First, my semi-regular game. I have just one player at this point, but it's become quite a fun campaign none the less. It usually takes me a few weeks to write the adventure and a few months to play it (due to time restrictions, etc). Once the game is written, it provides months of entertainment at that rate.
Second, the continual and ongoing work on Ruins of Undermountain III: The Deadly Levels. I'm always making notes, and now I'm trying to keep in touch with the subject matter at least every week or so. As I mentioned in another thread, it becomes difficult to write when I'm away from the material for weeks or months at a time because then I have 200+ pages to re-read (or at least scan) to get me back up to speed as far as where I am and where I'm heading.
Third, and this is the subject of this thread, is when I am in the mood to write, already have a game ready and being played in my semi-regular campaign, but don't have the time/energy/desire to read through 200+ pages of Ruins of Undermountain III: The Deadly Levels. In this situation I've found that writing something else just for the fun of writing really ramps up my creativity and desire to work on the BIP Project. Sometimes I have to take a break and work on something different just to keep my brain fresh.
So, with that in mind...
I've been working on a complete re-write of The Temple of Elemental Evil.
I like the original, but it didn't focus enough on elemental evil for my tastes. It seemed a bit, well, random or disjointed. Not sure how to say what I mean. It's as if the module was written in parts and then joined together like a flesh golem. The monsters seem randomly determined (worg wolves and lamia in the dungeon, really?). I also didn't think that Zuggtmoy and Iuz were the best choices for a temple dedicated to elemental evil. My plan is to make the temple more truly elemental-oriented, and a bit more coherent and logical. I felt the original had a bit too much of the 1E "random dungeon" design approach and wanted more of the 2E "logical dungeon design" approach. What I envisioned when I first saw the cover of Temple of Elemental Evil and what it actually turned out to be were two different things. I wanted a version of the latter.
I've always been fascinated with the Princes of Elemental Evil that first appeared in the Fiend Folio (what a great tome!). I thought they would make better major villains for such a titled work, as would the Elder Elemental God (as the mastermind behind it all). So I decided to re-write the Temple of Elemental Evil to my own liking, using the Elder Elemental God as the main villain who is manipulating the Princes of Elemental Evil into serving a major role in his plans. I re-wrote the history of the creation of the universe in AD&D terms as a starting point, then went into the plot behind the temple. So far, it's become a lot of fun to write.
Now...is anyone interested in hearing the details?
