Hommlet Campaign Guide: Main Plotline and Side Quests
An Organized Quest Index for the Verbobonc Campaign 576 CY
In the shadow of a rising darkness, the once quiet Village of Hommlet becomes the crucible where the fate of the Flanaess will again be tested. Bandits roam the roads, ancient cults stir beneath the soil, and whispers of a second rising of the Temple of Elemental Evil reach the ears of the wise. This guide presents a complete walkthrough of the main plotline quests and side adventures centered around Hommlet, beginning with the adventurers' arrival and leading into the depths of the cult conspiracy.
MAIN PLOTLINE QUESTS
1. Bandit attack on the way to Hommlet
“Every hero’s path begins with a choice... and a blade in the dark.”
Quest Type: Prelude Encounter common D&D trope
Location: Long Road to Hommlet
Quest Giver: None (Triggered Event)
As the adventurers travel the High Road southward toward Hommlet, they are ambushed by a bandit party led by Rogan Feld, a lieutenant under Lareth the Beautiful. This first encounter provides combat, lore clues, and immediate stakes. Surviving the encounter and collecting the bandit materials helps the party earn trust once they arrive in Hommlet.
- Objective: Survive the ambush and gather intelligence.
- Reward: Map fragments, letter scraps referencing the Moathouse and Trevil’s Fens Cottage.
- Narrative Impact: Establishes the organized nature of the bandit threat and sets the stage for the party to be recruited by the village elders.
2. Into the Moathouse
“A ruined keep… a shattered gate… and a secret buried beneath the mire.”
Quest Type: Dungeon Infiltration
Quest Giver: Elder Kenter Sr., Terjon, Lord Burne, Lord Rufus or the Hommlet Council (after village trust is earned)
Location: The Old Moathouse
Bandits have taken control of the Moathouse, an ancient fortress north of Hommlet. Locals suspect it as the hub of raiding operations. Scouts refuse to go near it, and strange lights are seen at night. Adventurers are tasked with investigating and, if possible, clearing it.
- Objective: Explore and secure the Moathouse; defeat its defenders.
- Reward: Bounty of 5 gold piece per heads, 100 gp for the bandit leader, recovered treasure, access to inner sanctum.
- Notes: Traps, bandits, spies, and undead await.
3. Bane of the Bandit Lord
“Beauty cloaks horror. Charm hides rot.”
Quest Type: Boss Confrontation
Quest Giver: Canon Terjon or Captain Zeb Fletcher, Lord Burne, Lord Rufus; Summons to the Council of Hommlet
Location: Moathouse Lower Level
The adventurers confront Lareth the Beautiful, a charismatic yet dangerous priest and war-leader of the Temple of Elemental Evil. His defeat is crucial to crippling the regional bandit network. Lareth Moathouse capture
- Objective: Defeat or capture Lareth; recover any intelligence.
- Reward: Bonus reward from the Council, relics from the cult, Temple symbols.
- Narrative Tie-In: Lareth’s orders mention Trevil’s farm and a “northern drop.”
4. Trevil’s Cottage: The Staging Ground
“The fens hide more than herbs… they grow darkness too.”
Quest Type: Investigation and Raid
Quest Giver: Zeb Fletcher or Jaroo Ashstaff , Lord Burne, Lord Rufus or the Hommlet Council
Location: Trevil’s Fens Cottage (north-west of the Fens)
Demien Trevils, a former rancher turned collaborator, has been supplying the Temple and storing stolen goods. The cottage is disguised as a humble farmstead but serves as a bandit logistics hub.
- Objective: Search the ranch, defeat guards, uncover smuggling evidence.
- Reward: Crates of weapons and supplies, information on the Hunting Cabin.
- Outcome: Uncovers Trevil’s correspondence with cult agents in Nulb.
5. The Cottage: Shadow of the Second Rising
“Where the trees grow thick, so too does the conspiracy.”
Quest Type: Wilderness Assault
Quest Giver: Jaroo Ashstaff, Elder Kenter Sr., Lord Burne, Lord Rufus or the Hommlet Council
Location: Deep woods east of Hommlet along the High road
A remote 55. Hunting Cottage functions as a drop point and prisoner holding area for the Temple. Hidden cult agents and elite bandit captains use it to coordinate movement into Nulb and beyond.
- Objective: Free captives, intercept supply orders, and disable the compound.
- Reward: Arcane sigils, Temple of Earth correspondence.
- Implication: Identifies overlapping operations with Water and Air cults.
6. Dark Dealings
“It’s no longer just bandits—it’s a war of gods.”
Quest Type: Cult Unmasking and Confrontation
Quest Giver: Canon Terjon, Lord Burne, Lord Rufus or the Hommlet Council
Location: Hommlet, Fens of Tor, Nulb connections
The final arc of Hommlet’s campaign plotline begins as the adventurers uncover that the bandit raids are not random—they're part of a reawakened cult network dedicated to the Elder Elemental God and the Four Elemental Temples. This quest takes the party into the criminal underworld of Nulb and the borders of the Gnarley Forest.
- Objective: Intercept coded messages, confront emissaries, expose the multi-temple network.
- Reward: Gold, relics, divine favor from St. Cuthbert or the Old Faith.
- Narrative Bridge: Leads into the Temple of Elemental Evil mega-dungeon.
POLITICAL QUESTLINES OF VERBOBONC
Living Greyhawk Module Conversions for the 576 CY Timeline
The rise of the Temple of Elemental Evil is not merely a regional matter—it shakes the very pillars of politics, faith, and noble order across the Viscounty of Verbobonc and the Free Alliance of the Kron Hills. These quests are adapted from Living Greyhawk modules and repositioned in 576 CY as political subplots and military flashpoints. They weave through towns, noble houses, ancient ruins, and giant-infested hills—offering your players the chance to shape the fate of the region before they ever set foot in Nulb.
VER1-01 Noble Ambitions
Questline: The Lost Relics of House Asbury
Location: Suel Temple Ruins, Eastern Gnarley (Beyond the Fens of Tor)
Quest Giver: Lady Elinor Asbury of House Asbury, Ambassador to the Celestial Circle
In the aftermath of the Battle of Emridy Meadows, ancient relics of House Asbury were lost in a ruined Suel temple deep in the forest. Lady Elinor, sensing renewed threats from elemental cults, recruits adventurers to retrieve these powerful heirlooms before they fall into enemy hands.
- Theme: Religious recovery, Suel magic, political legacy
- Reward: Royal favor, unique relics, connections with the Celestial Circle
- Related Factions: Church of Trithereon, Verbobonc Nobility, Suel Loremasters
VER1-04 How Greenway Was My Valley
Questline: The Border Raids & Noble Ambition
Location: Greenway Valley, Lord Galan’s Holdings, Dechute’s Ford
Quest Giver: Lord Roland Galans (verbally) / Captain Jensen
A campaign of false-flag raids has destabilized the border between Verbobonc City and the Free Alliance of the Kron Hills. Lords with hidden ambitions use mercenaries disguised as gnomes to ignite tensions. Players must uncover who is behind the growing unrest.
- Theme: Noble intrigue, false-flag warfare, gnome-human tensions
- Reward: Land rights, noble endorsements, tactical reputation
- Antagonists: Caidex Nightshade, Nypnic, Lakash Quallad , Slikkina Jillink Leader of Clan Jillink
VER1-06 Forest of Mysteries
Questline: Introduction to the Gnarley Rangers
Location: Western Gnarley Forest, Sheernobb borderlands
Quest Giver: Gnarley Ranger Wyn
A cross-regional quest that introduces players to The Gnarley Rangers, this mission reveals signs of a growing giant-kin military presence—a worrying anomaly. Players must scout ancient trails and gather evidence of who, or what, is organizing the chaos.
- Theme: Wilderness survival, faction diplomacy, forest legends
- Reward: Forest knowledge, ranger allies, rare natural magic
- Leads into: Giants on the Move, Games Afoot, Decision at Sheernobb
VER1-03 Gift of Beauty
Questline: Escort the Sacred Craft through Dangerous Lands
Location: Ostverk → Elven Border near Celene
Quest Giver: Lord Corbin Deleveu
An elven-crafted artifact known as the “Gift of Beauty” was to be presented at Celene’s court as a gesture of peace. Ambushed along the way by Earth Temple raiders, the artifact has vanished. Lord Deleveu discreetly seeks a trustworthy party to recover it before the elves take offense.
- Theme: Cross-border diplomacy, divine art, Temple sabotage
- Reward: Elf favor, honor from Deleveu, magical insights
- Adversaries: Lakash Quallad, Marin, Temple of Earth cultists
VER1-02 Giants on the Move
Questline: The Kron Hills Stand Alone
Location: Kron Hills, Sheernobb region
Quest Giver: Gnome Alliance of Sheernobb
Hill giants and ogres are raiding gnome mining settlements, but they seem unusually coordinated. Players must help scout for the location of the base camp and begin to unravel the organized force behind them.
- Theme: Tactical scouting, monstrous diplomacy, gnome war councils
- Reward: Gnomish relics, Kron Hills access, siege tactics info
- Sets up: Games Afoot, Forest of Mysteries
VER1-05 Games Afoot – A Big Foot
Questline: Retribution for the Warrens
Location: Eastern Kron Hills → Gnarley
Quest Giver: Glennddarc Keeleene of Sheernobb
In a direct follow-up to Giants on the Move, players are tasked with scouting the retreating ogres and giant-kin before they regroup. They must locate the enemy’s forest hideout without being seen, allowing gnome reinforcements to strike a killing blow.
- Theme: Stealth, trap-setting, underdog revenge
- Reward: Tactical reputation, bonuses from gnome generals
- Related Factions: Kron Alliance, Mounted Borderers, Trithereon Order
VER3-07 Decision at Sheernobb
Questline: To War or to Peace?
Location: Sheernobb
Quest Giver: Glenndaric & Meldreeb
As tensions rise, the decision to pursue diplomacy or escalate into outright conflict with the giant-kin rests with the heroes. This quest offers a pivotal choice—strike hard now, or seek secret terms with the monstrous clans.
- Theme: High-stakes diplomacy, community defense, moral decisions
- Reward: Influence with Sheernobb, hidden paths to Kron mines
- Narrative Result: Determines troop movements in future giant/cult confrontations
ELEMENTAL OUTPOSTS OF THE CULTS
Strongholds of Earth, Fire, Air, and Water Cults in the Verbobonc Region
The second rising of the Temple of Elemental Evil is not centered solely within the temple ruins near Nulb. It is the final convergence point of a coordinated elemental cult resurgence, backed by powerful lieutenants and guided by the Elder Elemental God’s unseen hand. These outposts are spread across the Kron Hills, the Gnarley Forest, and the Fens of Tor, drawing resources, recruits, and chaos to prepare for the Temple’s reawakening.
EARTH TEMPLE LOCATIONS
Earth Temple Raider Camp
Location: Secluded valley in the Kron Hills west of Hommlet
Cult: Black Earth (Romag, Lakash Quallad, Caidax Nightshade)
A hidden bandit and mercenary training camp, disguised using illusion magic to appear as gnomes. Their objective: provoke a gnome-human war and destabilize alliances in the southern Viscounty.
- Key NPCs: Caidax Nightshade, Maris, Lucius Graeme
- Connected Quests: How Greenway Was My Valley, Noble Ambitions
- Narrative Role: Seeds civil unrest; hints at multi-faction cult alignment
Sacred Stone Monastery
Location: Kron Hills west of Hommlet
Cult: Temple of the Black Earth
A surface monastery led by Hellenrae and Qarbo, secretly guarding the underground vaults of the Earth Temple. This site connects to Romag, the Prophet of Earth, and houses the cult's dark doctrine and monstrous allies.
- Key NPCs: Hellenrae, Qarbo, duergar mercenaries
- Linked Dungeon: Temple of Black Earth below the monastery
- Narrative Role: Direct recruitment center, monastery front, and training ground
FIRE TEMPLE LOCATION
Scarlet Moon Hall
Location: Etters Hills, 5 miles north of Hommlet
Cult: Eternal Flame (Elizar Dryflagon)
Posing as druids of the fictitious Circle of the Scarlet Moon, the fire cult invites true druids and lay followers to witness a “ritual to restore balance”—only to burn them in the Wicker Giant as offerings. Campfires and haze veil the true horror atop the hill.
- Key NPCs: Elizar Dryflagon, Eternal Flame priests and guardians
- Quest Hooks: Rescue infiltrated druids, stop the Wicker Giant, uncover deception
- Narrative Role: Fire cult’s recruitment and sacrifice ritual site
AIR TEMPLE LOCATION
Feathergale Spire
Location: Gnarley Forest Ridge (Between Sacred Stone and the Fens)
Cult: Howling Hatred (Lucius Graeme, Gar Shatterkeel tie-in)
This mysterious sky tower is home to winged knights who claim to be noble aerial guardians but are in fact air cultists seeking to undermine both the nobility and natural order. Feathergale knights have begun scouting the Gnarley and Kron Hills with sinister intent.
- Key NPCs: Lucius Graeme (cult courier), Lord Thurl Merosska (air cult leader)
- Ties To: Infiltration of noble houses, courier network for cult plans
- Narrative Role: Espionage hub and elite aerial outpost
WATER TEMPLE LOCATION
Riverguard Keep
Location: Imeryds Run, northern bank near Nulb and the Fens
Cult: Crushing Wave (Tolub, Reash, Shoalar Quanderil)
An old river fortress restored by “mercenaries” pretending to protect river trade. In truth, it’s the Water Cult’s pirate fortress, intercepting goods, shuttling slaves, and storing loot. Connected by secret water tunnels to Nulb’s docks.
- Key NPCs: Tolub, Reash, Shoalar (pirate captain), Belsornig (water prophet)
- Linked Quests: Dark Dealings, Fall of Nulb, Rivergate Raid
- Narrative Role: Central node for smugglers and cult logistics
Backdrops
NEW LOCATIONS INTRODUCED
These quests unlock access to the following non-Hommlet settlements and regional dungeons in the 576 CY campaign arc:
- City of Verbobonc – Political headquarters, noble intrigue, Church of St. Cuthbert and Trithereon
- Penwick – Merchant powerbase, known for shady backroom deals
- Etterboek & Nigb's Rest – Borderland villages plagued by raids and cult infiltration
- Sheernobb – Gnomish thorp and tactical headquarters for the Kron Alliance
- Ostverk – Rural estate-lords and logging territory near the Celene border
- Twilight Falls – Suspicious frontier village with cultist sympathies
- Ancient Suel Temple – Hidden beneath Gnarley boughs beyond the Fens of Tor
Doomwatch Keep Construction Timeline and Action Plan-576 CY
Timeline of the Second Rising: From Hommlet to the Temple
Act I: Echoes of Emridy Meadows (Late Harvester to Patchwall, 576 CY)
“Old shadows stir in familiar soil.”
- Prelude: On the Road to Hommlet – The adventurers are ambushed en route to Hommlet by bandits connected to Lareth the Beautiful.
- Arrival in Hommlet – PCs earn the trust of Elder Kenter Sr. and begin piecing together local threats.
- Side quests begin – Minor cult activity and shady NPCs (Zert, Furnok, Rannos & Gremag) introduce the wider threat inside Hommlet.
- VER1-01 Noble Ambitions – Lady Elinor offers the first political quest, hinting at ancient relics lost during the Battle of Emridy Meadows—signaling the Temple’s legacy isn't over.
Act II: The Moathouse Unveiled (Patchwall to Ready'reat, 576 CY)
“Beneath ruin, rot… beneath rot, rising power.”
- Into the Moathouse – The PCs uncover Lareth’s bandit operation and evidence of Temple funding.
- Bane of the Bandit Lord – Lareth is confronted; his cult ties lead directly to Trevil’s Farm.
- VER1-04 How Greenway Was My Valley – False-flag raids near the Kron Hills sow political unrest. House Galan is under threat; players must choose sides.
- VER1-06 Forest of Mysteries – Rangers and druids reveal sightings of orcs and cultists working together under an unknown banner in the Gnarley.
Act III: Whispers Beyond the Fens (Sunsebb to Fireseek, 576 CY)
“The wind carries strange prayers. The earth churns with buried blood.”
- Trevil’s Cottage: The Staging Ground – PCs uncover a logistics base, smuggling routes, and letters pointing to the Hunting Cabin and Nulb.
- The Hunting Cabin: Shadow of the Second Rising – PCs raid a major cult outpost; a prisoner hints at Elemental Nodes being active again.
- VER1-03 Gift of Beauty – The artifact meant for Celene is stolen. Its trail leads to an Earth Temple raider camp—this confirms Temple involvement in noble sabotage.
- VER1-02 Giants on the Move – PCs track hill giant warbands attacking gnome holdings near Sheernobb. Military precision suggests cult coordination.
Act IV: Cults in the Courts (Fireseek to Coldeven, 576 CY)
“Even the throne rooms shudder when the cults convene.”
- VER1-05 Games Afoot – A Big Foot – PCs discover that the raiding giants are being manipulated by a cloaked figure associated with the Air Temple.
- VER3-07 Decision at Sheernobb – The PCs must choose diplomacy or war. This affects how quickly Verbobonc can muster aid for Hommlet and Nulb.
- Dark Dealings – The full network of elemental cults is revealed: Earth, Air, Water, and Fire all have cells in the region. Nulb is the central node.
- Political Tensions in Verbobonc – Lords Deleveu, Galan, and Asbury now pressure the Viscount to act. Some support a preemptive strike. Others fear revealing their own cult affiliations.
Act V: The Fall of Nulb (Coldeven to Growfest, 576 CY)
“The swamp smolders. Steel clashes with secrets. Nulb burns.”
- Raids into Nulb – The party disrupts the pirate-run smugglers and cultists at the Waterside Hostel, the Iron Dagger, and Grain Tower.
- Battle for the Bridge of Nulb – PCs lead an assault to claim the only safe crossing into the ruined village. It becomes a staging area.
- Lady Nysera Falls – The tyrant of Nulb is killed or escapes into the Temple’s tunnels. Her alliance with the Earth and Water cults is exposed.
- Nulb is reclaimed – But it’s a pyrrhic victory. The Temple lies untouched, and its deeper dungeons stir.
Act VI: The Temple Awakens (Growfest onward, 576 CY)
“The gates open. The silence ends. The Temple of Elemental Evil returns.”
- The adventurers now advance to 5th–7th level, having survived political intrigue, raided outposts, and reshaped alliances.
- The main entrance to the Temple is no longer just a ruin—it is active, guarded, and empowered by energy flowing from four elemental nodes.
- Nulb becomes a forward operating base.
- Agents of Iuz, Zuggtmoy, and the Elder Elemental God begin moving against the party.
Can't seem to find any link to the Moathouse itself. You've detailed many of the NPCs found there, but can't find any link to the layout or threats within the Moathouse itself.