From the Golden Tower

Following a dream, two young nobles travel to search for one's errant father. A surprisingly skilled vagrant tags along for the adventure.

Summary
Hideki, the only heir to House Shimazaki, wakes from a dream suggesting actions committed by his missing father, Satoshi. His familiar, a magmin named Ember, is fixated on a particular location on a map, suggesting that it may lead Hideki to his father. The noble decides to pursue the clues and departs from Hiyokuna with his best friend, Kirina of House Kizoku, in tow.

At the time of picking Kirina up, however, her trespassing acquaintance, Dust, is found in her home. The vagrant joins the pair, having gotten bored with invading the privacy of Hiyokuna's citizens.

The location on the map indicated by Ember is the colony of Sakumotsu, located across the Hiyo-Khan Bay. Deciding travel would be quickest by boat, the trio travel to Tide District to secure passage. They hire Dasya Modi and his ship to transport them.

While awaiting departure, district guards escort them to the royal palace to be entertained by Nehru Deneki, the young, eccentric governor of Tide.

PCs
Dust

Kirina Kizoku

Shimazaki Hideki

NPCs
Dasya Modi

Nehru Deneki

Memories
Dust stealing a chess set from the governor's palace.

Continuity
Nehru Deneki does not make another appearance in this season, but returns in the second season as one of the humans who got lost in the Shadowild.

Soundtrack
Hiyokuna - "Besaid" from Final Fantasy X-2.

On the Road - "Mi'ihen Highroad" from Final Fantasy X.

Tide District - "Besaid Island" from Final Fantasy X.

DM's Commentary
This was one of two "episode zeroes" I had planned for this first season in order to establish relationships between characters before episode one. There would be six characters in total and I didn't want everyone to feel like loose particles. It worked well to pair the two noble characters together as people who would likely know each other from dwelling in the royal sector of Hiyokuna. It took some suspension of disbelief for Travis's character to get involved, but what are you gonna do, right?