Hraedsig prepares himself for melee combat, should boarding be required. He has his shield at the ready to deflect any debris that may soon be flying about. He was going to protect Deor, but that’s been taken care of…
Captain Sir Thoroncir is eager to go over in a dory or whaleboat to discern the strangers’ intentions, and will gladly take along any of Gil-Gandel’s Fellowship who wish to come along. Although he somewhat doubts that the strangers are peaceful, he agrees that the King’s ships should not dishonorably strike the first blow.
He gives his senior lieutenant Aestirion last-minute instructions, girds himself in Sea-knight armor and prepares to go.
Is there anyone aboard who’s a particularly skilled linguist? He should come along, too.
Mulligan: I think I will pass, throwing up over them may not be the best way to begin any negotiations.
Rorimac strains his eyes in the crows nest looking forward to see if there is anything untoward about the vessels.
The Captain calls Sir Thoroncir over, "Several items.
- Neither you nor your friends will be going over, it will be a small dory from our chief escort. This job is dangerous and not for people who have never done it.
- Dwarves in a Dory or Whaleboat is probably not something we should entertain.
- Captain Sir Thoroncir will not work for a few reasons, you are either Captain Thoroncir or Sir Thoroncir, but not both. Further, you cannot be called Captain on the ship and you have too large of a command to be call lieutenant, so please have your men refer to you as Commander Thoroncir.
- Please pass my thanks for the offer to sacrifice to your friends and ask them to stand ready. I fear combat is near. The escorts will sacrifice themselves for the transports but we are the second line of defense and must need be prepare to charge and board as needed.
A few minutes later, before the Dory heads out, the 8 galleys come charging in and launch flaming pitch at the 4 escorts.
Captain Langdon orders, “Trebuchets to range and fire on the closest galley, alternate by a minutes. Commander, have your troops ready to board. Boatswain, prepare the boarding lines, nets, ladders and hooks. Wizard, give us whatever you can for a fast run at the western most ship! Signal the escorts to run and reform on us. Signal the transports to follow our wake and use out wind. Prepare to board. Ghân and Deor to me.”
One escort was hit but they seem to be handling the fire well.
Everyone gets busy swiftly, with a huge whack and thud that shakes even The Elendil, the port trebuchet lets loose and a huge stone flies through the air, just missing the closest enemy galley. The splash washes over the rails of said ship.
The Elendil’s sail snap with a sudden wind and she leaps into battle.
When Ghân and Deor report the Captain asks, “Besides warp wood what else can you do? Do you have anyway to send fire over to them. Be creative.”
The starboard trebuchet launches and scores a solid hit that hits amidships and sends huge splinters flying. The port trebuchet is being cranked back down as if my magic, a loud kncking noise is heard. Ker-Clunk Ker-Clunk Ker-Clunk Ker-Clunk
I was trying to be consistent with the British practice, but that’s all right. Benjamin Hallowell Carew - Wikipedia. He would prefer to just be called “Sir Thoroncir,” then. “Commander” sounds too modern.
The Sea-knight will see that his men are ready, give final orders and ensure that Gilraen is in a (relatively) safe place. He will prepare to fire with his strongbow, looking for officers or mages on any nearby enemy ship.
Ghân describes his Produce Fire to Captain Langdon:
range: 4
area: 12’ by 12’
effect: d4 damage plus continued burning
He will cast it as directed (notifying the captain that he can do a combined total of 4 per day of of this spell and Quench Fire).
(Once Ghân learns more about the mission and experiences ship combat, he will consider loading Produce Flame instead of Heat Metal. Produce Flame also has a range of 4.)
Creative? I’ve got Fireball prepared. Ask Langdon which ship he’d like to see exploded, and where exactly he’d like to see the Fireball detonate. Amidships near the water line, on the rear near the rudder, in the rigging, or right smack on the main deck? In the mean time, cast a Shield so that I can stand and cast with an unimpeded view and without worrying overmuch about enemy missiles under the size of a boulder.
The Captain to Ghân, “Can your Eagle Friend somehow fly firebombs over? You’re fire spells are fairly short, by that point we’ll be boarding soon, but might be useful.”
To Deor, “How far does your Fireball throw? How close do we need to get you?”
Find me some hot pitch and a burning torch and I will start sending over some plain simple fire-arrows as soon as they are within extreme bowshot. If you have any shafts of a length I can use and so keep from wasting the good ones, so much the better. 
Rorimac: I’ll join in with the fire arrows, although I can’t fire as far as Gil-Gandel.
Mulligan: I’ll just stay out of the way for the moment, but if want someone to cause havoc unnoticed on a ship, just get me across there.
Ghân doesn’t want to expose Windwing to fire risks and enemy missiles.
Scouting is fine for his Animal Friend.
However Ghân himself can shapechange into a Golden Eagle and is also highly resistant to fire.
How about if Ghân firebombs an enemy ship? 
Thoroncir will do the same as Gil-Gandel.
Gwaelur has some regular bolts left that he could set alight, but he isn’t certain that a flaming bolt is such a good idea as a flaming arrow…too much chance of harming his xbow. So he sets up again from his position with his regular bolts (NOT THE MITHRIL he will never be able to recover them at sea) and he will be sure to aim very carefully before fireing. He isn’t used to being at sea. He will wait until he can see the whites of their eyes. He is ready to drop his xbow and grab his axe if the boat get boarded.
The Captain is happy to provide ready to shoot fire arrows and pitch buckets to light them with.
He is even happier to have Ghân fly some firebombs over to the ship not closest.
Ghân changes and goes aloft with two balls of flaming pitch to drop on the second galley.
The Port Trebuchet launches and strikes true and low on the port side forward. The hull is staved and the galley is taking on water. A cheer is heard as the Starboard trebuchet continues to crank down for a second shot. The shot is rigged to load already.
The Captain barks out, “Helm hard to starboard, hold fire and starboard trebuchet, sight for galley #5. Binton, give me what you got for a fast run. Signal for the escorts to evade and tack hard back to #3 after we engage #4. Signal transports 2&3 to attack and board #3 following the escorts in. Transport 4 to 10 follow our wake. Ready the port ballistas and archers for galley #3. Commander Thoroncir have your men ready to board forward and port. Boatswain report!”
Boatswain, “Ladders, nets, lines and hooks ready sir.”
“Bucket Crew report!”
A relay of voices, “Buckets to fire on Galley #5”
“Binton?”
Binton calls down, “I’m givin’ him all I got sir, pray to Osse and Manwë now.”
“Commander report?”
I need to know what Ghân tries for on his bombing run.
Thoroncir calls out orders to his senior lieutenant Aestirion and the other Sea-knights, and they are ready to board any foe-ship as the Elendil’s master directs.
Ready-made fire arrows will be welcome - I don’t have mithril loads but even so I don’t want to lose the good stuff out at sea. I believe Ghan should get enough altitude that a dive will bring him to terminal velocity while still out of bowshot, and he should come in on a nearly-vertical approach with any horizontal component aligned stern-to-stem with the target. As I recall, eagles can pull up really abruptly. 
Ghân took advice from the Captain (before setting off) where best to drop his firebombs.
As he has an Eagle companion, he should be able to fly well enough to both drop his load and stay out of missile range.
Mulligan stays over by Gilraen keeping an eye out, whilst Rorimac joins Gil-Gandel in shooting fire arrows but keeps an eye out for spellcasters and captains to fire at as well.
Hraedsig says a quiet prayer to Eonwe and readies himself with the boarding party. He finds the sea combat somewhat confusing and chaotic, but knows that once he gets into melee, his focus will take over.