Recovering Lost Cargo

Erian's Journal

A moderate-sized SilverHawk trading ship was lost to the elements (or something more sinister), but the cargo on board was valuable enough to Someone that Sabrina Gamwich was looking to pay a party to recover it. Since I also had a modest shipment on board from my esteemed cousin Darzzt, I gathered a few comrades to seek it out - Baxter Grimes, whom I knew through our common trade, Father Isaac Brown, who is surprisingly useful in battle, Sorethgar Darvak the Wizard, who holds his own and doesn't need to talk about it, and Rydar Smith, on whom I can depend to have anyone's back, and not get his hands dirty in the process.

We travelled a full day's journey along the coast, and camped on the beach, within sight of a Mysterious Tower, which we decided not to investigate. However, on our next march, we were attacked by Maurading Orcs. Everyone behaved well in battle, and I was pleased with my selections. We also had some trouble with a handful of very large crabs (and I mean very large). Perhaps we were distracted by the sight of the ship, which was caught on a rock offshore, very nearby.

Upon reaching the ship, we found that some of the crew still existed in a form on deck, but they seemed to be beyond rationality and sadly wasted, either by some magic or deadly contaigion. As the rocks had cruelly torn the side of the ship, and our folding boat was close to the water, we decided to access the cargo hold directly by means of Rydar and Sorethgar's axes. The cargo hold was in much disarray, but we were able to recover some items of value.

Behind a locked door, we found the specific shipment we were intended to return, but it was located in the powder magazine, and defended by (the remains of?) the captain of the ship, who did not seem altogether himself, and was, er, reluctant to surrender. A small fire in the corner made the extraction of the cargo a somewhat delicate operation, but the arrival of the putrifying crew members prompted us to beat a hasty retreat. We then set fire to the magazine and exploded the ship. This may have destroyed the threat of contaigion, or it may have spread it into the surrounding atmosphere - if we return to the area, I will be sure to bring something or someone that can cast Restoration or Remove Curse.