CHAPTER 5: ISLE OF THE ABBEY
LOCAL MARINERS' GUll,0 WOUi,O LIKE TO CLAIM
a small, strategically located island and build
a lighthouse there. But so far. its representa-
tives have not been able to land safely on the
island-every attempt lo come ashore has been
met by a horde of u ndead.
The guild posts a lucrative contract offer in
nearby coastal communities. seeking adventur-
ers willing to secure the island and its burned-out abbey.
When the characters come across this information and
decide to investigate the opportunity, the adventure offi-
cially gets under way.
Is le of che Abbey is designed for a party of four to six
5th-level characters.
BACKGROUND
Over the past three months, the evil clerics of Abbey
Isle have quarreled violently with a large band of local
pirates. Their struggle seems to have left the island un-
inhabited. The pirates burned the abbey to the ground,
but they suffered so many casualties that they were de-
stroyed in turn by the local mariners' guild.
Unknown to the mariners' guild, a small number
of evil clerics and their minions survived the pirate
assaults by taking refuge in the cellars of the ruined
abbey. Hidden halls, dangerous guardians, and shining
treasures await those who dare to explore the depths of
the abbey.
THEjOB AT HAND
The posted contract explains that any interested parties
are to meet with Guildmaster Tabeth at the local guild
house. When the characters follow up, Tabeth provides
them with the following summary of what he knows:- Pirates recently ransacked Abbey Isle, an island just
off the coast populated by evil clerics and their follow-
ers. Much to the guild's delight, the battle between the
two factions weakened them both.
The mariners' guild then sent a force ashore, and
the remaining pirates were killed or driven off by the
guild' soldiers. - The island. though now apparently abandoned. re-
mains a danger due to undead guarding the only safe
approach: a beach called the Skull Dunes.
The mariners' guild is willing to pay 2,000 gp to
the characters if they can land, explore the island.
and clear it entirely of threats so that the guild can
construct a lighthouse on the site. Payment is made
upon completion of the job, which will be verified by
guild members.
The mariners' guild contact in the region is Major
Ursa. who keeps a lighthouse on an island nearby. He
will provide additional information to any group that
takes on the assignment. Anyone who accepts the con-
tract will be provided with a large. sturdy rowboat for
transportation to Major Ursa's location.
The guild does not know that there are survivors on
the island. ln addition to other hazards they encounter.
the characters must deal with the remaining clerics and
their followers, whether through conAict or negotiation,
before collecting their payment. Por more on the inhabi-
tants, see "The Survivors" on page 102.SUPPLIES
The mariners' guild can supply the characters with any
of the equipment listed in chapter 5 of the Players Hand-
book except for holy symbols, holy water, thieves' tools,
weapons, and armor. The price of any equipment used
by the characters must be deposited with the guild and
will be refunded when it is returned in good condition or
after the successful completion of the mission.ADVENTURE HOOKS
The isle has long been a source of trouble for the re-
gion's mariners' guild. The clerics who inhabited the
island's abbey proved to be capable defenders of their
territory-until the pirates' recent success. all of the
guild's attempts to evict the clerics from tbe island had
failed. Use either of the following additional hooks to
strengthen the characters' motivation to succeed.GILDE D RUMORS
The clerics of the abbey would not build such a defense
to guard musty tomes and simple acolytes. Something
precious rests in the belly of that place: a golden statue,
a staff made from rubies, or a fountain lined with pearls
and rare stones. Those hapless pirates cleared a path
but failed to discover any treasure. With both pirates
and clerics out of the picture, only a few undead stand in
the way of untold riches.FOR THE PEOPLE
The stretch of water near Abbey Isle is treacherous.
The thick fog that rolls through this region sends even
the most steadily steered ships veering off course. The
sandy Aoor near the island is littered with broken hulls
and lost souls. A lighthouse built at the tip of the island
would secure the nearby seas for all. If the charac-
ters are well intentioned and civic-minded. helping to
make the lighthouse possible can serve as additional
incentive.ADVENTURE SUMMARY
The adventure likely unfolds in the following sequence.
The characters meet with the mariners' guild and
accept the contract to make Abbey Isle safe for the con-
struction of a new lighthouse.
The characters travel to a nearby island by boat and
meet their contact for the job. Major Ursa. The major
shares what he knows about the situation on the island
and offers advice before sending them on their way.llAl'llR"i ISlf:()t !!IF: \lllllY