An outpost is under siege! As you approach Ancient Spire you spot several skeleton ships encircling it. Skeletons have taken over Dagger Tooth Outpost. Do you approach readying the cannons or do you play it safe changing course towards Galleon's Grave...
The Set Up
A Crossed Swords cloud appears over an outpost on the horizon. Skeleton ships arrived at an outpost. A ship or two patrols around it. Skeletons have attacked the outpost trying to recover the chests, skulls, and other items us pirates have been turning in. The NPCs are not to be found. They are in the tavern waiting for rescue.
The skeletons have taken back a few of the captain skulls from the Order of Souls and have resurrected some of their captains. They lay in wait for either brave or foolish pirates to sail up to the outpost so they can enact their plan for revenge.
How It Would Work
The NPCs are either hiding boarded up in the tavern scared and waiting for rescue, or as @WeakDexx suggested the NPCs could be jailed up in the tavern by the skeletons. The outside of the door could be boarded up and chained with a lock like on the treasure room in the skeleton forts. The skeletons have taking back some chests and trinkets from the Gold Hoarders as well and locked it away on a galleon docked at the outpost.
We would have to get past the patrol ships by sinking them like in the skeleton fleet battles. Some skeletons are waiting on shore to taunt and fight us as we make land. There are also skeletons waiting in waves to ambush us like in captain bounty voyages. There are skeletons on the docked galleon protecting what they have stolen back.
Until the outpost can be freed we will be unable to sell our loot at that outpost. Once the skeletons and the resurrected captains are defeated we get the keys to rescue the NPCs and recover the treasure they tried to take back. Being ever so grateful for rescuing them and recovering what the skeletons tried to steal back, they give the rescuing crew, or crews in an alliance, deeper discounts in their shops. The crew or crews would also receive higher gold and rep rewards for the new items they turn in. This benefit could be for a limited time as you continue your voyages or as @WeakDexx suggested, it would disappear once your ship sailed away.
Outpost Under Siege is a way of continuing the story. The battles in Cursed Sails are over. The fight rages on as we continue to serve the factions and our own interests of course. ; )
Escalation Mode: Per @Starship42 suggestion the siege on an outpost could escalate to the skeletons attacking other outposts. To minimize impact to the server and keep the main part of the event focused, the skeleton fleet would move to another outpost. They would leave the outpost behind with the NPCs locked in the tavern. The NPCs at the next outpost are now locked away. Now two outpost are temporarily barred from pirates turning in cargo and booty.
The escalation could be random. Maybe it is tied to the number of ships on the server. Risk and tension would rise as pirates have to sail further away or chase down the skeleton fleet, defeat the captains, and get the keys to free the residents of the outposts. Do they take on the task alone? Do they form an uneasy alliance with a full hull in hope on freeing an outpost and earn bonus rewards.
Maybe they are left with no choice as all the outposts are eventually locked down. Maybe crews end up fighting over the keys once won and break alliances. For one is never sure what is going to happen sailing on a Sea of Thieves!
Suggestions
~ As @Bern-DimaII mentioned we definitely must have the ambience of the skeleton's attack on the outpost. Need to hear the cries and pleas for help from the NPCs locked in the tavern. Maybe the skeletons waiting on shore can have one of the NPCs hanging in a cage tormenting them.
~ As @ENF0RCER suggested the Outpost Under Siege event would occur randomly after a skeleton fort is defeated. So since the skeletons lost, the skellie ships converge on a random outpost for revenge. That way as @NoFears-Fun mentioned it is not too much and taxing on the servers. After the outpost is rescued, the fort would than appear again later.
My Ideas
Fishing, Crabbing, Digging Clams, & Harpoon Monster Hunting
Walking the Plank
Outpost Under Siege
Sea Folk Magic
Usable Dagger: Weapon/Tool & Environmental Targets
Fly More Flags
Diving Helmet
Community Ideas Master List
You can find a lot more creative and fun ideas from the great minds of the community in Community Ideas Master List. Who knows maybe some of them will be coming our way soon in a future Bilge Rat adventure or update!
