Rescuing Lulu From Elturel is the second part of the Descent From Waterdeep series, which is designed to reshape Waterdeep: Dragon Heist and Descent Into Avernus into a cohesive campaign.

Don’t bother looking for the other three parts, though, because they haven’t been released yet. And that’s okay, because Rescuing Lulu is quite capable of not only standing on its own, but demanding your attention.

If idea of weaving Dragon Heist and Descent Into Avernus into a single campaign doesn’t sound appealing, you can ignore that bit, too, because Rescuing Lulu can also be used:

• To weave Elturel into a Tyranny of Dragons
• As a pointcrawl supplement detailing Elturel before its Fall.
• As a supplement to the Alexandrian Remix of Descent Into Avernus.

And more!

If anything, I think the default frame of Rescuing Lulu — in which the PCs meet Lulu during the events of Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, Lulu is kidnapped by Zarielite cultists and taken to Elturel, and the PCs follow — is more a hindrance to this book than anything else. (But more on that later.)

THE WEAVE

The first thing I love about Rescuing Lulu is how Hunter Stardust weaves together material from a multitude of sources, particularly other DM’s Guild books. This is something I’ve seen a few other DM’s Guild authors attempt, but it’s often awkward. Stardust, on the other hand, pulls it off smoothly and effortlessly, and Rescuing Lulu could be an exemplar for others interested in doing the same.

The reason I love this is that, when done well, it can very easily elevate the value of all the integrated works into something greater than the sum of its parts. If you’re familiar with how my Avernus Remix approached the Avernian Hexcrawl, then you’ve seen similar praxis.

On that note, one of the sources Stardust uses is, in fact, the Alexandrian remixes of both Dragon Heist and Descent Into Avernus. Rescuing Lulu is specifically designed to be integrated with the remixes, although options are given for those using strictly the published versions of the campaigns.

Other sources include:

• Blue Alley
• Hellturel
• The Hellriders Keep
• Baldur’s Gate: Fall of Elturel
• Encounters in Avernus

(If you’re unfamiliar with these supplements, I’ve previously done reviews of most of them, which you can check out here.)

While juggling and integrating all of this material, Stardust is also constantly offering options: Using Blue Alley in Chapter 2 of Dragon Heist? Here’s how you can use it to introduce Lulu. Not doing that? Here are three other options.

Stardust is meticulous with his cross-referencing and his notes are smart, thoughtful, and flexible. The only possible improvement here would be hyperlinks.

THE MAP

The second thing I love about Rescuing Lulu is the map of pre-Fall Elturel. Created by Meshon Cantrill, this map is absolutely stunning:

It is an absolutely perfect companion piece to Jared Blando’s post-Fall map of the city in Descent Into Avernus, which is no mean feat.

Frankly, even if you used absolutely nothing else from Rescuing Lulu, the book would be worth buying just for the multiple, high-resolution versions of the city map.

THE POINTCRAWL

Within its many variations, Rescuing Lulu is built around an investigation spine:

• The PCs meet Lulu.
• Lulu is kidnapped by Zarielite cultists, who take her to Elturel to be sacrificed as part of a ritual.
• The PCs track Lulu to Elturel.
• The PCs explore Elturel, which is described using a pointcrawl.
• While exploring the city, they discover clues indicating that Lulu can be found at a ritual masquerading as a wedding ceremony.
• The PCs perform a heist at the wedding ceremony, rescuing Lulu and hopefully disrupting the ritual.
• The cultists all shrug and invite the PCs to have some cake. (Hmm… We’ll come back to that.)

The real heart of Rescuing Lulu, therefore, is the Elturian pointcrawl. (This also takes up roughly half of the book’s 65 pages, with another ten pages being given over to the final heist scenario and the rest mostly fleshing out the preliminary investigation and epilogue.)

This pre-Fall ‘crawl of the city is a nice companion piece to the post-Fall ‘crawl of Hellturel found in the Avernus Remix. Every location is richly detailed and ready-for-play, being sourced and adapted from a variety of sources including Volo’s Guide to the Sword Coast, Forgotten Realm Adventures, and the Alexandrian Remix itself. It sets up the structure of urban pointcrawling for groups unfamiliar with it, and also gives the players an intimate familiarity with the city which will makes its post-apocalyptic incarnation in Descent Into Avernus all the more shocking.

RESERVATIONS

So there’s clearly a lot of like about Rescuing Lulu From Elturel, and I’ve already told you that I think you should buy the book if you’re planning to do anything with pre-Fall Elturel in your campaign. But I do have some reservations that you should be aware of before snagging your copy.

First, the book could really benefit from some rigorous proofreading. There are a lot of typos strewn across the text, most of them of minor significance but a few which seem to create significant errors.

Second, there’s some material that I find to be quite awkward in its execution. For example, there are several instances where encounter checks are made by having the DM roll a die and then having the players guess a number: if the number matches, the encounter happens. It’s difficult for me to imagine doing that at the actual gaming table. Perhaps the intention is to engage the players in some way? For me, it doesn’t work.

Third, if you are planning to use Rescuing Lulu in conjunction with the Alexandrian Remix of Descent Into Avernus, you should be aware that there are some significant changes to continuity, most of which are not clearly indicated. You’ll need to keep on your toes to make sure everything lines up.

Fourth, Rescuing Lulu is whimsical and kinda wacky. For example, there’s Morrale the Beerholder — an alcoholic beholder who serves drinks at a tavern and uses random eyebeam attacks to assault PCs who don’t tip him. This tone is not really my jam, particularly for a Descent Into Avernus campaign. It’s significant enough that I, personally, wouldn’t use this book as written. But I know that for many people this is exactly the tone they’re looking for, and if that’s the case for you, then you’ll love this!

The biggest reservation I have when it comes to Rescuing Lulu, unfortunately, is the adventure itself. There’s so much cool material and so many varied tools packed into its pages that could be useful in so many ways… but which is instead made subservient to a specific conceit.

For example, it feels like there’s an alternate version of this book which is just called ELTUREL and features a pointcrawl sourcebook for the city along with additional material (like a Rescuing Lulu adventure) that can be used in conjunction with the pointcrawl sourcebook. And that version of the book is a lot more useful to a lot more people.

As written, however, the pointcrawl becomes subservient to the adventure, which greatly limits its potential utility. It also becomes quite heavy-handed in its foreshadowing of the Fall, which ties into some of the continuity issues I mentioned before. As depicted here, everyone in the city seems ready for the Fall to happen, and are often giving the PCs a nudge-and-a-wink about it, and there are so many Zarielite cultists cavorting in the street that everyone who isn’t a cultist is like, “Man, have you seen all the cultists around town?”

So as you’re considering whether to add Rescuing Lulu From Elturel to your own library, you should keep these reservations in mind. But, as I’ve already said, this is a supplement which, despite my reservations, I recommend.

GRADE: B-

Buy now!

This review was requested and sponsored by a patron of the Alexandrian.

Here’s a fun announcement: Rebel.pl, the official Polish publishers of Dungeons & Dragons, have licensed Act I of the Avernus Remix, translated and adapted it into Polish, and released it as an official PDF sidekick for the campaign.

This is really cool for me because it’s technically my first official D&D book.

If you’re Polish, it’s cool for you because I’m sure it’s an awesome book for your campaign! (I, unfortunately, do not understand a word of Polish. So if you do, let us know how they did!)

If you’re not Polish, this is cool for you because this PDF includes a bunch of original graphical resources and maps that you may find useful for your Descent Into Avernus or Baldur’s Gate-based campaigns.

The book is currently free on the DM’s Guild, so it’s the perfect time to grab a copy!

D&D BALDUR’S GATE: SIDEKICK
ZSTĄPIENIE DO AVERNUSA: POMOCNIK
Rebel.pl – 2021
(Designer)
PDF Edition

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The Alexandrian Remix of Descent Into Avernus utilizes a number of additional books from Wizards of the Coast, the DM’s Guild, and other third-party content. (This wealth of support material is one of the great things about using published D&D campaigns.)

By popular demand, here’s an authoritative list of all the resources referenced/required by the Avernus Remix (not including Descent Into Avernus itself).

AVERNIAN HEXCRAWL

The hex key for the Avernian Hexcrawl includes locations referencing these books:

Warlords of Avernus
Forges of Avernus
Bitter Rivals
Dance of Deathless Frost
Vysianter’s Guide to the Red Wastes of Avernus
Tyrants of the Purple City
Encounters in Avernus
Infernal Encounters
Ruined Prospects
Diabolical Dive
Infernal Insurgency
Abyssal Incursion
Temple of the Broken Prince

Note that several of these were used for a single location and could be swapped out if you don’t want to go whole hog.

AVERNIAN RANDOM ENCOUNTERS

The Avernian random encounter tables pull demons and devils from a wide array of awesome monster manuals:

Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes
Volo’s Guide to Monsters
Encounters in Avernus
Infernal Encounters
Emirikol’s Guide to Devils
Scientific Secrets of Avernus
Book of Fiends 5E
Avernus Rising: Fang & Claw

REVIEWS

If you’d like more information about the books listed above, most of them were detailed as part of the reviews series done as part of the Avernus Remix:

Capsule Reviews: DMs Guild
Capsule Reviews: Rhodarin Avernus
Capsule Reviews: Adventurers League (Season 9)

Links above are affiliate links and help support the Alexandrian! Hope this helps!

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This detailed key for the Poisoned Poseidon, was created by Tominar. It’s designed to be used in conjunction with the maps and adversary roster from the Remix. “The area numbers are keyed to the drawn map of the Poisoned Poseidon, but it should be fairly easy to match them up.”

CULTISTS

NPCs from the adversary roster are expanded here, including names, loot, and some descriptions.

Iron Consul – Fahul: Wears a cloak that has the symbol of Bane on the reverse side.

Master of Souls – Remigio: Has the keys to his quarters (Area 3).

Necromites: Each carries a pouch containing 2d6 silver.

THE POISONED POSEIDON

As the PCs approach the location, read the following:

The port is busy with people, porters carrying goods, horses towing boats up the canals and many people. Most of them dressed poorly and looking dejected. You see a man whispering to a group of refugees, pocketing a few coins and them pointing them to the north side of the harbour. As you make your way towards the tannery district, the smell of excrement, lye and rotting flesh assaults your noses. You see a large ship, sunken into the muddy ground and supported by a number of wooden beams. On the side of the ship, painted in flaking red letters reads – the Poisoned Poseidon.

1. THE MAIN DECK

The main deck is generally kept clear, but there might be a stack of tanned hides ready for sale. A crane has been installed on the poop deck that is used to raise and lower heavy material from street level. The ship stinks of lye, excrement and rot. As you look around the deck you see some stacks of tanned hides ready for sale. To the front of the ship there is a set of double doors, and to the rear there are two single doors. There is also a staircase that descends into the lower levels of the ship.

Standing on the deck are a heavily built man sitting on a barrel under the centre mast, as well as two men and a woman playing dice on the fore deck. Every so often someone comes up the stairs to pick up or drop off a some materials.

2. WORKER’S SLEEPING QUARTERS

Six bedrolls are haphazardly placed around the room. The bedrolls are empty of valuables but hidden in a pot is a mother of pearl comb worth 25gp.

3. REMIGIO’S QUARTERS

The door to these quarters is locked at all times – DC 12 Thieves’ Tools check or DC 14 Strength check. Remigio keeps the keys to his cabin and his desk on him at all time.

There is a made bed, a large deerskin rug and a desk.

Desk: On the desk are a number of writing materials and an emblem depicting a white skull inset into a black triangle (DC 13 Intelligence (Religion) check to identify this as the symbol of Myrkul, the Lord of Bones and the God of Death). Similar depictions are roughly carved all over the desk. The desk also has two locked drawers.

Desk Drawers (DC 14 Thieves’ Tools check or DC 14 Strength Check): One drawer contains a number of letters (Handout: Poseidon’s Correspondence). The other drawer contains a coin pouch container 35gp, 40sp and an onyx worth 30gp. It also contains three red potions (potions of healing).

4. MEETING ROOM

The door to this room is unlocked. Opening this door reveals an unlit room, with a large table surrounded by chairs in the center. The area around the head of the table is covered in roughly carved symbols of a skull in a triangle. DC 20 Intelligence (Religion) check to identify as the symbol of Myrkul.

5. THE LOWER DECK

Most of the lower deck is used to store the untreated skins of slaughtered cattle that are delivered to the tannery, along with the blood, dirt, manure, hooves, and horns that come with them. The floor is dirty, the stench of excrement and rot is stronger in here. There are crates and barrels stacked around the room, and another set of stairs going down. At the aft of the ship you see four closed doors, in a U–shape, and to the fore, are two doors.

6. SHRINES

In this cabin there are three small shrines. A symbol showing a white skull set into a black triangle is decorated with black candles, one is lit with a green flame. Another shrine depicts a black hand, under which are three daggers driven into the wood of the counter. The third shrine depicts a skull surrounded by 9 red droplets in a circle. This shrine is clean but lacks any offerings.

7. ARMOURY

This cabin has three small racks against the walls that contain an assortment of weapons. There is an assortment of mundane weapons – 5 daggers, 3 shortswords, 3 maces, 1 war hammer and 1 whip.

8. MURDER SQUAD QUARTERS

These cabins each contain a bed. During the day three of the cabins contain the remaining members of the murder squad resting. They wake up and investigate if any loud noises are heard on this deck or the deck above. Each cabin also contains a footlocker containing a set of commoner’s clothes, a set of cultist robes (necromites) and 1d6 gp and 3d8 sp.

9. HOLD

The hold of the ship is filled with barrels, crates and stacked pieces of leather. The area is lit with covered lanterns and appears to be empty. To the north and south you see sets of double doors. An incredibly strong scent of urine can be detected to the south. There is also another staircase going further down, into an unlit area.

10. TREATMENT ROOM

If the doors are listened at: You can hear the sound of metal rasping on leather, and occasionally two voices talking to each other.

Hanging on the walls are a collection of curved knives similar to the ones the workers are using.

There are two tanners working on removing hair from the soaked hides. If they notice the party, they ask what they’re doing here. They will accept most explanations, cower and shout out if attacked. If left without an explanation they will go and warn either Remigio below, or Fahul above.

11. VATS

If the doors are listened at: You can hear the sound of liquids splashing, and occasionally two voices talking to each other.

In this room are two tanners soaking hides in three large vats, wearing pegs on their noses. If they notice the party, they ask what they are doing here. They will accept most explanations, cower and shout out if attacked. If left without an explanation they will go and warn either Remigio below, or Fahul above.

12. LOWER HOLD

This level is dark, damp and unlit. The floor is made of packed earth that is turned to wet mud in places. Dotted around the place are a few rotted barrels, from which a blue liquid has leaked out and dried. To the south, you see a set of double doors.

If listened at doors: You see a faint, flickering green light through the gap in the doors. Daytime: You can hear a faint humming coming from beyond the doors.

13. SURGERY TABLE

In the center of the room sits a large table. On top of which lays the corpse of a naked middle-aged woman. A man in black robes stands hunched over the corpse with his back towards you. He seems to be moving his hands while humming. Beside him is a small table containing a disturbing variety of surgical instruments and three brands (each with a holy symbol of the Dead Three). On another table across from him sits a bundle of clothes and other personal effects. At the opposite end of the room, through the broken hull of the ship, there is another set of doors.

Among the surgical equipment can be found the Poseidon Papers, and among the belongings can be found Shohreh Netitia’s Refugee Papers.

Unless the players have been particularly loud, Remigio doesn’t notice them until they bring attention to themselves.

Refugee Papers: A DC 15 Wisdom (Perception) test reveals the papers to be forgeries. The forgery can also be detected if the PCs look to verify the origin of the papers (for example, by cross-referencing the refugee lists in the High Hall; or tracking down the official tabularius whose authorizing seal supposedly appears on the papers).

14. CATACOMBS

A tunnel has been carved out of the earth, supported by wooden struts embedded in the wall. Niches that are stacked with urine-soaked skins line the walls ahead.

15. PRISONS

Prison A – To the north is an alcove lit by a flickering lamp. A man and a woman in chainmail are sitting at a table playing five finger fillet. Two iron doors are set into the walls near them.

East Cell – Locked (DC 15 Thieves Tool, DC 20 Strength). Inside lies Reya Mantlemorn, unconscious. Reya is a Hellrider (DC 10 History/Insight for Harry to recognise and vice versa). She snuck into the city with some of the early refugees. One of the refugees in her group turned up dead a week ago (Wemba Oshrat). Reya started investigating – and was jumped.

North Cell – Unlocked. Reya’s gear is in here.

What Reya Knows: Most of the people who have gone missing were refugees. Remigio wanted to know about other Hellriders and Knights of the Companion in the city. Was out of Elturel on patrols when it happened – then escorted some refugees to Baldurs Gate. Knows that some refugees are entering the city with forged papers – doesn’t know where they get them from and will only bring this up if specifically asked. If the players seem honourable, then she will ask to join them.

Prison B – One cell is empty. The other has the body of a Flaming Fist spy (male, dark skin, shaved head) who was trying to infiltrate the Dead Three. The body is dressed in robes similar to the cultists upstairs and carved into his forehead is the emblem of the Flaming Fist. With him is a pack containing a red potion (healing), a vial containing an eyeball floating in a yellowish liquid (potion of clairvoyance). There is also a Flaming Fist badge and 15gp.

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Composed and performed by Cami-Cat, one of the players in an Avernus Remix campaign run by Xander (who is one of the mods on the Alexandrian Discord), these renditions of the “Song of Elturel,” as performed by the ghost at Elfsong Tavern, are stunningly beautiful. Worth incorporating not only into that scene, but also as a recurring motif in your campaign’s theme music. (I could easily imagine playing this at the beginning of each session.)

But that’s not all! WizardWayKris translated the lyrics into Elvish, and Cami-Cat recorded an Elvish version, too!