Jeswyn Merrow

Captain Jeswyn Merrow is a sturdy and experienced dwarven mariner and the master of The Stubborn Arse, the ice-breaking merchant vessel that crosses the Kalani Strait between Eastport and West Port. Merrow's deep knowledge of the Zendrian Sea and its moods has kept the only ship capable of the winter crossing in continuous service.

Career

Merrow commands a tight-knit and colorful crew, from the Tortle cook Kettleback Barnaby to Shiv, the temperamental ice mephit who keeps the catches cold. The captain's authority aboard is absolute in all matters except one: passengers determined to investigate shipwrecks against his advice, a category of person the captain regards as self-correcting [citation needed].

The Dennison Connection

Merrow's years on the Zendrian trade routes brought him into contact with the merchant houses of Marterus, and he knew of the Dennison family in the days of their lost heir. He was among the first to recognize the druid Brogmar Mossbeard's connection to his past life as Harry Dennison — knowledge the captain has handled with the discretion of a man who prefers cargo that does not talk back.

The 1487 Crossing

Merrow's most documented voyage is the winter crossing of 1487 DR carrying the Heroes of Eastport, during which the ship repelled a merfolk ambush, hosted an ill-advised shipwreck investigation, celebrated Frostfeast, and was visited by a gaunt apparition speaking of the Mirrorwind. The abduction of the crew member Marta by a flying shadow that same night marked the voyage's grimmest hour; the crew commended her to the deep in the sailors' way — "To the wind, to the sea."