Chapter 1: We Begin in Waterdeep

**Episode Summary**

* In the Real world, a group of friends from all across the world join together to play D&D and tell a story of a group of adventurers. In this story, a cursed goblin, a lost explorer, an unlawful monk, an apostate cleric, a failed knight, a haunted bard, and an innocent pirate meet in the city of Waterdeep and their adventure begins.
* A cursed princess attempts to find her way home, a failed knight makes his way to the world's surface, a lost explorer works to find an unfindable city, a mysterious stranger fights on a rooftop, a sailor in search of a ship meets a filthy friend, a cleric of nature leaves her home to return what was taken, a charming elf is found by an inquisitor, and the heroes begin to meet.

**Pre-Game Chatter**

* Piper mentions having sprayed meditation spray to prepare for the session.
* Momo has drank two large Starbucks coffees and is "vibrating".
* Piper jokingly compares Moms to Vanya (from *The Umbrella Academy*), which Momo mishears as "lasagne".
* Azrai regales everyone with the story of his purchase of an everything bagel, which mistakenly became three everything bagels- which were accepted.
* Nox prepares everyone for the session by beginning the pre-session meditative moment to help the players get back into there characters.
* Nox confirms for the audience that these characters have been played before, but that they will be "fresh to the story".

**Synopsis**

[insert brief summary of events here]

**Episode Events**

The story begins in a tavern - old and with a crackling fire - where an old bard sits before the fire, considering where he left off in his story. The group of children making up his audience eagerly await the rest of the tale, even though it is implied this tale has been told (dramatic pause and all) before. The bard provides a series of different parts of the story where they may have left off (each corresponding to al characters but Doddle): transporting secrets and cargo through the Moonshae Isles, aboard *The Siren's Call* with the tragedy of the Grails, trapped in the Underdark, led by visions into the greater world, the library of Candlekeep and a revelation, shadowed mountains and a mirrored world.

The bard pauses to question the attention of one of his audience, who then turns his story to Waterdeep, with hints of the story to come: dragons and a tragic death, a choice, royalty finding home, secrets of a ship finally understood, a traitor revealed, the renewal of a spark and a discovery of the truth. The bard begins the tale on a road, with beautiful scenery and a little hope...

We open on a palace balcony in Evermeet, and are provided a brief history of the Elves' disappearance from Abuir-Toril. In the room connected to the balcony, a young elf meditates on her people and her visions- stars long gone and forgotten. The elven woman finds comfort in the knowledge that somewhere, far out in the world, a storm is occurring, and considers her wish to see the world beyond Evermeet. Dodalia still holds a fear of the day she will be called upon to rule Evermeet and lead her people without seeming to have a true connection to the Weave. Dodalia prepares for her lessons and attempts to connect with the Weave (as she is being instructed to by Grand Mage Birtheil Olethir), but finds herself unable to summon a flame to light a candle, despite her best efforts. Moving to the balcony, Dodalia braids some white flowers into her air, but upon looking at her reflection, shatters the mirror as her form changes into a small goblin girl.

Doddle, in goblin form, awakens on the back of a wagon headed towards Waterdeep with the company of a brown chicken named Harold. The sky above is clouded with the promise of an approaching storm- the very storm from Dodalia's dream. Doddle reminisces on her experiences since becoming a goblin and arriving in the lands outside of Evermeet- particularly a kind stranger who helped her find food and a way home by leading her to the main road and gifting her Harold at a farm, where she hitched a ride on an old farmer’s cart. Doddle has notably made friends with the old farmer’s dog, occasionally petting it, to the dog’s pleasure. Eventually, Doddle (aboard the old farmer’s cart) arrives within view of Waterdeep, immediately noting how to different it is to Evermeet and taking in the massive walls teeming with guards and stone statues, and the sprawling rooftops stacked above each other beyond.

The scene falls away to the sound of dripping water, and we are introduced to the Underdark.