8 Points Past Nowhere

"8 Points Past Nowhere" (C1.S06.4) is a one-shot in the first campaign of The Vanguard.

## Synopsis

Lt. Mog called the guild members together for a mission out to Gundbarg, on the island Gundarlun in the Trackless Sea. Graak Crashbreaker, Dimitri Drago and Nero were all introduced to a new member of the guild, Wander, a bard. Let. Mog explained to the group that Pennilworth Trading Co. (PTC) was having problems with trade in the western islands, specifically in Gundbarg and the little village of Thorfud’s Hollow. Thorfud’s Hollow requested that they bring with them spearheads, sword blades, and iron bars for trade. PTC has also heard of increased raiding by the Tuern Northmen across the area. The group was to get dropped off by the ship and investigate the village.

To allow for safe passage back, Wander generously provided each player with a feather token and told them the activation phrase “menya predali”. These would get the players back to the Guild Hall.

The party went to the PTC ship Jennepher’s Dream, a small caravel commanded by Capt. Molly Barker. As the guild members made their way they saw a myriad of things, strange but relatively unrevealing. Dmitri, as luck would have it, was there and had previously helped a member of the Dock Rats thief’s guild last week. A thieves guild member slipped Drago a note warning him that Whisper’s Breath was on the docks but he couldn't ascertain who they were. They got on board the vessel with Wander.

When they got to Gunbarg, it was closed. The city had recently been attacked. They saw a Tuern Raider sail on the horizon, but they must have escaped its notice. When they got to Thorfud’s Hollow they saw it had been sacked. They were dropped off and began rowing. While they were rowing, unbeknownst to the group, a hit squad got ahead of them and began to weave a magic that was undetected to the guild members. A magic sending them into an alternate reality.

The adventurers landed at the Hollow and saw that things didn't quite look right. They learned that giants had attacked the Hollow from the West. As they went into town, they saw evidence of Tuern Raiders as well as orcs. They realized that nothing living was there, not even insects or birds. As they were investigating a tower, Nero decided to swipe Wander’s feather, whereupon Wander vanished. They eventually all dropped their feathers and returned to their normal reality and the stench of death. Wander was gone.

They decided to investigate the other tower, which previously had shown light from inside in the alternate dimension. When they got there, an invisible assassin attacked from concealment. It was tough going for a moment, but when Nero used his racial trait to instill fear, it turned the tide. What looked like Captain Barker turned out to be a doppelganger. To hinder Wander, they tied him up but eventually he helped kill the doppelganger even though the party remained hesitant after his deception.

Upon killing the assassins, they found a young man pinned to a tree with a spear and the following message attached to it:

> *All magic-using ways
> Will come to an end
> Just like your worthless lives.
> Those who pray to their magic receive death.
> Those who accept justice will survive.
> This town was told to hang their priests,
> Burn their witches, and behead their skalds.
> They refused. Now they are dead.
> Let that be your example, and your Doom.*
>
>

As they healed him, the young man Sigurdth, confirmed that Tuern Raiders, giants, and orcs had wiped out the village. The next day, a force from Gundbarg arrived and agreed to ferry the party back to Waterdeep if they helped introduce a diplomatic mission to the Lords of the town. They would convey to the leadership that aid was needed to fight the increased presence of the raiders and help in ascertaining why they were being attacked.

After returning the guild members were addressed by Lt. Mog:

> Congratulations Dmitri, Graak, and Nero! You discovered what is disrupting trade with Gundabar: War and violence that destroyed the village of Thorfud’s Hollow in the name of those who wish to destroy magic. Since you escorted diplomats from Gundabar to Waterdeep’s rulers, perhaps some aid will be sent, but who knows? At least the troubles are in the open, even if the reasons for it are obscured.
>
>
> Based on your descriptions, it sounds like your attackers were assassins. Dark quieted armor, ambush tactics, mix of talents, coordinated, practiced. And you survived. Well done! One item you found and returned is a Broach of the Master Thief: 1x/day you can take a bonus action of hide, disengage, or dash. The assassins had between them 75 gp, but the coins are oddly blank – no stamps to identify them.
>
>
>
> As for the large magical item you brought back, alas we will not be returning this to you. It is far too dangerous. We think, but are not yet sure, it is a Wind Rose of Vortivus, an ancient magic from the days of Netheril. What you describe from your experience seems to match the few fragments of information left from those days. Once used by large schools of magic to help mages practice their most powerful arts without hurting anyone, this item is powerful and deadly. It must be guarded by our best lest it fall back into the wrong hands. It uses a spellcaster’s stored magical energies-- all of them – to send those who carry a token to an alternate reality, slightly out of phase with our own. (8 points on the compass, or nautical wind rose). A user can accidentally kill the targets and his or herself in the blink of an eye if you are not careful. It can only be used by very powerful casters.
>
>

## 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.

> *Joan woke up late from drinking too much (and that damn hobbit weed...), only to find that all the other guild members had sailed off without her!!!! She found some magic jet ski's and went off to find them...*
>
>
> *- Joan*
>
>

1. ↑ This was a trap in hindsight and the phrase translated to “I am betrayed”.
2. ↑ 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.