Descent into Avernus

(Nancy Kaufman) #1

12'2


The safe contains nine adamantine rods, each one


weighing 3 pounds and engraved with runes that spell


out the words "Solar Insidiator Lock" in Infernal, fol-


lowed by a number from 1 to 9. These are the rods that


the characters are searching for. Characters familiar


with Thavius Kreeg's infernal contract recall that "Solar


Insidiator" is another name for the Companion. Armed


with this knowledge, a character who succeeds on a DC


10 Intelligence (Arcana) check can conclude that the
rods were designed to unlock the Companion, suggest-
ing that it might contain something.

Dead Devil. A spined devil was operating the console


when the fortress crashed into Avernus. The console
tore free of one wall and pinned the devil against an-

other wall, crushing it to death. The console is nonfunc-


tional, and its original purpose can't be ascertained.

W6. BLACK BELL
Once per minute, a hollow "ka-clunk" sound emanates
from this room, which contains the following:

This room contains two rusty iron crates in one corner
and an iron, bell-shaped contraption bolted to the floor
in the opposite corner. The bell is nine feet tall and
painted black, with several dents and d ings in it. Every so
often, the bell emits a loud "ka·clunk" sound.

Each crate contains twenty iron flasks of demon ichor


(see page 78).

A detect magic spell reveals an aura of transmutation


magic around the bell-shaped contraption. Any char-

acter who examines the bell and succeeds on a DC 20


Intelligence (Arcana) check can ascertain its purpose:


it kept the fortress aloft and level with the ground. The


noise it makes is a rhythmic malfunction caused by the

fact that the fortress is leaning to one side.


W7. STIRGE NEST


Describe this area to the players as follows:


This chamber contains a stripped-down metal console
and several rusty pipes that extend from floor to ceiling.
One of the pipes has a two-foot-long gash in it.

The console's original purpose can't be determined.


Ten stirges nest in the pipe with the gash in it. If the


pipe is jostled or otherwise disturbed, the stirges fly out


and attack.

W8. SIGNAL DESKS


This hall has four doors leading off it. Behind each door


is a closet with a miniature console and chair bolted to


the Aoor. These consoles have keys and function like


Infernal typewriters. An imp stationed at each console


would type orders from superiors on smalJ s lips of pa-


per before delivering them to their intended recipients.
Rigged above each desk is a long, slender horn through
which bridge officers could dictate their orders.

CHAPTER 3 I AVERNUS

DEVELOPMENT
As the characters prepare to leave, a warband arrives to

scavenge the wreck. This warband is Jed by one of the


warlords described in the "Warlords of the Avernian

Wastelands" section on page 90. The characters have


a few rounds to hide, set an ambush, or return to their


vehicles before the enemy warband arrives.

Each warlord has a different reason for visiting the


wreck, as outlined below.


Bitter Breath. The horned devil is thinking about turn-


ing the wreck into a base and wants to inspect it.


Feonor. The archmage heard a rumor that someone has


been stockpiling demon ichor inside the wreck, and

she plans to steal it.


Princeps Kovik. Kovik's spies in Bel's Forge have


told the chain devil about the adamantine rods.

Kovik plans to sell them to Mahadi (page 126) for


soul coins.


RETURNING THE RODS TO BEL

Bel isn't really expecting the characters to ret urn the


nine adamantine rods to him, and he looks positively


disappointed if they do. ("We didn't even sign a con-

tract!" he laments.) Rather, be hoped they might use


the rods to unlock the Companion, thereby freeing the
planetar trapped within it and potentialJy ruining Zari-
el's plans for Elturel. Bringing the nine rods back to Bel

merely implicates him in the plot to free the planetar.


After uttering a few choice curse words, he strongly


encourages the characters to take the rods to Elturel,

stick them in locks along the Companion's equator, and


see what happens.


Happy to let the characters keep the rods, Bel makes

good on his promise to reveal the location of the Bleed-


ing Citadel. He tells the characters that the Sword of


Zariel is a good-aligned artifact that Avernus itself has


long sought to destroy. Bel urges them to find the sword
quickly, before the Bleeding Citadel is swallowed up by

Avernus and the sword is lost forever. If Lulu is still with


the party, she urges the characters to recover the sword


before heading back to Elturel.

OTHER LOCATIONS


Some locations marked on the players' map of Avernus


lie outside the two quest paths. Others, like the Wan-

dering Emporium and Zariel's F lying Fortress, move


around. These locations are summarized below and


described in the sections that follow.


Stygian Dock. A river dock where Aying fortresses can


undergo repairs while siphoning souls from the Styx.

Styx Watchtower. One of several fortifications along the


River Styx used by devils to guard against invasion.


Sundered Chains. Broken chains of Avernus that tried


and failed to bind other cities before Elturel.


The Wandering Emporium. A mobile marketplace bujlt


atop infernal war machines.


Zariel's Flying Fortress. Zariel commands her legions


from this mobile headquarters.
Free download pdf