I'm running the side quest chain in this material. However I'm in a bit of a pickle. The players have already destroyed the Demon Zapper. I see the easy option: repair the tower and recapture the unicorn, Avernus sucks.
However, that completely negates a big chunk of progress and slaps them in the face as they've already lost a party member to the beam, and this path would most likely kill another.
"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.”"
So, what other way could I empower the heart? Nudge them to free the creature in the companion? By 12 they'll be in the Citadel. Maybe have Idyllglen power it up and have him waiting outside the Citadel?
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Call me Knives.
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I'm running the side quest chain in this material. However I'm in a bit of a pickle. The players have already destroyed the Demon Zapper. I see the easy option: repair the tower and recapture the unicorn, Avernus sucks.
However, that completely negates a big chunk of progress and slaps them in the face as they've already lost a party member to the beam, and this path would most likely kill another.
"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.”"
So, what other way could I empower the heart? Nudge them to free the creature in the companion? By 12 they'll be in the Citadel. Maybe have Idyllglen power it up and have him waiting outside the Citadel?
Call me Knives.