Monks of Lathander
In the original module Eveningstar has a temple rather than an abbey. I decided to switch it because I think a monastery is cozier (having read lots of Redwall books as a kid), and I have some vague ideas about how to use one in adventure stories (having listened to several of the Brother Cadfael audiobooks as an adult). The module tells me that there are 28 priests (now monks), a Patriarch, and a high level paladin with a magic ring. I’m going to dial that back a little bit. I’ve already established that the Abbot can cast Raise Dead, so he has to be at least 7th level. The paladin can be 5th level, putting him on even footing with Captain Gilbear. I’ll add a prior and a couple other spellcasting clerics, filling out the rest of the brothers with 1st-level clerics and a few novices. While the abbey is supported by townsfolk who rent land and work their fields, there will also be some lay servants who live at the abbey and perform non-spiritual labor there.
Despite their class levels, these guys are not warrior-monks. The Steward is the only monk who has proper weapons and armor. If Eveningstar is attacked, the monks ring their bell to sound the alarm, and people who live close by seek shelter behind the abbey’s walls – the module informs me that most Evenstar buildings are made of fieldstone, but their thatched roofs probably make them more vulnerable than they would be in the abbey. If called upon to defend themselves, the other monks will use staves and clubs. They are of more service in the aftermath of the attack, providing healing, charity, and administrative capacity, although with this many clerics around Eveningstar is pretty well protected against undead (explaining why Ambrosius the evil priest never marched his undead army into town).
Abbey Roster
The Abbot (cleric 7)
The Prior (cleric 5)
The Steward (paladin 5)
Brother Cellarer (cleric 2)
Brother Almoner (cleric 2)
Brother Infermarer (cleric 2)
18 monks (cleric 1)
6 novices
20 lay servants
The Abbot
Cleric 7 HP 24 AC 10 XP: 60,247 Morale 8
Str 10, Dex 9, Con 11, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 10
Wargear: staff
Spells:
Cure Light Wounds, Light
Bless, Speak with Animals
Continual Light, Cure Disease
Cure Serious Wounds
Commune
Description: Kindly old man. Devout, but understands worldly matters enough to leaven order with mercy. Well-educated, with a weakness for reading. Speaks elvish.
The Prior
Cleric 5 HP 19 AC 11 XP: 12,315 Morale 6
Str 12, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 11, Cha 6
Wargear: staff
Spells
Detect Evil, Protection from Evil
Bless, Hold Person
Description: officious, strict, ambitious. Covets the abbot’s position and believes that Eveningstar needs a firmer hand in spiritual matters.
(I like that the randomly rolled stats essentially recreated the abbot/prior relationship from the first Brother Cadfael Mystery, A Morbid Taste for Bones)
The Steward
Paladin 5 HP 12 AC 18 XP: 25,405 Morale 10
Str 15, Dex 15, Con 6, Int 11, Wis 17, Cha 16
Wargear: sword, shield, helm, leather, mail
Lay On Hands: 10 hp, cure disease 1/week
Description: an old soldier, became a monk late in life. Loves the peace of the abbey. Takes pleasure in annoying Brother Prior.
Brother Cellarer
Cleric 2 HP 7 AC 10 XP: 1,944 Morale 8
Str 9, Dex 12, Con 9, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 7
Wargear: club
Spells: Purify Food and Water
Description: fiercely protective of the abbey stores (which prior to Lady Winter’s orchard-spells were an important backstop against starvation), and to the quality of the abbey’s beer. Near-sighted, short, and rather mole-like.
Brother Almoner
Cleric 2 HP 4 AC 10 XP: 1,616 Morale 8
Str 10, Dex 9, Con 5, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 13
Wargear: club
Spells: Cure Light Wounds
Description: thin and prematurely frail, with wispy puffs of hair at the edges of his tonsure. Mild-mannered and sympathetic, but not as easy to take advantage of as he appears.
Brother Infirmarer
Cleric 3 HP 14 AC 9 XP: 3,832 Morale 8
Str 13, Dex 8, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8
Wargear: club
Spells: Cure Light Wounds, Cure Light Wounds
Description: tall, fat, with muscular arms. Rather harsh and impatient in the exercise of his duties.
Maea Ironeye
Magic-User 3 HP 5 AC 10 XP: 5,394 Morale 9
Str 6, Dex 12, Con 6, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 16
Wargear: dagger
Spells: Floating Disc, Sleep, Mirror Image
Description: proprietor of the Blue Star Inn, Eveningstar’s best inn (also dance hall and theater). Small, wispy, pretty. Conceals her magical abilities. Her owl familiar plays the part of a sleepy pet.
Duny Kreegle
Fighter 4 HP 15 AC 10 XP: 8,211 Morale 8
Str 9, Dex 10, Con 11, Int 9, Wis 11, Cha 10
Wargear: dagger +2/+3 vs orcs, goblins, and kobolds
Description: Barman at the Blue Star. Pleasant, jovial, unassuming man with thin brown hair and a nose like a potato. Secretly a Harper.
I don’t actually know what the Harpers’ deal is or why they’re secret. My impression from the Chris Pine D&D movie is that they’re some kind of do-gooder adventuring guild. I gather that they may or may not have a beef with organizations called the Emerald Claw and the Order of the Gauntlet (I think I’ve seen those names in the faction/plot hook section of some 5th edition books). I’ll say that Duny and Maea are retired adventurers who collect maps and information for somebody, but it probably won’t matter who. Maybe they’re in debt or something.
Does Lady Winter know about them? A high/low roll on the oracular d6 says Yes.
Duny and Maea aren't likely to leap to Eveningstar's defense in open battle, but I think they would try to help.
Maethlin, son of Maglor
Thief 3 HP 11 AC 11 XP: 2,661 Morale 6
Str 10, Dex 14, Con 9, Int 9, Wis 11, Cha 9
Wargear: dagger, vial of poison
Description: town apothecary. Grew up under a cloud, as his father was executed as a spy for a Stonelands wizard who led an attack on Eveningstar. Left town with a party of adventurers some years back, recently returned to take up the family business. Wants revenge.
Arbold Tethyr
Fighter 2 HP 13 AC 15 XP: 2,054 Morale 6
Str 9, Dex 9, Con 11, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 6
Wargear: spear, shield, helm, leather
Description: the fat and greedy master harness-maker. A shrewd businessman and landlord, locally rich and important. I’ll say he’s a captain in the militia out of a desire to burnish his reputation, although he’d prefer to avoid any real fighting. Has three fat daughters, one of whom Eldred is smitten with. Sadly for the Enchanter, the Tethyr girls prefer men of substance over weedy wandering scholars.
Syndair Silverthorn
Illusionist 4 HP 8 AC 10 XP: 10,240 Morale 7
Str 10, Dex 10, Con 9, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 11
Wargear: dagger
Spells: Detect Illusion, Glamour, Magic Mouth, Quasimorph
Description: elegant older woman with a grey bun. In the module she’s a dressmaker who uses her magic to entertain guests and enhance her art, which I think is delightful. In OSE, however, a 4th-level magic-user is a much bigger deal than in AD&D. I think I’ll make her the owner of the Silver Branch jewelry store and say that she’s a collector of antiques with an interest in fine fabrics.
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