Blood War Waves — Star Forge Station Battle

The Pit Fiend commands Blood War troops through the Avernus portal (Face 1). Devils arrive in waves to take forge stations, not to kill. Vecna cannot afford to trigger the contract — every death feeds Kelemvor.

Core rule: Devils do NOT deliver killing blows. They grapple, shove, restrain, and drag operators off stations. If a PC drops to 0 HP, the devil steps over the body to the station. This should feel wrong. When the players notice, the contract clicks.

Wave Schedule (5 Forging Rounds)

Round 1 — Foot Soldiers

4 Bearded Devils (CR 3 each)

Rush the two nearest stations in pairs. Split: 2 go for Material Feed (highest priority — the Rod), 2 go for Lava Gates.

Tactics: Glaive reach (10 ft.) lets them threaten operators without entering the station. Infernal wound stops HP regen — cruel but non-lethal. If they take a station, one operates while the other guards.

Stat Value AC 13 HP 52 Speed 30 ft. Glaive +5, 1d10+3 slashing + infernal wound (DC 12 CON) Beard +5, 1d8+2 piercing + DC 12 CON or poisoned (no HP regen) Key Magic Resistance, Devil’s Sight, fire/poison immune

Round 2 — Chain Devils

2 Chain Devils (CR 8 each)

These are the station-takers. 10 ft. reach chains grapple operators and drag them off. Animate Chains can lock down a station from range.

Tactics: Target Chain Wheels and Bellows — pull operators off with grapple (escape DC 14), then take the station. Unnerving Mask reaction: the operator sees a dead loved one and is frightened (DC 14 WIS). Perfect for breaking concentration and station DCs.

Stat Value AC 16 HP 85 Speed 30 ft. Chain +8, 2d6+4 slashing, grapple (DC 14 escape), restrained = 2d6 piercing/round Animate Chains 4 chains, AC 20, 20 HP each. Control area denial. Key Unnerving Mask (reaction, DC 14 WIS or frightened). Magic Resistance.

Round 3 — Mixed Assault

2 Barbed Devils (CR 5 each) + 2 Bearded Devils (CR 3 each)

The barbed devils have ranged (Hurl Flame, 150 ft.) and can suppress operators from distance while bearded devils rush stations. Barbed Hide punishes grapple attempts against them.

Tactics: Barbed Devils hang back and Hurl Flame at operators to force them off stations (concentration-like disruption). Bearded Devils rush any station that’s been softened. If the party has killed Round 1 devils and retaken stations, this wave tests whether they can hold under fire.

Barbed Devil Value AC 15 HP 110 Speed 30 ft. Claw +6, 1d6+3 piercing (×2) Tail +6, 2d6+3 piercing Hurl Flame +5, 3d6 fire (150 ft.) Key Barbed Hide (1d10 to grapplers). Magic Resistance.

Round 4 — Field Commander

1 Bone Devil (CR 9) + 2 Bearded Devils (CR 3 each)

The Bone Devil is the officer. It flies (40 ft.), has reach, and its poison sting is the closest thing to a knockout (5d6 poison + poisoned condition). It coordinates the remaining devils and targets whoever is defending the most stations.

Tactics: Bone Devil flies to Material Feed. Its job: get to the Rod. If Lux is on the station and already struggling with Grip Checks, the Bone Devil’s poison sting could be the thing that tips him. The Bearded Devils backfill any station that’s been reclaimed by the party.

Bone Devil Value AC 19 HP 142 Speed 40 ft., fly 40 ft. Claw +8, 1d8+4 slashing (×2, reach 10 ft.) Sting +8, 2d8+4 piercing + 5d6 poison (DC 14 CON or poisoned 1 min) Key Flight. Magic Resistance. High AC. The hardest single devil to kill.

Round 5 — The Pit Fiend

If the devils haven’t secured enough stations, the Pit Fiend enters combat directly.

This is the escalation. CR 20. Fear Aura (DC 21 WIS, 20 ft.). Multiattack: bite + claw + mace + tail. Fireball at will. Wall of Fire 3/day.

Tactics: The Pit Fiend doesn’t take a station — it clears the way. Fear Aura forces operators off stations (frightened = disadvantage on ability checks = station DCs get brutal). It targets the strongest defender and removes them. Then the remaining devils take the empty stations.

BUT: If Reeny has been reached and tells the Pit Fiend to stand down, it obeys. No Round 5 escalation. The portal stays open but leaderless.

Pit Fiend Value AC 19 HP 300 Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. Bite +14, 4d6+8 piercing + DC 21 CON or poisoned (21 poison/turn) Claw +14, 2d8+8 slashing Mace +14, 2d6+8 bludgeoning + 6d6 fire Tail +14, 3d10+8 bludgeoning Spells Fireball at will, Hold Monster 3/day, Wall of Fire 3/day Key Fear Aura 20 ft. (DC 21). Magic Resistance. Truesight 120 ft.

Nosferatu Zodd — Portal 2

Arrives Round 2 or 3 through the Asmodeus portal. See creatures/nosferatu-zodd.md for full stat block (CR 15).

Zodd ignores the forge battle. He’s here for Guts. He walks through the portal, past Glasya, draws his impossible sword, and says:

“You. The one called Guts. A mouse told me about you.”

This pulls Guts off the Lava Gates station. Someone else has to cover it — or they lose it to the next devil wave. Zodd will not attack anyone else unless provoked.

Sir Whiskington appears in portal 4 (Kelemvor/Fugue) at the same time, tips his monocle, and announces:

“I say! As promised, good sir — a worthy opponent! Tally-ho!”

Total Enemy Roster

Round Enemies Total CR (Approx) Present Pit Fiend (commanding), Reeny (CR 10) 20 + 10 1 4 Bearded Devils 12 2 2 Chain Devils + Zodd (portal 2) 16 + 15 3 2 Barbed Devils + 2 Bearded Devils 16 4 1 Bone Devil + 2 Bearded Devils 15 5 Pit Fiend (enters combat) 20

Adjusted for 7 level 13 PCs (effective 16-17): This is a multi-round attrition encounter, not a single deadly fight. The danger is station control, not total damage output. Any individual wave is manageable. The cumulative pressure is the threat.

Stopping the Waves

The devils keep coming as long as:

The Avernus portal is open, AND
The Pit Fiend is commanding

Ways to stop reinforcements:

Reach Reeny — She commands the Pit Fiend. If she stands down, it obeys. No more commands = disorganised devils.
Kill the Pit Fiend — CR 20 fight. Pulls multiple PCs off stations. High risk, high reward.
Close the portal — The giant king face is the door. Can it be sealed? Dispel Magic (DC 19)? Physically block it? Collapse the face with enough damage? DM call.
Survive 5 rounds — The forging completes. Grab the ring. Run. The devils are Vecna’s problem after the meteor hits.