Feliks, Princess Thei, Delaelia, and Dungeon Master Emma Illustration by Rebecca Munoz-Smith.
Chapter One
(Ep.0 - ep.6)
Theia and her nursemaid, Maevery Moffet the halfling. Illustration by Rebecca Munoz-Smith.
Our story begins in the reclusive kingdom of Highguard, during the annual Springtide festival. Highguard, known as the city of walls, explicitly prohibits all magic, under penalty of death. We meet the kingdom’s princess, Theia Penrose, an awkward yet charming teen, rumored to be placed under a mysterious curse. Unfortunately for her, this “curse” results in bursts of unexpected magic, particularly when she is feeling emotionally overwhelmed. As she battles stage fright in preparation for the Springtide Festival pageant, she crosses paths with Feliks, a young gnome in search of adventure. Both help the local carpenter/handywoman, Sabine Sparrowhawk (whom everyone has a crush on), prepare the festival pyre. Meanwhile, a young elven ranger by the name of Delaelia slips into the city, tracking the trail of a mysterious evil that has been poisoning her forest.
Before the festival, Duke Roger, Theia’s uncle, gifts her a necklace that once belonged to her late mother, Queen Jophiel. As the festival commences Delaelia and Feliks make acquaintances with some of the locals: Douge, a loathsome sexist guard, and his nervous but earnest partner, Dwight; Elesaril the elven medicine woman, her child; Harlow, a half-elf devout worshipper of the Goddess Astrae; Devlin Moffet, a rougish merchant halfling, and Hilda Stonehammer, daughter of the couple running the local inn.
As the princess performs a song for the villagers, she unexpectedly begins to levitate in the air. While this is happening, Delaelia and Felix slip from the festival to investigate a scream from the stables. They find themselves face to face with a giant, wolf-like beast. They attempt to do battle, only to learn the beast is immune to their ordinary weapons. Once Theia joins them, our three heroes team up, and are able to keep the beast at bay, rescuing Hilda in the process. However, Theia’s father, King Ferdinand, is not pleased. Theia is grounded and Delaelia, being a stranger from the forest, is sent to the dungeon.
Prince Dashing. Illustration by Rebecca Munoz-Smith.
As they sleep, all three heroes each have a mysterious dream involving Prince Dashing, the heir to the kingdom. Determined to find one another, and fearing for his safety, both Theia and Delaelia escape and reconvene with Felix. As they are about to flee the palace, the king announces that because of her magical outbursts, Princess Theia must be sent away to wed Prince Leonardo, the heir of a neighboring kingdom. Theia refuses and escapes with her friends, only to run right into fight between Dashing and two jackalweres just outside the village wall.
Despite our heroes best efforts, the jackalweres kidnap Prince Dashing and escape into the forest of Maeril…