Type

• This is an adventure module, not a wide-spanning campaign
• Whilst players are encouraged to create characters who have interesting backstories which inform their decisions, there is not a larger meta-plot
• It is not a massive open-world sandbox
• There are big decisions for the players to make and the direction of the adventure can change, but it is not a character driven plot

Setting

• The adventure module is written for the Forgotten Realms setting, however I have adapted it for my campaign setting
• For full details on that setting, see the Player’s Guide document
• Please do not worry about reading all of the nonsense, I’d just check the house-rules and maybe how races are viewed
• There may be more house-rules I use and haven’t put on there

Premise

• The adventure begins in the Duchy of Chiavari (neutral in the civil war), in the city of Rossano Calabro
• Just before the beginning of the adventure, the nearest neighbouring city, Elturel, has vanished
• News of this is arriving in Rossano Calabro as refugees and survivors stumble in
• Rumours and wild speculation do not agree on what happened
• Some say the city is destroyed, some say it was teleported away (players may perhaps take note of the name of the adventure!)
• The fact that so little is known has led to the fear that Rossano Calabro may well be next
• The driving narrative of the adventure is that the players need to uncover clues in Rossano Calabro as to Elturel’s fate and ultimately save the city

Themes and Tone

• The characters’ mission is to save the city
• Obviously a major theme is the traversal and interaction with Avernus, the first Plane of Hell
• This means that characters will be engaging with Devils and Demons throughout
• It is a pulp style adventure
• For tone think Hellboy, Constantine, Mad Max

Guidance on Character Creation

• WARNING:
• The temptation in a Hell based adventure may be to create a holy Cleric or Paladin of good
• This is workable, but be aware that a constant element of the adventure is interacting with Devils and Demons
• In some (perhaps the majority) of cases, these encounters will be combat based
• However, at times you will need to negotiate, converse and ultimately do deals with these beings
• So being a black and white ‘good guy’ might be problematic – bear this in mind
• The ultimate goal of this adventure – to save the city – is ‘good’
• But feel free to create a character with more nefarious motives, who will stand to gain from this altruistic goal
• You can use any character options from Volo’s Guide, Xanathar’s Guide and Mordenkainen’s Guide
• If you find Unearthed Arcana stuff you’d like to use then feel free to ask

Method of Character Creation

• The way I do character creation is as follows
• Each player rolls 4d6 seven times
• From each of these rolls the highest three d6s are used to create a result
• From the seven rolls the lowest is discarded to create six results
• Out of your six results, one of them must be a minimum of 15
• If you have not rolled a 15, all seven rolls are made again from scratch
• Players roll a d4
• The result is the number of points they can reallocate from one d6 result, to another
• Players then assign each of their d6 results to an ability score
• Between point reallocation on the d4 and with racial bonuses, no stat is allowed to be over 18 and none under 8
• Each character is allowed to pick a free feat
• If a player chooses the Human Variant Rule, they are allowed to pick two feats

Ideas For Characters

• Feel free to come up with whatever you like from the premise information
• However, if you would like some guidance, feel free to use any of the below
• Refugee
• You are from Elturel, the disappeared city
• You were outside of the city walls when it disappeared but the loss of the city is devastating
• You have gone to Rossano Calebro, one of many refugees
• However, you are not seeking asylum, you are seeking the means to find and save your city
• Knight/Crusader
• You know the Nine Hells, and the Abyss
• The talk of an entire city being claimed is disturbing and you view it as your divine mission to save it
• Sage
• You have an intellectual or academic intellectual interest in the Nine Hells
• The news that a Lan entire city has been claimed is incredible, and perhaps this opens opportunity for study and furthering your knowledge of the Planes
• Mercenary
• You have been hired by a noble or sage to join the efforts of saving Elturel
• Perhaps they have a relative there or other vested interests
• Whatever payment you have agreed is dependent on the city being saved
• Servant
• You have been tasked with saving this city
• Perhaps it is your patron or your deity which has ordered you to do this, or just pointed you in the right direction
• Maybe they have made their reasons for caring clear, or may you are in the dark
• For whatever reason, the provider of your power can not be denied