Foil and Trouble

"Foil and Trouble" (C1.S07.2) is a one-shot in the first campaign of The Vanguard.

## Synopsis

The Vanguard received a troubling anonymous tip. The mysterious opposing organization dispatched forces to a frontier wilderness of the west. In the Jendiel Valley, local legend speaks of a spirit guardian of the forest, Fa-Sujo. Fa-Sujo is said to keep the harvests plentiful, the animals healthy, and forest safe. The report indicates that the opposition means to eliminate, or otherwise Fa-Sujo. A list of names among the ledger recovered by General Grom's team further add credibility.

Upon arriving to the Jendiel Valley, the party quickly confirmed with the locals that they did believe in a local forest guardian. The local Inn keep expressed that they often had travelers looking to commune with and/or leave offerings for Fa-Sujo. Notably, they most recently had several travelers bed down the previous night, and observed a group of women camping on the outskirts of the forest.

The party journeyed into the forest, leaving the trail and traveling "with good intent", as the locals had suggested. Along the way, they saw a group of four individuals matching the description of the Inn's previous night's customers.

After a few hours, the party came upon a stream. Following upstream, they noticed as it's color shifted from notably clear to increasingly murky. When at last they reached its end, they came upon a small glade. In a shallow pool of water in the center, three women were performing a ritual on a mortally wounded Ki-rin. The ritual appeared to be dismembering and harvesting the remains of the Ki-rin. They seemed surprised at the arrival of the party. The oldest looking of the women, Dwudgewella, chastised the youngest looking of the women, Dismeena, for "leading us to a traitorous ally". Dismeena was instructed to "prove her place in this Coven" by cleaning up the mess and killing the party. Dwudgewella and middle of the three, Auntie Rotten, disappeared.

After the party defeated Dismeena, Dwudgewella and Auntie Rotten reappeared. They asked the party how they knew to come to the glade of Fa-Sujo at this specific time. After the party informed her of the anonymous tip, she asked them if they had seen a dwarven man with a goatee. A man matching that description was among the four travelers they had passed on their way to the glade. Dwudgewella appeared interested in that fact. As a thank you for the information and culling their coven of the weakling Dismeena, Dwudgewella promised that she would provide the Vanguard with information "soon". Auntie Rotten removed one of her own molars, pressed it into a coin, and tossed it to the party, informing that it was a way to contact them if needed.

That night, all members of the Vanguard shared the same dream. During the dream, they each saw the guildhall on fire, armies marching across the land, banners with the same mysterious symbol they've been encountering for weeks, and stars falling from a bleak and emptying sky. As the images passed, Dwudgewella and Auntie Rotten spoke.

>
> *Vanguard, through nightmares we will speak.*
>
> *Vanguard, listen. All ears, now, pique.*
>
>
> *For your good service we will share,*
>
> *For knowledge can still bring despair.*
>
>
> *Your foes are numerous as one.*
>
> *Your foes designs are well begun.*
>
>
> *No magic. Not living, nor dead.*
>
> *No us, no you, be not unsaid.*
>
>
> *How would you start that, sister, dear?*
>
> *How else? A magic killing spear.*
>
>
> *Il-Sabbim, the tool to tax us,*
>
> *Ill intent from ol’ Naraxas.*
>
>
> *Their dogma drenches from the top.*
>
> *Their will is strong. They will not stop.*
>
>
> *To seek the weave’s end, death, and dearth.*
>
> *To bring the stars unto the earth.*
>
>
> *Mono in belief. All, the same.*
>
> *Monomaterial: their name.*
>
>
>
>

## Guild Dispatches

The following are messages from the guild members who participated in the mission. They contain valuable information the guild can use to piece together clues.

> *After action report - Vanguard members Min, Nero, Arrik, Lt Mog were tasked to travel to the Jendeel Valley to protect one Fa-Sujee from a possible assassination attempt. Fa-Sujee's name had been listed in the [censored] previously acquired and translated by [censored]. No description of Fa-Sujee was available, but he/she/it was described as a benevolent protector, although otherwise a horse, dragon, humanoid, and other stuff. We were baffled. Traveled 5 days to Jendeel valley. Contacted local farmer, then others. Information on Fa-Sujee was sketchy. Heard rumors of women camped by the forest, some men also camped out, a dwarf with a small beard, a large humanoid with a huge ax, and others coming through. Apparently various people try to visit this Fa-Sujee on a continuing basis. We were told that those of gentle heart would seek and find what they sought. One point: this area was lucky, and prone to good harvests and few evils. In tiny tavern room, I noted that a warding symbol had been defaced by a previous occupant, by carving what we now know as the Monomaterial mark over it. Left town, headed to the forest. Got lost - assume magical interference, possibly by Fa-Sojee. Troopers Min and Lt Mog seemed to know the way, then lost touch with the path. Found Fa-Sujee, deceased, being carved up by a coven of strange floating women, later identified as hags: Dread Dwujwella, Auntie Rotten, and Dismeena. Mission was a failure. Do not repeat names aloud, might be bad luck. ... to be continued...*
>
>
>
>
> *Fa-Sujee was a Ki-Rin. Discussed Ki-Rin status as cousin to Aasimar Nero with hags while approaching with intent to prevent further desecration of Fa-Sujee. Hags revealed that their junior member, Dismeena, had bargained with someone -- Monomaterial [high confidence guess based on conversation with hags] -- to assassinate Fa-Sujee. Hags expressed displeasure at being interrupted, ordered Dismeena to kill us. Dismeena used powerful magics. She was able to replicate images of herself, and to create earthen guardians that could hover in air. She tried charms I think, and used invisibility, however she foolishly did so while standing and splashing in water, revealing her location. She also attacked with long claws and I think damaging energy magic? Vanguard members defeated her using a combination of wits, weapon attacks, arcane magics, and Min's wolf. Upon Dismeena's removal from this plane [note - must check with archivist as to whether hags actually perish when sliced open], remaining hags sought to bargain and trick us into giving information. They assumed that their employer had betrayed them, and wanted us to confirm this. They revealed that the small-pointy-bearded dwarf was an agent of our -- their words -- mutual enemy, and was supposed to be leading everyone away from Fa-Sujee's glade and the hags. We did not dissuade them in this belief of a common enemy. Upon leaving, one hag gave a tooth [yes, one of her teeth] to Nero and said something about "smile through the teeth" to contact me. Also, Dread D forewarned that she would repay us for helping them to weed out the weak Dismeena. Gave Fa-Sujee what respect we could. Tried a funeral pyre but his body faded. ... continued...*
>
>
> *Upon exit, notified villages of Fa-Sujee's demise, so they could prepare for the problems sure to come to them. I do NOT recommend continued bargains with the hags, as I do not consider them trustworthy. [note - contact archivist, how long do hags hold grudges?] Also - recommend someone check that tooth - it's probably cursed somehow. One point: The dream we all experienced last night, the Great Foreboding, was a result of these actions by the team. The reduced hag coven repaid their debt with the fortune-telling dream and by putting a name to our enemy. Sincere apologies for the loss of Fa-Sujee. Perhaps if we had simply gone straight into the forest, instead of trying to gather intel in the hamlet, he would be alive, however we gathered good intel there.*
>
>
>
> *- Lt. Mog*
>
>

1. ↑ Be aware that this is told from the player’s perspective of the adventure. Details and happenings may have been presented with some liberties taken to fill in the blanks from poor memory and scribbled notes. Other players should be asked about their views of what happened, and are also welcome to type their stories to share.