Chapter 5: Escape from Avernus - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus

Chapter 5: Escape from Avernus. All adventures must end, but the best ones end with a bang. The climax of Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus comes when the characters try to redeem Zariel, save Elturel, or both. This chapter sets out some of the most likely ways for these events to happen. As with all Dungeons & Dragons adventures, a host of other outcomes are possible, so feel free to let the story evolve beyond the suggested endings outlined in this chapter. If the characters don't want to save Elturel, they don't need to. However, if they intend to save Elturel, the players should be aware that this is a twofold task: Elturel must be freed from the chains that bind it to Avernus. Elturel must be returned to the Material Plane. Though some of the actions the characters can take will accomplish both these tasks at once, others will solve only half the problem. Who Should Rule Avernus? The characters could give Zariel more power to rule Avernus, or they could support one of the archdevil's enemies in a bid to unseat her. They could also try to destroy Zariel, creating a power vacuum that throws Avernus into disarray. Whatever the outcome, the characters are poised to help write cosmic history. Redeeming Zariel In this outcome, the adventurers entreat the archdevil to redeem her angelic soul and take up her celestial mantle once more. Even though Zariel has fallen, there remains a faint glimmer of hope for her salvation. A fragment of the devil's former self still lingers within her sword, but inspiring Zariel to reverse the course of her destiny is not as easy as simply handing her the blade. Presenting the Sword To redeem Zariel, the characters must possess the Sword of Zariel. Bringing the sword within 10 feet of Zariel causes the weapon to glow brighter, then levitate to hover before her. Confronted with the last fragment of her angelic spark, Zariel faces an internal struggle. In this moment, the characters have a chance to help the archdevil return to the l...