S01E73: The Guildhall in Avernus

The ultimate act of chaotic retaliation arrived: Zariel, enraged by the destruction and collection of the Asmodeus artifacts, had transported Bromocorah's guildhall directly to Avernus, the first layer of the Nine Hells. The stone structure was now cracked and embedded in scorched plains, surrounded by lava flows and impaled souls.

Inside, the guildhall was a chaotic war room. Demit and Kilionzel saw this as less of a disaster and more of an opportunity to wreak pure havoc. Demit tasked the party with a reckless mission: infiltrate a nearby fortress and sabotage a critical infernal war engine to disrupt Zariel’s Blood War campaign. Kavar worried desperately about his daughter Luna's safety back in Waterdeep, while John's Oath of Devotion clashed wildly with the guild’s lawless plans.

During the chaotic briefing, two disguised figures, Karlach and Wyll, infiltrated the meeting. They offered covert support, revealing the war engine's location and providing a Hellfire Map—an instant tactical advantage for the unorganized crew.

The party set out across the hellish landscape. Their path immediately took them to The Lava Scar—a trench of bubbling lava crossed by a chain bridge.

The bridge was guarded by fiery traps, and their chaotic approach instantly triggered an attack by a Chain Devil. The fiend animated the chains, attempting to restrain John while using its unnerving mask to terrify the unstable Tamago Rice and Veldryn. The Bromocorah chaos won because it was impossible to pin down: Ioanna, relying on her druidic senses, helped the panic-stricken Tamago maintain his footing on the swaying bridge, while Veldryn’s illusions masked their allies long enough for John to break the devil’s chain control and shatter the creature.

Next, they passed through the Soulforge Wastes, a desolate plain of screaming skulls and soul-traps. Veldryn and Kavar worked together, using illusions and arcane detection to bypass the draining necrotic traps, securing a helpful Soul Gem in the process.

Finally, they came to The Iron Spire, a jagged spire of rusted iron. John's raw devotion and strength were essential. He led the frantic climb up the spire's exterior, countering the infernal wards with his divine resolve and guiding the rest of the disorganized crew safely inside the fortress.

Deep inside the fortress, they reached the Hellforge Lock, a fiery chamber guarding the massive hellforge gate. The lock was operated by three levers (Flame, Chain, Skull) that had to be pulled in the correct sequence, reflecting Zariel’s war machine domains: Destruction, Bondage, and Sacrifice.

The frantic, chaotic puzzle-solving began: Kavar used his quick-thinking arcane knowledge to decipher the sequence from the sigils: Flame (Destruction) first, Chain (Bondage) second, and Skull (Sacrifice) third. Veldryn assisted with his sharp investigatory skills.

The moment they pulled the first lever, the chamber sprang to life with fiery traps, and their incorrect sequence summoned a Bearded Devil. The devil immediately inflicted a nasty Infernal Wound on Ioanna, threatening to disable their sole healer. The party's desperate chaotic victory came when Tamago Rice, distracted from his own safety, delivered a massive sorcerous blast that staggered the devil, allowing John to close the distance and dispatch the fiend before the wound could fester.

The gate finally opened, revealing the chamber housing the massive war engine.

The final battle took place in the Hellforge Crucible, a massive chamber surrounding the towering infernal construct—Zariel’s war engine. The chamber was encircled by lava moats and guarded by a mighty Pit Fiend commander, two Bearded Devils, and three harassing Imps.

The battle was the pinnacle of Bromocorah chaos: The Pit Fiend hurled massive fireballs, forcing Kavar and Veldryn into full retreat, controlling the battlefield with hellfire. Karlach and Wyll, honoring their promise, provided covert aid by distracting the Imps and one of the Bearded Devils, breaking up the enemy formation. John, embodying his Oath, focused on engaging the colossal Pit Fiend directly, tanking incredible damage. The rest of the party focused their combined fire on the engine. Tamago Rice delivered blast after blast, Ioanna kept the healing flowing, and Veldryn and Kavar provided crucial support.

The massive infernal construct was destroyed. The engine's collapse instantly weakened the Pit Fiend, and the party quickly finished the diminished commander. The ultimate prize lay on a pedestal: the Gauntlet of Asmodeus’s Wrath.

The party emerged victorious, having crippled Zariel's war effort from within her own realm and secured the final artifact. Karlach and Wyll pledged further aid, promising that Bromocorah's new position in Avernus would bring even greater chaos to the Blood War.