TEXT: Explore a hellish landscape of the Blood War in this companion
  supplement for Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus
  ENCOUNTERS IN AVERNUS
  
  ENCOUNTERS IN AVERNUS
  DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, the dragon ampersand, and all other Wizards of the Coast 
  product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries.
  This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the 
  Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.
  All other original material in this work is ©2019 and published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.
  Credits
  Designers: M.T. Black, James Haeck, James Introcaso, 
  Rich Lescouflair, Shawn Merwin, Ashley Warren
  Editing: James Introcaso
  Art Direction and Graphic Design: Rich Lescouflair
  Cover and Interior Art: Provided by Wizards of the Coast 
  and used with permission
  Special Thanks: Chris Lindsay, Wizards of the Coast
  
  introduction
  2
  Introduction
  Welcome to Hell! Encounters in Avernus provides 
  more than sixty short encounters and two encounter 
  chains to complement the Baldur’s Gate: Descent into 
  Avernus adventure from Wizards of the Coast.
  Overview
  This supplement has the following sections:
  • Chapter 1: Avernus Encounters. Twenty short 
  encounters that can happen anywhere as the characters 
  travel throughout Avernus.
  • Chapter 2: River Styx Encounters. Twenty short 
  encounters that can happen in Avernus as the 
  characters travel on or near the River Styx.
  • Chapter 3: Elturel Encounters. Twenty short 
  encounters that can happen anywhere in the city of 
  Elturel after it is dragged into Avernus.
  • Chapter 4: Encounter Chains. Two encounter chains 
  that can be used to flesh out or create new adventures 
  in Avernus.
  • Appendix A: Monster & NPC Statistics. Statistics 
  for creatures used in the encounters not found in the 
  Monster Manual.
  • Appendix B: Magic Items. Descriptions for magic 
  items found in the encounters not found in the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide.
  Running Encounters
  To run these encounters, you need the D&D fifth edition 
  core rulebooks: Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide, and Monster Manual. You also need a copy of 
  Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus, though with a little 
  adjustment, you could use most of these encounters for 
  any infernally themed adventure.
   The Monster Manual contains stat blocks for most of 
  the creatures found in the encounters. All the necessary 
  stat blocks are included there or in appendix A. When a 
  creature’s name appears in bold type, that’s a visual cue 
  for you to look up the creature’s stat block in the Monster 
  Manual, unless the text instead refers you to the monster 
  appendix in this book.
   Spells and equipment mentioned in the encounters 
  are described in the Player’s Handbook. Magic items are 
  described in the Dungeon Master’s Guide, unless the 
  adventure’s text directs you to an item’s description in 
  appendix B.
  Abbreviations
  The following abbreviations appear in this book:
  • AC = Armor Class
  • DC = Difficulty Class
  • XP = experience points
  • pp = platinum piece(s)
  • gp = gold piece(s)
  • sp = silver piece(s)
  • cp = copper piece(s)
  • NPC = nonplayer character
  • DM = Dungeon Master
  
  introduction
  3
  Random Encounters
  While the characters travel through Avernus and the 
  streets of Elturel, you can roll a d20 for every 8 hours they 
  spend traveling or resting to see if a random encounter 
  occurs. On a roll of 12 or higher, choose the appropriate 
  encounter table and roll or choose an encounter on that 
  table. You can change the number of encounters the 
  characters experience as you see fit.
  Encounter Difficulty
  Each of the results on the encounter tables represents a 
  certain kind of potential challenge.
   If you let the dice have their way and the result is a 
  large number of monsters or a powerful creature with 
  a high challenge rating, the generated encounter might 
  be too difficult or dangerous for the characters in their 
  present circumstances. They might want to flee to avoid 
  contact, or not to approach any closer after perceiving the 
  monsters from a distance.
   You also have the freedom to adjust the numbers, but it’s 
  important to remember that not every encounter involving 
  a monster needs to result in combat. An encounter might 
  indeed be the prelude to a battle, a negotiation for a 
  devil deal, or some other interaction. What happens next 
  depends on what the characters try, or what you decide is 
  bound to occur.
  Devil Names
  While running these encounters or Baldur’s Gate: 
  Descent into Avernus, you might need to come up with 
  a devil’s name on the fly. Use the Devil Names table to 
  create an original devil name by combining any first part 
  of a name with any second part.
  Devil Names
  d20
  First Part
  Second Part
  1
  Zam
  azad
  2
  Uz
  ich
  3
  Hral
  aaz
  4
  Bal
  azel
  5
  Maa’t
  uzaat
  6
  Nilv
  ayaz
  7
  Azt
  uzoor
  8
  Raark
  akzaar
  9
  Toz
  iz
  10
  Bel
  och
  11
  Kol
  ath
  12
  Kel
  al
  13
  Mul
  il
  14
  Zuu’t
  ul
  15
  Taa’z
  och
  16
  Mul
  ak
  17
  Xith
  or
  18
  Zok
  ir
  19
  Zaa’t
  ub
  20
  Xaal
  ix
  
  chapter 1 | avernus encounters
  4
  Chapter 1: Avernus Encounters
  The following encounters can occur anywhere in 
  the wastes of Avernus as the characters move between 
  locations or rest. For a description and history of Avernus, 
  the first layer of the Nine Hells, see Baldur’s Gate: 
  Descent into Avernus.
  Avernus Encounters
  d100
  Encounter
  01–05
  And Now, the Weather
  06–10
  Blood War Battle
  11–15
  Boney Grab Bag
  16–20
  Chain Rider
  21–24
  Cohort in Camp
  25–29
  Corrupted Salvage
  30–34
  Crater Raiders
  35–38
  Debts Paid
  39–43
  Demon Band
  44–48
  Demon Horde or Devil Legion
  49–53
  Demon or Devil Prisoner
  54–58
  Derelict War Machine
  59–63
  Devil Squad
  64–68
  Dretch Marks
  69–73
  Fiendish Betrayal
  74–78
  Hell Hound Pack
  79–83
  Infernal Pursuits
  84–87
  Pool of Duplicity
  88–92
  Pool of Ichor
  93–96
  Poppet Masters
  97–100
  Stirge Swarm
  Encounter Descriptions
  Following are the encounters in alphabetical order.
  And Now, the Weather
  A delusional chaotic neutral human mage who calls 
  himself the Magnificent Meteorologist sits atop a 
  blackened boulder on the plains of Avernus in perfect 
  peace. When the characters meet him, he hums a 
  nonsensical incantation and makes a perfectly accurate 
  weather prediction. If he predicts a malign result, he 
  clucks his tongue in sympathy, gives a vague description 
  of the weather effect, then cheerfully bids the characters 
  good day and wishes them luck on their quest.
   Roll on the table below to determine the upcoming 
  weather. This weather begins 2d12 hours later, and lasts 
  for 1d20 hours.
  Avernus Weather
  1d6
  Weather
  1
  Clear Skies. The weather is hot, but unremarkable.
  2
  Acid Rain. Terrible, sickly green storm clouds swirl in 
  the sky. A creature takes 1d6 damage at the start of 
  every hour it spends outside.
  3
  Searing Heat. The air feels like it’s on fire. A creature 
  must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw 
  at the start of every hour it spends outside or gain 
  one level of exhaustion. Creatures resistant to fire 
  damage have advantage on this save, and creatures 
  immune to fire damage automatically succeed.
  4
  Abyssal Smog. Miasma blankets the land. A creature 
  must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw 
  at the start of every hour it spends outside or be 
  poisoned for 1 hour. A creature that spends 3 hours 
  in a row poisoned in this way gains a random form of 
  short-term madness (see “Madness” in chapter 8 of 
  the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
  5
  Stygian Humidity. A wave of lethargy envelops 
  the land as the waters of the River Styx permeate 
  the air itself. A creature must succeed on a DC 10 
  Intelligence saving throw at the start of every hour 
  it spends outside or forget one memory. The player 
  describes the memory before it fades from their 
  character’s mind.
  6
  Scattered Meteor Showers. Hundreds of minute 
  meteorites hurtle through the sky and impact 
  explosively upon the ground. Once during the meteor 
  shower (at a time of the DM’s choosing), all creatures 
  within a 500-foot radius of a point chosen by the DM 
  must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 21 
  (6d6) fire damage and 21 (6d6) bludgeoning damage, 
  or half as much damage on a successful save.
  
  chapter 1 | avernus encounters
  5
   The characters may find the Magnificent Meteorologist 
  again anywhere, as his boulder magically moves from 
  place to place when no one is watching.
  Blood War Battle
  A battle between a devil squad (see “Devil Squad”) and a 
  demon band (see “Demon Band”) is in the characters’ path. 
  Roll any die. On an even result, the devils are winning the 
  battle. On an odd result, the demons are winning.
  Demons
  The demons attack the characters and devils alike. Each 
  flees when reduced to half its hit points.
  Devils
  If the devils are losing the battle and notice the 
  characters, the fiends offer a deal to get the characters 
  to fight for them. Otherwise the devils take no heed of 
  the characters until the demons are defeated or the 
  characters attack the devils first. If the characters have no 
  deal with the devils, once the demons are put down, the 
  devils turn and attack the characters. The devils flee when 
  more than half their number fall.
  Boney Grab Bag
  These enormous piles of bone are scattered throughout 
  Avernus, evidence of the ongoing Blood War. A character 
  who spends 10 minutes searching the pile and makes a 
  successful DC 12 Wisdom (Perception) check finds an 
  item on the following table:
  d20
  Item
  1
  A set of bone pipes
  2
  Bag of 1,000 ball bearings
  3
  Charlatan’s die (see appendix B)
  4
  Crossbow, hand
  5
  Crossbow, light
  6
  Glass eyeball that looks about of its own accord and 
  can roll around
  7
  Gold monocle frame without the lens
  8
  Lock of trickery (see appendix B)
  9
  Mariner’s armor
  10
  Money bag with 80 pp
  11
  Parchment (one sheet)
  12
  Quartz (50 gp)
  13
  Silver necklace with a gemstone pendant (250 gp)
  14
  Silver ring (20 gp)
  15
  Small chest containing 9000 sp
  16
  Small cloth doll skewered with needles
  17
  Small pocket mirror that slowly fogs over while held
  18
  Spell scroll of guidance
  19
  Warhammer
  20
  Waterskin
   A maximum of five items can be found in the bone pile. 
  If the characters spend more than 10 minutes searching 
  the pile, roll for another encounter.
  Chain Rider
  A chain devil mounted on a wyvern flies overhead. 
  These fearsome creatures are responsible for patrolling 
  the skies above Avernus on behalf of Zariel. Roll a d4 to 
  determine the fiend’s reaction to the party:
  1. 
  It circles around the party once then flies off quickly 
  in a new direction.
  2. 
  It lands 50 feet in front of the party and demands 
  to know what they are doing. It is satisfied with any 
  answer that sounds reasonable.
  3. 
  It lands 50 feet in front of the party and accuses them 
  of working to bring down Zariel. A successful DC 20 
  Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check convinces 
  it otherwise, else it attacks.
  4. 
  It swoops down and attacks immediately.
  Cohort in Camp
  Camped on a low mesa overlooking the area is the 
  9th Cohort of the 497th Infantry Legion (9/497). It is 
  commanded by a proud and pitiless chain devil named 
  Signifier Hraxioch.
   The 497th Legion, nicknamed “Unholy Triumph,” is one 
  of several that Zariel has deployed full time to search for 
  her lost sword. The 9th Cohort came here a few days ago 
  and began searching the surrounding area.
  Cohort Composition
  The 9th Cohort, like all devil cohorts, consists of exactly 
  one hundred devils divided into ten lances.
   There are seven assault lances, each comprising ten 
  bearded devils. Each lance has a designated leader, 
  called the optio.
   There are two shield lances, each comprising ten 
  merregons (see appendix A). Each lance has a designated 
  leader, called the optio.
   There is one command lance, comprising Signifier 
  Hraxioch, a cambion quartermaster (known as the 
  armicustos), a spined devil signaler, and seven imp 
  auxiliaries.
  Camp Layout
  The camp consists of twelve tents, all made of pale 
  leather neatly stretched over bronze tent poles. Anyone 
  examining the leather and who makes a successful DC 
  13 Wisdom (Medicine) check determines it is made from 
  humanoid skin.
  Disposition
  The cohort is carefully observing the surrounding area 
  and certainly notices the characters unless they are 
  invisible or travelling very stealthily. There is a 50 percent 
  chance that Hraxioch sends an assault lance out to arrest 
  the characters and bring them back to camp. This chance 
  rises to 100 percent if the characters engage in combat 
  within sight of the camp.
   Hraxioch interrogates the characters rigorously, 
  demanding to know how they came to Avernus, what they 
  want, and if they know anything about Zariel’s sword. If 
  the characters give satisfactory answers, Hraxioch lets 
  them leave.
   If the characters destroy the assault lance sent to arrest 
  them, the cohort breaks camp and starts following the 
  party, waiting for the right time to attack in force.
  
  chapter 1 | avernus encounters
  6
  Corrupted Salvage
  An infernal war machine (a Devil’s Ride in appendix B of 
  Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus) is impaled upon a 
  jagged spike of stone jutting from the Avernian landscape. 
  Strange green ichor dribbles from the damaged war 
  machine. The previous rider of this war machine shoved a 
  whole quasit into the machine’s intake valve in a desperate 
  attempt to get a last burst of power out of it, but the attempt 
  backfired—and corrupted the remains of the Devil’s Ride.
   If this war machine is repaired (such as by the 
  salamanders of the Firesnake Forge in Mahadi’s 
  Wandering Emporium), it has a random demonic boon 
  and a demonic bane. Roll a d4 twice to determine a 
  random boon and bane.
  Demonic Boons Table
  d4
  Boon
  1
  The machine can gain the effects of a Demon Ichor 
  Boost for free once per day.
  2
  The machine has two souls trapped within it. A soul 
  can be consumed to replicate the effects of using a 
  soul coin.
  3
  The machine has an Acidic Bile Sprayer weapon that 
  can be used by the machine’s driver. This doesn’t count 
  against the number of weapons the machine can have.
  4
  Whenever the machine takes damage from a creature 
  within 5 feet of it, the creature that damaged it takes 
  the same amount of damage in return.
  Demonic Banes Table
  d4
  Bane
  1
  The machine needs additional soul power to run, and 
  leeches off of its driver’s soul. Every time a creature 
  inserts a soul coin, its hit point maximum is reduced 
  by 1d10 points. Only a greater restoration spell or 
  similar magic can reverse this hit point loss.
  2
  The machine oozes green liquid at all times, making 
  its surface slick. Whenever the machine suffers a 
  mishap, all creatures on the machine must succeed on 
  a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or be flung 5 feet from 
  the machine and fall prone.
  3
  The machine’s insides have been twisted up by demonic 
  corruption, making the machine mishap prone. The 
  machine’s mishap threshold is reduced by 10.
  4
  The machine sprays a massive plume of thick black 
  exhaust while running. The exhaust is visible in the air 
  from up to a mile away, and the driver must make a 
  successful DC 10 Constitution saving throw at the end 
  of every hour while driving the machine or become 
  poisoned for the next hour.
  Crater Raiders
  The party discovers a 60-foot-diameter blasted crater at 
  the center of which is a faintly glowing meteor recently 
  fallen from the stormy sky above. The 15-foot-spherical 
  meteor is embedded halfway into the ground. The 
  scorched ground within 20 feet of the meteor is difficult 
  terrain. If the party travels into the crater, roll 1d4 to 
  determine the nature of the meteor:
  1. 
  Behind the meteor is a nest of 1d4 hellwasps (see 
  appendix A). In addition, the meteor generates 
  unstable energy. Any spell cast within the crater has 
  a 1 in 10 chance of generating a wild magic effect 
  (use the Wild Magic Surge table in chapter 3 of the 
  Player’s Handbook).
  2. 
  The meteor is plagued with demonic magic. 
  Characters within 5 feet of the meteor must succeed 
  on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or suffer a 
  flesh-warping effect (see chapter 3 of Baldur’s Gate: 
  Descent into Avernus). The effect can be removed 
  with any magic that removes a curse. In addition, the 
  glowing material oozing from the meteor has all the 
  properties of demon ichor (see chapter 3 of Baldur’s 
  Gate: Descent into Avernus).
  3. 
  The meteor is an infernally enchanted stone golem. It 
  attacks any character that comes within 30 feet of it.
  4. 
  The meteor is plagued with infernal magic. 
  Characters within 10 feet of the meteor must succeed 
  on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or suffer the effects 
  of short-term madness (see chapter 8 of the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide). In addition, on a failed save, any 
  saving throw made against the pervasive evil of the 
  plane is made with disadvantage to the roll (see 
  chapter 3 of Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus). 
  This effect lasts for 24 hours.
  Debts Paid
  A cambion disguised as an elderly human male 
  approaches the characters, pathetically holding his worn 
  
  chapter 1 | avernus encounters
  7
  hat in his hands. He introduces himself as Dante and 
  claims he was forced to play in a game of three-dragon 
  ante to earn money to pay off his spouse’s drinking 
  debt, but he lost everything he owned and is now stuck 
  in Avernus in service to an “evil devil.” He asks for the 
  characters’ help in playing a rematch of three-dragon ante 
  so he can buy his way out of service.
   The cambion enjoys toying with unsuspecting folk and 
  getting them to gamble in his games. His disguise and 
  lies are detectable with a successful DC 18 Wisdom 
  (Insight) check.
   If the characters agree to help, Dante takes them to a 
  cave to play the game, which is occupied by an incubus 
  and a succubus against whom the characters can bet. 
  Each game costs an ante of one soul coin and is made 
  by having all players make opposing Intelligence checks 
  (adding in their proficiency bonuses if they are proficient 
  with the game). The winner gets the pot. A character who 
  does not have any soul coins can still play by offering a kiss 
  to the fiends if the character loses. The fiends try to cheat 
  by charming the characters then convincing them to fold.
   If the characters win, they can give their earnings to 
  Dante to pay off his debts. He, of course, keeps every coin.
  Demon Band
  The characters encounter one or more demons looking 
  for a fight. Roll or choose on the Demon Band table to 
  determine which demons the characters encounter. These 
  demons attack as soon as they notice the characters. 
  Each flees when it is reduced to half its hit points.
  Demon Band
  d8
  Demons
  1
  4d10 dretches
  2
  1 barlgura and 2d6 dretches
  3
  2 barlguras
  4
  2 chasmes
  5
  3 vrocks
  6
  1 hezrou and 2d4 manes
  7
  1 glabrezu and 2d4 manes
  8
  1 nalfeshnee
  Demon Horde or Devil Legion
  The characters encounter a legion of devils or a horde of 
  demons in their path (your choice). This force consists 
  of hundreds of fiends. Roll a d4. On a 1 or 2, the force is 
  marching toward their next battle. On a 3, the force is 
  resting. On a 4, the characters encounter a battle between 
  a devil legion and a demon horde.
   A successful DC 15 group Dexterity (Stealth) check 
  sneaks by the force unnoticed. Characters who fail this 
  check or choose not to sneak by grab the attention of 
  the army and a demon band (see “Demon Band”) or 
  devil squad (“Devil Squad”) appears and attacks. At the 
  start of every third round after combat begins, another 
  demon band or devil squad arrives. If the characters flee, 
  the devils they battle give chase. Use the chase rules in 
  “Chases” in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide and 
  the Avernus Chase Complications table.
  Avernus Chase Complications
  d20
  Complication
  1
  A dune made of bones and teeth is in your path. 
  Use 10 feet of movement to go around it or make a 
  DC 12 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to move over it. 
  On a failed check, you fall prone and take 5 (1d10) 
  piercing damage.
  2
  A bubbling tar pit is in your path. Use 15 feet 
  of movement to go around it or make a DC 12 
  Strength (Athletics) check to leap over it. On a 
  failed check, you slip into the pit and take 11 (2d10) 
  fire damage.
  3
  A puddle of demon ichor is in your path. Use 10 
  feet of movement to go around it or make a DC 10 
  Strength (Athletics) check to leap across it. On a 
  failed check, you land in the pool (see chapter 3 of 
  Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus).
  4
  A pit of quicksand is before you. Make a DC 10 
  Wisdom (Perception) check to notice it. If the 
  check succeeds, you avoid it. If the check fails, you 
  fall into the hazard (see “Wilderness Hazards” in 
  chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
  5
  A group of nupperibos (see appendix A) are in your 
  path. Use 5 feet of movement to go around them or 
  make a DC 11 Dexterity (Stealth) check to sneak by. 
  On a failed check, one of the fiends makes a claw 
  attack against you (+5 to hit; 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing 
  damage).
  6
  A hell hound chases after you.
  7
  A small stream of water from the River Styx is in 
  your path. Make a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check 
  to jump over it. On a failed check, you touch the 
  waters of the River Styx (see chapter 3 of Baldur’s 
  Gate: Descent into Avernus).
  8
  A sudden chasm catches you by surprise. Make 
  a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw to navigate the 
  impediment. On a failed save, you fall 1d4 × 10 
  feet, taking 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage per 10 feet 
  fallen as normal, and land prone.
  9
  You run through a ruin with uneven ground. Make 
  a DC 10 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. On a failed 
  check, you fall prone.
  10
  An infernal war machine rushes toward you. Make a 
  DC 18 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, you 
  take 28 (8d6) bludgeoning damage and fall prone.
  11–20
  No complication.
  Demon or Devil Prisoner
  The characters come upon a demon band (see “Demon 
  Band”) or a devil squad (see “Devil Squad”) that captured 
  and are interrogating a devil or demon respectively. Roll 
  or choose on the Fiend Prisoner table to determine the 
  type of fiend they have captured.
   The fiend has only a quarter of its hit points remaining. If 
  the prisoner is a demon notices the characters, it begs for 
  help, promising to serve the characters. If the characters 
  free the demon, it follows them. Roll any die at the start of 
  each hour it spends with the characters. If an even number 
  is rolled, the demon remains loyal to the characters.  If an 
  
  chapter 1 | avernus encounters
  8
  odd number is rolled, the demon betrays the characters 
  the first chance it gets. The demon prisoner also betrays 
  the characters if they encounter more demons.
   If the prisoner is a devil and notices the characters, it 
  offers a deal for anything in its power in exchange for the 
  characters fighting for their freedom.
  Fiend Prisoner
  d6
  Demon
  Devil
  1
  Quasit
  Imp
  2
  Barlgura
  Spined devil
  3
  Chasme
  Bearded devil
  4
  Vrock
  Barbed devil
  5
  Hezrou
  Chain devil
  6
  Glabrezu
  Bone devil
  Derelict War Machine
  The characters see a Tormentor model infernal war 
  machine (see appendix B of Baldur’s Gate: Descent into 
  Avernus). The front of the buggy is covered by a sculpted 
  bronze devil face with a red crystal tube emerging from 
  the gaping mouth, resembling a tongue.
   The whole vehicle is rusted, and the rear of the buggy 
  has been torn away completely. The engine has been 
  destroyed and cannot be repaired.
  Soul Canon
  Any character examining the machine and who makes a 
  successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check determines 
  that the crystal tube is a weapon in working order that 
  can be detached from the main chassis.
   Another successful DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check 
  safely detaches the tube. On a failed roll the tube explodes 
  and everyone within 10 feet must make a DC 12 Dexterity 
  saving throw, taking 5 (1d10) piercing damage on a failed 
  save from shrapnel.
   The tube is a small soul canon. It is 2 inches wide, 3 feet 
  long, and weighs 25 pounds. It has a range of 200/600 
  feet and inflicts 8d10 force damage on a hit. It is a martial 
  ranged weapon. A soul coin is needed to fire the canon 
  and is consumed in the process.
  Treasure
  Inside the buggy are two seats holding the badly 
  decomposed corpses of a pair of cambions. A successful 
  DC 5 Wisdom (Perception) check locates a soul coin in a 
  leather purse and a platinum ring on one of the cambion’s 
  skeletal fingers. This ring burns the sign of Asmodeus 
  onto any surface.
  Devil Squad
  The characters encounter a squad of devils patrolling the 
  battlegrounds looking for a fight. Each devil squad has 
  a leader and troops. Roll or choose twice on the Devil 
  Squad table to determine both.
   When the characters encounter the squad, there is a 
  50 percent chance the fiends do not attack right away. 
  The squad leader may offer a deal to let the characters 
  pass without further incident or not see the characters 
  as any kind of threat.
   If a fight breaks out, the devils flee when more than half 
  their number fall.
  Devil Squad
  d10
  Leader
  Troops
  1–5
  1 barbed devil
  1d4 + 1 spined devils
  6–9
  1 chain devil
  1d4 + 1 bearded devils
  10
  1 bone devil
  1d4 + 1 merregons (see appendix A)
  Dretch Marks
  A narrow crack in the ground here opens to a large cavern 
  beneath filled with sixty-six dretches that attack anyone 
  who comes within reach. Any character with a passive 
  Wisdom (Perception) score of 13 or higher notices 
  movement in the dark crack, but anyone else is surprised 
  by the attack. The dretches attempt to grapple the 
  characters and drag them into the cavern to be torn apart.
   The dretches, survivors of a great battle, have caught 
  and killed numerous victims. Amidst bone and clothing 
  scraps at the bottom of their cavern is treasure. Roll a 
  d12 and consult the following table. The characters find 
  everything up to and including the entry rolled.
  d12
  Item
  1
  A single caltrop made from bone
  2
  Bottle of ink
  3
  2000 cp
  4
  800 sp
  5
  60 gp
  6
  An iron and gold holy symbol devoted to an unknown 
  god (worth 100 gp)
  7
  Pole (10-foot)
  8
  Ear horn of hearing (see appendix B)
  9
  Vial of basic poison
  10
  Moon-touched longsword (see appendix B)
  11
  Two soul coins
  12
  Boots of speed
  Fiendish Betrayal
  A wounded female human knight who escaped Elturel 
  named Bera Tallen approaches the characters, requesting 
  their help. She explains she barely escaped while one of 
  her group of escapees betrayed and murdered the rest. 
  Bera doesn’t know why, but the traitor, who is not far 
  behind, now chases her. If the party agrees to help, roll a 
  d4 to determine the nature of the encounter:
  
  chapter 1 | avernus encounters
  9
  1. 
  The traitor, a male human evoker (see appendix 
  A) named Pergon Uro, has fallen under the mind 
  twisting effects of the plane, which has changed his 
  alignment to lawful evil. Pero can be convinced of 
  this with a successful DC 14 Charisma (Persuasion) 
  check. Casting the dispel evil and good spell on the 
  traitor also removes the effect.
  2. 
  The traitor is a cambion in human form who took the 
  place of the group’s real companion days ago. It carries 
  an uncommon magical item of the DM’s choice.
  3. 
  Bera is actually a warlock of the fiend (appendix 
  A) who is has fallen under the pervasive evil of the 
  plane. She betrayed her group and is trying to lure 
  the party into a trap. Once the party confronts the 
  false traitor, a lawful good female human priest 
  named Teru Kang, the warlock attempts to kill them 
  all in the name of her patron. Casting the dispel 
  evil and good spell on Bera removes the pervasive 
  evil effects. Bera carries an amulet of proof against 
  detection and location.
  4. 
  Bera and the “traitor” are both cambions attempting 
  to hunt and kill each other. Bera is a spawn of Graz’zt, 
  and the other is a soldier for the Nine Hells. Bera 
  carries an uncommon magical item of the DM’s choice.
  Hell Hound Pack
  A pack of 2d6 hell hounds roams Avernus, looking 
  for injured and easy prey. If the hounds notice the 
  characters, they attack. Each fights until reduced to 10 
  hit points then flees.
  Infernal Pursuit
  War is hell, and the Nine Hells are at war. If the endless 
  Blood War were to spill into the Material Plane, all of 
  Toril would become as inhospitable as Avernus. While 
  traveling across the wastes, travelers must beware roving 
  bands of demonic pillagers, and the devils that hunt them.
   Roll a d4 to determine which marauding demons the 
  characters encounter and which devils are pursuing 
  them. Once the characters encounter the demons, the 
  pursuing devils appear on initiative count 20 of the next 
  round of combat. These devils are loyal servants of 
  Zariel, and once the devils destroy the demons, they turn 
  their attention upon the characters. If the characters are 
  enemies of Zariel, they attack; if not, they try to make a 
  deal with these hapless mortals.
  Infernal Pursuit Encounters
  d4
  Marauders and Pursuers
  1
  The marauders are four rampaging dretches pursued 
  by two no-nonsense imps.
  2
  The marauders are six quasits who stole war machine 
  parts, pursued by four spined devils.
  3
  The marauders are a barlgura ridden by a quasit that 
  killed a devil lieutenant, pursued by a bearded devil 
  riding a nightmare.
  4
  The marauders are a pair of vrocks clutching a shiny 
  idol worth 500 gp while flying at full speed away from 
  a bone devil.
  Pool of Duplicity
  A mirthful arcanaloth named Vriz’blath perches on 
  a crag overlooking a pool of bubbling green ooze, not 
  unlike the Progenitor Goo (see chapter 3 of Baldur’s 
  Gate: Descent into Avernus). When the characters 
  approach, Vriz’blath casts mind blank upon itself, then 
  calls out to the adventurers and asks them to behold the 
  Pool of Infernal Marvels.
   Every 30 seconds, on the dot, a creature pops out of the 
  pools, then splashes back in. The creature is rarely the 
  same; some examples of creatures could include a three-
  eyed fish, an abyssal chicken, a perfect sphere of green 
  goop, or some other unusual creature.
  
  chapter 1 | avernus encounters
  10
   Vriz’blath asks the characters 
  if they wish to make a wager; 
  if two different creatures pop 
  out of the goop in a row, the 
  characters win the bet. If 
  two identical creatures pop 
  out of the goo in a row, they 
  lose. The arcanaloth has a 
  total of 1,000 gp and five 
  soul coins to wager.
   The trick is, however, there are 
  no creatures hopping out of the pool. Every 
  minute, Vriz’blath secretly casts minor illusion, subtly 
  performing the spell’s somatic components while holding 
  a tiny bit of fleece. A creature can see through the illusion 
  by making a successful DC 17 Intelligence (Investigation) 
  check as an action.
   Vriz’blath lets the characters win the first bet to get 
  them confident, then sets up a vicious losing streak. If the 
  arcanaloth’s deception is revealed, it casts chain lightning 
  in a panic, then finger of death, and finally dimension door 
  to flee if its assailants are undeterred.
  Pool of Ichor
  The ongoing Blood War has left substantial pools of 
  demon ichor all over Avernus. The pool at this location is 
  50 feet across and fills the end of the ravine. Characters 
  may choose to collect the ichor in a container as it can 
  be used for infernal war machine fuel (see appendix B of 
  Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus). It takes one round 
  to fill a skin or flask with this liquid.
   Unfortunately, horrifying things can form in the ichor. 
  Each round that the pool is disturbed there is a 25 
  percent chance of a hostile demonic creature emerging. 
  Roll a d4 to determine the creature:
  1. 
  A chasme
  2. 
  A glabrezu
  3. 
  A hezrou
  4. 
  A vrock
   Only one fiend inhabits the pool.
  Poppet Masters
  A coven of night hags clusters around a table, sewing 
  together small doll-like “toys.” They are making poppets 
  (see appendix B), which are dolls that can be infused 
  with the properties of a person and thereby used to 
  manipulate or hurt a person from a distance. One poppet 
  can be purchased for one soul coin. To make a poppet, the 
  character must supply the hags with an item that belonged 
  to the person they want the poppet to impersonate: this 
  can be a scrap of clothing, a lock of hair, a piece of jewelry, 
  or any item that denotes sentiment or identity.
  Stirge Swarm
  A swarm of 10d8 stirges gorge themselves on the 
  bodies of 3d6 deceased commoners who escaped from 
  Elturel. The stirges ignore the characters as long as they 
  don’t come within 50 feet of the beasts, otherwise the 
  stirges attack. Roll a d4 to determine what treasures the 
  commoners had:
  d4
  Item
  1
  Assorted coins worth a total of 10d8 gp
  2
  A purse containing 5 moonstones (50 gp each)
  3
  A marble statuette of Torm (200 gp)
  4
  A periapt of wound closure
  
  chapter 2 | river styx encounters
  11
  Chapter 2: River Styx Encounters
  The following encounters can occur as the 
  characters rest or travel on or near the River Styx in 
  Avernus. See Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus for a 
  description of the river and its effects.
  River Styx Encounters
  d20
  Encounter
  1
  Archmage Alchemist
  2
  Cave of the Rationalist
  3
  Celestial Spy
  4
  Days of Hunter
  5
  Demon Skiff
  6
  Devil Patrol Boat
  7
  Drowned Satchel
  8
  Fapplestamp Twins
  9
  For the Glory of Ysgard
  10
  Gramma Valor’s Barge
  11
  Hydroloth
  12
  I’m the Captain Now
  13
  Lost Assassin
  14
  Malignant Tributary
  15
  Naval Battle
  16
  Onshore Barrage
  17
  Released
  18
  Soul Shower
  19
  Wandering Spirit
  20
  Yeenoghu’s Monster
  Encounter Descriptions
  Following are the encounters in alphabetical order.
  Archmage Alchemist
  Vandalo Urond (neutral evil male human archmage) 
  stands on the banks of the River Styx using the mage 
  hand spell to fill vials with Stygian water. Vandalo is a 
  Red Wizard alchemist in his sixties with a shaved head 
  covered in tattoos. He uses the Stygian water to create 
  new potions. When speaking about magic or magic items, 
  Vandalo gets excited and shares as much information as 
  possible.
   If Vandalo sees the characters, he waves them down, 
  asking if they’d like to see his wares. Vandalo carries 
  a Heward’s handy haversack filled with all manner of 
  potions. He is willing to sell characters any common, 
  uncommon, or rare potions from chapter 7 of the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide for the prices listed on the Vandalo’s 
  Potions table. If the characters buy a potion, he’s happy to 
  cast the identify spell on any objects they have for free.
   If the characters attack Vandalo, he immediately flees, 
  using the teleport spell to get back to Thay.
  Vandalo’s Potions
  Potion Rarity
  Price
  Common
  50 gp
  Uncommon
  100 gp
  Rare
  500 gp
  
  chapter 2 | river styx encounters
  12
  Cave of the Rationalist
  The characters pass a narrow cave, and a quavering voice 
  calls out, “Is someone there?” Inside is the ghost of a bald, 
  craggy-faced man. He introduces himself as Professor 
  Horatio Hiddlethwaite, and says he is from a place called 
  “Sid Knee” in the land of “Ustraya.” He has not heard of 
  any of the cities or lands that the characters know.
   Horatio says he recognizes this place as “the classic 
  conception of the Nine Hells,” but since he is a rationalist 
  and doesn’t believe in the Nine Hells, he is convinced he is 
  suffering from a delusion.
  Horatio’s Story
  Horatio was a vain and selfish man in life whose soul 
  floated down to Avernus upon his untimely death. 
  Normally the souls of the damned fall in the River Styx, 
  However, Horatio was only lightly weighed down by sin 
  and was blown off course by a breeze. He has been hiding 
  out ever since.
  Horatio’s Help
  Horatio is cowardly but has done some exploration. He 
  can tell the characters the location of one nearby hazard 
  or other significant landmark, but the characters must 
  provide him with some emotional gratification first. They 
  can do that by acknowledging his superior intellect, 
  validating his view that this is all a delusion, expressing 
  great sympathy for his misfortunes.
   Horatio refuses to travel with the characters, as this 
  would “pander” to his delusion.
  Celestial Spy
  Allisatillmia, a planetar, is in Avernus to watch the Blood 
  War and Zariel. The angel has orders from superiors 
  in Mount Celestia to remain passive in the conflict and 
  not interfere directly. She stays invisible as she watches 
  the characters unless the characters travel with Lulu 
  or carry the Sword of Zariel, in which case Allisatillmia 
  appears before them. The angel introduces herself and 
  asks if the characters plan to redeem Zariel (and because 
  of her Divine Awareness trait, she knows the truth of 
  their answer). If the characters answer with honesty 
  that they plan to redeem Zariel, the angel bestows a 
  blessing of protection on the character who answers (see 
  “Blessings” in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide) 
  before turning invisible and going back to her work. If the 
  characters attack, the angel flees.
  Days of Hunter
  The characters hear a disembodied voice say, “Have 
  you encountered an elven vampire in your travels?” The 
  speaker is an invisible orthon (see appendix A) named 
  Balioch, who has been tasked by Bel to locate Jander 
  Sunstar (see chapter 3 of Baldur’s Gate: Descent into 
  Avernus). The orthon is currently invisible.
   If the characters know where Jander is and tell the 
  orthon, it heads there immediately. Otherwise, it decides 
  to allow itself a few hours of recreation, and says:
  “I will give you a reasonable chance. You may have a one-
  hour head start before I come for you. If you can evade me 
  for four hours, you may live.”
  The orthon then waits for the characters to leave. When 
  they are 200 feet away, it fires a tracking bolt from its 
  infernal crossbow at the character with the lowest 
  apparent AC. If it misses, it keeps firing until it hits.
  Orthon Tactics
  When the hour is up, the orthon comes after the party. 
  After locating them, it plays cat-and-mouse with them 
  for a while, firing concussion bolts ahead of them, or 
  entangling the weakest member of the party and taunting 
  the rest to leave that person behind.
   When it tires of this game it sets out to destroy the 
  party. Its tactic is to weaken them from a distance with 
  concussion and acid bolts, before tying them down with 
  entanglement, then closing to finish them off with its 
  infernal dagger.
  Treasure
  The orthon has five soul coins.
  Demon Skiff
  The characters encounter a skiff of demons looking 
  for a fight. Roll or choose on the Demon Crew table to 
  determine what demons are on the boat. These demons 
  attack characters they notice. Each flees when it is 
  reduced to half its hit points.
   The boat has the statistics of a keelboat (see “Owning 
  a Ship” in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide) and 
  is piloted by a merrenoloth (see appendix A) that tries 
  to stay out of combat. The demons pay the merrenoloth 
  50 gp a day to ferry them. If the characters offer the 
  merrenoloth more than this, the yugoloth betrays the 
  demons.
  Demon Crew
  d6
  Demons
  1
  4d10 dretches
  2
  1 barlgura and 2d6 dretches
  3
  2 barlguras and 2d4 manes
  4
  1 hezrou and 1d4 + 2 dretches
  5
  1 hezrou and 2d4 manes
  6
  1 glabrezu and 2d4 manes
  Devil Patrol Boat
  The characters encounter a boat of devils patrolling 
  the river looking for a fight. Roll or choose on the Devil 
  Crew table to determine the number and type of devils 
  on the boat. The boat has the statistics of a keelboat (see 
  “Owning a Ship” in chapter 5 of the Dungeon Master’s 
  Guide) and is piloted by a merrenoloth (see appendix A) 
  that tries to stay out of combat.
   When the characters encounter the boat, there is a 50 
  percent chance the fiends do not attack right away. The 
  devils may offer a deal to let the characters pass without 
  further incident. If a fight breaks out, the devils flee when 
  more than half their number fall.
   The devils pay the merrenoloth 100 gp a day to ferry 
  them. If the characters offer the merrenoloth more than 
  this, the yugoloth betrays the devils.
  
  chapter 2 | river styx encounters
  13
  Devil Crew
  d10
  Crew
  1–5
  1d4 + 2 bearded devils
  6–8
  2 barbed devils and 2d4 lemures
  9–10
  1 chain devil and 2d4 lemures
  Drowned Satchel
  A dyed-green leather satchel has washed upon the 
  river’s shore. Inside is a small pouch filled with dried 
  wildflowers, a gold locket, and a bloated, waterlogged 
  journal. Inside the locket is a portrait of a young man. 
  The journal is mostly unreadable, but there is a name, 
  “Ophelia,” inscribed on the inside of the cover.
  Treasure
  The locket is worth 15 gp.
  Fapplestamp Twins
  The rocky ground before the party erupts as an enormous 
  bulette burrows out. The bulette goes unnaturally still, as 
  if frozen, and the characters hear a whirring sound that 
  slowly winds down.
   Give the characters a round to react. After that a hatch 
  on top of the bulette pops open and two neutral rock 
  gnome mages, one male and one female, stick their 
  heads out. They introduce themselves as Zook and Ella 
  Fapplestamp.
  The Fapplestamp Story
  The Fapplestamps are twins from Faerûn. Zook is a 
  successful miner, while Ella is a brilliant artificer who 
  converted a dead bulette into this extraordinary mining 
  machine. With it, they enjoyed enormous success, but 
  they wanted more.
   Zook became convinced that the ground in Avernus 
  would be full of diamonds. They arranged for a Red 
  Wizard to teleport them here with their amazing machine. 
  The same wizard was meant to be meet them a tenday 
  later to bring them home, but missed the rendezvous.
   Believing themselves abandoned, the Fapplestamps 
  have travelled across Avernus for the last few months, 
  seeking a way home while continuing to mine for 
  diamonds.
   They buy provisions from the Wandering Emporium. 
  In combat, their machine has the same statistics as a 
  regular bulette. Despite their rather dire situation, the 
  Fapplestamps are both unflappably optimistic.
  The Fapplestamp Offer
  Assuming a friendly dialogue is established, the 
  Fapplestamps offer to take the characters to any one 
  location in Avernus in return for their help getting back to 
  Faerûn.
   Although bulette is enormous, much of the inside of the 
  creature is filled with complex machinery. There is room 
  for the characters inside the machine, but it is cozy.
  Treasure
  As well as various provisions and tools, the Fapplestamps 
  have 5,000 gp worth of rough diamonds, as well as ten 
  polished and cut diamonds worth 400 gp each.
  For the Glory of Ysgard
  The Heroic Domains of Ysgard are home to the souls of 
  those who can imagine no greater afterlife than valorous 
  combat unending. A group of warriors from that plane 
  of eternal combat have traveled to Avernus in search of 
  greater glory still. In the minds of these warriors, bards 
  will sing songs about the heroic deeds they perform in 
  Avernus in the beer halls of Ysgard for all eternity.
   Dressed in animal hides and mighty horned helmets, 
  these overzealous warriors dock on the banks of the Styx 
  in a mighty galley the moment they see a group of devils, 
  and attack all in sight. When they see the characters, 
  they assume they are also foes, and attack instantly. A 
  character that tries to convince the Ysgardians that they 
  aren’t enemies can make a DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) 
  check as an action, halting their attack on a success.
   Roll a d4 to determine what kind of warriors emerge 
  from the Ysgardian galley. If the warriors are bested in 
  combat or convinced that their attack was mistaken, their 
  leader gives the characters a horn of Valhalla that can 
  summon spectral warriors of Ysgard to aid in battle.
  Ysgardian Warriors
  d4
  Warriors
  1
  2d4 + 2 berserkers led by a bandit captain named 
  Gallart. The horn of Valhalla is silver.
  2
  3d4 + 3 berserkers led by a gladiator named Hilda. 
  The horn of Valhalla is brass.
  3
  4d4 + 4 berserkers led by a frost giant named 
  Grogdiabelle. The horn of Valhalla is bronze.
  4
  5d4 + 5 berserkers led by an empyrean named 
  Thyrsus. The horn of Valhalla is iron.
  Gramma Valor’s Barge
  A night hag known as Gramma Valor drives her supply 
  barge, Pus Purveyor, through Avernus upon the River 
  Styx, selling supplies and smuggling contraband 
  across enemy lines for the highest bidder. She has no 
  allegiances, save for her loyalty to her own profits. Her 
  barge is crewed by her “sons,” a group of ten unpleasant 
  rutterkins (see appendix A). If the characters encounter 
  them multiple times, Valor’s ship has 1d4 fewer rutterkins 
  aboard each time, as the Blood War claims them.
   Gramma Valor’s supply barge has all types of weapons, 
  armor, and tools in the Player’s Handbook available for 
  purchase, as well as several special items. Roll 1d4 to 
  determine what type of special goods are available, rolled 
  on the random magic items tables in chapter 7 of the 
  Dungeon Master’s Guide.
  Gramma Valor’s Special Goodies
  d4
  Item
  1
  Roll four times on Magic Item Table B. She sells these 
  items for 1,000 gp each, or 500 gp for a single-use item.
  2
  Roll three times on Magic Item Table C. She sells these 
  items for 1,500 gp each, or 750 gp for a single-use item.
  3
  Roll twice on Magic Item Table F. She sells these items 
  for 2,000 gp each, or 1,000 gp for a single-use item.
  4
  Roll once on Magic Item Table G. She sells these items 
  for 5,000 gp each, or 2,500 gp for a single-use item.
  
  chapter 2 | river styx encounters
  14
  Hydroloth
  A hydroloth (see appendix A) swims on the river, looking 
  for someone to hire it. If it spots the characters, the 
  yugoloth approaches and makes a pitch to be hired as a 
  guide and guardian. The hydroloth asks for 500 gp a day, 
  but a successful DC 14 Charisma (Persuasion) check 
  convinces the fiend to lower its rates to 250 gp a day. If the 
  characters agree, the hydroloth serves them loyally each 
  day provided it is paid and another party doesn’t offer the 
  fiend a better deal (which the fiend immediately accepts).
   If the characters refuse the hydroloth’s offer, the fiend 
  attacks, hoping to force them into an agreement. The 
  hydroloth fights until the characters accept a deal or it is 
  reduced to 30 hit points then flees.
  I’m the Captain Now
  An abandoned boat floats slowly along the shore of the 
  River Styx. If a character approaches within 20 feet of the 
  boat, enemies appear and attack. Roll 1d4 to determine 
  the type of enemy:
  1. 
  1d3 hell hounds
  2. 
  4d6 lemures
  3. 
  1d4 spined devils
  4. 
  1 mezzoloth
  Cursed Oars
  Inside the boat is a pair of smooth wooden oars. A detect 
  magic spell marks them as holding a cursed enchantment. 
  A character holding both oars must make a successful DC 
  15 Wisdom saving throw or be affected by the fiendish 
  curse. For the next 24 hours, the cursed creature is at 
  disadvantage to Intelligence and Wisdom saving throws. 
  In addition, they are poisoned whenever they are more 
  than 100 feet away from the River Styx.
   At the end of the 24 hours, the creature is transformed 
  into a merrenoloth (see appendix A) contracted as the 
  new captain of the abandoned ship. Though the oars 
  and ship are immune to damage or magical effects, a 
  character can be freed from the curse with a remove 
  curse spell or similar effect.
  Lost Assassin
  Mei Wind (chaotic evil female human assassin affected 
  by the feeblemind spell) wanders the banks of the River 
  Styx wearing a blank expression. She attacks creatures 
  that attack her first, but has a pleasant disposition 
  otherwise. She remembers nothing about her personal 
  history including her name, how she came to Avernus, 
  and why she is in the Nine Hells. She cannot speak or 
  communicate in any intelligible way, but if the characters 
  are kind to her, Mei Wind travels with and aids them.
   In truth Mei Wind is cultist of Baphomet who came to 
  Avernus to prove herself to the Horned King. She believed 
  if she killed Baphomet’s enemies, the demon prince would 
  reward her by transforming her into a minotaur. That 
  plan went awry when a devil cast Mei Wind into the River 
  Styx, causing her to lose all her memories. If Mei Wind’s 
  memories are restored, her mission comes back to her. 
  She plays coy, but betrays the characters the first chance 
  she gets, hoping to sacrifice them to Baphomet.
   Mei Wind has a tattoo of a labyrinth on her back, which 
  is only visible if she takes off her armor. A successful 
  DC 15 Intelligence (Religion) check reveals elaborate 
  labyrinths are associated with the demon lord Baphomet.
  Malignant Tributary
  The characters’ way is blocked by a slow-moving stream 
  of bloody sludge that feeds into the Styx. The local fiends 
  call it the Malignant Tributary. Rivers and pools like it well 
  up from the ground all over Avernus, providing the devils 
  with a ready source of nourishment.
   The tributary is 20 feet wide and 9 feet deep at the 
  midpoint. Swimming in it causes no harm, although it is 
  quite repulsive.
   Any character drinking from the river must make a 
  DC 12 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the 
  character takes a short-term madness condition (see 
  “Madness” in chapter 8 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
   On a successful save, the character gains one of these 
  infernal traits (roll a d6):
  1. The creature gains darkvision out to a range of 120 feet.
  2. The creature can speak and understand Infernal.
  3. The creature can communicate telepathically with any 
  creature that understand a language within 120 feet.
  4. The creature gains resistance to cold damage.
  5. The creature gains resistance to bludgeoning, 
  piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that 
  aren't silvered.
  6. The creature gains immune to poison damage and the 
  poisoned condition.
   The trait lasts for 99 minutes. Any creature that 
  drinks from the river again before taking a long rest 
  automatically fails the saving throw.
  
  chapter 2 | river styx encounters
  15
  Naval Battle
  A devil patrol boat (see “Devil Patrol Boat”) battles a demon 
  skiff (see “Demon Skiff”) in the path of the characters. Roll 
  any die. On an even result, the devils are winning the battle. 
  On an odd result, the demons are winning.
  Demons
  The demons attack the characters and devils alike. Each 
  flees when reduced to half its hit points.
  Devils
  If the devils are losing the battle and notice the 
  characters, the fiends offer a deal to get the characters 
  to fight for them. Otherwise the devils take no heed of 
  the characters until the demons are defeated or the 
  characters attack the devils first. If the characters have no 
  deal with the devils, once the demons are put down, the 
  devils turn and attack the characters. The devils flee when 
  more than half their number fall.
  Onshore Barrage
  A group of fiends on the banks of the river notice the 
  characters and hurl projectiles and fire at them. Each 
  character must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving 
  throw or take 22 (4d10) piercing damage and 22 (4d10) 
  fire damage.
   If the characters are on a boat, the creature piloting the 
  boat must make a Dexterity check with vehicles (water). 
  On a failure, the ship takes 22 (4d10) piercing damage 
  and 22 (4d10) fire damage and catches on fire. While on 
  fire, the ship and all creatures touching it take 5 (1d10) 
  fire damage on initiative count 0. On a success, the ship 
  takes half damage and is not on fire.
  Released
  While traveling the banks of the River Styx, the characters 
  hear a plaintive, inhuman wail, followed by the crashing of 
  waves and a peal of thunder. A kraken flails in the shallows 
  of the Styx while a crew of yugoloths upon a galley made of 
  pitch-black wood sails beside it, hurling harpoons.
   A crew of ten mezzoloths commanded by a 
  merrenoloth (see appendix A) are trying to use their 
  tridents and cloudkill spells to subdue the kraken. The 
  kraken has been reduced to half its hit points by the 
  brawl, and is using its Lightning Storm action to try and 
  destroy the yugoloths’ boat. The kraken must make a DC 
  15 Intelligence saving throw at the start of each of its 
  turns to resist the forgetful effects of the River Styx, as 
  described in chapter 2 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide.
   If the characters don’t get involved in the conflict, the 
  kraken sinks the yugoloth galley after 1 minute of combat, 
  unless it succumbs to the waters of the Styx, then leaves 
  the river. When the kraken pulls itself out of the Styx, it 
  crawls across Avernus searching for a lair where it can 
  gather allies and plot its escape from the Nine Hells. Once 
  the kraken finds a lair, regional effects begin to warp the 
  area around it after 1d10 days.
   The kraken is named Karraquas, and it doesn’t know 
  how it found itself in the River Styx. It only knows that 
  it was tearing apart a ship on the high seas one minute, 
  and found itself in Avernus the next. If the characters are 
  willing to become allies of the kraken, it helps them in 
  their quest in exchange for favors, for the air in Avernus is 
  dry and deadly to a creature of the deep sea.
  Soul Shower
  A huge number of screaming, translucent, humanoids 
  shower down from the sky into the River Styx. These 
  are the souls of the damned, recently deceased and now 
  going to their fate. There are 4d6 x 10 souls in total, 
  and it takes 1 minute for them all to fall into the river. 
  Another 1 minute after the first, the souls begin crawling 
  out of the river, transformed into lemures. They emerge 
  at a rate of 2d6 per round and immediately attack any 
  characters within sight.
  Wandering Spirit
  The characters spot a lost ghost (of a humanoid race of 
  the DM’s choice) following the banks of the River Styx, 
  trying to get out of Avernus to a safer plane of existence 
  and better afterlife. Roll any die:
  • On an even result, the ghost hails the characters and 
  begs for an escort to the edge of Avernus so it can leave 
  the Nine Hells. If the characters help, the grateful ghost 
  gives one of the characters a charm of feather falling (see 
  “Charms” in chapter 7 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
  • On an odd result, the ghost has been driven mad by its 
  time in Avernus and attacks the characters, fighting to 
  the death.
  Yeenoghu’s Monster
  If Crokek’toeck (see appendix A) has been freed from 
  the Bleeding Citadel (see chapter 4 of Baldur’s Gate: 
  Descent into Avernus), the characters find this monster in 
  their path. If the monster is imprisoned or dead, treat this 
  result as no encounter.
  
  chapter 3 | elturel encounters
  16
  The following encounters can occur as the 
  characters rest or travel the streets of Elturel while it is 
  in Avernus. See chapter 2 of Baldur’s Gate: Descent into 
  Avernus for a description of the city and its locations.
  Elturel Encounters
  d100
  Encounter
  01–04
  A River Ran Through It
  05–09
  Abandoned Trunk
  10–13
  Alchemist Shop
  14–17
  Execution
  18–21
  Fiendish Trap
  22–26
  Forbidden Delights
  27–31
  Hellfire Burning
  32–35
  Hellrider Uprising
  36–39
  Injured Knight
  40–43
  Jailbreak
  44–47
  Keeper of the Keys
  48–52
  Kid Warlock
  53–57
  Mad Cultists
  58–62
  Missing Imp
  63–67
  Nasty Weather
  68–72
  Nycaloth Thugs
  73–76
  Obsessed Avenger
  77–80
  Priestess of Lathander
  81–85
  Rakshasa Hustler
  86–90
  Skeleton Bonfire
  91–95
  Thief of Ivory Wings
  96–100
  Wild Beasts
  Encounter Descriptions
  Following are the encounters in alphabetical order.
  A River Ran Through It
  Alta Tron, a chaotic neutral female human enchanter 
  (see appendix A), approaches the characters, introducing 
  herself as a mystical engineer and claiming to have 
  developed a device that can allow a group safe passage 
  across the rift separating the east and west sides of the 
  city. If the characters agree to help Alta successfully test 
  the device, she agrees to build the characters one for 
  their own.
   Though extremely skilled, the engineer is a bit mad and 
  suffers from bouts of delusions of grandeur. A successful 
  DC 14 Wisdom (Insight) check notices something a bit off 
  about her.
   The device is intended to create an invisible bridge across 
  the rift that lasts for five minutes. Examination of the rune-
  covered metallic device reveals no useful information, as 
  there is no way of surmising how it was built.
  The Experiment
  When activated, the device indeed creates a magical 
  bridge that cannot be seen by any means other than with 
  truesight. The bridge, unknowingly to the party, extends 
  only 50 feet across. A character crossing the bridge 
  must make a successful DC 12 Dexterity saving throw to 
  notice. In addition, after five rounds, the bridge begins to 
  collapse. A successful DC 13 Wisdom (Perception) check 
  notices small wisps of smoke coming out of the machine, 
  while a successful DC 13 Intelligence (Arcana) check 
  discovers there are only moments left before the device 
  fails. Characters on the bridge when the device begins to 
  Chapter 3: Elturel Encounters
  
  chapter 3 | elturel encounters
  17
  fail can rush back to solid ground with a successful DC 
  14 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. 
  Characters that fail and cannot fly, levitate, or teleport fall 
  several hundred feet into the River Styx (see chapter 3 of 
  Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus).
  Attracting the Guards
  During the test, there’s a 1 in 10 chance the party is 
  noticed by the guards stationed on Torm’s Bridges, 
  attracting a patrol of 2d4 spined devils.
  Treasure
  If the characters attempted to help Alta in good faith, 
  they’re rewarded with an uncommon magical item of the 
  DM’s choice.
  Abandoned Trunk
  There is a small, dusty trunk sitting on the side of the 
  street, made from gray wood with a tarnished bronze 
  latch and no lock. Roll a d4 to determine the contents.
  1. 
  A set of antique silverware, worth 240 gp.
  2. 
  A complete set of the Encyclopedia Esoterica, worth 
  150 gp to the right buyer.
  3. 
  The trunk is a mimic with 90 hit points.
  4. 
  As the characters approach the trunk, a desperate-
  looking human gladiator with a tattooed face pushes 
  past and says, “I saw it first!” Inside is the corpse of a 
  small dog.
  Alchemist Shop
  The characters pass a building that emits a sweet 
  smell. The building’s locked door can be opened with 
  a successful DC 15 Dexterity check by a character 
  proficient with thieves’ tools, or smashed down with a DC 
  20 Strength (Athletics) check.
   Once inside, the characters see the building was 
  obviously an alchemist’s shop. No one is inside, and most 
  of the chemicals and equipment were destroyed.
  Treasure
  There is a single intact cask brimming with alchemist’s 
  fire. There is enough liquid in the cask to fill ten glass 
  vials, which can be found with a quick search of shelves. 
  Alternatively, the entire cask can be detonated, having the 
  same effect as a fireball spell (spell save DC 15).
  Execution
  Three bearded devils make preparations to execute 
  Tyara Twinfall (lawful good female human priest with no 
  spell slots remaining) by hanging her with a chain from a 
  building. The devils caught Tyara, a priestess of Torm in 
  her sixties, sprinkling holy water on corpses in Elturel’s 
  graveyard (area E7) to prevent them from coming back as 
  undead. They plan to display Tyara’s corpse as a warning 
  to the rest of the citizens of Elturel.
   If the devils notice the characters, they attack. When 
  one devil remains, it flees.
   If the characters free Tyara, she thanks them and tells 
  them the dead are rising in Elturel’s graveyard. The 
  priestess begs the characters to do something about the 
  undead if they have not already explored the graveyard 
  (see chapter 2 in Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus). 
  After she chats with the characters Tyara leaves to find a 
  safe place to rest.
  Fiendish Trap
  The characters come across a human with a rope around 
  his neck hanging from a tree. His hands grasp the rope 
  at his throat, allowing him to breathe, but his is obviously 
  losing his fight to survive.
   Two barghests (see appendix A) in goblin form hide and 
  watch the struggling victim, hoping that his predicament 
  draws out other survivors for the pair to kill, extort, or 
  torment. They were planning to sneak into Elturel and eat 
  some innocent souls at the fateful moment when the city 
  came to Avernus.
   The human is Alihor (neutral good commoner), a tailor 
  who survived the trip to the Nine Hells but could not find 
  a safe place to hide. He is cowardly and traumatized by 
  the experience.
  Forbidden Delights
  The party finds a torn piece of parchment on the road 
  depicting an advertisement for a magician-run pastry shop 
  called Forbidden Delights. If the party heads to the shop, 
  they find it locked, but after one round, the proprietor 
  opens the door and beckons them to come inside.
   Bulmor, the human proprietor, and his two sisters, 
  Tevra and Maribe, claim to be hiding from devil patrols, 
  but are actually three dybbuk (see appendix A) spies that 
  killed the real owners and possessed their corpses. They 
  attempt to lure the party far enough into the shop before 
  locking the door and attacking.
   A character who spends 1 minute searching the shop 
  and makes a successful DC 12 Intelligence (Investigation) 
  check finds 1d4 intact magical pastries, each with the 
  effects of a specific potion when they’re consumed. As 
  they’re unmarked, their effects on are unknown. Upon 
  consumption, roll a d6 to determine the pastry’s effects:
  d6
  Effect
  1.
  potion of greater healing
  2.
  potion of diminution
  3.
  potion of poison
  4.
  elixir of health
  5.
  potion of growth
  6.
  philter of love
  Hellfire Burning
  A group of commoners are gathered outside a building 
  ablaze with red and green flames. They tell the party 
  they heard cries for help coming from within. If the party 
  chooses to investigate, roll a d4 to determine the nature 
  of the fire.
  1. The building was set ablaze as a casualty from a 
  recent battle. A strange hellfire burns from within. 
  Three commoners are trapped inside different rooms 
  in the building. Each one can be located and reached 
  within two rounds with a successful DC 14 Wisdom 
  (Perception) check. A character inside the building 
  must make a successful DC 13 Dexterity saving throw 
  at the start of each round or take 3d6 fire damage 
  from the writhing hellfire. Commoners not located 
  within 2 minutes perish in the fire.
  
  chapter 3 | elturel encounters
  18
  2. A barbed devil is inside the building, pursuing two 
  commoners fleeing it.
  3. The fire is caused by a backlash from a summoning 
  ritual performed by a demonic cult fanatic and three 
  cultists. A summoned barlgura is within as well. 
  The DM can choose the demon’s level of alliance 
  with the cultists.
  4. Two rounds after anyone enters the building, the fire 
  erupts in a catastrophic explosion.  Each creature 
  within must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, 
  taking 17 (5d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as 
  much on a successful one. Climbing out of the debris 
  takes three rounds. Each round, creatures in the 
  debris must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving 
  throw or take 10 (3d6) poison damage from smoke 
  and debris inhalation.
  Hellrider Uprising
  A group of three Hellriders (knights) each mounted on 
  a warhorse are losing a battle with six spined devils. 
  If the devils notice the characters, four of them attack 
  the characters while the others continue to battle the 
  Hellriders.
   If the characters aid the Hellriders in defeating their 
  foes, the knights thank the characters, giving them any 
  advice about the city they have to offer before riding off 
  in search of other fiends (see chapter 2 in Baldur’s Gate: 
  Descent into Avernus).
   If the characters do not aid the Hellriders, the Hellriders 
  lose the battle.
  Injured Knight
  As the characters turn a corner, they see a human knight 
  fell a bearded devil, just as the knight is struck with the 
  devil’s glaive. The knight falls even though she does not 
  look very injured.
   The knight is Beryl Corth (lawful good female human 
  knight), and she is suffering from an infernal wound from 
  the devil’s glaive. The wound continues bleeding (1d10 
  damage per round) until it is treated with a successful DC 
  12 Wisdom (Medicine) check or Beryl receives magical 
  healing. She has 40 hit points when the characters 
  encounter her.
   If the characters can save her, she tells them that she 
  has been wandering the city, looking for survivors and 
  fighting monsters. She knows little else of the happenings 
  elsewhere.
  Jailbreak
  Cries for help emerge from a building bearing a sign that 
  reads, “Elturel Jail.” When the characters enter, they see 
  five humans in a cell. Four of the humans assault the fifth 
  who is curled up in the corner.
   These five were spending the night in jail when Elturel 
  came to Avernus. The guards perished, and they have not 
  been able to escape their locked and barred cell. Some 
  kind survivors have brought them water, but now they are 
  out of food and no one has come by recently. Four of the 
  prisoners have decided that the only means of survival is 
  making a meal of the fifth.
   The prisoners (commoners) can be talked out of their 
  plans with a successful DC 10 Charisma (Persuasion) 
  check, or if the characters offer them food or freedom. 
  The cell’s lock can be picked with a successful DC 15 
  Dexterity check with thieves’ tools.
  Keeper of the Keys
  A chain devil wandering the streets of Elturel named 
  Luchetto makes eye contact with a character and 
  communicates the following message telepathically: 
  “Keys for sale. You interested?”
  
   Luchetto wears a leather coat lined with keys of all 
  shapes and sizes, made of various materials. Some are 
  shiny and brand new; others are rusted and splattered with 
  blood. Luchetto is a “collector” and hopes that someday 
  he can find a key to unbind his chains. He appreciates the 
  craft that goes into key-making and wants to make some 
  easy money. Each key costs 1 sp. Luchetto is also willing 
  to trade a key for a key. There is a 50 percent chance 
  Luchetto has a key that could help the characters.
  Kid Warlock
  A child wearing dark robes inscribed with silver sigils 
  approaches the characters. She claims to be a warlock and 
  demands they help her. Roll a d4 to determine her identity.
  1. She is an ordinary child (noncombatant), but the 
  stress of the situation has led her poor mind to 
  imagine she is a powerful warlock. She commands the 
  characters to procure a large supply of boiled sweets 
  for her, or face her patron’s wrath.
  2. She is not a child but a halfling warlock of the archfey 
  (see appendix A). While fighting a group of ogres 
  near Daggerdale, a miscast misty step spell saw her 
  accidentally transported to Elturel just before it shifted 
  to Avernus. She has no money or supplies but offers 
  to help the characters achieve their immediate goal if 
  they promise to take her back home when they leave.
  3. She is a warlock of the archfey (see appendix A) and 
  a child prodigy with magic. Her father (along with 
  4d6 other commoners) is being held by four bearded 
  devils in an old villa in the southern part of the city. 
  The devils plan to sell them all into slavery. She pleads 
  with the characters to help her free her father and 
  offers magical favors in return.
  4. She is a succubus disguised as a very young warlock. 
  She claims to have been orphaned in the disaster and 
  offers to help the party if they let her join them. She 
  plans to secretly charm one of the characters and use 
  that person to rob them all.
  Mad Cultists
  Most of the citizens of Elturel who survived the trip to 
  Avernus either fled to the High Hall, locked themselves 
  in their homes or businesses to hide, or perished at the 
  hands of fiendish creatures in the days since their arrival.
   A few, however, went mad. Zariel sensed this madness 
  and sent these people mad visions that drive their actions. 
  These people have carved an image of a sword into their 
  foreheads and roam the streets, slaughtering anything 
  in their path – although Zariel has ordered her devilish 
  servants to give them pass.
   The characters see five cult fanatics beating on doors, 
  breaking windows, and otherwise wreaking havoc. If the 
  fanatics see the characters, they immediately attack. If 
  defeated and questioned, the cult fanatics ramble madly 
  about fallen angels, flaming swords, and the entire city 
  being plunged into the Styx to be “purified and made one 
  with the darkness.”
  Missing Imp
  A cloaked human woman approaches the party and asks 
  if they've seen an imp. The woman is Amira (neutral 
  warlock of the Great Old One in appendix A) and looking 
  for her familiar, an imp named Chernok. Amira says that 
  Chernok was “killed” in battle but when she cast her 
  find familiar spell, he didn't return to her, so she came to 
  Avernus to retrieve him.
   There are many imps in Avernus. What differentiates 
  Chernok is his droopy right ear. Characters can make a 
  successful DC 16 Wisdom (Survival) check to track him 
  during their travels. According to Amira, he also loves 
  chocolate and gold coins. Amira gives them a sending 
  stone to notify her if they find Chernok, and offers the 
  party her services as a reward.
   If identified, Chernok is at first reluctant to return to 
  Amira, annoyed that he was sent back to the Nine Hells. 
  He lured his keeper here as payback, but a successful 
  DC 15 Charisma (Intimidation or Persuasion) convinces 
  Chernok to return to Amira.
  Nasty Weather
  The characters are walking down the street when acidic 
  rain begins falling from the sky. A balding human man 
  in a fur robe stands in the doorway of a little terrace and 
  beckons them inside to escape the weather. He cryptically 
  says that they might also learn something to their 
  advantage. Roll a d4 to determine the man’s identity.
  1. He is a vampire spawn and attacks the party as soon 
  as he secures the front door. He has a stash of 150 gp.
  2. He is a enchanter (see appendix A) who casts a 5th 
  level charm person spell in order to charm the entire 
  party. If the enchantment succeeds, he takes the party 
  to a nearby group of four bearded devils, offering 
  them as prisoners in return for his own freedom.
  3. He is a priest who worships the same deity as 
  one of the characters.  The deity 
  has instructed him to give the 
  characters a special blessing, 
  which grants each of them 2d8 
  temporary hit points.
  4. He is a Harper spy and has a 
  secret chamber beneath his 
  floor. He won’t accompany 
  the party but allows them 
  to use his secret chamber 
  to safely rest.
  
  chapter 3 | elturel encounters
  20
  Nycaloth Thugs
  Eldizon and Merrowdown, two nycaloths, see Elturel’s 
  predicament as their golden opportunity. The pair 
  deserted their brigade in the Blood War battle to travel 
  to the city. Now that they’re here, they plan to use force, 
  guile, or both to take the city. Then they can hand it over 
  to the highest bidder and move to a plane with lots of 
  sunshine and refreshing drinks.
   When the nycaloths spot the characters, the pair follow 
  invisibly then wait for the characters to split up or rest. 
  The yugoloths appear and threaten the smallest group of 
  characters for money, magic items, or Lulu. The nycaloths 
  are cowards. As soon as one is reduced to less than half 
  its hit points, both flee.
  Obsessed Avenger
  When Elturel came to Avernus, retired adventurer 
  Estellen Sohl was sitting down to eat with her family. A 
  lawful good human mage of no small power, Estellen was 
  able to protect her family for a short time, but recently 
  devils overran her home and killed them.
   Mad with grief, Estellen now wanders the streets, 
  killing any devils, demons, or other evil creatures she can 
  find. She knows the tricks of devils well, so she assumes 
  anyone she encounters to be a devil in disguise.
   When they meet her, the characters must converse with 
  Estellen with great care. If they say or do anything that 
  can be misconstrued as an evil or treacherous act, she 
  acts them immediately. Estellen has only one spell slot of 
  each level remaining.
   A successful DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check 
  can reassure the mage, or a DC 15 Wisdom (Medicine) 
  check can diagnose Estellen’s madness. Even if dealt 
  with carefully, Estellen wants to die killing as many of the 
  fiends as possible. Characters might be able, however, to 
  point her in a direction that favors them.
  Priestess of Lathander
  The characters encounter Mona Kirando (lawful good 
  female human priest) as she attempts to lead a family 
  of four homeless commoners (named Brella, Fargus, 
  Tomdon, and Yan) to safety.
   If the middle-aged priestess of Lathander notices the 
  characters, Mona introduces herself. If the characters 
  are kind to her, Mona offers her spells to heal them. If the 
  characters threaten the NPCs or commit any evil acts in 
  her presence, Mona takes no chances and attacks while 
  yelling for her companions to flee.
  Rakshasa Hustler
  Jalrai is a rakshasa who sees Elturel’s plight as an 
  opportunity to get rich. When the city falls, she plans to 
  take her money to the Material Plane and use it to hire an 
  army of minions.
   Jalrai searches Elturel in the form of a wood elf priestess 
  of Tyr named Calissa Arven. She convinces survivors to 
  trust her and give her access to their hiding places. When 
  she finds their refuges, she devours them and takes their 
  belongings, storing them in a portable hole.
   The characters encounter Jalrai as she leaves a 
  residence where she just devoured a family of four. When 
  the rakshasa notices the characters, she offers to travel 
  with them and aid them on whatever quest they have. A 
  successful DC 20 Wisdom (Insight) check reveals her as 
  a fiend. Jalrai does not attack the characters if confronted; 
  instead she flies or uses plane shift to escape.
  Skeleton Bonfire
  A pile of mortal bodies fuels an infernal bonfire in the 
  middle of a street. The fire is clearly not natural. A detect 
  magic spell reveals that an aura of necromancy magic 
  radiates from the fire. When the characters get near it, 
  1d6 skeletons emerge from the fire and attack (they have 
  no ranged weapons). Every round thereafter on initiative 
  count 20, another 1d6 skeletons emerge and attack.
   This continues until a bless spell or similar magic is 
  cast upon the corpses. A successful DC 15 Intelligence 
  (Religion) check made as an action to say a suitable 
  prayer of rest also stops the spawning of more skeletons 
  as the magical fire is quelled.
  Treasure
  If the pyre is calmed, the characters can search the pile 
  and find jewelry and coins worth a total of 400 gp.
  Thief of Ivory Wings
  Several months before Elturel was dragged into Avernus, 
  an unscrupulous hunter named Emarki Langridere 
  (neutral evil male human) captured a pegasus and hid it 
  in his cellar, to sell it later on the black market in Baldur’s 
  Gate. He was killed by demons in Elturel’s descent, but 
  was reborn as a devil with a tiny fragment of his former 
  memories.
   Now an imp, Langridere has slowly made his way 
  from the Styx to Elturel, and is searching for his half-
  remembered cellar. A character in Elturel with a passive 
  Wisdom (Perception) score of 15 or higher notices that a 
  horned devil that was flying in circles for hours (maybe 
  even days!) has suddenly flown with incredible purpose 
  towards a house on the outskirts of the city.
   Characters who pursue find that the invisible imp has 
  convinced a horned devil to help it find the lost pegasus. 
  The horned devil has smashed open the cellar door and 
  is dragging the chained and muzzled pegasus out into the 
  streets. If they save the pegasus, it tells them its name is 
  Polydamas and agrees to be the steed of any good-aligned 
  character, especially an elf or half-elf, while they search 
  for a way out of Avernus.
  Wild Beasts
  A travelling zoo was performing in Elturel when the city 
  was dragged to Avernus. Several of the beasts escaped, 
  and they now roam the streets hunting for food.
   Two saber-toothed tigers and four lions hunt in a 
  pack, taking down anything in their path. An individual 
  creature can be brought to heel with a successful DC 15 
  Wisdom (Animal Handling) check. However, the madness 
  of Avernus makes the beasts incapable of pushing down 
  their primal urges for long.
  
  chapter 4 | encounter chains
  21
  Chapter 4: Encounter Chains
  The following encounters chains consist of several 
  smaller encounters linked together by the same story in 
  Avernus. There are two encounter chains that could be 
  fleshed out into longer adventures if you so desire.
  Dragon Queen’s Chosen
  The characters discover that words have been carved into 
  one of the monolithic boulders that dot the wastelands of 
  Avernus. The script reads, “Prove yourself worthy of being 
  my chosen,” and seems to have been carved into the stone 
  by a massive claw.
   The start of this encounter chain is suitable for 
  characters of 7th level. If the characters are already 
  8th level or higher, you can play any of the earlier 
  encounters in this encounter chain out of order by using 
  the encounter building rules in chapter 3 of the Dungeon 
  Master’s Guide to add more foes.
  Pearlescent Devotion
  Later on the same day the characters discovered the 
  message clawed into the boulder, they are attacked by 
  a pair of white abishais (see appendix A). Both devils 
  attack recklessly, with a mindless intent to kill. When the 
  last is killed, a deific voice echoes from its dying maw: 
  “You are powerful, but you are not yet worthy.”
  Shadowy Death
  Once the characters reach 8th level, they are ambushed 
  by a pair of black abishais (see appendix A) in the middle 
  of a long rest. These assassins begin combat by using 
  their Creeping Darkness action option to surround the 
  characters in darkness. When the last is killed, the same 
  voice escapes from its mouth.
   “I sense great promise in you,” it rasps. “Seek out the 
  merchant with a heart of gold.”
  Venomous Wit
  Once the characters reach 10th level, they are approached 
  by a green abishai (see appendix A) named Xalgonai 
  masquerading as a human merchant from Mahadi’s 
  Wandering Emporium. This abishai claims that she “has 
  heard you are in the market for uncommon finery” and 
  offers to sell them a human heart made of solid gold for 
  10,000 gold.
   She is willing to be haggled down, reducing her price 
  by 2,000 gold every time a character makes a successful 
  DC 15 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check. Once 
  a character fails this check, she refuses to lower her 
  prices further.
   During this negotiation, the abishai subtly casts 
  dominate person on the most foolish-seeming character in 
  the party. A creature with a passive Wisdom (Perception) 
  score of 19 or higher notices that she has cast a spell. 
  Once the character is dominated, Xalgonai attacks 
  mercilessly, using confusion and other spells to keep her 
  foes at bay while her dominated ally kills them.
   When Xalgonai is killed, the deific voice of Tiamat once 
  more emerges from her and says, “You have both great 
  strength and sufficient guile. But you must grow stronger 
  still before the heart will reveal its secrets to you.” The 
  golden heart is a living but dormant creature and registers 
  as a fiend when examined by a paladin’s Divine Sense or 
  similar magic. It can’t move, can’t act, and is immune to 
  all damage and conditions.
  
  Shocking Curiosity
  Once the characters reach 12th level, the golden 
  heart begins beating. Its beating can be felt even when 
  contained in a character’s pack, and it grows faster as they 
  grow closer to Demon Zapper (see chapter 3 of Baldur’s 
  Gate: Descent into Avernus).
   A blue abishai (see appendix A) named Ceruquea lurks 
  in a cave some 200 feet away from the Demon Zapper. 
  When the characters draw near, the abishai greets them 
  like friends and explains that the heart is the current form 
  Severin Silrajin, a former leader of the Cult of Dragons 
  who tried and failed to call Tiamat into the Material Plane 
  many years ago. Tiamat transformed Severin’s soul into 
  this inert heart as punishment.
   The abishai believes that the heart could be transformed 
  if exposed to the unbridled radiant energy of the Demon 
  Zapper. If the heart comes within 100 feet of the zapper, 
  a beam of radiant light explodes from the zapper and 
  strikes the heart. Any character holding the heart at this 
  time must succeed on a DC 18 Dexterity saving throw 
  or take 260 (40d12) radiant damage, or half as much 
  damage on a successful save.
   When the heart is struck by the ray, it transforms into 
  an ioun stone of absorption made of gleaming gold. The 
  blue abishai thanks the characters for acquiring such a 
  powerful item then uses its most powerful spells to try to 
  annihilate them from a distance.
   When the abishai dies, Tiamat’s voice emerges from 
  its mouth and congratulates the characters. “You have 
  responded to treachery with lethal force. Very good. 
  However, you have seen only a fraction of my true power. 
  If you seek an audience with the Dragon Queen, travel to 
  the tower of my current champion.”
  Burning Ambition
  When the characters visit the spire of black rock that 
  houses Tiamat’s champion (see chapter 3 of Baldur’s 
  Gate: Descent into Avernus), they find its owner and his 
  allies absent. Instead, another being is awaiting their 
  arrival: a red abishai named Sut’valloth. It is ready to 
  test their might and judge their worthiness. The abishai 
  moves and acts haltingly, and speaks with the rumbling, 
  disproportionate voice of Tiamat herself—for she is using 
  the abishai as a direct conduit for her consciousness.
   The abishai attacks with a gleeful howl in the midst of 
  the pleasantries, and uses its powers of flight to burst out 
  of one of the tower’s windows after attacking. It weaves in 
  and out of the tower, goading the characters to fight in the 
  air around the tower. 
   When the abishai is killed, Tiamat animates his fallen 
  body like a puppet. He stands, a malevolent gleam in his 
  eye, and speaks to them with Tiamat’s voice. ““You are 
  indeed most worthy. Now, claim your place at my side. 
  Kneel, mortals. And rise—champions of the Dragon 
  Queen. Take this power, and use it to end the reign of 
  Zariel and make Avernus mine once more.”
   The characters each gain the ability to cast the spell 
  dragon’s breath (found in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything) 
  at 5th level with a range of Self. Once a character 
  casts this spell, they can’t cast it again until next dawn. 
  Additionally, as champions of Tiamat, they can call upon 
  her power to shatter the chains of Elturel (as described 
  in “Breaking the Chains” in chapter 5 of Baldur’s Gate: 
  Descent into Avernus) or to perform a similar task by 
  meditating in prayer for 10 minutes. The champions can 
  only make a request upon Tiamat’s power in this way 
  once, and only in Avernus.  
  Serpent of Deceit
  A host of celestial couatls followed Zariel on her doomed 
  charge into Avernus, and their numbers slowly dwindled 
  as the seemingly endless hordes of demons and devils 
  wore upon their finite ranks. Now only one of these divine 
  serpents remains—and has succumbed to evil.
   The start of this encounter chain is suitable for 
  characters of 5th level.
  Adriesta the Fallen Serpent
  This couatl hides in Mahadi’s Wandering Emporium, 
  using her Change Shape trait to take the form of a female 
  tiefling named veteran Adriesta with a red cloak and 
  buzzed-short white hair. She uses the dream spell to draw 
  adventurers to her location.
   The corrupting influence of Avernus has taken its toll 
  upon the once-pure celestial. Wicked thoughts have crept 
  into the couatl’s mind, and her will to resist has slowly 
  drained away. Adriesta seeks to pledge her service to 
  Zariel, and is in need of companions to protect her on 
  the journey to Zariel’s Flying Fortress (see chapter 3 of 
  Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus).
   Adriesta’s type is fiend, and her alignment is lawful evil. 
  As a fiendish couatl, Adriesta gains an additional action, 
  which increases her challenge rating to 5 (1,800 XP):
   Summon Fiend (1/day). Adriesta conjures two hell 
  hounds in the two unoccupied spaces closest to her.
  Opening Gambit
  While shopping in Mahadi’s Wandering Emporium, 
  the characters encounter Adriesta on the outskirts 
  
  of the emporium, gazing out onto the wastes. Before 
  the characters move on, however, they see the tiefling 
  attacked by a group of four spined devils. She is instantly 
  tackled to the ground, and seems to be in mortal danger.
   This is just a ruse; these spined devils were hired by 
  Adriesta to draw in useful patsies. Each spined devil flees 
  when reduced to half its hit points; they have no intention 
  of dying for this job. Once Adriesta is saved, she plays the 
  part of the warrior with wounded pride, downplaying the 
  danger she was in and ruefully thanking the characters 
  for their help.
   Adriesta’s Shielded Mind trait prevents anyone from 
  divining her true intentions until it’s too late.
  Dream of Divinity
  Now that Adriesta has met the characters, she enacts 
  phase two of her scheme: the dream of divinity. She casts 
  dream, and one of the characters receives a sleeping 
  vision of an awe-inspiring celestial serpent, coiling 
  around the imposing flying fortress of Zariel. It speaks 
  in a booming voice: “I am the Serpent of the Heavens, 
  one who followed Zariel into Avernus and lived. I know 
  you seek to perform a great task—one that involves my 
  greatest nemesis. I have entrusted a secret route to 
  Zariel’s citadel to the tiefling warrior Adriesta; find her, 
  and she will show you the true way to the fallen angel.”
   As the dream-serpent speaks, the dreamer’s vision 
  jumps from Mahadi’s Wandering Emporium, then to a 
  tower of steel that looms over the River Styx, and finally to 
  a monolithic floating fortress hovering above the riverside 
  tower. The serpent’s voice says, “I entrust this task to you.” 
  The dream fades to black.
   When the characters awake, they are beset by a trio of 
  hell hounds that try to kill them. These fiends are servants 
  of Adriesta, who uses them to test the adventurers’ ability 
  once more. If the characters tell Lulu the hollyphant of this 
  dream, she says she doesn’t remember a creature known 
  as the Serpent of the Heavens but admits that there are 
  a lot of things she doesn’t remember. She also says that 
  seeing Zariel in person might help her remember where 
  the Sword of Zariel is hidden.
  A Quest of Feigned Virtue
  If the characters meet with Adriesta after receiving the 
  dream summons, she plays up her reluctance to go on 
  so difficult a journey, but eventually “admits” that she 
  too received a vision from the so-called Serpent of the 
  Heavens and agrees to show them the way to Zariel’s 
  citadel. She tells them—truthfully—that Zariel’s flying 
  fortress is too dangerous to be boarded while moving, but 
  that it’s guarded by only a skeleton crew while docked on 
  the banks of the Styx.
   Adriesta guides the characters to the Stygian dock 
  (see chapter 3 of Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus). 
  Along the way, however, they are beset by demons—an 
  encounter that Adriesta suspected would occur but didn’t 
  instigate. The chaos of the Blood War is the entire reason 
  why she needed the characters’ aid in the first place. Two 
  barlguras and two vrocks assail the adventurers from 
  both land and sky, seeking to suck their souls from their 
  corpses. Adriesta joins the characters in combat, using 
  her tiefling veteran form to fight back.
  
  chapter 4 | encounter chains
  24
  Boarding the Flying Fortress
  The characters reach the Stygian dock after 1d4 days 
  of grueling travel. During this time, several other 
  encounters could occur. They reach the dock early in 
  the day, and Adriesta shows them a secret way through 
  the dock that passes through hidden access tunnels that 
  completely avoids any encounters with devils or demons. 
  (The couatl learned of these passages during an attack 
  on this very dock when she was still a noble celestial 
  standing at Zariel’s side.)
   While slinking through the barely staffed fortress (see 
  “Zariel’s Flying Fortress” in chapter 3 of Baldur’s Gate: 
  Descent into Avernus), the characters are caught by a 
  pair of bearded devils patrolling the lower decks. Unless 
  these devils are killed within the first round of combat, 
  they flee and signal other patrols. If another patrol is 
  signaled, the party is attacked by a bone devil.
   If they’re defeated, the devil hauls them up to the 
  command deck to face Zariel’s wrath. In this situation 
  Zariel is out on the battlefield, and they are imprisoned 
  within a wall of force for one hour while Zariel returns—
  enough time to complete a short rest.
  The Serpent’s Betrayal
  Archduke Zariel of Avernus (see appendix A) is on the 
  fortress’s command deck. She is willing to speak with 
  these audacious mortals, whether the characters were 
  brought there in chains, or successfully snuck in. At a 
  lull in the conversation, such as when the characters run 
  out of things to say, Adriesta steps into plain view before 
  Zariel and demands to be heard.
   She speaks plainly. “I am Adriesta. In days long past I 
  fought at your side as a couatl.” She transforms into her 
  true form as a celestial serpent—but something is wrong. 
  Her scales are tarnished and her feathered wings drip 
  with blood. With a smirk she turns to the characters. “I 
  wish to serve you again. I bring these mortals to you as 
  sacrifices and as a demonstration of my power.”
   Zariel scoffs and smiles. “So be it,” she says. “Prove 
  your newfound power.”
   Adriesta uses her first action in combat to conjure two 
  hell hounds. She uses her flying speed to attack the 
  characters and then fly away while her hounds attack. 
  During this fight, Zariel watches in amusement.
   If the characters defeat Adriesta and her hounds, Zariel 
  shakes her head in dismay. “She was weak,” she says, 
  “and did not deserve a place in my legions.” Zariel then 
  gazes with a look of pride at the characters and tosses 
  them a trinket of her favor—a vicious longsword. Her 
  demeanor then shifts, and she icily demands that they 
  leave her sight and her fortress before she decides they 
  would be better off as devils in her thrall.
   If the characters decide to talk with Zariel more, 
  information on how to roleplay her is found in chapter 
  5 of Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus. The true 
  prize is that seeing Zariel sparked a memory within 
  Lulu. Wherever the next destination on the characters’ 
  path through Avernus leads them, Lulu instantly knows 
  where to go.
  
  appendix a | monsters & npcs  
  25
  Appendix A: Monsters & NPCs 
  This appendix details creatures that are not found in the 
  Monster Manual.
  Abishai
  Black Abishai
  Medium fiend (devil), lawful evil
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 58 (9d8 + 18)
  Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   14(+2) 
  17(+3) 
  14(+2) 
  13(+1) 
  16(+3) 
  11(+0)
  Saving Throws Dex +6, Wis +6
  Skills Perception +6, Stealth +6
  Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing 
  from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered
  Damage Immunities acid, fire, poison
  Condition Immunities poisoned
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16
  Languages Draconic, Infernal, telepathy 120 ft.
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
  Devil's Sight. Magical darkness doesn’t impede the 
  abishai’s darkvision.
  Magic Resistance. The abishai has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects.
  Magic Weapons. The abishai’s weapon attacks are magical.
  Shadow Stealth. While in dim light or darkness, the abishai can 
  take the Hide action as a bonus action.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The abishai makes three attacks: two with its 
  scimitar and one with its bite.
  Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) slashing damage.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  8 (1d10 + 3) piercing damage plus 9 (2d8) acid damage.
  Creeping Darkness (Recharge 6). The abishai casts darkness at 
  a point within 120 feet of it, requiring no components. Wisdom 
  is its spellcasting ability for this spell. While the spell persists, 
  the abishai can move the area of darkness up to 60 feet as a 
  bonus action.
  Blue Abishai
  Medium fiend (devil), lawful evil
  Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 195 (26d8 + 78)
  Speed 30 ft., fly 50 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   15(+2) 
  14(+2) 
  17(+3) 
  22(+6) 
  23(+6) 
  18(+4)
  Saving Throws Int +12, Wis +12
  Skills Arcana +12
  Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing 
  from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered
  Damage Immunities fire, lightning, poison
  Condition Immunities poisoned
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16
  Languages Draconic, Infernal, telepathy 120 ft.
  Challenge 17 (18,000 XP)
  Devil's Sight. Magical darkness doesn’t impede the 
  abishai’s darkvision.
  Magic Resistance. The abishai has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects.
  Magic Weapons. The abishai’s weapon attacks are magical.
  Spellcasting. The abishai is a 13th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 20, +12 to 
  hit with spell attacks). The abishai has the following wizard 
  spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): friends, mage hand, message, minor illusion, 
  shocking grasp
  1st level (4 slots): chromatic orb, disguise self, expeditious retreat, 
  magic missile, charm person, thunderwave
  2nd level (3 slots): darkness, mirror image, misty step
  3rd level (3 slots): dispel magic, fear, lightning bolt
  4th level (3 slots): dimension door, greater invisibility, ice storm
  5th level (2 slots): cone of cold, wall of force
  6th level (1 slot): chain lightning
  7th level (1 slot): teleport
  Actions
  Multiattack. The abishai makes two attacks: one with its 
  quarterstaff and one with its bite.
  Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage, or 6 (1d8 + 2) 
  bludgeoning damage if used with two hands.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  13 (2d10 + 2) piercing damage plus 14 (4d6) lightning damage.
  
  appendix a | monsters & npcs  
  26
  Green Abishai
  Medium fiend (devil), lawful evil
  Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 187 (25d8 + 75)
  Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   12(+1) 
  17(+3) 
  16(+3) 
  17(+3) 
  12(+1) 
  19(+4)
  Saving Throws Int +8, Cha +9
  Skills Deception + 9, Insight +6, Perception +6, Persuasion +9
  Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing 
  from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered
  Damage Immunities fire, poison
  Condition Immunities poisoned
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 16
  Languages Draconic, Infernal, telepathy 120 ft.
  Challenge 15 (13,000 XP)
  Devil's Sight. Magical darkness doesn’t impede the 
  abishai’s darkvision.
  Innate Spellcasting. The abishai’s innate spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma (spell save DC 17). It can innately cast the following 
  spells, requiring no material components:
  At will: alter self, major image
  3/day each: charm person, detect thoughts, fear
  1/day each: confusion, dominate person, mass suggestion
  Magic Resistance. The abishai has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects.
  Magic Weapons. The abishai’s weapon attacks are magical.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The abishai makes two attacks, one with its claws 
  and one with its longsword, or it casts one spell from its Innate 
  Spellcasting trait and makes one claw attack.
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) slashing damage, or 6 (1d10 + 1) slashing 
  damage if used with two hands.
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 12 (2d8 + 3) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it 
  must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or take 11 
  (2d10) poison damage and become poisoned for 1 minute. The 
  poisoned target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each 
  of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
  Red Abishai
  Medium fiend (devil), lawful evil
  Armor Class 22 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 255 (30d8 + 120)
  Speed 30 ft., fly 50 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   23(+6) 
  16(+3) 
  19(+4) 
  14(+2) 
  15(+2) 
  19(+4)
  Saving Throws Str +12, Con +10, Wis +8
  Skills Intimidation +10, Perception +8
  Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing 
  from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered
  Damage Immunities fire, poison
  Condition Immunities poisoned
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 18
  Languages Draconic, Infernal, telepathy 120 ft.
  Challenge 19 (22,000 XP)
  Devil's Sight. Magical darkness doesn’t impede the 
  abishai’s darkvision.
  Magic Resistance. The abishai has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects.
  Magic Weapons. The abishai’s weapon attacks are magical.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The abishai can use its Frightful Presence. It also 
  makes three attacks: one with its morningstar, one with its claw, 
  and one with its bite.
  Morningstar. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 10 (1d8 + 6) piercing damage.
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 17 (2d10 + 6) slashing damage.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 22 (5d10 + 6) piercing damage plus 38 (7d10) fire damage.
  Frightful Presence. Each creature of the abishai’s choice that 
  is within 120 feet and aware of it must succeed on a DC 18 
  Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of it for 1 minute. 
  A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its 
  turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature’s 
  saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the 
  creature is immune to the abishai’s Frightful Presence for the 
  next 24 hours.
  Incite Fanaticism. The abishai chooses up to four of its allies 
  within 60 feet of it that can see it. For 1 minute, each of those 
  allies makes attack rolls with advantage and can’t be frightened.
  Power of the Dragon Queen. The abishai targets one dragon it 
  can see within 120 feet of it. The dragon must make a DC 18 
  Charisma saving throw. A chromatic dragon makes this save 
  with disadvantage. On a successful save, the target is immune 
  to the abishai’s Power of the Dragon Queen for 1 hour. On a 
  failed save, the target is charmed by the abishai for 1 hour. While 
  charmed in this way, the target regards the abishai as a trusted 
  friend to be heeded and protected. This effect ends if the abishai 
  or its companions deal damage to the target.
  
  appendix a | monsters & npcs  
  27
  White Abishai
  Medium fiend (devil), lawful evil
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 68 (8d8 + 32)
  Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   16(+3) 
  11(+0) 
  18(+4) 
  11(+0) 
  12(+1) 
  13(+1)
  Saving Throws Str +6, Con +7
  Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from 
  nonmagical attacks that aren’t silvered
  Damage Immunities cold, fire, poison
  Condition Immunities poisoned
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11
  Languages Draconic, Infernal, telepathy 120 ft.
  Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
  Devil's Sight. Magical darkness doesn’t impede the 
  abishai’s darkvision.
  Magic Resistance. The abishai has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects.
  Magic Weapons. The abishai’s weapon attacks are magical.
  Reckless. At the start of its turn, the abishai can gain advantage 
  on all melee weapon attack rolls during that turn, but attack 
  rolls against it have advantage until the start of its next turn.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The abishai makes two attacks: one with its 
  longsword and one with its claw.
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage, or 8 (1d10 + 3) slashing 
  damage if used with two hands.
  Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) slashing damage.
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage plus 3 (1d6) cold damage.
  Reactions
  Vicious Reprisal. In response to taking damage, the abishai 
  makes a bite attack against a random creature within 5 feet 
  of it. If no creature is within reach, the abishai moves up to 
  half its speed toward an enemy it can see, without provoking 
  opportunity attacks.
  
  appendix a | monsters & npcs  
  28
  Archduke Zariel of Avernus
  Large fiend (devil), lawful evil
  Armor Class 21 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 580 (40d10 + 360)
  Speed 50 ft., fly 150 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   27 (+8) 
  24 (+7) 
  28 (+9) 
  26 (+8) 
  27 (+8) 
  30 (+10)
  Saving Throws Int +16, Wis +16, Cha +18
  Skills Intimidation +18, Perception +16
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, radiant; bludgeoning, piercing, 
  and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered
  Damage Immunities necrotic, poison
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, 
  frightened, poisoned
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 26
  Languages all, telepathy 120 ft.
  Challenge 26 (90,000 XP)
  Devil's Sight. Magical darkness doesn’t impede 
  Zariel’s darkvision.
  Fiery Weapons. Zariel’s weapon attacks are magical. When she 
  hits with any weapon, the weapon deals an extra 36 (8d8) fire 
  damage (included in the weapon attacks below).
  Innate Spellcasting. Zariel’s innate spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma (spell save DC 26). She can innately cast the following 
  spells, requiring no material components:
  At will: alter self (can become Medium when changing her 
  appearance), detect evil and good, fireball, invisibility (self only), 
  wall of fire
  3/day each: blade barrier, dispel evil and good, finger of death
  Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Zariel fails a saving throw, she 
  can choose to succeed instead.
  Magic Resistance. Zariel has advantage on saving throws against 
  spells and other magical effects.
  Regeneration. Zariel regains 20 hit points at the start of her 
  turn. If she takes radiant damage, this trait doesn’t function at 
  the start of her next turn. Zariel dies only if she starts her turn 
  with 0 hit points and doesn’t regenerate.
  Actions
  Multiattack. Zariel attacks twice with her longsword or with 
  her javelins. She can substitute Horrid Touch for one of 
  these attacks.
  Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 10 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 17 (2d8 + 8) slashing damage, or 19 (2d10 
  + 8) slashing damage if used with two hands, plus 36 (8d8) 
  fire damage.
  Javelin. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, range 30/120 
  ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d6 + 8) piercing damage plus 36 (8d8) 
  fire damage.
  Horrid Touch. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 10 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 44 (8d10) necrotic damage, and the target is 
  poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned in this way, the target 
  is also blinded and deafened. The target can repeat the saving 
  throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself 
  on a success.
  Teleport. Zariel magically teleports, along with any equipment 
  she is wearing and carrying, up to 120 feet to an unoccupied 
  space she can see.
  Legendary Actions
  Zariel can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options 
  below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time 
  and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Zariel regains 
  spent legendary actions at the start of her turn.
  Immolating Gaze (Costs 2 Actions). Zariel turns her magical 
  gaze toward one creature she can see within 120 feet of her 
  and commands it to combust. The target must 
  succeed on a DC 26 Wisdom saving throw or 
  take 22 (4d10) fire damage.
  Teleport. Zariel uses her Teleport action
  
  appendix a | monsters & npcs  
  29
  Barghest
  Large fiend (shapechanger), neutral evil
  Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 90 (12d10 + 24)
  Speed 60 ft. (30 ft. in goblin form)
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   19 (+4) 
  15 (+2) 
  14 (+2) 
  13 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  14 (+2)
  Skills Deception +4, Intimidation +4, Perception +5, Stealth +4
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, 
  and slashing from nonmagical attacks
  Damage Immunities acid, poison
  Condition Immunities poisoned
  Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
  Languages Abyssal, Common, Goblin, Infernal, telepathy 60 ft.
  Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
  Shapechanger. The barghest can use its action to polymorph 
  into a Small goblin or back into its true form. Other than its 
  size and speed, its statistics are the same in each form. Any 
  equipment it is wearing or carrying isn’t transformed. The 
  barghest reverts to its true form if it dies.
  Fire Banishment. When the barghest starts its turn engulfed 
  in flames that are at least 10 feet high or wide, it must succeed 
  on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or be instantly banished to 
  Gehenna. Instantaneous bursts of flame (such as a red dragon’s 
  breath or a fireball spell) don’t have this effect on the barghest.
  Keen Smell. The barghest has advantage on Wisdom 
  (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
  Innate Spellcasting. The barghest’s innate spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma (spell save DC 12). The barghest can innately cast the 
  following spells, requiring no material components:
  At will: levitate, minor illusion, pass without trace
  1/day each: charm person, dimension door, suggestion
  Actions
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack (true form only): +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage.
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack. +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage.
  Crokek’toeck
  Large fiend (demon), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 297 (17d20 + 119)
  Speed 60 ft., swim 60 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   28 (+9) 
  10 (+0) 
  24 (+7) 
  6 (-2) 
  10 (+0) 
  13 (+1)
  Saving Throws Con +12, Wis +5
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, 
  and slashing from nonmagical attacks
  Damage Immunities poison
  Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 10
  Languages understands Abyssal but can't speak
  Challenge 14 (11,500 XP)
  Amphibious. Crokek’toeck can breathe air and water.
  Fiery Weapons. Zariel’s weapon attacks are magical. When she 
  hits with any weapon, the weapon deals an extra 36 (8d8) fire 
  damage (included in the weapon attacks below).
  Magic Resistance. Crokek’toeck has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects.
  Magic Weapons. Crokek’toeck's weapon attacks are magical.
  Secure Memory. Crokek’toeck is immune to the waters of the 
  River Styx as well as any effect that would steal or modify its 
  memories or detect or read its thoughts.
  Standing Leap. Crokek’toeck's long jump is up to 60 feet and its 
  high jump is up to 30 feet, with or without a running start.
  Actions
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 44 (10d6 + 9) piercing damage.
  Disgorge Allies (Recharge 6). Crokek’toeck opens its mouth 
  and disgorges 1d4 barlguras, 3d6 gnolls led by 1 gnoll fang of 
  Yeenoghu, 6d6 dretches, or 1d3 vrocks (see the Monster Manual 
  for these creatures' stat blocks). Each creature it disgorges 
  appears in an unoccupied space within 30 feet of Crokek’toeck's 
  mouth, or the next closest unoccupied space.
  
  appendix a | monsters & npcs  
  30
  Enchanter
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
  Hit Points 40 (9d8)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   9 (–1) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0) 
  17 (+3) 
  12 (+1) 
  11 (+0)
  Saving Throws Int +6, Wis +4
  Skills Arcana +6, History +6
  Senses passive Perception 11
  Languages any four languages
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Spellcasting. The enchanter is a 9th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit 
  with spell attacks). The enchanter has the following wizard 
  spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): friends, mage hand, mending, message
  1st level (4 slots): charm person,* mage armor, magic missile
  2nd level (3 slots): hold person,* invisibility, suggestion*
  3rd level (3 slots): fireball, haste, tongues
  4th level (3 slots): dominate beast,* stoneskin
  5th level (2 slots): hold monster*
  *Enchantment spell of 1st level or higher
  Actions
  Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +2 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 2 (1d6 – 1) bludgeoning damage, or 3 (1d8 – 1) 
  bludgeoning damage if used with two hands.
  Reactions
  Instinctive Charm (Recharges after the Enchanter Casts an 
  Enchantment Spell of 1st Level or Higher). The enchanter tries 
  to magically divert an attack made against it, provided that the 
  attacker is within 30 feet of it and visible to it. The enchanter 
  must decide to do so before the attack hits or misses. 
   The attacker must make a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw. On a 
  failed save, the attacker targets the creature closest to it, other 
  than the enchanter or itself. If multiple creatures are closest, the 
  attacker chooses which one to target.
  Evoker
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
  Hit Points 66 (12d8 + 12)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   9 (–1) 
  14 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  17 (+3) 
  12 (+1) 
  11 (+0)
  Saving Throws Int +7, Wis +5
  Skills Arcana +7, History +7
  Senses passive Perception 11
  Languages any four languages
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
  Spellcasting. The evoker is a 12th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 15, +7 to 
  hit with spell attacks). The evoker has the following wizard 
  spells prepared:
  Cantrips (at will): fire bolt,* light,* prestidigitation, ray of frost*
  1st level (4 slots): burning hands,* mage armor, magic missile*
  2nd level (3 slots): mirror image, misty step, shatter*
  3rd level (3 slots): counterspell, fireball,* lightning bolt*
  4th level (3 slots): ice storm,* stoneskin
  5th level (2 slots): Bigby’s hand,* cone of cold*
  6th level (1 slot): chain lightning,* wall of ice*
  *Evocation spell
  Sculpt Spells. When the evoker casts an evocation spell that 
  forces other creatures it can see, it can choose a number of 
  them equal to 1 + the spell’s level. These creatures automatically 
  succeed on their saving throws against the spell. If a successful 
  save means a chosen creature would take half damage from the 
  spell, it instead takes no damage from it.
  Actions
  Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 2 (1d6 – 1) bludgeoning damage, or 3 (1d8 – 1) 
  bludgeoning damage if used with two hands.
  
  appendix a | monsters & npcs  
  31
  Hellwasp
  Large fiend, lawful evil
  Armor Class 19 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 52 (8d10 + 8)
  Speed 10 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   18 (+4) 
  15 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  10 (+0) 
  10 (+0) 
  7 (-2)
  Saving Throws Dex +5, Wis +3
  Damage Vulnerbilities cold
  Damage Immunities fire
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
  Languages Infernal, telepathy 300 ft. (with other hellwasps only)
  Challenge 5 (1,800 XP)
  Magic Weapons. The hellwasp's weapon attacks are magical.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The hellwasp makes two attacks: one with its sting 
  and one with its sword talons.
  Sting. Melee Weapon Attack (true form only): +7 to hit, reach 5 
  ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) fire 
  damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution 
  saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned in 
  this way, the target is also paralyzed. The target can repeat the 
  saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on 
  itself on a success.
  Sword Talons. Melee Weapon Attack. +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.
  Hydroloth
  Medium fiend (yugoloth), neutral evil
  Armor Class 15
  Hit Points 135 (18d8 + 54)
  Speed 20 ft., swim 40 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   12 (+1) 
  21 (+5) 
  16 (+3) 
  19 (+4) 
  10 (+1) 
  14 (+2)
  Skills Insight +4, Perception +4
  Damage Vulnerabilities fire
  Damage Resistances cold, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, and
  slashing from nonmagical attacks
  Damage Immunities acid, poison
  Condition Immunities poisoned
  Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
  Languages Abyssal, Infernal, telepathy 60 ft.
  Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
  Amphibious. The hydroloth can breathe air and water.
  Innate Spellcasting. The hydroloth's innate spell casting ability is 
  Intelligence (spell save DC 16). It can innately cast the following 
  spells, requiring no material components:
  At will: darkness, detect magic, dispel magic, invisibility (self 
  only), water walk
  3/day each: control water, crown of madness,fear, phantasmal 
  killer, suggestion
  Magic Resistance. The hydroloth has advantage on saving 
  throws against spells and other magical effects.
  Magic Weapons. The hydroloth's weapon attacks are magical.
  Secure Memory. The hydroloth is immune to the waters of the 
  River Styx as well as any effect that would steal or modify its 
  memories or detect or read its thoughts.
  Watery Advantage. While submerged in liquid, the hydroloth 
  has advantage on attack rolls.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The hydroloth makes two melee attacks. In 
  place of one of these attacks, it can cast one spell that takes l 
  action to cast.
  Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) slashing damage.
  Bite. Me/ee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) piercing damage.
  Steal Memory (1/Day). The hydroloth targets one creature it can 
  see within 60 feet of it. The target takes 4d6 psychic damage, 
  and it must make a DC 16 Intelligence saving throw. On a 
  successful save, the target becomes immune to this hydroloth's 
  Steal Memory for 24 hours. On a failed save, the target loses all 
  proficiencies, it can't cast spells, it can't understand language, 
  and if its Intelligence and Charisma scores are higher than 5, 
  they become 5. Each time the target finishes a long rest, it can 
  repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on a success. 
  A greater restoration or remove curse spell cast on the target 
  ends this effect early.
  Teleport. The hydroloth magically teleports, along with 
  any equipment it is wearing or carrying, up to 60 feet to an 
  unoccupied space it can see.
  
  appendix a | monsters & npcs  
  32
  Merregon
  Large fiend (demon), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 16 (natural armor)
  Hit Points 45 (6d8 + 18) )
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
    18 (+4) 
  14 (+2) 
  17 (+3) 
  6 (-2) 
  12 (+1) 
  8 (-1)
  Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing 
  from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered
  Damage Immunities fire, poison
  Condition Immunities frightened, poisoned
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  Languages understands Abyssal but can't speak
  Challenge 4 (1,000 XP)
  Devil’s Sight. Magical darkness doesn’t impede the 
  merregon’s darkvision.
  Magic Resistance. The merregon has advantage on saving 
  throws against spells and other magical effects.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The merregon makes two halberd attacks, or if an 
  allied fiend of challenge rating 6 or higher is within 60 feet of it, 
  the merregon makes three halberd attacks.
  Halberd. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 10 ft., one 
  target. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) slashing damage.
  Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 
  100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) piercing damage.
  Reactions
  Loyal Bodyguard. When another fiend within 5 feet of the 
  merregon is hit by an attack, the merregon causes itself to be 
  hit instead.
  Merrenoloth
  Medium fiend (yugoloth), neutral evil
  Armor Class 13
  Hit Points 40 (9d8) 
  Speed 30 ft., swim 40 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   8 (-1) 
  17 (+3) 
  10 (+0) 
  17 (+3) 
  14 (+2) 
  11 (+0)
  Saving Throws Dex +5, Int +5
  Skills History +5, Nature +5, Perception +4, Survival +4
  Damage Resistances  cold, fire, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing, 
  and slashing from nonmagical attacks
  Damage Immunities  acid, poison
  Condition Immunities  poisoned
  Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 14
  Languages Abyssal, Infernal, telepathy 60 ft.
  Challenge 3 (700 XP)
  Innate Spellcasting. The merrenoloth’s spellcasting ability is 
  Intelligence (spell save DC 13). It can innately cast the following 
  spells, requiring no material components:
  At will: charm person, darkness, detect magic, dispel magic, 
  gust of wind
  3/day: control water
  1/day: control weather
  Magic Resistance. The merrenoloth has advantage on saving 
  throws against spells and other magical effects. 
  Magic Weapons. The merrenoloth’s weapon attacks are magical.
  Teleport. As a bonus action, the merrenoloth magically 
  teleports, along with any equipment it is wearing or carrying, up 
  to 60 feet to an unoccupied space it can see.
  Actions
  Multiattack. The merrenoloth uses Fear Gaze once and makes 
  one oar attack.
  Oar. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  8 (2d4 + 3) bludgeoning damage. 
  Fear Gaze. The merrenoloth targets one creature it can see 
  within 60 feet of it. The target must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom 
  saving throw or become frightened of the merrenoloth for 1 
  minute. The frightened creature can repeat the saving throw 
  at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself 
  on a success.
  
  appendix a | monsters & npcs  
  33
  Nupperibo
  Medium fiend (devil), lawful evil
  Armor Class 13 (Natural)
  Hit Points 11 (2d8 + 2)
  Speed 20 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   16 (+3) 
  11 (+0) 
  13 (+1) 
  3 (-4) 
  8 (-1) 
  1 (-5)
  Skills Perception +1
  Damage Resistances Acid, Cold; Bludgeoning, Piercing, and 
  Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks that aren't Silvered
  Damage Immunities Fire, Poison
  Condition Immunities Blinded, Charmed, Frightened, Poisoned
  Senses Blindsight 10 ft. (blind beyond this radius), Passive 
  Perception 11
  Languages understands Infernal but can’t speak
  Challenge 1/2 (100 XP)
  Cloud of Vermin. Any creature, other than a devil, that starts 
  its turn within 20 feet of the nupperibo must make a DC 11 
  Constitution saving throw. A creature within the areas of two or 
  more nupperibos makes the saving throw with disadvantage. On 
  a failure, the creature takes 2 (1d4) piercing damage.
  Hunger-Driven. In the Nine Hells, the nupperibos can flawlessly 
  track any creature that has taken damage from any nupperibo’s 
  Cloud of Vermin within the previous 24 hours.
  Actions
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.
  Orthon
  Large fiend (devil), lawful evil
  Armor Class 17 (half plate)
  Hit Points 105 (10d10 + 50)
  Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   22 (+6) 
  16 (+3) 
  21 (+5) 
  15 (+2) 
  15 (+2) 
  16 (+3)
  Saving Throws Dex +7, Con +9, Wis +6
  Skills Perception +10, Stealth +11, Survival +10
  Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing
  from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered
  Damage Immunities fire , poison
  Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, poisoned
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., truesight 30 ft., passive Perception 20
  Languages Common, Infernal, telepathy 120 ft.
  Challenge 10 (5,900 XP)
  Invisibility Field. The orthon can use a bonus action to become 
  invisible. Any equipment the orthon wears or carries is also 
  invisible as long as the equipment is on its person. This 
  invisibility ends immediately after the orthon makes an attack 
  roll or is hit by an attack.
  Magic Resistance. The orthon has advantage on saving throws 
  against spells and other magical effects.
  Actions
  Infernal Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., 
  one target. Hit: 11 (2d4 + 6) slashing damage, and the target 
  must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 22 (4d10) 
  poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a 
  successful one. On a failure, the target is also poisoned for 1 
  minute. The poisoned target can repeat the saving throw at the 
  end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
  Infernal Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 
  100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d10 + 3) piercing damage, plus 
  one of the following effects:
  1. Acid. The target must make a DC 17 Constitution saving 
  throw, taking an additional 17 (5d6) acid damage on a failed 
  save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
  2. Blindness (1/Day). The target takes 5 (1d10) radiant damage. 
  In addition, the target and all other creatures within 20 feet of 
  it must each make a successful DC 17 Dexterity saving throw 
  or be blinded until the end of the orthon’s next turn.
  3. Concussion. The target and each creature within 20 feet of 
  it must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw, taking 13 
  (2d12) thunder damage on a failed save, or half as much 
  damage on a successful one.
  4. Entanglement. The target must make a successful DC 17 
  Dexterity saving throw or be restrained for 1 hour by strands 
  of sticky webbing. A restrained creature can escape by using 
  an action to make a successful DC 17 Dexterity or Strength 
  check. Any creature other than an orthon that touches the 
  restrained creature must make a successful DC 17 Dexterity 
  saving throw or become similarly restrained.
  5. Paralysis (1/Day). The target takes 22 (4d10) lightning 
  damage and must make a successful DC 17 Constitution 
  saving throw or be paralyzed for 1 minute. The paralyzed 
  target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its 
  turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
  6. Tracking. For the next 24 hours, the orthon knows the 
  direction and distance to the target, as long as it’s on the 
  same plane of existence. If the target is on a different plane, 
  the orthon knows which one, but not the exact location there.
  Reactions
  Explosive Retribution. When it is reduced to 15 hit points or 
  fewer, the orthon causes itself to explode. All other creatures 
  within 30 feet of it must each make a DC 17 Dexterity saving 
  throw, taking 9 (2d8) fire damage plus 9 (2d8) thunder damage 
  on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. 
  This explosion destroys the orthon, its infernal dagger, and its 
  brass crossbow.
  
  appendix a | monsters & npcs  
  Rutterkin
  Medium fiend (demon), chaotic evil
  Armor Class 12
  Hit Points 37 (5d8 + 15)
  Speed 20 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   14(+2) 
  15(+2) 
  17(+3) 
  5(−3) 
  12(+1) 
  6(−2)
  Damage Resistances cold, fire, lightning
  Damage Immunities poison
  Condition Immunities charmed, frightened, poisoned
  Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 11
  Languages understands Abyssal but can’t speak
  Challenge 2 (450 XP)
  Crippling Fear. When a creature that isn’t a demon starts its 
  turn within 30 feet of three or more rutterkins, it must make 
  a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw. The creature has disadvantage 
  on the save if it’s within 30 feet of six or more rutterkins. On a 
  successful save, the creature is immune to the Crippling Fear 
  of all rutterkins for 24 hours. On a failed save, the creature 
  becomes frightened of the rutterkins for 1 minute. While 
  frightened in this way, the creature is restrained. At the end of 
  each of the frightened creature’s turns, it can repeat the saving 
  throw, ending the effect on itself on a success.
  Actions
  Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 
  12 (3d6 + 2) piercing damage. If the target is a creature, it must 
  succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw against disease 
  or become poisoned. At the end of each long rest, the poisoned 
  target can repeat the saving throw, ending the effect on itself on 
  a success. If the target is reduced to 0 hit points while poisoned 
  in this way, it dies and instantly transforms into a living abyssal 
  wretch. The transformation of the body can be undone only by 
  a wish spell.
  Warlock of the Archfey
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 11 (14 with mage armor)
  Hit Points 49 (11d8)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   9 (–1) 
  13 (+1) 
  11 (+0) 
  11 (+0) 
  12 (+1) 
  18 (+4)
  Saving Throws Wis +3, Cha +6
  Skills Arcana +2, Deception +6, Nature +2, Persuasion +6
  Condition Immunities charmed
  Senses passive Perception 11
  Languages any two languages (usually Sylvan)
  Challenge 4 (1,100 XP)
  Innate Spellcasting. The warlock’s innate spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma. It can innately cast the following spells (spell save DC 
  15), requiring no material components:
  At will: disguise self, mage armor (self only), silent image, 
  speak with animals
  1/day: conjure fey
  Spellcasting. The warlock is a 11th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with 
  spell attacks). It regains its expended spell slots when it finishes 
  a short or long rest. It knows the following warlock spells:
  Cantrips (at will): dancing lights, eldritch blast, friends, mage 
  hand, minor illusion, prestidigitation, vicious mockery
  1st–5th level (3 5th-level slots): blink, charm person, dimension 
  door, dominate beast, faerie fire, fear, hold monster, misty step, 
  phantasmal force, seeming, sleep
  Actions
  Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 
  range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
  Reactions
  Misty Escape (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). In response 
  to taking damage, the warlock turns invisible and teleports up 
  to 60 feet to an unoccupied space it can see. It remains invisible 
  until the start of its next turn or until it attacks, makes a damage 
  roll, or casts a spell.
  
  appendix a | monsters & npcs  
  35
  35
  Warlock of the Fiend
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
  Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   10 (+0) 
  14 (+2) 
  15 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  18 (+4)
  Saving Throws Wis +4, Cha +7
  Skills Arcana +4, Deception +7, Persuasion +7, Religion +4
  Damage Resistances slashing damage from nonmagical attacks 
  not made with silvered weapons
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  Languages any two languages (usually Abyssal or Infernal)
  Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)
  Innate Spellcasting. The warlock’s innate spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma. It can innately cast the following spells (spell save DC 
  15), requiring no material components:
  At will: alter self, false life, levitate (self only), mage armor (self 
  only), silent image
  1/day each: feeblemind, finger of death, plane shift
  Spellcasting. The warlock is a 17th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with 
  spell attacks). It regains its expended spell slots when it finishes 
  a short or long rest. It knows the following warlock spells:
  Cantrips (at will): eldritch blast, fire bolt, friends, mage hand, 
  minor illusion, prestidigitation, shocking grasp
  1st–5th level (4 5th-level slots): banishment, burning hands, 
  flame strike, hellish rebuke, magic circle, scorching ray, scrying, 
  stinking cloud, suggestion, wall of fire
  Dark One’s Own Luck (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). 
  When the warlock makes an ability check or saving throw, it can 
  add a d10 to the roll. It can do this after the roll is made but 
  before any of the roll’s effects occur.
  Actions
  Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. 
  Hit: 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage plus 10 (3d6) fire damage.
  Warlock of the Great Old One
  Medium humanoid (any race), any alignment
  Armor Class 12 (15 with mage armor)
  Hit Points 91 (14d8 + 28)
  Speed 30 ft.
   
  STR 
  DEX 
  CON 
  INT 
  WIS 
  CHA
   9 (–1) 
  14 (+2) 
  15 (+2) 
  12 (+1) 
  12 (+1) 
  18 (+4)
  Saving Throws Wis +4, Cha +7
  Skills Arcana +4, History +4
  Damage Resistances psychic
  Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
  Languages any two languages, telepathy 30 ft.
  Challenge 6 (2,300 XP)
  Innate Spellcasting. The warlock’s innate spellcasting ability is 
  Charisma. It can innately cast the following spells (spell save DC 
  15), requiring no material components:
  At will: detect magic, jump, levitate, mage armor (self only), 
  speak with dead
  1/day each: arcane gate, true seeing
  Spellcasting. The warlock is a 14th-level spellcaster. Its 
  spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 15, +7 to hit with 
  spell attacks). It regains its expended spell slots when it finishes 
  a short or long rest. It knows the following warlock spells:
  Cantrips (at will): chill touch, eldritch blast, guidance, mage hand, 
  minor illusion, prestidigitation, shocking grasp
  1st–5th level (3 5th-level slots): armor of Agathys, arms of Hadar, 
  crown of madness, clairvoyance, contact other plane, detect 
  thoughts, dimension door, dissonant whispers, dominate beast, 
  telekinesis, vampiric touch
  Whispering Aura. At the start of each of the warlock’s turns, 
  each creature of its choice within 5 feet of it must succeed on a 
  DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or take 10 (3d6) psychic damage, 
  provided that the warlock isn’t incapacitated.
  Actions
  Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or 
  range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) piercing damage.
  
  appendix b | magic items 
  36
  Appendix B: Magic Items
  The following magic items are found in the encounters.
  Charlatan’s Die
  Wondrous item, common
  Whenever you roll this six-sided die, you can control 
  which number it rolls.
  Ear Horn of Hearing
  Wondrous item, common
  While held up to your ear, this horn suppresses the effects 
  of the deafened condition on you, allowing you to hear 
  normally.
  Lock of Trickery
  Wondrous item, common
  This lock appears to be an ordinary lock (of the type 
  described in chapter 5 of the Player’s Handbook) and 
  comes with a single key. The tumblers in this lock 
  magically adjust to thwart burglars. Dexterity checks 
  made to pick the lock have disadvantage.
  Moon-Touched Longsword
  Weapon (longsword), common
  In darkness, the unsheathed blade of this longsword 
  sheds moonlight, creating bright light in a 15-foot radius 
  and dim light for an additional 15 feet.
  Poppet
  Wondrous item, rare
  Upon first glance this item appears to be no more than 
  a simple burlap doll in the shape of humanoid. Each 
  poppet is made with the essence of a specific humanoid 
  (and if the poppet is found, the DM determines which 
  humanoid’s essence the doll contains). You can use 
  the doll in a ritual that targets the creature, as long as 
  you know the creature’s name and that creature is on 
  the same plane as you. The ritual requires 10 minutes 
  and an item that belonged to the humanoid tied to the 
  poppet: this can be a scrap of clothing, a lock of hair, a 
  piece of jewelry, or any item that denotes sentiment or 
  identity. At the end of the ritual the item that belonged to 
  the humanoid is consumed and the target must succeed 
  on a DC 17 Constitution saving throw or gain a level of 
  exhaustion from experiencing excruciating internal pain. 
  You may use the poppet to complete this ritual once every 
  12 hours.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/DMsGuild/DMsGuild Adept/DMsGuild Adept/Encounters in Avernus.pdf