Episode 001

***This is the long form, DM's Journal version of the Episode 1 Previously On***

The willage of Hallstatt is throwing a celebration! Pa’Ma, the half ogre, half gnome leader of the Council of Open-Toed Shoes, tells a quick history lesson about the Feywild. Their world has always been locked in an eternal battle between two twin Goddesses. Until 1,000 years ago, that is! A millennium ago, 4 heroes broke the cycle and shattered the universe in the process. What remains? Countless continents, all surrounded by and separated by a mysterious mist. None who enter the mist have ever returned.

For 1,000 years, these continents have grown in isolation, unable to communicate. But then, just weeks ago, the first portals opened! Not all of them, just a few. No body knows why, but the fact that it’s happening 1,000 years after the Shatter has many believing that it is a message from the Gods.

For the first time, the tiny willages of Willagia have been connected to the Major Continent of Pacifica, the TriKingdom. But other portals exist and have yet to activate. Where will they lead? The world is getting bigger every day!

A young dragonborn with bright red scales with catching gold tips stares longingly out the window at the festivities. Cypress’ mother barks at him to get away from the window. They are the only dragonborns here, and they don’t reveal themselves when strangers are in the willage. Cypress eats some Kraag soup, and his older sister tells him she’ll take him Kraag hunting tomorrow. Cypress heads to his room, where he transforms into a spider and sneaks out of the house.

The Renown Knights of LaGreane burst through the portal in triumphant parade. The Legendary order has sent 2 dozen of their newest recruits to represent them in a glorious display, their trademark iridenium armor gleaming all around them. Amongst these, the 2 newest recruits have become friends. Trisden and Kentil. Trisden hails from the Kingdom of the Dwarves, and quickly befriended Kentil, who’s been somewhat shunned for being the first Tiefling Knight of LaGreane. The pair take note of the town’s simple appearance, and it’s crazy proximity to the mist.

Also watching are 2 members of the Jutar army. Saine and Aramaya used to be equals, until Jurakan began shining his favor on the Shadar-Kai elf. Saine complains about being tasked to check out this ancient village and its idiotic shoe people. Aramaya tells her to shut up and stick to her job. When Saine resists, Aramaya touches a badge on her shoulder and Saine falls into a trance, obeying her every command.

Pa’Ma shows off the villages highlights: The Fountain of Shoes, the walls made of Sandals, the house with feet, the Diorama of Tom, the hall of sandals, and, of course, the shoe Prince himself! As the festivities begin, a bolt of rainbow lightning strikes a nearby field and 2 young elves dressed in very exotic clothing appear. Young Inara and her twin, Leia, have read a spell from a forbidden tome of magic, and have now appeared in an alien universe. Leia notes that her phylactery has been completely drained, but that Inara’s seems fine. That means the school will notice them soon and pull them back, so… they might as well have fun while they’re here!

The competitions begin! The iron boot! Who can throw the heaviest boot!? Trisden scrapes a near win up against Inara, a rather frail looking young girl. He gets too excited. The Shoe Debates! Competitors must debate 2 sides of the same argument! In the end, Saine beats everyone out, proving that only 1 shoe is necessary to change the world! The Foot Race – teams of 2 race inside a giant boot! The Hot Foot, where people put an iron cast on and then stick it into a fire! Everyone is having a grand time…

Until a comet blasts down into the center of the willage. Jutar soldiers erupt, slaughtering the locals. Jurakan, the God of Chaos, appears in the form of thousands of objects that gather to make a face. A soldier blasts Cypress’ house on fire and Jurakan orders his daughter to find and kill the youngest dragonborn.

With demon-like powers, Aramaya lifts into the air and blasts through the wall of the small home just as Cypress bursts through a window in wolf form. The dragonborn scoops his mother up on his back and flees as the commander of the LaGreane faction challenges Aramaya. Outside, Trisden heals his unconscious friend and turns his attention on Aramaya. Aramaya, determined and filled with the power of a God, freezes time. In the blink of an eye, she twists the commander’s mind and turns him against Trisden. She probes the mother’s mind to learn that the wolf is her son. She sends a copy of herself in front of them to startle them, then teleports behind them and reaches out with a fatal touch. Gael, Cypress’ overprotective older sister, teleports in the way and is disintegrated.

As this happens, memories are unlocked in Aramaya’s head. She is still suffering from a spell cast upon her weeks ago by a warlock. She sees herself as a child, and her mother jumping in front of her as a Jutar blade pierces through her. In a moment of confusion and clarity, Aramaya sees her past in the young boy she is now trying to kill. She makes a decision, and turns her attention to clearing a path for the boy to reach the portal. The knights of LaGreane call for a retreat, and the remaining willagers go for the portal, but Jutar soldiers are pushing them back. Saini intercepts Cypress, and Aramaya twists her mind with magic to once again allow the boy free access to the portal. Together, Trisden and Kentil burst through the wall of soldiers, allowing people to escape.

In the chaos, Inara and Leia struggle to reach the portal, and just as they get close, Leia is grabbed by a soldier. As this happens, Inara’s phylactery activates and she is pulled back to her home world in the Astral Plane. The Archivist, a 20 foot tall sorcerer, looks down at her with a furious look. Inara tells him that Leia is still back there and needs to be saved, but the Watcher tells her that they will have to bring this to the council.

Back in Hallstatt, the Goddess Zanthia appears in the form of a 40 foot tall glowing bear. The Goddess starts to wipe out the Jutar soldiers and Jurakan calls for his people to return to their dimension. Within seconds the army vanishes through portals. Aramaya, confused and furious, steps through. On the other side, she feels her father probing her thoughts. For the first time, he has sensed a doubt in her.