Mordesel bows to the Captain before her leaves, I am glad we have men such as you patrolling our waters and keeping them safe. The corner of his mouth twitches upward in a slight smile.
Once they are gone and out of sight, Mordesel let's out a laugh, that seems to belie his apparent age.
Grumblejack gives Dane a huge, tooth-filled grin as he squeezes through the cargo hold trapdoor and out into the open air. He breathes in the evening air, pleased at the chance to relax and stretch out.
The ship continues north through the night. Now past the Watch Wall, there are no signs of any settlements on the coast. Indeed, a sense of isolation accompanies the deepening cold.
The dawn arrives, providing unwelcome sunlight which pierces the morning haze. Very soon you hear the sound of splashing off the port side of the ship. Curious, you look for the source of the noise.
Two dolphins jump playfully in and out of the sea, splashing the ship and the deck with sea water. They chirp and whistle happily.
Captain Odenkirk watches the commotion with mild irritation.
"Get out of here ya pests! Go on, shoo!"
The dolphins continue to play, splashing noisily.
"Dolphins. They usually like this?"
Durova will be below decks as well, as typical of his schedule.
Mordesel is not too worried about being sickened, but he is starting his adjustment, so at this point, he is up for the second half of the day and first half of the night.
The dolphins continue their frolicking, splashing the deck with sea water. The commotion wakes anyone in the cargo hold. Only Grumblejack and Dane are currently on deck.
To the crew's surprise (as well as Grumblejack and Sion) several creatures literally 'appear' on the deck behind them. The five things are translucent creatures seemingly made of water. Without hesitation, they hurl themselves at the crew, Odenkirk, Grumblejack and Sion.
The watery creatures attempt to bull-rush their chosen targets into the water.
With a strength that belies their small size, the watery creatures give Sion and two crewmen mighty shoves that send them into the waters below. Grumblejack barely flinching and Odenkirk is surprised, but manages to keep his footing.
The remaining crewmen yell out a call to arms. Odenkirk himself notices movement in the water from multiple creatures approaching the ship from starboard side (opposite side to the dolphins). His eyes open wide in horror.
"Waterfolk!! We're under attack!"
Indeed, swimming towards the ship are blue-skinned humanoid creatures holding tridents.
Letting his disguise stay, Mordesel comes out of the cargo hold, holding tightly to his staff, and preparing for battle.
This isn't the circumstances that I expected to need this for but it will do... Looking around for the enemies all he sees is dolphins closing in. The potion in his belt was still secure thank asmodeus. Pulling it out he guzzles the vial down. A strange change comes over him, his feet and hands magically grew webbing enabling him to swim. Incredible Sion looks at the dolphin to his right and draws his greatsword while swimming towards it.
Hearing battle joined, Durova cats Bless on his group and moves out of the hold.
Dane bounds up the ladder with startling speed for a man his size, much more surprising since he's laden with armor. Drawing his weapon, Dane marches out onto the deck, feeling his strength sap but attempting to put a strong face on and attempts to assess the situation.
Anton, resting in the hold out of the sickening daylight, curses in surprise at the word of their being attacked by waterfolk. Swiftly, he moves towards the opening of the cargo hold so that his allies would be able to hear him as he begins an oration to improve their morale.
Grumblejack lets out a roar of rage at the watery creature.
Alas, the clumsy ogre has little luck, almost tripping himself over in an attempt to crush his foe.
Odenkirk bellows out a warcry and flies to a frenzy as he unsheaths his greataxe.
The water creature explodes in a shower of liquid as the captain's axe cleaves it apart. The Ulfen barbarian roars in laughter.
Two more crewmen draw shortswords and engage one of the enemies near Grumblejack. Moving into a flank, they stab at it.
One hits, causing the creature to shudder as though in pain.
The last two on board move up to engage one next to their Captain.
But fail to strike the nimble creature.
The two crewmen in the water try to swim while grabbing at the side of the longship.
One succeed, the other fail.
One of the crewmen manages to pull himself aboard while the other one flounders in the water before finally managing to grab the side of the ship.
One of the swimming humanoids casts a spell in the water.
The dolphins dive under the water , one attacking Sion and the other going for the crewman.
The watermen (aka. tritons) move into position around the ship, heavy crossbows in their hands. Four of them aim at fire.
The two others take a larger target.
The small water creatures flail and bash away.
The crewman swimming next to Sion takes a brutal beating from a dolphin but is hardy enough to survive. Sion too takes a nasty hit
Crossbow bolts fly through the air, two hitting Grumblejack in the arm and thigh. He snarls in rage. Dane too is targeted, one of the bolt bouncing off his armour while the other penetrates a connecting point between the joints.
Mordesel blocks a well-placed slam from an elemental, but Odenkirk takes a powerful blow to the head. He looks dazed for a moment but quickly shakes it off.
Seeing Dane standing closeby and not quite into the direct sunlight, Durova casts Protection from Good on the warrior, making him harder to be hit by the good creatures.
Sion stabs down into the water where the dolphin is harrying his ankles and blood begins to darken the water.
As the creature tries to attack, Mordesel ducks under it's blow. He grabs the creature, attempting to use its momentum to bring it to the ground. He then follows this with two quick strikes from his staff. He stands, ready and improbably firm on his twisted leg.
Anton continues to inspire courage in his allies. He then climbs up part way, wincing in the light, to get a view of the enemies before dropping back down.
"Perhaps I can confuse them enough to buy us a short reprieve. Or at least identify their leader," he says softly. He begins muttering some mystical phrases, shifting his fingers into arcane symbols. "Egami Tnelis," he mutters. An image of a powerfully built triton appears and climbs out of the hold. The triton image raises it's trident as its mouth moves. Anton, underneath it, calls out in a watery language: "What is the meaning of this? Stop this at once! These humans are under my protection!"
Grumblejack snarls in frustration as he attempts to crush the water elemental again.
The watery creature expires.
Mordesel drops the water elemental with a flurry of kicks and strikes. The creature topples, but is not destroyed.
Sion hacks at the dolphin violently. It yelps in pain, turns and flees.
The crewman next to Mordesel grins as he watches the water elemental stumble. Seeing an opportunity, he attacks it while it is down.
But misses.
Odenkirk, still raging, attacks the one next to him.
It mananges, barely, to withstand the onslaught.
The other crewmen also hack and slash at the elemental.
Their combined assault finally destroys the creature. It explodes into water, then disappears.
The last two crewmen on board try to bring down another elemental.
The two of them inflict a minor injury on it.
The last crewman tries desperately to fight off the dolphin.
The dolphin takes a nasty stab wound.
Dane maneuvers into position around the crewmen and Mordesel to threaten the remaining elementals on deck, and focuses a powerful thrust against the one Mordesel tripped.
With a watery explosion, the prone elemental fades into nothing.
The appearance of a triton on board (courtesy of Anton's illusions) does not seem to phase the tritons in the water.
One of them calls out to his comrades.
(They are clearly unimpressed by this show of deception. The one speaking is wearing shell armor, unlike the others )
The speaker rushes over to the mortally wounded dolphin, healing it of its wounds. It squeaks happily at the attention.
The Second dolphin, though wounded, strikes out at the swimming crewman.
The already injured sailor groans, almost dead.
The last elemental does the unexpected. It moves away from its enemies and leap into the water.
Evading the clumsy jab, the elemental maneuvers itself next to the dying crewman in the waters below.
The four tritons board the ship. They throw their unloaded crossbows to the ground and instead draw tridents.
Sion moves and slashes at the closest enemy target.
Dane smirks as the Tritons begin to board. "Good..." The grin widens as the Iraen swings his Romphaia in a strong, hacking motion.
Then the man retreats closer to Mordesel and Grumblejack, nestling himself safely on the front lines, yet amongst enough allies to make this a suitable defensive position.
With a terrible slash, the dolphin is ruthlessly cut down.
Dane slashes at one of the triton. It gasps as the strike narrowly hits him in the chest, causing a serious wound. But he simply snarls back, hissing back an insult at Dane's retreat.
Mordesel moves forward to attack the Tritons. He quickly lashes out with staff and foot trying to bring them down.
One of the tritons, already injured from Dane's assault, falls.
Mordesel cracks several of the other triton's ribs, but he remains standing.
Anton smiles as he listens to the tritons speak. That's all I needed. He then calls out to the others. "The first one who spoke... He is their leader. Cut off the head and the body will follow."
"It is you who are deceived. I cannot allow you to continue," he says while the triton image brandishes his trident.
Peeking out of the hold, the cleric spies a target and extends a finger, and a small blast of fire explodes toward the target.
Ranged Touch at closest enemy not involved in melee:
Damage
Grumblejack, seeing Mordesel and Durova handling the nearest triton, surges across the deck towards the two other tritons.
Although brutally smashing one of them, the triton manages (barely) to remain on its feet.
The swimming crewman keeps paddling.
Keeping his head above water, the crewman attacks the elemental.
.
The crewmen and Captain Odenkirk move up to attack the triton next to Mordesel.
The two remaining crewmen assail the triton injured by Grumblejack.
Captain Odenkirk, still in a frenzy, attacks the uninjured Triton.
After the combined assault, only a single wounded triton remains standing onboard the ship. The elemental in the water has been mildly injured.
The dolphin turns and charges the swimming crewman.
Pounding the man, the sailor falls unconscious and sinks under the water.
Seeing an opportunity, the water elemental moves to flank Sion and attacks him.
But misses.
The triton leader, wearing armour made from shells, climbs onto the ship behind Dane. He holds an ornate trident and his eyes gleam with righteous fury.
Sion swings mightily at the water elemental that attacked him.
Sion swings his sword, cutting through the water elemental with ease. It dissipates on impact.
Dane swings his blade at the Triton leader steeling himself against the odd magicks protecting the aquatic creature.
As the blade lashes out again and again, Dane boasts "Foolish creature! Your death could've forestalled in the water. Now you stand on my footing!"
Once the strength of his assault weakens Dane once more retreats a short distance and readies himself for the counter attack.
Mordesel circles around and attacks the creature, swinging his staff with all he has.