Descent into Avernus

(Nancy Kaufman) #1

1 square= 10 feet


D


, ' ,
~ "~

DowntoH2

MAP 2.3: HIGH HALL CATHEDR Ai., C H O IR LEVEL

H7. P IPE ORGAN


The circular stairs from area H2 lead up to this area.


Read the following boxed text aloud to the players when
their characters arrive here for the first time:

Situated atop this balcony is a magnificent pipe organ. Its
ivory keys practically glow, even as its ebony keys seem
to absorb all light.

The balcony looks out over area H3. Any character who


sits down at the pipe organ can feel that it is enchanted


with powerful magic, and a detect magic spell reveals an


aura of enchantment magic around it.


A character who plays the organ and succeeds on a


DC 15 Charisma (Performance) check can play a pow-


erful song that resonates throughout the cathedral. This


song grants a bonus die, a d8, to every other player char-


acter who can hear it. A character can only receive this


benefit only once, and the d8 can be added to one attack


roll, ability check, or saving throw made by the charac-


ter in the next 24 hours.


If the Charisma (Performance) check fails by 5 or


more, a screeching, hellish tune erupts from the organ


instead. Inspired by this cacophony, each devil the char-


acters face in the next combat encounter in the cathe-

dral has advantage on attack rolls during its first turn.


CHAPTER 2 I ELTUREL HAS FALLEN

H8. DEFENSES
Two defensive turrets decorate the front of this area,
looking down over the courtyard. Arrow slits in the

walls of each turret offer a view of the ground be-


low, but are too narrow for even Small creatures to


squeeze through.

The north turret contains a traumatized male human


guard named Trevick Thantorme. The other guards


here ran downstairs when the attack started, only to


quickly fall. The panicked Trevick remained here, and


now sits curled up and whispering to himself that every-


thing's going to be okay.

A successful DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) check re-


stores Trevick's courage, as does a calm emotions spell


or similar effect. If the characters allow it. Trevick vows
to accompany them on their hunt for the devils. How-

ever, the first time he takes any damage, he curls up in a


ball again, requiring another check made as an action to


get him back in the fight.

H9. BALCONY


The doors leading out onto this balcony are locked from


the inside. The balcony is 30 feet above the outside


courtyard below.

HlO. RECESSED MAUSOLEUMS


These areas are the final resting places of esteemed


priests, warriors, and other dedicated servants of


Elturel. For each of these areas the characters enter,


roll a d6. On a 1, the characters discover ld4 frightened


commoners in hiding (if the devils haven't found them)


or a number of mangled bodies (if the devils did).


As the DM, you determine the fates of these common-


ers. If the characters are dawdling because the players


don't appreciate the gravity of the threat to the survivors


in the cathedral, coming upon deceased commoners

can help underline that threat. Having the players un-


derstand that these deaths might have been prevented if


they had acted more quickly is a good way to inspire the


characters to act with a little more urgency.

Hll. VAULTS


These vaults are used for holding bodies waiting to


be interred in some other part of the cathedral, or in


Elturel's cemetery. The only bodies presently here are


people who died as the city was drawn to Avernus.


Hl2. TEMPLE OF THE HIGHEST


This large temple was used for private ceremonies


involving the most powerful and respected figures in El-


turel. Each of the semicircular alcoves here contains an


elaborate, upright sarcophagus holding the body of a for-

mer high priest of Torm. A sarcophagus can be opened


with a successful DC 20 Dexterity check by a character


proficient with thieves' tools. Eleven of the sarcophagi
contain partially decomposed bodies. The twelfth sar-

cophagus holds a mummy, which attacks as soon as its


coffin is opened.

Treasure. Each sarcophagus contains personal


effects, but the sarcophagus with the mummy also con-
tains bracers of defense and a yellow diamond elemental

gem. (The mummy does not use these items in combat.)

Free download pdf