72
THE PATH FORWARD
With the forces of evil defeated, Grand Duke Ravengard
regains his faculties and can relay the story of the spirit
journey he undertook while wearing the Helm ofTorm's
Sight. Torm has shown him a path forward, but the
visions were clouded and warped by the demonic es-
sence channeled through the portal Ravengard shares
the following information:
• In his spirit journey, Ravengard saw a bloodied
woman in armor- a soldier wearing the colors and
crest of Elturel- grasping a longsword fit for an angel.
Fresh blood streamed from a nasty cut on the wom-
an's cheek.
• Flying next to the woman was a small, golden ele-
phant with rapidly fluttering wings. (If Lulu is still
with the party, Ravengard identifies her as the crea-
ture he saw in his vision.)
• As an enormous, loping demon threatened to devour
the woman, she plunged the sword into the ground
while the winged elephant made a trumpet sound with
its trunk. The demon was hurled back as an alabaster
palace rose up around the sword. The winged ele-
phant fled and took to the red sky of Avernus, where it
watched as a bloody scab grew up from the ground to
engulf the palace and the enormous demon.
• The winged elephant fled and wandered in a delirium
before corning upon two odd, birdlike humanoids
dressed in patchwork armor and standing next to
a strange infernal vehicle. The bird creatures were
equipped with odd weapons and tools.
As Ravengard recounts the vision, Lulu remembers
helping one of the Hell riders plant Zariel's sword in the
ground and raise an impenetrable fortress around it.
Lulu remembers the Hellrider's name if that memory
has already been unlocked (see the Lulu's Memories
table on page 51). Both Ravengard and the hollyphant
are convinced that the Sword of Zariel is the key to sav-
ing Elturel. Any character who dons the Helm ofTorm's
S ight and experiences Torrn's vision feels the same way.
Ravengard remembers nothing more of his vision,
but Lulu Raps her wings in excitement at the final part
of his story as she remembers meeting a pair of "bird
folk" named Chukka and Clonk. Based on descriptions
furnished by Lulu and Ravengard, the characters can
conclude that Chukka and Clonk are kenku. Lulu re-
members that the kenku took her to a junkyard called
Fort Knucklebone. where they built and repaired infer-
nal vehicles designed to move quickJy across the blasted
wastelands of Avernus. Lulu doesn't remember who ran
the fort or what other creatures s he met there.
Lulu quickly flies to the top of the cathedral and looks
out over the blasted landscape of Avernus below Elturel.
After trumpeting loudly, she returns to report that she
can see Fort Knucklebone, and estimates it to be no
more than ten miles away.
CHAPTER 2 I Et.TO REL HAS FALLEN
NEXT MOVES
Ulder Ravengard insists on remaining in Elturel to help
organize survivors to fight off the devils, demons, and
undead scouring the city. Though he's willing to die
fighting in Elturel's defense, it's up to the characters to
help Lulu find the Sword ofZariel.
If she's still alive, Reya Mantlemom decides to stay
in Elturel and help Ravengard protect the city, fighting
back tears as s he bids farewelJ to the characters.
LEAVING ELTUREL
Inventive characters have a number of different options
to reach the s urface of Avernus from Elturel, but none of
those options is without risk.
CLIMBING DOWN
The jagged posts and enormous chains of infernal iron
that hold Elturel are the only physical connection be-
tween the city and the ground. Each chain link is^30 feet
long and 20 feet wide, and is formed of a welded loop of
infernal iron that is 5 feet thick. See chapter 5 for more
information on breaking these infernal chains.
The chain links are covered in 1-foot-long iron barbs
that make them relatively easy to move along. The posts
of infernal iron that anchor Elturel to the ground like-
wise offer numerous handholds for climbing. If the char-
acters navigate the chains and the posts carefully. no
ability checks are needed to prevent a fall while climb-
ing across the chains or descending the posts at normal
speed. Any character who tries to move or climb more
quickly during a turn must succeed on a DC 10 Strength
(Athletics) check or fall.
Fiendish magic within the posts and chains makes
prolonged contact with them unbearable. Once per min-
ute, any creature in contact with the infernal iron must
make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw, taking 10
(3d6) necrotic damage on a failed save. or half as much
damage on a successful one. A creature that fails this
saving throw must then s ucceed on a DC 10 Dexterity
saving throw or s lip from the chain or post and fail.
Any character within reach of a falling creature can,
with a successful DC^10 Strength (Athletics) check, grab
the falling creature and swing it back onto the chain,
provided the falling creature is light enough for the char-
acter to carry.
Creatures that fall from Elturel or one of the chains
take damage from the fall and land in the Styx (see page
76 for the river's effects). Those that fall off one of
the anchoring posts take damage from the fall and land
amid clashing devils and demons. where they are bru-
tally killed if they survived the falJ.
FLYING
Lulu has the ability to fly, and one or more characters
might also be able to do so. Whether they possess wings
or have access to magic such as a Ry spell or a potion of