The creature must bleed willingly upon a chain link.
Either it or an ally can use an action to wound the
creature for 5 (ldlO) piercing or slashing damage. This
damage can't be negated or reduced, and the infernal
energy within the chains causes the creature's hit point
maximum to be reduced by an amount equal to the dam-
age taken until the creature finishes a long rest. Lulu is
willing to make at least part of this sacrifice of blood if
the characters ask her.
Crokek'toeck appears near Elturel within 1 hour of
the first drop of blood being shed. All nearby devils im-
mediately try to slay the demon, while nearby demons
leap to its defense. As the two opposing forces clash,Crokek'toeck s lips past the devils. The demon can gnaw
through a bloodied chain link in 1 minute.BREAKING THE CONTRACT
Voiding the infernal contract between Zariel andThavius Kreeg causes the hellish chains binding Elturel
to crumble to ash. This can be accomplished by either
killing Zariel or by destroying the original contract.
Zariel can use an action to summon the contract, which
appears in her one hand. The contract is otherwise
hidden in a secret place known only to her. Getting
Zariel to call forth the contract takes guile, as the arch-
devil can't be charmed. Destroying the original copy
of Thavius Kreeg's contract frees Elturel while leaving
Zariel's other contracts intact.The original contract resembles the copy stored in
Thavius's infernal puzzle box: nine square plates of in-
fernal iron linked together by short chains, each plate in-
separable from the others and inscribed with the terms
of the contract written in Infernal. Casting the contract
into the River Styx or immersing it in molten magma of
one of Avernus's active volcanoes destroys it instantly.Destroying Zariel voids aJI the active contracts she
has made with beings across the multiverse. This
causes no small amount of cosmic chaos.
THE FATE OF TliAVIUS KREEG
If the characters killed Thavius Kreeg in Baldur's Gate,
he crawled out of the River Styx as a lemure. In accor-
dance with the terms of their contract, Zariel promoted
him to an amnizu (see page 228), then confined him
in her fortress (see "Poor Devil: Thavius Kreeg," page132). IfThavius dies in the Nine Hells as a devil, he
is permanently dead-but this does not break the full
terms of Zariel's contract. Even with the primary signa-
tory dead, the people ofElturel remain bound to Zariel
by the Creed Resolute.Killing Thavius. Characters hoping for a climactic
battle against a worthy adversary won't find one by
fighting Thavius Kreeg. Despite the power he now pos-sesses, the devil Thavius is a coward who would rather
grovel than fight. Killing him marks a wretched end to a
wretched life.
If the characters left Thavius alive in chapter 1, they
must find a way back to the Material Plane to kill him.
His location in Baldur's Gate (or the chance that hemight have fled the city) is left to your determination, as
is the process by which the characters can track down
his devilish incarnation on Avernus after they return.CHAPTER 5 I £SCAPE FROM AVERNUSMercy for the Fallen. If the characters threaten him,
Thavius snivels and begs for his life. He also claims toknow where the original contract that sealed Elturel's
doom is hidden. This is a lie, the claim a desperate ploy
to buy time and, hopefully, a chance to escape.THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
If the characters have no other options for dealing withZariel, one or more of them might be willing to give
up everything in order to save the innocent people ofElturel. When a good-aligned paladin or cleric of 10th
level or higher performs such a selfless act, the power
of that deed is eternally written upon their soul. To crea-
tures that covet souls, this deed blazes like a bonfire inthe darkness-and Zariel desires it. Such a character is
likely destined to pass into the Upper Planes after death,
and as such, they make a handsome prize for an arch-
devil to shape into a loyal servant of the Nine Hells.
If any of the characters fit that description, Zariel
senses their power when the characters are in her pres-
ence. "Your soul shines bright," she says. "Brighter even
than the beacon above Elturel. I would have it."
If the character willingly offers their soul in exchangefor the souls of the people of El tu rel, Zariel is taken
aback by their selflessness. She furrows her brow and
asks, "You would lay down your soul for these people?People whose cowardice and weakness have caused you
nothing but grief?"A character offering to sacrifice their soul can take
advantage of this moment of uncertainty, making a
Charisma (Persuasion) check with advantage to sway
Zariel from the path of evil. Resolve a successful checkas noted in "Redeeming Zariel," earlier in this chapter.
Even if the check fails, though, Zariel accepts the of-
fered soul in exchange for all the souls of Elturel. Unless
you want to add additional challenges for the characters,
the archdevil can free the city from its chains and return
it to the Material Plane.RELINQUISHING THE SWORD
If the characters try to bargain for Elturel's release with-
out the Sword of Zariel, Zariel considers their offer andproduces a contract stating that she will release the city
in exchange for the sword, delivered without any compli-cations or deceit. Lulu rankles at the idea of the charac-
ters forging any sort of pact with the archdevil, but holds
out hope that Zariel can be redeemed if the sword is
brought before her.
If the characters present the sword to Zari el and ei-
ther fail to redeem her or choose not to try, read:Zariel grabs the sword by the blade and lets her fiendish
blood cascade down its edge, snarling in pain. "With
this final rite, I discharge my divine duty. Let my name be
forever struck from the ledger of Mount Celestia." She
tightens her grip, and the sword shatters. The angelic
spark lodged within it dwindles, then dies.Once destroyed, the Sword of Zariel can't be restored,
ending any hope of redemption for the archdevil.