DM'S COMMENTARY ON THE TEMPLE OF ELEMENTAL EVIL, PT. 5

Okay, we are getting to the point where I'm getting a bit tired of this adventure.  I figured it would happen, as I can only maintain my interest in any given story for a finite amount of time, and we've been in the Village of Hommlett/Temple of Elemental Evil for 6 months now.  I'm ready to wrap this thing up, but the problem is the heroes are not progressing very rapidly.  Part of the problem is that they weren't very stealthy in infiltrating the temple, so the temple is on high alert and searching for them.  This means they can't find a place to take a short or long rest without someone finding them.  They also didn't make a very good impression when they were in Nulb, so leaving the temple to rest there isn't a much better option, especially since the ToEE forces are also searching for them there.  So it's been difficult for them to work through much of the dungeon. 

However, we are at a crossroads in the adventure now.  The heroes have found Prince Thrommel and will likely exit with him early in the next session.  They'll probably take him to Verbobonc next to ensure he makes it back to Veluna safely.  This is a huge break from the adventure which means the temple leadership (Hedrack) will accelerate plans and begin a massive offensive using the elementals they've already summoned.  I could have this go a couple of different ways: I could diverge from the adventure and proceed with the course these events have taken, which would start a new elemental war and the PCs would be recruited by Thrommel to take part in it.  Or I could tell the players that Thrommel is handling the situation from here on and they're services are no longer required, freeing them to pursue other adventures.

Normally this would be a no-brainer for me and I'd continue the course that this adventure has taken.  However, I started this campaign with the intention of revisiting several of the classic D&D adventures.  I only wanted to kick it off with ToEE, not have it encompass the entire campaign, which if I pursued current events, that's what will happen.  I would like to have them enjoy Against the Giants, White Plume Mountain, Expedition to the Barrier Peaks, The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth, etc., so I'm torn. 

I think what I'll do is give the players the option to join Prince Thrommel in taking down the ToEE, or if they'd rather take on some other quests that the Knights of the Hart now can't pursue because they're being redeployed to address the ToEE threat.  Whichever the players choose will be the way we'll go.