The party travels to Antace to investigate the villager missing in the ruins of Lorn Abbey. Antace is controlled by King Weremac, who maintains a formidable castle there, ruled by Lord Charles of the Axe. The party interviews the parish priest, Father Theodore, who provides a few more details about the terrible massacre that occurred at Lorn Abbey years ago.

Later, the party explores the ruins. As they move closer to the monastery, the land becomes increasingly foreboding and lifeless, and party members feel anxious and irritable. The party enters the ruins and soon identifies the rotten heart of the complex: a desecrated chapel, which throws Friar Sidrach into a wrath. The party then beholds an unholy sight—marching down the aisle are six figures wearing tattered monks' robes: the faces beneath the cowls are dead and fleshless. The party destroys these walking dead, and finds an entrance into a series of narrow warrens beneath the ruins. Beneath the ground the party fights through the animated corpses of more brothers, and also encounters dead monks horribly transformed into ravening, flesh-eating monsters. The touch of these vile creatures causes even a man as stout as Hamral to seize fast in terror.

After some frightening encounters, the party retreats—only to be confronted by the hideous visage of Prior Matthew, who has also been transformed into a deathless monster. The horrid prior speaks, claiming to have actually seen the Shaithim, and imploring the party to join him. A horrified party fights hard and barely escapes with everyone's life and soul intact.

After a rest in Antace, the party returns to Lorn Abbey and discovers an abandoned hospital. Inside they seem to see a monk, inexplicably still living, going through his daily duties. However, as the party approaches, this image melts away, leaving behind a skeletal horror in monk's robes. The creature claws at the party, but the heroes avoid serious harm. The creature appears invulnerable to normal weapons, and after a long and hard fight it is finally sent back to the Pit. A hidden second entrance into the underground warrens is found, and the party descends, fighting through more walking corpses and more eaters of the dead. A battered party returns again to Antace.

In a third foray into the warrens beneath Lorn Abbey, the party faces more walking dead. Two lurch forward to attack, while the third hangs back—and begins using black sorcery against the group! Friar Sidrach and Mendelor slump into an enchanted sleep, and St. James is struck by a sorcerous blast. In the fight that follows, St. James is felled by the creature's touch, which burns with an infernal chill. The creature is ultimately destroyed and the party finds much treasure, including a large, black-bound book that immediately captivates Valerius; Friar Sidrach argues passionately that the book should be destroyed. In the end, Valerius prevails and the book is retained, along with much coin, two flasks, and a fragile scroll with some sort of magical inscriptions.

Meanwhile, St. James is in critical condition after being brought back from the gates of the Shining City. The party hauls him back to Antace, where everyone enjoys a well-deserved rest. However, Valerius wakes one morning to find that his precious black-bound book is missing!