Temple of Elemental Evil
The road leading from Nulb to the Temple is rutted and spotted with rank weeds-thistles, burs, thorns, settles, etc. Some foot and animal traffic has been using the track, but it is not a busy thoroughfare.
As you approach the Temple area, the vegetation is disconcerting-dead trees with a skeletal appearance, scrub growth twisted and unnaturally colored all unhealthy sickly looking or exceptionally robust and disgusting. The ruins of the Temple's outer works appear as dark and overgrown mounds of gray rubble and blackish weeds. Skulls and bones of humans and humanoids gleam white here and there amidst the weeds. A grove of some oddly stunted and unhealthy looking usk trees still grows along the northern end of the former Temple compound, and a stump of a tower juts up from the northeast corner of the shattered wall. The leprous gray Temple, however, stands intact, its arched buttresses somehow obscene with the growth of climbing vegetation.
Everything surrounding the place is twisting, contorted forms writing and posturing on every face of the Temple seem to jape at the obscenities they depict. The growth in the compound is rank and noisome. Thorns clutch, burs stick, and crushed stems either emit foul stench or raise angry weals on exposed flesh.
The Temple of Elemental Evil is an unholy structure located in the Gnarley Forest not far from the city of Verbobonc.
As you approach the Temple area, the vegetation is disconcerting-dead trees with a skeletal appearance, scrub growth twisted and unnaturally colored all unhealthy sickly looking or exceptionally robust and disgusting. The ruins of the Temple's outer works appear as dark and overgrown mounds of gray rubble and blackish weeds. Skulls and bones of humans and humanoids gleam white here and there amidst the weeds. A grove of some oddly stunted and unhealthy looking usk trees still grows along the northern end of the former Temple compound, and a stump of a tower juts up from the northeast corner of the shattered wall. The leprous gray Temple, however, stands intact, its arched buttresses somehow obscene with the growth of climbing vegetation.
Everything surrounding the place is twisting, contorted forms writing and posturing on every face of the Temple seem to jape at the obscenities they depict. The growth in the compound is rank and noisome. Thorns clutch, burs stick, and crushed stems either emit foul stench or raise angry weals on exposed flesh.
The Temple of Elemental Evil: Its name befits its hideous appearance. The huge, charcoal-gray building, with its arched buttresses and obscene designs, stands a mute testament to the darker side of history. Every surface of the structure teems with leering faces and twisted forms of demons and monstrosities unlike anything previously imagined. The massive main doors are crowned with winged beasts and disgusting figures that chill a viewer to the very soul.
The surrounding compound is equally terrifying. Vermiculated growth, covered in dark thorns, twists amid rubble from what was once a high curtain wall. Shadows dance along the blackened trees whose branches claw at the air around them like desperate, dying men. It need not be said aloud, being obvious immediately:
This is an evil place.
The surrounding compound is equally terrifying. Vermiculated growth, covered in dark thorns, twists amid rubble from what was once a high curtain wall. Shadows dance along the blackened trees whose branches claw at the air around them like desperate, dying men. It need not be said aloud, being obvious immediately:
This is an evil place.
Architecture
First Impressions
Careful inspection of the structure, including a trek around its exterior, reveals that the oddly peaked and gabbled roof seems to set the viewers teeth on edge. The gruesome visages glaring from the walls are everywhere - as projecting ornaments in supports, in bas-reliefs, etc. The place is huge, it extends over 450 feet north and south, and is nearly 450 feet across at its widest. The walls rise about 30 feet, supported by arched buttresses and many pilasters. The roof peaks about 20 feet higher than the walls, making the whole edifice no less than 50 feet tall. Only three doors are visible, all at the south end of the Temple. The narrow windows appear to be barred.Sealed Doors
Temple Interior
The interior of the temple is dimly lit by narrow, barred, stained-glass windows (not a practical means of entrance). The ceiling is vaulted, 30 feet high in most places, 15 feet higher than that in the center. All interior doors are simple wooden ones, and none of them have locks. Wooden Doors: 1 in. thick; hardness 5; 10 hp; AC 5; break DC 15. The old temple itself now houses a band of hobgoblin raiders. Unlucky, unwise, or slow adventurers could find themselves facing a large number of opponents at once. These creatures are well organized and aware of their surroundings. Hobgoblins in and around the temple move to aid threatened areas. With a few exceptions, they don’t just wait for trouble to come to them. All of the old entrances to the temple dungeons are now inaccessible, since virtually all the lower levels have collapsed. The task of clearing out the rubble is nearly insurmountable, as anyone who knows anything about such work can see. It would take huge teams of workers months to complete. Don’t let the PCs waste a lot of time trying to dig down into the dungeons.History
The Temple was constructed as a small chapel outside the nearby village of Nulb. The chapel was quickly built into a stone temple from which bandits and evil humanoids began to operate with increasing frequency.
In 4089 ME, a combined force was sent to destroy the Temple and put an end to the marauding. This allied army clashed with a horde of evil men and humanoids, including orcs, ogres and gnolls, at the Battle of Emridy Meadows. Men-at-arms from Verbobonc and Daggerford united with dwarves from the Lowlands, gnomes from the Kron Hills, and an army of elven archers to face the threat of the Horde of Elemental Evil, consisting largely of savage humanoids such as orcs, ogres, and gnolls. The arrival of the elves from the shadows of the Gnarley Forest turned the tide of battle, trapping the savage humanoids against a bend in the Velverdyva where they were routed and slaughtered.
At some point in this battle, Serten, cleric of Saint Cuthbert and member of the Citadel of Eight, was slain. The Citadel was notable for its absence at this pivotal moment in the history of the Lowlands, and their failure to take part in the Battle of Emridy Meadows contributed to the group's decline and eventual disbandment.
After dispersing the Horde of Elemental Evil, the allied forces laid siege to the Temple of Elemental Evil itself, defeating it within a fortnight. Spellcasters loyal to the goodly army cooperated on a spell of sealing that bound the demoness Zuggtmoy (a major instigator in the Horde of Elemental Evil) to some of the deepest chambers in the castle's dungeons.
The site itself remained, however, and over the following decade rumors of evil presence there persisted. The Viscount of Verbobonc and the Archcleric of Veluna became increasingly concerned and cooperated to build a small castle outside the The Village of Hommlet to guard against the possibility of the Temple rising again.
For the next five years, Hommlet gained in wealth thanks to adventurers who came to the area seeking out remnants of evil to slay. Things quieted down for another four years as the area returned to peace and normalcy, but in 4098 ME evil began to stir again, with groups of bandits riding the roads. In 4099 ME.
RUINED STRUCTURE
4089
4089
Type
Temple / Religious complex
Parent Location
Owner
Additional Rulers/Owners
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
Related Report (Secondary Locations)
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