Grave-Soaked Secrets in the Shadow of Nulb, in the World of Greyhawk for the Temple of Elemental Evil DND campaign

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How the Village Graveyard Became a Cornerstone of My Temple of Elemental Evil Campaign When I first laid eyes on the crumbling, moss-covered tombstones of the Nulb Graveyard , I didn’t expect it to become such a pivotal piece of my campaign. But that’s what I’ve come to love about building out the Verbobonc Campaign Guide 576cy —those small, seemingly forgotten places often reveal the most story-rich, atmospheric threads. Nulb , with its damp streets and looming threat of corruption, has always been a favorite location of mine when expanding upon the legendary Temple of Elemental Evil campaign by Gary Gygax. I’ve worked to bring this infamous, chaotic village to life—not as a cardboard cutout of evil, but as a living, breathing space of secrets, routines, and long-buried grief. The graveyard , tucked between Baroness Nysera’s Manor and the road to the old Temple ruins , is no exception. The Forgotten Heart of Nulb This is no grand cathedral graveyard. The Nulb Graveyard is winds...
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Everburning Lantern - unique non-magic item for Greyhawk DND campaign

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Rare Non-Magical Item • Price: 200 gp
Powered by lumina essence, a bioluminescent compound distilled from subterranean fungi

Description

The Everburning Lantern is a masterfully crafted piece of frontier ingenuity—an ornate, iron-and-bronze lantern whose pale blue-green flame never dims, flickers, or consumes fuel. Unlike magically enchanted items, this light source owes its eternal glow to a rare and volatile alchemical fuel called lumina essence.

Each lantern is carefully assembled with heat-resistant glass, etched brass runes (purely decorative), and a containment vial that holds the essence safely in place. The lantern sheds bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet. It produces no heat, smoke, or scent, making it especially favored by miners, night caravans, forest rangers, and wealthy collectors alike.

Rarity and Value

Everburning Lanterns are rarely seen outside of major trade hubs like Dyvers or Verbobonc, and are highly sought after in frontier settlements like Twilight Falls. While not magical by classification, they command a price as if they were, due to the extreme difficulty of harvesting lumina essence from bioluminescent fungi found only in deep, dangerous caverns.

  • Price: 200 gp

  • Weight: 2 lbs

  • Availability: Only a few known merchants (like Torlson’s General Shop) stock them, and even then, only occasionally.

Adventurer's Notes

  • The lumina essence is stable in its sealed core but highly reactive if disturbed—if the vial is shattered, it glows for 1d4 days before fading entirely.

  • Though not magical, some scholars speculate the fungi may grow near ley-line tears or subterranean fey rifts, hinting at unknown origins.

  • Some smugglers and spies tint the lantern glass to alter its glow, making it useful for coded messages or clandestine operations.

     

     

    Everburning Lantern

    Rare Non-Magical Item
    Price: 200 gp • Weight: 2 lbs

    Description:
    A beautifully forged lantern of aged bronze and iron, etched with arcane flourishes and fitted with thick, heatproof glass. Inside glows a pale blue-green flame, powered not by magic, but by a rare alchemical fuel known as lumina essence, harvested from deep-cavern fungi. The flame emits no heat or smoke, yet burns indefinitely without need of refueling.

  • Light Radius: Bright light in a 30 ft radius, dim light for another 30 ft

  • Stealth Advantage: Emits no heat or scent; ideal for explorers, spies, and night travelers

  • Exotic Fuel Source: Fueled by lumina essence – extremely rare and volatile

Lore & Rarity:
Everburning Lanterns are a prized commodity in frontier towns and among high-end traders. Though non-magical, their reliability and craftsmanship make them status symbols and practical tools alike. Few shops carry them—Torlson’s General Shop in Twilight Falls being one such exception.

  • Harvested fuel from glowing cave fungi in deep Gnarley caverns

  • Stable when sealed, but glowing vial can be shattered (glows for 1d4 days)

  • Price reflects rarity, not enchantment

Adventurer’s Tip:
Some seasoned rogues swap out the lens glass with tinted panes to signal allies or mark waypoints in the dark. The flame will always burn, but only the clever know how to read its glow.

 

📖 Want More TOEE Content?

📖 Read the full Falls Keep article in the Verbobonc Campaign Guide 576CY: Falls Keep
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💬 Would YOU defend Falls Keep, or let it fall to chaos? Let me know in the comments!

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