Lore of Season One: February
Where on the Seas is Duke Sandiego?
With the first mid-Season update in February, subtle changes came to Sea of Thieves. But just what were these changes and what could they be hinting at? We’ve got them all compiled and discussed for here, so please do read on…
Keep Afloat with the Lore
Need a refresher on what has happened already before diving on below? Get yourself caught up to date with the five most recent Lore Updates…
The Hunters Come Calling
For February Larinna has been busy dealing with the demands of the Hunter’s Call, in turn setting up the Festival of Fishing for them.
A New Building?
The clearing that recently appeared on all Outposts has seen some more work done to it. A make-shift cart sits next to piles of laid out wooden beams, some already having been bent into a shape that somewhat resembles the bough of a ship. A couple of barrels, a bucket, and a shovel can also been seen on these sites.
So what are we seeing the beginnings of here? Are we going to see the gradual development of these spots for the next few updates until a new Trading Company is announced much like the build-up to The Reaper’s Bones? Or is this going to be a new hub building for an existing Trading Company, like say the Hunter’s Call or Sea Dogs? It’s also possible it could be a new storefront altogether as Rare have been hinting at ways to provide gold sinks in-game. A store that specialises in re-supplying your ship perhaps?
A slightly out there theory is this is the beginning of a new ship type, as it is happening next to the docks on most of the Outposts. Related to that is the idea that this could have something to do with the arrival of Merfolk…
Where has Duke gone?
Like all celebrity couples, Duke and Umbra have gone their separate ways… Well, Duke has anyway, much to the chagrin of Umbra who didn’t get so much as a farewell. If you visit the Lagoon of Whispers to share a grog with Duke you’ll find he is no longer there, and in his steed is a barrel… Which is probably better company than Duke. Barrels don’t go around accidentally summoning ethereal shouty-faces in the sky. Typically.
Speaking to Umbra doesn’t give many hints as to where Duke could have slunk off, instead just reinforcing that he has some personality qualities he should work on. And maybe return with a bouquet of flowers.
However. She needn’t worry too much, as Duke hasn’t wandered all that far. In fact he is just a few squares away to the east, over on Mermaid’s Hideaway.
Quietly tucked away on a little platform in a shaft that leads to an underwater cavern, Duke awaits to scare the living daylights out of anyone planning on going for a pleasant swim.
Duke seems far more subdued and pensive, although maybe that’s the quiet atmosphere of the cave giving that effect. He speaks of “searching for a treasure that’ll help me find the answers I’m seeking”, and that “something big is happening”, so Duke has certainly had his adventuring spirit riled up by something. Or someone. The last time he went out seeking answers he found himself in the Heart of Fire… or so he claimed. Where will his adventures lead him this time?
For now however, let’s focus on where he is right now and what could have led him here. The island he’s chosen to visit is Mermaid’s Hideaway, a pretty quiet island with not much history of much happening here. The statues of the Mer would indicate that this place was important to them or to the Ancients however, presuming that pirates didn’t make those statues at least. Does Duke believe there is some relic left behind here?
We do know that there exists a set of earrings that when worn allows people to understand the Merfolk’s song and essentially communicate with them. In terms of the lore Mercia and Diving Bel are both known to have owned these at one point, so it’s certain that they are out there somewhere. What could Duke want with the earrings? Does he need to communicate with the Merfolk?
What gets my interest however is that he seems to infer that he’s chasing a legend he’s been told about, either a long time ago or recently. If recently then that begs the question of who told him. He does seem worried that Umbra will think he was made a fool of again, so to me this implies that it was recently, or at least after the events of Flameheart’s reawakening. Who has been in contact with Duke? And what is this legend he is chasing? For now we don’t really have enough information to have a broader guess at what Duke is after, other than it potentially having some connection with the Merfolk, as he’s made the stop over at Mermaid’s Hideaway. But is this his first stop? We’ll have to keep a spyglass on his movements very carefully.
So that’s what we have for the second update of Season One of Sea of Thieves. The changes made to the world may have been small and subtle but the implications on where the story may go or develop from here are numerous. Right now there is a lot of expectations for more Merfolk to appear, and they have been heavily teased and talked about ever since the launch of the game. The Cursed Mermaid Statues being a bit of an oddity when reflected upon, and there being info about a ‘Curse of the Drowned’ and ‘evil Merfolk’, so it is certainly an area of the lore that players are ready to invest their time in discovering.
Really, all we can do for now is wait and speculate, and I believe the ride is just getting started.
If you wish to join us in speculating, or have some ideas yourself, why not share them and start a conversation with us over at @GoldenSandsBlog on Twitter
