The Last Guardian
by Haobin Zhang
This inaccurate map is just to give the DM a general idea.
Background:
There were a great number of people who disappeared in the town every year. (All killed by the small slugs belong to the cults) The government of the town didn’t pay attention until the little daughter of the president disappeared three days ago. The government invited people with powerful abilities around the world to find out the truth.
People who were killed, stealing face and memory, by the small slug would spread a smell of blood broadly.
Pre-Hooks:
The party was the first team that accepted this quest from the government. They heard that a young man named Omar missed at 9 am this morning after a short break from working in the logging camp. Thus, the party decided to explore the forest first to see if they could find some clues.
Went down along the road, they came to a right turn. What the party doesn’t know is they have been tracked all the way from the beginning by two cult members. And there are another two cult members, who already set up a magic bomb in the corpse of Omar, waiting for the party to come.
Start:
It’s about 2 pm on a summer day. However, it’s cloudy and foggy in the forest. As the party reach, they smell a sense of blood coming from the direction of the river. Looking forward, adventurers see two men by the river. (About 130 feet away) One of them is lying on the ground and seemingly dead. (He is Omar who was missed) The other one who wears a black cloak is floating in the air 8 feet away Omar. (He calls himself The Guardian)
Forest:
There are huge and dense trees, which are between D12 + 20 feet tall, on both sides of the road the party walks along. The trunks of the trees are dark red. Their branches and leaves are luxuriant and healthy. When people touch the trunk, the tree makes a voice that sounds like a cry. It needs an ability to check to climb up the trees. It’s mostly impossible to walk across for human-size creatures since trunks are too close to each other. However, there are actually two potential paths that are made up of smaller trees that can be cut down. It needs a Strength check to cut down small trees. Party’s moving speed will be half when crossing either of two paths.
Road:
A 20 feet wide stone road built in the forest, there’s a right turn by the river.
There is a transparent 10-feet high magic wall that prevents anything from going forward 60 feet away from the starting position. (Set by The Guardian so that no one can affect him) It can be destroyed by the party. It needs a real high Strength or Magic check. If there is a wizard in the party, he or she will find that this magic belongs to his or her school.
River:
A river that looks still like a mirror from outside because of ancient magic. The current of the river is actually moving extremely fast. People who put their hands or feet into the water will feel it. If The Guardian isn’t fighting against the party, he will bring the first adventurer who flowed by the current back. Or, this character is out of this encounter.
Brushwood:
An area of 5 feet tall green brushwood which is too soft to scratch anyone. People who hide inside the brushwood can’t see what happens outside.
NPCs:
Omar:
A 22 years old young man who works at the logging camp. The corpse is obviously a man with no face and his body is shriveled, dressed in the custom of the worker. There is a wound at his belly if people pull off his clothes. (There is a magic bomb setup on his body, anyone who touch his body will trigger the bomb, which causes 10 damages to all characters within 5 feet)
Loretta [10HP]:
A 20 years old beautiful woman dressed in a yellow cloak with strange patterns, which means she is one of the lowest level cults who are mind-controlled by Slug God. She knows basic fighting skills and uses a small dagger as the weapon, causing D4 damages if she makes it. She is hiding in the brushwood, waiting for the party to check the corpse Omar. Her mission is to kill them all. Nick and she are confused by The Guardian, but they decide not to show up until the party is here.
All cult members have whistles, which sound like warble and can spread widely, to contact other members.
Nick [10HP]:
A 24 years old ugly man dressed in a yellow cloak. He is doing the exact same thing as Loretta. (Including skills and damages) There is a letter written by Omar in Nick’s pocket, which should be sent to Omar’s parents in his hometown.
Jonny [12HP]:
A higher-level male cult member who is a stalker. (Also mind-controlled by the Slug God) His mission is to track the party until they trigger the bomb and then kill them all. He is going to convey all the information about the party to Loretta and Nick. He also uses a dagger weapon which causes D4 + 1 damages if he makes it. Betty and he both have a high-level skill of stalking. Thus, they can only be detected by rolling 18+ of D20. If Jonny and Betty are detected, they will tell Nick and Loretta to stay and then fight with the party.
Betty [12HP]:
A higher-level female cult member who is a stalker. She is doing the exact same thing as Jonny. (Including skills and damages)
[All cult members have some coins and an overall map of Soda Crez, they would rather die than be caught]
The Guardian [60HP]:
An extremely powerful wizard with no face wearing a black cloak. He was a young wizard that was super talented. He is the leader of an organization that fights against cults. His goal is to collect corpses killed by small slugs and that’s the reason he is there. He has already found that there is a magic bomb setup in Omar’s body and he is trying to think of a way to dismantle the bomb safely.
The Guardian’s voice sounds like he is 40 years old. People who talk with him would hear his voice directly in their heads.
The Guardian is not going to attack the party initially. He definitely won’t help the party fight with those four cult members since he knows that they are all mind-controlled. But he also doesn’t care about their lives.
The Guardian has 3 spells:
- Fireball: D12 + 6 damages, one target;
- Shadow Bite: 2D20, one target;
- Memory Loss: the target loses half of its current HP and stuns for a round, one target.
Endings:
If the party succeeds in convincing The Guardian for a talk, which needs an ability check, he will tell the party his story and guide them toward his secret camp. [End]
If not, The Guardian will just disappear. [End]
If the party fight with The Guardian, let’s see… [End]
The Relations Between The Guardian, Cults and the Party:
The Guardian was one of the innocent people killed by a small slug. However, he managed to save his life though he still lost his face and most of his memory. So, the only meaning of his life is to avenge the cults.
Years by years, The Guardian found that there was no way to save people who live in Soda Crez by changing their hundred-years long habit — kissing slugs. He also found that there is a Slug God who really controls everything. In order to fight against God, The Guardian started collecting those corpses that have no face and memory and used the spell to make them become deathless soldiers.
The Guardian only hates cults. So, he is somewhat willing to protect people in the town.
Two principles of The Guardian:
- The Guardian will kill anyone who doesn’t respect these corpses. (eg. Tearing the body apart.)
- The Guardian won’t further explain his actions. (eg. Did you kill Omar? “No, not me.” no more explain)