Bringing Greyhawk to Life: Side Quests and Story in Hommlet for Temple of Elemental Evil DND Campaign

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By 3orcs | A DM's Perspective on Creating a Living World in Verbobonc When I first started building my Temple of Elemental Evil campaign, I didn’t just want to run the module—I wanted to bring the World of Greyhawk to life. I wanted villages that felt alive, not just as a backdrop for battles, but as places where characters could belong . Over time, that ambition led to the creation of the Hommlet Campaign Guide: Main Plotline and Side Quests , a resource designed to expand the scope of T1: Village of Hommlet into a full-on narrative engine for your campaign. This post is a personal look at how that project came to be, and why I believe it will help new and veteran DMs transform the classic Temple of Elemental Evil into something unforgettable. The Missing Link Between Plot and Place If you've read the T1 module by Gary Gygax , you know that Hommlet is more than a village—it's the staging point for an epic battle against evil cults. But in many campaigns, it ris...
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The Cult of the Elder Elemental God: Dungeon Master's Guide to a Chaotic DND Campaign in the World of Greyhawk

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Leaders of the Temple of Elemental Evil

 Greetings fellow Dungeon Masters! As a lifelong fan of the World of Greyhawk and an aficionado of the Temple of Elemental Evil, I wanted to dive into one of the most sinister and enthralling aspects of the campaign setting: The Cult of the Elder Elemental God (EEG). This chaotic and enigmatic organization provides a rich vein of intrigue, political maneuvering, and outright terror for your players to experience. Let me take you through its history, motivations, and how to make this cult a cornerstone of your Dungeons & Dragons campaign.

A History Rooted in Chaos

The Cult of the Elder Elemental God is steeped in lore, its influence stretching back through the annals of Greyhawk's history. The god itself, known as Rentaq, represents the untamable chaos of creation and destruction, and its fractured form leaks corruption through shards scattered across the Flanaess. These shards empower the cult, giving rise to secret strongholds like the infamous Temple of Elemental Evil, which serves as a nexus of their chaotic power​​.

The cult’s origins lend themselves to epic storytelling. Incorporate ancient ruins, forgotten tomes, and whispers of a power that predates the Prime Material Plane itself. The adventurers won’t just be battling cultists—they’ll be fighting against the very fabric of chaos threatening to unravel the world.

Integrating the Cult into the Temple of Elemental Evil Campaign

For Dungeon Masters running the T1 Village of Hommlet as the opening act of a Temple of Elemental Evil campaign, the cult offers a wealth of story opportunities. Here’s how you can make it sing:

1. History and Structure

The Temple itself, located outside the Viscounty of Verbobonc, is more than a dungeon—it’s a hub of corruption. From the Moathouse to the greater Temple, the EEG cult spans multiple levels of influence:

  • Elemental Nodes: Introduce these extraplanar domains as terrifying reflections of the cult's twisted power. The players might discover portals to these nodes early on, hinting at the cult’s broader reach.
  • Fragmented Leadership: The competing factions within the cult mirror the chaos of their deity. This internal strife can create unique roleplaying opportunities, as PCs might manipulate or exploit these rivalries to weaken the cult.

2. Motivations and Relationships

The cult thrives on manipulation, making it a perfect antagonist in a campaign heavy on intrigue and exploration. The cult leaders, such as the calculating Hedrack or the twisted Lucius Graeme, serve as the backbone of the narrative. Each leader brings their own style of evil—subtle or overt—that Dungeon Masters can use to challenge different player strategies.

Use the cult’s connection to Verbobonc politics to add complexity:

  • Viscount Wilfrick’s Challenge: How does the cult manipulate Verbobonc’s political scene? Perhaps the cult has spies on the Council of Lords, or an NPC the players trust unknowingly serves their agenda.
  • Anonymity as a Weapon: The cult leaders are intelligent and well-resourced. Encourage players to think strategically by maintaining their anonymity, as once the cult identifies them, the danger ramps up exponentially.

Creating Memorable Encounters

The cult’s reach provides plenty of opportunities for encounters that build tension and reinforce the players' sense of escalating stakes.

The Moathouse

Early in the campaign, the Moathouse serves as a microcosm of the greater Temple’s evil. Populate it with spies, mercenaries, and dangerous wildlife. Players should encounter clues hinting at the EEG's far-reaching influence here—perhaps a shard of the Elder Elemental Eye is hidden within its crumbling walls.

The Greater Temple

By the time players reach the Greater Temple, the campaign should feel like a war against chaos itself. Use elemental creatures and magical traps to underscore the alien and terrifying nature of the cult. Incorporating the trisected triangle symbol into these scenes reinforces the cult’s cosmic scale.

Tips for Dungeon Masters

Here are some candid pieces of advice for making the Cult of the Elder Elemental God unforgettable:

  1. Subtle Foreshadowing: Introduce the cult’s symbols and whispers long before the players know its name. Perhaps they find burned crops in a nearby hamlet or hear stories of unnatural weather patterns—both signs of the cult’s growing influence.

  2. NPC Depth: The cult thrives on corruption, so give its NPCs layers. A trusted village elder might secretly be a cult agent, or an enemy might have been manipulated into serving the cult against their will.

  3. Morality and Choices: The cult’s philosophy—that destruction brings renewal—can tempt even the most virtuous characters. Use this as a tool to create moral dilemmas.

  4. Leverage Side Quests: To bring the world of Greyhawk to life, sprinkle in side quests tied to the cult. Players might protect a halfling village from cult-driven natural disasters or unravel an assassination plot targeting the Council of Lords.

The Cult’s Ramifications on Greyhawk

The Cult of the Elder Elemental God isn’t just a threat to the adventurers—it’s a threat to the entire world of Greyhawk. Its influence disrupts trade, destabilizes governments, and corrupts nature itself. This makes it the perfect antagonist for a campaign of epic scope.

Imagine the players returning to Verbobonc after a successful mission, only to find the city in chaos due to cultist sabotage. Or perhaps they discover that the cult’s machinations reach as far as Celene, forcing them to navigate elven politics while battling the forces of chaos.

Final Thoughts: Bringing the Cult to Life

As a Dungeon Master, the Cult of the Elder Elemental God offers you a toolkit for creating a campaign that’s equal parts mystery, political intrigue, and high-stakes adventure. Use its fractured structure and elemental themes to craft encounters and storylines that challenge your players both in combat and in roleplay.

And remember, the key to running a memorable campaign is immersion. Incorporate NPC dialogue, unique rituals, and environmental storytelling to make the cult feel like a living, breathing threat. For more resources and detailed guides, check out my Verbobonc Campaign Guide 576CY, available on the Dungeon Masters Guild. And don’t forget to visit my YouTube channel for deep dives into the Temple of Elemental Evil campaign.

Until next time, may your dice roll true, and may your players never uncover all your secrets!

- 3orcs

Additional Resources

3orcs
Bringing traditional Dungeons & Dragons back to life, one story at a time. Happy adventuring, and may your dice roll true!

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