Descent into Avernus

UPPER CITY RANDOM ENCOUNTERS

d20 Encounter

1-6

7-10

11-16

17-20

No encounter

Harmless interaction (roll on table A)

Denizens (roll on table B)

Threat (roll on table C)

TABLE A: UPPER CITY HARMLESS INTERACTIONS

dl 2 Interaction

A pallid maid wearing the livery of House Bormul

stumbles into a party, whispers "not ... shellfish,"

and passes out.

2 A smirking valet eyes the party, slips over, and hands

them an elegant crimson envelope: an invitation to a

gathering at Eomane House.

3 A wide-eyed, fast-talking priest of Gond laments that

a thief stole her designs for a "pocket clock." She

describes the thief as a tall, perfume-scented man in

black wearing a red scarf.

4 A chatty stranger, Ellyn Harbreeze, invites the party

to tea at Harbreeze Bakery, eager to gossip with

them.

S A merchant giving away samples of her wares offers

each party member a free cigar.

6 A street artist offers to sketch one of the characters

for the modest fee of 3 copper pieces. The sketch

isn't particularly good.

7 A priest ofTymora approaches the party, offering

them a small sum to help do a good deed for a poor

family at the Lady's Hall.

8 Ominous, disembodied whispers reach the party's

ears. The whispers lead to Hhune House.

9 The wizard lorroakan approaches the party, offering

them pay and free waterproofing for their clothing if

they help him clean out the cluttered upper Aoors of

Ramazith's Tower.

10 Yvandre Rillyn asks if a party member really knows

how to use a distinctive weapon they carry. If so , she

asks them to be a guest teacher at the Rillyn School.

11 One random character is struck by a kite. The kite is

being Aown by a young boy belonging to a wealthy

patriar family. One of the boy's nine bodyguards

checks to make sure the character is okay.

12 A shady broker claims to know exactly what the party

needs, leading characters to the Undercellar to show

them a selection of interesting but shady goods.

magically spew acid at attackers if the city should ever

fall under siege.

Citadel Gate. The only entrance to the Watch's fortress,

Citadel Gate nestles into the Upper City's landward

wall. The Watch maintains a small cavalry, nominally

for defense and crowd control, but primarily for pa-

rades, honor escorts. and other ceremonial functions.

Because of this, the Citadel maintains the only stable

within the city walls.

TABLE B: UPPER CITY DENIZENS

dlO Denizens

2

3

4

2d4 Watch guards who demand to see strangers'

passage tokens

ld4 acolytes of Gond or Tymora

2d6 patriar servants (commoners) on errands

1 patriar (human noble) and 6 personal bodyguards

(veterans)

S ld4 + l entitled young patriars (human nobles), each

with one personal bodyguard (thug)

6 ld6 visiting dignitaries (nobles) and 2d4 guards

7 ld4 High Hall messengers (scouts)

8 2d4 entertainers (commoners)

9 l Flaming Fist officer (knight) and 2d4 Flaming Fist

soldiers (veterans)

10 ld4 commoners who shouldn't be in the Upper City

TABLE C: UPPER CITY THREATS

dlO Threat

2

3

ld4 imps disguised as ravens

l gargoyle in the service of the Guild

ld6 giant centipedes from the sewers

4 1 d4 suits of animated armor that escaped from the

High House of Wonders

S l ochre jelly in a sewer grate

6 Dead Three abduction squad (see the "More Dead

Three Encounters" sidebar on page 28)

7 Dead Three murder squad (see the "More Dead

Three Encounters" sidebar on page 28)

8 ld4 doppelgangers

9 l serial killer (assassin) wanted by the Watch

10 2d4 kenku muggers in league with the Guild

Patriar Gates. The four gates known collectively as the

patriar gates-Gond Gate, Heap Gate, Manor Gate,

and Sea Gate-are smaller and are generally not ac-

cessible by the general public. They were built after

the construction of the Lower City walls and were

intended to offer patriars convenient access from their

homes to their business concerns and back. Privately

funded by the patriars, and thus serving as a display

of their personal success, these gates are more ornate

and tightly guarded than the public gates. Officially,

none may use them without bearing a patriar's livery

or letter of permission, although rumors persist that

Guild kingpins and veteran servants among several

patriar staffs know exactly which guards to bend. Re-

gardless, the visible double standard imposed at these

gates is a constant gall to Lower City residents forced

to take longer routes through the public gates because

they cannot use the ones in their own neighborhoods.

NEIGHBORHOODS

While most outsiders see only rampant luxury among

the Upper City's streets, the district's residents perceive

a wide spectrum of style and status. Wealth and taste as

much as location serve to divide the Upper City into a

variety of distinct neighborhoods.

BALDUR'S GATE GAZETTEER