By Chester Seaton, News

16/1- The wreckage of a ship belonging to the infamous pirate huntress Johanna McKilroy was discovered this past week, according to Imperial Authorities.

The ship, positively identified as the Dismissive Smile, was discovered by Authority search parties looking for lost migrants trying to escape the harsh winter conditions. Among the wreckage were several survivors, including Captain McKilroy herself.

Captain McKilroy had sustained several injuries, including a crushed leg, a severed arm, and a missing eye. The search party reports that she was near death and unconscious when they found her, but she is expected to make a full recovery.

Survivors among her crew told the Authorities that they had tracked the pirate Roderick Beauchamp La Pierre to the area, after hearing reports that he was dropping supplies (stolen from merchant ships, it turns out) into towns cut off by the storm. Unfortunately, La Pierre had anticipated McKilroy’s move, and laid a trap for them in the Pass.

“It was intense, soon as we entered the Pass,” McKilroy’s first mate, a man named Rowanson, told the rescuers. “Our ship was almost too big, but it was the only safe way into the northern territories, what with the storm whipping up over head. We tried to convince her to wait, but once she gets the scent she doesn’t let up.

“We made it half way in when the mountains came down on us. We heard cannon shot, and next thing we know, boulders and snow is crashing into the ship. Knocked us into the wall of the pass. We started breaking up, and all but one of our reserve balloons went flat. The Captain nearly went over, her leg got caught between the ship and the rock. Then the guillotine we keep on deck for executions went wild, took her arm clean off. Nasty bit of luck, that.”

Other survivors corroborate the story. None of them, however, report ever sighting La Pierre or his ship, the Pernicious Platitude.

“Bastard knew he’d never take us in a straight fight,” Rowanson said. “Slippery one, he is. Orchestrating reports of him helping people. Should have known it was to lure us in. Worst thing is these northerners looking at us like we’re the enemy, ‘cos we went after their ‘savior’. Fools, every last one of them.”

Authorities are scouring the area for clues of La Pierre’s whereabouts. So far, no signs have been found, and the people of the north report no sightings.