Bog of Broken Dreams
The Ruined Citadel
The party travels into the fetid bog until they see a pale blue glow. They find a stony ruin surrounded by glowing ghost knights, and in the middle is the ghost of Yael and the Sword of Zariel, plunged into the ground. This is a trap. A cambion illusionist called Gadreel was sent by the pit fiend Lucille to lure in the party and destroy them. Gadreel has used mirage arcane to create the fake site, and seeming to disguise barbed devils as ghostly knights and herself as the ghost of Yael. She calls the party in:
With a quiet shout of "Yael!", Lulu moves toward the ghostly knight. The knight holds up a hand, halting her. "This is a grave matter. If you succeed here, there will be time for jubilation later.
"This is all that remains of the alabaster citadel, corrupted and eroded after all these years in Avernus. With every city Zariel destroyed, the spark of good within has dimmed. If she destroys Elturel, the city and people she embraced, that will be the end of the spark and with it all that remains of Zariel's angelic essence. Let all who would redeem Zariel place their hand on the sword and join my supplication to Lathander. Be warned: if you are not resolute in purpose, the blade may shatter your minds."
Gadreel utters insincere prayers to Lathander to let them claim the blade to disguise her casting as "ancient words", then unleashes synaptic static on them all. She and the barbed devils attack once the characters realize it is a trap, but she will keep up the ruse as long as she can if the party believes her spell was the sword rejecting them.
The Champion Balakos
The party makes it through the bog to its centre, where an alabaster arch is blocked by a pit fiend fighter called Balakos and 4 horned devils. Balakos is immune to magic and challenges them to fight, pure strength against pure strength. He berates anyone dependent on magic, accurately identifying the class of each party member. He states the monk and barbarian may present an adequate challenge. Rangers and paladins are sometimes skilled warriors, but too often rely on magic. Sorcerers and bards are not worth his time. However, Balakos offers to let one of the party through the gate if either Varanis or Leo will face him one on one in combat. Otherwise, it's a fight. The horned devils go after whoever does not fight Balakos.
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