Post by davegibsongreyhawkdm on Feb 1, 2018 17:44:13 GMT -5
My idea for a prequel was more along the lines of simply using Hommlet as a base location set between the events of CY 569 when the Temple fell and CY 579 when T1 "happens" -- developing the countryside around Hommlet with lairs, caves, mines, or other adventuring sites. So, maybe the adventurers are there during the in between period, stamping out the last of the monsters, or perhaps even being the ones who delivered the ashes of the monstrous troll who was plaguing the villagers during that time: maybe CY 575, around the time the Guide is set, an adventure making use of the Village of Hommlet as a location, but not necessarily making use of the moat house which ruined and truly abandoned during this period.
As to your other questions, I have always assumed the "vile cleric of damnation" at the moat house was the same person as the black lord of the place, and the warlock, major-domo, castle troop leader/petty official referenced were his human minions and all part of the forces of the Temple of Elemental Evil when it was expanding outward in concentric circles to subjugate the surrounding countryside. Major-domo in this context is probably more like head butler or steward in charge of the non-combatant servants. The moat house with dungeon was built circa 567-569, and "the builders planned for a long tenancy, although expectations were not met" (per the description for the BURIAL CRYPTS in #14 on the Dungeon Level). The upper level and towers of the moat house were for living spaces and guard posts for the rest of the garrison and servants... for the "black lord of the fortress, a vile cleric of damnation, and his evil men and humanoid troops" (I think it is clear the black lord is being identified as a vile cleric of damnation, and this is not referring to two separate persons, because this description is immediately followed up by 'his' rather than 'their' evil men and humanoid troops). The Temple forces were in full swing in regards to building projects, since they had just transformed a small chapel into the cathedral-like stone Temple with fortified outer walls and extensive dungeon levels beneath "in but three years." So building the moat house and its single dungeon level shouldn't have been too difficult for them. Also, they had magic to assist and expedite any building projects. The Fiery Eye symbol seems to have originated as representing the Elder Elemental God (similar to what is in G3) but later was revised to represent the Temple of Fire, one of the four lesser factions -- so the answer to the question of whether this symbol was in use in the past depends on when you imagine the four lesser factions being established. I think there certainly are lost areas due to the destruction, both above and below ground... There probably have been some repairs done in Lareth's time... A planned dig into other lost areas of the Dungeon Map is a great idea.
Several years ago -- maybe ten years ago or more, at this point! -- Paul Stormberg commissioned a miniature-scale model of the pre-ruined moat house, and used it to play out the battle set in CY 569, at a Lake Geneva Game Convention. He posted photos of it on the Dragonsfoot forums, and it was pretty impressive! I think they used CHAINMAIL Fantasy Supplement rules or something similar. I remember he made use of the older symbol of Y within a triangle on the flag of the as-yet unruined moat house.
What's everyone's ideas, if there were say a lost secret stairs down beneath the collapsed wall {either beneath or nearby where the brigands chest is buried} at the corner of moathouse upper level location #7, the black chamber, how extensive, what kind of denizens, treasure, locations might be found there? Since dungeon level locations #9 through #18 are roughly +/- 30 feet or more lower than dungeon level locations #1 through #8, what might be found in an extensive lost mid-dungeon level within the moathouse?