Spoiler Alert! The following is the theory I developed based on my understanding of SOT lore and the time I spend with Sudds gazing at the stars. Every element is conjecture and expresses my thoughts and interpretation of the events.
Metal Ravage
1 - On the origins of SOT
One day in the year of the fox
When the bell began to ring
Meant the time had come for one to go
To the temple of the king - Rainbow
From early documents and cave drawings found in SOT we are aware that the primordial Kings and Queens were often visited by dreams of immortality. In these dreams they heard the calling that lead to the exploration of the Shroud. High priests and able warriors were send in several expeditions in order to comprehend the nature of the Shroud. Guided by the stars and the dreams of their monarchs these brave explorers found the way to create an artifact so powerful, as to break the barrier between the Sea of Thieves and the Sea of the Damned. This artifact was the Veil of the Ancients and it helped to fulfill the prophecy of their Kings and Queens, in their search for immortality.
This is the extent of our knowledge on the matter, yet several questions remain: What caused the Shroud to appear? What is its nature?
My theory (based on the existence of multi dimensions) is that the Shroud appeared after a freak accident caused the sphere of the world of the living to collide with the sphere of the world of the dead. The point of impact between these two worlds corresponds exactly with the archipelago of the Sea of Thieves, somewhere deep in the Caribbean. As a result of this impact the barrier between the two worlds weakened and the Shroud was formed in order to isolate this unstable area from the rest of the known world.
Everything within SOT remained isolated for ages until dreams of immortality led to the exploration of the Shroud and a better understanding of its nature. After reading all the information passed through generations by the Ancients, my theory is that the Shroud is not just a red sea/mist phenomena that destroys everything (unprotected) that passes through it; yet it is a living, breathing organism that serves as a guardian between SOT and the rest of the world. This highly intelligent organism sometimes creates versions of SOT or other worlds within itself in order to ward off unwanted guests, as verified by the mental state of Guybrush once he tried to journey through it. In this new understanding of the Shroud, the so called Shroudbreaker, is nothing but a beacon, a sign of communication that assures clear passage.
It was the Shroud itself that send those dreams to the Kings and Queens of the Ancients in order to warn them of the consequences of their actions if a safe passage out of SOT was found. Ironically these warnings were interpreted erroneously from the primordial monarchs and this led to the first expedition that found its way to the SOT archipelago.
2 - The cycle of life and death in SOT
Help, I’m stepping into the twilight zone
Place is a mad/house, feels like being cloned
My beacon’s been moved under moon and star
Where am I to go, now that I’ve gone too far? - Golden Earring
The chronicle of Magpie’s Wing first passage into SOT is well documented. Ramsey Singh had a dream to live free, away from the grasp of the Grand Maritime Union. During his time as young pirate we know that he met Mercia, a scholar pirate that had studied the Shroud and was aware of the archipelago within its borders. Mercia’s research was based on the cave drawings of the Ancients and she applied this knowledge in order to reach SOT.
Although the adventures of Magpie’s Wing and its crew would play a big role in the future of SOT is what they found in this area that will change them forever. After reading Mercia’s journals and the documents left by Ramsey it is clear to me that at some point they found out about the dual nature of SOT as a special place where the world of the living and the world of the dead coexist (those ghosts of pirates pasts haunting the islands at night come to mind). As result of this knowledge Mercia donated the Reaper’s Mark to Ramsey, binding his soul to the land of the living even after death. In other words they reached what the primordial Kings and Queens desired the most: Immortality.
At this point we have little to no documentation on the way the Reaper’s Mark really works. How did it prevent the soul of Ramsey from being lost in the Sea of the Damned? Did the Reaper sign had a different meaning before it was corrupted by Flameheart and his crew of cutthroats?
My theory (based on Mercia’s journals and Ramsey’s work) is that the Reaper’s Mark is a symbol known to the Shroud that reacts to its display accordingly. As it isolates SOT from the rest of the world, the Shroud also has the role to watch over the life trapped within its borders and interact with it when called upon. As result the green (Athena) version of Reaper’s Mark is a symbol of life and preservation; while its red, corrupt version is symbol of threat and the Shroud exposes it as such (notification on the map of Reaper’s flag and of Reaper’s Chest)
This was the reason Ramsey Singh felt he had to share the location of SOT with other like minded pirates. His vision was that of piratical Heaven where adventurers from all walks of life could live free and enjoy eternal life even after they retired. The Pirate Lord fashioned his Athena’s Hideout into a tavern to serve this purpose and guided many young sailors in their journey to SOT. Although he lost his best friend in the process and was betrayed many times, when asked Ramsey Sing will say: “Always remember, it’s not about the gold, it’s about the glory”; for indeed only few were able to claim the title of Pirate Legend at the time.
3 - Paradise Lost
You can check out any time you like
But you can never leave! - Eagles
All wasn’t well though in the Ramsey Singh’s piratical Heaven, for as we know a shadowy individual called Sticher Jim, made copies of the map that showed the way toward SOT and sold these copies for a profit to unsavory characters. Among those who received the map was Flameheart and his voyage of mayhem would change SOT forever, bringing about the cataclysmic events of which the Shroud tried to warn the Ancients.
Flameheart Sr reached SOT while trying to escape the yoke of the Grand Maritime Union and his attention was immediately captured by the rich archipelago that he deemed ripe for the taking. In his bloody campaign for the control of SOT, Flameheart employed a number of cutthroats and brigands which brought with them all the arsenal of weaponry and dark arts they could master. The ruthless way in which Flameheart raged war was accompanied by the unsavory use of dark magic and curses brought from beyond the Shroud. These cruel methods caused many casualties and led the Pirate Lord to contemplate the use of supernatural means to withstand this assault.
It is during this time that the Ferry of the Damned appeared for the first time and the Ferryman sacrificed himself in order to serve forever as the pilot of the mysterious vessel. The story of the Ferryman is explored during The Fate of the Morning Star Tall Tale, yet little to nothing is known how the Ferry of the Damned came into existence. How did this ship cross the border into the Sea of the Damned in constant search of lost souls, cursed to wander for eternity? Who had the knowledge and the means to manufacture such a vessel that will withstand the waves into that dark dimension of existence?
My theory at this point is that the Pirate Lord, distraught by the rate of death among the pirates that set sail under his banner, used his knowledge of the Sea of the Damned and his facilities to build the Ferry of the Damned. By this time Ramsey Singh had first hand knowledge of the other dimension (as he died before) and knew of the souls plight once they crossed over. So he decided to facilitate the return of these souls in the Sea of Thieves through the Ferry of the Damned. With renewed hope the pirates raged war against Flameheart till he was vanquished and only his followers remained.
This Pyrrhic victory came at a high price as the balance between life and death in SOT was broken forever. The vicious cycle of fight, die, return, fight again where the pirates are caught created this world as we know it today. It is a blessing and a curse for once within the SOT purgatory there is no escape but to accept own destiny just as the Ferryman did. In any eventuality this reality is a far cry from the initial vision of the Pirate Lord which has dedicated his existence into bringing back the balance once enjoyed in the archipelago.
4 - On shores of hope
Sail away tomorrow
Sailin’ far away
To find it steal or borrow
But I’ll be there someday - Deep Purple
In this final chapter of my thesis we will take a look at the state of SOT. As we are aware the Trading Companies are well organized and the presence of the Sovereigns as a neutral faction has brought new ways of prosperity. The hourglass device that manipulates the Shroud to bring warring factions into direct battles has been implemented successfully leading to a new front where the battle for SOT rages. Memories of past and present still are to be found within the timeless folds of the Shroud yet there are still elements stirring within the archipelago about to bring new changes into this world.
The main query regards the resurrection of Flameheart Sr. As we know from previous documents his soul is bound to his own remains that now are held deep within the Reaper’s hideout. There were dark arts used for this process that the Shroud can’t stop and the Flameheart Jr minions are working day and night to reverse the process. Will his return change the fragile balance between factions in SOT?
Another query is the fate of De Marco’s soul. As we all know from the previous Mystery Tales he was brutally murdered by the Siren Queen in a complicated plot that tempted the overthrowing of the Pirate Lord, yet his soul is still to be found and Lesedi has vowed to find him. In the eventuality of DeMarco’s return will the status quo change in SOT, will he be able to muster the army of pirates required to disrupt Flameheart Jr schemes?
Only the future will tell as we dive deeper into the SOT lore and the many aspects of this beautiful world where pirates can still be pirates and shanties of old trim the waves from the Shores of Plenty to the Devil’s Roar.
Thank you for your attention!
