5,052 OC | Realmspace | Toril | Waterdeep
Kenari winced at the blazing sun and shook out her rain-soaked cloak as she stepped through the portal to the warm sands of home. “I know it’s called Waterdeep, but did it really have to be raining?” she moaned.

Irisi chuckled as she handed her a towel. “Cheer up, mistress, for every slave that’s rescued and relocated, your legend spreads. In fact,” she continued as she gestured over her shoulder with a sly smile, “this one says he’s travelled the stars to see you.”

“What did I say about calling me that, Irisi?” Kenari admonished as she ran the towel over her hair.

The man lowered his red hood and chuckled. “It’s been a while, Kenari. Still conducting the freedom train, I see?”

“Ef! Long time no see! What brings you to our neck of the woods?” Kenari replied cheerfully as she moved in for a hug.

“I’ll pass on the wet fur, but I will offer you a drink,” Ef said as he backed away. “Some of us are getting together at the Rock and we stopped by to offer you a ride.”

“Some of us?” Kenari questioned as she started throwing things into her pack.

“Yeah, Lenata is still off with her man trying to smooth over relations with the Elves. Your man is on the ship wondering what’s taking you so long,” Ef chuckled as he gestured for them to leave and stepped outside.

Kenari’s eyes widened in excitement as she turned to her friend. “Irisi, do you think you can…”

“Go mistress… we’ll be fine,” Irisi replied as she shooed Kenari with her hands.

“You’re the best!” Kenari replied as she slung her pack over her shoulder and chased after Ef Utan. “And don’t call me mistress!”

_~~~

“Looks like we’re going to need another round, Luigi!” Vedis called out as Melchior sent an empty mug on the table with a satisfied sound. “It’s so nice to say that now.”

“Serving drinks or saving lives, the gods smile when we live a life of service, Vedis,” Melchior replied as Kenari rolled her eyes and finished her drink.

“Maybe, but I’ll take a Captain’s hat over an apron,” Vedis chuckled as the waitress set new mugs on the table. “No offense.”

The waitress grunted and turned away, brushing past a well-dressed elf who looked like he’d rather be anywhere than here. “Did I hear the gentleman right when he said your name was Vedis?”

Vedis’ eyes narrowed as she looked at the elf. “Who’s asking?”

“My name is unimportant,” the elf replied as he set a smoky crystal on the table and the noise from the rest of the bar faded into silence. “I was tasked by the Sapphire Mage to find Captain Vedis and her crew.”

Kenari’s eyebrow raised at the elf. “The Sapphire Mage? You certainly travelled far, friend. What could such a mage want with us?”

The elf pulled a sack from his cloak and set it on the table between them. “He tasked me with making sure you received this.” As if on cue, the sack shifted open and an odd furry creature with multiple arms poked its head out and looked around before it climbed out.

“Oh isn’t that adorable!” Vedis cooed as it scampered to a plate of bread and a strange tentacle formed out of its belly, pulling the food into a mouth in its stomach.

“Ewww!” Kenari exclaimed as she pulled her plate away from the creature. “Not the word I’d use. What the heck is it?”

“It is a creature that’s been displaced in time, and it needs your protection. I swore to bring it to you before he disappeared.” He looked around the bar and pulled his cloak tighter to him. “And now that I’ve done so, I consider my promise fulfilled. Good evening to you all.” And with that he turned and left.

“So… what do we do with it now?” Melchior asked as he gestured to the creature currently attempting to clean every plate on the table.

“We should see if we can find out what IT is,” Kenari replied. “I mean… we don’t know how big it’s going to get, what it’s needs are, if it has a language it can speak, all that important stuff.”

“That gives me an idea,” Vedis said as she gently corralled the creature between her hands and focused on its eyes as she fell silent. After a moment she blinks rapidly and sits back in confusion. “Well that was odd.”
“What did you see?” asked Ef Utan.

“Strange flashes of a creature like itself, but wearing clothes and holding weapons,” Vedis replied with a furrowed brow. “Unfortunately, that was it. But whatever they are, they’re going to need a name.” She tapped her bottom lip with her finger as she thought for a moment. “How about Vy? They’re kind of purple, it could be short for violet.”

As if in agreement, the creature cooed and rubbed against her hand.

“Well we still need to know more about what they are,” said Kenari. “The Seekers might have seen something like it before in their explorations. We could check their library?”

Ef Utan nodded. “I think Word and I should talk to the Underbaron and some of our street contacts here on Bral. Maybe they’ve heard or seen of creatures like this what with all of the imports and exports.”

Kenari quickly downed the last of her ale and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “Well then, that leaves Vedis, Melchior and me with the Seekers, I guess.” She stood up and threw a few coins from her pouch onto the table. “We’ll all see what we can find and meet back up at the Nomad.”