17. Cottage Shop Ruins

Half-collapsed and wholly forsaken, this scorched and splintered husk of a building once served as a humble cottage shop in better days—back when Nulb was a trading village instead of a haunted staging ground for death cults and pirates. Long since ruined in the battle before Emridy Meadows, it now stands as a silent monument to broken causes, whispered oaths, and things better left buried.

Exterior Description

The shell of the old shop stands at the muddy edge of a warped lane, within earshot of 2. Otises Smithy and Stable and not far from the River Run.

• Structure: A low stone foundation and half-charred timber frame. A portion of the shop’s front wall has collapsed, revealing the blackened remains of the interior hearth.
• Surroundings: The back of the property ends in tangled brush and damp earth, thick with mushrooms and the smell of wet rot. Thorny vines creep up the timbers. Ravens perch along the ruined roofline.
• Moss-Covered Sign: The warped remnants of a wooden placard hang askew from rusted chains, once carved with the trade symbol of a millwright or cooper’s seal—now faded and unreadable.

Interior Description

Inside the structure, scorched beams lean like the ribs of a dead god. Soot still clings to the stone walls.

• Main Room: Blackened stonework and sagging rafters. Splinters of a shattered worktable and the remnants of brass fittings and burned wooden barrels lie scattered across the floor.
• Hidden Trapdoor: Concealed beneath a collapsed timber is a rusted iron ring, leading to a crawlspace and forgotten basement below.
• Smells and Sounds: The scent of mold, rust, and old blood linger. On stormy nights, some swear the walls whisper back.

History of the Cottage

This structure was once a barrel-maker’s shop—run by a local family of coopers who died in the early stages of the Emridy assault. The shop was one of the first structures torched when allied forces cornered Temple forces in Nulb. Inside, several clerics and warriors of the Elder Elemental Earth cult made their final stand here. None survived.

• Battle Aftermath: The bodies were burned within, their bones still interred beneath the hearthstones.
• Reputation: Superstitious villagers claim the earth here remembers violence, and “those who bleed inside will soon join the fire."

Cult Activity & Hidden Features

While locals avoid the barn, Temple agents know better. The site is occasionally used as a dead drop and temporary hideout.

Hidden Cache Beneath the Floorboards

• Trapdoor: Hidden under a collapsed support beam. Requires DC 15 Investigation to find.
• Beneath: A dirt-floored chamber the size of a root cellar. Walls are damp, lined with moldy crates and scattered bones.

Treasure Cache:

• 240 sp, 38 gp
• Iron Mask of the Earth Temple (non-magical but recognizable to cult members)
• Potion of Gaseous Form (old, but intact)
• Scroll of Darkness, Scroll of Meld into Stone
• Masterwork Sickle etched with the symbol of the Cult of the Elder Elemental God
• A child’s cracked porcelain doll with red marbles for eyes

Local Superstition & Reputation

The villagers of Nulb refer to the ruins simply as Ash Shack or The Firebones. It is considered bad luck to even pass it on the left-hand side.

Whispers from the Locals:

• “It burns without flame.” Some nights, flickers of red glow in the rubble.
• “Earth eats the honest.” Those who dig here have vanished.
• “You’ll hear the prayers of the dead if you stay long enough.” Rumored to be cursed.

Role in Nulb's Criminal Web

Though not a primary location in the Temple’s logistics, the Rotted Barn serves as:

• A Dead Drop Site: Used by agents of Madame Selentis (Nysera Krivaltis) when the Boatman’s Wharf or Wainwright Depot are under surveillance.
• Meeting Point: Occasionally used by bandits of The Crimson Reapers or scouts sent by Romag to move unseen through town.
• Signal Location: A lit candle in the upper rear window signals a message drop is ready.

Adventure Hooks

• “The Bonefire’s Last Word” – A haunted cleric’s ghost lingers, bound to the masterwork sickle. He demands vengeance on those who abandoned him.
• “The Cracked Doll” – The porcelain doll contains a soul fragment from a child used in a ritual. A warlock’s patron wants it recovered—at any cost.
• “Dead Drop Gone Missing” – A scheduled Temple communication left here has vanished, and Selentis wants it retrieved before her rivals learn the truth.
• “The Whisper Below” – The basement chamber has begun to echo a faint voice in Abyssal: a buried Temple relic has awakened.

DM Notes

• This site should exude mood and dread. Don't play it as obviously evil, but let the ghosts of the past permeate every board and shadow.
• Its proximity to 2. Otises Smithy and Stable is intentional—Otis, the village blacksmith, keeps a quiet watch on suspicious movements near the ruin. Unknown to most, he serves as a secret agent of the resistance against the Temple of Elemental Evil, passing information to allies in Hommlet and Veluna.
• The cache below can provide a useful breadcrumb to direct players toward Romag, the Earth Temple, or Madame Selentis’s hidden network.
• If the players attempt to rest here, roll for nighttime events with disturbing dreams, crawling insects, and waking visions.