The Corrupted Abbey of Nord
▶ Run in Live DMMini-Dungeon: Corrupt Abbey of Nord · p.1 · dark-forest
Open source p.1The Corrupted Abbey of Nord
The Abbey of Nord has long been avoided, having fallen to ruin after a fissure from the deeps leached tainted magic into its cellars. The forest has grown up around it, and it has long been forgotten, until recently. An ebony shadowdrake, Pintarzlin, has taken roost in its depths, and has taken to nighttime raids on the local treetown, stealing everything from food to valuables. When a local scout managed to spy out where the creature was retreating to, none were willing to enter that forbidden part of the forest to confront it.
The Abbey is a place of stagnant undeath. The former residents reduced to animated skeletons & zombies, and Pintarzlin has nested in a safe chamber just out of their reach, laying crude traps and confident it will not be found or bothered.
Random Encounters
Encounter
1 skeletons
2 zombies
3 1 giant spider
4 3 darkmantles on ceiling
5 1 swarm, spiders
6 2 gouls
PCs approaching the ruin will find deathly silence engulf them, and a temperature drop. The smell of mildew and stagnation lingers in the air as they emerge into a clearing where the ruined remains of the Abbey of Nord lurks upon a low ridge. Broken stairs lead up to the ruins.
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Stairs Down
Dungeon Info
- Halls - 5 ft wide x 8 ft in height. Damp and moldy with roots protruding from cracks in the masonry.
- Chambers - are 10 ft in height unless noted otherwise.
- Walls - rough limestone blocks, broken and in disrepair.
- Doors - iron bound with rusted hinges.
A Dark Forest one-shot
1stnd level dungeon by John Clark
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Stairs Up
map by Dyson Logos www.dysonlogos.com
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No extracted maps for this adventure — the map is in the source book: Open source p.1
Rooms (13)
1 Pit Trap p.1
1. Pit Trap.
The stairs rise to a crumbling portico where the abbey entrance had been. Nothing remains but two gatehouses beneath broken towers. A statue of Mendor, the owl god of time, still remains in the northwest. Trap: Approaching the statue activates a pit trap designed by the shadowdrake. The fake stone floor drops open to a 10ft deep pit. DC 15 DEX or damage from the fall. He also dragged 2 skeletons into the pit which attack immediately.
2 North Gatehouse p.1
2. North Gatehouse.
The northeast wall of this stone gatehouse has fallen away, and the swollen iron bound door is stuck shut with rusted hinges. Encounter: 2 skeletons rise up and attack any who venture into this room.
3 Stairs Down p.1
3. Stairs Down.
This ancient gatehouse is mostly intact and once served as the entrance to the catacombs below. The upper floors have crumbled and now the ceiling is some 30ft above. Rickety spiral stairs descend into darkness. Encounter: A giant spider has set up residency here, building a nest of webs 10ft above the floor in the dark. It will attack the last one to head for the stairs. Treasure: A dried husk of a victim has a sack with 20 gp.
10 Anointment Hall p.2
10. Anointment Hall.
Broken tables and shelves litter the room, along with shattered pottery and dented pewter urns and cups. Encounter: 4 zombies hide around the far NW part of the chamber awaiting flesh. Treasure: Searching the debris turns up a gold cup (10 gp), and a gold candle holder (5 gp).
11 Ancient Chapel p.2
11. Ancient Chapel.
The altar has been smashed in this place of ceremony with only a crumbling fresco of Mendor on the north wall left, and a prayer inscribed above. Two large columns support a high vaulted ceiling. Encounter: The ebony shadowdrake Pintarzlin is here, having built a roost 10ft up between the columns. Below it 2 skeletons rise up and attack when other living creatures enter the chamber. Trap: The west door is locked and armed with a poison needle trap (DC 15 DEX or damage).
12 Crypt Room - Gouls p.2
12. Crypt Room - Gouls.
Partially collapsed this room has door in the south and west that open to destroyed hallways. A hall to the north leads to a locked door. Encounter: Behind each of the west and south doors is a ghoul, ready to attack.
13 Pintarzlin’s Horde p.2
13. Pintarzlin’s Horde.
A glittering pile of coins and treasure reflects off torchlight in the north of this room. The shadowdrake has stashed a few years worth of pilfered good here. Treasure: 2500 cp, 1200 sp, 320 gp, dinnerware (50 gp), necklace (20 gp), necklace (35 gp), silver dagger (10 gp), fancy hat (5 gp), battle axe, war hammer.
Secret Exit. Pintarzlin has a secret exit concealed behind a tapestry on the NW wall, behind which is a tunnel leading to the base of the ridge. Trap: a tripwire in the exit, opens a shaft in the wall releasing a spider swarm.
4 Records Room p.2
4. Records Room.
The stairs end in a small stone room, broken shelves and time-worn tapestries rot on the floor. An intact desk sits in the NW corner.
Trap. The shadowdrake has trapped the desk and repaired it. Opening the desk drawn sets off a cloud of poison that fills the room (DC 12 CON or damage).
5 Reception Chamber p.2
5. Reception Chamber.
This partially collapsed chamber stinks of rotting meat and guano. The door in the north is locked. Encounter: The 15ft high ceilings in this room hide 4 darkmantles awaiting living prey. Trap: Digging at the rubble in the northeast sets off a collapse (DC 15 DEX or damage and pinned. DC 12 STR to get free).
6 Storage Hall - Zombies p.2
6. Storage Hall - Zombies.
This sunken chamber has 4 exits. The doors to the east are locked. While the door to the west is clearly damaged. Encounter: 2 zombies stagger around in here, and rush to attack. Treasure: A secret compartment under the stone benches in the NE has a enchanted short sword. Trap: The damaged door is rigged to fall on whoever opens it, and it also alerts the shadowdrake in area 9 (DC 12 DEX or damage).
7 Crypt Hall p.2
7. Crypt Hall.
This large chamber has a vaulted ceiling supported by crumbling columns. A niche in the west walls still holds ceremonial cups and tablets with inscriptions. Doors exit from the west and east while a short halls exit from the south walls. The walls are pocked with niches holding the remains of dozens of deceased abbey dwellers of old.
Encounter. 6 skeletons pull themselves from niches and attack. Treasure: Searching all the niches turns up 120 gp and 390 sp plus a Healing Salve and Concoction of Battlebrew.
8 Abbot’s Crypts p.2
8. Abbot’s Crypts.
4 Doors exit from the south of this crumbling hallway. Encounter: Each door opens into a private crypt where the bones of great abbots once rested. Now each houses a skeleton, 4 in total. Opening a single door releases a skeleton, the other 3 skeletons will open their doors and join combat in the next round. They are armed with maces and wearing monks rags. Treasure: a silver and gold holy symbol to Mendor 50 gp.
9 Ransacked Study p.2
9. Ransacked Study.
A former private study, now destroyed and littered with rotten furniture. Encounter: A ghoul hides behind a tapestry on the east wall. Treasure: Scattered coins 25 gp and 120 sp, plus a Spell Scroll of Restore Vitality.