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Dangers of Avernus
Dangers of Avernus
By Kristoffer Stabell
Introduction
d100 Hazard
1-10 Cloud of biting flies
T
11-20 Bone fields
his is an expansion of Dangers of the
Wild and uses the same ideas to simulate 21-30 Quicksand
dangers of travel, please read it before you 31-40 Bubbling tar pit
read this. Dangers of Avernus assumes
you have the following: Dangers of the 41-50 Lava river
Wild, Dungeon Master’s Guide, Monster 51-60 Razor sharp stone cluster
manual, Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes and Baldur’s Gate
61-70 Poisonous fume
descent into Avernus. The purpose of this expansion is to
simulate Avernus and its perils. In this supplement you 71-75 Exploding war machine
will find Hazards native to Avernus that you can use to 76-80 Shrieking wind
challenge your players.
81-90 Acid rain
Changes to responsibilities 91-95 Fire wind
DC calculation changes in Avernus Effect. Every character in the area has to make a DC 13
Constitution saving throw, taking 6d6 piercing damage on
Difficulty. The base DC for traveling anywhere in Avernus a failed save or half as much on a successful one as the
is 20. flies feed upon the characters flesh.
Infernal war machines. Driving through the blasted was-
teland of Avernus on an infernal war machine gives a -5 to Bone field
the DC calculation, making it easier to travel at a normal Avernus
or fast pace, but a party with an infernal war machine will
always get a total failure on the slow pace group check. Event. The party comes across a 2d100 x 10 feet radius
Precipitation. Instead of rain and snowfall, there is sand field of bones. The area is difficult terrain and shrieks of
blowing in the hellish wind, thick grey fumes that smell tortured souls tries to burrow inside of every living creatu-
like brimstone and flakes of red ash raining from the sky. re that enters the area.
Encounter frequency Effect. The first time a creature enters the field of bones,
it has to succeed on a DC 13 wisdom saving throw or
Avernus is a war torn hellscape, the landscape is always take 4d6 psychic damage. A creature that stays inside
shifting and legions of fiends fight chaotic battles all over the field has to make the same saving throw every 12
the land. This makes Avernus extremely dangerous to minutes.
inhabit. Check for monster encounters every 4 hours and
hazards 2 times each day. Quicksand
Avernus
Hazards table Event. 1d4 of the party members steps in or 1 vehicle
This table describes which hazard that can occur in the drives in a large pool of quicksand. The sand is a mix of
in Avernus. All of the hazards are described under Sam- crushed fingernails, bones, stones and tar. Only creatures
ple Hazards later in this supplement. When a hazard and vehicles with the size of large or smaller can be affec-
occur, roll a d100 on the table below. ted by the quicksand.
Event. As the party traverse the wasteland a gust of sand Event. A wreck of a war machine explodes as the party
obscures a boiling hot tar pit. 1d4 of the party members travels through the wasteland. Roll on the table below to
steps in or 1 vehicle drives in the boiling pit of tar. Only see what happens. The adventure Baldur’s Gate descent
creatures and vehicles with the size of large or smaller into Avernus explains the effects of these events.
can be affected by the bubbling tar pit.
d10 Hazard
Effect. The tar pit functions like quicksand with one 1-2 An Acidic Bile Sprayer explodes on in a 30 foot
exception. A creature that enters the pit or starts its turn cone hitting 3 nearest creatures.
there takes 6d6 fire damage as the tar burns the creatu-
3-4 A flamethrower mounted on the exploding war
re’s flesh.
machine ignites and sprays fire in 60 foot line
Lava river hitting the 2 nearest creatures.
Avernus 5-6 The explosion sends a wrecking ball flying towards
the first war machine. Make the usual attack roll
Event. This encounter happens only if the party are for the wrecking ball at the leading infernal war
driving infernal war machines. As the party drives at high machine.
speed, a river of lava appears and the war machines have
no other choice than to cross it. 7-8 The explosion erupt in a massive ball of fire that
hits 4 of the nearest creatures. The affected crea-
Effect. Every creature on a huge or gargantuan infernal tures has to make a DC 12 dexterity saving throw,
war machine has to make a DC 13 dexterity saving throw, taking 8d6 fire damage on a failed save and half as
taking 6d6 fire damage on a failed save or half as much much on a successful one.
on a successful one as lava splash toward them. A creatu- 9-10 A necrotic smoke screen erupts from the exploding
re at the helm of a Devil’s Ride has to succeed on a stunt war machine affecting the 6 nearest creatures.
to get safely across the lake or the creatures riding the
infernal war machine takes 10d10 fire damage as they Shrieking wind
wade through the stream of lava. Avernus
Razor sharp stone cluster Event. A wind throws large portions of sand towards the
Avernus party, forming a face of agony and anger that shrieks into
the minds of the characters.
Event. This encounter happens only if the party are dri-
ving infernal war machines. A cluster of stones sharp as Effect. All the characters have to succeed on a DC 12
blades appears from nowhere that slash into the infernal Wisdom saving throw or take 4d12 psychic damage.
war machines.
Acid rain
Effect. Every huge and gargantuan war machine takes Avernus
4d10 slashing damage,
any unsecured creature on the outside of the vehicle must Event. Acid starts pouring down from the hellish sky and
succeed on a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw or tumble off, starts burning the skin of creatures that is affected by it
taking 4d10 slashing damage as the fall in the cluster of
sharp stones. Effect. Creatures takes 1d6 acid damage at the start of
their turn until they avoid the rain.
Poisonous fume
Avernus Avoiding the acid rain. On their turn, creatures can make
a DC 15 Wisdom (Perception or Survival) check, finding
Event. Thick black fumes envelop the party as they travel a safe place to hide 2d10 x 10 feet away on a success.
through the blasted wasteland. Alternatively they can escape the rain by travel 5d10 x 10
feet away in any direction.
Effect. Every creature in the area has to succeed on a DC
13 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 48 hours.
Each 4 hours while poisoned this way a creature has to
succeed on Constitution saving throw or gain one level of
exhaustion. Lesser restoration or similar magic removes
this poisoned effect.
Shrieking sandstorm Meteor shower
Avernus Avernus
Event. A massive sandstorm filled with razor sharp bones Event. Hellish meteors plummet towards and around
and shrieking from damned souls appears. The sand- the party and lasts for 1d4 minutes. Have the players roll
storm looks like a legion of devil faces filled with crimson initiative and roll a d6 where the result symbolizes the
lightning that strikes violently inside it. Have the players direction of a safe zone 2d10 x 10 feet away.
roll initiative and roll a d6 where the result symbolizes the
direction of a safe zone 2d10 x 10 feet away. Constant element. Meteors are constantly crashing aro-
und the characters, decimating the surrounding landsca-
Constant element. Every creature that starts its turn pe. At the start of each creature’s turn roll a d6, on a 1 a
in the area is affected by a sandstorm effect. Roll on the meteor hits the creature and everything within 10 feet of
sandstorm effects table. The area affected by the sand- it. Everything affected by the meteor has to make a DC 17
storm is considered difficult terrain. Dexterity saving throw, taking 10d6 fire damage and 10d6
bludgeoning damage or half as much on a successful one.
d20 Sandstorm effect
Surviving the meteor shower. On their turn, creatures
1-10 Razor sharp bones
can use an action to search for a safe place from the mete-
11-17 Shrieks of the damned ors with a successful DC 15 wisdom (survival/perception).
18-20 Crimson lightning A character can also run in a random direction or follow
other party members. If the character runs in a random
direction, roll a new d6 to determine a new safe locati-
Razor sharp bones. Bones sharpened by hellish sand
on within 5d10 x 10 feet away which is unknown to the
comes flying towards each creature inside the sandstorm.
character.
Every creature has to make a DC 13 dexterity saving
throw, taking 3d6 slashing damage on a failed save and
half as much on a successful one.
Fire wind
Avernus