Descent into Avernus

(Nancy Kaufman) #1

82


One of the kenku waves in your direction as if telling you


to remain where you are. "What a deal! Patience is a vir-
tue! Can't keep the boss waiting!" He runs off into one of
the trash structures.
Moments later he returns, leading a tall creature wear-
ing a long, tattered shift covered in mud, blood, mold,
and worse. The hag's eyes seem to move independently
of each other as she approaches, her straggly brown hair
hanging in front of them. Resting on each shoulder are
red-eyed ravens that scrutinize your group. Behind her, a
hulking creature built of disparate fiendish parts trudges,
moaning and hopping as it walks.
Then both of the hag's eyes focus keenly on your
group, and on Lulu specifically. "My goodness!" the hag
croaks, spittle dribbling from her mouth. "Where did you
fi nd such a treasure?"

The characters can explain their predicament, and Mad


Maggie can offer to unlock Lulu's memories, joyfully


telling the characters about Lulu's possible relationship


to Zariel. Before she does that, however, Mad Maggie


tells the characters she needs to gather supplies for the


ritual of memory unlocking. This gives the characters a


chance to interact with the other members of Mad Mag-


gie's gang and maybe earn some good will with them as


mentioned under their individual descriptions below.


CHAPTER 3 I AVERNUS

MAD MAGGIE
ANO MtCKEV

MAD MAGGIE


While Zariel's attention is focused on the Blood War.


power-hungry warlords of the Avernian wastes cobble


together heavily armed gangs and lead packs of infernal


war machines in brutal combat, carving out vicious fief-


doms for themselves. Mad Maggie is one such warlord.


Mad Maggie is a night hag with the demeanor of a


kindly grandmother, but her warm smile masks a cruel


cunning. In addition to her heartstone, the hag carries a


black soul bag (see the "'Night Hag" entry in the Monster


Manual for more information on this magic items. The


bag contains nine soul coins (see page 94), which


Mad Maggie uses to power her infernal war machines.


Years ago, a thirst to experience the ultimate misery


brought the night hag to the first layer of the Nine Hells.


Followed to Avernus by scores of bloodthirsty redcaps,


Maggie found pieces of a beautiful tapestry that chron-


icled the fall of Zariel. It recounted the angel's descent


into Avernus, her betrayal at the hands of the Hell rid-


ers, and her submission to Asmodeus, which led to her


becoming an archdevil worthy to rule Avernus. Mad


Maggie is obsessed with Zariel's cataclysmic saga and


scours the wastelands of Avernus for more such relics.


In the crucible of the Avernian wastelands, Mad Maggie


has risen to become a respected warlord.


MAGGIE'S GOALS

Driven by her lust for misery and her delight in the


corruption of the valiant, Mad Maggie seeks to collect


more artifacts tied to Zariel's fall from grace. When


she becomes aware of Lulu's relationship to Zariel, the


night hag tries to dig up Lulu's lose memories, believing


they might hold the most exquisite emotional records


of Zariel's descent. As the characters assist Maggie


in this endeavor, they gain favor with- and leverage


over- the hag.


MAGGIE'S OFFERS


Maggie has the means to unlock the memories Lulu


struggles to remember. Once the memories are re-


trieved, the characters learn the destination of the next


step of their journey.


Maggie also can furnish the characters


with one or more infernal war machines,


which would make their trip across the


wastelands more manageable. Additionally,


if the characters have no means of creating


provisions, Maggie can supply them with


food and water as well. Maggie could also


offer information about the dangers the


characters might face in the wasteland, in-


cluding ocher gangs, if the characters gain


enough leverage and delight Maggie with


their offerings.


THE KNUCKLEBONES GANG


Maggie's band consists of Chukka, Clonk, a


fiendish flesh golem named Mickey, a pair of


conniving imps, a Aameskull, and a host of g
murderous fey creatures. g
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