Descent into Avernus

VISITORS TO AVERNUS

Extraplanar travelers come to Avernus from time to

time. Such visitors include war profiteers looking to

get rich trading weapons and armor, mad wizards who

want to test their latest spells. clerics on missions from

their gods, treasure hunters searching for lost artifacts,

grim-faced merchants who deal in slaves, smugglers of

soul coins, and scholars seeking firsthand knowledge of

the machinations of the diabolical realms. Adventurers

come here to negotiate with powerful fiends, meddle

in the Blood War, and free poor souls trapped io the

Nine Hells.

ZARIEL's WAR

By bringing Elturel to Avernus and potentially gaining a

choke hold on Baldur's Gate, Zariel aims to capture as

many evil mortals as she can, turn them into devils, and

swell the ranks of her battle-depleted legions. Through

Thavius Kreeg, Zariel found a way to exploit the gullible

nature of mortals by appealing to their need to follow

a leader who proclaims spiritual power. Because of

Kreeg, the residents of Elturel are bound by the Creed

Resolute to fight and die for Zariel in her endless war.

ZARIELS STRUGGLE

Io some ways, Zariel is a jewel in Asmodeus's crown- a

former angel, now an archdevil, in his infernal service.

Given her origin, Zariel has more than the normal share

of devils plotting to overthrow her, the first among them

being the pit fiend Bel. whom she displaced. By Asmode-

us's decree, Bel now serves Zariel as an advisor, though

the two can barely stand to be in each other's presence.

Despite the conflict within the diabolical ranks, Zariel

runs a tight ship and instills fear in her legions. Retri-

bution against those who attempt to betray her is swift

and terrible.

WAR FOR SOULS

Souls are the most prized commodities in the Nine

Hells. The Blood War taxes Zariel's armies. so she must

ensure a fresh supply of souls as replacements. To this

end, Zariel looks for evildoers in the mortal realms who

can deliver more souls to her.

INFERNAL ORDER OF BATTLE

Whereas demons attack in disorganized mobs, relying on

shock and overwhelming numbers to carry the day, devils

organize into a basic unit called a legion. Each legion con·

tains one thousand devils organized as follows:

• 1 legion .. 10 cohorts, commanded by a legate


• 1 cohort• 10 lances, commanded by a signifier


• 1 lance• 10 devils, commanded by an optio
  Ranks of miserable lemures and nupperibos compose the
  base of dreg legions, while bearded devils and merregons
  make up the bulk of regular legions. Each legion sports a
  unique name, usually denoting its purpose and numerical
  designation. Examples include the following:


• 5th Infantry Legion, "Infernal Absolution"


• 13th Cavalry Legion, "Bel's Fury"


• 47th Dreg Legion, "Piteous Fodder"

CHAPTER 3 I AVERNUS

Because devils can't simply walk out of Avernus and

step onto the Material Plane, they must rely on minions

such as cultists and evil wizards, who can contact them

and do their bidding in exchange for wealth and power.

A select group of devils and mortal followers who seek

to cause strife and destabilize harmonious communi-

ties serve as Zariel's chief corruptors. By funding evil

groups, making and distributing weapons, and causing

random acts of violence in the name of some enemy to

ignite the spark of war, devils swell the capacity for mor-

tals to commit acts of evil, corrupting souls by the thou-

sands and thus ensuring the legions of devils are full of

diabolic soldiers for the Blood War.

YOKE OF EVIL

Under constant pressure from both the Abyss and her

infernal peers, Zariel and her high-ranking vassals work

to keep her armies constantly in the fight. Zariel's wrach

and pride have limits, however, and this offers her an

opportunity for redemption. Zariel has, in a twisted way,

achieved her dream as an angel- to fight face-to-face

against the demon hordes in the Blood War. But the bur-

den is a heavy one, and if given the chance, Zariel could

be convinced to set it aside, release Elturel, and return

to the light with a completely transformed perspective.

FEATURES OF AVERNUS

The hellscape of Avernus sits under hideous clouds

that obscure the vault of the sky, from which the occa-

sional meteor streaks before crashing into the ground.

Ambient light continually swells up from just below the

horizon as though lit by nine setting suns, yet no actual

celestial bodies fill the sky- no sun, moons. or stars.

This constant twilight makes it difficult for the denizens

of Avernus to track the passage of time.

The atmosphere reeks of brimstone and burning tar,

and hot gusts of wind shriek across the hellscape to

scour the land below. Sometimes these winds swirl into

immense sandstorms, which can strip flesh from bone

and plunge everything into darkness.

Biting flies, hellwasps, and blood-sucking stirges

patrol the air, hunting for any source of blood to feed on.

Swarms of them can grow so large that they blacken the

sky and deafen the ears with the sound of their wings.

On the ground, wandering bands of nupperibos-blind,

bloated castaways of the damned- move in the thou-

sands like living lakes of groaning flesh in their agoniz-

ing search for food. Bone fields, quicksand, bubbling tar

pits, lakes of lava, canyons of wailing souls, and salt Hats

made from the tears of the damned all await those who

wander the hellscape.

RIVER STYX

The River Styx courses through the Lower Planes,

frustrating every attempt to map it or predict its course.

Getting lost while sailing the Styx isn't the only danger

the river presents. Simply tasting or touching its waters

can shatter a creature's intellect and personality, as well

as strip away its memories. Certain fiends are immune

to the river's effects, but most creatures have no defense

against it.