Late last night, the winds did indeed change and a brief, violent storm blew in. Many ships' captains -- including the commanders of the patrolling revenue cutters and navy vessels in the bay -- had seen this coming and made for safer harbors, such at Castellemare di Stabia to the north. Some ships, however were caught in the storm. They rode it out if they could, but a few were were sunk or wrecked. Evidence of one such mishap may be seen from the bathing beach on Rocca Sorrentina:

As dawn breaks, the island's residents arise to see the masts of a partially submerged ship on the rocks that the local fishermen call the "hens and chickens". She seems to be breaking up, and the hull opened, as debris floating to shore includes samples of her cargo. Was she a smuggler? Where was she from and where was she going? And who can claim the cargo? Are there survivors?

The revenue officers have returned to the mainland, and the patrol ships won't be back until later tomorrow at the earliest. Most of the local Guardia troops are on those patrol ships as crew or marines. No one will stop you if you decide to take some of the cargo home or if you elect to hide a keg or two somewhere.

So what do you do?

((If you decide to take some of the cargo, click on one of the objects and see if you can buy it for 0$. You can then rez a copy out of your inventory to hide in your house or somewhere on the island where you "can get it later" -- if you don't have rezzing rights on the island and would like to hide some pieces, let a manager know and we will be happy to hide something for you -- we promise not to tell the guardia where it is.))

updated by @aldo-stern: 11 Jan 2017 01:45:08AM

Survivors? Lorsagne was so busy gathering up anything she could haul in from the bay that she didn't even think to look for bodies...laugh.

well, I saw no evidence of bodies...and all the footprints from gawkers made it impossible to tell if anyone made it ashore and might be hiding somewhere. But why would they be in hiding? Did anyone figure out anything about the identity of the ship or what its purpose might be? Looking throughthe bits and peices that did float to shore, I had some ideas, butI would be curious to hear your thoughts. The only thing I pick up was a sodden sea chart that had washed up on the beach...

"Who would have ever thought that small barrels, even though they float on water, could be so heavy? Fortunately, they do roll rather easily,"smiles innocently, muttering to herselfand looks around to see if she's being observed, hoping to avoid the Guardia and that Gandt fellow, rumor has it, he's back.

Lorsagne spent a frustrating hour removing splinters from her fingers...she will have to wear gloves to avoid casting suspicion on herself.

That Gandt fellow bears watching. One cannot help but wonder about a fellow who most often appears when new arrivals herald change and mystery. But who can tell; he may simply be a young man in search of coins for a slim purse.

Off to the dressmaker . . . Lorsagne has received a small windfall of exceptional silk that will do nicely for a new gown for the Decades Ball. Still, the map is curious and she will ask her godfather about New Castile and the by of Luzon; she seems to recall something . . .

As any good captain knows, nobody in their right minds would sail through a violent thunderstorm willingly. Especially one such as myself. The good ship San Valentino had been one of the vessels that took shelter within Castellemere Di Stabia and will be returning to Rocca Sorrentina to finish the mission as well as to seek out survivors.

Well, it has been another interesting day. The revenue and navy ships have returned from Castellemare and taken up patrolling once again. More of our Guardia have come back and can be put to work clearing up the beach. We have been putting items of cargo and personal items from crew or passengers that we find into the old Fortezza for safekeeping.

We did have a few men who had been on the island the day after the storm, and they had been looking for survivors or bodies. No casualties were found but on Sunday, they did find a girl, a sardinian, who claimed to have been on the ship. Once they got her fed and warmed up by the fire at the taverna, however, she ran off, and has not been seen since. And this afternoon, Capitano Helendale, myself, and a Guardia man named Humbridge found another passenger from the ship sheltering (or hiding?) in the caverns under the big villa. It was an oriental gentleman who claimed to be a Chinese diplomat on his way to Napoli. He is very well spoken and may indeed be a diplomat, but I suspect it is more likely he is merchant, probably in the silk trade judging by the number of chests of silken fabric that have floated ashore from the wreck. Nonetheless, one must err on the side of caution, and he will be treated with the courtesy due to a gentleman in diplomatic service. I will see if Capitano Helendale can take him to Napoli, as one way or the other, the authorities will wish to speak with him.

The Chinese man did confirm for us that the ship was French-owned and officered, apparently named the "Galante."

The men of the Guardia also reported that among those who seem to have spending a great deal of time around the beach and observing the wreck and the debris floating ashore, have been Signora Piozzi, Donna Lorsange, and Don Mercurio. Their comments about Signor Gandt were that he seemed to be acting in a very suspicious manner and appeared to be armed.

There is a good chance that the "Galante"was in fact a smuggler's ship. She is a two-masted hermaphrodite brig, a fast sailing style of vessel, with a cargo that appears to have included primarily brandy, tobacco and silk -- three of the items that are most heavily taxed upon import into the Kingdom of Napoli. That does not mean that it was definitely an illegal cargo -- the goods would not have acquired that status until an attempt was made to land them ashore without paying the necessary duties and getting proper documentation. Nonetheless, the likelihood is increased because of what the cargo was, and the absence of officers and crew -- other than the now vanished Sardinian girl and the unfortunate Chinese fellow. There is also the fact that they may have been trying to slip through under cover of the storm that had driven the patrol vessels to safe havens.

When dawn comes we will have to see about finishing the collection of debris and floating cargo containers. I should see if the Capitanos Zeffirelli or Helendale will provide a stout boat and skilled oarsmen to make a run out to the wreck and perhaps set fire to what is left: I am worried that less skilled boat handlers may try to get out and loot the hulk further, and I am sure that any who are so greedy and foolish as to do so will survive the difficult currents and eddies around those rocks only through the intervention of Providence.

Today as I was writing a letter to Don Goiovanni Acton, the King's primary minster, to inform him of our unexpected guest here on the island, the gentleman in question visted me on my terrace. He told me that he was not only a diplomat, but also a merchant and that part of the cargo on the Galante was his, brought along to help finance the trip and his stay in Europe.

The gentleman, Huang Tzal, also informed me that the young woman who had been on the ship was in fact from Florence, a member of family who had some connection with Signor Tzal and had arranged for him to bring her to Napoli. Consequently he expressed great concern for her well-being, and hoped that she could be found again, having run off from the Taverna after our Guardia had found her on the beach. He further informed us that in the wreck of the Galante he had lost his personal chest which described as being fairly large, with five iron bands on it and decorations resembling snakes. It is locked and he says it contains his papers from his overlord the Emperor of China, and other documents relating to his business and his cargo. I assured him that if we find it will be returned to him I also suggested that we pass notice to the people of the island and offer a reward. He readily agreed to this, and after finishing a glass of wine in my company he departed we will see about getting him transported to Napoli in a few days. Meanwhile I finished my letter to Don Giovanni and let him know that a diplomat from the far east is on his way to see him.