Descent Into Darkness

Deep in the north Svalich Woods in the forgotten cemetery of Marescu’s Vale—now known as the Vale of Tears—a ghost has a problem. Islana Marescu is the youngest daughter of Baron Liviaz Marescu. Islana is also a ghost who never died. Brave adventurers liberated her from the curse of a dark necromancer (see The Weeping Revenant for how your players can take part in that story), but now she is captive to the Vale. Descendants of the Marescu family hold the key to her freedom, a family she can no longer trust.

For over two hundred years Islana Marescu has existed as an undead creature, transformed by a curse of darkest evil. Only the Ruby of Rastlova prevents the curse from inflicting its most horrific effect on Islana. Islana longs to be released completely from her undead existence even knowing it will mean her long-awaited death. During the many years she suffered under the full effect of the curse and wandered as a tormented revenant, Islana learned that a clan of Marescu descendants holds the key to her freedom. To secure Islana’s release requires a descent into a place of deepest darkness where fiends of the Nine Hells await, a task only the bravest dare undertake.

Descent Into Darkness is the second title in the Desolation of Marescu™ series. The adventure is designed to function either as a stand-alone adventure in an unexplored corner of your campaign world or as a side adventure within a Curse of Strahd campaign. Designed for four 4th to 6th level characters, it contains difficulty adjustment suggestions for parties of both higher and lower character levels.

This adventure guide contains a complete story arch that combines an array of engaging monster encounters with a custom NPC interaction mechanic that replicates the challenge of gathering reliable information during interactive scenarios in which the player characters must pit their wits and charm against shrewd and deceptive NPCs. In addition, this adventure guide includes several 5th edition conversions:

• three monsters absent from the Monster Manual and Volo’s Guide to Monsters
• the Black Abishai, a gargoyle-like devil that is a vicious torturer and serves as a warden of the Nine Hells
• the Kocrachon, a diabolic inflicter of sick and horrific tortures on damned souls sent to torment
• the Legion Devil (Merregon), Hell’s weakest foot soldier that when encountered in numbers seem to form a sort of group mind that can easily overwhelm powerful foes
• two magic items absent from the Dungeon Master’s Guide 
• the Devil Bane
• the Great Cli Lyre

Other titles in the Desolation of Marescu™ series:

• The Weeping Revenant