Hommlet

The town is located in the Eastwoods, ten leagues north-east of the city of Forkend. To the north-east lies the remains of the The Temple of Elemental Evil and Nulb.

Hommlet initially grew from a farm or two, a rest house, and a smithy. The roads brought a sufficient number of travelers and merchant wagons to attract tradesmen and artisans to serve those passing through. The rest-house became a thriving inn (the Inn of the Welcome Wench), and a wheel and wainwright settled in the thorp. More farmers and herdsmen followed, for grain was needed for the passing animals, and meat was in demand for the inn-folk. Hommlet prospered, as the lord of the district was mild and taxes were light. Trade was good, and the area untroubled by war, outlaws, or ravaging beasts. The area was free, beautiful, and bountiful.

Eventually, the area around Hommlet began suffering from a few thieves and the odd group of bandits molesting the merchant caravans. Then came small bands of humanoids — kobolds or goblins — raiding the flocks and herds. Local militia and foresters checked, but did not stop, the spread of outlawry. The out of the way location of Nulb, about 6 miles to the north east of Hommlet developed and became a base for the bandits. An evil cleric established a chapel nearby to the south of Nulb, which was to become the Temple of Elemental Evil. Within 3 years, a grim and forbidding fortress surrounded the Temple, The servants of the Temple pillaged and robbed the lands for leagues around including Hommlet. Commerce ceased, but also crops withered and pestilence was abroad due to the effects of the Temple.

The forces of the Temple comprised humans, gnolls, bugbears, ogres, trolls, and giants. From this Temple, they unleashed earthquakes, storms, fires, and floods upon the countryside. Monsters were drawn to the area.

Prince Thrommel IV rallied forces of Furyondy and Veluna, including gnomes of the Kron Hills, dwarves of the Lortmils, and elves from the Gnarley Forest and Celene, to form the Righteous Host to destroy the Temple. It met the Horde of Elemental Evil in the Battle of Emridy Meadows, then laid siege to the Temple for two weeks. The temple compound and dungeons were greatly damaged. The demonic force behind the Temple was too powerful to overcome and sealed in the dungeons by mages and priests of the Host.

After the end of the Battle the Righteous Host turned its attention to a moathouse built by Temple forces in marshlands about 10 miles to the east of Hommlet. A detachment of horse and foot with a mall siege train sallied to lay the castle low. The common folk from miles around including Hommlet came to help, and the moathouse was surrounded and reduced to a ruin.

Nine years later, bandits began troubling the area around Hommlet. Evil humanoids and strangely garbed priests were seen on the road. Two years after, it became clear that the Temple was rising again. This time, the folk of Hommlet and the surrounding area coordinated and fostered attacks by bands of adventurers against the ruined but still occupied temple. Eventually, the Temple’s dangerous lower levels were destroyed but the demonic force was revealed to be Zuggtmoy and released by accident by Lord Robilar who had come to help deal with the Temple.

Since then, the area prospered in the peace that followed, and the village grew tenfold to be a town. In that year adventurers again used the town as a base to destroy forces that had again infiltrated the town, the nearby moat house ruins built by the Temple previously, the Temple ruins and the nearby mountains.

Notable Persons
Rufus
Burnes
Yether
Jennithar Rhengold
Jaroo Ashstaff

Notable Locations
The Inn of the Welcome Wench
The Druid's Grover
The Temple of the Woodland Goddess
The Temple of St. Cuthbert

Size: .20 miles²
Population: 1360

Households: 278

Farmers: 932
Livestock: 7,601

Fowl: 5,048

Cattle and Pigs: 2,445

Other: 108

Farmland with Crops: 7,141 acres