In the module T1
The Village of Hommlet, the
player characters must defeat the raiders operating out of a ruined fort nearby, and thereafter the characters can use Hommlet as a base for their adventures. In the next section, T2, the adventurers move on to the nearby village of
Nulb to confront several nefarious opponents, including agents from the Temple. Based on the outcome of these encounters, the player characters can then enter the Temple itself to interact with its many denizens and test their mettle against Zuggtmoy herself.
History of the temple The temple referenced in the module's title is an unholy structure located in the central
Flanaess not far from the city-state of
Verbobonc. In 566
CY, forces of evil from
Dyvers or the
Wild Coast constructed 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 569 CY, 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
Furyondy and
Veluna united with
dwarves from the
Lortmils,
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 Flanaess, 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 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 578 CY evil began to stir again, with groups of bandits riding the roads. In 579 CY, the events in the T1–4 module occur.
Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil is set 12 years later, in 591 CY. ==Publication history==