"You did not collect any books while pilfering Vanthampur's home? No matter, I do have this covered." Fisk smiles as he removes a book of Calishite recipes from his bag. One of the monks inspects it for a moment and then allows you to pass.
As you enter Fisk acts a bit of a tour guide. "The outermost buildings include private dormitories for the monks and public quarters for visitors, as well as amenities one would expect to find in a self-sufficient settlement including bathhouses, clothiers, granaries, gardens, and so forth. Candlekeep even has a pub called the Hearth."
As you make your way toward the main keep you see a towering edifice. "Candlekeep houses hundreds of monks and wizards, and thousands of books and scrolls." Fisk already knows the way to Sylvira’s laboratory, located in one of Candlekeep’s spires and quickly leads you there.
The walls of this circular tower chamber are punctuated by arched windows that are currently shuttered. Bookcases filled with eldritch volumes stand between the windows, while tables are crowded with specimen jars, alchemical equipment, and other clutter. Engraved into the floor of the chamber is a large, nine-pointed star.
A middle-aged tiefling dressed in wizardly robes stands by one of the windows, caught in a fugue of intense contemplation. Perched on the corner of a table nearby is a spindly little demon with warty green skin, buggy eyes, thin black horns, and a whip-like tail.
“I can’t tell you how pleased I am to see you,” says the tiefling. “What have you brought me?”
“I’ve been suspicious of the High Overseer of Elturel for a long time. But no one wanted to hear my concerns, because Thavius Kreeg was widely regarded as a hero who saved his city from an undead scourge, giving rise to the holy nation of Elturgard."
“Hailed as a savior, Thavius made all citizens of Elturel swear an oath called the Creed Resolute, which binds them to defend the nation of Elturgard. I met him years ago, and my instincts told me he was a charlatan. Afterward, I grew to suspect that he had cut a deal with one or more powerful devils, using the Creed Resolute to bind all Elturel to his dark deal."
“I wish to prove my theory, and I believe the evidence is locked inside the puzzle box.”
Sylvira eagerly snatches the offered box out of Gilbert's hands and studies it closely. As she examines it she asks Jezebel to fetch her a flask of dark liquid, and pours a small amount into the mazelike troughs carved into the box’s surface. She then tips the box so that the liquid flows in certain directions through the mazelike patterns — until the box’s horn inlays pop loose and it breaks apart.
Inside the box is a stack of nine chain-linked plates, each three inches on a side, cast of dark iron, and stamped with Infernal runes. She takes a moment to read them to herself and then translates and reads them aloud.
Be it known to all that I, Thavius Kreeg, High Overseer of Elturel, have sworn to my master, Zariel, lord of Avernus, to keep the agreements contained in this oath.
I hereby submit to Zariel in all matters and for all time. I will place Her above all creatures, living and dead. I will obey Her all my days and beyond with fear and servility.
I recognize the dispensation of the device called the Solar Insidiator, hereafter called the Companion. In my capacity as High Overseer of Elturel and its vassal territories, I acknowledge that all lands falling under the light of the Companion are forfeit to Zariel. All persons bound by oath to defend Elturel are also considered forfeit. I further recognize that this dispensation will last fifty years, after which the Companion will return whence it came, taking Elturel and its oath-bound defenders with it, if that is Zariel’s wish.
All this is my everlasting pledge.
Behind you, you hear Reya mutter. “If Zariel wants my soul she’s welcome to try to take it.” You then hear her more clearly. "Acquisitions Inc, you are under contract to aid me in restoring Elturel back to the Material Plane, to go to Avernus itself if need be and it seems that it will be as that is where Elturel has been taken. We must find a way."
Sylvira looks at you sharply. "If you intend to save Elturel, I can provide you with a map of Avernus — the only such map known to exist in Candlekeep. But I give you a word of caution, this map might not be entirely reliable, Its creator went mad making it.”
She pulls a parchment from a shelf and unfolds in on a table for you to look at.
I can also help in getting you there. “A wizard named Traxigor lives in a tower twenty miles from here. I’ve loaned him a spellbook or two, so he owes me a favor. I can have you delivered safely to his tower, and he can use a plane shift spell to take you straight to Elturel. Even more importantly, Traxigor is looking after an old friend of mine — someone with a history of battling devils in the Nine Hells. I think you’ll enjoy her company very much. Her name is Lulu.”
"I could Plane Shift you myself but there’s no point, as magical wards placed on Candlekeep prevent creatures from using such means to go to or from the library."
Tibi turns to the rest of the party nonchantly flipping the Decisionist coin in the air "I don't think we even need to seek the Smiling Lady's views on this matter. While she can at time be a bit - well a lot - capricious, I think she would encourage us in this venture." He turns to Reya "I'm pretty sure I already know your answer but what about the rest of you?"
Drabash reponds "ain't ever battled a devil could be fun!"
Assuming nobody has any objections Tibi says to Sylvira "if we could prevail upon you to transport us to Traxigor's Tower it'd be much appreciated!"
"I've gone years without signing any contracts that might wind up earning me a trip to the Hells," Darvin says. "And believe me it wasn't for lack of opportunity. Though I suppose in theory at least this one has a chance of being a round trip ticket," he adds, darkly.
"I don't suppose you or your scholar friends have any Candlekeep souvenirs that might raise that chance?" he asks.
"Well... thos sounds like a risky proposition for sure... You cannot spend coin of you're dead" Gil would reply nervously. "I suppose the reward may be worth the risk however.." The verdan would say before gesturing to the shield he collected on the wall in the looted dungeon. "What can you tell me about this shield. I believe it is sentient.. And may be of use."
Sylvira visually inspects the shield. but avoids touching it.
“Ah, the Shield of Gargauth. This shield is a symbol of good’s triumph over evil. Gazing at such beauty, one can easily overlook the terrible force bound within it. Gargauth is, I believe, its name, though it calls itself the Hidden Lord. It was a pit fiend sent by Asmodeus to corrupt mortals on the Material Plane, and there it amassed such a following as to rival that of gods. In that way, Gargauth became a sort of demigod, and having worshipers increased its power exponentially. My, how the mighty have fallen!
“This shield has the power to corrupt everything around it. The Hhune family of Baldur’s Gate has kept it for years now. Doubtless they’ll want it back, but this shield should not be taken to any place where thousands of mortals reside. It needs to be locked away in an extradimensional space, away from corruptible souls.”
As Sylvira says this Gilbert hears Gargauth in his mind
“Take me to the Nine Hells, and I’ll swear to serve you faithfully as both a guide and an advisor.”
Sylvira also answers Darvin. "Knowledge is the power of Candlekeep. There are sources of knowledge within these walls that could tell you much of the Nine Hells and those who dwell there. You could spend a couple days here doing research if you wish. I am happy to accommodate you if that is your desire."
"Hmm, I'm certainly not the scholar that Gil here is, but it does seem hard to pass up an opportunity to soak up some relevant background knowledge," Darvin replies. "What is it they say, an ounce of preparation is worth a pound of cure, something like that...."
OoC: I don't want to hold up the narrative by playing out the couple days of research, but it does seem like a useful thing to do in-character. Maybe we can "off-screen" that bit?
Taking Sylvira up on her offer you stay in her apartments for a coupe of days. You spend your time researching the Nine Hells and the Devils that inhabit that plane.
Fisk also stays for a day but then heads back to Baldur's Gate. "Lucky for you when you rescued Hhune she didn't know you had that shield, she may not have been so gracious. She has probably sent her people back the Vanthampur's Villa to see if the shield was still hidden there somewhere. She'll be pretty upset when she can't find it and will think you have it for sure.. Baldur's Gate has never had a strong reputation for being a nice place to live, but the removal of that shield from the city will likely improve the city. It's probably responsible for a good portion of the corruption in the city. You've saved the city in more than one way it seems. As that source of evil corruption has been removed and the city gets better she's sure to notice and put two and two together and know you took it." Fisk bids you goodbye and returns to the city.
Sylvira leaves it to you to decide what to do with the shield. "I warn you Hhune is a high ranking member of the evil Knights of the Shield and they will never stop looking for it."
During your time in Candlekeep you learn about the Nine Hells as well as researching devils to learn everything that’s said about them in the “Devils” entry of the Monster Manual.
Nine Hells:
The Nine Hells
The Nine Hells of Baator inflame the imaginations of travelers, the greed of treasure seekers, and the battle fury of all moral creatures. It is the ultimate plane of law and evil and the epitome of premeditated cruelty. The devils of the Nine Hells are bound to obey the laws of their superiors, but they rebel within their individual castes. Most undertake any plot, no matter how foul, to advance themselves. At the very top of the hierarchy is Asmodeus, who has yet to be bested. If he were to be vanquished, the victor would rule the plane in turn. Such is the law of the Nine Hells.
The Nine Layers
The Nine Hells has nine layers. The first eight are each ruled by archdevils that answer to Asmodeus, the Archduke of Nessus, the ninth layer. To reach the deepest layer of the Nine Hells, one must descend through all eight of the layers above it, in order. The most expeditious means of doing so is the River Styx, which plunges ever deeper as it flows from one layer to the next. Only the most courageous adventurers can withstand the torment and horror of that journey.
Avernus. No planar portals connect directly to the lower layers of the Nine Hells, by Asmodeus’s orders. As such, the first layer of Avernus is the arrival point for visitors to the plane. Avernus is a rocky wasteland with rivers of blood and clouds of biting flies. Fiery comets occasionally fall from the darkened sky and leave fuming impact craters behind. Empty battlefields are littered with weapons and bones, showing where the legions of the Nine Hells met enemies on their native soil and prevailed.
The archduchess Zariel rules Avernus, supplanting her rival, Bel, who has fallen out of Asmodeus’s favor and is forced to serve as Zariel’s advisor. Tiamat, the Queen of Evil Dragons, is a prisoner on this layer, ruling her own domain but confined to the Nine Hells by Asmodeus in accordance with some ancient contract (the terms of which are known only to Tiamat and the Lords of the Nine).
Zariel’s seat of power is a soaring basalt citadel festooned with the partially incinerated corpses of guests who failed to earn the archduchess’s favor. Zariel appears as an angel whose once-beautiful skin and wings have been ruined by fire. Her eyes burn with a furious white light that can cause creatures looking upon her to burst into flame.
Dis. Dis, the second layer of the Nine Hells, is a labyrinth of canyons wedged between sheer mountains rich with iron ore. Iron roads span and wend through the canyons, watched over by the garrisons of iron fortresses perched atop jagged pinnacles.
The second layer takes its name from its current lord, Dispater. A manipulator and deceiver, the archduke is devilishly handsome, bearing only small horns, a tail, and a cloven left hoof to distinguish him from a human. His crimson throne stands in the heart of the Iron City of Dis, a hideous metropolis that is the largest in the Nine Hells. Planar travelers come here to conspire with devils and to close deals with night hags, rakshasas, incubi, succubi, and other fiends. Dispater collects a piece of every deal through special provisions that are added to contracts signed on his layer of the Nine Hells.
Dispater is one of Asmodeus’s most loyal and resourceful vassals, and few beings in the multiverse can outwit him. He is more obsessed than most devils with striking deals with mortals in exchange for their souls, and his emissaries work tirelessly to foster evil schemes in the Material Plane.
Minauros. The third layer of the Nine Hells is a stench-ridden bog. Acidic rain spills from the layer’s brown skies, thick layers of scum cover its putrid surface, and yawning pits lie in wait beneath the murk to engulf careless wanderers. Cyclopean cities of ornately carved stone rise up from the bog, including the great city of Minauros for which the layer is named.
The slimy walls of the city rise hundreds of feet into the air, protecting the flooded halls of Mammon. The Archduke of Minauros resembles a massive serpent with the upper torso and head of a hairless, horned humanoid. Mammon’s greed is legendary, and he is one of the few archdevils who will trade favors for gold instead of souls. His lair is piled high with treasures left behind by those who tried — and failed — to best him in a deal.
Phlegethos. Phlegethos, the fourth layer, is a fiery landscape whose seas of molten magma brew hurricanes of hot wind, choking smoke, and pyroclastic ash. Within the fire-filled caldera of Phlegethos’s largest volcano rises Abriymoch, a fortress city cast of obsidian and dark glass. With rivers of molten lava pouring down its outer walls, the city resembles the sculpted centerpiece of a gigantic, hellish fountain.
Abriymoch is the seat of power for the two archdevils who rule Phlegethos in tandem: Archduke Belial and Archduchess Fierna, Belial’s daughter. Belial is a handsome, powerfully built devil who exudes civility, even as his words carry an undercurrent of threat. His daughter is a statuesque devil whose beauty encases the blackest heart in the Nine Hells. The alliance of Belial and Fierna is unbreakable, for both are aware that their mutual survival hinges on it.
Stygia. The fifth layer of the Nine Hells is a freezing realm of ice within which cold flames burn. A frozen sea surrounds the layer, and its gloomy sky crackles with lightning.
Archduke Levistus once betrayed Asmodeus and is now encased deep in the ice of Stygia as punishment. He rules this layer all the same, communicating telepathically with his followers and servants, both in the Nine Hells and on the Material Plane.
Stygia is also home to its previous ruler, the serpentine archdevil Geryon, who was dismissed by Asmodeus to allow the imprisoned Levistus to regain his rule. Geryon’s fall from grace has spurred much debate within the infernal courts. No one is certain whether Asmodeus had some secret cause to dismiss the archdevil or whether he is testing Geryon’s allegiance for some greater purpose.
Malbolge. Malbolge, the sixth layer, has outlasted many rulers, among them Malagard the Hag Countess and the archdevil Moloch. Malagard fell out of favor and was struck down by Asmodeus in a fit of pique, while her predecessor, Moloch, still lingers somewhere on the sixth layer as an imp, plotting to regain Asmodeus’s favor. Malbolge is a seemingly endless slope, like the sides of an impossibly huge mountain. Parts of the layer break off from time to time, creating deadly and deafening avalanches of stone. The inhabitants of Malbolge live in crumbling fortresses and great caves carved into the mountainside.
Malbolge’s current archduchess is Asmodeus’s daughter, Glasya. She resembles a succubus with her small horns, leathery wings, and forked tail. She inherited her cruelty and love of dark schemes from her father. The citadel that serves as her domicile on the slopes of Malbolge is supported by cracked pillars and buttresses that are sturdy yet seem on the verge of collapse. Beneath the palace is a labyrinth lined with cells and torture chambers, where Glasya confines and torments those who displease her.
Maladomini. The seventh layer, Maladomini, is ruin-covered wasteland. Dead cities form a desolate urban landscape, and between them lie empty quarries, crumbling roads, slag heaps, the hollow shells of empty fortresses, and swarms of hungry flies.
The Archduke of Maladomini is Baalzebul, the Lord of Flies. A bloated fiend with the lower body of an enormous slug, Baalzebul’s form was inflicted on him by Asmodeus as punishment for wavering loyalty. Baalzebul is a miserable and degenerate monstrosity who has long conspired to usurp Asmodeus, yet has failed at every turn. He carries a curse that causes any deal made with him to lead to calamity. Asmodeus occasionally shows Baalzebul favor for reasons no other archduke can fathom, though some suspect that the Archduke of Nessus still respects the worthiness of this fallen adversary.
Cania. Cania, the eighth layer of the Nine Hells, is an icy hellscape, whose ice storms can tear flesh from bone. Cities embedded in the ice provide shelter for guests and prisoners of Cania’s ruler, the brilliant and conniving archdevil Mephistopheles.
Mephistopheles dwells in the ice citadel of Mephistar, where he plots to seize the Throne of Baator and conquer the planes. He is Asmodeus’s greatest enemy and ally, and the Archduke of Nessus appears to trust Mephistopheles’s counsel when it is offered. Mephistopheles knows he can’t depose Asmodeus until his adversary makes a grave miscalculation, and so both wait to see what circumstances might turn them against each other. Mephistopheles is also a godfather of sorts to Glasya, further complicating the relationship.
Mephistopheles is a tall, striking devil with impressive horns and a cool demeanor. He trades in souls, as do other archdevils, but he rarely gives his time to any creatures not worthy of his personal attention. His instincts are as razor sharp as Cania’s frigid winds, and it is said that only Asmodeus has ever deceived or thwarted him.
Nessus. The lowest layer of the Nine Hells, Nessus is a realm of dark pits whose walls are set with fortresses. There, pit fiend generals loyal to Asmodeus garrison their diabolical legions and plot the conquest of the multiverse. At the center of the layer stands a vast rift of unknown depth, out of which rises the great citadel-spire of Malsheem, home to Asmodeus and his infernal court.
Malsheem resembles a gigantic hollowed-out stalagmite. The citadel is also a prison for souls that Asmodeus has locked away for safekeeping. Convincing him to release even one of those souls comes at a steep price, and it is rumored that the Archduke of Nessus has claimed whole kingdoms in the past for such favors.
Asmodeus most often appears as a handsome, bearded humanoid with small horns protruding from his forehead, piercing red eyes, and flowing robes. He can also assume other forms and is seldom seen without his ruby-tipped scepter in hand. Asmodeus is the most cunning and well-mannered of archdevils. The ultimate evil he represents can be seen only when he wills it so, or if he forgets himself and flies into a rage.
Once you are ready to leave for Traxigor’s tower Sylvira ushers you to a crescent-shaped landing platform with a stunning view of the sea. Waiting for you atop this platform are several griffons with saddles, their handlers standing nearby to help you. “The griffons have instructions to fly you to Traxigor’s tower,” says Sylvira. “Don’t worry, it’s safe!”
When you are all mounted the griffons take flight and head out to sea, flying just below the clouds. Candlekeep looks no less majestic from the air but grows smaller as the griffons soar westward. Large, rocky islands pass below you, and beyond them lies the open sea. After a long journey, you see a windowless, doorless stone tower — which somehow floats in the sky ahead. The griffons pass through jagged holes riddling the tower’s conical peak to land on the top floor below, which has a spiral staircase leading down.
One level down, you see a cluttered chamber illuminated by various objects upon which continual flame spells have been cast. Scurrying around the room is an otter dressed in a tiny red cassock. The otter mumbles to itself in Common, mentioning something about a tuning fork. Suddenly, it takes notice of you and stands upright. “Lulu! Wake up! Our guests have arrived!”
At the sound of her name, a small elephant with golden fur appears from under a pile of blankets near a table strewn with alchemical equipment. The elephant takes to the air on feathery wings and lets out a pleasing trumpet sound.
TIbi looks at the Griffons with a smile and says "me flying on another beast is a bit like taking mithral to Mithral Hall"as he launches himself from the platform.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM - Stopping a god in his tracks
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"You did not collect any books while pilfering Vanthampur's home? No matter, I do have this covered." Fisk smiles as he removes a book of Calishite recipes from his bag. One of the monks inspects it for a moment and then allows you to pass.
As you enter Fisk acts a bit of a tour guide. "The outermost buildings include private dormitories for the monks and public quarters for visitors, as well as amenities one would expect to find in a self-sufficient settlement including bathhouses, clothiers, granaries, gardens, and so forth. Candlekeep even has a pub called the Hearth."
As you make your way toward the main keep you see a towering edifice. "Candlekeep houses hundreds of monks and wizards, and thousands of books and scrolls." Fisk already knows the way to Sylvira’s laboratory, located in one of Candlekeep’s spires and quickly leads you there.
The walls of this circular tower chamber are punctuated by arched windows that are currently shuttered. Bookcases filled with eldritch volumes stand between the windows, while tables are crowded with specimen jars, alchemical equipment, and other clutter. Engraved into the floor of the chamber is a large, nine-pointed star.
A middle-aged tiefling dressed in wizardly robes stands by one of the windows, caught in a fugue of intense contemplation. Perched on the corner of a table nearby is a spindly little demon with warty green skin, buggy eyes, thin black horns, and a whip-like tail.
“I can’t tell you how pleased I am to see you,” says the tiefling. “What have you brought me?”
"A puzzlebox" Gilbert would reply with a nod.
“I’ve been suspicious of the High Overseer of Elturel for a long time. But no one wanted to hear my concerns, because Thavius Kreeg was widely regarded as a hero who saved his city from an undead scourge, giving rise to the holy nation of Elturgard."
“Hailed as a savior, Thavius made all citizens of Elturel swear an oath called the Creed Resolute, which binds them to defend the nation of Elturgard. I met him years ago, and my instincts told me he was a charlatan. Afterward, I grew to suspect that he had cut a deal with one or more powerful devils, using the Creed Resolute to bind all Elturel to his dark deal."
“I wish to prove my theory, and I believe the evidence is locked inside the puzzle box.”
She looks at you with anticipation,
"May I see the puzzle box?"
"Be our guest," Darvin says. "Gil, you've got it, right?"
"Darvin" | Changeling | Hexblade 1 / Swords Bard 6 | Descent Into Avernus (AC 19; PP 14; 52/52 HP)
Anton Chergoba | Human | Battlemaster 4 | Lost Mines of Phandelver (AC 20; PP 14; 36/36 HP)
(OOC: Do I still have it or did the other person take it)
(OOC: Wreck Post #1388 suggests that Gil still has the puzzle box but Fisk knows he has it)
DM - Stopping a god in his tracks
Gil would pull out the box and hand it to the tiefling.
You have it, I just didn't want to presume you handed right over even though that's likely what you would do.
Based on Post #1409 it would appear that the Tiefling now has the puzzle box?
DM - Stopping a god in his tracks
It seems I missed that post.
Sylvira eagerly snatches the offered box out of Gilbert's hands and studies it closely. As she examines it she asks Jezebel to fetch her a flask of dark liquid, and pours a small amount into the mazelike troughs carved into the box’s surface. She then tips the box so that the liquid flows in certain directions through the mazelike patterns — until the box’s horn inlays pop loose and it breaks apart.
Inside the box is a stack of nine chain-linked plates, each three inches on a side, cast of dark iron, and stamped with Infernal runes. She takes a moment to read them to herself and then translates and reads them aloud.
Behind you, you hear Reya mutter. “If Zariel wants my soul she’s welcome to try to take it.” You then hear her more clearly. "Acquisitions Inc, you are under contract to aid me in restoring Elturel back to the Material Plane, to go to Avernus itself if need be and it seems that it will be as that is where Elturel has been taken. We must find a way."
Sylvira looks at you sharply. "If you intend to save Elturel, I can provide you with a map of Avernus — the only such map known to exist in Candlekeep. But I give you a word of caution, this map might not be entirely reliable, Its creator went mad making it.”
She pulls a parchment from a shelf and unfolds in on a table for you to look at.
I can also help in getting you there. “A wizard named Traxigor lives in a tower twenty miles from here. I’ve loaned him a spellbook or two, so he owes me a favor. I can have you delivered safely to his tower, and he can use a plane shift spell to take you straight to Elturel. Even more importantly, Traxigor is looking after an old friend of mine — someone with a history of battling devils in the Nine Hells. I think you’ll enjoy her company very much. Her name is Lulu.”
"I could Plane Shift you myself but there’s no point, as magical wards placed on Candlekeep prevent creatures from using such means to go to or from the library."
Tibi turns to the rest of the party nonchantly flipping the Decisionist coin in the air "I don't think we even need to seek the Smiling Lady's views on this matter. While she can at time be a bit - well a lot - capricious, I think she would encourage us in this venture." He turns to Reya "I'm pretty sure I already know your answer but what about the rest of you?"
Drabash reponds "ain't ever battled a devil could be fun!"
Assuming nobody has any objections Tibi says to Sylvira "if we could prevail upon you to transport us to Traxigor's Tower it'd be much appreciated!"
DM - Stopping a god in his tracks
"I've gone years without signing any contracts that might wind up earning me a trip to the Hells," Darvin says. "And believe me it wasn't for lack of opportunity. Though I suppose in theory at least this one has a chance of being a round trip ticket," he adds, darkly.
"I don't suppose you or your scholar friends have any Candlekeep souvenirs that might raise that chance?" he asks.
"Darvin" | Changeling | Hexblade 1 / Swords Bard 6 | Descent Into Avernus (AC 19; PP 14; 52/52 HP)
Anton Chergoba | Human | Battlemaster 4 | Lost Mines of Phandelver (AC 20; PP 14; 36/36 HP)
"Well... thos sounds like a risky proposition for sure... You cannot spend coin of you're dead" Gil would reply nervously. "I suppose the reward may be worth the risk however.." The verdan would say before gesturing to the shield he collected on the wall in the looted dungeon. "What can you tell me about this shield. I believe it is sentient.. And may be of use."
Sylvira visually inspects the shield. but avoids touching it.
“Ah, the Shield of Gargauth. This shield is a symbol of good’s triumph over evil. Gazing at such beauty, one can easily overlook the terrible force bound within it. Gargauth is, I believe, its name, though it calls itself the Hidden Lord. It was a pit fiend sent by Asmodeus to corrupt mortals on the Material Plane, and there it amassed such a following as to rival that of gods. In that way, Gargauth became a sort of demigod, and having worshipers increased its power exponentially. My, how the mighty have fallen!
“This shield has the power to corrupt everything around it. The Hhune family of Baldur’s Gate has kept it for years now. Doubtless they’ll want it back, but this shield should not be taken to any place where thousands of mortals reside. It needs to be locked away in an extradimensional space, away from corruptible souls.”
As Sylvira says this Gilbert hears Gargauth in his mind
“Take me to the Nine Hells, and I’ll swear to serve you faithfully as both a guide and an advisor.”
Sylvira also answers Darvin. "Knowledge is the power of Candlekeep. There are sources of knowledge within these walls that could tell you much of the Nine Hells and those who dwell there. You could spend a couple days here doing research if you wish. I am happy to accommodate you if that is your desire."
((Map of Avernus has also been added to the first post of the thread for easy access.))
"Yes, I understand." Gil would reply to Sylvira "Any additional information you could provide would be most useful."
"Hmm, I'm certainly not the scholar that Gil here is, but it does seem hard to pass up an opportunity to soak up some relevant background knowledge," Darvin replies. "What is it they say, an ounce of preparation is worth a pound of cure, something like that...."
OoC: I don't want to hold up the narrative by playing out the couple days of research, but it does seem like a useful thing to do in-character. Maybe we can "off-screen" that bit?
"Darvin" | Changeling | Hexblade 1 / Swords Bard 6 | Descent Into Avernus (AC 19; PP 14; 52/52 HP)
Anton Chergoba | Human | Battlemaster 4 | Lost Mines of Phandelver (AC 20; PP 14; 36/36 HP)
Taking Sylvira up on her offer you stay in her apartments for a coupe of days. You spend your time researching the Nine Hells and the Devils that inhabit that plane.
Fisk also stays for a day but then heads back to Baldur's Gate. "Lucky for you when you rescued Hhune she didn't know you had that shield, she may not have been so gracious. She has probably sent her people back the Vanthampur's Villa to see if the shield was still hidden there somewhere. She'll be pretty upset when she can't find it and will think you have it for sure.. Baldur's Gate has never had a strong reputation for being a nice place to live, but the removal of that shield from the city will likely improve the city. It's probably responsible for a good portion of the corruption in the city. You've saved the city in more than one way it seems. As that source of evil corruption has been removed and the city gets better she's sure to notice and put two and two together and know you took it." Fisk bids you goodbye and returns to the city.
Sylvira leaves it to you to decide what to do with the shield. "I warn you Hhune is a high ranking member of the evil Knights of the Shield and they will never stop looking for it."
During your time in Candlekeep you learn about the Nine Hells as well as researching devils to learn everything that’s said about them in the “Devils” entry of the Monster Manual.
Nine Hells:
The Nine Hells
The Nine Hells of Baator inflame the imaginations of travelers, the greed of treasure seekers, and the battle fury of all moral creatures. It is the ultimate plane of law and evil and the epitome of premeditated cruelty. The devils of the Nine Hells are bound to obey the laws of their superiors, but they rebel within their individual castes. Most undertake any plot, no matter how foul, to advance themselves. At the very top of the hierarchy is Asmodeus, who has yet to be bested. If he were to be vanquished, the victor would rule the plane in turn. Such is the law of the Nine Hells.
The Nine Layers
The Nine Hells has nine layers. The first eight are each ruled by archdevils that answer to Asmodeus, the Archduke of Nessus, the ninth layer. To reach the deepest layer of the Nine Hells, one must descend through all eight of the layers above it, in order. The most expeditious means of doing so is the River Styx, which plunges ever deeper as it flows from one layer to the next. Only the most courageous adventurers can withstand the torment and horror of that journey.
Avernus. No planar portals connect directly to the lower layers of the Nine Hells, by Asmodeus’s orders. As such, the first layer of Avernus is the arrival point for visitors to the plane. Avernus is a rocky wasteland with rivers of blood and clouds of biting flies. Fiery comets occasionally fall from the darkened sky and leave fuming impact craters behind. Empty battlefields are littered with weapons and bones, showing where the legions of the Nine Hells met enemies on their native soil and prevailed.
The archduchess Zariel rules Avernus, supplanting her rival, Bel, who has fallen out of Asmodeus’s favor and is forced to serve as Zariel’s advisor. Tiamat, the Queen of Evil Dragons, is a prisoner on this layer, ruling her own domain but confined to the Nine Hells by Asmodeus in accordance with some ancient contract (the terms of which are known only to Tiamat and the Lords of the Nine).
Zariel’s seat of power is a soaring basalt citadel festooned with the partially incinerated corpses of guests who failed to earn the archduchess’s favor. Zariel appears as an angel whose once-beautiful skin and wings have been ruined by fire. Her eyes burn with a furious white light that can cause creatures looking upon her to burst into flame.
Dis. Dis, the second layer of the Nine Hells, is a labyrinth of canyons wedged between sheer mountains rich with iron ore. Iron roads span and wend through the canyons, watched over by the garrisons of iron fortresses perched atop jagged pinnacles.
The second layer takes its name from its current lord, Dispater. A manipulator and deceiver, the archduke is devilishly handsome, bearing only small horns, a tail, and a cloven left hoof to distinguish him from a human. His crimson throne stands in the heart of the Iron City of Dis, a hideous metropolis that is the largest in the Nine Hells. Planar travelers come here to conspire with devils and to close deals with night hags, rakshasas, incubi, succubi, and other fiends. Dispater collects a piece of every deal through special provisions that are added to contracts signed on his layer of the Nine Hells.
Dispater is one of Asmodeus’s most loyal and resourceful vassals, and few beings in the multiverse can outwit him. He is more obsessed than most devils with striking deals with mortals in exchange for their souls, and his emissaries work tirelessly to foster evil schemes in the Material Plane.
Minauros. The third layer of the Nine Hells is a stench-ridden bog. Acidic rain spills from the layer’s brown skies, thick layers of scum cover its putrid surface, and yawning pits lie in wait beneath the murk to engulf careless wanderers. Cyclopean cities of ornately carved stone rise up from the bog, including the great city of Minauros for which the layer is named.
The slimy walls of the city rise hundreds of feet into the air, protecting the flooded halls of Mammon. The Archduke of Minauros resembles a massive serpent with the upper torso and head of a hairless, horned humanoid. Mammon’s greed is legendary, and he is one of the few archdevils who will trade favors for gold instead of souls. His lair is piled high with treasures left behind by those who tried — and failed — to best him in a deal.
Phlegethos. Phlegethos, the fourth layer, is a fiery landscape whose seas of molten magma brew hurricanes of hot wind, choking smoke, and pyroclastic ash. Within the fire-filled caldera of Phlegethos’s largest volcano rises Abriymoch, a fortress city cast of obsidian and dark glass. With rivers of molten lava pouring down its outer walls, the city resembles the sculpted centerpiece of a gigantic, hellish fountain.
Abriymoch is the seat of power for the two archdevils who rule Phlegethos in tandem: Archduke Belial and Archduchess Fierna, Belial’s daughter. Belial is a handsome, powerfully built devil who exudes civility, even as his words carry an undercurrent of threat. His daughter is a statuesque devil whose beauty encases the blackest heart in the Nine Hells. The alliance of Belial and Fierna is unbreakable, for both are aware that their mutual survival hinges on it.
Stygia. The fifth layer of the Nine Hells is a freezing realm of ice within which cold flames burn. A frozen sea surrounds the layer, and its gloomy sky crackles with lightning.
Archduke Levistus once betrayed Asmodeus and is now encased deep in the ice of Stygia as punishment. He rules this layer all the same, communicating telepathically with his followers and servants, both in the Nine Hells and on the Material Plane.
Stygia is also home to its previous ruler, the serpentine archdevil Geryon, who was dismissed by Asmodeus to allow the imprisoned Levistus to regain his rule. Geryon’s fall from grace has spurred much debate within the infernal courts. No one is certain whether Asmodeus had some secret cause to dismiss the archdevil or whether he is testing Geryon’s allegiance for some greater purpose.
Malbolge. Malbolge, the sixth layer, has outlasted many rulers, among them Malagard the Hag Countess and the archdevil Moloch. Malagard fell out of favor and was struck down by Asmodeus in a fit of pique, while her predecessor, Moloch, still lingers somewhere on the sixth layer as an imp, plotting to regain Asmodeus’s favor. Malbolge is a seemingly endless slope, like the sides of an impossibly huge mountain. Parts of the layer break off from time to time, creating deadly and deafening avalanches of stone. The inhabitants of Malbolge live in crumbling fortresses and great caves carved into the mountainside.
Malbolge’s current archduchess is Asmodeus’s daughter, Glasya. She resembles a succubus with her small horns, leathery wings, and forked tail. She inherited her cruelty and love of dark schemes from her father. The citadel that serves as her domicile on the slopes of Malbolge is supported by cracked pillars and buttresses that are sturdy yet seem on the verge of collapse. Beneath the palace is a labyrinth lined with cells and torture chambers, where Glasya confines and torments those who displease her.
Maladomini. The seventh layer, Maladomini, is ruin-covered wasteland. Dead cities form a desolate urban landscape, and between them lie empty quarries, crumbling roads, slag heaps, the hollow shells of empty fortresses, and swarms of hungry flies.
The Archduke of Maladomini is Baalzebul, the Lord of Flies. A bloated fiend with the lower body of an enormous slug, Baalzebul’s form was inflicted on him by Asmodeus as punishment for wavering loyalty. Baalzebul is a miserable and degenerate monstrosity who has long conspired to usurp Asmodeus, yet has failed at every turn. He carries a curse that causes any deal made with him to lead to calamity. Asmodeus occasionally shows Baalzebul favor for reasons no other archduke can fathom, though some suspect that the Archduke of Nessus still respects the worthiness of this fallen adversary.
Cania. Cania, the eighth layer of the Nine Hells, is an icy hellscape, whose ice storms can tear flesh from bone. Cities embedded in the ice provide shelter for guests and prisoners of Cania’s ruler, the brilliant and conniving archdevil Mephistopheles.
Mephistopheles dwells in the ice citadel of Mephistar, where he plots to seize the Throne of Baator and conquer the planes. He is Asmodeus’s greatest enemy and ally, and the Archduke of Nessus appears to trust Mephistopheles’s counsel when it is offered. Mephistopheles knows he can’t depose Asmodeus until his adversary makes a grave miscalculation, and so both wait to see what circumstances might turn them against each other. Mephistopheles is also a godfather of sorts to Glasya, further complicating the relationship.
Mephistopheles is a tall, striking devil with impressive horns and a cool demeanor. He trades in souls, as do other archdevils, but he rarely gives his time to any creatures not worthy of his personal attention. His instincts are as razor sharp as Cania’s frigid winds, and it is said that only Asmodeus has ever deceived or thwarted him.
Nessus. The lowest layer of the Nine Hells, Nessus is a realm of dark pits whose walls are set with fortresses. There, pit fiend generals loyal to Asmodeus garrison their diabolical legions and plot the conquest of the multiverse. At the center of the layer stands a vast rift of unknown depth, out of which rises the great citadel-spire of Malsheem, home to Asmodeus and his infernal court.
Malsheem resembles a gigantic hollowed-out stalagmite. The citadel is also a prison for souls that Asmodeus has locked away for safekeeping. Convincing him to release even one of those souls comes at a steep price, and it is rumored that the Archduke of Nessus has claimed whole kingdoms in the past for such favors.
Asmodeus most often appears as a handsome, bearded humanoid with small horns protruding from his forehead, piercing red eyes, and flowing robes. He can also assume other forms and is seldom seen without his ruby-tipped scepter in hand. Asmodeus is the most cunning and well-mannered of archdevils. The ultimate evil he represents can be seen only when he wills it so, or if he forgets himself and flies into a rage.
Once you are ready to leave for Traxigor’s tower Sylvira ushers you to a crescent-shaped landing platform with a stunning view of the sea. Waiting for you atop this platform are several griffons with saddles, their handlers standing nearby to help you. “The griffons have instructions to fly you to Traxigor’s tower,” says Sylvira. “Don’t worry, it’s safe!”
When you are all mounted the griffons take flight and head out to sea, flying just below the clouds. Candlekeep looks no less majestic from the air but grows smaller as the griffons soar westward. Large, rocky islands pass below you, and beyond them lies the open sea. After a long journey, you see a windowless, doorless stone tower — which somehow floats in the sky ahead. The griffons pass through jagged holes riddling the tower’s conical peak to land on the top floor below, which has a spiral staircase leading down.
One level down, you see a cluttered chamber illuminated by various objects upon which continual flame spells have been cast. Scurrying around the room is an otter dressed in a tiny red cassock. The otter mumbles to itself in Common, mentioning something about a tuning fork. Suddenly, it takes notice of you and stands upright. “Lulu! Wake up! Our guests have arrived!”
At the sound of her name, a small elephant with golden fur appears from under a pile of blankets near a table strewn with alchemical equipment. The elephant takes to the air on feathery wings and lets out a pleasing trumpet sound.
TIbi looks at the Griffons with a smile and says "me flying on another beast is a bit like taking mithral to Mithral Hall" as he launches himself from the platform.
DM - Stopping a god in his tracks