Adrian: Baldur's Gate

The sun was high, but not yet reaching to noon, as Adrian and the others had a breakfast of hearty stew and boiled noodles in the inn. Then they marched out onto the cobbled streets.

"Where's Zavrian?" asked Safana.

"He had some matters to attend," said Tiax. "We shall rejoin him at the ship."

"Aye laddies and lasses!" Zavrian boomed, coming up behind them as they reached the docks. "Fergive my not bein with ya this morn, but I hadda get my new weapons!"

A woman with short dark hair was coming up the path behind him, wrapped in a long leather cloak. There was something odd about her build, but Adrian could not immediately fathom what it was.

This woman handed Zavrian two blades, longer than short swords but not truly long swords either. They were wide at the base and tapered gradually to their points, and instead of hilts, they had handles.

Zavrian took the blades from her, and she stepped back, out of the range of the weapons. He took two steps to the side, for even greater safety, and held the blades out, as though they were extensions of his arms. He spun twice, then slashed and hacked at the air.

"What are they?" asked Adrian, impressed.

"They're kalled Bhundi Daggers, or Katars. A Dwarven smith in one of our Maztica colonies made them, with mild enchantment. I've been waiting for months for the shipment. And, ah, yes, may I introduce Bexira."

Bexira smiled, and shed her cloak with one fluid movement, revealing....four arms?!?

"I am impressed," said Viconia, after a minute.

"Tiax would be impressed, had he not seen this one before."

Bexira's eyes flashed. "It's a good thing you didn't say the word you meant to use instead of "one", Tiax," she said in a flat, long-voweled accent.

Tiax snorted.

"Bexira be a Tiefling," Zavrian explained. "And if ye dinnae know what that is, pardon me if I fail to explain it just now. Anyways, we're off."

They cast off from shore, and went back through the magical mist which protected the islands from any rivals or nationa navies. But when they cleared them, the gloom did not lift. Gray clouds overhead let a light drizzle fall on them.

"Ach, more bad weather," Zavrian cursed. "We shall have to make for the Gate quickly, rather than seeking more plunder. Least until we've cleared this bad patch."

"I'm no seaman," Coran said slowly, "But should the water be swirling like that?"

The party, and some of the pirate crew, turned to stare at the water. Indeed it was forming a whirlpool. There was no danger of the ship being sucked in, but that was not the immediate concern.

"No, it shouldn't be," Zavrian said, voice grave.

Edwin's voice was even graver. "I read many monstrous compendiums as a child. My teacher insisted on it. And I seem to recall something about..."

A storm of tendrils whipped out of the whirlpool, and some shelled monstrosity could be glimpsed.

"...the great sea hybrids."

"A Kraken!" Zavrian shouted. "By all the Gods, a Kraken! To arms! TO ARMS!!"