BROKEN HEART
If the characters lose or destroy the dark heart, they either
have to go through the process of gathering the necessary
components to make a replacement, or abandon Vizeran's
plan. See "Loose Threads" later in this chapter for ideas
about what to do if the plan never gets off the ground.NEVERLTGHT GROVE
If the characters inform the myconids of their need for a
place to stage a daring last battle, Sovereign Basidia or
another myconid representative might offer Neverlight
Grove. The ranks of the myconids have been decimated
by Zuggtmoy's depredations and the fetid wedding, and
many fear their beloved caverns are corrupted. They are
willing to seck a new home (perhaps in the caverns of
Araumycos) and grateful enough to the heroes that they
will sacrifice their old home to help them.SLOOBLUDOP
The ruins of the kuo-toa settlement (see chapte r 3) could
become the site of the final fight against the demon
lords. Shuushar the Awakened can be convinced to help
evacuate the remaining inhabitants if asked. The nearby
Darklake creates its own challenges, particularly given
the presence of ixitxachitlloyal to Demogorgon.ARAJ
Characters looking to double-cross Vizeran-or those
with a sense of poetic justice- might hide the dark
heart somewhere in the drow arch mage's tower or
the s urrounding cavern. This reduces the number of
bystanders, contains the demons and their battle, and
ensures Vizcran's enmity.CONFRONTING THE DEMON LORDS
The demon lords are some of the most powerful foes a
party of adventurers could face. Indeed, any one of them
at full strength could wipe out a group of 15th-level
characters with ease. Fortunately for the heroes, the
goal ofVizeran's plan isn't to fight multiple demon
lords, but to turn them against each other. With the
right combination of preparation, timing, and execution,
the characters set the trap that Vizeran springs with
his ritual-and hope whichever demon lord survives is
weakened enough for them to destroy it.ALLIED FORCES
Vizeran is needed to perform the ritual, placing him
far from the battle and leaving him with three levels of
exhaustion (see appendix A of the Player's Handbook)
once the ritual is completed. He is thus unwilling to aid
the characters during the fight. The arch mage prefers
to keep Grin Ousstyl to assist him. so the drow mage is
likewise unable to assist. However. the adventurers have
a number of other allies willing to fight alongside them
in this last battle.
Most of the heroes' allies are of limited use against
the demon lords- creatures immune to many forms
of attack, including non magical weapons. Rather than
dealing with the ineffectual attacks of allies or a dozen
or more additional actions each round. give characters
backed up by a group of allies the following benefits.
OPTION: jiMJA R'S lAST GAMBLE
If the adventurers need some extra help in their epic final
battle at the end of the campaign, consider the following
option involving )imjar, the deep gnome gambler they met
in the drow slave pen in chapter 1 of the adventure.
")imjar" isn't at all who he appears. He is, in fact, a god
or other great power in disguise-or the Chosen of such a
power- and has been watching the heroes since their first
encounter in Velkynvelve. His reasons for doing this are
his own, but when push comes to shove, he can give the
heroes some help in overcoming the demon lords.
At an opportune moment, )imjar shows up (even returning
from death if he appeared to perish earlier in the adventure)
and gives the characters a vote of encouragement, telling
them, "I bet you can do this." Each character gains inspiration
and a blessing of wound closure (see "Other Rewards" in
chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master's Guide). )imjar disappears
afterward, potentially putting in one last appearance at the
end of the adventure to hint as to his true nature before
vanishing into t he Underdark.
Who is Jim jar really? That depends on your characters and
the campaign, but one of the characters' patron deities is
a good possibility. He might also be a gnomish god such
as Carl Glittergold or Callarduran Smoothhands, known
tricksters and shapeshifters, and foes of demons and their
ilk. The more important thing is that he serves as a "lucky
charm" for the characters when they need him. This option
works particularly well if the adventurers have been kind to
the sometimes annoying deep gnome over the course of the
campaign, earning his respect and gratitude.Healing Support. A character regains 2d6 hit points
at the end of each of his or her turns. provided the
character has at least 1 hit point remaining.
Tactical Losses. Once each round, when a player
character would be hit by an attack, a supporting ally is
hit by the attack instead. The adventurers can use this
option ten times before their allies are too weakened or
deple ted to provide assistance.HEROIC SACRIFICE
Players should never have ro think about sacrificing their
characters, but you should be prepared for the possibility
of one or more of the heroes giving up their lives in
order to defeat the evil that has arisen in the Underdark.
It's up to you how to handle such a high-stakes event,
but consider treating it as an e xtreme variation of
"Success at a Cost·· from chapter 8 of the Dungeon
Master's Guide. At the very least, a player deliberately
sacrificing his or her character's life in a final, selfless
heroic effort- the antithesis of the selfishness and evil
of the Abyss should grant a lithe character's allies
inspiration. The sacrifice might not be enough to win
the day on its own, but it can help turn the tide.CHAPTER 17 I AGAINSTTU£ DEMO:\ LORDS
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