The Lore of Ships of Fortune
How fortunate are we, to see the rise of the Emissary
Sea of Thieves’ Ships of Fortune update brought in new ways to play but in true Rare fashion this wasn’t added without some in-world context. We’ll see just how much the in game story and lore have developed since the events of Heart of Fire.
How did we get here? Get caught up, or refresh yourself, on all the Lore that has transpired in the previous months by visiting the linked articles below.
Put Another Dime in the Duke-box Baby
Duke can be found propping himself up against the bar this month, finally getting up off of the floor. Is he on the mend? He still sounds defeated, so it may be a little while yet before we see his adventurous spirit return. This month he is light on new voyages for pirates to partake in as he mostly reflects on the situation with Stitcher Jim.
Duke speculates on the reasoning for the Trading Companies recently offering the ability to become Emissaries of theirs. He has no solid information on this though, pondering that it may be from fear of Flameheart’s rising threat or to impress the Pirate Lord.
Whether news of what happened to Stitcher Jim down in the Heart of Fire has reached Duke is uncertain, as when asked he mostly talks about the opinion of others around him and how that has affected his own reputation. He even believes that Jim was a changed man but it was the Masked Stranger that caused him to do all his recent misdeeds.
The Trading Companies and Their Emissaries
Ships of Fortune sees the Trading Companies offering Emissary Flags alongside themed costumes and cosmetics. But what exactly is their reasoning for doing so?
For the most part they want to protect themselves from the freshly minted Reaper’s Bones Trading Company that seeks to disrupt their operations in any way possible. To do so they are offering pirates the opportunity to be officially recognised by the Trading Companies and sail as Emissaries. Pirates who fly their flag and complete business with them at the same time are recorded in a Ledger, which is a record of the earnings to that particular Company by an individual.
The Reaper’s Bones
The Reaper’s Bones is the latest Trading Company to establish themselves on the Sea of Thieves. They advocate and encourage the more extreme parts of piracy; attacking other pirates on sight, unabashed looting, and above all the destruction of Emissary ships. What they seek is to disrupt the business of the Trading Companies and make the Sea of Thieves a far less safe place for them to be operating in. As such they have no physical representative at each of the Outposts but instead a shrine has been placed alongside their Emissary Tables.
Etched into the rocks around their shrines are Skelly Runes that we can roughly translate to being “Crew Cursed for All Eternity”. What implications does this phrasing have for us pirates? In addition to this, the ship cosmetics that they offer for climbing their ranks are covered in Skelly Runes.
There are many Runes around the bow of the Reaper’s Bones Hull and only a few of them are familiar. Of the ones that are recognisable, we have up top by itself the Rune that first appeared on the Humble and Generous Gifts. In the second line down, we only sort of know the third Rune in, it showing up on the cover for Ashen Tomes: Curses. Following from there we have ‘to Eternity’. Underneath that, on the far left is ‘Resurrection’, and the rest are new to us.
A special variant of the Reaper’s Bones Sails also contain their own set of Skelly Runes. On the front sail we can read “Sea” “King” and “Ship”. Sea King’s Ship? Who could it be referring to?
Just last month Stitcher Jim was fervently calling Captain Flameheart “King Flameheart”. Is he perhaps the Sea King these sails are made in tribute to?
The Reaper’s Bones Figurehead in it’s fully upgraded form is also covered in fragments of the Skelly language. Ignoring for a moment the skeletal visage of the figure, we can see they are holding a Chalice that has been carved in a way to invoke the image of a red liquid being spilled out of it. Again, the only readable Rune here is ‘Eternity’.
Bearing their Emissary Flag has the same effect as the Reaper’s Mark, becoming mysteriously marked on all ship maps albeit with a differing symbol to the Reaper’s Mark. And in a strange turn, as an Emissary builds up their Grade they eventually become able to see other Emissary ships. Is this the true nature of this curse? The ability to see others when at its most potent? The trade-off being that you yourself are marked too.
The Reaper’s Bones have their own headquarters, an island that has been changing the last few months, a place known as…
The Reaper’s Hideout
The Reaper’s Bones have made The Reaper’s Hideout their home and the atmosphere of the island has radically changed. The building around the central pit has been completed, with red cloth draping down around the outside, the mast acting as a beacon as it is now lit, and an effigy of a strange new masked figure looming menacingly above the entrance.
The landscape of The Reaper’s Hideout is much more gloomy than it previously has been, the ground is dead and swampy, fauna no longer growing. Especially noticeable are the flowers that glowed at night around the Unknown Grave being completely gone, and Merrick’s makeshift hut with the Hungering One Drum and portrait of him and Derrick having sunk into the murk.
Three piers have been built around the exterior of The Reaper’s Hideout allowing a place for crews to safely alight their ship with offerings for The Reaper’s Bones. Strewn about are flags emblazoned with the company symbol, a symbol that greatly resembles a chalice or an hourglass. Is this perhaps a reference to the Chalice that Captain Flameheart drank from that turned him into a skeleton?
For those with keen ears, you may have noticed the subtle tune playing whilst on this island; it is a more solemn version of “Who Shall Not Be Returning”.
Approaching and entering the central building, we can see that the ship hull that we have been seeing dredged up to the shoreline and pulled onto the island over the last months is being used as the exterior and the shelter inside richly decorated. The interior of this building gives off heavy cult-like or ritualistic vibes. Golden masks line the walls, and the room stretches back to a raised platform accessed by a wooden slope on each side. A bold red glow emanates from the pit, which has had a section cut out of its boarding that appears to be able to be opened, as it is attached to chains that hang from the ceiling. The Skelly Runes on the stone circle now glow with the same intense red. Beyond the pit is a wide table covered with artifacts, burning candles, and technical designs much like those found on the Emissary Tables for The Reaper’s Bones, with a larger golden mask hanging on the wall just above.
Speaking of Emissary Tables, walking up either of the ramps leads to the sole soul that inhabits this island, The Servant of the Flame, and The Reaper’s Bones Emissary Table. Let’s take the time to examine the contents of this table…
Underneath the parchment with the Reaper’s Bones symbol are two more papers with drawings on them. A clearer image of these reveal them to be technical drawings of what is potentially the creation of the Reaper’s Heart Monkey and Parrot that made their debut in the Crews of Rage update. Do the Reaper’s Bones have the power to bring inanimate objects to life? Is that what they were trying to perfect in creating these creatures? On all these Tables there is a golden chalice adorned with red gems as well. What significance does this have to The Reaper’s Bones?
Now, you may have noticed there is someone missing from The Reaper’s Hideout this month, the Masked Stranger, and a new stranger who also wears a mask has taken their place…
The Servant of the Flame
Taking up post on The Reaper’s Hideout and the apparent head of The Reaper’s Bones’ Trading Company is this new masked face going by the name, or perhaps title, of The Servant of The Flame. An intimidating figure wearing a golden mask, completely covered in elaborately decorated clothing consisting of blacks, reds, and golds. On their hat they have two unknown Skelly Runes, although both have been seen before, as well as two bones that hang from their jacket that also bear runes for ‘Chalice’ and either ‘Resurrection’ or ‘Face’ for the second rune that is only partially legible. It is more likely that together they read ‘Chalice’ ‘Resurrection’ as a Chalice of Resurrection has been long rumoured and sought after by the Masked Stranger. When speaking their voice is an ethereal combination of both feminine and masculine sounds.
This eerie newcomer is at the center of our speculation this Update as there is a lot about them that creates questions and we simply do not have enough to answer any of these quite yet. With the Masked Stranger and Stitcher Jim both currently missing and nobody else quite commenting on The Servant of The Flame the only information we have to work from comes from the mouth behind the mask.
So what do they have to say for themselves?
With that little chat out of the way, we’ll next focus on trying to figure out if this person really is new or someone else wrapped up in a different guise.
Who’s Behind That Mask?
Let’s run down the list of potential and likely candidates firstly.
The Masked Stranger/Wanda the Warsmith.
- Last seen in the depths of the Heart of Fire overlooking the place where Stitcher Jim’s presumably failed attempt to summon the Ashen Lords took place. Could it be her? She has been wearing a mask for some time now. We never heard her voice either. However, Wanda’s hidden journal on Wanderer’s Refuge says the “the need for masks will soon be gone”, which would imply that she would soon be taking her mask off- not switching it for a shiny new golden one.
Stitcher Jim.
- Last seen fleeing the scene of the failed summoning through an unopenable door, screaming his head off about his arm being in pain and fearing he had been betrayed. Is this who Jim has become now? Whilst yes he could have become this figure, Flameheart’s comments made it seem he was on the path to becoming an Ashen Lord. Jim’s slender frame could be hidden under all the layers of cloth, but would he want to hide away his new form?
Captain Flameheart.
- Has the Captain graced the Seas with his physical presence? It seems highly unlikely that a character with the title The Servant of The Flame would be Flameheart himself and not instead another follower of his. Of course, it could be a case of hiding in plan sight. Then again, would Flameheart hide his return? Either of them, Senior or Junior. They both feel like the type of proud pirates who would openly declare their intentions and their arrival, as well as not drastically hiding what they look like.
The Investor.
- An unknown character that the Masked Stranger has made mention of several times in the past, the person who she was collecting loot on the behalf of. If The Servant of the Flame created The Reaper’s Bones Trading Company themselves then it would have required some capital, equipment, and resources, which would have been neatly paid for from the handed over loot. This still doesn’t really answer the question of who they are though, just merely that they have been behind the scenes for some time.
Personally, I am of the belief that they are an entirely new character who has not been spoken of before in Sea of Thieves lore, inside or outside of the game.
We’ve not got much further on the who, but another question to ask is what. Human, skelly, or something else? Human can be crossed off pretty quickly, what with their unearthly vocals, but there is another clue. As pirates progress through the ranks of The Reaper’s Bones they gain access to the Reaper’s Bones Figurehead which has several upgrades along the way. The figurehead is very likely The Servant of the Flame, and the final version of it reveals the figure removing it’s mask to show a skeletal, bone-white face with it’s left eye glowing red. Interestingly, Briggsy’s left eye also glowed red after she was cursed and became a Skeleton Lord.
There are a few ideas on just where The Servant of the Flame came from. As The Reaper’s Bones and the Masked Stranger have a strong connection with the Chalice of Resurrection it is possible that it has been found by the latter and they brought the former back to life. If this is indeed the case, there are two possibilities for where they came from. The first is that they could have been buried in the Unknown Grave on The Reaper’s Hideout or in the central pit before being dug up by the Masked Stranger and Stitcher Jim. The second is they are a skeletal Frankenstein’s Monster. It is somewhat known that the Reaper’s Chests contained bones and articles of clothing. Did the Masked Stranger want these chests to find all the parts to create The Servant of the Flame? The technical drawings of the Reaper’s Heart Pets indicate someone was toying around with animating constructs.
My own pet theory is that The Servant of the Flame is the Reaper who created the cursed Reaper’s Mark. There is no evidence of there ever being a Reaper, someone had to have made the curse, and the Reaper’s Mark does hold special significance for the Pirate Lord so it must be quite old. There really is nothing to substantiate this theory currently, however.
Curiously, the filename for The Servant of The Flame in a promotional pack for Ships of Fortune is Sarwan. Is there significance to this? Or just an early placeholder for their name?
Reviving and the Consequences Of
Reviving is a gameplay mechanic that has recently been added to Sea of Thieves. Now when a pirate falls in battle (or to an errant spitting snake) their ghost will be seen leaving their body, drifting upwards, and other players have a small window to usher the ghost back into the body thus reviving the pirate. Now, this changes how we perceive death on the Sea of Thieves somewhat. Before, fallen pirates would simply be taken to the Ferry of the Damned where they would wait until the Ferryman opened the doors back to the realm of the living. We know this was not always the case and that this arrangement was created by the Pirate Lord and the Ferryman, but now that pirates can be revived before taking a trip to the Ferry does that render the importance of the Ferry moot? How did all the pirates suddenly learn how to do this? Whilst we here at Golden Sands Blogpost believe this does not need to be addressed, it is a fun thought to muse over. Is the fabric between this reality and the Sea of the Damned becoming thinner, allowing more spirits to be seen, or has the Pirate Lord secretly blessed everyone with the ability to stave off death and the Ferryman for a few moments?
So that’s the Lore that can be unearthed in April 2020’s Ships of Fortune Content Update. We’ve got a brand new Trading Company and incredibly mysterious figure to learn more about in the future, unknown Skelly Runes that hold the potential for major revelations, and the continuing story of Will Duke Ever Get His Mojo Back. Got any theories of your own, or feel we’ve missed something? Get talking with us on Twitter @GoldenSandsBlog
One final tidbit before we leave you this time; did you know that last year’s Smuggler’s Fortune Content Update was originally teased as being titled Reaper’s Bones? This was also the Update where the Reaper’s Chests had been cracked open and Stitcher Jim started working with Duke…
