Chapter 1: Neverwinter

I woke up first thing of the stench of rotting fish, the sewers, and excrement. I then sat up in my bed and rubbed my eyes. I put my feet on the ground and then stood up and walked towards the mirror. I used my tail to pick up the brush out of my pack then handed to my hand. I brushed my long, black, thick hair then set the brush on the table. I looked around the room and spotted two pouches I have set as a decoy for Neeshka and I have the real pouch with my gems in it. I opened up my pack with my tail and pulled out a dagger I have made for Neeshka. I then put it in the bundle and set it on the table in front of the mirror. I then listen closely to hear foot steps coming towards my door. I heard none so I took out my gems and counted them to see how many I had. "Four Rubies, three Topazes, six Obsidian, and two Sapphires." I said to myself with wonder how much these will be. I then heard foot steps coming down the stairs. I put back the gems into the pouch and hid them somewhere with my tail. Neeshka popped her head in and said "the captain said we will arrive in Neverwinter soon, and also said you can stay one more night on the boat since it's safer than the docks."

I looked at her and examine her figure. She had a beautiful face, Ruby like eyes, a body like an hourglass, and of course, she had a tail like me. I found her attractive, but I hid it so she wouldn't freak out. I shrugged at her and said "well, Sis, the docks can't be any worse than living at the swamp." She than stepped inside and walk towards me. I got nervous and she said with a grin "so, what are you going to do in Neverwinter when we arrive?"

I said with a shrug "I was thinking I can sell some things and then go to my Uncles tavern and ask about this shard." then I picked up the dagger with my tail and handed it to Neeshka, "and also I made this for you Sis, back at Fort Locke while you were, umm, exploring."

She than snatched it from my tail and it hurt but I sucked up the pain and she said with excitement "Wow a gift? For me? Really? So uhhh, what you want for it?"

I shrugged and smiled at her "nothing, it's a gift for you. You know, like a friend gives."

She than gave me a hug and pulled me real tight and said "I never got a gift from someone for free or with strings attach." as she opened up the bundle and she looked at the blade with a surprise, "Wow, you do good work." she than took out her old dagger and replaced it with the dagger I have made for her.

I than walked over to my bed and sat down and moved my tail to my lap to play with. She than walked over to my bed also and sat down. She looked at me and said "so, you and I are alike huh? Did people make fun of you when you were growing up?"

I looked back at her and shrugged "at times perhaps. I mean, I ignore them or I go over and punch them in the face or something like that, but I was just a kid when they did. What about you Sis?"

She gave a smirk "I'm use to it. They call me "goat girl", "Demon", and the list goes on but I don't mind it either."

Back at Fort Locke, I always though I was the only one that was a Tiefling, but when I saw her, I was happy and also confused. I then started to call her Sis because we were the only ones walking these lands. I than said with agreement "yeah, and it also gets old. Want to know something else?"

"What's that?" she said while she was playing with her tail.

I said nervously and hoped for the best that she wouldn't make fun of me "I have never had a girlfriend in my life."

She than laughed a little and said "Really? That's sad Veltan. I know I been with a few and I don't want to get into detail about that."

I than smelled more and more of the fish and the sewage and that meant we were getting closer to arrival. "Well, it's time to get upon deck, were about to dock pretty soon." I stood up and walked towards the door and Neeshka followed me.

When I got upon deck I saw that Khelgar was leaning over the ledge looking over at Neverwinter with excitement, or he was about to be sea sick, or both. I then turned my head to look at Elanee. She was smelling the herbs she had, I think she was trying to cover the smell. Neeshka than walked over next to Khelgar and look over the ledge as well. I sat down at a nearby stool and waited.

As soon as we docked at Neverwinter, Khelgar ran to land and said "Thank the Gods I'm off that what you call a boat."

Elanee than got off and said with a worried tone "the land, I don't sense any life here."

Neeshka than got off and said with a smirk "Ah, home sweet home."

I was last to get off and I looked around, "Wow, so this is Neverwinter huh?"

Khelgar said with a grin "Well, I suppose it will do. If you want a proper city, you build down not up."

Elanee than looked around and said "I sense no life from within these walls."

Neeshka than talked back with a quick response, "Would you two stop complaining? It may not be much, but it's still home. So Veltan, where to?"

I responded with a shrug "I guess we can go and sell some of the stuff we had gather, then go to my Uncle's tavern. You know this place better than us, so you should lead on."

Neeshka got in front of us and we followed her. I sold all the gems I had Except the Rubies. I not always known, why I liked the Rubies so much. They remind me so much like Neeshka's eyes, or fire. I then bought my self a new pair of boots because the ones I was wearing was worn out and they were my work boots for West Harbor before it came under attack. I then said "are we ready to go to my Uncle's tavern?"

"Yeah, just let me sell some of this junk." Neeshka said as she was trying to barter with the Merchant.

"Yeah, I'm just about ready to drink a few and then sleep on a bed that doesn't move." Khelgar said with a sigh.

"If we must, but tomorrow, we need to go to the Druids of Neverwinter and tell them what has happened at the Mere." Elanee had said like she was trying to make me do it.

Soon, we have arrived at the door to the Sunken Flagon. Neeshka opened up the door and walked quickly to the bar as did Khelgar. I walked in after and Elanee was behind me very closely grabbing at my leather. "Gods Elanee, You need to calm down, there's nothing to be worries about." She looked up at me and I looked back. Her long brown hair, she also had a body of a skinny hourglass, and beautiful brownish-yellowish eyes. I thought of what I said a moment and said "I'm sorry, it's just like you are all over me like your in a-" just before I can finish she pulled on my arm and said "just don't let it happen again."

I was now frightened what she would do. I looked at her favored pet, Naloch, a badger that can bite my leg off. I walked over to the half elf man that was standing by the bar. He looked a little young or just old, but it didn't matter. He had a tunic that was covered in filth and hadn't been washed for sometime, and long dirty hair that as if he hadn't showered either. He than said to me "Well, what can I do for you? A little bit of poison, maybe a tinker or two?"

I than said "Are you Duncan?"

He started to stumble in his words as if he was in trouble "well, he might be somewhere around here. That drunk can be anywhere this time of day."

I knew it was him quickly and I said "Daehgun sent me."

He than began to relax a bit and said "So, what has he sent you for. On adventure gods I know he sent me on adventures."

I than replied "he said I need to look for Uncle Duncan."

He looked at me and said "Not little Veltan are you?"

I said with a smirk "Not so little Uncle Duncan."

He than took my hand and shook it and pulled me in for a hug. "It's good to see you again lad. So, what has Daehgun sent you here for?"

I pulled out the shard and showed it to him, "he wanted me to ask you about this."

Duncan looked at me and said "You should have left that back where it belonged. You shouldn't be digging up the past."

I than said with a shrug, "well, Daehgun sent me on an errand to retrieve this and ask you about it to see if we can ask a wizard of some sort to examine it."

He than pulled out a shard and said "here, take this, I don't know why I kept it with me, but I bet it will do you good. Now if you want a wizard to look at it I bet Sand can look at it, but of-"

"Ah, I arrived at the right time to here my name be said." he walked over and looked at Duncan.

"Sand."

"Ah, I see you can still recognize me. I thought you would be drunk with * sniff *

Beer, wine, or vinegar of some sort. So, why have you called my name."

"This here's kin."

"Well, I'm not seeing any resemblance, of course how can you if he has a tail or trace of demon blood within him."

Neeshka said out of the open "Hey, he's not the only one. You should treat him with more respect Elf."

Sand said with a shrug "so, why have I been called?"

I held out my hand and said "I need you to examine these, they seem to have magic."

Sand said with his eyes opened wide "that chunk of silver you Duncan, tried to sell to me years ago."

"Yes well, it found its way back and we need you to examine it."

"Very well, let's see if my arcane powers can detect any power within them." He took the shards from me and held them up high. Then a flash hit us to the ground. "Well...it seems to have...a bit of power within them. Are you sure these are the same shards Duncan? They have much power within them."

"Ohh, so there magical now."

I then started to wonder off and let them finish arguing then I said to them both "you both better shut it before I lose my temper."

"You're right I'm sorry Duncan."

"I too Sand."

I then said "is there any other wizard in town to look at these?"

Sand said back to me "Well you can't take them to any wizard but you need someone that knows the history about these. Maybe Aldanon, but the Blacklake District is closed down to the murder of Lord Dalren."

"I heard about that but I thought it was just rumors." Duncan said with a surprise.

"So, there's no way to get into the District is there?" I said with a sigh.

"Well, there's Marshal Cormick, from The Watch. He can probably help get you in. or get tied up with Morie's Gang and work for the docks."

"There's an idea. That may be my first choice but that's just me."

Neeshka said out of excitement "Yeah Veltan, We should do that since it would be easy since were Rouges and know how to get into places."

Khelgar said with denial "The Watch Huh? I rather fight against those Thugs and not join them."

I than said with the gist "So pretty much, Join the Law, or join against the law?"

"Yeah that's about right." Duncan said and marked there location on my map.

Sand then said as he took his leave "You may come to my shop that is just across the way, but bring a great deal of gold."

Duncan said with a grin "Well there you go. You and your friends can stay here and enjoy them selves."

"Thank you Duncan. Now I need to get washed up and maybe spend the rest of the night in my room."

I walked to my bedroom that Duncan has gave me. I took off my boots and the leather and left my pants on and took the towel off the rack that was in my room and walked towards the bathroom. I stripped the rest of the clothes off and went into the tub. "Ah, this is nice." and I moved my tail over the edge of the tub and grabbed the sponge and washed my back. I soon got out and dried myself and put back on my pants then walked out of the room just to see Elanee holding Naloch in her arms and go into her room. I looked at her with a smile and held up my hand. She looked back and stared at me and then closed her door. I walked into my room and lied in bed then said to myself "I think I will go one the roof and stare at the stars. I then got up and jumped out of the window. I was just wearing my pants so I was a little cold but I didn't mind it. I jumped onto the roof and sat down and put my tail on my lap. The stars were scattered everywhere and it was beautiful and I always found I peaceful for some reason. Then I heard foot steps coming my way and I saw Neeshka staring at me.

"Is it cold tonight for you? You're wearing...no shirt and no boots."

I looked at her with a smile and said "What, you like my body sis? My muscular body?"

She laughed a little and said "maybe. So what you doing up here? Staring at the stars?"

I shrugged and said "Yeah, wanna join me Sis?"

She than sat down and looked up, "wow, you see that moon, it's like a giant silver coin."

"Yeah, I bet that's worth a lot of gold." I said turning my head at it.

"Veltan. I uh-" then Neeshka was cut off by Khelgar.

"Hey, where are you guys at? We need to go to bed. We have a big day tomorrow."

Neeshka than said back "Oh why don't you go back to bed you drunk."

Then Khelgar gave a loud belch. I said "wow, he has a drinking problem. I guess he's right. I need to get some sleep." as I walked by her while she was getting up, I lifted up my tail and touched her face and then jumped off the roof and through the window. I then jumped into my bed and drifted off to sleep. Then I felt a hand on my face and a kiss on the forehead. I opened my eyes and no one was there. I smiled and went back to sleep.