Descent into Avernus

(Nancy Kaufman) #1

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Ten small, snarling demons covered in matted gray fur
claw and bite a hole into the hard, scabby floor. A demon

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made of shadow flies over the smaller fiends, screaming
at them in Abyssal.

If Lulu is with the characters, she senses the presence


of Crokek'toeck nearby (see area Sl 0). She tel Is the


c haracters about Yeenoghu's pet and speculates that the


demons are trying to free Crokek'toeck.


Vatilan, a s h adow de m on , directs seven dre tc hes


to dig their way toward area SIO. The shadow demon


found Crokek'toeck while scouting the scab using its


Incorporeal Movement trait. If the characters attack, the


shadow demon leaves the dretches behind as it passes


through the nearest wall and heads to area S14 to warn


Trantolox that intruders are near. Vatilan remains by the


nalfeshnee's side until convinced that the intruders have
been dealt with.

SlO. CROKEK'TOECK'S PRISON


Yeenoghu's pet. Croke k'toeck (see page 230 for its stat


block), is tightly packed into this cavity, incapacitated


and restrained. If at least 20 feet of the scabby walls that


encase Crokek'toeck are destroyed, the monster is able


to move its body again and breaks free of the scab.


If Crokek'toeck breaks out of the scab, it leaves a


30-foot-radius passage in its wake. The fiend is hungry


and tries to consume any creature that crosses its path.


Tt then leaves to find its master, Yeenoghu.
If Crokek'toeck is freed, Trantolox and the rest of

the demons in area $14 investigate. The nalfeshnee


attempts to control Crokek'toeck, but Yeenoghu's pet

answers only to the Gnoll Lord. After Trantolox tries to


control Crokek'toeck for 3 rounds, the naUeshnee and


the other demons retreat back to area S14.


Sll. STATUE OF YEENOGHU
When the characters enter this 40-foot-wide chamber,
read the following boxed text to the players:

A nine-foot-tall statue of a hulking biped with clawed
hands and feet stands on the floor of this chamber. Three
vulture-like demons and six gnolls cackle as they dance
around the statue.

Three vrocks and six gnolls dance around the statue,


reveling in their evil madness. The vrocks are quick to


use their spores, even if it means infecting their gnoll


allies. The demons and gnolls fight to the death.

The statue is carved out of hardened scab. A detect


magic spell reveals that it radiates an aura of evocation


magic. Any demon or gnoll with at least 1 hit point re-


maining that starts its turn within^30 feet of the statue


regains 10 hit points.

If Lulu is with the characters, she recognizes that the


statue is a crude likeness of Yeenoghu and encourages


the characters to destroy it.

The statue is a Large object with AC 17,^60 hit points,


and immunity to poison and psychic damage. If the


CHAPTER 4 I SWORD OF ZARIEL

statue is destroyed, it explodes. Each creature within^30


feet of the exploding statue must make a DC 15 Dexter·


ity saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) piercing damage on a

failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.


812. TRANTOLOX'S CHAMBER


When the characters enter this 30-foot-wide chamber,
read the following boxed text to the players:

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A massive pile of bones and offal sits in the middle of I
this otherwise empty chamber.

Creatures who examine the bones and offal closely no-
tice a stoppered bottle in the pile.
Treasure. The bottle is a eversmoking bottle.

Sl3. CACKLING GNOLLS


Characters hear the cackling of gnolls as they enter


this corridor. They can surprise the gnolls by dousing


their lights aad succeeding on a DC^10 group Dexterity


{Stealth) check.

Targ Nar. a gnoll fang ofYeenogh u with^100 hit


points, is here with a gang of fifteen gnoll s. Targ Nar


obeys Trantolox, who has ordered him to guard the


corridor. To pass the time. the gnolls are tossing around


the severed head of one of their fellow gnolls, whom
Trantolox decapitated on a whim.


  1. ENTRANCE TO THE BLEEDING CIT AD E L
    When the characters arrive at this 40-foot-wide area,
    read the following boxed text to the players:


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Brass double doors stand exposed in the wall of the scab.
A relief image on the doors depicts a blindfolded angel
wielding a sword, and carved into the door frame are
beautiful, gold-inlaid runes. Three goat-headed demons
with barbed tails throw themselves against the door as a
corpulent, ape-like fiend with tusks and tiny wings kicks
at them, roaring commands in Abyssal.

Trantolox, a nalfeshnee, is commanding three bulezaus


(see page 230 for their stat block) to force open the


double door that leads into the Bleeding Citadel. The


nalfeshnee is desperate to get inside to claim the Sword


of Zarie/ for Yeenoghu. Despite the bulezaus' best ef-
forts, the doors refuse to budge (see "Doors" below).

The nalfeshnee doesn't attack the characters right


away if it thinks it can trick them into opening the doors

for it. The nalfeshnee suggests an alliance and an "equal


split" of whatever treasure is hidden inside the citadel.


If Lulu is with the characters, she strongly advises them


not to trust the demon. Trantolox has no intention of


honoring the deal and claims to know nothing about the
Sword of Zariel. In battle, the nalfeshnee fights until

reduced to 60 hit points, then tries to flee the scab and


report back to Yeenoghu. The insane bulezaus fight to


the death.

Doors. The doors, like the citadel itself. are indestruc-


tible. The runes around them say, in Celestial: "Against

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