Descent into Avernus

EVENT l: RIVER' S EDGE

Lulu guides the characters toward Zariel, finding he r

on the ground of Avernus be neath Elturel. Read or para-

phrase the following to set the scene:

Elturel hangs above you and the River Styx. The iron

spikes that anchor the city have dragged it nearly to

the river's banks. Within a few hours, Elturel will sink

into the Styx.

Hordes of distant demons fly around the city like

gnats, and a battle rages fiercely beneath it. Thousands

of fiends clash in Elturel's shadow. And at their center

stands a being wreathed in flame, striking down demons

with tireless fury.

Lulu points at the figure with her trunk and whispers,

"That's her. Zariel stands exactly where she always

does- where the fighting is fiercest."

This encounter takes place on a n open field borde red

by the River Styx. with Zariel visible a mile away. Allow

the characters a few moments to plan their next move.

When they decide to act, two horned devil s break to-

ward them after a fleeing glabrezu, whic h is cut down

and dissolves to ichor that flows into the Styx. The dev-

ils attack at range with Hurl Flame attacks. Each devil

has 125 hit points remaining and fights to the death.

Between this event and the next, the characters might

delve deepe r into the melee, or could make their way up

to Elturel by flying or climbing.

EVENT 2: FIELD OF FLAMES

The front of Zariel's army has crashed into the flank of

the de monic horde, whether on the streets of Elturel or

on the battlefield below. Taking on both armies headfirst

is impossible, but savvy characters might be able to use

th e battlefield's geography to avoid combat.

The characters must make three group Dexterity

(Stealth) or Wisdom (Survival) c hecks to navigate the

battlefield, with each round of c hecks increasing in dif-

ficulty- DC 15, DC 17, and DC 19. Every time the group

fails a check, each character must succeed on a DC 15

Constitution saving throw or take 22 (4dl0) poison dam-

age plus 22 {4d10) fire damage from the noxious gas and

flames roiling across the battlefield.

After making these ability checks, the characters

stumble into a battle between six hezrous and Lucille,

the pit fiend general they s potted as they we re leaving

Elturel at the end of chapter 2:

A pit field wearing an eyeless helm clutches an infernal

battle standard in one clawed hand while swinging a

huge flaming mace in the other. The pit fiend is beset on

all sides by six hulking, froglike demons that croak vile

epithets as they tear the pit fiend's flesh with their claws.

Two hezrous break off from this melee to attack the

characters. The other fiends continue fighting Lucille.

By the time the characters deal with the hezrous

attacking them. Lucille has destroyed the remaining

hez rous or sent them scrambling away in search of

easier prey. Lucille turns towa rd the characters, gives

the m a curt nod, and takes to the air. Characters can

attack the pit fiend, which has 175 hit points remaining.

If they let it go, the pit fiend returns the favor by using its

helm of devil command to issue orde rs to its troops that

the characters are not to be harmed. As the characters

make their way toward Zariel, demons that might other-

wise cross their path are intercepted by devils, creating

an avenue of safe passage for the characters.

Treasure. Lucille's helm of devil command and battle

standard of infernal power are described in appendix C.

EVENT 3: SHOWDOWN WITH ZARIEL

At s ome point, the characters get close to Arch-

duke Zariel of Avernus (see page 243 for her stat

block). When they do, Zariel is locked in combat with

a hyena-faced baJor-one of Yeenoghu's demons. A

100 -foot-diameter circle has formed around Zariel and

the balor, as other devils and demons stay clear of the

destruction the two unleash. Unless the characters draw

attention to themselves, the fiends pay them no mind.

If you don't want to roll dice to determine the outcome

of this battle, Zariel reduces the balor to 0 hit points

after 4 rounds of combat, causing it to explode in a

great fireball. When the battle is over, Zariel has 450 hit

points re maining and takes a round to collect herself as

the eye of the storm that surrounded her dissolves once

more into chaos.

If the c haracte rs released Kostchtchie from his prison

in chapter 3 but lost track of him, the demon lord wades

into battle and tries to get close enough to Zariel to

wrest Matalotok, his hammer, from her clutches. Devils

loyal to Zariel confound Kostchtchie at every turn. deny-

ing him his prize, and Zariel herself refuses to engage

him. Still, the characters can count on Kostchtchie to

c reate a distraction big e nough to draw attention away

from their activities, whatever those might be.

It is hard for insignificant mortals to gain the archdev-

il's attention, but if they anger Zariel, aid her in combat,

or display Lulu or the Sword of Zariel, she stops what

s he's doing and gives the characters a chance to speak

to her-or to challenge her.

If the characters attempt to break the infernal chains

binding Elturel to t he posts that are s lowly sinking into

Avernus (see "Breaking the Chains," page 150), Zariel

takes notice when the firs t chain is sundered or the

planetar is released from the Companion. If the char-

acters are making use of a demon to break the chains,

Zariel attacks it and defeats it after 2d4 rounds if the

characters don't come to the demon's aid. If Tiamat is

the one destroying the c hains, Zariel attacks the charac-

ters in the hopes that Tiamat will cease her attack once

her accomplices are s lain.

If Zariel is reduced to 100 hit points or fewer, she

withdraws to the edge of the battle, taking refuge in her

flying fortress if it's nearby and hasn't been destroyed

(see "Zariel's Flying Fortress," page 130).

CHAPTER 5 I ESCAPE FROM AVERNUS

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