TEXT:     
  ESCAPE from AVERNUS
  ESCAPE from AVERNUS 
  BALDUR’S GATE: DESCENT INTO AVERNUS
  BALDUR’S GATE: DESCENT INTO AVERNUS
  DM’s Resources for Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus 
  DM’s Resources for Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus 
  Chapter 4: Sword of Zariel
  Chapter 4: Sword of Zariel
  
  ESCAPE from AVERNUS
  ESCAPE from AVERNUS
  Credits
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  Writing: J. A. Valeur
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  BALDUR’S GATE: DESCENT INTO AVERNUS
  
   CHAPTER 5: ESCAPE FROM AVERNUS 
   CHAPTER 5: ESCAPE FROM AVERNUS 
  1
  Chapter 5: Escape from Avernus
  Chapter 5: Escape from Avernus
  Running Chapter 5
  Chapter 5 starts right where Chapter 4 ends: The characters 
  have claimed the Sword of Zariel, and must now figure out 
  how to use it to save Elturel and escape Avernus! 
  Of all the chapters in Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus, 
  this chapter is by far the most open-ended chapter. It doesn’t 
  prescribe a predetermined plan-of-action, but instead 
  outlines several different scenarios the players might choose 
  from. This allows you to craft the ending that best fits your 
  campaign, which is certainly the right way to do it – even if it 
  can be more challenging than following a strict script.
  Below you’ll find a structured overview of Chapter 5 to help 
  clearly define the events in the chapter.
  Overview
  The campaign book outlines several possible outcomes to the 
  campaign, but in a slightly haphazard way, with the outcomes 
  scattered across multiple pages. Luckily, when we put it all 
  together, the chapter is actually quite simple in its essence. 
  The characters need to accomplish three things before the 
  end:
  • Deal with Zariel, Archduke of Avernus
  • Break the Chains pulling Elturel down
  • Return Elturel to the Material Plane
  The characters can decide in which order they attempt these 
  things, but they must successfully do all three to free Elturel 
  and return it to the Material Plane (if that is their goal!). 
  Deal with Zariel
  Regardless of whatever else happens in this chapter, the 
  party will eventually have to deal with Zariel. The chapter 
  outlines several scenarios for the characters’ interaction with 
  Zariel, which essentially boils down to redeeming, making 
  a deal with, or fighting the fallen angel. Below is a quick 
  overview, which we’ll explore in depth in the section Dealing 
  with Zariel.
  Redeeming Zariel. The party can redeem Zariel by 
  presenting the Sword of Zariel to her and succeeding on a 
  Persuasion Check. When redeemed, Zariel returns to her 
  angelic form, turns the chains holding Elturel into ash and 
  shatters the Companion, freeing the planetar who returns 
  Elturel to the Material Plane.
  Making a Deal with Zariel. The party can also bargain 
  with Zariel, offering for example to destroy one of the 
  demon lords, give her the Shield of the Hidden Lord or sign 
  away one of their brightest souls in exchange for Elturel’s 
  release. Alternatively, the party can also choose to serve 
  Zariel, delivering the Sword of Zariel to the archdevil. In this 
  scenario, Elturel isn’t freed – indeed, Zariel might instead 
  task the party with ensuring Baldur’s Gate fall.
  Fighting Zariel. Destroying Zariel (possibly with the aid 
  of various demon lords or archdevils) frees the citizens of 
  Elturel from their infernal bondage and breaks the chains 
  holding Elturel, but doesn’t return the city to the Material 
  Plane.
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  C
  hapter 5: Escape from Avernus is the 
  final act of the infernal play, where the characters 
  must lay their lives on the line – heck, even 
  their immortal souls – to escape the hell that is 
  Avernus. In this chapter, the heroes must deal 
  with demons, devils and fallen angels as they 
  cement their legacies as the saviors of Elturel!
  This document seeks to provide you, the Dungeon Master, 
  with tools and thoughts that will help you make Chapter 5 of 
  Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus an exciting experience 
  for your players. It’s strongly recommended that you read 
  through Chapter 5 before using these resources. And always 
  remember, the advice and ideas given here are options – you 
  know best what works at your table. This product contains:
  Running Chapter 5. A convenient overview of the events 
  in Chapter 5, as well as some suggestions on how to start 
  Chapter 5 and example endings that might inspire you.
  Dealing With Zariel. An in-depth view on how to run and 
  enhance the party’s inevitable last confrontation with Zariel, 
  whether it involves redeeming, making a deal with, or fighting 
  the Archduke of Avernus.
  2 Avernus Encounter Maps. Created to fit with the 
  description of ‘Endgame in Elturel’, these huge 50x50 maps 
  are fully colorized and primed for digital tabletops.
  Contents
  Chapter 5: Escape from Avernus............................................1
  Running Chapter 5 ............................................................................1
  Starting the Ending ..........................................................................3
  Dealing with Zariel ...........................................................................4
  Endgame in Elturel ...........................................................................8
  
  2
   CHAPTER 5: ESCAPE FROM AVERNUS
   CHAPTER 5: ESCAPE FROM AVERNUS
  Breaking the Chains
  To free the city of Elturel from imminent destruction by way 
  of drowning in the River Styx, the party must break the 
  chains holding it. The book outlines four ways to do this: 
  by Zariel’s hand, with Tiamat or Crokek’toeck’s aid, or by 
  breaking the contract between Zariel and Thavius Kreeg. 
  Don’t be afraid to add more options to this one – feasibly, any 
  powerful entity or even the characters themselves can break 
  the chains. And, since breaking the chains in itself does little 
  to actually liberate Elturel from its predicament, you don’t 
  have to worry about the characters ‘skipping’ content by 
  dealing with the chains in an unintended, inventive way.
  By Zariel’s Hand. If the characters either redeemed Zariel, 
  or struck a bargain with the archdevil, Zariel can break the 
  chains holding Elturel and free the city.
  Breaking the Contract. If Zariel is killed, or the characters 
  can trick Zariel into presenting the contract and then destroy 
  it, the chains are turned to ash and Elturel is freed.
  Ire of Tiamat. The party can strike a bargain with Arkhan 
  the Cruel and his draconic deity, and get the dragon goddess 
  to destroy the chains holding Elturel.
  Jaws of Crokek’toeck. If Crokek’toeck was released from 
  the Scab, the party can smear blood from a celestial or a 
  paladin on the chains, luring the demon in to chew through 
  them.
  Returning Elturel
  Lastly, the party must ensure that Elturel is returned to 
  the Material Plane. The only way to do this outlined in 
  the chapter is by freeing the planetar trapped inside the 
  Companion. This – freeing the planetar – thus becomes the 
  real objective here. (If the characters are stumped as to how 
  they can return Elturel to the Material plane, you can have 
  Lulu or Gargauth in the Shield of the Hidden Lord suggest 
  destroying the Companion). Going by the book, there’s three 
  ways to free the planetar: striking the Companion with the 
  Sword of Zariel, using Bel’s adamantine rods, or acquiring 
  the aid of a powerful demon lord or archdevil.
  The Sword of Zariel. A character wielding the Sword of 
  Zariel can free the planetar with a single blow. Zariel does 
  this for the party if they redeem her or strike a bargain with 
  her. Otherwise, they can do it themselves, although this may 
  destroy the sword.
  Using the Adamantine Rods. If the characters have 
  acquired the nine adamantine rods crafted by Bel, they 
  can insert the rods into the Companion, thus releasing the 
  planetar.
  With Evil’s Aid. The characters can also get a powerful 
  archdevil or demon lord to shatter the Companion for them 
  – most likely suspects are Tiamat, Bel or even Gargauth, if 
  released from the shield. 
  
   CHAPTER 5: ESCAPE FROM AVERNUS 
   CHAPTER 5: ESCAPE FROM AVERNUS 
  3
  Starting the Ending
  As mentioned earlier, Chapter 5 starts in a very open way. 
  The characters are on the open steppe of Avernus, Sword of 
  Zariel in hand, ready to take on Zariel and save Elturel. But 
  where do they start? They may have some ideas on their own, 
  but it pays for you to be aware of the options, especially if you 
  want to guide them toward a particular type of ending. The 
  most likely first actions are one of the following:
  • Immediately seek out Zariel to destroy or redeem her.
  • Go to Elturel to destroy the chains and/or the Companion.
  • Try to make an alliance with one or several NPCs.
  However, which of these options even occur to them, or how 
  they go about it, depends on the information available to them 
  – which is something you have control over.
  Your Preferred Ending
  The information you provide the party with will inevitably 
  guide their decisions. But choosing what information to give, 
  requires you to think about what ending you think would be 
  most fitting for your campaign. Do you want the party to face 
  Zariel on their own or with cool allies in tow? Do you think 
  redeeming Zariel should be plan A, and a fight to the death 
  plan B – or the other way around? Do you want the party to 
  liberate Elturel on their own by destroying the chains and 
  breaking the Companion?
  Setting the Scene
  The chapter starts with a nearly blank slate. The descriptions 
  you provide as the characters stand under Avernus’ open sky 
  (or have provided earlier) will play a large part in determining 
  the party’s actions. If they can see Elturel on the horizon, 
  hovering just barely above the River Styx, they are probably 
  more likely to hurry to its rescue immediately. Alternatively, 
  if they know they have several days to plan and prepare, they 
  are more likely to seek out allies and explore their options. 
  Likewise, if they never see Croek’toeck, they probably won’t 
  get the idea to have it chew through the infernal chains, and 
  if they don’t know where Zariel resides, they won’t be able to 
  confront her in her flying fortress, if that’s what you would 
  like to happen.
  Using NPCs
  Another tool you can use to guide the characters are any of 
  the NPCs and/or sentient items they have with them. The 
  book suggests that Lulu will try to convince the characters to 
  redeem Zariel, while it would seem fitting that Gargauth in 
  the Shield of the Hidden Lord might suggest to the party that 
  they make some allies first – preferably someone that can 
  free him, such as Bel or Tiamat.
  You can have any NPC tell the party where to find Zariel 
  – whether you want that to be in her flying fortress or on the 
  battlefield under Elturel – or even have the Sword of Zariel 
  impart that knowledge as a weird sensation to any character 
  who has attuned to it. Likewise, NPCs can also provide the 
  characters with pertinent information such as how the party 
  can destroy the infernal chains (suggesting Croek’toeck, if 
  they spot him on the plains!) or the Companion.
  If you don’t have Lulu or Gargauth available, or prefer not 
  to use them, you can also have Olanthius show up after the 
  citadel’s destruction. He mourns the final passing of Yael, 
  but swears fealty to any character attuned to the Sword of 
  Zariel. Olanthius can be the one who suggests that the party 
  seek out Zariel to redeem or destroy her, while also providing 
  welcome aid in the challenging fights ahead.
  Example Endings
  There’s a multitude of different ways to end the campaign, and 
  it can be hard to keep track of all the possibilities. Below you’ll 
  find three example endings which can help to give a clearer 
  picture of what’s possible, and perhaps even inspire the ending 
  you want to create for your campaign.
  Example Ending 1
  • The party is joined by Olanthius shortly after reclaiming the 
  Sword of Zariel. He offers his help in either redeeming or 
  destroying Zariel, and tells the party that she is near Elturel. 
  • On the way to Zariel, they must deal with some horned devils 
  and barlguras.
  • The characters finally get close to Zariel and attempt to 
  redeem her – and succeed!
  • Bel chooses this moment to enact his vengeance, attacking 
  the vulnerable Zariel.
  • The party and Olanthius fight the powerful pit fiend and 
  manage to send him scurrying away, although the valiant 
  Olanthius is destroyed.
  • Zariel thanks the party and liberates Elturel.
  Example Ending 2
  • The party can see that they still have some days before Elturel 
  descends fully. Gargauth suggests that they find allies against 
  Zariel.
  • The party strikes a deal with Bel, who grants them charms 
  and items, and informs them that the adamantine rods they 
  have can be used to destroy the Companion.
  • >The party flies up to the Companion to use the adamantine 
  rods, but are intercepted by Zariel, who attacks them.
  • The party is losing the fight with Zariel, but survivors from 
  Elturel come to their aid, suffering heavy losses but turning 
  the tide. 
  • Sensing that she might lose, Zariel offers a bargain to the 
  party – destroy a demon lord and she will let Elturel go back.
  • Whether by Zariel’s destruction or by the party’s fulfillment 
  of their bargain, Elturel is freed and returned to the Material 
  Plane.
  Example Ending 3
  • The party is spurred on by Lulu to quickly get to Elturel and 
  redeem Zariel.
  • On the way to Zariel, they must deal with some horned devils 
  and barlguras.
  • The characters finally get close to Zariel and attempt to 
  redeem her – and fail!
  • Zariel is ready to attack, but Gargauth implores a good-
  aligned cleric or paladin to offer themselves to Zariel.
  • Zariel agrees, but first wants the Shield of the Hidden Lord as 
  part of the bargain.
  • Gargauth is released and the party must fight the powerful 
  pit fiend.
  • When Gargauth has been defeated, the cleric or paladin 
  moves to sacrifice themselves, giving the characters another 
  chance to redeem Zariel.
  • Whether by Zariel’s redemption or by a character’s noble 
  sacrifice, Elturel is freed and returned to the Material Plane.
  
  4
   CHAPTER 5: ESCAPE FROM AVERNUS
   CHAPTER 5: ESCAPE FROM AVERNUS
  Dealing with Zariel
  How the characters choose to deal with Zariel is in many 
  ways the pivotal event of Chapter 5 – it’s where they’ll most 
  likely find their greatest challenge and where the campaign’s 
  ending will be decided by strength of arms and sharpness of 
  wit. Below we’ll go review the options for dealing with Zariel 
  presented in the book and offer advice on how to run them.
  Redeeming Zariel
  To quickly recap, this is how the campaign book describes 
  the possible redemption of Zariel:
  • The characters must bring the Sword of Zariel to within 10 
  ft. of Zariel and make a hard Charisma (Persuasion) check.
  • On a success, Zariel takes the sword and returns to her 
  angelic form, and the party receives a blessing of health.
  • Zariel destroys the Companion and releases the planetar.
  • The planetar returns Elturel to the Material Plane.
  • Zariel gifts the party a feather to summon her for 1 hour.
  This scenario is rewarding in the sense that Zariel’s 
  redemption is a fitting end to her story arc, and the scenes 
  described in the book are dramatic. However, having 
  everything come down to a single skill check, and ending 
  with Zariel basically doing everything for the party, can 
  end up feeling a bit anticlimactic. There’s several ways you 
  can make the redemption of Zariel not only more climactic, 
  but also more challenging and satisfying. This involves 
  enhancing what happens before, during and after Zariel’s 
  redemption.
  Before Zariel's Redemption
  On page 154 of BG:DiA, we’re given a thorough description 
  of a possible ‘Endgame in Elturel’, which presents the party 
  with some challenges before encountering Zariel in the field 
  of battle underneath Elturel. You can use this scenario to 
  make sure that there’s some action before the characters 
  attempt to redeem the archdevil. You can read more about 
  this under Endgame in Elturel.
  During Zariel's Redemption
  In the book, redeeming Zariel requires the characters 
  to present the Sword of Zariel, make a good argument 
  for rejoining the celestial host and a DC 25 Charisma 
  (Persuasion) check (which is reduced by 5 if either Lulu or 
  Olanthius is present, or 10 if both are with the party).
  While this process certainly makes sense, it also puts all 
  the party’s eggs in one basket – or on one check, in this case. 
  You can make this challenge more rewarding and include 
  more of the party by turning it into a Group Skill Check.
  Instead of asking only for one check from one character, 
  you can have the tempted – but unsure – Zariel ask each of 
  the party members to make an argument for why she should 
  take the sword and rejoin the celestial host, from their 
  unique perspective. To make success more likely, you can 
  lower the collective DC to 15 (if it is not already lowered by 
  present NPCs), and allow characters who make more logical 
  arguments (“Instead of commanding the forces of evil, is your 
  energy not better spent convincing the forces of good to join 
  the war in earnest?”) to use Intelligence or Wisdom in place 
  of Charisma, when making the Persuasion check. A character 
  that refuses to answer, or can’t give an argument, fails 
  automatically. If half or more of the checks succeed, Zariel 
  grasps the sword and accepts redemption.
  Consequences of Redemption
  We’re never given the specifics of Zariel’s deal with Asmodeus, 
  but it doesn’t seem far fetched to think that there would be 
  consequences to breaking the agreement. This can work in your 
  favor, since you may want the characters to handle themselves 
  against the foes that arrive after her redemption. Immediately 
  after her transformation to a solar, you can have Zariel 
  breathlessly mutter “.. the bargain.. reversed.. back to.. how he 
  found me..”, before a multitude of gory wounds spout on her 
  body and she falls to her knees. If characters move to heal her, 
  she tells them she can heal herself, and instead asks them to 
  protect her from the foes that seek to take advantage of her 
  weakened state. She recovers after a minute or however long is 
  convenient for the encounter you’re running.
  After Zariel's Redemption
  If the characters fail to redeem Zariel, they’ll have an exciting 
  showdown with the archdevil, but if the characters succeed, 
  the book has Zariel taking the reins from there, destroying 
  the Companion and returning Elturel to the Material Plane 
  – basically ending the campaign for the characters. You can 
  make the ending feel more earned by introducing a new foe 
  to replace the redeemed Zariel. There’s ample foes to choose 
  from, and which is best for your table will likely depend on 
  who the characters have interacted with during their time in 
  Avernus. Below we’ll go over three likely prospects.
  Kostchtchi. If freed, Kostchtchie is described at the end 
  of ‘Endgame in Elturel’ as trying to take his hammer back 
  from Zariel. As nearby devils stop to gawk at her angelic 
  transformation, the demon lord slips through their ranks 
  to reclaim his hammer. It is up to the party to defend the 
  weakened Zariel (see ‘Consequences of Redemption’). In 
  spite of his CR of 25, Kostchtchie has only 16 AC and 243 
  HP, so it doesn’t seem unlikely that a party of 13th level 
  adventurers could beat him.
  Bel. If the characters encountered Bel during chapter 3, 
  you can have the cunning pit fiend show up after Zariel’s 
  redemption. Arriving via teleport, Bel takes advantage of 
  Zariel’s weakness to make his move. If Zariel isn’t weakened 
  by her redemption, you can have Bel start the fight by using 
  imprisonment (chaining) on Zariel, followed immediately by a 
  meteor swarm aimed directly at her head, before he moves in 
  for the kill. Even without these high level spells, Bel’s CR of 
  25 seems appropriate, so if the party is losing badly, you can 
  have Olanthius or another friendly NPC show up to help
  Tiamat. Finally, if Arkhan the Cruel or Tiamat have 
  featured heavily in the campaign, you can have the dragon 
  goddess make her move immediately following Zariel’s 
  redemption. Still wary of defeat, Tiamat has sent her minions 
  to kill Zariel and the party. Arkhan the Cruel arrives on 
  the back of his chimera, flanked by Torogar Steelfist on 
  a manticore. In combination, this group should present a 
  challenging, but still beatable, encounter. Alternatively, you 
  can have Tiamat show up herself, in which case the party will 
  likely need the aid of Zariel or other powerful NPCs to even 
  stand a chance!
  
   CHAPTER 5: ESCAPE FROM AVERNUS 
   CHAPTER 5: ESCAPE FROM AVERNUS 
  5
  Making a Deal with Zariel
  The various deals the party can make with Zariel are well 
  described in the campaign book. To quickly reiterate, the 
  party has the following things to offer Zariel:
  • To Destroy a Demon Lord (likely Baphomet, Yeenoghu or 
  Kostchtchie).
  • The Shield of the Hidden Lord (including the destruction of 
  the weakened pit fiend inside).
  • The Ultimate Sacrifice (the soul of a good-aligned paladin 
  or cleric of 10th level or higher).
  • Serving Zariel (signing their souls over to Zariel and 
  serving her eternally).
  Making a deal with Zariel is in many ways a very suitable 
  ending to an infernal campaign – escaping hell by entering 
  into a deal with an archdevil! All deals are not created equal, 
  however. Depending on the characters’ alignment and 
  personalities, some bargains may seem more enticing – while 
  others are completely off the table.
  To Destroy a Demon Lord
  The book suggests that Zariel will trade Elturel for the 
  destruction of either Baphomet, Yeenoghu or Kostchtchie. 
  Since the party have likely already fought Yeenoghu in 
  Idyllglen, you may be tempted to go with Baphomet instead. 
  The downside to Baphomet is that he isn’t a very interesting 
  foe – besides some less-than-worthwhile spells and Frightful 
  Presence, Baphomet basically just makes the same attacks 
  each round. If you haven’t already foreshadowed Baphomet 
  heavily, you can easily replace him with any of the other 
  demon lords, who can be found in Mordenkainen’s Tome 
  of Foes. Zuggtmoy, Jubilex, or Graz’zt all present similar 
  challenges, while having more interesting combat options.
  This bargain works very well as a more impromptu 
  bargain. It’s a deal both the characters or Zariel herself can 
  suggest to save face if they find themselves losing a pitched 
  battle. It’s also very suitable if the characters have shown 
  interest in the Blood War during the campaign, and perhaps 
  have grown sympathetic towards the devils, who (according 
  to themselves, at least) defend the planes of existence from 
  the chaotic and savage demons.
  The Shield of the Hidden Lord
  This option has Zariel demanding the Shield of the Hidden 
  Lord, upon which she releases the pit fiend Gargauth and 
  insists that the party destroy it. The book dictates that 
  Gargauth has 4 levels of exhaustion, which would make 
  the pit fiend a meager challenge for a party of 13th level 
  adventurers. If this is the final encounter of the campaign, 
  you may want to present the party with a fresh and whole 
  Gargauth – even at full power, a pit fiend shouldn’t be too 
  hard a challenge for the average level 13 party.
  This bargain works particularly well if Gargauth has been 
  pestering the characters to find a way to release him for the 
  last several weeks or even months. To finally be freed, only 
  to be destroyed moments later by the characters is a sweetly 
  ironic ending to the campaign, provided that the characters 
  have developed a meaningful relationship with the pit fiend. 
  Be aware that the book dictates that destroying Gargauth 
  should only buy Elturel’s release OR return – not both. 
  Whether you want to stick by this or not is up to you, though 
  it does seem fair that destroying Gargauth isn’t a big enough 
  prize to warrant the release of Elturel.
  The Ultimate Sacrifice
  This option has a good-aligned cleric or paladin of 10th 
  level or higher offering their soul to Zariel in return for the 
  freedom of Elturel. In addition to being an utilitarian’s dream 
  deal to begin with, this selflessness also grants the party an 
  additional chance to redeem Zariel (with advantage!).
  The idea that a single character can save thousands by 
  sacrificing themselves is definitely appealing. It feels like this 
  works best if it is the player’s own idea – one you can inspire 
  by dropping hints about the value a paladin or cleric’s soul 
  might have throughout the campaign, or by having an NPC 
  such as Gargauth or Lulu say as much. You can of course also 
  have Zariel herself bring it up during a fight with the party, if 
  the characters need a way to survive a catastrophic defeat.
  Serving Zariel
  This option has the characters swearing away their souls and 
  offering to serve Zariel for eternity. In the book, this option is 
  mentioned separately from the other bargains and has Zariel 
  providing nothing in return, but it could feasibly work like 
  ‘The Ultimate Sacrifice’: the characters sign over their souls 
  in return for the freedom of Elturel.
  This bargain seems particularly well-suited for evil – or at 
  least morally ambiguous – characters. It’s also a bargain that 
  is worth keeping in reserve, ready for use if the characters 
  are losing the epic last battle against Zariel and need an out. 
  This bargain has the added benefit of providing a possible 
  starting point for the next campaign, as the party is sent 
  to carry out Zariel’s bidding. Whether that means going 
  up against another archdevil, finding an obscure celestial 
  relic that can be used against the demons, or causing the 
  corruption and ultimate descent of Baldur’s Gate, is your call
  
  6
   CHAPTER 5: ESCAPE FROM AVERNUS
   CHAPTER 5: ESCAPE FROM AVERNUS
  Fighting Zariel
  In the section ‘Zariel’s Wrath’ (BG:DiA, pg. 148), the 
  campaign book describes a fight with Zariel in only a few 
  short sentences. Below, we’ll go over the fight with Zariel in 
  more detail, offering advice on how to run it.
  Before Fighting Zariel
  As mentioned before, the ‘Endgame in Elturel’ (BG:DiA, pg. 
  154) outlines a nice precursor to a fight with Zariel. Whether 
  the party is seeking the archdevil to redeem her or are hoping 
  for a fight from the start, the challenges described here 
  should get them warmed up before the final battle.
  The encounter with Zariel might start differently, however. 
  If the characters have opted to go for the infernal chains or 
  the Companion directly, the book describes how Zariel sends 
  up minions to intercept the party. You can make this scenario 
  match ‘Endgame in Elturel’ by adding some lesser encounters 
  – first two horned devils try to stop the party from doing 
  whatever they’re doing, and after they’re defeated, five vrocks 
  or chasmes show up randomly, attacking the party. 
  Lastly, the party might also choose to confront Zariel in her 
  flying fortress, provided she’s there at all – which is up to you 
  to decide. The book doesn’t offer much advice on how to run 
  an encounter in Zariel’s flying fortress – and, when looking 
  at it, a final showdown underneath the swiftly descending 
  Elturel does seem more dramatic. If the party does decide to 
  go to Zariel’s fortress, you can have it guarded by two erinyes 
  and 12 bearded devils, while the rest of the crew has followed 
  Zariel into battle. They can act as the ‘warm-up encounters’, 
  while also sending the party to the battlefield where they can 
  find Zariel.
  Zariel's Tactics
  A fight with an archfiend as powerful as Zariel is pretty 
  exciting on its own, but you can enhance it further by 
  understanding Zariel’s tactics. Zariel is not only a defensive 
  powerhouse, with 21 AC, 580 HP, regeneration, and various 
  useful resistances – she also has a wide array of useful 
  offensive actions available to her.
  Attacks. If Zariel goes for pure damage, she can make 
  two flail attacks (53 average damage each) and an attack 
  with Matalotok (55 average damage + 10 AoE cold damage) 
  or use her Horrid Touch (44 necrotic damage + blinded and 
  deafened). When dealing damage is the priority, she should 
  use Matalotok, but if she wants to quickly disable a character, 
  Horrid Touch is the way to go. Regardless of which attack 
  she chooses, Zariel can easily reduce nearly any 13th-level 
  character to 0 hit points in a single turn.
  Spells. Zariel also has spells available to her, but in most 
  situations, only blade barrier does enough to be better than 
  a round of attacks. She can use that spell to ring in melee 
  combatants while taking care of spellcasters and ranged 
  attackers. Even though finger of death is a strong spell, her 
  ordinary attacks deal so much damage that she’d probably 
  only use it if her target of choice has resistance to her 
  ordinary attacks.
  Legendary Actions. Zariel’s choices of legendary actions 
  are quite limited. She can either use Teleport three times, or 
  teleport once and use Immolating Gaze. Immolating Gaze 
  can be used to frustrate concentrating spellcasters or target 
  foes with low HP. Teleport is good when she needs to close 
  with a dangerous foe right after their turn, make her own 
  attacks, and Teleport away before her target can return the 
  favor.
  Overall Tactics. Equipped with ample hit points and a 
  regeneration feature, Zariel’s main priority should be to 
  quickly take out enemies that can deal radiant damage, or 
  who have other spells or features that present a real threat. 
  She uses blade barrier to control melee combatants, while an 
  early Horrid Touch can be used to weaken one character for 
  a turn or two. This allows Zariel to use her Teleport ability 
  and high move speed to close in on her primary targets, 
  taking dangerous characters out one by one. If she finds that 
  characters are being healed or revivified, she might opt to use 
  finger of death to ensure a troublesome character’s demise.
  The Environment
  The best encounters are dynamic – not only through the 
  actions of the involved combatants, but also because of the 
  environment’s impact on the battle.
  A final battle with Zariel is likely to take place either on the 
  battlefield underneath Elturel, on the streets of Elturel, or 
  in the air near Elturel. In either case, there’s plenty of fiends 
  and environmental hazards nearby. As a means to spice up 
  combat, you can introduce random events. Each round at 
  initiative 20, roll a d20 and consult the ‘Battlefield Events’-
  table below to see what happens, depending on where the 
  battle is taking place. Note that some events target specific 
  characters, while others affect all creatures involved in the 
  battle. You decide whether creatures that show up only make 
  a single round of attacks before passing on, or stay in the fight 
  until destroyed.
  Battlefield Events
  Event
  Under 
  Elturel
  In 
  Elturel
  Over 
  Elturel
  A vrock or barlgura attacks Zariel
  1
  1
  1
  A hellwasp or barbed devil 
  attacks a character
  2
  2
  2
  A cloud of poisonous gas drifts 
  across the battlefield. All 
  combatants must make a DC 15 
  Con save or be poisoned until next 
  initiative 20
  3–4
  3–4
  3–4
  An abyssal warhorn sounds 
  nearby. All combatants must make 
  a DC 15 Wis save or be frightened 
  until next initiative 20
  5–6
  5–6
  5–6
  The ground shakes. All 
  combatants must make a DC 15 
  Dex save or be knocked prone
  7
  7–8
  –
  A lightning bolt from the 
  Companion flashes close. All 
  combatants must make a DC 15 
  Con save or be blinded until next 
  initiative 20
  8
  9–10
  7–8
  An errant ballista bolt flies 
  towards the character with most 
  hit points. +10 to attack, 4d8 
  piercing damage and DC 15 
  Strength save or shoved 10 ft.
  9
  –
  9–10
  A rock falls from the city in a 
  10 ft. radius where it hits most 
  characters. DC 15 Dex save. 8d10 
  bludgeoning damage on failure, 
  success halves
  10
  –
  –
  Nothing happens
  11–20
  11–20
  11–20
  
   CHAPTER 5: ESCAPE FROM AVERNUS 
   CHAPTER 5: ESCAPE FROM AVERNUS 
  7
  Allies Against Zariel
  The campaign book gives several suggestions on entities that 
  might be able to offer assistance in a showdown with Zariel. 
  Below we’ll analyze and expand upon the descriptions in the 
  book, as well as adding some additional options.
  Baphomet, Kostchtchie or Yeenoghu
  Using one of the demon lords as aid against Zariel is a good 
  option if the party suddenly finds themselves fighting Zariel 
  without any allies – perhaps the characters attempted to 
  redeem her, but failed. Having one of these demon lords 
  interrupt the fight midway to launch a devastating attack 
  against Zariel is a nice way to increase the characters’ 
  chances of success, although you should be wary not to make 
  the fight against her too easy. Simply have the demon lord 
  show up and distract Zariel for a few rounds, bringing her hit 
  points down a notch and giving the characters some time to 
  recover, before falling to the archdevil or being pulled away 
  by her legions of devils.
  Bel
  Unless he can be certain that Zariel has lost Asmodeus’ favor, 
  Bel won’t make a direct move against Zariel. This is well 
  enough, since Bel would probably firmly tip the fight in the 
  party’s favor if he showed up to fight by their side. Bel’s aid 
  is better given indirectly, by buffing the party and increasing 
  their own strength. If the party seeks out Bel before going for 
  Zariel, you can have the former archdevil suggest a simple 
  bargain: Swear to destroy Zariel without mentioning his 
  involvement (Bel wants to avoid repercussions, should they 
  fail), and he’ll not only give them aid, he’ll also allow them to 
  leave Avernus with Elturel. Bel’s aid comes in the form of a 
  summoned ice devil (spear variant), and a charm for each of 
  the characters, choosing from this list:
  • Charm of Diabolical Inspiration (9x advantage on ability 
  checks, attack rolls or saving throws)
  • Charm of Heroism (10 temporary HP and bless for 1 hour)
  • Charm of Lesser Conscription (summoning of a barbed 
  devil, two bearded devils or three spined devils)
  • Charm of Restoration (6 charges, 4 charges to cast greater 
  restoration, 2 charges to cast lesser restoration)
  • Charm of the Adamant (9 x 30 temporary hit points and 
  can’t be charmed or frightened)
  If there’s more than five party members, or you think the 
  party needs more help, Bel can also provide arms and armor. 
  At your discretion, he might offer items such as armors of 
  resistance (fire), cloaks of displacement, or even a sunblade.
  If the party doesn’t seek out Bel before engaging Zariel, you 
  can always have him contact the party telepathically during 
  combat, offering his bargain to one or more characters, 
  delivering his charms and sending the ice devil if they agree.
  Tiamat
  In the book, the party can make a deal with Arkhan the 
  Cruel, who’ll spend ten days mustering an army of white 
  abishai to take on Zariel. The abishai fight Zariel’s legions, 
  while Arkhan, Torogar and their mounts aid the party against 
  Zariel. This option works well if there’s still ample time 
  before Elturel’s descent, but if you’ve already established that 
  Elturel’s destruction is imminent, you can always waive the 
  preparation time. You can also have Arkhan show up to aid 
  the party without being contacted first, if the characters are 
  fighting Zariel alone (and losing). In that case, Arkhan will 
  attempt to assume the mantle as Archduke of Avernus after 
  Zariel’s defeat, unless the party moves to stop him.
  Olanthius
  If the characters have crossed paths with Zariel’s former 
  general during their adventures, you can have the death 
  knight show up during their fight Zariel. Not one for 
  ambushes, Olanthius calmly approaches Zariel, professing 
  in a cold and bitter voice: “If you can break your oath of 
  servitude to the Lord of Light, surely it is only fitting that I 
  break my oath to you as well. I denounce you, Zariel and your 
  evil creed. I shall see you destroyed this day – or ensure my 
  own destruction, and release from this hell, in the attempt.”
  While a strong CR of 17 should on paper be enough to 
  turn the tides in the party’s favor, many of Olanthius attacks 
  and spells are less effective against Zariel. Olanthius will, 
  however, work to soak up some of the damage that Zariel 
  deals, improving the party’s chances of victory even if it 
  comes at the cost of his own miserable existence.
  Elturel's Survivors
  With Elturel hanging mere feet above the River Styx, 
  aid could also come from the city itself. Even if the party 
  doesn’t seek out the survivors in the High Cathedral before 
  engaging Zariel, you can have the valiant survivors show up 
  unannounced during an opportune moment of the fight with 
  Zariel. The survivors either enter the combat by climbing or 
  rappelling down the sides of the city, or on the backs of their 
  appropriate mounts (see the list below), at your discretion. 
  For added drama, you can have the survivors arrive just as 
  Zariel is about to strike a devastating blow, crashing into her 
  from above and dealing a strong blow to the archdevil.
  Possible survivors includes:
  • Ulder Ravengard on the back of a griffon made of radiant 
  light given to him by Lathander.
  • Seltern Obranch (druid) on the back of a giant eagle he 
  has befriended.
  • Reya Mantlemorn (veteran) and Pherria Jynks (acolyte) on 
  the back of a pegasus summoned by the acolyte.
  • Any number of Hellriders (veterans) on the back of 
  summoned pegasi.
  The survivors of Elturel fight fearlessly, recognizing that 
  defeating Zariel is their last chance at saving their souls and 
  the city of Elturel. They’ll selflessly give up their lives to aid 
  the characters and ensure Zariel’s destruction. You can make 
  combat more manageable for yourself, and more exciting for 
  your players, by giving them control of some or all of these 
  NPCs during the fight with Zariel. 
  
  8
   CHAPTER 5: ESCAPE FROM AVERNUS
   CHAPTER 5: ESCAPE FROM AVERNUS
  After Fighting Zariel
  The final moments of the party’s fight with Zariel could very 
  well be some of the last moments in the entire campaign. As 
  such, they should be exciting and epic. Below we’ll quickly 
  discuss how you can make sure that a fight with Zariel comes 
  to as satisfying an end as possible.
  If Zariel is Winning
  Even if the party has acquired aid against Zariel, they may 
  still find themselves in over their heads against the powerful 
  archdevil. However, Zariel’s victory doesn’t have to mean the 
  death of the characters. 
  If the characters’ defeat is all but sure, and you don’t want 
  to give them additional aid, you can have Zariel hold up her 
  hand and say: “You have fought well, but to continue now 
  would be wasteful. Put down your arms and let us talk. There 
  might be ways you can serve me better than by dying.”
  From this clear position of advantage, Zariel will likely 
  demand either the party’s servitude (see ‘Serving Zariel’ 
  in BG:DiA, pg. 149), or ask a cleric or paladin to make ‘The 
  Ultimate Sacrifice’ (BG:DiA, pg. 152). In return, she’ll offer 
  the characters their lives (including the resurrection of any 
  dead characters), but characters who press a hard enough 
  bargain and can come up with a good enough offer, might be 
  able to convince her to free Elturel as well. 
  While probably not the greatest end to the campaign, 
  striking an uncomfortable bargain probably beats being 
  killed unceremoniously by Zariel – which of course is still a 
  very realistic outcome, should the party refuse her offer.
  If Zariel is Losing
  At the end of ‘Endgame in Elturel’, the campaign book 
  dictates that Zariel retreats to her flying fortress if reduced 
  to 100 hit points or less. Depending on the situation, this can 
  work well – if the characters are also nearing their limits, 
  this allows them to focus their remaining strength on saving 
  Elturel instead of dealing with the dangerous archdevil.
  However, Zariel’s retreat could also rob the characters 
  of a suitable climax to the campaign, and one could argue 
  that retreat isn’t really in the stubborn and bloodthirsty 
  archdevil’s nature. Instead of retreat, you can have Zariel 
  offer the characters another chance at a peaceful resolution. 
  Visibly wounded and weakened, the archdevil seems to falter 
  for a moment, shaking her head in distress: “Why are we 
  dying to kill each other? The real evil is out there, on the field, 
  clawing through flesh and bones with demonic claws. I didn’t 
  accept Asmodeus’ bargain so I could destroy a band of mortal 
  heroes – I sought power so I could save the multiverse from 
  the Abyss. This fight is futile. Wasteful.”
  If the characters still possess the Sword of Zariel, they can 
  take this chance to present it once more, offering arguments 
  to sway Zariel to redeem herself. Allow the characters to 
  roll any Persuasion checks with advantage this time around. 
  Alternatively, if the characters engage Zariel in conversation, 
  but don’t have the sword or aren’t interested in redeeming 
  her, they can strike a bargain with the archdevil instead. For 
  example, you can have her point out a demon lord on the 
  battlefield and ask the characters for their aid in destroying 
  the demon lord in return for the release and safe return of 
  Elturel. Or, if the characters are fighting alongside Arkhan 
  the Cruel, or have gained the aid of Bel or a demon lord, she 
  might ask the party to betray their unlikely allies in return for 
  Elturel’s freedom.
  Of course, the party might still refuse Zariel’s overtures, in 
  which case the archdevil’s jaw clenches, her eyes narrow in 
  spiteful hatred, and she throws herself back into the fight with 
  renewed vigor, fighting until destroyed.
  Endgame in Elturel
  At the end of Chapter 5, the campaign book details an 
  ‘Endgame in Elturel’ – a chaotic battle underneath the nearly 
  fallen city of Elturel. Including nice descriptions and a few 
  encounters, this scenario serves very well as the build-up 
  to the characters final showdown with Zariel. Below, we’ll 
  do a quick troubleshoot of the three events that comprise 
  ‘Endgame in Elturel’. 
  Event 1: River's Edge
  The characters arrive on the scene, seeing Elturel quickly 
  sinking into the River Styx, and demons and devils fighting 
  in its shadow. Before they can reach Zariel, they are first 
  attacked by two horned devils with 125 hit points each.
  This event works well as it is, serving as a nice precursor to 
  real combat. If the characters are flying across the battlefield, 
  the horned devils fly up to accost them. Remember, it’s okay 
  if the characters don’t stand and duke it out with the horned 
  devils. If they use significant resources to evade them – 
  invisibility, teleport, etc. – they can simply leave the horned 
  devils behind. But, if they don’t make a clean enough escape, 
  you can have the horned devils reappear during later events.
  Event 2: Field of Flames
  Making their way across the battlefield towards Zariel, the 
  characters must make three group Dexterity (Stealth) or 
  Wisdom (Survival) checks to navigate the battlefield, taking 
  poison and fire damage if they fail. They are then accosted by 
  two hezrous fighting the pit fiend Lucille.
  If the characters can fly, this event doesn’t really work as it 
  is written. You can probably skip the skill checks and instead 
  beef up the encounter by Lucille, replacing the landlocked 
  hezrou with 5 vrocks or chasmes, that fly up to intercept the 
  characters. Alternatively, if the party doesn’t have much help 
  with them when facing Zariel, you can skip this encounter in 
  its entirety.
  Event 3: Showdown with Zariel
  Arriving by Zariel, they find the archdevil battling a balor, 
  which leaves her at 450 hit points after 4 rounds of combat. 
  If they choose to engage Zariel in combat, she flees when 
  reduced to 100 hit points or less.
  The final showdown with Zariel can and should be 
  tweaked to fit the party’s current situation. The main purpose 
  of this encounter isn’t to follow a predetermined script, but 
  to give the characters their greatest challenge yet – making 
  success difficult, but attainable. This is always a hard balance 
  to strike, so the trick is to give yourself some options to tweak 
  the final encounter as it happens.
  If the characters arrive to their showdown with Zariel low 
  on hit points and without allies, you can have her start at 
  even lower than 450 hit points – describing the wounds she’s 
  suffered during her battle with the balor. If a fight erupts 
  between the party and Zariel, you can have an impromptu 
  ally show up. Which one probably depends on the party’s 
  strength: if they’re very outmatched, Tiamat’s forces probably 
  offer them the greatest chance, while Bel and his infernal 
  charms should be sufficient aid to a party that just needs that 
  last little push to defeat Zariel.
  Likewise, if the characters make a bargain with Zariel, you 
  can have her payment be the challenge that best matches the 
  party’s current strength. Baphomet or Yeenoghu (perhaps 
  slightly wounded) are good encounters for a fresh and strong 
  party, while Kostchtchie or Gargauth (weakened from his 
  release) are challenges more suitable for a diminished party.
  
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