Merfolk's Lullaby

Crescent Isle, Devil's Ridge, Golden Sands Outpost, Marauder's Arch, and Shipwreck Bay became enshrouded in an ominous 'Fog of the Damned'.

Golden Sands Outpost was the hardest hit by an organised attack from The Reaper's Bones, leaving the island in ruins and its denizens lost.

Senior Trader Mollie announced that trading activities were suspended until further notice for Golden Sands Outpost. Meanwhile, Larinna advised pirates to remain vigilant with these mysterious phenomena.

Around this same time, Flameheart Senior and the spectral ships he commanded vanished from the Sea of Thieves. The Pirate Lord gathered his allies at the Tavern of the Damned to rally everyone he could to defeat Flameheart and protect the Sea of Thieves. Belle came out of the shadows to say she that would handle this situation.

With Golden Sands Outpost in ruin and its residents missing, Larinna urged pirates to investigate the island and look for any clues as to what may have happened.

After investigating the Outpost, pirates discovered a Mysterious Compass in the Captain's Head Tavern. This magical object guided pirates to its owner, the enigmatic Belle. She told pirates that the phantoms she followed would do everything in their power to keep their master's secrets. With the Flame of Souls, Belle asked pirates to uncover these secrets and to return when they know more.

Carrying the Flame of Souls to The Wilds led pirates to Shipwreck Bay, also shrouded in the Fog of the Damned. Here spectral ships from the Reaper's Bones lingered. Exploring the island with the Flame of Souls and lighting braziers revealed memories of Reapers carrying Boxes of Wondrous Secrets, burying relics and Rune Tablets, all led by the The Servant of the Flame. In one memory, the Servant of the Flame was seen pledging his allegiance to Flameheart Senior, who he referred to as 'Father'.

As pirates lit the braziers, they inadvertently initiated a terrifying ritual to summon forth a Soulflame Captain, and subsequently defeated him, which then dropped a map to a buried relic. Pirates then brought a Hexing Skull and any Rune Tablets they found during their adventures to Belle.

Belle’s study of the artefacts retrieved from the Shrouded Islands taught her the truth; the destruction of the Soulflame Captains further weakened the wall that separates the living world from the Sea of the Damned, and that we pirates inadvertently played into Flameheart's hands. Now Flameheart plans to bring something across the divide that will increase his hold over the Sea of Thieves…

Following the events of Shrouded Islands, spectral activity increased across the Sea of Thieves resulting in six ghostly images of Sea Forts appearing in specific locations.

The residents of Golden Sands Outpost were revealed to be held in the Sea Forts. The Servant of the Flame took particular interest in interrogating Wonda.

Elsewhere, the The Masked Stranger plotted alongside a new accomplice.

Belle discovered the missing denizens of Golden Sands Outpost were being held captive by Flameheart Senior's ghostly forces in the Sea Forts that recently appeared.

Belle urged pirates to seize the Sea Forts and rescue the captives before their lives are placed in even greater peril. By defeating the Phantom Jailors, pirates stopped the Dark Ritual that would have bound the souls of the residents of Golden Sands.

Enchantment Vessels were found alongside the prisoners in their cells, which was returned to Belle so that she could further understand what was happening in the Sea Forts. Belle realized that Flameheart is searching for the Veil of the Ancients to access their knowledge. From what she remembered, this artefact was in the belly of the Shrouded Ghost. Belle needs to speak with Merrick so that she can get her hands on it before Flameheart does.

Merrick's ship The Killer Whale was returned to him by Belle, as a way to recruit him in her search for the Shrouded Ghost, which she believed held the legendary artefact the Veil of the Ancients.

Having attempted to slay the Shrouded Ghost themselves, Belle and Merrick found themselves stranded on the wreck of the recently revived Killer Whale.

Imploring pirates to come together to aid in their ritual to summon the Shrouded Ghost, Belle sent pirates out to hunt four different types of Megalodon, Hungering One, the Shadowmaw, the Ancient Terror and the Crested Queen, capture their souls within an Effigy and return.

With all four effigies in place on the Ritual Table and at least five pirates playing Merrick's 'Summon the Shark' shanty, the Shrouded Ghost was summoned and subsequently defeated, albeit with interference from Flameheart's Forces and the arrival of Sir Arthur Pendragon to provide back-up.

Pendragon attempted to use his Sword of Souls on the Veil of the Ancients, but he and Belle quickly realised it was missing the important Veil Stones. Pendragon took this opportunity to take the Veil of the Ancients, with intents to hand it to the Pirate Lord for safe keeping

The Pirate Lord implored his Pirate Legends to go on a quest to complete the Veil of the Ancients.

Three Veil Stones were necessary to make the mask whole again, with clues to their locations hidden away in writings by the Servant of the Flame.

Sudds and Belle assisted in this quest, lending their support and expertise.

The final Veil Stone was retrieved by phantom garrisons brought forth by Flameheart's forces, hoping to keep the Veil Stone in their clutches.

The Veil Stones were eventually reunited with the Veil of the Ancient, restoring its power. The Pirate Lord promised to keep this dangerous artefact in his safe keeping, hoping that its power would never be used for nefarious means.

The fight for Golden Sands came to a head as Merrick returned to Golden Sands Outpost with the intention of leading rebuilding efforts.

The Reapers Bones took notice of this, and Servant of the Flame launched efforts to prevent Merrick from achieving the restoration.

Merrick discovered that Golden Sands was being enshrouded through the use of buried Dark Relics on the outpost, as he gathered the former residents of the island to his cause.

Sandra and Tina went in search of supplies via the use of Rowboats and became stranded on Smuggler's Bay and Cannon Cove, respectively, when attacked by Reaper Phantoms.

Merrick's efforts were successful in fighting off the fog and the Reapers. With the supplies donated by pirates, and the Dark Relics unearthed, the Outpost and its residents began work rebuilding the settlement.

The outpost may have fallen, but it is under the name "New Golden Sands" that it is reconstructed. The residents returned to their old lives, pirates were once again free to swap stories in the tavern and the Trade Companies returned to the outpost.