Descent into Avernus

(Nancy Kaufman) #1

L6. TAVERN LOUNGE


This tavern lounge fills an entire deck and is lit by oil


lanterns hanging from the 8-foot-high ceiling by 1-foot-


long chains. The windowless deck contains a bar,


couches, coffee tables, and tables where patrons can so-


ciaJize and gamble. Three of Laraelra's bouncers (thugs)


stand in plain view across the deck.


Amrik Vanthampur (see the accompanying stat


block) has turned a pair of couches and a coffee table


near the aft wall into his personal office. He runs a


moneylending business from this location, and many


of his regular clients are down-on-their-luck gamblers


who can't cover their debts. In exchange for this space,


Amrik pays for the wine that is delivered to the Low


Lantern, making Laraelra's business profitable.


Thirty-three-year-old Amrik sits alone on the star-


board couch, his feet on the table and his eyes on the


room. He keeps the port couch open for clients and


employs two bodyguards. Kasharra, a spined devil,


perches on the back of Amrik's couch. Vhaltus, a sleepy-


eyed lawful evil human thug with red hair in a ponytail,


sits at the closest end of the bar. Vhaltus carries a small


sack containing 150 gp, which Amrik loans to clients.


If he thinks his life is in real danger, Amrik detonates a


concealed smoke bomb before fleeing up the stairs, leav-


ing his bodyguards to cover his escape.


Amrik loves to exchange pleasantries over drinks be-


fore conducting business. He has trained Laraelra's staff


to recognize a variety of innocuous hand gestures that


signal them to deliver drinks to the table. If he wants


poison added to his clients' drinks, he has a secret sign


for that. Hidden behind the bar is a small bottle con-


taining four doses of torpor (see "Poisons" in chapter


8 of the Dungeon Master's Guide), which the kenku


bartender can use to spike drinks when Amrik gives


the signal.


L7. GUEST CABIN


This guest cabin is not currently occupied. Its furnish-


ings include a bed, a wardrobe, an empty desk, and a


chair. An oil lantern hangs from a rusty hook bolted


to the mast.


The Jock on the cabin door has rusted to the point of


being useless, but the desk chair can be wedged under


the doorknob to keep the door from being opened. If


the chair is so used, opening the door requires a suc-


cessful DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check and makes a


lot of noise.


L8. SLEEPING QUARTERS


This area is prone to leaks. as the ship's hull is mostly


submerged at this level. Puddles of water collect in


areas where the floor has bowed, and the whole space


reeks of vomit and urine.


Four alcoves here are set with cheap cots where


drunks can sleep off their hangovers. In the bow are


four hammocks that serve a similar purpose. At any


given time, ld4 unconscious commoners can be found


throughout this area, sleeping off the effects of a too-


wild night. If the characters wish to rob them, each com-


moner has a belt pouch containing ld6 sp and 2d6 cp.


DEALING WITH AMRIK


Unless the characters attack him at once, Amrik as-


sumes they've come to him for a loan. He is more than


happy to provide one, up to a limit of 150 gp (the amount


currently carried by his bodyguard VhaJtus). Amrik's


terms are simple: he expects repayment in a tenday and


charges 25 percent interest on the loan. As a member


of the influential Vanthampur family, Amrik has plenty


of muscle he can bring to bear against anyone who


defaults on a loan, and his family's influence extends


beyond Baldur's Gate.


The characters might try to secure a loan, with or


without the intention of paying it back. Characters who


plan to rip off Amrik must succeed on a Charisma (De-


ception) check contested by Amrik's Wisdom (Insight)


check, as described under "Contests" in chapter 7 of the


Player's Handbook.


Characters can try to interrogate Amrik for informa-


tion, but he's a practiced liar who won't incriminate him-


self or any family member he fears, including bis mother


and older brother. If the characters mention Mortlock,


Amrik accuses that "scar-faced hulk" of consorting


with the lowest of the low in Baldur's Gate to bring ruin


to their family. Amrik's utter disdain for his younger


brother is palpable, though he won't admit to his partjc-


ipation in a conspiracy to assassinate Mortlock. lf the


characters level accusations against him, Amrik tries to


shift the blame to Mortlock. Failing that, he invokes his


mother's name and reputation as a shleld, hoping the


characters will think twice about offending or harming


the favored son of Duke Thalamra Vanthampur.


Amrik never battles to the death, and he surrenders


if he can't fight, talk, or slither his way out of a perilous


situation. If the characters defeat Amrik's bodyguards


and take him prisoner, he does what he's told untiJ an


opportunity to escape presents itself. The staff of the


Low Lantern do not intervene.


If the characters kill Amrik aboard the Low Lantern,


Laraelra warns them that his death will incur the wrath


of Duke Thalamra Vanthampur. She suggests that they


Ree Baldur's Gate at once- before they end up as fish


food at the bottom of the harbor.


REYA MANTLEMORN


Before the characters leave the Low Lantern, a new ar-


rival greets them. Read the following to the players:


A cloaked figure approaches, armor clanking with each
step. One gloved hand rests on the hilt of a longsword.
The other pulls back a cowl to reveal the face of a teen-
ager with brown skin, red hair, and a haunting gaze.

The cloaked figure is Reya Mantlemorn, a lawful good


female human Hellrider (use the veteran stat block).


Reya speaks Common.


Born in the land of Turmish, Reya came to the holy


city of Elturel to train as a Hellrider when she was


twelve. As a faithful follower of Torm, Reya is prepared


and has trained to sacrifice herself for the greater good.


CHAPTER l J A TALE OF TWO CITIES
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