[[]]# The War-Slough — Infernal Map (DM REFERENCE) *⚠️ DM ONLY — Do not share with players* --- ![[war slough infernal map.png.png]] >**Note on this image:** This is the Demon Nest sub-map (W3) from the adventure guide. The full War-Slough overview map (Appendix F, p. 280 of the complete module) should replace this when available — save it to your vault as `war-slough-map.jpeg`. --- ## Overview The War-Slough chapter (Ch. 3, pp. 73–79) uses the **infernal map mechanic** from Ch. 2: Koh Tam gives the players the Appendix F map, they choose which W# locations to visit and in what order, and each navigation attempt has a 50% chance of triggering a random encounter regardless of success or failure. This document covers the canonical W1–W4 locations and their homebrewed gauntlet expansions. --- ## Navigation Mechanic (RAW, Ch. 2 & Ch. 3) - Navigator makes a **Wisdom (Survival) check** to move between locations. - Regardless of result, roll d100 — **50 or lower triggers a random encounter** from the War-Slough table (p. 74). - Every **short or long rest** in the Slough also rolls on the encounter table. Roll d6: on 1–3, the encounter interrupts; on 4–6, it happens shortly after. - After **1+ hour** in the Slough: **DC 15 Con save** or roll on Flesh Warping table (p. 74). - Short rest: **DC 15 Con save**. Long rest: **DC 20 Con save**. - Leaving after 8+ hours: **DC 15 Wisdom save** or the creature can't bring itself to go. Retry after a rest (DC 25 if they haven't killed a creature since last attempt). ### Random Encounters in the War-Slough (d6) | d6 | Encounter | | --- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | 1 | Three shredwings circle in the distance | | 2 | Five bulbous hezrou (speed 20) erupt from an ichor pool | | 3 | One hundred merregon in formation, led by a headless horned devil | | 4 | A corpse worm (purple worm, Fiend type) erupts underfoot | | 5 | A dozen insane merregon mistake the party for demons | | 6 | Two fused horned devils lead 24 merregon — each devil gives contradictory orders (50% chance merregon obey either) | --- ## Canonical Locations ### W1 — Sentry Tower **Module text (p. 75):** Entry point to the Slough. An **amnizu named Rexlexkala** approaches the party at the border. He is prohibited from entering the Slough himself (Zariel's standing order) and needs mortals to retrieve an artifact for him. **Rexlexkala's offer:** - Retrieve **Rexlexkala's Horn** from W4 (a demon-thought-listening artifact, worthless to mortals, priceless to Zariel) - In exchange: **10 Soul Coins** + a vial of **Condensed Order** per character (lets them leave the Slough without a Wisdom save) - If they agree, he gives them a map to W4 **What he knows (if asked):** - Phylactery of the Queen → W2 (the Ruined Tower, deep in the Slough) - Phylactery of the Brother → W3 (at the largest demon-ichor lake) **Homebrewed gauntlet note:** Rexlexkala can be repositioned to W3 or W4 as a mid-gauntlet social encounter and information source. His function as a negotiating devil with useful intel translates cleanly to either location. #### The Gap Between Towers If you want a genuine skill challenge, have the party find the gap between two towers and need to cross a stretch of open, flat mud. The twist: it's not the guards that are the threat — it's the **Slough itself**. The ichor shifts and gurgles. Strange things surface. Every minute they spend exposed risks triggering a Flesh Warping save (DC 15 Con) from the ambient demonic taint, not from being spotted. --- ### W2 — Ruined Tower **Module text (pp. 75–77):** A 500-foot ruined tower, now the roost of a **marilith** who sits on an infernal throne that lets her command all lesser devils in the region. **Three obstacles to reach the throne room (each failure adds a bearded devil to the final encounter):** 1. **Ground approach:** 6 barbed devils + 6 bearded devils patrolling. 50% chance they reverse direction each turn. Any noise sends them toward it. If a devil reaches the tower entrance (A), obstacle failed. 2. **Air approach only:** 4 bone devils patrol 600 ft up. If one reaches window C into the throne room, obstacle failed. 3. **Inside:** 1d4 shadow demons at each B location on the staircase. If any reach the throne room, obstacle failed. **Throne Room:** Marilith + 4 bearded devils (+ 1 per failed obstacle). If the marilith is killed, she respawns on her throne in 1d6 rounds with 100 HP. Only destroying the throne (AC 15, 100 HP) kills her permanently. **Phylactery of the Queen:** Recovered here after the marilith is permanently slain. **Homebrewed gauntlet note:** W2 is a strong mid-gauntlet encounter. The three-obstacle structure creates natural resource attrition and rewards stealth/player cleverness. The marilith's respawn mechanic adds pressure without being a pure DPS race. --- ### W3 — Ichor Lake & the Demon Nest **Module text (pp. 77–79):** A 100-foot rift filled with a lake of demonic ichor. Island at center = massive demon nest (the Heart, AC 8, 200 HP). **Sub-locations:** - **W3A — Entrance:** Tunnels pulsing with ichor, faces etched in stone - **W3B — The Caves:** Hezrou and barlgura embedded in walls (partially formed). Attacking any awakens 1d6 of each. - **W3C — Demons:** Two dozen dretches + manes milling about. Ignore intruders, attack if attacked. - **W3D — The Lake:** Contact with ichor = DC 15 Con save or Flesh Warping table. Spawning dretches/manes swim the lake continuously. - **W3E — The Heart:** 60 ft from shore. Damaging it awakens all embedded demons; 1d4 hezrou + 1d4 barlgura arrive each round on init count 10. Killing it makes the lake inert — all demons act as if Confused (on a 9–10 result, they inflate and explode: 10-ft radius, DC 15 Con or Flesh Warping). **Phylactery of the Brother:** Buried beneath the Heart. After it is slain, the ichor can be pulled aside and the phylactery recovered. **Homebrewed gauntlet note:** W3 is the correct module location for Brother's phylactery. The phylactery decision point (destroy it here, or carry it forward?) can be layered onto the recovery moment — same dramatic beat, grounded in the RAW location. --- ### W4 — Canyon Trove **Module text (pp. 79–80):** A massive canyon descending into the Slough's depths. Harmless tentacles with shrieking mouths burst from the walls periodically (if attacked: guardian naga stats, 0 movement, no spellcasting). **Searching the canyon:** Each hour, **DC 20 Wisdom (Survival)**: - **Failure:** Roll d8 — 1–4 empty cave; 5–6 = 1d2 glabrezu; 7–8 = 1d4 hezrou. First failure triggers the **Temptation of Anger** (sentient artifact event, Ch. 2). - **Success:** 50% chance of finding **Rexlexkala's Horn** (held by a nalfeshnee); otherwise roll on the Infernal Items table. Max 3 infernal items findable here. **Infernal Items Table (d10):** | d10 | Item | Danger | |---|---|---| | 1 | Bracers of Asmodeus | None | | 2 | Infernal Plate Armor | Pool of demon ichor | | 3 | Stygian Spear | Tentacle | | 4 | Canian Fork | Pool of demon ichor | | 5 | Demonbone Polearm | 2d6 barlguras | | 6 | Sword of Retribution | Yellow mold | | 7 | Infernal Amulet | Angry horned devil | | 8–10 | Ancient Blood War Weapon | None | **Rexlexkala's Horn:** Carried by a **nalfeshnee** who won't give it up. Horn looks metallic but wriggles when touched. Swallowing it attunes it — but only for devils. Non-devils gain a random major insanity until the artifact is extracted. --- ## Rest & Attrition Notes | Rest Type | RAW Con Save | Gauntlet Layer | |---|---|---| | Short rest | DC 15 | + random encounter table roll | | Long rest | DC 20 | + Sanctuary Seal decision (see gauntlet notes) | --- ## Linked Notes - [[War Slough — Infernal Map Player Handout]] - [[Session - 2026-06-25 War Slough Gauntlet]] - [[Chains Of Asmodeus Session Notes]] --- *DM Reference | War-Slough | Chains of Asmodeus Ch. 3 (pp. 73–79)* *Homebrewed gauntlet notes integrated throughout*