Gods, Monsters, and Poor Life Choices // D&D

Session 9, The Last Work of Cicerox pt.2

SESSION 92026-04-10

Date: 2026-04-10

Summary

The party passed through the iron gates of the Bronze Citadel, taking in the grim spectacle of Avernus's most militaristic stronghold. What might have been called a city was really a war camp that had simply refused to leave — permanent structures of black stone and smoldering metal arranged around forges, pens, and shadowed alleys. Korrilla gave them a few hours of freedom, instructing them to meet her back at the Ashen Cup before walking off alone to attend to her private business. The party was left to wander, drawing curious and suspicious stares from the locals — though it was Séantal, their tiefling companion, who attracted the most whispered attention of all.

It was not long before a fox-like woman emerged from the crowd, moving between stalls and in and out of buildings with practiced ease. She watched the party without seeming to watch them, her gaze subtle but unmistakable to those paying close attention. When she finally approached, she introduced herself as Nhalzura and invited the group for drinks — offering to pay for the whole table. She led them into the Ashen Cup and ordered a bottle of Mahadi's Reserve, a rich and earthy red wine produced by a famous Rakshasa merchant and restaurateur known across the planes. The wine was poured, glasses were raised, and pleasantries were exchanged before Nhalzura's true purpose began to surface.

She revealed, with knowing confidence, that she was also after the very same imp that Korrilla had come to purchase — a creature named Cicerox, a former scribe from Candlekeep who had died in an unfortunate tumble down a staircase and washed up on the banks of the River Styx. Rather than being processed into a soul coin or dissolved into a mindless lemure in the maggot pits, Cicerox had been collected and immediately promoted into an imp, preserving her intellect and her talent. She had been a prolific author of dark erotic fiction in life (smutty chatbooks), and certain powerful collectors — Nhalzura among them — were very eager to put her back to work. The imp was currently held in the Infernal Menagerie, and Nhalzura explained she had been banned from the premises following some past unpleasantness with the proprietor, which was precisely why she needed the party's help.

Nhalzura made her offer plainly: if the party could get Cicerox away from Korrilla after the purchase and deliver the imp to her instead, she would make it worth their while — soul coins, magical items, rare tomes, even passage back to Baldur's Gate on the Prime Material Plane. She also revealed that Korrilla's patron, Raphael, was not an Arcanaloth like herself but a cambion — the offspring of a devil and a mortal — and a rival collector she had crossed paths with at auctions more than once. Seris refused the offer flatly and on principle, citing her word as a paladin, and the rest of the party followed her lead. Nhalzura accepted the refusal with elegant disappointment, tossing a leather satchel of six hundred gold coins onto the table as though discarding pocket lint, and produced a small calling card bearing her name. She instructed them that holding the card and speaking her name with true intention would summon her if they ever changed their minds, then departed with a dismissive wave and a cheerful "Ta."

With time still to spare before Korrilla's return, the party turned their attention to the Ashen Cup's proprietor — a regal woman named Dame Sarrava Bogcrown, whose clothes and hair were perpetually, inexplicably soaking wet despite the scorching heat of Avernus. She introduced herself warmly and offered food and drink on Korrilla's room tab, while simultaneously directing a stream of flirtatious attention toward the party, particularly Velessa. Seris quietly recognized what Dame Sarrava actually was: a specific variety of succubus native to Minauros, which explained both the dripping appearance and the predatory charm. The party accepted the food order with cautious enthusiasm, though the results were deeply disappointing — abyssal chicken skewers that were greasy and perpetually underdone, black salt curds that tasted of something long-spoiled, and a washed rind cheese whose smell was described by the group as frankly criminal. The Hellrider's Last Meal, a spread of marrow bones, ash bread, charred ribs, and Hellfire whiskey, was perhaps the most edible of the offerings, which said very little in its favor.

Seeking something more useful than bad food and worse flirting, part of the group made their way to the Crooked Ledger, a curio shop tucked into an unnaturally dark alley. Inside, they were greeted by Surl, a barbed devil of extraordinary impatience who had little tolerance for customers who could not articulate exactly what they wanted. Séantal inquired about quality stationery supplies and was shown the Plume de Nomes — a magical quill that remembered every signature it had ever written and could reproduce them on demand — priced at ten thousand gold, well beyond anyone's reach. Seris browsed for books and found a small selection of titles by Cicerox, priced at only one or two silver each, a stark contrast to the value being placed on the author herself. Shane asked about books on running a criminal syndicate and received a stern philosophical lecture from Surl instead, before the group departed with little to show for the visit.

Meanwhile, Velessa and Vagnfríður made their way to the Red Anvil of Bel's Shadow, a roaring open-air forge run by a tiefling smith named Maelis. Maelis identified them immediately as mortals from the Prime Material Plane and agreed to teach Velessa the fundamentals of working with Infernal Iron — a notoriously difficult metal that required extreme heat before it would yield to a hammer — in exchange for lessons on mechanical prosthetics. As they worked, Maelis revealed that she had been a smith in Elturel before the city fell into Avernus, and that she had survived by making herself indispensable. She asked the party to look for her brother in Baldur's Gate — she believed he might be the rude blacksmith rumored to operate there — and to tell him she was alive and not a lemure. The lesson concluded warmly, and the two returned to the inn with new knowledge and a name to carry home.

The party regrouped with Korrilla at the Ashen Cup, where she had already claimed the bed furthest from the window and was preparing for the following day. They informed her of their encounter with Nhalzura, and Korrilla confirmed that the Arcanaloth was a known rival of Raphael's, the two having competed at auctions for years. She instructed the party to be present with her at the Infernal Menagerie the next day for the purchase, warning that from that moment forward they would need to be on their guard. The night that followed was fitful and unpleasant — every member of the party was plagued by vivid nightmares, visions of being mauled by terrible creatures or losing those they loved — though they woke with their strength restored, if not their peace of mind.

The following day, Korrilla led the group through the streets of the Bronze Citadel to Nerezza's Infernal Menagerie, an outdoor market teeming with abyssal chickens, imps, and creatures that defied easy classification. Nerezza herself appeared in a bright flash and a puff of smoke — a cambion of theatrical flair who greeted Korrilla with barely concealed amusement and the rest of the party with open curiosity. She noted with interest that Séantal carried none of the typical taint of Asmodeus, calling them a "throwback" in what she insisted was not an insult. When Cicerox was summoned, the small imp appeared frightened and embarrassed, doing her best to hide behind her own wings. Nerezza cheerfully confirmed that yes, the imp had been a writer of dark romantic fiction in life, and expressed theatrical surprise that such a talent had come from a Candlekeep scribe.

The transaction did not go entirely as planned. Nerezza raised the agreed price from five soul coins to six at the last moment, citing interest from other parties — almost certainly Nhalzura's maneuvering behind the scenes. Korrilla sighed, counted out six infernal iron discs, and handed them over. Nerezza snatched them up and they vanished into thin air, after which she tapped her wand and conjured an infernal iron cage around Cicerox with a sudden, startling thud. Velessa also purchased an abyssal chicken from the menagerie for five silver pieces, intending it as a gift for Quillbit back home. Nerezza departed in a puff of black smoke, and Korrilla immediately used her sending stone to contact Mad Maggie and arrange for extraction from the Citadel.

Back at the inn, while the party waited for Mad Maggie's return, something small and frightened reached through the bars of the infernal iron cage. Cicerox tugged at a party member's cloak and, in a quiet and desperate voice, revealed her terror at being delivered to Raphael. She said she wanted to go back to Candlekeep — or at least Baldur's Gate, which was close enough that she could walk. The party discussed what they knew of her situation: she had died, been collected from the River Styx, and been deliberately promoted past a lemure into an imp by someone who wanted to preserve her mind and her craft. Restoring her to mortal life would require something as powerful as a greater resurrection, or perhaps finding her preserved body somewhere on the Prime Material Plane — an expensive and uncertain prospect either way. One member of the party quietly promised Cicerox that getting her to Baldur's Gate was the best hope available for now, and the imp settled back into her cage, afraid but no longer entirely without hope.

Short

The party arrived at the Bronze Citadel, a grim war camp of black stone and smoldering forges in Avernus, where Korrilla gave them a few hours of free time before their meeting at the Ashen Cup. During their wandering, they were approached by Nhalzura, a fox-like woman who revealed herself as a rival collector also seeking the imp Cicerox — a former Candlekeep scribe (who had a secret life as a prolific author of indecent chatbooks) who had died, been pulled from the River Styx, and promoted to imp to preserve her intellect and talent as a writer of dark erotic fiction. Nhalzura offered the party soul coins, magical items, and passage home if they would intercept Cicerox after Korrilla's purchase, but Seris refused on principle and the rest of the party followed her lead. The group also encountered Dame Sarrava Bogcrown, a perpetually soaking wet succubus running the Ashen Cup, endured a deeply disappointing meal, visited the Crooked Ledger curio shop where they found cheap copies of Cicerox's books and little else, and split off to the Red Anvil forge where Velessa learned to work Infernal Iron from Maelis, a former Elturel smith who asked them to find her brother in Baldur's Gate and tell him she was alive. That night, Korrilla confirmed Nhalzura as a long-standing rival of her patron Raphael, warned the party to stay vigilant, and the group suffered a fitful night of vivid nightmares.

The following day, Korrilla led the party to Nerezza's Infernal Menagerie, where the theatrical cambion proprietor raised the agreed price for Cicerox from five soul coins to six at the last moment — almost certainly due to Nhalzura's interference — before conjuring an infernal iron cage around the small, frightened imp and completing the sale. Velessa also purchased an abyssal chicken as a gift, and Korrilla immediately arranged extraction via her sending stone to Mad Maggie. Back at the inn, Cicerox reached through the bars of her cage and quietly pleaded with the party, revealing her terror of being delivered to Raphael and her desperate wish to return to Candlekeep or at least Baldur's Gate. The party discussed the difficult prospect of restoring her to mortal life — requiring a greater resurrection or her preserved body — but one member quietly promised that getting her to Baldur's Gate was the best hope available for now, leaving the imp frightened but no longer entirely without hope.

Classic

Last we left off, our intrepid band of adventurers passed through the iron gates of the Bronze Citadel — that grim, smoldering war camp that had long ago decided it was a city and simply never left. Granted a few hours of freedom by their enigmatic guide Korrilla, the party wandered the shadowed alleys and forge-lit streets, drawing no shortage of suspicious stares. It was not long before they found themselves seated across from Nhalzura, a fox-like Arcanaloth of practiced charm and dangerous intent, who revealed she was after the very same imp Korrilla had come to purchase — a former Candlekeep scribe named Cicerox, preserved from the banks of the River Styx and promoted into imphood for the singular talent of her pen. The party refused her offer flatly, pocketed her calling card, and turned their attention to the dubious pleasures of the Ashen Cup — where the food was deeply, profoundly terrible, and the proprietor, Dame Sarrava Bogcrown, was a dripping-wet succubus with an unsettling fondness for Velessa.

The hours that followed were spent in the particular way of adventurers with time to kill and trouble to find. Séantal, Seris, and Shane ventured into the Crooked Ledger, where a barbed devil of extraordinary impatience offered them a magical quill worth ten thousand gold and a philosophical lecture on criminal enterprise, in that order. Meanwhile, Velessa and Vagnfríður found something far more meaningful at the Red Anvil of Bel's Shadow — a tiefling smith named Maelis, a survivor of Elturel's fall, who taught Velessa the secrets of Infernal Iron and asked only that they carry word to her brother in Baldur's Gate: that she was alive, and not a lemure. The night that followed brought fitful sleep and vivid nightmares to every member of the party, visions of loss and ruin that left them rested in body but shaken in spirit.

The following morning, Korrilla led them to Nerezza's Infernal Menagerie, where the theatrical cambion proprietor raised the agreed price at the last possible moment — almost certainly Nhalzura's doing — and conjured an infernal iron cage around the small, frightened imp with a dramatic thud before vanishing in a puff of black smoke. And it was there, in the quiet of the inn while they waited for Mad Maggie's return, that Cicerox reached through the bars of her cage and tugged at a cloak with trembling claws. She did not want to go to Raphael. She wanted to go home — or as close to home as the planes would allow. One quiet promise was made, and the imp settled back into her cage, afraid but no longer entirely without hope. Now, with extraction arranged and a caged soul in their keeping, we pick up as the party prepares to leave the Bronze Citadel — and whatever comes next waits just beyond the gate...

Memorable Moments

"Darling, you're in the Hells working for a cambion and a warlock. How much principal do you really have?"
— Nhalzura

Pointedly challenging Seris after the paladin refused to betray Korrilla on principle, questioning the integrity of the entire arrangement.

Nerezza raises the price of Cicerox from five to six soul coins at the last moment, citing competing interest, forcing Korrilla to pay more than agreed.

A tense last-minute negotiation at the Infernal Menagerie that confirmed other parties — likely Nhalzura — had been pressuring the market.

Cicerox reaches through the bars of her infernal iron cage and tugs on a party member's cloak, whispering her desperate plea to be taken back to Candlekeep — or at least Baldur's Gate — rather than delivered to Raphael.

A quiet, private moment after the transaction, revealing the imp's fear and intelligence and planting the seed of a moral dilemma for the party.

Scenes

Arrival at the Bronze Citadel

The party arrives at the gates of the Bronze Citadel in Avernus and receives instructions from Korrilla before exploring the city's markets.

The party enters the gates of the Bronze Citadel after traveling with Mad Maggie.
Korrilla informs the party she has solitary business to attend to and instructs them to meet her at the Ashen Cup in a few hours.
The party notices they are drawing attention from the local denizens, particularly Séantal, who receives the most stares and whispers.
A mysterious fox-like woman is spotted subtly observing the party as they move through the market, watching without seeming to watch.

A Drink with Nhalzura

The party is approached by the mysterious fox-like stranger Nhalzura, who invites them for drinks and begins probing their motives.

Nhalzura approaches the party, identifying them as employees of Korrilla and, by extension, Raphael.
The group moves to the Ashen Cup where Nhalzura orders a bottle of Mahadi's Reserve and glasses for everyone.
Velessa recognizes the name Mahadi as a famous Rakshasa merchant and restaurateur known across the planes.
The party shares the wine while Nhalzura reveals curiosity about their mission and questions what Korrilla is picking up in the city.
Nhalzura reveals she is also after the same particular imp that Korrilla seeks.

Nhalzura's Counter-Offer

Nhalzura, revealed to be an Arcanaloth, attempts to bribe the party into betraying Korrilla to secure the imp Cicerox for her private collection.

Nhalzura identifies the imp Korrilla is seeking as Cicerox, a former scribe from Candlekeep who died and was transformed into an imp.
She explains that Cicerox was promoted past a lemure to retain her faculties for writing dark romantic literature, and that she is currently held in the Infernal Menagerie.
Nhalzura reveals she is banned from the Infernal Menagerie due to past unpleasantness with the proprietor Nerezza, which is why she needs the party's help.
Nhalzura offers the party a counter-deal to deliver Cicerox to her instead of Korrilla, promising soul coins, magical items, or interesting tomes as payment.
Seris firmly rejects the offer on principle, citing her word as a paladin, while the rest of the party discusses the risks of betraying Korrilla.
Nhalzura questions the party about their previous dealings with Vhale, the Assessor, expressing surprise that they had contact with such a figure.
Nhalzura reveals she knows Raphael as a rival collector — a cambion, not an Arcanaloth — and that they have competed at auctions for the same artifacts.
Nhalzura gifts the party a leather satchel containing 600 gold coins of unfamiliar infernal design, dismissing the gold as useless to her.
Nhalzura produces a small paper calling card with her name on it, instructing the party to hold it and speak her name with true intention to contact her if they change their minds.

The Hospitality of Dame Sarrava Bogcrown

The perpetually drenched proprietor of the Ashen Cup introduces herself and attempts to seduce the party while offering hellish refreshments.

Dame Sarrava Bogcrown, the sodden proprietor of the inn, approaches the party and offers food and drink on Korrilla's room tab.
Sarrava begins flirting heavily with the party, particularly targeting Velessa.
Seris recognizes Sarrava as a specific variety of succubus from Minauros, which explains her perpetually dripping wet appearance.
The party discusses the dangers of succumbing to Sarrava's charms, noting it would likely result in death.
Sarrava offers a menu of hellish delicacies including abyssal chicken skewers, black salt curds, the Hellrider's last meal, and Stick Swashed Rind cheese.
Vagnfríður orders a sampler plate to try the local food, while Velessa orders abyssal chicken.

A Hellish Sampler at the Ashen Cup

The party samples the local cuisine at the Ashen Cup, finding it deeply disappointing, before deciding to explore the city.

Dame Sarrava Bogcrown brings out the food, including abyssal chicken skewers described as greasy, grimy, and always a little underdone in the middle.
The black salt curds taste like food left in a refrigerator with something rotted.
The Stick Swashed Rind cheese smells described as 'frankly criminal.'
The party agrees the food is barely better than their rations and generally disappointing.
The group discusses visiting the Crooked Ledger and the Red Anvil before retiring.

Shopping at the Crooked Ledger

Seris and Séantal visit a dark curio shop in search of books and stationery, encountering the prickly barbed devil proprietor Surl.

The party enters the Crooked Ledger, a shop tucked away in an unnaturally dark alley of the Bronze Citadel.
Surl, a barbed devil, greets them with impatience and immediately questions their purpose.
Séantal inquires about high-quality stationery supplies — quills, inks, and parchment.
Surl showcases the Plume de Nomes, a magical quill that remembers and can reproduce any signature it has ever written, priced at ten thousand gold.
Seris searches for books but is rebuffed by Surl for being vague about what she desires.
A few inexpensive books written by Cicerox are found on the shelves, priced at only one or two silver each.
Shane asks about books on running a criminal syndicate and receives stern philosophical advice from Surl instead of a manual.
The party departs after finding little of use within their means.

Lessons at the Red Anvil

Velessa and Vagnfríður visit the local forge to learn the secrets of working with infernal metals from the tiefling smith Maelis.

Velessa and Vagnfríður visit the Red Anvil of Bel's Shadow and meet the forge master Maelis, who immediately identifies them as mortals from the Prime Material Plane.
Velessa asks about lessons in working with infernal metals, and Maelis agrees to teach her about Infernal Iron and Green Steel.
Velessa offers to teach Maelis about mechanical prosthetics in exchange for the smithing lessons.
Maelis shares that she was a smith in Elturel before it fell into Avernus, and that she survived by making herself useful.
Maelis reveals her brother is also a blacksmith and asks the party to look for him in Baldur's Gate — she believes he may be the rude blacksmith rumored to operate there — and to tell him she is alive.
The party receives a practical lesson on working with Infernal Iron, learning it must be heated to extreme temperatures before it becomes workable.
Velessa and Vagnfríður return to the inn after the lesson.

Regrouping with Korrilla

The party returns to the Ashen Cup to regroup with Korrilla, who warns them about the dangers of the inn's proprietor and outlines the plan for the next day.

The party returns to the Ashen Cup and finds Korrilla already in the room preparing for the evening.
Korrilla warns the party about the dangers of the inn's proprietor and notes she has lost bodyguards before.
The group informs Korrilla about their encounter with Nhalzura, the fox-like Arcanaloth who attempted to hire them away.
Korrilla confirms she is working for Raphael and plans to make the purchase at the Infernal Menagerie the following day, requiring the party to be present.
Korrilla takes the bed furthest from the window, while the others settle in as they can.
The party suffers fitful, nightmare-filled sleep — visions of being mauled by creatures or losing loved ones — though they gain the benefits of a long rest.

The Infernal Menagerie

The party accompanies Korrilla to Nerezza's Infernal Menagerie to finalize the purchase of the imp Cicerox.

The party arrives at an outdoor menagerie filled with abyssal chickens, imps, and unclassifiable hellish beasts.
Nerezza, the cambion proprietor, appears in a flash of smoke and puff to greet Korrilla and the party.
Nerezza identifies Séantal as a 'throwback' tiefling, noting they lack the typical taint of Asmodeus.
Cicerox the imp is summoned and appears frightened and embarrassed; her history as a prolific writer of dark romantic fiction is revealed.
Nerezza raises the agreed price to six soul coins, citing interest from other parties.
Korrilla reluctantly pays the six soul coins, and Nerezza magically conjures an infernal iron cage around Cicerox with a sudden thud.
Vagnfríður purchases an abyssal chicken for five silver pieces, intending it as a gift for Quillbit.
Nerezza departs in a puff of black smoke, leaving the party to guard Cicerox until Mad Maggie returns for extraction.
Korrilla uses a sending stone to contact Mad Maggie and arrange for extraction from the Bronze Citadel.

A Plea from Cicerox

While waiting for extraction at the inn, the imp Cicerox begs the party for help returning to the Prime Material Plane.

Cicerox tugs on a party member's cloak through the bars of her cage and expresses terror at being delivered to the cambion Raphael.
Cicerox reveals her desire to return to Candlekeep, or at least Baldur's Gate, noting it is close enough that she could walk.
The party discusses the nature of her transformation — how she was collected from the River Styx and promoted past a lemure directly into an imp to preserve her intellect and writing ability.
The party considers the possibility of resurrection, concluding that a greater resurrection spell or finding her preserved body on the Prime Material Plane would likely be the only way to restore her mortal form.
A party member quietly promises Cicerox that getting her back to Baldur's Gate is the best chance at hope available for now.

NPCs

Korrilla

A gold dwarf infernalist and warlock who hired the party. She leaves them to explore while she attends to private business, then leads them to the Infernal Menagerie the following day to purchase the imp Cicerox for her patron Raphael. She admits the party was underpaid but suggests Raphael may be generous upon their return.

Nhalzura

A fox-like Arcanaloth traveler and collector from the Abyss who approaches the party with knowing curiosity. She buys them drinks, reveals she is also after the imp Cicerox for her private collection, and attempts to hire the party to betray Korrilla. She is a rival to Raphael, having competed against him at auctions. She gifts the party 600 gold coins and a magical calling card before departing.

Dame Sarrava Bogcrown

The regal, perpetually drenched proprietor of the Ashen Cup. Seris identifies her as a specific variety of succubus from Minauros. She serves the party hellish food and drink while flirting aggressively, particularly with Velessa.

Surl

A barbed devil and owner of the Crooked Ledger who is highly impatient with customers who lack a specific purpose or sufficient currency. She stocks rare items like the Plume de Nomes and a small selection of books including works by Cicerox.

Maelis

A tiefling smith and survivor of Elturel's fall into Avernus. She runs the Red Anvil forge and specializes in Infernal Iron and Green Steel. She teaches Velessa smithing in exchange for lessons on mechanical prosthetics, and asks the party to find her brother — possibly the rude blacksmith in Baldur's Gate — and tell him she is alive.

Nerezza

A cambion proprietor of the Infernal Menagerie who appears in a flash of smoke. She negotiates the sale of Cicerox, raising the price to six soul coins due to competing interest, and sells Velessa an abyssal chicken for five silver. She has a history of unpleasantness with Nhalzura and refuses to do business with her.

Cicerox

An imp and former scribe from Candlekeep who died and was transformed into a devil, promoted past a lemure to preserve her intellect. She is a prolific author of dark erotic fiction and was purchased by Korrilla for six soul coins. She privately begs the party to help her return to Baldur's Gate rather than be delivered to Raphael.

Raphael

Korrilla's patron, described as a cambion — the offspring of a devil and a mortal. He is interested in acquiring Cicerox and is a rival collector to Nhalzura.

Mad Maggie

A night hag who transported the party to the Bronze Citadel in her infernal war machine. Korrilla contacts her via sending stone at the end of the session to arrange extraction.

Locations

The Bronze Citadel

A massive, militaristic fortress-city in Avernus that feels more like a permanent war camp than a traditional city, with permanent structures built around an atmosphere of smoke, furnace light, and constant activity.

The Ashen Cup

A soot-dark tavern and flophouse in the Bronze Citadel where the party stays. It is tended by Dame Sarrava Bogcrown, who appears perpetually drenched. The party meets Nhalzura here, samples terrible hellish food, and spends a fitful night plagued by nightmares.

The Crooked Ledger

A cramped infernal curio shop located down an unnaturally dark alley, run by the barbed devil Surl. It stocks oddities, battlefield salvage, and rare items like the Plume de Nomes, along with a small selection of books including works by Cicerox.

The Red Anvil of Bel's Shadow

A roaring open-air forge-yard in the Bronze Citadel run by the tiefling smith Maelis, a survivor of Elturel's fall. It specializes in Infernal Iron and Green Steel, and is where Velessa received smithing lessons in exchange for teaching Maelis about mechanical prosthetics.

The Infernal Menagerie

An outdoor market in the Bronze Citadel filled with hellish creatures including imps and abyssal chickens, run by the cambion Nerezza. It is where Korrilla purchased the imp Cicerox for six soul coins and Vagnfríður bought an abyssal chicken.

Items

Mahadi's Reserve

A rich and earthy red wine ordered by Nhalzura at the Ashen Cup. Velessa recognized the name Mahadi as belonging to a famous Rakshasa merchant and restaurateur known across the planes.

Nhalzura's Calling Card

A small paper card with Nhalzura's name written on it, produced with a flourish between her fingers. She instructs the party that holding the card and speaking her name with true intention will allow them to contact her to negotiate.

Bag of Gold

A leather satchel containing 600 gold coins, casually thrown onto the table by Nhalzura who had no use for it. The coins are round with holes cut in the center and inscribed with unrecognizable text, differing from standard Baldur's Gate currency.

Plume de Nomes

A magical quill found in the Crooked Ledger that remembers every signature it has ever written and can reproduce them on demand. Surl offered it for ten thousand gold, well beyond the party's means.

Cicerox's Books

A few inexpensive smutty chatbooks written by the prolific author Cicerox, found on the shelves of the Crooked Ledger and priced at only one or two silver each — a stark contrast to the value placed on the author herself.

Soul Coins

Infernal iron discs used as the primary currency of the Hells, each containing a trapped soul. Nhalzura explains they convert to roughly 400 gold and represent the lowest rung of soul worth in the Hells. Korrilla spends six of them to purchase Cicerox from Nerezza.

Infernal Iron Cage

A heavy cage magically conjured by Nerezza around Cicerox the moment the transaction was complete, dropping to the ground with a sudden thud and startling the imp.

Abyssal Chicken

A small hellish creature purchased by Velessa from Nerezza for five silver pieces, intended as a gift for Quillbit back home.

Sending Stone

A magical communication device used by Korrilla to send a message to Mad Maggie requesting extraction from the Bronze Citadel.

Abyssal Chicken Skewers

A local delicacy served at the Ashen Cup, described as greasy, grimy, and always a little underdone in the middle.

Black Salt Curds

Fresh cheese curds tossed with mineral salt and ash spice, served at the Ashen Cup. They taste as though left in a refrigerator far too long alongside something rotted.

Stix Swashed Rind

A soft washed rind cheese served at the Ashen Cup, noted for a smell described by the party as 'frankly criminal.'

Hellrider's Last Meal

A specialty dish at the Ashen Cup consisting of marrow bones, ash bread, blackened burnt ribs, and Hellfire whiskey.

Infernal Iron

A common but notoriously difficult metal to work with in Avernus. Maelis teaches Velessa that it must be heated to extreme temperatures before it becomes malleable enough to shape.

Green Steel

A specialized infernal metal stocked and worked at the Red Anvil of Bel's Shadow alongside Infernal Iron.

Spells

Sending

Used by Korrilla via a sending stone to transmit a message to Mad Maggie, requesting extraction from the Bronze Citadel after the purchase of Cicerox was complete.