Descent into Avernus

(Nancy Kaufman) #1
VISITORS TO AVERNUS
Extraplanar travelers come to Avernus from time to

time. Such visitors include war profiteers looking to


get rich trading weapons and armor, mad wizards who


want to test their latest spells. clerics on missions from

their gods, treasure hunters searching for lost artifacts,


grim-faced merchants who deal in slaves, smugglers of

soul coins, and scholars seeking firsthand knowledge of


the machinations of the diabolical realms. Adventurers

come here to negotiate with powerful fiends, meddle


in the Blood War, and free poor souls trapped io the
Nine Hells.

ZARIEL's WAR
By bringing Elturel to Avernus and potentially gaining a

choke hold on Baldur's Gate, Zariel aims to capture as


many evil mortals as she can, turn them into devils, and


swell the ranks of her battle-depleted legions. Through


Thavius Kreeg, Zariel found a way to exploit the gullible
nature of mortals by appealing to their need to follow
a leader who proclaims spiritual power. Because of

Kreeg, the residents of Elturel are bound by the Creed


Resolute to fight and die for Zariel in her endless war.


ZARIELS STRUGGLE

Io some ways, Zariel is a jewel in Asmodeus's crown- a


former angel, now an archdevil, in his infernal service.

Given her origin, Zariel has more than the normal share


of devils plotting to overthrow her, the first among them

being the pit fiend Bel. whom she displaced. By Asmode-


us's decree, Bel now serves Zariel as an advisor, though


the two can barely stand to be in each other's presence.
Despite the conflict within the diabolical ranks, Zariel

runs a tight ship and instills fear in her legions. Retri-


bution against those who attempt to betray her is swift


and terrible.

WAR FOR SOULS


Souls are the most prized commodities in the Nine


Hells. The Blood War taxes Zariel's armies. so she must


ensure a fresh supply of souls as replacements. To this


end, Zariel looks for evildoers in the mortal realms who


can deliver more souls to her.

INFERNAL ORDER OF BATTLE
Whereas demons attack in disorganized mobs, relying on
shock and overwhelming numbers to carry the day, devils
organize into a basic unit called a legion. Each legion con·
tains one thousand devils organized as follows:


  • 1 legion .. 10 cohorts, commanded by a legate

  • 1 cohort• 10 lances, commanded by a signifier

  • 1 lance• 10 devils, commanded by an optio
    Ranks of miserable lemures and nupperibos compose the
    base of dreg legions, while bearded devils and merregons
    make up the bulk of regular legions. Each legion sports a
    unique name, usually denoting its purpose and numerical
    designation. Examples include the following:

  • 5th Infantry Legion, "Infernal Absolution"

  • 13th Cavalry Legion, "Bel's Fury"

  • 47th Dreg Legion, "Piteous Fodder"


CHAPTER 3 I AVERNUS

Because devils can't simply walk out of Avernus and
step onto the Material Plane, they must rely on minions

such as cultists and evil wizards, who can contact them


and do their bidding in exchange for wealth and power.


A select group of devils and mortal followers who seek


to cause strife and destabilize harmonious communi-


ties serve as Zariel's chief corruptors. By funding evil


groups, making and distributing weapons, and causing


random acts of violence in the name of some enemy to


ignite the spark of war, devils swell the capacity for mor-


tals to commit acts of evil, corrupting souls by the thou-

sands and thus ensuring the legions of devils are full of


diabolic soldiers for the Blood War.

YOKE OF EVIL

Under constant pressure from both the Abyss and her


infernal peers, Zariel and her high-ranking vassals work

to keep her armies constantly in the fight. Zariel's wrach


and pride have limits, however, and this offers her an


opportunity for redemption. Zariel has, in a twisted way,

achieved her dream as an angel- to fight face-to-face


against the demon hordes in the Blood War. But the bur-
den is a heavy one, and if given the chance, Zariel could

be convinced to set it aside, release Elturel, and return


to the light with a completely transformed perspective.

FEATURES OF AVERNUS


The hellscape of Avernus sits under hideous clouds


that obscure the vault of the sky, from which the occa-

sional meteor streaks before crashing into the ground.


Ambient light continually swells up from just below the


horizon as though lit by nine setting suns, yet no actual


celestial bodies fill the sky- no sun, moons. or stars.


This constant twilight makes it difficult for the denizens
of Avernus to track the passage of time.

The atmosphere reeks of brimstone and burning tar,


and hot gusts of wind shriek across the hellscape to


scour the land below. Sometimes these winds swirl into


immense sandstorms, which can strip flesh from bone
and plunge everything into darkness.

Biting flies, hellwasps, and blood-sucking stirges


patrol the air, hunting for any source of blood to feed on.

Swarms of them can grow so large that they blacken the


sky and deafen the ears with the sound of their wings.


On the ground, wandering bands of nupperibos-blind,


bloated castaways of the damned- move in the thou-

sands like living lakes of groaning flesh in their agoniz-


ing search for food. Bone fields, quicksand, bubbling tar


pits, lakes of lava, canyons of wailing souls, and salt Hats


made from the tears of the damned all await those who


wander the hellscape.

RIVER STYX


The River Styx courses through the Lower Planes,


frustrating every attempt to map it or predict its course.
Getting lost while sailing the Styx isn't the only danger
the river presents. Simply tasting or touching its waters

can shatter a creature's intellect and personality, as well


as strip away its memories. Certain fiends are immune


to the river's effects, but most creatures have no defense


against it.
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