Descent into Avernus

(Nancy Kaufman) #1
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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