The Drowned Merchant's Cache

The wreckage lies scattered across a pale shelf of sand, where snapped spars protrude from the water like the ribs of some enormous drowned beast. Torn sailcloth stirs in the current, brushing against barnacled chests while tiny fish flicker through the wreck's open holds. Beneath a collapsed section of deck, the party finds the remains of a merchant's cargo, preserved in pockets of trapped air and sealed containers. Saltwater pearls roll among blackened coins, coral rests beside ruined trade goods, and a navigation case still holds a chart marked with routes that vanish into dangerous southern waters. As the current tugs at the wreck, loose boards groan and the salvaged cache shifts toward the dark blue drop beyond the reef.