The Unlikely Adventurers -- A Dramatic Dungeons and Dragons Game

Prologue

Trigger Warning: This chapter contains graphic depictions of violence and death, swearing, and abusive relationships.

When her father had a little extra mead, Yevelda wasn't expecting to have her life flipped upside-down.

It was a regular occurrence for the King of Neverwinter to get drunk and act rather violently, but the nights when he did were becoming more and more frequent and the Queen was getting fed up with it...

After so many years of the king's foolish and loud behavior, Yevelda had gotten into the habit of excusing herself from the area and trying to distract herself by reading, painting, or trying on the new, lavish dresses made by the palace's seamstress. That was the case on this particular day.

Yevelda twirled in the mirror for herself, proud of the dress she had just received. It was blue with golden pearls draped across it. The dress had a poofy skirt, but the top and sleeves fit snugly around her body, showing off some of the natural muscle she had accumulated. She supposed that it was to be expected, after all, her father was an orc. Regardless, she looked beautiful. Maybe the handsome warrior would ask her out now.

Gell, the head commander of the king's army, was about Yevelda's age. She had always admired him in a way. His rippling muscles always caught her attention when he was out training with a mace or sword. His messy hair always made her heart speed up when he had slowed down in the streets to talk to her while he was on his daily jogs. Yevelda went out of her way to have interactions with the man, but he had never really made a move on her.

Then, breaking her out of her spell, Yevelda heard screaming and immediately whipped her head around to look at the doorway. Her mind started thinking of all the possibilities as she quickly changed back into a simple white dress. The last thing she wanted was for her drunk father to ruin her gorgeous dress that probably cost her mother a fortune. The screaming continued.

Did she want to know whose screams they were and why they dared enter her beautiful castle?

The answer was obviously no, but her curiosity got the best of her and she crept down the hallway. The torches flickered and Yevelda was becoming more and more nervous. Her hands trembled, her heart seemed to be beating at a thousand miles an hour. She heard another scream, followed by the sound of something hitting the floor with a shatter.

As she continued, Yevelda grabbed a vase off of a small table outside of one of the guest chambers. She tipped the vase over, spilling water and brightly colored flowers on the expensive carpet. The screams got louder, and Yevelda soon realized that the screaming came from within her parents room.

She nudged the door open, just a few inches, with her fingers and saw only her parents inside.

And the sight within was horrific.

Her mother, who always seemed strong, had cuts and bruises along her body and her favorite purple dress was torn in so many places. Her mother was on the floor in front of her father. Her mother-- the strongest woman Yevelda knew, on her knees, crying.

Yevelda's father was standing over his wife with a knife in his hand. He looked angry, mouth bent into an ugly grimace, teeth bared. His stature, which everyone in the kingdom knew to be one of respect and dignity was now reduced to a man who was growling at his wife as she cowered beneath him.

Yevelda slammed the door open with her right hand, still carrying the delicate vase in her left. Both of her parents looked at her in shock.

"Stop! Don't hurt her!" Yevelda screamed. "Please."

Her father laughed and began to move toward her. She stared at him, trying not to breathe in the scent of alcohol in the room. She didn't believe he would actually do any serious damage to her or her mother, but Yevelda knew the power of the toxic drink. She had heard stories of the nicest people, the most kind or generous beings, turning into violent beasts who hurt people, or did inappropriate things at inappropriate times in inappropriate places after drinking the powerful substance.