The Lore of Crews of Rage
Everything is heating up in the Sea of Thieves
Welcome to The Lore of Crews of Rage, where we break down what the latest content update brought to the ongoing Sea of Thieves story and lore. The Crews of Rage update has for us a major revelation and a new Cursed Chest for us to cover!
But for now, let’s keep our cool…
Curious about how the story has been developing, or want a refresher on certain details? Linked below are all the previous entries in the Lore of series, starting from Smuggler’s Fortune.
- The Lore of Smuggler’s Fortune
- The Lore of The Fort of the Damned
- The Lore of Seabound Soul
- The Lore of Festival of Giving
- The Lore of Legends of the Sea
Duke’s Info
Whether still rattled from his secret journey to the Heart of Fire, or he’s drowning himself in grog, Duke doesn’t have much to say about current events. He comments on the recently discovered Chest of Rage, and ponders on their origin and what they may be a reaction to.
Chest of Rage
A new cursed chest has been recently discovered, and with it comes new lore for the Cursed Chests themselves. Word from the official social media accounts establishes that the chests contain the souls of lost pirates.
One can only assume that intense emotions are what cause the chests to gain their magical properties of either endless quantities of grog or explosive fiery rage. Could they also have some connection to the sealing technique demonstrated by Skeleton Lord Graymarrow when he ‘marooned’ the souls of the Morningstar Crew into chests as shown in the events of the Tall Tale Fate of the Morningstar?
Curiously, the Chest of Rage can only be dug up on one of two islands in the Sea of Thieves — and those islands are in the Devil’s Roar. Not only that, but they are a guaranteed reward awaiting pirates when they open the Vault of Molten Sands Fortress.
Pirate Lord Lore
More lore given out from the official Sea of Thieves media channels suggests that the cause for the Pirate Lord’s immortality comes from drinking from a never-before-heard-of artifact the Tankard of Everlasting Life.
It had been assumed that the talisman that Mercia made for Ramsay was the reason for his ghostly apparition, but Design Director Mike Chapman seems to confirm that the two relics are connected to one another…
Molten Sands Fortress Changes
Fort activity all across the Seas have ceased this month, all except for one- Molten Sands Fortress. The volcanic stronghold seems to be the only place the Skellies are keen on hoarding their goodies and to go with that the Vault Room has had the home improvements treatment. Do skellies have home renovators?
Are they preparing for something or someone? We point you back to last month where we learnt that the Forts and Strongholds were built on the command of Captain Flameheart and that the Skellies stash their treasures there as a tribute to their absent ruler…
Ashen Tomes Volume IV: Resurrection
The final suite of Ashen Tomes have begun appearing in Ashen Chests, taking on the name of ‘Resurrection’ which is reflected in the Skeleton Language written on the cover, it being the same word. Of particular interest is that these can be more readily found in Ashen Chests dug up or found on Molten Sands Fortress.
To recap, the runes on each of the volumes can be deciphered using the Skeleton Language Cipher from Tall Tale 8: Revenge of the Morningstar;
- Ashen Tomes Volume I: Curses reads ‘Skeleton Chest’
- Ashen Tomes Volume II: Power reads ‘Flame Lord’
- Ashen Tomes Volume III: Fire reads ‘Flame Heart’
- And Ashen Tomes Volume IV: Resurrection simply reads ‘Resurrection’.
Together, these paint a curious picture, and are most certainly in some way connected to Captain Flameheart. Were they his books, or were they used against him? Skeleton Chest could be referring to the Ashen Chests or the Reaper’s Chests that have been speculated in the past to contain bones. Perhaps Flame Lord is the Skeleton way of saying Ashen Lord, uniquely powerful and fiercely loyal Skeleton Lords brought into being by Flameheart. Resurrection suggests that the Skellies are in the final stages of bringing Flameheart back in a physical form.
Reaper’s Hideout Changes
Another month has passed and further construction has happened at the Reaper’s Hideout. Leading up to the central canopy from the west seems to be the start of a wooden bridge or pathway with what appears to be rib-cage bones similar to those of kraken skeletons that can be found elsewhere.
The central canopy area where the Masked Stranger stands waiting has another level being constructed around it. Whether this is like the second level outer pathway seen on most other Forts and Stronghold on the Seas is yet to be clear as it is currently only half built.
Behind the canopy on the east-most side of the island is the remains of a very large and half-deconstructed shipwreck. Could this be the remains of a Man-o-War type ship? Or one of the larger ships said to have been sent in to the Sea of Thieves by the Merchant Alliance?
Talking to the Mask
The Masked Stranger only has a few things to say this month, although her words about Flameheart and Stitcher Jim have an ominous vibe to them and perhaps conveys their underlying loyalties.
Should we be worried for the safety of Stitcher Jim? Knowing him though he is hiding somewhere, cowering from the thought of actually having to prove himself to his love…
Once again the Mysterious Investor is brought up. The Masked Stranger certainly doesn’t seem to harbour much ill-will to the pirates of the Seas, asking for their help, but just who is this Mysterious Investor, and what plans do they have for the Reaper’s Hideout? Are they behind the changes to the island and the constant ongoing construction and sourcing of shipwrecks?
When Flameheart was released upon the unsuspecting world a few months ago it appeared he declared war on everyone within the Sea of Thieves but yet the Masked Stranger comes across as quite assured that they would not be a target for Flameheart’s wrath when he finally does strike. What could be the reason for that…
Unmasking a Stranger
>>>SPOILER ALERT<<<
The following section delves deep into the identity of a much discussed denizen, and so if you wish to learn about this yourself we recommend coming back after investigating Wanda’s Lab in the hidden cave of Wanderer’s Refuge. Perhaps interacting with the skull on the desk will help? We’ll wait, don’t worry.
Right, been there? Read that journal? Seen that shrine?
A major revelation has been burrowed away in a quiet corner with this latest update and it seemingly settles the record on the identity of the Masked Stranger.
Early Entry
The first entry in this craftily nestled away journal lends us to believe that the author was once full of outward rage and anger, and after suffering a defeat went into hiding and began wearing a mask.
Later Entry
The later entry talks about the author rescuing Stitcher Jim from the Devil’s Roar. Interestingly it confirms that he went mad after peering into the Box of Wondrous Secrets, a fact Captain Grace Morrow had told us quite some time prior, but this completely confirms him as the lone assailant towards the members of the Forsaken Shores Alliance.
It is also paints a picture that Stitcher Jim is once again a puppet to a much higher power. Should we be a lot more concerned now for his well-being as he is on a ‘special journey’…
Recent Entry
In this most recent entry, one that can only have been penned after the events of the Seabound Soul, we get confirmation that whoever is writing in these journals is behind a large majority of the events since Smuggler’s Fortune, playing the part of master manipulator.
The Identity
The connection between Stitcher Jim and the author being his ‘beloved’, and the many mentions of a mask, can only lead us to believe that they are the Masked Stranger. The focus they then put on Flameheart, of suffering a defeat, of being full of rage and fury, and the location of this journal suggests incredibly heavily that the identity of the Masked Stranger is that of Wanda the Warsmith. This has been speculated for some time now, after Amaranta returned to her post outside the Glorious Sea Dog Tavern quashed the possibility that it was her.
Now whilst all this evidence seems pretty solid it should be brought up that until we see the Masked Stranger remove the mask and that the face beneath is unequivocally the skeletal visage of Wanda, they may still be another person. The lines to this riddle may still be revealing themselves. It could be wild conjecture, but there does remain a slim possibility that the Masked Stranger is several people and not just one… All the talk of Flameheart, of how he has promised them a place at his side when he rules over the Sea of Thieves, corroborates with what the Masked Stranger has recently said about Flameheart’s ‘rage and fury’ not ‘being aimed at [them]’. Yet despite all this, one thing does stick out to me, why does Wanda/Masked Stranger never mention the Investor in their journal? Is this because Flameheart is the Investor?
The Secret Shrine
The journal isn’t the only thing worth taking a look at beyond the door in Wanda’s Laboratory. Further on from the small work-space is a little winding cave that eventually leads to a very decorated shrine.
Sitting as the centerpiece, within a carved heart looks to be a figurehead holding a burning heart. In some ways it is not dissimilar looking to the Ashen Dragon figurehead, and we do know that the Ashen Dragon is Flameheart’s ‘funeral pyre’, so there is that connection. But, could it be the figurehead for Flameheart’s own ship, the Burning Blade? Either way, the object the dragon figure is holding is very curious indeed.
Is it also possible that this place is the Heart of Fire Duke has mentioned? It seems far too sedate for what turmoil Duke went through though. Perhaps an entrance?
And that about wraps it up for the Lore introduced and expanded upon in Crews of Rage. We’ve got further explanation behind the origin of Cursed
Chests in general. We’ve got new details about the Pirate Lord’s ghostly appearance. And most importantly, the identity of the Masked Stranger as the infamous Wanda the Warsmith seemingly revealed to us.
The scheming is far from over though, as Stitcher Jim hasn’t returned from his journey yet, if he’s even gone on it, and Flameheart has yet to fully reveal his hand. To further whet your appetites, next month’s Content Update will contain a new Tall Tall called “Heart of Fire” that will continue the story. What ways will this drive our story forward? What depths will it take us to?
