Chapter 1-1
Within the city of Geprusar, six strangers are about to meet and together embark on an adventure beyond their wildest imagination.
Introductions
Vaelyn is introduced through a dream sequence consisting of a hallway of strange paintings with faces he cannot make out. Vaelyn finds a life force in the hallway and unable to control his hunger, he begins to consume its essence. At the end of the hallway, he finds a door he inevitably reaches every time he has these dreams. The door opens and a monstrous hand comes out, stealing the remaining life force. It tosses Vaelyn away and a woman with no eyes and long black hair embedded in the chest of the monster comes into view. Before she can speak, Vaelyn begins to fall backwards down the hallway before he collides with a wall at the bottom that holds a single portrait of the same woman.
Torren is writing at his desk when he hears his friend Vaelyn jolt up from his dream. Torren asks if it’s the same dream and Vaelyn simply nods, seemingly indicating he has this dream often. He’s working on a scroll he hopes to sell to pay off his and Vaelyn’s debt with the tavern they’re staying in. After finishing it, he heads out to the shop and Vaelyn stays behind to try and get some rest. While leaving the Tavern, the owner stops him in hopes of getting paid but Torren assures him he’ll have the money today. Making his way to the magic shop, he hands over his hand crafted scroll and the owner is heavily impressed with his work. He gives him enough gold to cover the tavern debts and maybe a little extra to carry them for a few days worth of food.
Jasiri is introduced by walking on the other side of the road, he bumps into an old woman who is trying to unload her new order of flour for her bakery. Offering to help, Jasiri manages to carry all of her orders inside. The delivery driver has a broken leg and is unable to help but both the shop keeper and the driver are grateful for his help. Wanting to offer Jasiri payment for his help, the woman goes for a small pouch behind the counter but a thief runs in and nabs it. Jasiri tries to chase after them but loses them in the shipping yard. Walking back, he offers some of his own coin to the woman who is reluctant to take it. Instead, she offers him seven loaves of bread which Jasiri is glad to take as payment.
In that nearby shipping yard, we meet a warforged named Excalibur who is shopping for some parts for his airship. While walking through the aisles, the man questions how Hilda was able to afford a warforged servant but is soon distracted with gathering all the parts on his list. Making their way to the counter, Excalibur is met with a warforged who has no legs and clearly has been dismantled from the waist down. He rings up the order and gives a price a little too high based on the amount Hilda provided. Correcting the warforged and the shop owner, they agree to the original amount and Excalibur is back on his way.
In a small barrel in an alleyway behind the warehouse, we are introduced to a dirty and terrified looking goblin, Schmead, who has been living in a hidden crate. Schmead is hungry and knowing today is the day he needs to leave to meet with Hilda, he leaves the alleyway in search of food. However, due to the anxiety and fears of the world, Schmead brings their crate along with them. Soon after, they’re trampled by a warforged horse and their crate breaks, making them completely exposed to the world. Fear coiling around every inch of their being, Schmead scurries away and eventually bumps into a man of faith from a nearby church. He wears a new talisman that Schmead, a cleric of many faiths (just to be safe), does not own yet. The priest offers him a meal at the church which Schmead cautiously accepts. After finishing his meal, the man offers to take Schmead to the skyport and when they depart, he offers Schmead his talisman as a gift.
In the carriage pulled by the warforged horse that crushed Schmead’s barrel sits an odd girl wearing a cloak. The carriage comes to a stop at the skyport and Hazel steps out, dragging her long ankle-length hair with her. She gives the driver a tip of 3 shiny stones and goes on her way. Inside the airport, it’s overwhelming and she clearly looks lost. A man of the church wearing shining golden armor approaches and Hazel is clearly terrified of him. He questions if she needs assistance and she denies it, asking him to please leave her alone. Eventually, finding her way to the gate, she boards with the knowledge none of the airport guards will be on board. She immediately chooses to go to the Sun Deck rather than below and finds a quiet place to sit and she begins to talk to herself.
The Journey on the Airship]
The party begins to mingle amongst the other passengers on the airship, getting drinks, finding a place to see the view a bit better, etc. Jasiri spends most of his time at the bar and meets Torren who also shares a drink with him. On the horizon, they can see the lingering storm that never fades in the distance.
A guest believes Excalibur to be a part of the ship’s servants and demands a drink from him, which he gladly does. Though, he gets the wrong drink the first time and is tasked with going back to get another. The man does give a tip to Excalibur thinking the money is going to the ship - the Capital Concord.
After a short while of passengers being able to walk the deck freely, bandits make a scene and take the captain hostage while forcing the passengers to hand over their valuables. One of the bandits walks up to Hazel and asks to put valuables in the bag but when she doesn’t comply, he demands her strange looking bracelet. Refusing, the bandit tells her not to make it any harder than it needs to be. She stands in defense of her only valuable looking thing and casts entanglement across the Sun Deck initiating combat.
One guard on the lower deck finds the courage to fight alongside the party and stop the bandits, his name is Benneth. The bandits take control of the ship and drag the captain to the lower deck where they shut off the engines. The ship begins to fall from the sky and after the party stops most of the bandits, they head to the lower cargo bay where they find the leader of the bandits and the captain who is still held hostage. Jasiri is hit hard by an attack from the bandit leader and after Vaelyn and Torren manage to turn the engines back on, the bandit leader flees off the ship, parachuting out the cargo bay doors.
Excalibur heals Jasiri and the crew return to their positions, thanking everyone for helping them stop the bandits. Apparently there was a mutiny among the crew and they turned on the captain. The rest of the journey goes by quietly and everyone returns to their original seats. Vaelyn eyes Hazel as she quietly talks to herself while looking out the window of the Sun Deck.
After the journey, the ship lands in Ashborne and there is a tiefling man standing with a sign containing all of the party members’ names on it. He will escort us to Hilda Skyhelm.