Lost in the Dark Sea - An AO Short Story + ARG (With Prizes) (FINISHED)

Last Week I announced this- probably my forum magnum opus, an 8 chapter story following the dark fate of the Glowing Pickering, a Ravenna merchant vessel, and all 49 passengers and crew who disappeared into the Dark Sea with it, so I will present to you once more:

You will be presented this story from the perspective of Officer Deckard of the Grand Navy, whom is only the latest to pick up the journal to try and piece together the fate of those whom were written within its pages.


Rules

So, how does this all work? Very simple:

Every 24 hours, you will be able to submit up to 8 ‘answers’ tying together two pieces of evidence. Just comment them in the threads below. I operate on a ‘first come, first served’ rule. These pieces will be added to the public manifest, as will your name be added to the public treasury marker. Get 10 pieces of evidence in total right, and you get to pick from a prize set. Every single correct answer also nets you 250 galleons, which you can cash out at any time.

Characters who are the point of view for a chapter do not count. Even ones that will be point of view characters in the future. (But you will not waste your limited ‘per-day’ guesses)

EXAMPLE

Bio has read Chapter 1 and saw mention of a character named ‘Bob’. Bob in the story was helping work on the sails, so Bio identifies that Bob is a Topman on the ship, therefore tying together these two pieces of evidence. We still do not know where Bob came from, or how he died, but with these two pieces of evidence we have created a profile that Bio can come back after the 12 hour cooldown and fill out by either guessing or using newly acquired evidence.

Bio is working together with Randomness to put together clues, so they decide to ‘split’ the reward as well, giving both of them half the reward, and half the credit. With one more point in the bank, Bio now has 10 points- enough to buy an item set. Bio buys a set, then waits for the next days evidence reveal.

If you submit an answer that is incorrect, I will let you know, but I will never tell you WHAT is wrong about it. Full Names of characters will be required in certain cases:

Once you complete an entire persons location, story, etc, I will make a death certificate for them.

Death Certificate

Kreel


RESOURCES

Click here to access the Google Drive that contains all the Resources, including chapters, images, etc.

This is a public folder with every image or clue I have released thus far. Combing through this can occasionally reveal story hints. Some are just foreshadowing, as some found out in the preview I posted last week, whilst others will actually contain clues to details about crew members that aren’t directly mentioned in the story.

Incident Report

Click here to read Chapter 1

Click here to read Chapter 2

Click here to read Chapter 3

Click here to read Chapter 4
(This ones probably my favorite)

Click here to Read Chapter 5

Click Here to Read Chapter 6

Click here to Read Chapter 7

Click Here to Read Chapter 8

New Chapters every two days, check back here every now and then!

(This means Wednesday I should have at least chapter 3 ready for you. I’ve been writing this in pieces as some ideas came up so I just have to properly flesh out the chapters)

PRIZES!!!

Prize Sets

Shark Hunter Set [CLAIMED BY CATEAN]
"A set of equipment and trophies from a distinguished hunter of Redwake"

Includes: One of Every Shark Hunting Tool Blueprint, Every type of Shark Fin, and more!

Lost Navy Captain Set [CLAIMED BY REDNINJA]
“I still miss em’, you know, but that hammer is doing no one good collecting dust in the storeroom.”

Includes: Vindicator, Large Cobalt Jacket, Strong Bronze Musket, Strong Scroll, and more

Thunder Warrior Set [CLAIMED BY RANDOMNESS]
Took this off a criminal who used to terrorize these seas.

Includes: Schimitars of the Storm, Stormcaller, Lightning Ram, and more

Hi-Tide Brawler Set [CLAIMED BY RED]
"Goofy criminal started chugging seawater when I caught him. Weird guy"

Includes: Ax Slash Scroll (x2), Seawater bottle (x100), and more

Mage Set [CLAIMED BY BIO]
“Dime a dozen, really.”

Includes: Arcanium Arcsphere, Pulsar Scroll, Sorcerer Set, Strong Scroll

Jewler Set [CLAIMED BY RANDOMNESS]
“Here’s an interesting case, stolen jewlery. Owners dead, so it’s only rotting away in the evidence storeroom.”

Includes: Power Amulet [Fair], Defense Amulet [Fair], Attack Speed Amulet [Fair], Agility Amulet [Fair], Intensity Amulet [Fair], and Attack Size Amulet [Fair]

Alchemist Set
“Remember to have a permit before you start throwing random ingredients into a pot. Guy nearly burned a hole through Sailors Lodge.”

Includes: Enchantment scroll [Bursting, Amplified, Swift] (x2), Sky pinecone (x20), Collasal Clam (x20)

Dining in the Sky Set [CLAIMED BY SEBA-CHAN]
“Here’s a nice prize, every now and then we get shipments from Cirrius to boost morale. You can have the entire shipment.”

Includes: Orange Swiftcap (x10), Sky Pumpkins (x25), Horizon Rosemary (x10), and more

Fishmonger Set
“Just some old fishing gear.”

Includes: Collectors Rod, Bronze Rod, Enchantment Scrolls [Luring, Lucky, Magnetic], and more

Rations Set
“Hired a chef to cook up some food but the Silverhold cooks got angry so I’m sitting on all of it, wondering what to do with it.”

Includes: Crimsons ‘Special’ Hoagie (x5), “Swim Pies” (x10), Arlyborg Fruit & Mushroom Platter (x100)

(More prize sets may be revealed down the line as I farm more stuff for you all to get!)

The Manifest

Last up is our manifest. This is the point of it all, this is what you, if you choose to participate, will be filling out. To avoid spoiling future chapters, the fates and names of perspective characters not yet revealed will not be included, as I said if you find their names in the story I will just tell you that you found them (will probably still give you prize credit points)

There is a google excel sheet version of this in the resource folder, if you don’t want to read an ‘artsy’ one. I’ll try to update both as often as possible:





Thank you for your time, I sincerely hope those of you who choose to participate enjoy not just the puzzle aspect, but the story itself as well.

I’ll ask a mod later if I can post a discord link if you want to have a direct link to poke and prod me about when to expect the updates to the story and mystery. I also am 90% sure I am forgetting stuff as it took me an hour or so to write this post, so just, ask questions if you have them.

Current Payout Pool
Forumer Name Roblox Name (If given) Earned Galleons Current Prize Points
CrimsonPants brandon314sbackup All of them They are my items
Randomness ??? 5,000 (PAID) 0, Thunder Warrior Set (PAID), Jewler Set (PAID)
Bio ??? 3,750 5, Mage Set
RedNinja ??? 6,500 11, Lost Captain Set (PAID), Hi-Tide-Brawler (PAID)
Seba-Chan EeveePikachu54 6,750 (Paid!) 6, Dining in the Sky (PAID), Alchemist Set (PAID)
Catean Catean_Republic 7,500 (PAID!) 14, Shark Hunter Set (PAID!), Rations Set (PAID!)
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It’s been a week since announcement, so I hope those who showed interest find this post.

I will apologize if I’m not super active in responses for tonight, I was rushing to get a lot of this done, I’m pretty behind where I want to be on this so far, but rushing to get things done has burned me out for a little bit. Need to recharge.

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:fire:

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Unfortunately I won’t have much time to do this today but I’ll skim over the resources and look at them in more detail tomorrow

Also holy are some of those prize sets good

I think this is how it works: (Tell me if I’m wrong)

First name: Joyner
Position: Hired guard

AND

First name: Lucius
Position: Hired guard

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Woke up in the middle of the night to confirm these, (this makes 4 guesses). Going back to sleep.

Lucius ??? - Hired Guard, Correct

Joyner - Hired Guard, Correct
Future Perspective Character. Points will be awarded but no money

Hope by tommorrow there’ll be a few more people taking a crack at this.

Aw yeah it’s finally out! Can’t wait to have a look at this and the stories that come with it.

I’ve just finished reading the first chapter and I’ve got to say that was a gourmet full course of adventure and excitement. Just straight delectable from the start to end of Kreel’s journey.


So now we can confirm that Kreel was the orange text in the original, that leaves the question of who the other 5 people are. I’m going to make a character list with all the details that I’ve gathered so far, this is not my guess, this just just an informational post to gather and consolidate details for everyone to figure things out. Feel free to leave me a ping for details or characters I have to add to this list.


Based on the third chapter so far, there are 49 characters total that went into the dark sea:

Ship Crew

35 Crew Members total

  1. Constantino Borsi

Captain of the Glowing Pickering

  1. First Mate

Originates from Ravenna
Hates Non - Ravennians

  1. Volusenna (Second Mate)

Originated from Ravenna
Confirmed dead [Death by shrapnel]

  1. Third mate

From Sailor’s lodge
Possibly dead [Death by Grapeshot or falling overboard]

  1. Optier (Master at arms)

Originates from Ravenna
Brother of one of the midshipmen
Confirmed dead [Death by shrapnel]

  1. Midshipman

Originates from Ravenna
Brother of the master at arms

  1. Teey(Bosun) (Ship officer in charge of equipment and crew)

Originates from Shell Island

  1. Foretopmen Leader

Woman from Redwake

  1. Louise

Seaman for the Glowing Pickering
Confirmed dead [Crushed by a cannon]

  1. Servirus

Well dressed seaman

  1. Zoe Schneider (Ship Surgeon)

Originates from Palo Town

  1. Mkavu (Seaman)

Originates from Shell island
Seaman with a facial burn from the waters
Confirmed dead [Death by assisted suicide]

  1. Seaman killed by cannon shrapnel from ghost ship

  2. Augustus Keos

Helmsman
Confirmed dead [Death by shrapnel]

  1. Ship cook

Originates from Shell island

  1. Gadalaug Foretopman

Originates from Redwake
Confirmed dead [Death by falling]

  1. Gabriel Aftmast Topman …?

Nickname is Gabe

  1. Tanned seaman with a funny accent

Originates from Ravenna
Possibly dead (Death by grapeshot)

  1. Steward lady

  2. Carpenter (Upcoming MC)

  3. Carpenter’s Mate

  4. Lexi Baxter (Bosun’s Mate)

Originates from Sailor’s lodge
Confirmed dead [Death by White Eyes]

  1. Teeye (Aft mast Topman)

Possibly from sailor’s lodge?

  • 12 other crew members
Hired Guards

3 Members total,

  1. Kreel

From Red Wake
Confirmed dead [Death by drowning]

  1. Lucius Aurelius

Originates from Ravenna
Certified Badass

  1. Joyner

Has a puppy

Passengers

11 Passengers (Dropped off 4 at sailors lodge)

  1. Shell island hunter

  2. Man wearing a wolf pelt

  3. Young Lass

Possibly dead [Taken by waves]

  1. Passenger with a head injury

Confirmed dead by head injury

  1. Avery

From Frostmill
Confirmed dead [Death by grapeshot]

  1. Nicholas (Avery’s husband)

From Frostmill
She was playing with a ring on her fingers

  1. Old lady

  2. Christopher

Possibly dead (Swept away by waves.)

  1. Jade

Possibly dead (Swept away by waves.)

  1. Agrippa

Possibly dead (Swept away by waves.)

1 other Passenger

Now for my actual deduction,
Louise is a young man working as a seaman aboard the Glowing Pickering. He was unfortunately crushed by a cannon after rough storms in the Dark Sea.

Sevirus is a well dressed man working as a seaman / rigger aboard the Glowing Pickering. He was lost to the seas trying to help Louise with a runaway cannon.

I cannot keep up with Bio and Randomness :skull: I think I give up at this point. (I barely did anything compared to them :cry:)

You’ve got this!

There’s always something that’ll slip through the cracks which is why we need as many watchful eyes as we can to keep a look out. Don’t worry about how much you do, but rather what you do.

I’m pretty sure I have 0 points rn. :skull: Thanks for the support tho.

Anyone got any ideas about the words at the end of chapters?

image

Aw don’t worry I have 0 points at the moment too, If it makes you feel better I’ve yet to have time to read chapter 2, so you could get a head start on me there.

There’s so many prizes and they’re all really good so It doesn’t really matter how much you do, and also remember that Bio is at 6/8 answers and I have 4/8 meaning very soon we’ll be on cooldown for the day

Possibly an anagram?
I’ve noticed they have:
e x3
w x1
n x1
r x1
a x1
o x1

I’ve found something, on the public manifest table there is a 64th character with “?” as their name.

Wait there were 53 people in the beginning, so that’s 9 other people unaccounted for until 64. I don’t think that adds up even if we use all the mentioned people not on the ship
-Revna
-Kreel’s mother
-Halfpal
-Leif

Unless there’s more characters later on?

Here’s my last few deductions for today.

Gabe worked as a topman

Gadalaug worked as a Lookout

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