The Ruby Vanguard is a group formed and led by Ludinus Da'leth with the stated purpose of releasing Predathos from its prison within Ruidus in order to ensure the destruction of the deities of Exandria.
History[]
The Ruby Vanguard believes that since the beginning of mortals' existence on Exandria, they have been under the thumbs of the deities. They believe that since the ascension of the mortal Raven Queen to godhood, the other gods have feared mortals, regarding them not as their beautiful children, but as their food and the source of their power.[1] The group dreams of a future of freedom for all mortals, no longer driven by fate and the gods. Their goal is to accomplish this by restoring the natural balance and unleashing the natural predator of those beings who call themselves gods.[2] They believe that once Predathos devours the gods it will be satiated, and that it only feeds on divinity of that magnitude. "When the shark finishes eating the fish, it doesn't go after the plankton."[3]
Their founder and leader, Ludinus Da'leth, developed these beliefs and has been instrumental in creating the plans that will come to fruition at the apogee solstice.[4] To that end, the group has created three "Malleus Keys", large mechanisms similar to the Veilscatter Scope, located in the Feywild, the Shadowfell, and the Hellcatch Valley, at the spot where the three planes intersect and at what is projected to be the nexus of the upcoming solstice.[5] The Hellcatch Valley key was still under construction less than two weeks from the date of the solstice.
The members of the group believe that Da'leth can speak directly with Predathos.[6]
Immediately prior to the apogee solstice of 843 PD, Keyleth, the leader of the Air Ashari was called to Terrah, the home of the Earth Ashari, to aid in battling the Dark Heart Behemoth beneath the town, which had escaped its controlled state and threatened the rift to the Elemental Plane of Earth. Vureeo, the head of the Cult of the Dark Heart, vanished at its defeat, shouting, "The Vanguard will prevail and the world will finally be free!"[7]
An investigation led by Beauregard Lionett and Caleb Widogast revealed that different organizations and their activities related to the apogee solstice, such as the Elder Cross Cult, the Carrion Breach and the Children of Malice, were fronts connected to the Ruby Vanguard.[8]
During the Battle of the Red Center the Reilora came from Ruidus to help the members of the Ruby Vanguard, presumably those who were Ruidusborn.[9]
Several days after the beginning of the apogee solstice two members of the Ruby Vanguard, accompanied by two Reilora and a Simulacrum created by Ludinus himself, were sent to Igthuldus to deal with Bells Hells. The adventurers, however, managed to defeat them, with one of the members of the Vanguard being thrown into the pool of magma by Orym's vines, and the other being killed by Imogen's Lightning Bolt.[10]
Fan art of Bells Hells and the leaders of the Ruby Vanguard, by cvleart.[art 2]
In a meeting in Whitestone Castle it was revealed that the Ruby Vanguard had managed to obtain the support of several civilians in multiple countries, which was causing political instability.[11]
When Bells Hells (supported by several powerful allies creating a diversion) infiltrated the Tishtan excavation site around the activated Malleus Key and the base of the Bloody Bridge, they discovered that many members of the Vanguard were there to defend it along with several reilora, and that the latter were unsettling for some of the Vanguard.[12] The guards present weren't able to prevent the adventurers from reaching the Bloody Bridge. While they were exploring Ruidus the adventurers discovered that members of the Vanguard had been visiting the red moon for weeks, and they encountered some of them working with Willmaster Edmuda when they attacked them in the village of Razora. One of the members was Petrov Godo, an Exaltant teenager that unleashed his power after being attacked by Laudna, retaliating by hitting her with Telekinesis and Blight; he, however, was knocked unconscious by Orym, and Fearne killed another member of the Vanguard with Scorching Ray as they attempted to flee.[13] In the following minutes after the battle Bells Hells managed to appear innocent in front of some Vanguard members (which included their old acquaintance Evon Hytroga), and they convinced Petrov and Verdo that Willmaster Edmuda was a traitor, after which they let the two of them return to their comrades, escorted by Fearne and FCG. Although the adventurers' plan was to infiltrate the group, since their caravan of supplies was supposed to go to Kreviris, when they discovered that Otohan Thull was among them they decided to flee.[14]
Rashinna of the Golden Hammer revealed to Bells Hells that the Imperium had been promoting excitement about the Vanguard and their activities, making their people believe that their potential relocation to Exandria would be a good thing caused by the group led by Ludinus. Many of their members are currently in Vaterra Kreviris,[15] some of them staying inside the Prime Pillar itself.[16] After Bells Hells killed Otohan Thull (losing FCG in the process) they used Liliana's help to reach the Bloody Bridge. Although there were Vanguard agents on both sides of the red beam connecting moon and planet, the adventurers managed to go unnoticed using magic, disguises and deceit.[17]
Two days later Bells Hells and Essek Thelyss Teleported to Eiselcross and entered the Aeorian ruins to gather information about the activities of Ludinus and the Vanguard. In the Genesis Ward they found a large tent with several corpses in Ruby Vanguard attire that had been brutally murdered less than a week before, and they realized that one of them, an elf, had fewer wounds than the others and had died with an euphoric expression and a dagger in their throat. Chetney, using Grim Psychometry, witnessed the members of the Vanguard studying and arguing in the tent. One of them touched their forehead, looked off, and then wandered out, later lying in wait for their comrades and attacking them, then carved a symbol on their own chest before stabbing themself: two overlapping circles of different sizes, with lines forming a sigil no one recognized. Laudna determined the symbol was ritualistic in nature, connected to an extraplanar force.[18] After exploring deeper into the ruins and encountering another gory scene (several members of the Vanguard hanging from chains with hooks, half of them with smiles on their lifeless faces), the adventurers used Speak with Dead to discover the truth: the Pinion of Service, an ancient device, was no longer functioning and Dominox, the Grand Demon of Loathing had been released. The demon had whispering in their minds, filling them with suffering and insecurity, feeding on their emotions until he forced many of them to kill their comrades and then themselves.[19]
The next day, when Bells Hells returned to the camp they had visited in the Hellcatch Valley they discovered that the Ruby Vanguard had destroyed it, killing many defenders. The soldiers, as well as reilora and monsters such as vidulches and Gloamglut, remained there and were massacring the few survivors. When one of the mages noticed the group leaving they tried and failed to Counterspell their Teleport.[20] In Vasselheim, the adventurers learned that the Exandrian Accord had lost control of the Hellcatch Valley, and that shortly before being forced to flee the Ruby Vanguard had used the Ruidian forces and their powers to built a fortress to protect the Malleus Key, defended by the Sunder King and his army.[21] When the Exandrian Accord attacked the Red Center there were numerous members of the Vanguard present, although many of the defenders were Ruidian.[22] Both armies clashed, but some of the soldiers were young recruits who fled when faced with legendary warriors like Vox Machina[23] and eventually the Ruby Vanguard forces were overwhelmed.[24]
Known members[]
- Ludinus Da'leth, leader of the Ruby Vanguard
- Genomia
- Petrov Godo (Ruidusborn, Exaltant)[25]
- Evon Hytroga
- Liliana Temult (Ruidusborn, Exaltant)
- Otohan Thull (Ruidusborn, Exaltant)[26]
- Tuldus
- Verdo
- Vureeo
- An unnamed tall elf-like high-ranking individual that was seen with Otohan Thull and a Thought Eater protecting the excavation site[27]
- Unnamed elf with hairless head covered by a hood, more powerful than Orym but not as sturdy[28]
Former members[]
- A green dragonborn Exaltant with cataracts in one eye[29] (deceased)
- Bor'Dor Dog'Son (deceased)
- Five members of various ancestries (including elven, gnomish and halfling) ritually killed in the Genesis Ward by one of them, an elf, who then committed suicide with a dagger after carving a symbol on their own chest[30]
- Raah Cosen (deceased)
- Unnamed woman with mousy brown hair, who helped killing some of her comrades before committing suicide
- Unnamed human man with a bit of orcish blood, ritually killed by Raah Cosen
Allies and indirect members[]
References[]
- ↑ See "Bawdy Basement Belligerence" (3x44) at 3:13:21.
- ↑ See "Bawdy Basement Belligerence" (3x44) at 3:04:33.
- ↑ See "Bawdy Basement Belligerence" (3x44) at 3:21:37.
- ↑ See "Bawdy Basement Belligerence" (3x44) at 3:02:53.
- ↑ See "Bawdy Basement Belligerence" (3x44) at 3:38:43.
- ↑ See "Bawdy Basement Belligerence" (3x44) at 3:14:32.
- ↑ See "The Aurora Grows" (3x49) at 4:31:31.
- ↑ See "Red Moon Rising" (3x50) at 3:14:30.
- ↑ See "Aid of the Tempest" (3x66).
- ↑ See "An Ancient Flame" (3x75).
- ↑ See "A Gathering of Heroes" (3x76) at 2:02:11.
- ↑ See "Rush for the Bloody Bridge" (3x82) at 1:11:40.
- ↑ See "Red Rural Revelations" (3x84).
- ↑ See "Intense Interrogations" (3x85).
- ↑ See "Divisive Portents" (3x89).
- ↑ See "Mission Improbable" (3x90).
- ↑ See "Broken Roads" (3x92).
- ↑ See "Shadows New and Old" (3x96) from 3:32:16 through 3:52:10.
- ↑ See "Ancient Sins" (3x97) at 3:33:42.
- ↑ See "Cages" (3x103) from 2:50:03 through 2:54:27.
- ↑ See "The Cradle's Convocation" (3x104) at 0:20:21.
- ↑ See "Assault on the Malleus Key" (3x113) at 2:37:37.
- ↑ See "Fight for the Bloody Bridge" (3x114) at 1:07:52.
- ↑ See "Fight for the Bloody Bridge" (3x114) at 4:07:41.
- ↑ See "Red Rural Revelations" (3x84) from 2:31:41 through 2:33:56.
- ↑ See "Bawdy Basement Belligerence" (3x44) at 3:04:51.
- ↑ See "Rush for the Bloody Bridge" (3x82) at 2:54:10.
- ↑ See "Intense Interrogations" (3x85) at 0:32:47. Orym sensed that the elf had a higher level but lower HP compared to himself.
- ↑ See "The Apogee Solstice" (3x51) at 2:03:56.
- ↑ See "Shadows New and Old" (3x96) at 3:41:01.
Art:
- ↑ Screenshot of a Ruby Vanguard soldier from "An Ancient Flame" (3x75) at 2:30:50. This file is a copyrighted work. Its use in this article is asserted to qualify as fair use of the material under United States copyright law.
- ↑ Fan art of Bells Hells and the leaders of the Ruby Vanguard, by cvleart (source). Used with permission.
- ↑ Fan art of Dominox's sigil, by Micaerys. Work contributed to the Critical Role Wiki by the artist.
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