Description: A model galleon 30 inches from bow to stern, the ghost ship has intricate details lovingly carved into it. Made from cypress and hickory, the ship has three masts with rigging and three decks with rows of metal cannons. It also features a fully stocked captain’s cabin, metal anchors, wooden rudder, metal steering wheel that works, tiny deck lamps, and a latticed railing. It’s a collector’s dream. The ship’s name is painted in colorful gold lettering on the forward end and reads: “The Black Rose.”

History: Carved by a madman using the debris from ships lost in war, the ghost ship is an exceptionally haunted artifact. Everyone who comes to possess it tends to vanish. The ship bounces between auction houses and wealthy homes leaving a trail of mysterious disappearances. There are long stretches of time where the location of the ghost ship can’t be accounted for but eventually it appears on the ocean itself, life-size and manned by a ghostly crew.

The true history is known only to a few. Captain Reginald Defeer was a man of singular determination. He was a pirate hunter on the high seas but he was also secretly a slaver. He would attack pirate ships and sometimes those who happened to be associated with pirates and then enslave the entire crew to fund his campaign. He garnered quite a name for himself. Some celebrated him while others scorned and feared him. One winter night, three of the fiercest pirate captains set a trap for Defeer and lured his ship “The Red Rose” into an unwinnable situation. However, they underestimated the tenacity of Captain Defeer and his crew. After a fierce battle, all four ships sank into the briny depths of the sea and Captain Defeers alone survived by climbing onto a large rock jutting out of the ocean. Defeers took the remains of his boat and the bones of his crew and crafted a model of his ship. He was found by a passing vessel. They thought that the man had gone mad from drinking sea water because he soon killed himself. The only possession he had at the time of his death was his model ship. It was stolen by thieves during the night and from there has become a myth.

The Curse: The Ghost Ship is indeed haunted. When someone new takes possession of the ship, they will notice odd things: The sound of waves when there is no ocean, the ship’s riggings will change over-night, the ship itself sometimes slowly rocks like its floating, the distant sound of cannons, the smell of the sea, drops of blood, and so forth. Once every full moon at midnight, Captain Defeer and his ghostly crew will emerge from the ship and hunt for one hour. They catch every man, woman, and child they can find and drag their souls back to the ship leaving no bodies. The ghosts won’t travel farther than 1000 feet from the ship. Once the slavers capture 100 souls, the model disappears and a full-size version of “The Black Rose” emerges from the mist on the nearest ocean to hunt other ships. If the captain and his crew are defeated on the full-size ghost ship, all of the captured souls are released and the victors find a treasure chest containing 4,800 gp, 50 gp worth of gems, 100 gp worth of art objects, four random magical items, and a model ship of the Red Rose. The full-size ship vanishes with the dawn and the cycle continues.

If there are any captured spirits, The Ghost Ship can be used as a power source for necromantic rituals. Otherwise, it has no benefit except as a toy for collectors.

Destruction: As foretold, the Ghost Ship can’t be destroyed until Armageddon. Any damage dealt to the ship will be repaired the moment no one is looking at it. Although it can’t be destroyed, the curse can be sealed. The model must be placed in a steel box with a Magic Circle against Evil glyph carved onto all six sides. The box must be chained with seven silver locks. Once sealed, the steel box needs to be buried in a graveyard under a new moon. If this happens, the captain and his crew will be trapped and unable to hunt. Any souls currently on the ship will also be trapped.