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Venkier 12-29-05, 03:30 PM

Perhaps you've heard of Monte Cooke's infamous module: "Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil". Heck, most people have even read through it... many have even had a chance to PLAY through it. I am not one of the last, but I am one of the prior. And much as I would love for the oppertunity to arise, I'm not sitting around waiting anymore... I've decided to tweak up the module a bit (so it'll be fresh and different even for veterans that might have played/read it). The core difference? The players will be a party of Drow, and the campaign will be in Faerun (hence my decision to come here for more input!) That said, I come seeking ideas and/or advice from DM's familiar with the module-history and/or the setting. My Thoughts Thus Far…. POTENTIAL SPOILERS BELOW.... As of right now, my idea is to start in the Drow Undercity of Undrek'Thoz (which is actually a collection of cities) most likely using Phaundakulzan and its corresponding ruling house as origin. The whole Hommlet/Temple/Moathouse region will be set in Narfell (a land rife with demonic worship history)... setting a beautiful stage for the old Lolth and Zuggtomy cults to have had firm surface roots... bordering Rashame (a land filled with elemental fun) and close ties to the strongest elemental magics to be had. I'm thinking about plopping Hommlet and the Moathouse right near the Falls of Erach (Looks to be a decent sized forest there), and the CRM in the Firward Mountains. To be honest I picked the spot based on what little I know of the regions in question and a glance at the maps... If anyone thinks this is a bad/unsuitable spot please let me know! Right, so back to Drow-centric stuff. In the history I intend to weave, a number of Drow managed to escape the Temples previous fall... and in their posession was one of the elemental powergems (one of the three listed in the posession of the Glabrezu; in this case he will have only 2 at the modules open). The gem eventually found its way into House Phaundakulzan’s vault and pretty much forgotten about. Backstory continues on, the Gem is hesited by an exiled daughter of the House (who has since become a cleric to Zuggtomy… a once rival of Lolth thought to have been vanquished in the Temples original fall). Along with the gem, the exiled daughter has taken some 11 females (mostly sorceress’, but a few clerics as well) and 15 male warriors… assumedly to join whatever cause she has aligned herself with. Two surviving witnesses attest to her using Zuggtomy's name... the witnesses were thoroughly questioned before being put down. Failure in protecting the House Vault being an offense punishable by death. Such an attack cannot go unanswered. Those who have stolen from the House, and forsworn the ways of Lolth in hope of gaining the favor of this Zuggtomy (and/or the higher powers backing her) must be found and punished… That such theft and attack was even successful could spell political disaster if it is discovered before punishment is dealt. As a Ruling House, such a weakness is unacceptable. Enter the PC’s… with the following assigned motivations: Track down and kill the deserters, capture and bring back the blasphemous exiled daughter, retrieve the stolen gem, discern the gems purpose, discern the truth of Zuggtomy… alive or dead, rectify the Zuggtomy if necessary… Among these assigned motivations, will likely arise personal ones… the discovery of the cult (here-to-fore unknown to any but a cleric of Lolth or a Bae’queshel Telphraezzar with appropriate knowledge:religion) and the historical fooling of Lolth... Explorations of the ancient sites could mean treasures (mundane and magical)... Potential divine retribution (enter such blasphemies as Lareth the Beautiful… the once Cleric/Favored of Lolth… disgustingly a human at that!),etc. Intrigue the likes of which Drow relish can be found inside the CRM/Elemental Temples... Plenty of things to hunt, kill, and/or torture. And just because I'm feeling evil... 18 game days into the module, Lolth will go silent. Providing even more potential drama and motivations~ especially for the Cleric of Lolth… who will find tempting advances from numerous sources (including big T and/or Zuggtomy)… Ah yes, the 1372 DR should prove quite interesting for this band of Drow! The conclusion of this module could (and likely will) spin off into events dealing with the WotSQ and such, or could take drastic other spins even given the Forces and Powers at play. -------------- All of this is what I have buzzing around in my mind so far... any thoughts or ideas would be most welcome