually cultists of the Earth Temple. The family while not implicitly cultist themselves are now for better or worse forever tied to the cult. The family’s recent increase in good fortune is due in a large part to the cult. Rurik and his family were down on their luck after recent orc attacks from the Pomarj left them bereft of their hard earned wealth. When Rurik sought financial aid from the local Stonemasons Guild he learned that the Guild was infiltrated by the sinister Earth Cult and was pressed into their service. The cult helped the family relocate to Hommlet and re-establish themselves. In turn the family would act as spies and provide the cult with supplies and a safe house within the town. Rurik uses his power and influence to rub shoulders with all the important members of the town and shares what he discovers with the cult. Below the home is a secret redoubt for the Earth cultists to meet and plan operations. Everyone in the family will do its best to throw nosy adventurers off the trail of the cult.