Captain Elmo is a male human ranger. The son of famers, Elmo is a former adventurer, and the militia captain of the village of Hommlet.[1]
Appearance and personality[]
Elmo is a human male with fair skin and blue eyes. He is variously described as having a mop of long, blond hair in his youth,[2] and balding on top with light brown hair as he ages.[3]
He seems friendly and jovial, and quick to introduce himself to people he meets in the tavern. He displays a great fondness for ale, and his stilted speech, suggesting great intoxication, belies a great intelligence and talent.[2] His buffoonery is a front for his true heroism.[4]
Elmo is cautious, and suspicious of unfamiliar people, content to hide his true skill from others until he knows he can trust them as allies. He is loyal to his allies, but ready to fight those who make themselves enemies of the forces of good.[3]
In his duties militia captain, he is often seen armed and wearing armor. He wears magically enhanced chain mail armor, and carries a composite longbow specially built with an exceptionally heavy draw to take advantage of his great physical strength. He carries a magically enhanced battleaxe and a magical large wooden shield.[5]
Elmo is brave, and willing to face danger if necessary to protect the town of Hommlet. His primary goal is to defend the town, and he has long since retired from his adventuring career.[6]
Elmo is of neutral good alignment.[5] He often hides his true heroic motives, but reveals them to those who can be trusted to take the side of good.[2]
Abilities and traits[]
Elmo is a ranger of reasonable skill. His talents include the ability to fight effectively with two-weapons, although this is encumbered by his use of heavy chain mail armor. He is particularly skilled in tracking and hunting goblinoid creatures and undead.[5]
Elmo's physical strength is legendary. He is particularly skilled with the battleaxe and longbow. He is excellent at swimming and horseriding, among other skills.[5]
His spells include delay poison and speak with animals.[5]
Home[]
Elmo lives in the town of Hommlet, where he is militia captain.[6] He can often be found at the Inn of the Welcome Wench.[7]
Treasure[]
Elmo lives on the substantial treasure he recovered twelve years ago during his adventuring career.[6] His riches include a chest buried in the floor of his family's barn.[4]
Elmo owns a magically enchanted dagger, a cherished gift from his brother Otis.[4]
Relationships[]
Family[]
Elmo's parents are simple farmers. His father, Lar, is a member of the Hommlet town council,[8] and former militia captain.[9]
Elmo lost his brother Otis twelve years ago, during the second rise of the Temple of Elemental Evil. The cleric Y'dey was unable to recover Otis' body in time to perform raise dead on the body, and Elmo holds a grudge against her for his brother's death.[6]
Allies and minions[]
Elmo is good friends with Jaroo Ashstaff, and trusts him well. He is also good friends with Yether, cleric of Pelor in the town of Hommlet, as well as the town's leaders, Burne and Rufus.[6]
Elmo has great respect for Ingrith, a half-elf monster slayer who occasionally visits the town.[10]
Elmo has considerable influence in the town of Hommlet. He has several militia at his disposal who can be called upon to fight with him if necessary.[6] Among his militia members are the bartender Terrigan.[11]
Enemies[]
During his adventuring career, Elmo slew Lareth the Beautiful, cleric of Tharizdun.[12]
Elmo and his militia have fought off raiding hobgoblin bandits. Hobgoblins now rightly fear Hommlet, and dare not attack it for now.[6]
Elmo bears a grudge against the Church of St. Cuthbert, who he blames for the death of his brother.[6]
History[]
Upbringing[]
Elmo was born to a pair of farmers in the village of Hommlet. As a young man, he entered the service of the Viscount of Verbobonc as a spy.[4]
Adventuring career[]
As a young man, Elmo accompanied his brother Otis and Canoness Ydey of the Church of St. Cuthbert on a quest to spy on the nearby Temple of Elemental Evil. During the second rising of the Temple, these were able to support adventurers leading a raid against the temple, leading to its collapse.[1]
Elmo made enough money from this adventure to provide for himself for years to come. Unfortunately, Elmo's brother Otis was slain, something for which he has always blamed Canoness Y'dey.[6]
Current activity and goals[]
Elmo is militia captain of the small town of Hommlet, a settlement of around 950 people, mostly humans.[1] When trouble brews, such as a large-scale brawl or a report of major theft, Elmo can be on the spot within five minutes, armed and armored. He enforces the town law, which requires reparations be paid for extensive property damage.[6]
In the event of war or a serious threat, Elmo can raise ten to twenty warriors and another hundred or so able-bodied commoners to defend the town. The town's founders, Rufus and Burne, have full trust in Elmo's ability to defend the town, and prefer not to get directly involved unless the town is threatened with extinction.[6]
Elmo has little interest in affairs outside of the town of Hommlet.[6]
Publication history[]
AD&D 1st edition[]
Elmo originally appeared in T1 The Village of Hommlet (1979), reprinted as part of T1-4 The Temple of Elemental Evil (1985). He is a 4th-level ranger.
D&D 3rd edition[]
Elmo appeared again in Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil (2001). He is now a 6th-level ranger.
D&D 4th edition[]
Elmo during his adventuring career is described in Inn of the Welcome Wench, Dragon #423 (May 2013), p.16 with a brief mention in The Anatomy of Elemental Evil, Dragon #425 (Jul 2013), p.19.
Elmo is described in The Anatomy of Elemental Evil, Dungeon #212 (Mar 2013), p.40-64 His statblock here represents him as a Level 4 Defender. Elmo also appears in a 2009 adventure module conversion of The Village of Hommlet, a substantially similar adventure, where he is a Level 4 Soldier.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil (2001), p.9.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Inn of the Welcome Wench, Dragon #423 (May 2013), p.16.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Anatomy of Elemental Evil, Dungeon #212 (Mar 2013), p.45-46.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 T1 The Village of Hommlet (1979), p.3.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil (2001), p.165.
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil (2001), p.10.
- ↑ Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil (2001), p.13.
- ↑ The Anatomy of Elemental Evil, Dungeon #212 (Mar 2013), p.47.
- ↑ T1 The Village of Hommlet (1979).
- ↑ Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil (2001), p.12.
- ↑ Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil (2001), p.14.
- ↑ Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil (2001), p.19.