HAUL IN THE WRECKAGE!

Dept. of the Quartermaster,

Her royal highnesses boatsmen,

Upon a day of drearye light,

a unseen wreck was took last night.

Been clearing wreckage for one whole day, 

with boats passing back in forth

in somewhat orderly rhythm

with gathr'd supplies back to shore.

Found one cannon, still afloat

wrapped in sail to the hull of the boat,

found eight paddles, all unmanned,

one hammer, one vice, one plier with span.

Found strongbox of coin, one of notes,

nine table cloths used as ropes.

Cleared twenty bodies, 

all dead and gone,

Found many bits of unusable wood,

fuel is all it can stand for.

Found twelve lengths of solid board,

set to dry and press on shore.

Found again the flag of the queen,

found the flags also of numerous lands.

Mostly known: Damlah, Rengish, Spletting, Trey,

Kukulag, Sporan, Yulta, and Jagrat.

Then more flags, much unknown: 

one, a black field with dots like a leopard,

one, a green stripe over a checkered array,

many a solid purple with golden stars,

even one with the silhouette of a gun.

Where they were going was logged only as 

distant trading routes.

Many have charted this course

and not returned reporting these lands or flags.

To note: One board bore an inscription, 

a paper attached with a knife-

'Men, all dying, want a report,

to set the course back to our travels.

Pass the trade ports with a wide arc and 

pick up the wind from the south. 

Lands never seen before. Mapmakers wrong. 

Treasure unmeasurable. People tall and dark.

Do not offer them your hand for a greeting.

Water flows up from the sea, up the mountains,

 up into the clouds. Magic never witnessed before.

We promised them that we would bring them 

more of our trade. Fabric. Meats. Metals.

We are explorers all. Sailors and kings.

We have ruled more than we ever knew 

we could. Killt by a hateful storm. 

Don't remember us, avenge us. 

Find the captain's log. It will explain all.'

Captain's Log not found. Requesting eighty ships 

to return to wreck site to search the water, shore 

and deep. Requesting 100 iron bells to sink 

divers to the sea bed. Requesting new sails to maneuver.

Highest regards.

- dept. of the Quartermaster.