Bringing Hommlet to Life – Random Encounters, Realism, and DM Magic in the Temple of Elemental Evil

Welcome to the 3orcs Blog—a dedicated space for Dungeons & Dragons fans and Dungeon Masters delving into the classic World of Greyhawk. Here, you’ll find campaign guides, NPC profiles, DM tips, and resources centered around Greyhawk’s rich lore, including in-depth insights for the Temple of Elemental Evil. Join me for articles, maps, and exclusive content to enhance your D&D adventures!
By 3orcs, for DMs who want their Greyhawk to bleed, breathe, and brawl
In my Temple of Elemental Evil campaign, I wanted Nulb to feel alive—a chaotic frontier village of danger, opportunity, and shadowed power struggles. Captain Tolub, pirate lord of The Iron Dagger, was born from that need. He’s not just a stat block; he’s a force on the Velverdyva River, a cunning manipulator who drinks with his enemies before feeding them to the current.
This article is part of my Verbobonc Campaign Guide 576 CY, a growing collection of content designed to flesh out the world around T1: The Village of Hommlet. If you’re a Dungeon Master looking to ground your Greyhawk campaign in realism and factional drama, Tolub is the perfect hook for smuggling, slavery, political alliances, and treachery by moonlight.
Tolub isn’t just a pirate—he’s a linchpin. In my game, he:
Extorts merchant barges traveling the Velverdyva River.
Acts as a broker between the Temple of Elemental Evil and Nulb’s underworld.
Is secretly resisting the cult’s grip even while feeding from its coffers.
Supports key factions like the Cult of the Crushing Wave, Belsornig, and Lady Lmag… but keeps one hand on the wheel and the other on his greataxe.
He lets adventurers think he’s just a brawling thug—until he pulls strings you didn’t know existed.
Tension & Intrigue: Tolub is suspicious of outsiders. A drink with him might lead to a side quest—or an ambush.
Moral Dilemmas: He traffics in slaves, but hates the cult’s zealotry. He respects strength, but despises laws.
Faction Depth: Through Tolub, your players meet the Cult of the Crushing Wave, bandits, cults, mercenaries, and pirates—all woven into a living ecosystem.
In one session, my players tried to tail Tolub to his ship. One slipped, fell in the mud, and ended up at his table for a drink—and a very tense bluff check. That's how Tolub works: every interaction is a pivot point.
I’ve used the Temple of Elemental Evil as a launching point to build a dynamic world—anchored by locations like:
Hommlet – Where Otis still swings a hammer.
Sheernobb, Ostverk, and Twilight Falls – Each with their own subplots, trade disputes, and rivalries.
Verbobonc – The political heart of the campaign, feeding power into the region’s chaos.
But it’s Nulb that pulses with life thanks to Tolub, Lady Nysera, the Boatman’s Tavern, the Crimson Reapers, and so many NPCs whose schemes and smiles are equally deadly.
To run Tolub:
Use his detailed stat block, dialog prompts, and motivations found in the Verbobonc Campaign Guide 576 CY.
Drop him into questlines like Tolub’s Journal or The Drunken Sailor to expose factions and secrets.
Use the artwork from 3orcs to set the tone: a hulking figure at a riverfront tavern, cold eyes weighing each adventurer.
This project started with one idea: what if Nulb mattered? What if every alley had a plot, every dock a scheme? Thanks to the Temple of Elemental Evil campaign, I’ve created realistic supply routes, economy hooks, NPC loyalties, and quests that interlock.
For DMs running T1: Village of Hommlet, ToEE, or even Against the Slavers, this material grounds your game in factions that react to the players, not just wait for combat.
If you want:
Side quests involving pirates and cults
Greyhawk-flavored NPCs with real consequences
Dialog and flavor text to drop into your sessions
Immersive artwork for handouts or VTT...
👉 Visit the Verbobonc Campaign Guide 576 CY for free NPCs, quests, and town maps.
👉 Subscribe to the 3orcs YouTube Channel for deep dives into the Temple of Elemental Evil and building villages that feel real.
This game has let me breathe new life into Greyhawk, from Hommlet’s mud-soaked roads to the haunted banks of the Velverdyva. I hope it does the same for you.
⚔️ — David from 3orcs
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