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Cover Sample file 1 Sample file CREDITS Hellbound Heists Lead Designers: Bryan Legal: DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Holmes, Chad Lensch, Christian Eichhorn, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Steve “Jaspor” Orr, John Parker, Jos van Ravenloft, Eberron, the dragon ampersand, Egmond, Justice Arman, Ryan Langr, and Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast Zavier Bates product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA Christopher Walz, Ryan Langr, Editors: and other countries. Justice Arman This work contains material that is copyright Layout: Anne Gregersen Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the Graphic Design: Anne Gregersen Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Cover Illustration: Marcel Budde Masters Guild. Cover Letterist: @LordSinclair3DS on All other original material in this work is Twitter copyright 2019 by each of the authors and artists Interior Illustration: Justice Arman, Bryan and published under the Community Content Holmes, Ashley May, Detoria Art (Matthew Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. A.R. Thomas), Raafl ing (Mirre Klatter), Dean Spencer, Jacob Blackmon, Jack Badashski, Filipe Gaona, Headless Hydra, Rick Hershley, James Carl McKnight, Jeremy Hart, Patricia Smith, Darkzel, Thomas Cole, On the Cover: A trio of adventurers fi nd Alexei Savrasov, Karl Bryullov. themselves a bit lost in a corridor of doors Publisher’s Choice Quality Stock Art © and locks. Luckily help is nearby to ensure Rick Hershey / Fat Goblin Games. Additional they won’t have to worry for long. artwork provided by Wizards of the Coast Project Management: Bryan Holmes Additional thanks to our friends, family, and partners for being patient during our time in hell. Disclaimer: The authors involved are in no way responsible for any pacts signed while in the Nine Hells, nor souls converted to coins, crowns, masks, or other seemingly mundane objects. Any actions taken by any demons, devils, or yugoloths refl ect their own personal opinions and not those of the authors.Sample file TABLE OF CONTENTS Hellbound Heists 4 The Archdevil’s Gambit 84 Jailbreak! 162 Introduction 4 Adventure Design 84 Escaping Hell 170 Using This Book 4 Background 84 Conclusion 172 The Nine Hells 4 Concise Information of Important Running the Adventures 6 People and Places 85 6:66 to Mephistar 173 Go to Hell 6 Part 1: Invitation and Discretion 87 Adventure Summary 173 Getting the Hell Out 6 Part 2: Exploration and Cania, the Eighth Hell 174 Running a Hellbound Adventure 7 Investigation 89 Adventure Background 175 The Hellbound Heist Campaign 7 Part 3: Calculation and Adventure Hooks 178 Magic in Hell 7 Orchestration 99 Nargus South Station 178 Corruption in Hell 7 Part 4: Initiation and Execution Exploring the Locomotive 184 More Information 8 100 Locations on the Canian Hellfire Part 5: Conclusion and Resolution Limited 186 Character Options 9 106 Major Landmarks 198 Former Cultist 9 Closing the Adventure 198 New Faction - Ember Enclave 10 Mission: Broken Heaven 108 New Spell 11 Adventure Background 108 Nessus: What's in New Adventuring Gear 11 Adventure Hooks 109 a Name? 200 Adventure Summary 109 Introduction 200 The Avernus Job 12 Part 1: Prelude 112 Part 2: Visiting the Styx 116 What’s in a Name? 201 Adventure Background 12 Part 1 Adventure Hooks 13 Part 3: Raszayah’s Ship 117 Part 4: Ix the Overseer 119 The Plan 208 Headlong into Hell 15 Part 2 The Chrome Spear 17 Part 5: Haladriel the Imprisoned 120 The Rehearsal 213 Hall of Ascension 19 Part 3 The Catacombs of Blood 24 Part 6: Krox’shilgar the Demon 124 The Heist 215 Get to the PORTAL! 31 Part 4 Concluding The Adventure 34 Concluding the Adventure 125 Stygia: Maps 126 The Getaway 222 Avernus: Maps 35 Conclusion Meltdown Masquerade in The Final Twist 224 Mission: Dis Protocol 37 Continuing the Adventure. Let’s Malbolge 127 Adventure Background 37 Twist Again 225 Adventure Hooks 38 Adventure Background 127 The Anatomy of a Heist 226 Adventure Summary 38 Adventure Outline 128 Nessus: Maps 228 About Dis 39 Guests 130 The Heist 41 The Palace 136 Appendix A: Magic Items 230 The Dis Job 58 Masquerade Plot Overview 144 Appendix B: Monsters 238 The Streets of Dis 64 Complications 151 Appendix C: Handouts 274 Come Hell or High Water 69 According To Plan 154 About this Adventure 69 Background 154 Background 69 Adventure Summary 156 Adventure Hook 70 Adventure Hooks 156 Entering Hell 72 Meeting Geran 156 ReturningSample to Baldur’s Gate 83 Retrieval Mission, Take Two 158 file HELLBOUND HEISTS Introduction help you adapt the adventure to better suit your world. The Nine Hells are no place for the The hardcover book Baldur’s Gate: mortal soul. Indeed, heroic beings are Descent into Avernus is a world-class usually destined for far loftier calls from adventure from Wizards of the Coast. This the heavens, while the fi ery infernos and product can supplement that adventure the bone-chilling wastes are reserved for or can be used as a standalone series of the toughest and most deadly of creatures adventures. within the multiverse: the devils. Of course, the occasional unfortunate soul might fi nd themselves on the wrong side of The Nine Hells a contract, written in all good faith but by Hell is divided into nine layers, each ruled the most slippery of minds. And let us not by one or more powerful devils. Each layer forget those who would peddle such dark has its own qualities, hazards, and sites powers, forming pacts on moonless nights: of interest. You can read each chapter for warlocks and cultists. more information about the qualities of This tome isn’t focused on those who are that layer. Below we have included a short passing from the world of mortals into the description of each. great beyond. Instead the primary focus Avernus - An ashy, dust covered here is a series of adventures to challenge, wasteland. Avernus is known for being the thrill, and even sometimes terrify would-be fi rst layer of hell, the layer where Tiamat heroes and veteran adventurers. Those who resides, as well as being ruled over by willingly walk into the most infamous dens Zariel, the fallen angel. of iniquity and horror are sure to return Dis - At the center of the second layer home with stories, treasures, and… more. resides a red-hot iron city fi lled with planar travelers— he civilized areas of the layer Using This Book are surrounded by a reality warping magic. From his iron tower, rules Dispater, Lord of The adventures presented in this book the Second. are each an individual encapsulated story. Minauros - A vile bog of pollution dotted While links exist between these adventures with swamps and volcanic rocks is full of in the form of Easter eggs and plot hooks, dangers. This is even more apparent when there is no overarching storyline that you come across one of the few locations links one layer to the next. Indeed most of safety: Minauros, The sinking city. This archdukes would prefer it that way: their blight of civilization only stays afl oat thanks domain is not to be interfered with by their to the thousands of slaves trying to hold it peers. up. Each adventure carries an introduction, Phlegethos - When folks think of hell, describing the backstory and providing fi re and brimstone, it is because that is the some adventure hooks to spark the Sampleexact description of Phlegethos—afile rocky imagination. Use this information to place horrid wasteland, wracked by smoke and the adventure in your campaign or use it to 4 Hellbound Heists heat. Here, Belial and his daughter Fierna The Lord of the Lies is never happy with the rule with powers of pain and pleasure. construction of his realm, always building Stygia - A bottomless ocean coated in a new, more intricate, cities from which to thick layer of ice, Stygia is the home and rule. prison of its lord, Levistus. Even the cold Cania - Another ice-cold layer, the of this domain cannot freeze the river Styx mountains of Cania are home to countless as it winds through, cutting a wide channel horrors while the icy plains claim victims through the ice. with their extreme cold. The ever-scheming Malbolge - Considered by some to be a Mephistopheles plots countless deceptions cross between an ever-shifting maze and from his tower. a black stone fortress, Malbolge is one of Nessus - The fi nal layer of hell, and home the most varied and diffi cult of the layers to to the grand archduke Asmodeus. Nessus is cross. Malbolge is under the rule of Glasya, full of extremes, ranging from volcanic heat daughter of Asmodeus. to immensely tall and precarious buildings. Maladomini - A volcanic region ruled by There are few places in all of existence as Baalzebul, The Fallen. This layer is fi lled dangerous as the bottom-most layer of hell. with long abandoned ruins, the cities of old. Sample file Hellbound Heists 5 Running the very diffi cult to reach without the assistance of marrenoloths: fi ends to navigate the rivers. Adventures Most mapped pathways are well guarded to To run each of these adventures, you’ll prevent unwanted intruders from stumbling need the fi fth edition Player’s Handbook, from layer to layer. Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster The plane known as the Outlands is a Manual. You’ll gain additional value from the neutral territory that connects to all other books Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes and planes. It is home to the city Ribcage (named Volo’s Guide to Monsters. so for the rib like protrusions of rock that Before you sit down with your players, surround the city) that somehow connects read through the adventure entirely and to Avernus.