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ABJURATION GENERATOR: A pair of matching bronze poles extend from the ceiling and floor of this prism-shaped room. In the middle of the three-foot gap between them is a large, black diamond which is suspended in an energy field.

Energy Field: The field operates as a forcecage spell.

Black Diamond: Each facet of the diamond is inscribed with an arcane rune. A DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals that the diamond is the focus for a powerful abjuration effect which, when triggered using a telepathic password, blocks all teleportation and scrying effects within the flying fortress.

The diamond is connected to the bronze poles with astral wires.

The abjuration effect can be turned on or off using the telepathic password. The abjuration effects can be canceled by severing the astral wires, removing the diamond from the energy field, and/or destroying the bronze poles.

Defenses:

• 1 bearded devil (knows the telepathic password)
• 2 barlguran slaves

BRIG: The brig contains four cell blocks, one of which features big cells designed for larger demons. Antimagic fields can be selectively raised and lowered for individual cells from a central console. The cells also have symbols written on the wall which prevent teleporting into and out of the cell.

• 5 cerberus spawn are the jailers.
• 2 cranial wretches (Book of Fiends, p. 150) are latched onto the skulls of prisoners in the torture chambers, sucking out their memories while slowly consuming their brains.

The doors throughout this area are security gates and there are demon detectors in each room and the hallways.

The cerberus spawn nest in several large chambers in one wing of the brig. One of these chambers is shared by an alpha pair.

COMMAND DECK: The control center of the flying fortress.

Defenses:

• 2 optio squads, stand guard at each entrance (W8 and W13)
• 1 primus squad, providing security on the Bridge (W1).

Commanding Officers:

• Zariel (01-70) chance) or Iseddon (71-90, her ice devil XO) or both (91-00).
• 25% chance of corps commander being present — Signifier Uxatarthus (01-40), Principia Hathastus (41-80), or both (81-00)
• 10% chance of Legate Siccatrax Augustus (pit fiend)

Bridge Crew:

• 2d6+6 imps
• Efrarta, a chain devil navigator
• 1d4+2 spined devils
• 1d4+2 bearded devils

W1 – Bridge. The ship is primarily controlled from here. There are a variety of consoles, including a central control station for piloting the fortress.

W2 – Alarm Console. This console monitors the internal security systems and reports on triggered alarms.

W3 – Backup Control Systems. This room is usually empty; it’s used if the primary control interfaces in area W1 are damaged. There’s a hatch hidden in the floor here which leads to service tunnels that can be access from (among other places) the Engine Room.

W4 – Damage Control. Damage reports from across the fortress are routed here and response crews and repair teams are dispatched.

W5 – Zariel’s Ready Room. A compartment Zariel uses for her personal work and for briefing (or dressing down) senior officers.

W6 – Safe. The safe is made from a three-foot block of infernal iron and stuck to the deck with sovereign glue. It uses a three-digit combination lock and requires three knock spells to open. If the combination is attempted unsuccessfully three times, it triggers an alarm in W2.

W7 – Divination Stations. The equipment in this room uses a variety of divination effects to monitor the area around the flying fortress.

W8 – Entrance. The stairs here go up and are primarily used by the officers corps (although reports form the Upper Perch also come this way).

W9 – Navigation Charts. Tables here have navigation charts of the immediate area laid out with the current location of the flying fortress indicated.

W10 – Commissary. A variety of food appropriate for devils is available here, including a number of rare delicacies.

W11 – Signal Desks. Behind each door is a closet with a miniature console and chair bolted to the floor. These consoles have keys and function like Infernal typewriters. An imp stationed at each console types orders from superiors on small slips of paper before delivering them to their intended recipients. Rigged above each desk is a long, slender horn through which bridge officers can dictate orders.

W12 – Imp Access. Three circular hatches on the floor connect to the imp signal tubes (some leading to interior locations; others to the Imp Roosts and, from there, to the exterior signal vents).

W13 – Entrance. The stairs here go down, providing primary access to the lower decks.

DEVIL DENS: The barracks of the bearded devils of the 7/5. The devils’ “bunks” are actually exuded foam “nests” with a spongy interior and a hard, shell-like exterior. The devils leave their heads exposed while sleeping, and then break out of the nest when rising. During the next rest period they’ll crawl into the remnants of the previous night’s nest and exude a fresh foam, creating over time a strange and alien structure. These nests are often infested with maggots (which the devils find comforting), who can feed on the foam. (This also results in the dens being filled with large, red-black biting flies.)

In addition to the dens themselves, there are a number of storerooms, common rooms, bog-rooms, and the like.

Alarm: If an alarm is sounded in the devil dens, there’s an essentially limitless number of nearby troops. During a fight, reinforcements arrive every 1d4 rounds. Roll 1d8 to determine the reinforcements.

In addition, each time reinforcements appear there is a 1 in 6 chance that the security response will escalate. When the security response escalates, roll twice for the current and all future reinforcements. Continue checking for additional escalations, the effects of which stack.

DOCK OF FALLEN CITIES CONTROL ROOM: An oval-shaped chamber with a sunken floor. In the center of the chamber illusion spells create a projection of the Dock of Fallen Cities (including, at the moment, Elturel) that floats in mid-air. There’s a ring of strange mechanisms – dials, switches, levers, and the like – around the perimeter of the sunken oval.

Bel’s Forgemark: The equipment is marked with Bel’s forgemark, indicating that it was built at Bel’s Forge (Hex H2).

Status Readings: A character can attempt to understand the dizzying array of readouts with an Intelligence (Arcana) check.

• DC 15: The character discover the true nature of the Companion (a prison containing and harnessing the power of a planetar).
• DC 20: There’s a release mechanism that can free the planetar, but the readouts indicate that it requires the insertion of nine adamantine “lockout” rods.
• DC 24: Monitors indicate that a huge charge of negative energy was released by the Companion when Elturel was brought to Hell. However, it appears the release of that energy caused an equal and opposite charge to be passed into the planetar within the Companion (where it is dissipating, but only very slowly).
• DC 28: The negative energy was an etheric charge that was built up in Elturel’s buildings, streets, and even people as a result of being bathed in the Companion’s light. The negative energy release occurred when the “polarity” of the Companion was flipped and was the actual mechanism by which Elturel was brought to Avernus. It seems likely that the only way to return Elturel to the Material Plane is a similar energy release.

Controls: A DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check indicates controls for releasing the chains holding Elturel, but they are “pact-locked.” As long as Bellandi’s pact remains in effect, Elturel cannot be released until the pact is nullified or destroyed.

ENGINE ROOM: The engine room is a large complex with three levels arranged around a central chamber that extends up through all three levels.

• Central Chamber: Suspended in the middle of the engine room is an iron, bell-shaped contraption painted black (Large object, AC 19, damage threshold 10, 45 hit points, immunity to poison and psychic damage). A DC 20 Intelligence (Arcana) check reveals that the bell is responsible for keeping the fortress aloft and level with the ground.
• Bottom Level: There is a maintenance hatch allowing access to the cistern beneath the engine room which holds necrotic-infused soul fuel. (See Entrances, above.)
• Middle Level: On this level, the central chamber is surrounded by several “control bulbs” — roundish rooms filled with gauges, monitors, and controls (big switches, small dials, etc.). Various service hatches can be popped, revealing service tunnels that twist throughout the flying fortress, leading to (among other places) the Bridge.
• Upper Level: There are storage rooms on this level, as well as hallways connecting the engine room to the rest of the ship.

Defenses:

• The chief engineer is a kere (Book of Fiends, p. 167) named Athaxial. She crawls around the engine room using her spiders legs.
• Athaxial is assisted by a small team of six imps (MM, p. 76) and two chain devils (MM, p. 72).

IMP ROOSTS: The quarters of the imps who serve as couriers for the Blood Legions. Although well-connected, the trick is that the passages and chambers of the roosts are all imp-sized: they can only be accessed by Tiny or gaseous creatures.

Imp sleeping quarters are domed chambers in which clusters of imps hang upside down from the ceiling, like bats.

Alarm: If an alarm is sounded in the roosts, the imps will generally prefer to avoid combat. Instead, they’ll try to invisibly track the PCs’ movements while alerting nearby security patrols who will respond quickly (or be waiting to ambush them) when the PCs leave the roost tunnels.

If the imps become aware that the PCs have killed an imp, however, they will swarm with 2d4 imps arriving every 1d4 turns. In addition, each time these reinforcements appear there is a 1 in 6 chance that the security response will escalate, doubling the number of imps appearing in each wave. Continue checking for additional escalations, the effects of which stack.

LOOKOUT DECK: A lookout deck located on the very top of the fortress is manned by 4 spined devils.

Rooftop Hatch: 10-foot-square hatch on the rear top of the fortress.

PERCH, LOWER: Located below the command deck, the lower perch is a set of five hangar bays, allowing flying devils, infernal war machines, and other aerial assault teams to launch during battle.

• Cargo Platforms: The two cargo perches have semi-circular silver platforms that can be slowly levitated to and from the ground when the flying fortress is stationary. They are operated by means of a copper pedestal attached to the platform. These platforms are generally used for cargo loading, but can also be used to bring non-flying, non-teleporting passengers into the fortress.
• Perch Access: It’s not unusual for one or two of the perches to be open during flight to allow flying devils to come and go, so it’s often possible for the PCs to simply fly in (if they can somehow avoid being detected by the devil legionnaires on security duty and also actively working throughout the perch).

Defenses:

• 2 optio squads
• 6 barlguran slaves
• 2 demon-detectors

PERCH, UPPER: Also known as the Crow’s Nest, the Upper Perch is located near the top of the fortress. It’s a single, small hangar bay from which flying scouts are deployed.

• The Three-Eyed Kenku: The taxidermied head of a three-eyed kenku hangs in the center of the perch. The devils think of it as a good luck charm. If you pat it on the head, it utters cryptic “prophecies” in a multitude of voices which may (or may not) be complete nonsense. (It does have a faint aura of divination magic.)
• Perch Access: The Upper Perch is generally not open except during an actual deployment. The doors can be raised or lowered from a control room at the back of the bay.

Defenses:

• 1 optio squad
• 4 barlguran slaves
• Scorpion Guns: The perch entrance is guarded by two small scorpion blasters (see Ventral Battery, below), which are used to prevent enemy flyers from breaching the perch during combat deployments.

ROOKERY: The Upper and Lower Rookeries are the barracks of the spined devils of the 3/5. In addition to perch-like “bunk” rooms, the rookeries include a number of storerooms, common rooms, armorers, and wing-pollers (basically cosmetologists for wings).

Alarm: If an alarm is sounded in a rookery, there’s an essentially limitless number of nearby troops. During a fight, reinforcements arrive every 1d4 rounds. Roll 1d8 to determine the reinforcements.

In addition, each time reinforcements appear there is a 1 in 6 chance that the security response will escalate. When the security response escalates, roll twice for the current and all future reinforcements. Continue checking for additional escalations, the effects of which stack.

Design Note: If the PCs can find a way to pass undetected through the rookeries, devil dens, roosts, or officers’ quarters of the flying fortress, it can often provide a more direct route to their objectives. But it’s also very risky, and getting into an armed conflict in the place where all the bad guys sleep is a really bad idea.

TELEPATHY STATION: A large, semi-circular control panel in the center of this chamber resembles a pipe organ that has had most of its ivory keys replaced with switches of blood red jasper. The brassy walls of the chamber are filled with roundels.

Roundels: Each roundel is a cylindrical chamber which can be extracted from the wall with a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Arcana or Investigation) check. Each chamber contains a magically preserved brain. (These brains, which are actually networked together and through the other machinery in this room via astral wires, are the mechanism by which the telepathic functions of the station operate.)

Telepathic Jamming: The station can (and almost always is) scrambling telepathic communications within 1 mile of the fortress.

Telepathic Transmission: If the jamming is dropped, the station can instead transmit a telepathic message to all devils within 1 mile of the fortress.

VENTRAL BATTERY: The ventral battery consists of several weapons bays.

Scorpion Array: Scorpion guns fire lightning bolts. Small scorpion guns deal 45 (10d8) lightning damage, while the six large guns deal 110 (20d10) lightning damage.

Firebomb Bays: The bomb bays drop ordnance that deals 35 (10d6) fire damage in a 40-foot-radius sphere. Some firebombs are rigged as missiles. They move 80 feet per round and are guided by integrated soul coins.

Firing Crews: Each weapons bay is manned. (Deviled?)

• 1 primus squad
• 1 optio squad
• 1d8-2 barlguran slaves

ZARIEL’S QUARTERS: The walls of Zariel’s opulent quarters are an ever-shifting mosaic of obsidian-black slabs limned with crimson light. Notable features include:

• A bath filled with blood.
• A collection of soul coins.
• Lighting provided by golden glow globes that float randomly through the suite.
• A demon’s skull hung on the wall.
• Beneath the demon’s skull there are two brackets for hanging a sword which stand empty.

There is a 25% chance that Zariel is present.

Entrance: There is an honor guard consisting of one erinyes and one horned devil outside the door to Zariel’s quarters.

Fractal Vault: A DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check can locate a concealed keyhole – a fixed point in the ever-shifting walls. The only key for this lock is carried by Zariel at all times, but it can be opened with a DC 25 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check, which causes the wall to peel back, revealing a small vault.

The vault is empty except for another vault door (see below). If this vault door is opened, it reveals another small vault with another vault door, which leads to another vault door and another and another.

To access the real vault you need to enter one of the fractal vaults, turn around, and close the door you just came through. If you then open this vault door (requiring a DC 30 Dexterity (Thieves’ Tools) check) you will reveal a huge vault filled with infernal contracts:

• Countless drawers filled with paper.
• Calligraphic scrolls hung upon the black walls.
• Stone slabs stacked like paving stones.
• Several plinths on which particular contracts are displayed like pieces of art.
• A small series of linked statuettes displaying a sequence of sign language.

Zariel’s half of Bellandi’s Pact is located here. (Remember that infernal contracts can only be destroyed if you have both parts, so the PCs won’t be able to just go on a contract-destroying spree. At least, not easily.)

Fractal Vault Doors: The base DC for opening each fractal vault door is 25. Each vault door is also a little bit unique, featuring both a trick and a trap. Determine tricks and traps randomly using the tables below. All traps require a DC 18 Wisdom (Perception) or Intelligence (Investigation) to locate, and an appropriate DC 20 check to disable.

Go to Part 7E: Warlords of Avernus

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GENERAL CONDITIONS

There are a few things to keep in mind as the PCs are exploring the flying fortress.

Announcements: There are frequent announcements that can be heard throughout the ship. They include things like:

• Summons for particular devils to go to various places. (“Signifier Yurtarth, report to the abjuration generator.”)
• Navigational announcements. (“Prepare for acceleration.”)
• Personnel announcements, like shift changes, mess calls, or general quarters. These can include obscure references like “condition omega” or “enact red protocol.”
• Blaring alarm klaxons (if, for example, the PCs trigger an alert).

All verbal communication, of course, will be in Infernal.

Telepathic Communications: Are likely to be jammed by the Telepathy Station.

Teleportation: Is blocked by the Abjuration Generator.

Scrying: Is blocked by the Abjuration Generator.

ENTRANCES

ROOFTOP HATCH: Found on the Lookout Deck (see Locations, below).

SIGNAL VENTS: Tiny hatches on the hull connect to 1-foot-diameter chutes that lead to the Imp Roosts. Imp couriers use these chutes to enter and exit the flying fortress.

• Can be accessed by Tiny or gaseous creatures.
• Vent Labels in Infernal indicate if a vent is intake or exhaust (to avoid imps having head-to-head collisions).
• There is a chance of encountering an imp when the vents are used: 1 in 10 when ship is in dock; 1 in 8 when ship is in the field; 1 in 4 when ship is in battle. (PCs observing the vents – and able to see the potentially invisible imps – may be able to discern a traffic pattern to reduce or eliminate the possibility of encountering an imp.)

SOUL INTAKE PIPE: Grilled vent on the bottom of the fortress, just above the ventral battery, leading to a 5-foot-diameter pipe.

• Pipe leads to a 10-foot-diameter, spherical iron cistern.
• Souls from the River Styx are drawn up into the flying fortress when it is docked at the Stygian Dock and used for fuel in the cistern.
• The pipe and cistern are flooded with necrotic energy, and any creature starting its turn in either location takes 16 (3d10) necrotic damage.
• The cistern is located in the Engine Room, and there is a maintenance hatch allowing access. From the inside, there is no handle, but it can be broken open (DC 20 Strength check). This will also flood the Engine Room with necrotic-infused soul fuel.

LOWER PERCH: It’s not unusual for one or two of the lower perches to be open during flight to allow flying devils to come and go, so it’s often possible for the PCs to simply fly in (if they can somehow avoid being detected by the devil legionnaires on security duty and also actively working throughout the perch).

UPPER PERCH: The Upper Perch is generally not open except during an actual deployment. The doors can be raised or lowered from a control room at the back of the bay.

Go to Part 7D-C: Fortress Locations

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In the cosmology of D&D, when someone dies, their soul journeys to the Outer Planes where it is reincarnated as an extraplanar entity. For the damned, this usually means being forged into a soul coin, emerging as a lemure, or otherwise being placed at the bottom of the Asmodean hierarchy.

Those who served Hell faithfully in life, however, can sometimes skip ahead, being immediately incarnated as more powerful devils. (Particularly if they were wise in the bargains they struck.)

In an adventure which begins with the PCs killing devil cultists on the Material Plane and then sees them travel to Avernus, this can have the curious consequence of encountering the same villains they killed at the beginning of the campaign as devils who have received their eternal “reward.” As Thalamra Vanthampur swears with her dying breath: “I’ll see you in Hell.”

Hell, of course, is a very large place and it would perhaps seem unlikely that the PCs would run into these devils purely by chance. But the cultists encountered in the first act of the campaign are all closely connected with Zariel’s Elturian schemes; and, of course, our adventures in Hell focus on both Zariel and Elturel. It may actually be rather unsurprising to discover that these foundling devils have been drawn to the same place.

(And, of course, it’s dramatically satisfying to see this flipped side of the coin.)

Here we’re going to look at several characters from Act I of the campaign who, assuming they died, can return to torment the PCs when they arrive in Hell.

Depending on how your campaign plays, you may find it useful to use all, some, or none of them: Perhaps the players were careful to capture cultists so that they could face lawful prosecution, in which case they’ll be rotting in cells instead of roving among the damned. On the other hand, there may be some ostensibly minor NPC who, in your campaign, became a major antagonist.

THALAMRA, WARLORD HUNTER

In life, Thalamra formed a pact with Zariel. In death, she has been transformed into a deathlock mastermind (Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes, p. 128). Locked to Zariel’s will, she has been dispatched to hunt down the rebellious warlords of Avernus: Bring them to heel or grind them into the dust.

Thalamra rides atop a demon grinder (DIA, p. 219) crewed by four bearded devils (MM, p. 70). Her two lieutenants ride alongside on devil’s rides (DIA, p. 218):

• Lilxori, a cambrion (Warlords of Avernus, p. 10)
• Asharu, a barbed devil (MM, p. 70)

Chained to Thalamra’s belt are her dead children, transformed into lemures (MM, p. 76).

USING THALAMRA: Thalamra’s full crew is quite dangerous. Fortunately, they will most likely not be looking for the PCs (although that could change) and it should be fairly easy to avoid them on the Avernian plains if they’re on a war-ride.

If they’re not riding out in force, it’s far more likely to encounter Lilxori, Asharu, and/or some of the bearded devils trying to track down a warlord’s lair (or, if the lair is too strong, identify a time and place they might be vulnerable)… information they might be willing to pay a handsome bounty for.

As described in Part 7F, it’s also quite likely that Thalamra will first make her presence felt in Avernus by disrupting the balance of power between the local warlords. The PCs can encounter the vestiges of these conflicts (smoking war machines, a warlord’s lair filled with butchered corpses, etc.) and rumors will begin racing across the wastelands. The PCs might also be asked by warlords to protect them from Thalamra, to help them negotiate an alliance with another warlord to oppose Thalamra, or even to ride in a war-band to take Thalamra down.

THAVIUS KREEG

As described in Part 7D, Thavius’ reward for ultimately delivering Elturel into Zariel’s hand is incarnation as a magugon (The Book of Fiends, p. 170). He has been given the rank of Triarius and serves aboard Zariel’s flying fortress, where he’s most likely to be encountered.

REYA MANTLEMORN & THE HELLRIDERS

Literally any knight of Elturel that the PCs encounter during the first part of the campaign (up until the point where the Tome of the Creed is destroyed) will have fallen and rose as a Hell Knight. Many of these Hell Knights can be found in fallen Elturel (seeking to keep the city under control until it can be dropped into the Styx).

Reya Mantlemorn is the most likely such character for the PCs to have developed a relationship with.

The key thing to understand about Hell Knights is that their souls have been warped by their transformation into devils: They remember their former lives, but their morality has been fundamentally warped and their will is at least partially enslaved to both Zariel and their devilish nature. If necessary, they will not hesitate to use their mortal memories to betray those who were once dear to them.

On the other hand, many are painfully conflicted by the memories of who they were and what they have become. So if they are not actively tasked, the PCs may also find them tragic figures.

(Other Hell Knights, of course, were willing Zarielites actively conspiring to bring about Elturel’s fall. They are far less transformed by their devilish forms, but are probably even more dangerous.)

You can use any devil stats for a Hell Knight. A few likely possibilities include:

• barbed devil (MM, p. 70)
• bearded devil (MM, p. 70)
• bone devil (MM, p. 71)
• chain devil (MM, p. 72)
• ashemde (Book of Fiends, p. 145)
• chamagon (Book of Fiends, p. 150)
• kere (Book of Fiends, p. 167)
• pain mistress (Book of Fiends, p. 174)
• shocktroop devil (Emirikol’s Guide to Devils, p. 187)

If you want some Hell Knight mooks, consider mobs of:

• spined devils (MM, p. 78)
• herlekin (Book of Fiends, p. 164)
• vierhaander (Book of Fiends, p. 181)
• narzugon, variant (Emirikol’s Guide to Devils, p. 181)
• merregon, variant (Emirikol’s Guide to Devils, p. 184)
• merregon (DIA, p. 238)

Particularly potent Hell Knights might include:

• erinyes (MM, p. 73)
• erinyes vanguard (Emirikol’s Guide to Devils, p. 178)
• magugon (Book of Fiends, p. 170)
• assassin devil (Emirikol’s Guide to Devils, p. 171)
• narzugon (DIA, p. 239)

DOOMED REFUGEES

Remember how the Cult of the Companion was murdering descendants of Elturian knights so that their souls would be sucked into Hell?

Guess where they are now.

As a reminder, these victims are definitely dead:

• Edmao Eduardo
• Wemba Oshrat
• Madhuri Akhila
• Leiv Diomidis
• Aneta Diomids
• Annika Silverleaf
• Shohreh Letitia

And these people may have also died if the PCs weren’t in time to prevent their murders:

• Iolanthe Oshrat (sister of Wemba Oshrat, the second victim)
• Valeria Nuska
• Weronika Nuska (sisters)

Unlike those who actually swore oaths, these victims are unlikely to have been transformed into Hell Knights. They are far more likely to be lemures (MM, p. 76), encountered:

• On the shores of the Styx
• In Zariel’s flying fortress
• Enslaved by one of the warlords

And so forth. However, if it makes sense for one of them to show up as a more powerful devil, you can easily use the suggested list above.

Alternatively, they could be placed as hellwardens (Book of Fiends, p. 163), eternally crucified devils who serve as damned watchmen. (Perhaps around the Dock of Fallen Cities or Haruman’s Hill.)

DM Tip: This may also be an opportunity to emphasize that the PCs’ time in Hell is not without costs in the real world. Consider having the PCs meet an Elturian refugee who was alive when the left Baldur’s Gate, but who has died in the interim.

OTHER CULTISTS

If you’re following the Principles of RPG Villainy, then it’s quite possible that other cultists in Act I will end up resonating with your players or otherwise growing to unexpected importance.

The Hell Knight list, above, is a good place to start for bringing them into Hell for an encore appearance. They might be operating independently, or you might put them in service to Thalamra, Thavius, or a Hell Knight.

Note: Quite a few of the bad guys the PCs face in Act I are actually Dead Three cultists who have been hired by the Vanthampurs. While it’s possible for Dead Three worshipers to end up in Hell, it’s comparatively unlikely.

KELTON HUNTER

The Poisoned Poseidon (the beached ship taken over as a base of operations by the Dead Three cultists in Act I) was, as described in Part 3E, originally captained by a warlock named Kelton Hunter who was infamously dragged into Hell.

Whether that story is true or not, Kelton Hunter is now a charonadaemon pirate sailing the Styx. (See merernoloth, Tome of Foes, p. 250.) The PCs might encounter his new ship, the Nether Poseidon, while seeking passage across the Styx (in which case he might rob them or attempt to shanghai them into his crew). Alternatively, the Nether Poseidon might attack a ship that the PCs are taking passage on.

Kelton and/or his crew might also be encountered at Sudok’s Mart (Hex B2a) or the Purple City (Hex F2). It might be intriguing if he was friends with Carol D’Vown (Hex D2a). He might interrupt PCs exploring the wreck of the elemental galleon (Hex H5).

Kelton will be interested to hear how his old ship is faring, and will be glad to hear that it’s being put to “good use” if he hears about the grisly serial killings.

Go to Part 7H: Avernian Random Encounters

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There was a time when the Styx was the front line of the Blood War. That is no longer the case: the legions of Hell have pushed back the demonic hordes, and the front lines now lie somewhere Abyss-ward of the Avernian hexcrawl where the Remix is set.

This region, however, is still marked by its long history as a battlefield. Chunks of territory here, on both banks of the Styx, have been held by the demons at various points during the long aeons of the conflict, and their legacy can still be found imprinted on the wastes.

With the front so near, there is also a constant churn of espionage, with demonic infiltrators and fifth column quislings endlessly seeking any advantage which might turn the tide of war. Such agents might easily recognize the PCs as pawns to be used against Zariel.

CROKEK’TOECK

In the original version of Descent Into Avernus, Crokek’toeck is a powerful demon that was pursuing Yael and Lulu and imprisoned within the Bloody Cyst (Hex F4) when it erupted. For the Remix, it is less clear that having him trapped within the cyst makes sense (although maybe it does for your version). You might also reposition Crokek’toeck:

• In the prison of Plagueshield Point (Hex G5b).
• Simply rampaging around the Avernian plains, perhaps pursued by the 9^th Cohort (Hex J6).
• In the service of Yeenoghu, who will dispatch him to the PCs’ service if they can somehow negotiate with him.

Whatever the case may be, see p. 150 of Descent Into Avernus for details on how Crokek’toeck might be used to break the chains holding Elturel.

KOSTCHTCHIE

The demon Kostchtchie is imprisoned in Hex J2. As described in the Dance of the Deathless Frost adventure, Kostchtchie has a phylactery (currently hidden in Hex D6) with which one can either control him or bargain with him.

Even without the phylactery, a freed Kostchtchie desires vengeance on Zariel for his long imprisonment, making him a powerful (if somewhat unreliable and senselessly violent) ally against her. Kostchtchie also possesses the strength necessary to break the chains holding Elturel.

The PCs might learn of the phylactery from:

• Rumors (see the rumor table in Part 7I).
• Bel, who knows that if some deniable third party (i.e., the PCs) freed Kostchtchie it would be a thorn in Zariel’s side.
• Bitter Breath, who once sought Kostchtchie’s phylactery.
• The Sibriex (Hex E5).

Any of these sources, or perhaps subsequent investigations with the Archmagi of Thraxai in the Purple City, would reveal that Baba Yaga was the one who originally made the phylactery, and that her once-apprentice the Witch-Queen (Hex B3) might know something of value.

YEENOGHU

The Gnoll Lord would sooner eat your face than speak to it, and even getting into the same room with the Beast of Butchery isn’t exactly easy. Arranging the meeting will almost certainly involve the PCs heading Abyss-ward, somehow crossing the front lines of the Blood War, and then miraculously arranging a meeting. (Crokek’toeck, Kostchtchie, or perhaps some other demonic ally might be able to make introductions?)

But here’s the thing: He really, really, really doesn’t like Zariel. And the legions of devils that are about to pour out of the Elturel project are a serious problem for him.

If – and this is a big if! – the PCs can convince him that they are the solution to one or both of these problems, then Yeenoghu can be an incredibly powerful ally: Not only can he break the chains holding Elturel himself, but he literally has an army of gnolls, demons, and demonic gnolls that can be put at the PCs’ service if they play their cards right.

Yeenoghu also prizes the Sword of Zariel. It may or may not be the best use of it if the PCs obtain it, but Yeenoghu would give much to obtain it.

SHUMMRATH

Shummrath is neither a demon nor an active faction of Hell (since it’s been reduced to a canyon full of green slime), but it is nevertheless a powerful entity in the region and we should briefly consider it.

As detailed on p. 100 of Descent Into Avernus, it’s possible to restore Shummrath to its original form as a pit fiend, in which case it is capable of raising a small force of devils from those once loyal to it. Restored to his full glory, Shummrath might be:

• A valuable ally in fighting Zariel (although his animosity is overwhelmingly directed at Bel and relatively difficult to point in Zariel’s direction).
• Capable of severing the chains holding Elturel.

The barely sane telepathic residue which is Shummrath’s current consciousness will be difficult to either commune or negotiate with, but he does crave freedom to seek his revenge and may be willing to pay a price for that.

Homework: You may find it worthwhile to create response teams for each faction. Response teams will allow you to bring a faction “onstage” whenever it seems appropriate (attacking warlords, drinking in a caravanserai, trying to murder the PCs). You can probably scavenge these with minimal effort; for example, pulling legionnaires from Zariel’s Flying Fortress or demonic gnolls from the dream machine visions.

Go to Part 7G: The Devils of Baldur’s Gate

Go to Table of Contents

As the PCs are drawn deeper into the feuding politics of the local Avernian wastes, they will slowly become aware that the seemingly titanic powers which rule over the entire plane are similarly fractious and riven with feuds.

As the PCs become more powerful, the eyes of these powerful factions will be drawn to them. Some may view them as threats. Others will see them as opportunities.

The question facing the PCs will be whether or not they can turn this attention to their advantage, most likely by turning the factions against each other, finding a way to frame what they want so that it’s also to the advantage of a potential ally, or both. Because it’s very likely that they will need to gain powerful help if they are going to succeed in their quest to save Elturel. There are several key goals in the Avernian Quest which will, at the very least, become more easier to achieve with a heavy-hitter on their side:

• Killing Zariel cancels all of her infernal contracts, but the PCs will almost certainly not be able to kill her by themselves. Fortunately, Zariel has created many enemies during her reign in Hell, including numerous devils and demons.
• To sever the chains holding Elturel will require the aid of a powerhouse ally (a redeemed Zariel, released Gargauth, Bel, or Tiamat).
• The PCs might also wish to free the planetar trapped within the Companion. Bel, Tiamat, and Gargauth can all help guide the PCs towards achieving this.
• Finally, it may be necessary to open an interplanar gate through which the people of Elturel can be evacuated. Bel, Tiamat, or the Archmagi of Thraxai in the Purple City could create such gate.

And, of course, the players are quite likely to concoct their own schemes and goals, any one of which could benefit greatly from their alliances with the major factions of Avernus.

The price of such powerful favors, though, should be high. This is Hell, after all, and the opening offer will most likely be their mortal souls. The PCs will have to figure out how to make a compelling offer that they can live (and die) with.

ZARIEL

As the Archduchess, Zariel is ultimately the hub around which all the intrigues of Avernus turn. She’s the spider at the center of the web; the queen at the core of the court intrigue. Thematically, this is great, because the entire Descent Into Avernus campaign also turns around Zariel.

What Zariel Wants: The destruction of the Abyss and the Sword of Zariel.

Unless the PCs give up on the idea of saving Elturel, they’re unlikely to form a relationship with Zariel. See Part 6B for details on bargaining with Zariel, but the only thing she’s likely to give up Elturel for is her Sword. (A redeemed Zariel, of course, changes everything.)

What Zariel Offers: Zariel controls the fate of Elturel (through the Bellandi pact, the chains, and the Companion). Of course, she also has the legions of Hell at her command, so there’s a quite a bit she’s capable of doing if it can somehow be made worth her while.

BEL

Bel was, of course, the former Archduke of Avernus. Here’s a quick summary of Bel’s history for easy reference.

• Rose from a lowly lemure to engineer a coup which overthrew Gargauth (then the Archduke of Hell)
• After her fall, Zariel served as one of the Dark Eight, Bel’s generals. She was freqeuently rebellious, ignoring or disobeying Bel’s commands. (But she was also successful, so he tolerated it.)
• In the 13^th century DR, Bel was targeted for “assassination” by Glasya. Bel fell into a magical coma and suspicion fell on Dispater, the Archduke of Dis (exactly as Glasya had intended). This was the beginning of the Reckoning (see Part 6D). Bel remained in his coma for most of the Reckoning, emerging only near the end of the conflict. Zariel was imprisoned by Tiamat at the end of the Reckoning.
• In the 14^th century DR, Gargauth attempted to invade Hell with the Dark Gods. After smashing the invasion, Bel captured Gargauth and presented him as a captive to Asmodeus. Asmodeus had Gargauth bound into the Shield of the Hidden Lord.
• In the 15^th century DR, a rift filled with baatorians opened in Avernus, triggering the Rift War (also Part 6D). Bel blew it. The baatorians overwhelmed the Avernian frontiers, allowing demonic armies to also freely invade Avernus. Glasya arranged for Zariel to be freed from Tiamat’s prison and she rallied the legions, defeated the baatorians, and drove back the demons. Asmodeus demoted Bel back to the ranks of the Dark Eight and made Zariel the new Archduchess.
• Bel has served “loyally” ever since.

What Bel Wants: To be restored as the Archduke of Avernus.

He’s unlikely to think that this will actually happen immediately as a result of the PCs’ actions, but if he sees a chance to discredit Zariel (losing Elturel would be a major embarrassment and setback for her) or simply distract and inconvenience her, he’ll take advantage of it.

Bel knows that Zariel deeply desires the Sword of Zariel, and so he would be interested in acquiring it as a future bargaining chip. If he becomes aware of its true properties (i.e., the spark of goodness inside it), he will become even more intrigued. He probably won’t take the idea of redemption seriously (such thoughts are anathema to the very nature of a devil), but he’s likely to perceive it as a potential weakness or Achilles’ heel for Zariel.

What Bel Offers:

• Deep knowledge of the metaphysics around Elturel’s doom. Bel controlled the Dock of Fallen Cities and was Gargauth’s first master (see Part 3B). His forge also oversaw the construction of the Solar Insidiator (aka the Companion) and knows that there are adamantine rods which can be used to open it which were lost when the flying fortress carrying them crashed.
• Bel has the power to personally sever the chains holding Elturel. (But knows this is only useful if the Bellandi pact has been undone.)
• He can create a gate back to the Material Plane.
• While he could join an open fight against Zariel (and prove invaluable in defeating her), he’s exceedingly unlikely to do so. Bel has an almost infinite reserve of patience and the ability to scheme in terms of centuries at a temporal scale almost beyond mortal comprehension. What he will do is obliquely suggest potential allies like Crokek’toeck and Kostchtchie.

TIAMAT

Tiamat is the Queen of Evil Dragons.

• She once ruled Avernus, but the evil dragons born of the vast spawning pits she created proved ineffective in the Blood War and Asmodeus deposed her. (This epoch of Avernus would have predated Gargauth’s rule by eons.)
• Tiamat remains imprisoned in Avernus; like devils, she is unable to journey to the Material Plane unless summoned. (Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes shares that some mortal scholars believe that Tiamat was imprisoned in Avernus due to a curse inflicted at the end of the dragon-giant wars. It’s possible that Tiamat came to Avernus hoping to raise draconic legions to aid her followers during the war; or perhaps she made a bargain with Asmodeus. Or this may be entirely mistaken and Tiamat’s involvement in the dragon-giant wars were actually those of an avatar, with her “curse” just being the banishment or destruction of her avatar.)
• During the Reckoning, Zariel and Tiamat were allied in the Siege of Dis. Towards the end of the Reckoning, Tiamat turned on Zariel and imprisoned her in her citadel. Zariel was eventually freed by Glasya during the events of the Rift War, after which Zariel became the Archduchess of Avernus.
• Zariel has forbidden Tiamat from leaving her citadel, which guards the entrance from Avernus to Dis (Hex C1).

What Tiamat Wants: To be free of Avernus.

• Tiamat herself has no interest in ruling Avernus (and being Asmodeus’ pawn). But a viable scheme that installs someone loyal to her (e.g. Arkhan) on the throne of Avernus is something she’d be interested in.
• There are actually a significant number of rituals which can free Tiamat (in either the short or long term). Most of these require one or more powerful artifacts. If the PCs can get their hands on one of these, Tiamat would readily bargain for it. (If your players haven’t done Tyranny of Dragons yet, for example, you might have them get one of the Dragon Masks, which Arkhan will see gets passed along to culists on the Material Plane, triggering the events of that campaign. Or, if they have played the campaign or you’re more of a stickler for strict continuity, perhaps they recover one of the Dragon Masks from wherever it was left at the end of Tyranny. Maybe they even need to go on a side quest to obtain it from one of their former PCs.)

What Tiamat Offers: Most or all of the PCs’ negotiations with Tiamat will likely happen through her emissary Arkhan.

• If the PCs have both copies of Bellandi’s pact, Tiamat’s fire could destroy them.
• Tiamat can sever the chains of Elturel.
• Most abishai are servants of Tiamat, giving her access to vast numbers of soldiers independent from the blood legions. (See p. 149 of Descent Into Avernus.)

GARGAUTH

Detailed notes for Gargauth are presented in Addendum: Playing Gargauth. Gargauth is different from the other factions presented here because he doesn’t really have an organization or base of power. However, his place in the chain of succession for the archdukes of Avernus (Tiamat through an unknown number of intermediaries to Gargauth to Bel to Zariel) is significant, and his relationships with the other factions may be both significant and insightful for the PCs. If freed from the Shield of the Hidden Lord, Gargauth is also a powerful entity in his own right who could help the PCs achieve many of their goals.

(Gargauth is also notable because the PCs might not bring him to Avernus at all, in which case he’ll play no role in this phase of the campaign. Which is just fine.)

What Gargauth Wants: Gargauth’s primary goal is being freed from the Shield of the Hidden Lord. He might accomplish that by convincing the PCs to help him; or he might pursue it by betraying them and continuing the pursuit of his bond to sacrifice cities to the Blood War.

Being restored as Archduke? Interesting, but he knows there’s no clear path to making that happen. (Although if Zariel were removed and he was in just the right place at the right time…?)

Becoming one of the Dark Eight? Also interesting, and perhaps far more plausible.

What Gargauth Offers: As noted, a freed Gargauth can help the PCs in a number of ways (killing Zariel, severing the chains holding Elturel, etc.). The trick is that this will only happen if he’s properly bound or motivated before being freed. If the PCs don’t dot the i’s and cross the t’s of any agreement with Gargauth before freeing him, he’ll just thank them sincerely, cackle at their naivete, and then disappear into the multiverse.

THE PURPLE CITY

Baron Tolmanen, Agamemnova Hex, and Lux Arakxis of the Purple City (Hex F2) exist as something of a midway point between the warlords of the Avernian plains and the powerful factions that rule Avernus: They are known to deal with both, their level of power and influence lies somewhere between them, and their ambitions would seek to propel them into the latter.

If Bel, Gargauth, and Tiamat are Those Who Would Be King, then these are Those Who Would Be Those Who Would Be King.

The Purple City can thus be a natural transition point in your campaign. When the PCs ask their warlord buddies about contacting Bel, they may be referred to the potentates of the Purple City to make the introductions. Conversely, if Tiamat becomes curious about who these new sword hunters are who have been stirring up trouble and are rumored to be traveling with Zariel’s celestial mount, then perhaps Arkhan will call in some old favors with Lux Arakxis to investigate the PCs (or kidap Lulu!).

What They Want: Power and wealth. Each of the three factions of the Purple City also seek advantage against the other two.

What They Offer: If you know the right people, the Purple City can be both a safe haven and a place to resupply in the unforgiving wilds of Avernus.

• Baron Tolmanen is a veteran of the blood legions and maintains contacts with many of his former comrades. (Perhaps some serve on Zariel’s flying fortress? Or in Bel’s honor guard?)
• The Archmagi of Thraxai are well-versed in infernal and arcane lore. They might even provide an alternative to Mad Maggie for recovering Lulu’s memories. (Perhaps they know how to build a dream machine? Or could similarly repair Maggie’s if it was stolen from her?)
• The March are infiltration specialists well-versed in the security systems of Hell. They also have a heartstone, one of the dream machine components.

Homework: If you’re interested in further expanding the infernal politics of the campaign, consider developing one or more of the Dark Eight. Zariel, of course, rose from their ranks, and they are constantly scheming and vying with each other for power and prestige.

Go to Part 7F-B: Demonic Powers