IMPROVISED EQUIPMENT
Enterprising and creative players might want their
characters to find or create equipment to assist them in
their descent. Parachutes, gliders, and hot-air balloons
are just a few of the off-the-wall ideas players might
come up with. If they do, be prepared to improvise. Raw
materials for putting together such equipment can be
found in the shops and warehouses of Elturel.
Once the characters have collected the neces-sary resources, you can decide which ability checks
might come into play as they create their improvised
equipment- and to determine how well that equipment
works. Use the following guidelines:
• A s uccessful DC 10 Intelligence (Investigation) check
allows a c haracter to figure out the mechanical setup
of a piece of equipment.A successful DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check spots
any naws in construction.• A s uccessful DC 10 Dexterity check a nd an appropri-
ate tool proficiency can guide the delicate construction
or adjustment of a piece of improvised gear.
Keep in mind any backgrounds or tool proficiencies
the characters might have that could be useful in thecreation of improvised equipment.
Unless the characters completely botch their ability
c hecks to the point where creating the intended piece of
improvised equipment is clearly impossible, you s hould
allow s uc h equipment to work as intended, even if not
perfectly. For added drama, allow the characters to get
most of the way to safety, then throw in a complicationwhen they are within SO feet of the ground. Call for
more ability checks like the ones above as the charac-
ters attempt to quickly spot and fix problems-or call for
Dexterity saving throws if their improvised equipmentfails and sends them hurtling toward the ground.
BATTLE OF ELTUREL
Legions of devils camped on the shores of the Rive r
Styx below Elturel are the biggest threats for characters
attempting to flee the city. Characters who fly, glide, orballoon over the s iege can avoid the main body of the
devils' army, but come under attack by forces to the rear.Adjust the boxed text below accordingly as you read it to
the players to set the scene:
Armored legions of devils encircle the enormous posts
of infernal iron that anchor Elturel to the rocky ground.
Squads of demons fighting ten deep in some places hurl
themselves into the devils' ranks. Most of those abyssal
troops are lowly manes and dretches, who die quickly in
vain attempts to drag down devils so that stronger de-
mons behind them can strike killing blows.
A dark river cuts a path across the blasted landscape
and flows directly beneath the city. Floating on the river
are demonic barges being assailed by squadrons of
winged devils under the command of a terrifying pit fiend
wearing an eyeless helm and clutching a battle standard.The demons and the devils are too focused on one an-
other to concern themselves with adventurers who keep
their distance. The devils are commanded by Lucille,
Zariel's most loyal pit fie nd. If the characters come to
Lucille's attention, the pit fiend sends twelve spined
d evils to dispose of them.
Characters who hurl themselves into the fiendishconflict are as good as dead, but circumstances might
necessitate one or more characters moving unseen
through the ranks of devils and hordes of demons. Such
a plan might include causing a distraction that moves
the battle in a different direction, waiting for a demon
surge (or creating one) to disturb the stalemate enoughto sneak through, or magical disguises that would allow
characters to pass themselves off as fiends of a sort. Par-
ticularly clever plans s hould be allowed to automatically
succeed. Otherwise, you can call for ability checks to de-termine how well a plan is executed; use the guidelines
in the Dungeon Master's Guide to set appropriate DCs
for these c hecks. In the event of total failure, or no plan
at all, the characters might end up having to fight their
way through the fiendish battle, which is no small task.
Treasure. Lucille wears a helm of devil command and
carries a battle standard of infernal power (see appendixC for descriptions of these magic items), neither of
which the pit fiend gives up willingly.
De velopment. The characters e ncounter Lucille again
at the end of the adventure when they return to liberate
Elturel (see "Endgame in Elturel,~ page 154).To FORT KNUCKLEBONE!
Once they escape from Elturel, the characters must
begin the ten-mile trek to Fort Knucklebone. If the char-
acters move quickly and carefully, they can make the
journey without running into any more trouble. Let them
advance to 7th level before beginning chapter 3.73