Descent into Avernus

(Nancy Kaufman) #1

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


flying, characters who take to the air can easily get clear


of Elturel. However, flying creatures might attract the


attention of winged devils and demons in the area, at


your discretion.

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