Hommlett
Hommlet is a village in the Tesser River Valley in Northern Fultar in the Empire of Fultar. It is to the northwest of the town of Olan in the woodlands that border Henarria.
Hommlett initially grew from a farm or two, a rest house, and a smithy (presumably sometime in the early to mid 9th century of the Years of Iron or around YR 800). 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 manor 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.
From about YR 875, 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 of the 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.
The Fultonian military general (called a "Marshall") Thrommel rallied forces of Fultar, including gnomes of the Kron Hills in Henarria, Lord Devis of Immersea, and human Hennarian warriors from Gildam Confederacy 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.
Since then the village has prospered. The memory of the Temple of Elemental Evil remains, but the Battle of Emridy Meadows is 25 years in the past and a new generation is looking forward rather than into the past.