Sea of Thieves: Black Isle

Its been a while since ive been on here, life is a curse. No pun intended, though lastnight I had an idea. I loved the Devils Roar and I've often hoped of seeing new AI threats and regions to explore implemented in newer updates. From the depths of my mind, I present: SoT Black Isle

Sea of Thieves: Black Isle - This would ultimately introduce new structure to the Athenas quest line for players. Located north of the Devils Shroud, a dangerous plot of water spells out looming death for anyone that crosses into the region of ''Black Isle'' This region is utterly void of light and like the Devils roar, hardly anything living calls it home. And anything that was living, is long dead. It's a calm, black watered area shrouded in darkness, shipwrecks and small islands. Black Isle's back story is rather tragic, a mighty battle ensued upon it's once blue waters but there was no victory, for the war was never finished by it's oponents. Instead, something deathly rose from the depths, something so sinister that not even Duke or any other Bilgerat and sea sick pirate; would dare utter the words, ''Black Isle''

Only described by pirates whove survived it as a wall of whispy black mist that emerges from the water, dragging a ship and crew down to it's birthen abyss. Whispy tendrils sweep you clean off the deck and into the darkness with no chance of survival.

THE STORY: As a player, you spawn in and speak to duke of whom is sitting at a table looking rather worried. You ask him what has him of all pirates, spooked. He vaguely explains the mysterious disappearance of ships along with the disappearance of one of his mates and crew, out seeking adventure in a long forgotten region of the sea of thieves, ''Black Isle''. He tells you to go and speak with a stranger named ''Grog eyed Gregg'' of whom is located somewhere in the Devils Roar, he has more details on the matter and youre tasked with finding him. You'll need to ask around the tavern and you eventually end up going down the chain, ear to ear and are told to look about on Flintlock Peninsula. From there, you'll find Gregg camping out at flintlock peninsula on the eastern coast.
Upon addressing him he tells you about how he was part of the infamous battle of Black Isle and had managed to escape with his life on a piece of drift wood with his trusty lantern. He then begins to tell you about the Black Mist, rising out of the water and laying waste to not only his ship but as well as the other ensuing ships. He explains how it took out the ships' lanterns as it attacked, ailing itself more powerful and leaving the crews blind, anyone smart enough with a lantern might have survived. He was the only one to have survived. He then tells of how he heard tales of a great evil that infected the once shimmering waters of Black Isle, know one knew where the black mist came from but it was deadly and was a plague upon the waters. Tavern talers say it was Athena's arch nemesis, come to this world to seek the artifact that banished it many oceans of time ago. Now it's come back for revenge and Athena wasn't here to stop it.

When you ask him what the battle was about, and what artifact of value, he tells you it was simply over a torch. Though it wasn't just any torch, it was THE Torch, ''Athena's Torch'' wielded by the Goddess herself. This torch had the power to tame pure darkness, it could kill shadow skeletons in an instant and emitted an ethreal flame that could be seen for miles. And above all, it could banish The Black Mist back to the pitch depths of Black Isle once and for all. The battle was for posession of a map that had washed ashore on Shipwreck Bay. It foretold of the torches location.
He then proceeds to tell you that theres just one small problem, he doesn't have the map, well all of it that it is. After he escaped with the map, he ripped it apart into 7 pieces and hid them on each island. He tells of how he managed to thwart off the Mist with his lantern and hid the pieces among the islands in Black Isle, where the mist nor any other fool would find them, not even himself! He gives the map piece he's treasured away and tells you to find it and put an end to what they started. So now its up to you to figure out where they are on the islands with your first given clue, you'll start near the heart of the battle, Deadmens' Rest.

Theres a total of 7 map pieces but only 6 islands, and searching for them is not easy, not only are shadow skeletons everywhere like flies on rotting flesh, but the black mist is the boss that keeps coming back for more. Your lantern is going to be your best friend as it'll ward off the mist from killing you and will of course keep the shadow skeletons at bay.

The six islands:
Karven Cove
Blackthroat Trove
Dusk Island
Poison Peak
Gloomfell Isle
Deadmans' Rest

The battle of Black Isle took place between Deadmans Rest and Karven Cove, just south of Gloomfell Isle. The islands are a puzzle in themselves for each island holds a map piece riddling where the next piece is located along with a drawing piece on the flipside. The islands are patterned to actually create a symbol, that symbol just happens to be the Athenas mark. Once put together the map shows the symbol of Athena marked with an X in the middle that tells of a 7th hidden island in the middle that doest show up on the map and isn't surfaced for easy access.
The island is actually underwater, players must then muster up the courage and bananas to hold their breath and find the underwater island. A new AI threat, ''shadow sharks'' will ultimately be a sour demise and reminder to players that no where is safe. These skeletal sharks are no different than the shadow skeletons and can only be repelled and killed by a lantern's lights. Be mindful though, you only have so much breath, bananas, ammo and time; before you die trying to find the cave entrance to the underground island, by which you'll have to start over. Once you've found the enrance, you're golden! You'll access the underground island, ''Athenas Fall'', from then on you'll read the final clue of which will then lead you too a cavern that is the tomb of Athenas Torch. Though, like any good twist, its grab and go! Once you've grabbed the torch the cavern will begin to collapse and you have precisely one minute to escape before being crushed to death and resetting the mission. Once and IF you've survived the Indiana Jones twist, you'll be met by the Black Mist and Shadow Skeletons in the cavern of the underground island for one final boss battle. At this point you must use your timing and skills wisely of Athenas Torch for the torch will only emit the ''killing glow'' in consecutive bursts. It's best to do this with a crew and alliance, for regular lanterns will subdue the mist and skeletons enough for the player wielding Athenas Torch to land the final kill hits and destroy the mist of which will ultimately kill the surrounding skeletons as well. Once defeated, players will be granted 200 doubloons, a new title, the accommodation ''Seeker of Athenas Light'', a tattoo set and best of all, ''Athena's Flame''
This is a bright teal green glow that fades to a dark green and pulsates when raised. When raised the light can be seen for well over 20 nautical miles, it can be used as a light or a beacon.

I hope everyone enjoyed this as much as I did! Feel free to comment and cast your thoughts!! My next idea, SoT: Collosus, will hit tomorrow. Cheers and happy holidays!

Gameplay Elements:
New Athenas Campaign
New AI boss introduction of Shadow Sharks
New AI boss introduction of The Black Mist
New cosmetics and title
New Lantern ''flame''
New region and 6 surface islands to explore including the 7th hidden underwater island
No weather mods
No sunlight, very murky and very dim swamplike atmosphere
Explorable shipwrecks as well as the sunken battleground ships
Black water top, somewhat visible underneath for easier exploration of wrecks and Athenas Fall
Playable SOLO or with a crew and or alliance- solo players start at the last check point should the die. All participants of the crew and or alliance receive the awards once the line is finished.

Remember, this is ONLY a fabricated spin off of the original Athena's Lore. Should Rare ever make this a thing, they have the rights to change it. Just an FYI.

COMMUNITY NOTES AND IDEAS:
-Instead of shadow sharks, sirens? As a new AI, or both
-The Black Mist has a balastball effect on the ship
-The Mist can spawn shadow skeletons on the boat, keep your lantern on!
-New ship threats like the Brigitine
-Black Isle is a crossway between the land of the living and the dead, players can see the Ferrymans ship sailing around from time to time. Disappears as you get close to it.
-New AI ship threat, wrecks of the war, olden crews seeking life to destroy in Black Isle.