Descent into Avernus

(Nancy Kaufman) #1

4-0


clothing fit for a noble of her stature and carries no


weapons. However, she possesses magical powers


bestowed upon her by Zariel, her infernal patron. Any


intrusion is greeted with hostility, and the duke is not


squeamish about smashing foes with her bare bands if


she finds herself in melee. Don't forget her Hellish Re-


buke reaction, which she can use twice per day (but only


once before her next turn).


If she is reduced to fewer than half her hit points,


Thalamra tries to escape through the nearest secret


door that isn't blocked. She either moves to area V36 or


attempts to Hee via area V27. Proud to a fault, she would


rather die than surrender or be taken prisoner-and


she happily watches any of her sons die before con-


senting to ransom demands. When death finally takes


her, Thalamra's dying words to her killers are, "See


you in hell."


Thalamra keeps two keys in a pocket of her dress.


One key unlocks the chest in her bedroom (area V17);


the other key unlocks the door to the vault (area V36).


Obsidian Altar. The black altar weighs 800 pounds


and has tiny Infernal runes carved in a ring around the


nine-inch-tall, angel-shaped flame erupting from its top.


This Harne bears only a vague resemblance to Zariel.


Defacing any of the altar's runes extinguishes the flame


and causes the altar to crack in two.


V29. PRISON


Read the following boxed text when the characters open


the door to this room:


A broad-shouldered figure with purple skin and a beard
of writhing snakelike tentacles stands in the middle of a
room lined by iron doors, tightening its grip on a glaive
as it glares at you through the darkness. Each door is
set with a small barred window, and a ring of keys hangs
from the creature's belt.

The prison guard is a bearded devil named Thoss,


which attacks anyone it perceives as an intruder or a


threat. Characters disguised as cultists can try to dupe


Thoss into allowing them to interrogate or release pris-


oners (see the "Disguised Characters" sidebar on page


39). The keys dangling from the devil's belt unlock


the cell doors.


Two of the cells (your choice) contain prisoners. The


other four cells are empty, though captured characters


might end up here (see the "Imprisoned Characters"


sidebar). If you need to introduce a new party member


to replace one who died, that character can begin the


adventure locked in one of the empty cells.


Falaster Fisk. The first prisoner is a short, lean,


erudite male human in his fifties named Falaster Fisk.


Originally from Calimshan, Falaster is a neutral spy


with no weapons. He speaks Common and Infernal,


wears an ankle-length caftan, and has dark hair. His


neatly trimmed goatee beard is dyed crimson.


Fa laster works for Sylvira Savikas, a tiefling expert


on the Nine Hells currently based in Candlekeep. When


Thavius Kreeg arrived in Baldur's Gate a few days


CHAPTER I I A TALF OF TWO CITIES

ago, it didn't take Falaster long to hear rumors that the


Vanthampurs were sheltering him. Falaster tried to find


out why and was caught. He can provide his rescuers


with the following useful information:


• "Sylvira Savikas is a sage who operates out of Candle-


keep. A good friend of mine! She's been monitoring


devil activity in Baldur's Gate and Elturel for months."


• "Sylvira is convinced that Thavius Kreeg struck a bar-


gain with an archdevil, and that a copy of the contract


he signed is hidden inside a magic puzzle box. She


asked me to help her obtain proof of Kreeg's crimes."


• "Sylvira is no friend ofThavius Kreeg's. She thinks


she can open his puzzle box, and is willing to pay for


it- in gold or magic items.''


If released, Falaster helps the characters as best he


can while staying out of harm's way. Expecting that he


might be caught, he obtained and memorized a floor


plan of the dungeon under Vanthampur Villa. He can


thus lead his rescuers to secret rooms (areas V28 and


V34) and the Vanthampurs' vault (area V36).


Satiir Thione-Hhune. The second prisoner is a fit,


aristocratic human woman in her seventies named Lady


Satiir Thione-Hhune. Born into the rich and politically


powerful Hhune patriar family, Satiir is a neutral evil


noble with no weapons or armor (AC 11). She was kid-


napped by the Vanthampurs to be used as leverage in


the event that the Hhunes find out who stole the Shield


of the Hidden Lord from their family's crypt.


Unknown to the Vanthampurs, Satiir is a member of


a secret evil order whose members call themselves the


Knights of the Shield, and who are the self-appointed


guardians of the Shield of the Hidden Lord. Sailir


doesn't speak of the shield. Instead, she tells her rescu-


ers that the Vanthampurs were planning to use her to


keep the Hhunes from opposing Duke Vanthampur's


bid to become the new grand duke. If Satiir is allowed


to escape, she informs her family and associates that


the Vanthampurs stole the shield, destroying Duke Van-


thampur's political future in Baldur·s Gate. The charac-


ters might encounter more of Satiir's friends on the way


to Candlekeep (see "Knights of the Shield," page 44).


V30. BARRIER OF IRON BARS


This sewer tunnel slopes down gradually toward the


south, channeling water and sewage into the city's


sewer system. The tunnel is blocked by a 10-foot-square


barrier composed of vertical iron bars with 6-inch


gaps between them-enough room for a rat to saunter


through, but too narrow for normal-sized characters to


squeeze through. The bars are embedded deep into the


stone of the floor and ceiling.


IMPRISONED CHARACTERS
If the characters are defeated in Vanthampur Villa or the
dungeon below, you can have the bad guys stabilize dying
party members, strip them of their gear (which is stored
in area V28), and lock them in the prison (area V29). This
alternative to a "total party kill" scenario affords Duke
Thalamra Vanthampur and her cultists the opportunity to
interrogate the characters and find out what they know. It
also sets up the possibility of a prison break.
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