Shipwreck'd Shield

by crocerossina

It was a day meant to be easy. A simple sail between ports on the Amon Islands for the small ship, Likmor's Minnow. It was narrow with three masts and a handful of stately passenger cabins as it was built for luxurious speed rather than cargo. Captain Hadibnass Kniviben, a seventh cousin once removed from Baron Likmor, ruler of Likmorton which was a fine port town, was a brave and well-seasoned captain who embraced the honor of sailing the family's coastal ship.
They were meant to spend half a day sailing around the storm side of the islands as it was a beautiful day with clear skies and no signs of trouble. Three hours into their journey, the wind whipped up and the sky darkened. Captain Kniviben immediately turned for the nearest port, Glaliddnie Bay, hoping to cross the winds before they became too strong.
Almost as if they could read his thoughts, the winds howled stronger forcing him to turn against the wind. The Minnow listed sharply as Captain Kniviben made a hard turn to get the stern to the wind that had the deck railing skipping across the crests of the waves one breath away from capsizing. Only her speed and the courage of his fearless crew working the sails with every last skill completed the turn and the Minnow was once again upright. Trimming all sails to storm positions, they could only hope this was the worst the storm had in store for them.
With every turn of the winds, the Minnow matched them, cutting straight and true despite the fury of the storm. Then, shouted down by the daring brahnie Romzer who risked all to watch from the crow's nest, were the dreaded words, "Land, ho!" The Minnow was being driven straight towards the hostile Madura Isles. Turning now would be certain death at sea.
"Prepare the boats!" Captain Kniviben called out. It was a battle to get the lifeboats ready before the storm drove the Minnow across the first of three barrier reefs unseen

just below the storm-churned sea. The hull cracked each time but its mighty keel held, though the Minnow took on more and more water.
"Launch the boats!" Captain Kniviben gave his last order and watched in satisfaction as every soul made it off on a boat before he himself left. Captain, crew, and passengers landed on the biggest of the breaker islands. And, stranded here, is where they quietly made history.

Necessity Sparks Invention

The breaker island was stark, though it did have a source of fresh water. Some of the boats were upturned to serve as makeshift homes and, with them all being gnome folk, they found ways to make these sturdy and as homey as possible. None of them were mages but magical tinkering was a cultural pastime. This was vital as all the important resources they needed were a half mile across the water on the nearest Madura Isle with the odds of being rescued low.
Captain Kniviben kept three boats intact and scrapped the rest for shelters and other necessities. All the lifeboats were cogs, small rugged row boats complete with short portable masts and rudders connected to a little ship's wheel. Daring dives down to the Minnow, which sat gently on the bottom in water so shallow the tops of her masts poked out above the waves, for tools and things allowed them to create the first seven Shipwreck'd Shields.
Each made from a cog's ship's wheel, they were incredibly sturdy yet light. Their unnaturally light weight lets them float, even if a gnome sits upon it. More than once one of them had to dive into the sea to escape a Jaravani attack. Sitting on their shields and using their swords as paddles, they would make it back to the breaker island safe and sound.
If missile weapons were suspected, the handles of the wheel could be set spinning and they would bat them aside. This works against most, though not all, spells. The shield can even make a gentle wind that can clear away foul vapors and fog, forming a small bubble of clear air around it wielder.
Rumors abound about most of the passengers and a good bit of the crew eventually returning.

by Dazzlinkat

Whispers hint that Captain Kniviben and some of the others still remain, living in the Minnow after they somehow made it comfortably inhabitable. And, it is here, that they continue to make the shields for those who bring them ship's wheels... and pay a goodly price.
Perhaps it's only a coincidence that pirates are being spotted with these strange-looking shields...