Summary: Undead Dragons over the Waves
The morning following the stormy night is unusually calm. The air is heavy and damp, and a light mist hovers about one foot over the surface of the water. The sails hang limp. Ugly gray clouds obscure the sun, bathing everything in a filtered, dingy light. As the ship drifts, all on board sense a feeling of helplessness in the midst of the vast, dark ocean. Not even the cry of sea gulls is heard to break the monotony of the nothingness on the sea.

Discussions of what became of the two halflings dominates the breakfast discussions.  Quilro offers up a tale of enduring adversity on the high seas.  All are impressed with the elf and half-orc’s unusual comfort aboard the vessel.

DonBrapp surreptitiously increases the wind to provide more speed to the ship.

Quilro heartily leans into assisting the crew with their daily shipborne chores.

Kailute is politely rebuffed on his offer to lead counter boarding procedures, but instead is oriented to the weapons crates and the 3rd Mate agrees to run through some exercises the following day.  Renfro also runs the companions through the firing procedure of the bow ballistae.

Captain Garvyn invites the companions to speak a few words over the loss of the halflings, and Tomas is about to speak when Quilro interjects.

“Life, like the sea is fickle.  One can have their choices turned against them.  Sometimes you live long enough to correct those mistakes;  other times the sea swallows you at its whim.  Our two companions were rash, and the sea swallowed them.”

As the morning passes, the fog thick- ens, first rising to the level of the port- holes, then to the level of the ballista ports, finally to the rail of the ship. By noon, the flag at the top of the main- mast is obscured in the mist.

Through the dense mist, a dark shape materializes and looms near. You recognize it as another sailing vessel, but this ship has obviously led a long and deadly life. The hull displays huge, gaping holes, yet water passes through the gaps without filling the breached hold. The rigging and sails hang in limp, tangled shreds, yet the ship moves forward quickly despite the lack of wind. The decks and hull show signs of rot, and you can guess that the wood is worm-eaten as well. If the ship was ever painted, there is no sign of it now—the color long ago peeled and flaked away. The masts creak and sway, looking fragile and rotted. The vessel's crew begin to appear on deck, first ten, then sixteen, then two dozen sailors doomed to this Sargasso Sea in their unlife. All are dressed in rags that are barely recognizable as the dress of choice of pirates. They resemble humans, but their flesh is decaying right on their bodies. Where fingernails once were, long claws jut from grimy digits. Sharp fangs fill their rotting mouths. Most clutch rusty sabres, cutlasses, or spears.

The ghost vessel is closing from 100 yards to the starboard side.

The lookouts begin to shout, and Captain Garvyn yells the crew to stations.  The helmsman leans into an opposing turn and the Barovians charge downstairs to gather their weapons
.
DonBrapp opens the Ampner wagon and changes out his potions for the upcoming battle
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Quilro transforms into a harpy and takes wing into the fog shrouded skies toward the approaching ghost vessel.

A shrieking wail pierces the air and a dark shape soars overhead, filling the sailors with unnatural fear of something massive and undead.

As the vessel rights itself from the turn Quilro shouts direction to ensure a torch is lit after the fight to mark his return.

The ghost vessel continues to close directly and Garvyn yells encouragement to his crew.

The elf turns himself invisible and takes position amidship of the advancing ghost vessel.

DonBrapp takes position on the turnstile overlooking the deck and reigns the blessing of Vergadain over the crew.
The forward ballistae releases a spear that rips through several of the undead.

Screaming over the Imperator an undead dragon soars overhead causing Kailute to wonder if Quilro might ponder asking the creature for leadership and management guidance.

Some of the crew brace for impact, as many more are frozen with fear.  The opposing ghost ship makes an indirect impact to the Imperator causing superficial damage to rigging and the gunwales on the starboard side.

Taking position amidships of the ghost vessel the elven mage drops enormous flaming spheres into the middle of the ship wreaking significant damage to the already deteriorating ship and obliterating eight of the zombie sailors.

Observing the spellfire, the dracolich banks and turns toward the Imperator releasing a bluish white cloud of ice crystals about the deck.  The attack wounds many and sends four to their fates over the side with the pure energy of the blast.  The wyrm appears a similar shape and size of the white dragon from the southern Moonsea.

DonBrapp shakes his fist in angry recognition as the decks are awash in the icy mist and the ship shudders under the assault.  Kailute’s winter wolf pelt cloak shields him from most of the damage but the attack causes the half-orc to slip.

Dropping from the sky Quilro manuevers to his back to unleash a bolt of disintegrating energy at the dracolich…  and the ozone scent of scorched evaporating bone matter momentarily overpowers the smell of cold brine.
Dagnar begins to chant an auld common tale that appears to calm and rally the crew.

Hitting the water after the dragon has disappeared the elf transmutes into a swordfish and swims toward the vessel.
Six zombies crest the side of the Imperator and begin to engage in melee with several of the crew.  Kailute rushes forward to take his place in the line and cleaves the forearm from one of the undead.

Garvyn directs the battle from the sterncastle, frustrated with not being in the scrum but directing his crew to resist.

The undead advance from their vessel as Tomas casts a second bless among the friendly combatants.

DonBrapp calls down a powerful gout of flame just behind the first row of undead sailors that scorches several of the undead while further damaging the ghost ship.

The ships are nearly aligned gunwale to gunwale as the forward ballistae wheels to take the ship under fire before it passes.

Dagnar cleaves two undead with a downward hack of his broadsword.

Quilro swims beneath the ghost ship and then scampers up its side as a chimp.

DonBrapp adds his sonorous prayer to those aboard the ship as one of the crew is tossed overboard by an advancing undead pirate and falls into the sea
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Kailute advances with his hand axes ablur, sinking one into a zombie but again losing his footing on the ice-covered deck.  His next blow fells the foul beast, but another shuffles forward to claw at the half-orcs face.

Several of the front-line sailors have been engulfed and fallen by the advancing zombies as two are impaled in a flying spear that sends them flying overboard.

Quilro notices one of the sailors in the water and returns to fish form to prod the sailor back over to the Imperator.

DonBrapp levels Buzzkiller toward the ghost ship and blasts several of the undead with a hearty lightning bolt.
Switching quickly to a chimpanzee, Quilro loops the shoulder of the freezing sailor up to the deck of the imperator, making sure to take a moment to appear in elven form tending to the wounded.

The final line of undead leap from the ghost ship as it begins to separate.

Kailute scans the line of battle to see if any sailors need assistance, and takes a position between the undead and a fallen sailor while signaling to Tomas.

Slipping during his next attack, the half-orc catches one of his axes for minor damage.

DonBrapp foists his holy symbol over the deck causing several of the undead to leap overboard.

Long unseen Fyrnlocke darts up from below with his pair of magical longswords to join the melee.

Kailute recovers and hacks into another undead as Quilro scales the rigging and swings over to the mast of the other vessel before it is completely away.

DonBrapp adds his prayerful voice to the cacophony on the decks.

Fyrnlocke fights his way into the scrum and takes minor claw damage.

Dagnar takes a position from the side rigging above but is unable to connect with his sword.

One falls to Fyrnlocke’s sword as Tomas dispatches one with magic missiles.

Quilro releases a lightning bolt from the crow’s nest of the ghost ship into the main mast, causing it to collapse and begin to break up from accumulated damage.

Releasing another bolt of lightning the front end of the ghost ship begins to collapse and the water line slowly rises as it sails into the waves.

Kailute fells another ghastly pirate as a small pile of corpse gore begins to line the foredecks of the Imperator.
DonBrapp observes the ghost ship slowly beginning to descend into the depths, and he reflects on the power of Vergadain to smite enemies.

The melee scrum aboard the Imperator begins to die down as the allies overpower the remaining undead.
DonBrapp releases another lightning bolt against the departing ghost vessel further obliterating it.

“BRAPP WILLS IT!” The dwarf shouts.

Tomas tends to the wounded and the sailors begin to clear the decks of debris and gore.

Quilro conspicuously rides the ghost ship straight into the sea, striking a flamboyant pose of victory.
Kailute turns to assisting the clearing of muck from the decks.

Captain Garvyn offers equivocal praise to all of the companions, as Quilro returns and goes up and down the ranks thanking each and every sailor for their valor during the attack.

“If I had not read the tales of Bucktold, I might be ignorant of what makes such a cohesive crew!”

The Captain requests Tomas or DonBrapp say some words for the longest night of the year.

Quilro peers into the Ampner wagon which reeks of stale urine.  He reproaches the halflings while ensuring they have iron rations.

Kailute inquires of nicer restaurants of Melvaunt, looking to reward the team upon their arrival.

Garvyn observes he’s never seen such an odd group of demi-humans so adept at seafaring life as Quilro redoubles his efforts to ingratiate himself with the crew.

“Never seen eelf work this hard.  What is it eelf?  No coin in purse!?!  SING A SHANTY!”  Pyotr taunts as he and DonBrapp look on amused.

Tomas leads a service for the fallen, and Quilro offers the ridiculous sum of 500gp to each fallen sailor’s family on behalf of the Heroes of Waymeet, much to the chagrin of the other Heroes of Waymeet.

Even Kailute is taken aback by this spendthrift generosity.

Pyotr leans over the dwarf’s shoulder and states “The eelf spends your gold faster than yoor folk can mine it!”

Pyotr adds two whole bottles of Barovian red to the families.

At dinner with Captain Garvyn the heroes hear further the characteristics of Melvaunt as one of the last outposts on the northern central Moonsea coast.  Dirty, dingy and full of crime it is also home to the most proficient metalsmiths in the region.

Quilro shares the story of the zaratan, and how Kailute was made the god-leader of the tribes above the turtle’s back.  Garvyn is doubly impressed by the Heroes of Waymeet.

“FLYING DWARVES AND SHAPESHIFTING ELVES!  THE AXES OF A BARBARIAN!”  Garvyn becomes animated with drink, as do the Barovians.

Quilro presses him for information on the slowing of trade in the northeast;  Garvyn has heard of some powerful calling to monster and humanoid tribes that may be related to the loss of trade.

Quilro pockets some of the finer foods and takes it out to one of the sailors on watch who accepts the food graciously.

Sieben wanders above decks in his wolfshead overcoat, reeking of body odor and offal.  Finding no support from DonBrapp Kailute directs the odd human to bathe immediately under pain of no pay.  Sieben sullenly makes his way to bathe immediately.

DonBrapp spends several hours examining the blue ruby phylactery.  It is certainly been magically enhanced for a soul trap, but is not currently holding a trapped soul.  It could still trap a powerful essence, or it could be further split into regular smaller blue rubies.  This vessel could also be useful in abjuration or the magical smiting of an infernal being.

On the longest night of the year Quilro gives each of the crew a gold piece, and offers each tidings of good fortune in the year ahead.

Off duty crew members begin to shadow the elf, calling him “the gold elf” as he appears to shed money to whomever he talks to.

After several days sea birds indicate the imminent closing of shore.