Descent into Avernus

(Nancy Kaufman) #1

Ell. LARGE GUEST ROOM


This room contains an unusual guest: a sahuagin


priestess named Oshalla. She wears a cloak made


from fis hing nets, and speaks Common and Sahuagin.


She was exiled from the depths for plotting a coup


against he r king.

Oshalla keeps to herself and has he r meals brought to


her three times per day. The door to her room is locked,


and s he wears the key on a cord around her neck. Alan


has a maste r key that also unlocks the door. Picking the


lock requires thieves' tools and a successful DC^10 Dex-


terity check.
In addition to a bed , night table, and chest, this room

contains a desk, a chair, several paintings of coastal


and unde rwater scenes, a portable bathtub, and a ten-


foot-long, eight-foot tall bookcase that holds Oshalla's

collection of trinkets collected from the ocean (shells,


barnacle-cove red skulls, and the like). Oshalla doesn't


allow the tavern staff to clean he r room or refresh the


water i n the tub, so both are filthy.


Treasure. Characters who searc h the desk drawer


find a s harkskin pouch containing^66 gp and^49 sp,


which Oshalla uses to pay for food and s helter. Resting


against the south wall is a small wooden chest that con-


tains a shrine to Sekola h, the s hark god worshiped by
sahuagin. The chest's interior is lined with shark teeth


and contains a 5-pound coral sculpture of Sekolah with


red pearls for eyes (worth 250 gp as an art object).


El2. PLAIN GUEST ROOMS


The doors to these two rooms are locked. I n addition


to keys he loans to guests, Alan has a maste r key that


unlocks both doors. Picking eithe r l ock requires thieves'


tools and a successful DC^10 Dexterity c heck.


Each room contains a cozy bed, an empty woode n


chest, and c urtains on the window.


El3. ALAN'S BEDROOM


Alan carries a master key that unlocks the door to his


private bedroom. Picking the lock requires thie ves' tools


and a successful DC 15 Dexterity c heck.

Alan's room contains a bed with an ornate iron frame.


a claw-footed chest, a night table, and a wardrobe.

Splayed out on the floor in front of th e wardrobe is a rug


of smothering that attacks anyone other than Alan who


steps on it or opens the chest.


Treasure. The chest's interior is divided into three


equal-sized compartments containing^91 gp,^176 sp, and


288 cp, respectively. Alan uses this money to pay his


staff and maintain the tavern.

DEALING WITH TARINA


Tarina is a chaotic evil human bandit with a conniving


mind. She plays regular games ofBaldur's Bones (see


the "Taverns in Baldur's Gate" side bar, page 16) with


a coterie of local dimwits at a table in area E7. He r fel-


low gamblers don't realize she cheats.


"Tarina" is not a real name, of course. Before retiring


to Baldur's Gate, Tarina was a pirate known as Rhonda


Thunderbell (also not her real name). After serving Cap-


tain Murosko Sessprin of the Uncivil Serpent faithfully


for months, she stole loot from her fellow pirates and


CHAPTER I I A TALE OF'TWO CITlli.S

fled before they could stop her. Most of that loot has


been s pent in recent years. though Tarina bas enough


squirreled away to ensure s he never goes hungry. She's


also in good standing with Nine-Fingers, guildmaster of


the local thieves' guild, who gives her occasional work.


Tarina recently heard a rumor that he r former ship-


mates had tracked he r to Baidu r's Gate. She agrees to


help the characters if they stay at Elfsong Tavern to see


if the pirates to show up, then kill them all.

KILLING TIME IN THE TAVERN


Exactly when Tarina's forme r associates arrive is up


to you, but the characters should have a bit of free time


before they appear (as described in "With Friends Like


These," page 19). Characters who loiter in the tavern
can overhear patrons talking about the current happen-

ings in Baldur's Gate and the rumors from Elturel:



  • 'TH bet my last copper piece that those so·called refu-


gees are advanced scouts for an army that's preparing


to attack Baldur's Gate!"


• "The Flaming Fist is decapitated. The captains have


already started bicke ring over who should be in


charge with Ulder Ravengard gone."

"With Rave ngard out of the way, who'll be the next


grand duke, I wonder? My money's on Thalamra Van-


thampur. Practically born in the sewers, she was, and


more vicious than a swa rm of rats."


ELFSONG


At some point before Tarina's associates arrive, the


tavern is filled with the ghostly lamentation of the elf
spirit known to haunt the place. However, on this one
occasion, the spirit sings not of a long-lost lover but of

Elturel. This surprises everyone, including Alan Alyth.


who has never heard the s pirit change its tune. Charac-


ters who understand Elvish can translate the lyrics:


0 sing a song of Elturel
Of water, woods, and hill
The s un dawns on her ruddy cliffs

And fields green and still.


This land of long-abiding joy
Home of the strong and brave

Renowned by all, across the realms,


And never once a slave.


0 sing a song of Elturel


When foes are at her door


Her fields torn by cloven feet


From some infernal shore.


Arise the mighty Hellriders


Take up your swift, keen s words


Then charge into the hellish fray

And scatter devil hordes.


0 sing a song of Elturel


And when the night does fall


Sleep safe beneath Companion's light


Until the dawn does call.

Were bound by mortal covenant


That only ends with death


And so we'll sing of Elturel


Until our final breath.

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