1 Chapter 1: An Adventure Begins

Star Bach waits nervously at the entrance hall. Today, just three days shy of the prince's birthday, the adventuring party is supposed to arrive. The sun is just starting to shed light onto the world, as he gets word that the first member of the party has arrived. "Finally," he almost shouts, "Someone is here."

He heads out of the smaller door inlayed in the larger double doors, he walks through the garden that stretches in front of the castle. His speed increases when he spots the small tabaxi, who seems to be getting irritated at the fact that the guards haven't opened the gate. Star Bach motions to the guards to open the gate. "About bloody fucking time," the tabaxi shouts up to the guards. Their eyes finally look through the now open gate and land on Star Bach. The calico tabaxi steps past the gate, "So your the guy," they sneer.

Star Bach seems unfazed by the small cat like creature, "Hurry up, there's much more waiting to be done." Star Bach starts walking back inside, checking every once in a while that the tabaxi is still behind him. Once inside Star Bach has to check on them more often, as they are known to swipe objects. "If you want to keep this job, I recommend not taking anything from this castle unless it has been given to you, Rangal." Star Bach flashes a smile at the cat. He leads them into a room that is normally set up as a dining room, but the table has been moved to another room, leaving the chairs painting, and dining set. "Please take a seat, as you wait for the others."

Star Bach steps back out of the room, only to be alerted that another party member has arrived, he hurries back through the halls to the front door, he steps out into the still early light, and heads back to the gate through the garden. When he gets there he sees a dwarven man waiting at the gate, as a half elf approaches as well. Star Bach waits for them to arrive at the gate before he signals. "This way you two," he says. He is able to focus more on the path with these two behind him, as he has to check on them less often then the tabaxi. He knows their names, Galud, is the dwarf, and Peony, the half elf. He leads them to the same room, " Keep an eye out on Ragnal, and your belongings."

Star Bach heads back to the entrance hall, and decides to go into the garden. He hears the princess giggling, once he reaches the fountain. He can also hear his familiar playfully growling at the girl. He smiles at the thought, then she runs out and latches onto his leg. "Starry," she shout, "Play with me." She gives him her largest smile, that no one seems to turn down. Tessalon coos from on her shoulder.

"Sorry kid, all work and no play for me today. We can for sure play tomorrow." Star Bach smiles down at the small girl. His eyes always seem to sparkle when he smiles, maybe its part of the reason that people tend to gravitate towards him. The girl beams up at him before rushing off to resume playing in the early morning, before her lessons start. Star Bach checks the gate as he sees the next pair arrive.

The teifling is trying to flirt with the firbolg, yet they ignore the advances. The firbolg spots Star Bach and smiles. Star Bach signals for the guards to open the gate. The pair enter, "Follow me," are the only words out of Star Bach's mouth as he turns to lead them inside. "Its right down this hall," he says as he turns a corner. He flashes a smile at Lerux and Bunny as he holds the door open. "Just two more and everyone will be here."

He hurries his way back outside, knowing full well that the last pair should be arriving soon. The brother and sister are a strange pair, they each seem protective of the other. The half orc is taller then her brother. Without a single noise the pair is led to the room. Star Bach steps in to address the odd lot. "I will be back in a few minutes, I will inform the Queen of you arrivals," he says before he exits the room again, leaving them to introduce themselves to each other.

He heads to the throne room, suprized to find the prince by his mother's side. They both study the map layed out on the table, the one missing from the room that the adventuring party is waiting in. "Ahem! Your majesties, all of the adventures have arrived," Star Bach says in a raised voice, not quite a shouting level.

"Great," the Queen smiles, turning towards him, and away from the map, "Bring them in." She ushers her son to the thrones sitting on a raised platform, "Hurry we must-" The words are cut off as Star Bach leaves the throne room.

He walks at a leisure pace back to the room, trying to make sure that they have had enough time to get to know each other. He knocks on the door alerting them of his presence. "The Queen will see you now." He waits for them all to make it out of the room, assigning the job of watching the Tabaxi, Ragnal, to Bunny. They arrive at the large double doors made of purple wood with a golden inlay. Star Bach holds the door open for the party to enter. After they are all inside the room he moves to take his position at the left shoulder of the prince.

The queen stands up, and waits for them to bow, they all do, and she then steps down off the platform. moving towards the party. She gestures for them to move to the table off to the side of the room. There lies the map of the region, there are citys marked as well as three red circles, there is a red question mark in the sea to the southwest, with a note by the city of Soma. Star Bach knows this map well, as he helped the queen mark it over the past months, as they had searched for the smallest bits of knowledge about the lost cursed items. "There are four items associated with the curse other then the crown, a weapon crafted by mighty dwarfs lost to time believed to have been the first kings, the diary of the first king lost at sea, the holy symbol of what at some point was a god, an hour glass that seems to stop time when it is laid on its side. We have done the hard work of getting rough locations for all of the items, we will provide a marked map smaller then the one on the table. You each will be getting 380 gold, as well as 50 platinum for the party." She smiles, as she hands the map to Peony. She sets the bags of gold on the table, keeping the bag of platinum to give it to the person who would keep it safest. As she thinks for a minute about who to give it to she notices Bunny, still waiting for the others to grab their gold. The Queen decides Bunny should carry the platinum at least until they leave the castle. "I believe that is our business handled. Of course you have just about two years to gather the items and arrive back here, the quicker you do it the larger the final reward for the group." She returns to her throne.

Star Bach moves away from the prince's shoulder, ready to lead the party out to the front gate. He hurries them along as it is drawing near to lunch, he had skipped breakfast due to anxiety. As they near to the gate, he remembers something the queen was supposed to have told them, "I recommend gathering supplies today, and waiting for tomorrow morning to leave. The Queen plans to give you a carriage, and it will arrive at the inn in the morning." He smiles at them as they exit the gate.