Bottle Ship

[mwschmeer has been collecting these "Sithogy" posts into a Google Doc, cause he's awesome like that.  This item recovered from Sea Hag's treasure hoard in my Temple of Elemental Evil campaign.]

The HMS Resource

Is a 28 gun frigate of the Royal Navy.  Orded in response to the American Situation.  She was completed in 1778 at Deptford Dockyard.  Armed with 24 × 9-pounder guns amidships and 4 x 3 pounders on the quaterdeck.  Her compliment of 200 includes 9 officers and 24 Royal Marines.

In April 1781, subsequent to several hours of exchanging cannon fire, HMS Resource recaptured the 20-gun post ship Unicorn off Cape Blaise.  Completing transfer of the prize crew, HMS Resource continued south.  Five days later encountering a bizarre tropical storm.  In reality she had sailed (or been lured?) into a bottle.  Trapped within the bottle, ship, and crew traversed space and time.  Ending up as part of a Sea Hag's treasure hoard and from there into the hands of a somewhat bumbling party of adventurers.

Art by balint4 

Peering into the bottle ship the party could see miniature sailors manning a strange looking miniature ship.  They immediately shook the bottle causing a week long, raging storm for the hapless souls on HMS Resource.  Stymied by the unremoveable cork they argued for hours.  Finally with much DM prodding, a frustrated Paladin of Bahamut smashed it against some rocks.  Luckily this occurred near a large water feature for in less than a minute the miniature ship grew into 120' of Royal Frigate.  

The magic of bottle ships is such that whoever releases its ship has influence over captain and crew. Similar to Charm or Suggestion spells.  In this case, the captain is a commissioned officer of the Royal Navy and acts accordingly.  But, is happy to help out.  For instance ferrying the boatless (theirs having suddenly sunk) party and their Soggy Sea Chest ;) up river to Nulb.

Shortly thereafter HMS Resource's first action on Oearth was bombarding Sithogy's Mound NE of Nulb. Due to ever worsening leaks (the acid spewing dragon might have been also been an influence) she withdrew down the Imeryds Run. Making it as far as the great Velverdyva before the flooding forced Captain Fotheringham to order her run-aground. Officers, crew, and contingent of musket armed royal marines have found work in the City State of Dyvers while searching for a way back to King and Country.