50
GETTING TO AVERNUS
Although Sylvira can prepare the plane shift spell,
there's no point, as magical wards placed on Candle-
keep prevent creatures from using such means to go to
or from the library. Instead, she presents an alternative
plan for sending the characters to the Nine Hells:
"A wizard named Traxigor lives in a tower twenty miles
from here. I've loaned him a spellbook or two, so he
owes me a favor. I can have you delivered safely to his
tower, and he can use a plane shift spell to take you
straight to Elturel. Even more importantly, Traxigor is
looking after an old friend of mine-someone with a
history of battling devils in the Nine Hells. I think you'll
enjoy her company very much. Her name is Lulu."Characters need not leave for Traxigor's tower at once.
lf they wish to remain in Candlekeep for a while, Sylvira
is happy to accommodate them. However, Reya Man-
tlemorn becomes more impatient the longer they stay.
Falaster Fisk parts company with the characters at this
time, choosing to remain at Candlekeep for a few days
before returning to Baldur's Gate.
Characters can use Candlekeep's library to learn more
about the Nine Hells. Chapter 2 of the Dungeon Master's
Guide contains lore on all nine layers, which the charac-
ters can learn once they've spent a day or two research-
ing the plane. Characters can also research devils to
learn everything that's said about them in the "Devils"
entry of the Monster Manual.
Once they're ready to leave for Traxigor's tower, read
or paraphrase the following boxed text to the players:
Sylvira ushers you to a crescent-shaped landing platform
with a stunning view of the sea. Waiting for you atop this
platform are several griffons with saddles, their handlers
standing nearby to help you. "The griffons have instruc-
tions to Ay you to Traxigor's tower," says Sylvira. "Don't
worry, it's safe!"The handlers standing ready can help the characters
mount the griffoos. Each griffon can carry one rider
plus gear. Once all the characters are mounted, read:
The griffons take Aight and head out to sea, Aying just be-
low the clouds. Candlekeep looks no less majestic from
the air but grows smaller as the griffons soar westward.
Large, rocky islands pass below you, and beyond them
lies the open sea. After a long journey, you see a win-
dowless, doorless stone tower-which somehow floats
in the sky ahead. The griffons pass through jagged holes
riddling the tower's conical peak to land on the top Aoor
below, which has a spiral staircase leading down.CHAPTF.R l I A TALE OF TWO CITIESThAxrcoR's TOWER
Once the griffons land, characters are free to dismount
and descend the stairs into Traxigor's tower. After de-
livering the party safely to the tower, the griffons take a
short rest before Hying back to Candlekeep.
Read or paraphrase the following boxed text to the
players when the characters descend into the tower:
One level down, you see a cluttered chamber illuminated
by various objects upon which continual flame spells
have been cast. Scurrying around the room is an otter
dressed in a tiny red cassock. The otter mumbles to it-
self in Common, mentioning something about a tuning
fork. Suddenly, it takes notice of you and stands upright.
"Lulu! Wake up! Our guests have arrived!"
At the sound of her name, a small elephant with
golden fur appears from under a pile of blankets near a
table strewn with alchemical equipment. The elephant
takes to the air on feathery wings and lets out a pleasing
trumpet sound.Traxigor was polymorphed into an otter years ago, and
decided he preferred the new form to his original one
{that of a wizened old man). His otter form was made
permanent by a wish spell. He uses the ar chmage
stat block, but is a Tiny beast with a Strength of 3. His
alignment is chaotic good, and he speaks Common,
Draconic, Dwarvish, Gnomish, Halfiing, and Troglodyte.
He has the plane shift spell prepared instead of teleport,
and is searching for the tuning fork he needs to cast
the spell. What little he knows about the characters has
been communicated to him by sending spells, sent by
Sylvira Savikas in advance of their arrival.
Characters can help Traxigor search for his missing
tuning fork, which is keyed lo the Nine Hells. Whoever
rolls the highest on a Wisdom (Perception) check finds
the tuning fork. Whoever rolls the lowest finds a random
trinket, determined by rolling on the Trinkets table in
chapter 5 of the Player's Handbook. Traxigor doesn't
care if the character keeps the trinket or not, and
doesn't remember how or when he acquired it.
LULU THE HOLLYPHANT