The Mitran sailors look horrified at Marvin's sudden transformation but are quick to recover. They charge forward, attempting to skewer the fierce dragon on their spearpoints - but are unsuccessful (in part due to Zyxtyvia's unexpected outburst of eerie cackling). On the deck of the Mitran vessel, archers begin to fire at Marvin, but their initial cautious volley is ineffective as only a single arrow finds its mark.
Your Turns
Celestine considered for a moment, then hurled a bolt through the air-
-but it shot to the side. "He's half the size of a house! How did I miss!?" she said indignantly. Both sentences were true, of course - just not necessarily in the way they'd be heard. She had, in fact, been aiming for one of the archers... but hey. Might as well salvage what she could when her aim was bad.
Marvin is an engine of pure destruction as he effortlessly eliminates 3/4 of the boarding party in mere seconds. The terrified Mitrans are entirely focused on him - giving Celestine and Zyxtyvia almost total freedom of action. One downside: he's a very big target.
Your turns
Zyxtyvia touches Marvin to cast infernal healing upon him...hopefully doing so without drawing attention to herself...
Celestine looked at what Marvin had done, then shrugged slightly. There were enemies on the other boat, and Marvin would probably be able to take care of the remaining foe here without too much trouble. Instead, she simply hurled a bolt into the air and aimed it to narrowly miss Marvin, continuing the facade that she was trying to attack him but he was just moving around too much to be easily hit.
With a roar, Marvin unleashes a torrent of fire. The sailor on deck is immolated, and two of the Mitran archers are lightly kissed by the flames. Most of them instantly begin working to put out burning rigging, but a few individuals elect to continue firing at the dragon - who's retreated out of sight from their deck. One lucky shot does manage to connect, though.
Belowdecks, the Mitran captain gasps out a confused reply as he struggles free. "What in the Nine Hells are you talking about?!?"
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With the Captain wiggling Erick pounces back into him to secure his hold again.
Sighing deeply. "Haven't you been listening to me? I mean we have been talking for a few minutes now....."
He is just ignoring me like the others.
Erick can't seem to get ahold of the Captain as he is perturbed by the Captain not listening to him.
Well, Marvin seemed to be doing well enough for now, but just in case... Celestine readied a Barrier to interrupt the next salvo of arrows from the enemy. The draconic fellow was looking rather injured, after all, and holding the arrows back would probably help him more than anything else.
After healing Marvin, Zyxtyvia stays out of the way and goes full defense in case someone comes close to her. .
Marvin continues to slowly heal as the archers fire blindly at your vessel. Belowdecks, the Mitran captain attempts a wild swing at Erick in hopes of creating some distance so he can flee - and is promptly grabbed in another chokehold.
Your turns
Satisfied for the moment, Celestine readied another Barrier she could use to intercept the archers' attacks. Judging from the thumping down below, Erick was having all kinds of fun, and she hoped he was enjoying himself. It would probably make the rest of the trip more tolerable if he got some urges out of his system...
With a mighty roar, Marvin unleashes another blast of fire at the Mitran vessel. Although not sufficient to ignite the ship, it scorches the sailors and makes them easy targets for Celestine and Zyxtyvia to mop up. Shortly thereafter, Erick rejoins you.
Mitran Captain
MW longsword
Dagger
Breastplate
Heavy Steel Shield
22gp
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Erick gathers all of the Captain's gear into his pack as he kicks open the door.
Captain wasn't happy bout our goods..... He said next time we could just explain ourselves and we would be good. Erick shrugs as he climbs over to the other vessel to help look and find a way to sink it.
Smiling he looks over. The Captain said you guys were a bit violent with his men. Erick says as he nudges one of the burnt corpses with his foot. The ash quickly falls and breaks apart.
"Just a bit." Celestine answered blandly. "You didn't make too much of a mess down there, did you?"
After a thorough search of the Mitran vessel, you uncover nothing of any real value. The Blade of St. Marius was apparently just on a routine patrol and happened to spot you. Its captain (Edward Sambryl) wasn't anyone particularly noteworthy. The real question is: what to do with their vessel?
Stuff
Spear x12
Shortsword x12
Shortbow x12
Arrows x200
Dagger x12
Leather Armor x12
Gold Mitran Holy Symbol
84gp
After his minions collected the equipment and resupplied their ship, Marvin set fire to the Mitran vessel, deck by deck, before setting the sails aflame and watched the ship sink before signaling the captain to continue on.
Celestine smiled as she saw the flames. It wasn't as good as the fires of Hell, but... hey, she'd take what she good. And given that it was fire... "May this offering please you, Lord Moloch, as this Kingdom's power is consumed in your flames." she didn't actually worship Moloch (Asmodeus was her only true Master), but it never hurt to try and be on good terms with Hell's other powers. After all... they, too, served her lord.
After several more days at sea (and a nighttime ambush by tritons and summoned water elementals), you're approached by Captain Odenkirk. "We are a little light on fresh water, I think. We are passing Seal Isle, and there is a stream that feeds into the bay there. We'll take on water there. I'll send a party to the shore. Of course, that means we'll spend a day in some of the richest fur seal hunting grounds all along this coast. I'm thinking of organizing a hunting expedition. Interested?"
"We've got cargo to deliver that can't wait and more than enough water for the journey. We've already had to deal with one patrol, and I'd rather not dawdle where another patrol might come looking for the last. We should finish what we set out to do, and then perhaps we can see about other lucrative opportunities," Marvin calmly explained. While I don't doubt that seal fur could fetch a hefty price, a hunting trip on a remote island would be an all too convenient opportunity to "lose" a few unwanted passengers. Can't really fault him for trying though, I suppose.
Kargeld scowls at you. "I'm the captain of this vessel, dammit! I say we need water, so we get it!"
"And Marvin can turn into a dragon that sets vessels on fire." Celestine said innocently. Of course, the Captain was the Captain... but a certain amount of pragmatism was rather useful in life. It helped you avoid an early demise.
Zyx believes the vessel captain since she has none of the appropriate skills to catch his deception until one of her companions points out the fact there is no urgent need to stop.
"I am sure you can explain to our benefactor and yours why you had us make an unscheduled stop. I am sure the Cardinal will understand."
Completely ignoring Erick, the captain glowers at Celestine. "You don't honestly think I'll fall for THAT, do ya? Unless you've got some way to magic yourselves and my cargo all the way to that bugbear?" His eyes betray a hint of fear, though. He's seen the four of you in action, and it's been rather impressive. Although he and his nine crewmen would likely put up quite the fight, if this situation does turn violent.
"Do you really want to find out? I think it's best for everyone if we just quickly complete our work, then go our separate ways, don't you?" Marvin replied calmly. While he thought he had a basic understanding of how to sail the ship by now, Marvin did not relish the thought of having to actually do the work and he wasn't confident in his navigation skills on the open water. It would be best to keep the captain and his crew around until they were no longer useful.
For a moment, Celestine considered opening up her magical storage space - but no, it would be better to keep that hidden in case they wanted to smuggle something without the captain knowing. After all, he couldn't ask to look there if he didn't know it existed. More to the point, as much as she would have enjoyed driving in his fear, that would have been stupid - he was still the Captain of the ship, and for now, he still had his uses. Best to avoid provoking him into doing something... unfortunate. He wasn't going to be alive much longer anyway.
"Marvin is correct - and we did pay you quite well." she told the Captain. "It'd be best to avoid any delays - and once we're off the boat, you'll have more room to store pelts and such anyway."
The captain grumbled for a while but finally seems to acquiesce. Fine.... But you owe me some pelts later."
Celestine didn't bother to respond to that - and his lack of further commentary on water said a lot about what his real objectives were. Not that she disliked the greedy, per se - Hell was amused by such people - but you had to keep it under control lest something unfortunate happen to you. Too much vice had been the undoing of many a man. Instead, she simply nodded politely and headed back to her normal part of the ship. It was time to get moving again.
"I'll keep that in mind." Marvin replied, as he turned back to look out at the sea.
As you proceed along the coastline, boats are sighted heading your way. When they get closer, you realize it's a group of Yutak - primitive hunting tribes native to the northlands . Their leader hails your vessel in broken Common. "Want make trade?"
"Do we wish to barter with them? Does anyone have any haggling skills? What do you have to offer?" Zyx calls down to the Yatuk.
"I would suggest a little trading and moving on." Celestine observed, careful to ensure the Yutak couldn't hear her. "Eliminating them would be amusing... but we're not here to sink every boat we come across, and when they don't return, their people might start searching, or even divining for answers, and that could turn... inconvenient. It's not worth the trouble. Let the Captain make a little profit here, since we didn't go hunting, and then be on our way."
The Yutak chieftan lifts a sealskin cover to display his wares. "Have walrus tusks and THIS." He indicates the long horn of a narwhal. Aside from their obvious value, "sea unicorn" horns are used by artificers to simplify the crafting process.
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"I would prefer that rare narwhal horn than some shiny metal we demolished in the dungeon. I can see uses for the horn personally but not so much the metal. I say we do the trade. Mithral is easier to acquire than the horn."
Celestine considered for a few moments, then shrugged slightly. She could have argued it either way, but... while mithril was rare and valuable, it wasn't that rare, nor would it be impossible to come by in the future. A useful magical material, though? That could ultimately become something much better - or heck, turned back into mithril if they decided to trade it again.
"All right." she said, nodding slightly and heading over to make the trade.