Chapter 29

It’s their first day at sea on the Iron Vulture. They left Elsemar’s harbor close to midday, headed towards the mythical island of Amonah, although the harbor master thinks they’re going to the Northlands.

After a while, Cap’n Don Karnahge looks at the group milling about the deck and says, “aye, there urr only twa rules tae follow on ma vessel. Yin, dinnae faw aff! Twa, dae whit A ask ye tae dae when A ask ye tae dae it.” They look at the captain, then each other, and back to the captain with nods of their heads and a single enthusiatic “AYE, AYE, CAP’N” from Bilwin.

Grindlefoot casts Water Breathing on everyone, just in case something unexpected happens—which might not be unexpected given their history.

As they’re sailing along, listening to the silence of the open sea, disturbed every once in a while by a whoosh of steam being released from a pipe somewhere below deck, Gven decides to tune her flute. Encouraged by the presence of a musical instrument, Bilwin brings out his hurdy-gurdy and joins her. Unfortunately for the others, both of them have trouble getting in tune and agreeing on a rhythm. It’s not long before even Cap’n Don has had enough and asks them to stop, with a reminder about rule number two.

Mond is keenly interested in how the unique vessel works and asks the captain to show him the ropes. He soon finds himself standing behind the ship’s wheel, steering it to and fro with the currents to keep it on its heading.

Dolor quietly observes everything going on around them, taking in how things work in his own way and deciding where he can be the most help. While Grindlefoot can’t quite get his sea legs underneath him and spends much of the time at the stern of the ship, feeling queasy and emptying his stomach into the salt water below.

With their musical efforts done for the moment, Bilwin brings out the old map that he bought from Whichway, the tabaxi cartographer from The Four Corners in Elsemar. Cap’n Don looks it over and notes that the group of islands they’re headed towards are called the Pierced Vale. After The Conflict, those who refused to give up their religious faith left Eritz and fled to those islands. He’s sailed around the area before and always encountered weird tides and currents, but he’s never set foot on any of the individual islands.

During a short break in vomiting off the stern, Grindlefoot notices a large dark spot in the water that follows the ship for several minutes. It disappears for a few moments, then suddenly two large tentacles erupt from the water and over the port side. Gven immediately runs over to them, ready for battle.

Fight choreography

• Tentacle 1 smashes Gven for 16 bludgeoning damage.
• Tentacle 2 crashes the side of the ship, but doesnt’ hurt it much because of its heavy metal reinforcement.
• Bilwin awards Gven with Inspiration [add 1d6 to one attack role] and then is too surprised to do anything else.
• Grindlefoot casts Call Lightning at the body of the creature, that’s still underwater, but it doesn’t have any effect on it.
• Dolor, rushing over to Gven, attacks Tentacle 1 with Gleaming Blade for 18 damage.
• Mond casts Mind Spike and causes 13 damage, visibly harming it.
• Gven invokes her barbarian rage and is able to grapple free of the tentacle’s grip.

• Tentacle 1 grapples Gven again, causing 11 damage.
• Tentacle 2 grabs Dolor and squeezes him, causing 18 damage.
  • Dolor responds with Uncanny Dodge, reducing the damage by half.
• Bilwin prays to Hanseath to bless everyone on the deck of the ship [add 1d4 to attack or saving throws].
  • He then casts Spiritual Weapon, which hits Tentacle 1 with 11 force damage and it seems to have an affect on the creature.
• Grindlefoot aims another bolt of lightning at Tentacle 1, careful to not hit Gven, and it doesn’t hurt the creature at all.
• Dolor, being held by Tentacle 2, attacks the sinewy arm with Gleaming Blade, but narrowly misses.
  • In a desperate attempt to do something, anything that might hurt it, Dolor slaps it with his bare hand—still nothing.
• Mond casts Mind Spike again, which has a visible impact on the creature and causes 11 damage.
• Gven, grappeld by Tentacle 1, swings her greatsword at the arm and it connects solidly but does no damage.

• Tentacle 1 lifts Gven high in the air, then brings her out over the water and raising it’s beak out of water, drops her into its mouth. Completely engulfed, Gven takes 13 damage and is blinded and restrained.
• Tentacle 2 hurls Dolor towards the aft of the ship and he takes 4 in bludgeoning damage as he crashes into the deck.
• Bilwin, who just saw Gven get swallowed whole and Dolor be thrown about like a pebble, casts Guiding Bolt at the creature’s mouth for 18 damage—that obviously hurt by its reaction. And now it’s body and tentacles are shimmering with glitter.
  • The Spiritual Weapon sends a bolt at the creature, that hits the mark for 10 force damage.
• Grindlefoot grabs a long stick—not an oar—and casts Shillelagh on it then throws it squarely into the creature’s large mouth, causing 6 damage and triggering it’s gullet.
  • Gven comes shooting out of the creature’s beak and lands in the water with a ker-plop.
  • “Damnit, I wasn’t done yet!,” she screams at Grindlefoot while suddenly trying to stay afloat.
• Mond casts Mind Spike again for 12 damage and the creature decides that this meal isn’t worth the effort, leaving just as quickly as it appeared, back to the depths of the water.
  • For good measure and to teach it a lesson, Mond casts one more Mind Spike at the fleeing beast, causing 12 more damage.

Barely treading water—but able to breath easily thanks to Grindlefoot’s forethought—Gven quickly grabs onto the mesh skirting that covers most of the ship’s exterior, not wanting the Iron Vulture to leave her behind as it continues to make its way across the water.

Still holding tightly to the ship’s wheel, Cap’n Don calmly but loudly says “We’re lucky it wis a wee yin! We wid hae been in its stinkin’ belly by noo if it wis a full grown beast, but wee that young kraken didnae care fur its meal fechtin’ back too much, noo did he?” With an ear-to-ear grin on his face, “Gods, A luve bein’ on the open sea, gets the bluid movin’!

Dolor slowly picks himself up and shakes off the pain of being tossed around the ship, while Grindlefoot and Mond come over to make sure he’s okay.

Bilwin is quiet for once, visibly shaken by the experience and feeling something he hasn’t in ages. He’s been faithful to Hanseath since taking his oath decades ago, but their relationship has changed over the years. The connection has gotten weaker in some ways, like an old tunic’s threads getting stretched thin after being worn and washed over and over.

But this time, Hanseath spoke to him directly. When he prayed for the blessing, he not only heard Hanseath’s response, he felt it all around him. That old worn stretched-thin tunic was suddenly a suit of dragon scale mail, enveloping him in a sphere of safety and confidence like nothing he’d ever known. He’d never felt that strong of a connection to his deity and it shook him to his core.

Slowly and silently, Bilwin moves to the bow of the ship where he sits in lotus position, with his hands resting on his crossed legs, head held high, and eyes closed in reflective prayer. The others are too surprised to know what to do and too respectful of the moment to do anything to disturb it. As the sun begins to set for the day, they let Bilwin search for his answers in peace and solitude.

From the port side of the ship’s stern they hear Gven, “Hey guys, ummm, if it’s not too much trouble, would you mind throwing over a rope or something? It’s wet down here and my hand is starting to go numb.”

The adventurers advance to level 6.