Descent into Avernus

I

Ten small, snarling demons covered in matted gray fur

claw and bite a hole into the hard, scabby floor. A demon

j

made of shadow flies over the smaller fiends, screaming

at them in Abyssal.

If Lulu is with the characters, she senses the presence

of Crokek'toeck nearby (see area Sl 0). She tel Is the

c haracters about Yeenoghu's pet and speculates that the

demons are trying to free Crokek'toeck.

Vatilan, a s h adow de m on , directs seven dre tc hes

to dig their way toward area SIO. The shadow demon

found Crokek'toeck while scouting the scab using its

Incorporeal Movement trait. If the characters attack, the

shadow demon leaves the dretches behind as it passes

through the nearest wall and heads to area S14 to warn

Trantolox that intruders are near. Vatilan remains by the

nalfeshnee's side until convinced that the intruders have

been dealt with.

SlO. CROKEK'TOECK'S PRISON

Yeenoghu's pet. Croke k'toeck (see page 230 for its stat

block), is tightly packed into this cavity, incapacitated

and restrained. If at least 20 feet of the scabby walls that

encase Crokek'toeck are destroyed, the monster is able

to move its body again and breaks free of the scab.

If Crokek'toeck breaks out of the scab, it leaves a

30-foot-radius passage in its wake. The fiend is hungry

and tries to consume any creature that crosses its path.

Tt then leaves to find its master, Yeenoghu.

If Crokek'toeck is freed, Trantolox and the rest of

the demons in area $14 investigate. The nalfeshnee

attempts to control Crokek'toeck, but Yeenoghu's pet

answers only to the Gnoll Lord. After Trantolox tries to

control Crokek'toeck for 3 rounds, the naUeshnee and

the other demons retreat back to area S14.

Sll. STATUE OF YEENOGHU

When the characters enter this 40-foot-wide chamber,

read the following boxed text to the players:

A nine-foot-tall statue of a hulking biped with clawed

hands and feet stands on the floor of this chamber. Three

vulture-like demons and six gnolls cackle as they dance

around the statue.

Three vrocks and six gnolls dance around the statue,

reveling in their evil madness. The vrocks are quick to

use their spores, even if it means infecting their gnoll

allies. The demons and gnolls fight to the death.

The statue is carved out of hardened scab. A detect

magic spell reveals that it radiates an aura of evocation

magic. Any demon or gnoll with at least 1 hit point re-

maining that starts its turn within^30 feet of the statue

regains 10 hit points.

If Lulu is with the characters, she recognizes that the

statue is a crude likeness of Yeenoghu and encourages

the characters to destroy it.

The statue is a Large object with AC 17,^60 hit points,

and immunity to poison and psychic damage. If the

CHAPTER 4 I SWORD OF ZARIEL

statue is destroyed, it explodes. Each creature within^30

feet of the exploding statue must make a DC 15 Dexter·

ity saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) piercing damage on a

failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

812. TRANTOLOX'S CHAMBER

When the characters enter this 30-foot-wide chamber,

read the following boxed text to the players:

I

A massive pile of bones and offal sits in the middle of I

this otherwise empty chamber.

Creatures who examine the bones and offal closely no-

tice a stoppered bottle in the pile.

Treasure. The bottle is a eversmoking bottle.

Sl3. CACKLING GNOLLS

Characters hear the cackling of gnolls as they enter

this corridor. They can surprise the gnolls by dousing

their lights aad succeeding on a DC^10 group Dexterity

{Stealth) check.

Targ Nar. a gnoll fang ofYeenogh u with^100 hit

points, is here with a gang of fifteen gnoll s. Targ Nar

obeys Trantolox, who has ordered him to guard the

corridor. To pass the time. the gnolls are tossing around

the severed head of one of their fellow gnolls, whom

Trantolox decapitated on a whim.

814. ENTRANCE TO THE BLEEDING CIT AD E L
     When the characters arrive at this 40-foot-wide area,
     read the following boxed text to the players:

l

Brass double doors stand exposed in the wall of the scab.

A relief image on the doors depicts a blindfolded angel

wielding a sword, and carved into the door frame are

beautiful, gold-inlaid runes. Three goat-headed demons

with barbed tails throw themselves against the door as a

corpulent, ape-like fiend with tusks and tiny wings kicks

at them, roaring commands in Abyssal.

Trantolox, a nalfeshnee, is commanding three bulezaus

(see page 230 for their stat block) to force open the

double door that leads into the Bleeding Citadel. The

nalfeshnee is desperate to get inside to claim the Sword

of Zarie/ for Yeenoghu. Despite the bulezaus' best ef-

forts, the doors refuse to budge (see "Doors" below).

The nalfeshnee doesn't attack the characters right

away if it thinks it can trick them into opening the doors

for it. The nalfeshnee suggests an alliance and an "equal

split" of whatever treasure is hidden inside the citadel.

If Lulu is with the characters, she strongly advises them

not to trust the demon. Trantolox has no intention of

honoring the deal and claims to know nothing about the

Sword of Zariel. In battle, the nalfeshnee fights until

reduced to 60 hit points, then tries to flee the scab and

report back to Yeenoghu. The insane bulezaus fight to

the death.

Doors. The doors, like the citadel itself. are indestruc-

tible. The runes around them say, in Celestial: "Against