3orcs D&D Blog: Greyhawk Guides, Campaign Tips, & Dungeon Master Resources

  If you've ever tried to run the classic T1–The Village of Hommlet or dive headlong into the Temple of Elemental Evil , then you know how tantalizing—but fragmented—the original material can feel. There’s a brilliance to the foundation Gygax laid, but to truly make the world breathe, a Dungeon Master has to lift the veil and stitch the darkness together. That's what this latest article update for the Leadership of the Temple of Elemental Evil sets out to do. Bringing the Enemy to Life One of the greatest shortcomings in the original module is that the leadership structure of the Temple is vague and uncoordinated. Yes, we have Hedrack, Senshock, Romag, Alrrem, and Belsornig—but how do they function ? Who do they trust? Who spies on whom? How does smuggling operate in Nulb without tipping off the knights of Furyondy? Our latest article does what the module never fully dared: we gave the Temple leadership teeth, chains, spies, and an underground network that now pulses thro...

by 3orcs – Dungeon Master, Mapmaker, Worldbuilder The World of Greyhawk has always been more than just maps and modules—it’s about depth, choices, and characters that bleed with ambition, fear, and hunger. As a Dungeon Master running the legendary Temple of Elemental Evil , I’ve come to believe that it's the little places—the taverns, the brothels, the alley deals—that give the big story its soul. That’s why I’m excited to introduce one of the darkest veins of Nulb’s underworld: Lorveth “The Broker” Thrask , the cold-blooded slaver and intelligence fixer who pulls strings in the shadows of the Boatman’s Tavern. This character and the logistics around him were born out of my personal work on the Verbobonc Campaign Guide 576 CY , and I hope it inspires you as it has me. The Merchant of Misery: Who Is Lorveth Thrask? Lorveth is no spell-hurling boss fight. He’s worse. He’s a whisperer. A buyer of bodies. A half-orc who wraps cruelty in charisma and runs a growing empire from the...

  By 3orcs – DM, Illustrator, and Worldbuilder When I first cracked open T1: The Village of Hommlet , I never imagined just how much depth I could layer into the classic Temple of Elemental Evil campaign. Sure, the moathouse and Nulb are iconic, but the real magic? It’s the tension building in the background—the rumors whispered in guildhalls, the quiet fury of disenfranchised gnome merchants, the clash between noble houses. That’s where the soul of a great campaign hides. That’s why I created “Political Tensions in Verbobonc – Spring 579 CY” —a dynamic Dungeon Master’s tool for injecting layers of intrigue into your Greyhawk sessions. If you’re a DM looking to breathe life into Verbobonc before your players ever reach Hommlet, then this supplement is a goldmine of factional drama, NPC motivations, and side quest hooks. Why Verbobonc Deserves Center Stage Before the Temple Awakens Every DM who’s run The Temple of Elemental Evil knows the opening act can feel disconnected fro...

  Weaving Elven Intrigue Into Your Temple of Elemental Evil Campaign By 3orcs – Lorecrafter, DM, and Creator of the Verbobonc Campaign Guide 576 CY One of the most creatively fulfilling aspects of building the Verbobonc Campaign Guide 576 CY has been developing the living world around The Temple of Elemental Evil — a world breathing with tension, factional politics, spiritual depth, and strange woodland magic. In this post, I want to introduce you to one of my favorite elven factions in the Gnarley Forest: Clan Fealefel , the Arcane Sentinels of the Twilight Trees. Their lore, mystery, and presence have fundamentally reshaped how I run the Wild Coast and the Gnarley Forest — and they can do the same for you. Who Are the Fealefel? Nestled in the deep northern reaches of the Gnarley Forest, bordering the ancient Wild Road, Clan Fealefel is a fiercely independent elven clan whose power stems from deep-rooted arcane traditions, old pacts with the Fey, and an unrelenting dedic...

  Bringing Hommlet to Life – Random Encounters, Realism, and DM Magic in the Temple of Elemental Evil By 3orcs ( Dungeon Master, Lore-Crafter, Creator of the Verbobonc Campaign Guide 576 CY )   Why The Inn of the Welcome Wench Deserves Its Own Spotlight As a lifelong Dungeon Master and lover of the World of Greyhawk, there's a very particular magic in the sleepy village of Hommlet—especially within the smoky, bustling walls of The Inn of the Welcome Wench . This unassuming tavern serves as the social heart of T1: The Village of Hommlet , and in my campaign it has grown into something much more: a living ecosystem of personalities, secrets, side quests, and drama that I return to time and again. When I sat down to write the random encounter tables for this inn, I didn’t want just names and numbers. I wanted to capture village life —the push and pull of rumors, the clink of mugs and coin, the eyes in the dark corner booth. These tables aren’t just tools. They’re story eng...

A Resource for DMs—and New Players Whether you're a veteran Dungeon Master looking to deepen the Temple of Elemental Evil with layered cultures, or a  new player  the song Battle of Emridy Meadows is heard in most Taverns.,   Visit the Verbobonc Campaign Guide Explore all the loremasters, and see artwork of the village and its magical halls, visit: 🔗  The Verbobonc Campaign Guide 576 CY  on World Anvil I also go into deep discussion on Oakvein and how to use it in your campaign on my YouTube channel: 🎥  3orcs on YouTube If you want  Greyhawk villages that live and breathe , that evolve with the players and remember the scars of past wars, I hope this song inspires your own creations. — 🛠️ Written by 3orcs 🎨 Creator of the  Verbobonc Campaign Guide 576 CY 📺 Dungeon Master, Writer, Worldbuilder