The Waterside Hostel – Temple of Elemental Evil Area of the Week 02/14/03

This page is a part (The Village of Nulb #1) of a playthrough that spanned the year of 2003. All the information was taken from TSR’s original AD&D adventure, the Temple of Elemental Evil.

This place is one of the more substantial buildings in Nulb. It has a foundation of field stone and walls of sawn timber, but is nonetheless a scurvy place. Its main trade is in its tavern room, though occasional travelers stop to spend the night. Rich guests have been known to disappear mysteriously.

The hostler is a burly fellow with a scarred, pockmarked visage, one eye covered by a patch. The barkeep is lanky and of greasy appearance, but quite tall. Two slovenly wenches and two manservants of surly mein hover about the place. See below for full NPC details.

Prices are low, however, being only half those of the Inn of the Welcome Wench in Hommlet. (Round down when fixing costs. ) In the daytime, only two or three local people can be found in the hostel’s tavern room (0 level farmers, laborers, etc. ). At night, 14-34 (4d6 + 10) roistering folk can be found in the tavern room (25% villagers, 25% boatmen or bargefolk, 25% transient bandits or mercenaries, 25% river pirates or Temple spies; assume equal chances where two possible types of patrons are given).

Hostler: Dick Rentsch, a swashbuckler (Level 5 Fighter);
AC 7 (leather armor); hp 39; XP 520
S 17; I 8; W 13; D 15; Co 15; Ch 7
dagger + 1; purse with 9 pp, 15 gp, 11 sp;
changes to AC 1 if time permits.

In his private quarters, Dick has a suit of chain mail + 1, shield + 1, battle axe + 1, & normal longsword, and an iron chest with a poison needle trap on the lock (save or die). The chest, stored under his bed, contains 673 cp, 325 sp, 17 ep, 108 gp, and 46 pp. Dick reports to the Temple’s Earth priests.

Barman: Wat, a waghalter (Level 3 Assassin);
AC 5 (leather); hp 22; XP 241;
S 16, I 12, W 6, D 17, Co 16, Ch 7
dagger of venom, purse with 12 cp, 9 sp, 21 gp, and a bloodstone worth 50 gp.

In his private room, Wat has a shield + 1, elven boots, normal longsword and shortsword, a pair of matched and balanced throwing knives (daggers), and a gold ring set with a fire opal (2, 000 gp) secreted in the hem of an old cloak hanging on a peg. Wat serves the Temple’s Fire priests.

Wench: Dala, a cutpurse (Level 3 Thief), AC 6 (no armor);
hp 15; XP 95
S 11 I 11 W 10 D 18 Co 15 Ch l3
Thief abilities: PP 70; OL 48; F/RT 35; MS 37; HS 30; HN 15; CW 87.
Carried: dagger (concealed), 1-4 pieces of cheap jewelry (total value 2-12 gp).
She often picks pockets.

In a small room upstairs, Dala has a philtre of love and a pair of jeweled earrings (worth 700 gp) under a loose floor board, and 87 gp in her mattress. She is Dick Rentsch’s lover.

Wench: Pearl, a cutpurse (Level 3 Thief), AC 8 (no armor);
hp 13; XP 89
S13 I 14 W9 D16 Co 12 Ch 11
Thief abilities: PP 60; OL 38; F/RT 30; MS 27; HS 20; HN 15; CW 87.
Carried: dagger (concealed), 1-4 pieces of cheap jewelry (total value 2-12 gp).
She occasionally picks pockets, but usually limits such work to inebriated victims.

In a small room upstairs, Pearl has a silver case (worth 75 gp and adorned with a sapphire worth 1, 000 gp) which contains 19 pp. However, the whole is covered with thick dripped wax, topped by a half-burnt candle and seems to be a perfectly normal and worthless candleholder. The coins are likewise imbedded in wax to prevent telltale rattling. Pearl is Wat’s paramour.

Manservants (2): Both veterans (Level 1 Fighters),
hp 8; 7; XP 22; 21;
leather armor (will change if time permits); dagger (openly worn);
ability scores average;
each has a purse with 2-12 sp and 2-8 gp.

These men sleep in the loft, where each has stored a suit of chain mail, a shield, a light crossbow with 30 bolts in a case, and a longsword. The manservants are guards, always alert and ready for a brawl or nefarious duties. They work exclusively for the hostler.