| “ | Along the Indian coast, Vikram Rajan led a peaceful life with his beloved. Yet, fate can be cruel. In pursuit of a powerful artifact the Dutch Merchant Company sent their most vicious commodore to massacre Vikram's village. His wife, warden of the artifact, was taken captive. Obsessed with finding her, Vikram turned to piracy and infiltrated the ranks of the most powerful kingpins to hunt down the DMC. But when he finally found her, it was too late. All that remained was the last of her fading soul. As their battered ship sank to the depths, the artifact manifested its power, saving Vikram, but twisting his very being. Now, he stirs to the stench of death permeating the Indian Ocean. Wielding a dark power in the name of Vengeance, he rises from Shadows of the Deep. |
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| ~ Skull and Bones: Season 4 Story Trailer |
The Indian Ocean stands on the verge of chaos as Vikram Rajan -- also known as Mahaa Saaya or The Great Shadow -- will stop at nothing to reunite with his lost wife, unleashes his flesh eating beasts upon its waters. Venture into shadowy waters to uncover secrets behind this mystery rival.
Background[]
| “ | We all thought Vikram and his wife perished after the Heist went to hell and the Schaduw sank. Turns out we were half-right. | „ |
| ~ Asnah Yatim |
Vikram Rajan once led a peaceful life as a humble fisherman along the Indian Coast until one night when a woman washed ashore, barely clinging to life. Like a gift from the sea, the two fell in love and got married, living a simple but peaceful life.
However the Dutch Merchant Company, in pursuit of a powerful artifact, sent their most vicious commodore, Jonas Vanderkill, to find the artifacts warden. Vikram was taken captive and interrogated by the Dutch, who wanted to find the location of the trinket. However Vikram didn't know about the artifact or how his wife Mira was the warden of it. The Dutch then took Vikram's wife captive aboard the Schaduw whilst the rest of his village was massacred. Obsessed with finding her, Vikram turned to piracy, sinking several DMC ships off the coast of India before joining the crew of Uricko Freeman.
Asnah, Li Tian Ning and Uricko were all good folk in Vikram's mind, but they were truly only interested in their dreams of freedom. Thus he played them all, earning his way into the Heist of the Century by lying to Freeman, telling him that there was a treasure aboard the Schaduw when truthfully there was no treasure, save for Vikram's wife Mira and the artifact that she carried with her. At the same time Vikram would also lay the foundation for Freeman's downfall by take advantage of the bitterness John Scurlock felt towards Uricko for being kicked off the heist crew (due to being unpredictable and a drunk), feeding him the details of the heist plan which were then passed on to the DMC. Through it all no-one truly knew what Vikram Rajan was after.
After many months Freeman's crew finally caught up with the Schaduw and boarded her, allowing Vikram to reunite with Mira however he was too late. As the rest of Freeman's crew fought off the dutch, Vikram held his wife, all that remained of her being the last of her fading soul. As the rest of Freeman's crew abandoned the sinking vessel, Vikram remained aboard with his dying wife. But as their battered ship sank to the depths, the artifact manifested its power, saving Vikram but at a price, for as the artifact reshaped reality it corrupted his mind and twisted his very being.
Now Vikram Rajan has risen from the deep, wielding this dark power in the name of Vengeance, his dark influence spreading across the seas. The value of the artifact to Vikram is immeasurable, for he believes it will grant him what he most wants. Vikram will often sometimes speak to the artifact as though it is his wife with the artifact seemingly talking back to him, spurring him onward -- his goal now nothing less than to remake reality and recover all that he had lost, most of all his beloved wife Mira. But bringing back the dead requires immense power. To this end, his Shadow Legion and dread beasts roam the Indian Ocean reaping the souls of the living. He also brings back a vessel of legend with him, The Schaduw, her heart is shot to hell, but somehow she still floats, thanks to the artifacts power.
Shadows of the Deep[]
| “ | Some say Vikram is a vengeful spirit out for blood after the Heist of the Century went sideways. Did you know he was a fisherman before he became a pirate? A fisherman's ghost has everyone running scared. Rumors be damned. As Mr. Teuling would say, business must continue, Captain. | „ |
| ~ William Blackwood |
Things have not gone well for Scurlock since he and his protege went their separate ways as death, turmoil and chaos grip the Indian ocean. Ghost ships and sea beasts plague trade routes, whilst powerful pirate lords, privateers and other figures continue to descend on the Indian Ocean -- as though drawn by something. As smugglers are terrified and goods get lost, the pirate round suffers and Teuling loses confidence in Scurlock's abilities.
Whether on their own initiative or at the behest of William Blackwood, the pirate protege returns to Sainte-Anne to help Scurlock and whilst the Kingpin of Sainte-Anne no doubt still holds no small amount of jealously towards the shipwrecked scoundrel turned burgeoning Kingpin, both have much bigger fish to fry. By now Scurlock's agents have sighted the Schaduw, returned from the deep as a ghost ship and he has correctly deduced that the Hubac Twins, Li Tian Ning and Philippe La Peste are all after the Schaduw's treasure -- though Scurlock still believes it to be merely a motherland of silver.
Still bitter from being kicked off the heist crew by Freeman, Scurlock sees this as his chance to claim finally claim the treasure he was denied, however every captain he's sent out has so far failed to return. Thus in order to beat the other pirate lords to it, both he and his former underling will have to work together. The first task that Scurlock gives is to Rendezvous with his agent -- reported missing off the coast of Lanitra, north of Sainte-Anne -- in order to learn about the Schaduw's sighting.
Grim tidings[]
| “ | "You are a strong captain, yes? A good captain. Maybe the spirits from the Schaduw will spare you, maybe not. We found no treasure aboard that ship, only an open keel, like sharpened claws, and a whispering madness that kept growing..." | „ |
| ~ Dying Captain, Grim Tidings -- Shadows of the Deep |
Heading there the captain finds the agent's ship abandoned, with no sign of the crew. Searching the ship, the find the logbook of captain Solomon, which reveals that the crew fled in the night towards Moyenne Crique, muttering about curses and headaches and swearing they heard things. Heading to Moyenne Crique, they search for survivors and find a dying captain.
From the dying captain they also receive a blood stained logbook. which details the experiences of the crewman Nyota. They witnessed ghostly ships that sail on windless days, drifting through the fog seeking the living, hounding unsuspecting ships and draining the life of those onboard. One such ship, the Schaduw, trailed them, and over time the crew grew weak as their souls sapped to nothing. The captain refused to believe that it was no ordinary ailment so they snuck aboard a skiff and cast off in the night, leaving the rest of the crew to their fate.
The captain then sailed to the location specified in the logbook to confirm the sighting of the Schaduw. Sure enough, they do, much to the surprise of Asnah Yatim, however she also has suspicions about who is at it's helm -- having part of Freeman's crew herself once. During Heist of the Century Vikram Rajan was also part of the crew, but betrayed them. When the Schaduw splintered and started to sink, Freeman's crew abandoned ship, but Vikram never made it off -- or so she thought anyway.
The captain would then sink the Schaduw and attempt to seize its treasure, during which they confirmed Vikram's survival and sunk the ship. They report back to Scurlock, only to find out that the ship keeps surfacing from the depths. By now however Scurlock's scouts have also reported to him that Commodore Vanderkill is mustering his DMC forces, to hunt the Schaduw as well. Scurlock, still convinced there is a fortune aboard the ship (large enough to forge an empire rivaling Teulings), surmises that as the former captain of the Schaduw Vanderkill wants to reclaim it's riches along with his pride.
Wolves in Water[]
Despite the failed attempt to find the treasure after sinking the Schaduw, Scurlock is still convinced there is fortune to be had and is more eager than ever to get his hands on it first as well as finding a way to make sure the Schaduw stays sunk. He is sure that Commodore Vanderkill holds crucial information about the whereabouts of the ship as Vanderkill was, after all, the captain during the Heist of the Century. To this end, the captain is tasked with engaging Vanderkill's forces and finding out what they know.
Sure enough, after sinking the ship of DMC Captain Hendrik, they recover a missive with orders from Vanderkill. Knowing that the treasure its captain holds is far more than more silver and trinkets, the Commodore knows not to underestimate the Shaduw. Currently he was in Laar, studying an ancient document that may hold answers, whilst his captains were out finding and destroying strange orbs sighted near the East Indies, which were drawing in cursed ships.
From this missive Asnah suspects that the Commodore has uncovered some kind of ritual that could guard against the shadows. She then proposes that if it is a Sea People ritual, then Scurlock with his connections might be able to help. They then head to Laar in order to plunder the settlement and find the documents. Sure enough her suspicions prove correct, as the ancient text was unearthed from Vorona Falls that spoke of a power that could overcome the Schaduw.
Should the captain wish to do so, they can also head towards the mysterious orb mentioned in the missive, destroying it with a cannon shot, only to then hear the voice of Vikram in his head as Asnah noticed they looked unwell. Following the clues left behind by Vanderkill, the captain would seek out more of these orbs along the Coast of Africa and the Red Isles, recovering pieces of the Schaduw from each one. Burning these remnants at bonfires, the captain would gain insight into Vikram's own memories.
In any case, thanks to the captains efforts, the Dutch forces were in disarray with Vanderkill forced to regroup his forces, as his research notes were left in a dead drop at Kelelawar Chamber for Scurlock's agents to retrieve. However Vikram's fleet was still spreading through the Indian Ocean, with Scurlock's captains either missing or too scared to ply their trade. Even so his Sea People contacts were able to decipher the texts, which indeed spoke of way to weaken the Shadow Lord's influence -- an Ody, which was hidden within Vorona falls.
Whispers of the Past[]
Arriving there however they find out from a letter in the sand that the ody had been found by the DMC, only to be stolen by the crew of Philippe La Peste on behalf of the Hubac Twins. Tracking them back to Fort Louis, they find ships of the DMC and the Fleet of Pestilence locked in battle. After sinking the Pestilence Harbinger flagship, the captain headed ashore and recovered the ody from the twin's hideout.
Face to face with Vikram. Now you’ve sought him out, he reveals the truth. Or at least what he believes. Do you finally understand the danger Captain?
Returning the ody to the Sea People, their Huntmaster was able to translate the text. The ody was a key, but an incomplete one, requiring two more pieces to unlock it's power. Bone from a great beast long since vanished beneath the waves and a fragment from a cursed ship lost to time and darkness. After collecting both, the items were purified in a bonfire at Three Brothers outpost, completing the ritual. However upon completing the ritual the captain found themselves in a dark place, along with Vikram Rajan. The two converse and the captain learning the true plans, madness and power of the Shadow Lord, before waking up in front of the bonfire at Three Brotthers, having never left.
Returning to Scurlock, the two plot a way to stop Vikram's relentless soul reaping across the Indian Ocean. By now John Scurlock has realized that there is more at stake than silver, with his captains reporting shadows turning into specters and strange voices haunting their sleep -- even the Kingpin himself seems rattled, yelling that something went wrong during the Heist and that this madness was Freeman's fault. One way or another the nightmare had to end, with the Sea People ritual being the only way forward. It protected the captain against Vikram's influence, but his dreaded Shadow Legion continues to spread across the Indian Ocean.
Edge of Darkness[]
| “ | "What happened to Vikram's beloved was a tragedy. But his actions cast a shadow of death across the Indian Ocean. Our only hope of defeating him is to weaken the artifact's influence." "What?! Vikram appeared to you? He spoke to you? Listen to me. He's trying to shatter your mind and will, Captain. But thank goodness, it looks like the ritual kept you safe, or he would have taken your soul too." |
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| ~ Asnah Yatim, Edge of Darkness -- Shadows of the Deep |
The captain then departed, headed to aid the Fara and Ungwana against the Shadow Legion's advance, sinking many warships and hindering the Shadow Legion's reaping of souls in the Red Isles and Coast of Africa. Once that was done, they headed for the east indies to bolster the Rempah's own defense against the Shadow Legion, sending more of their warships to the depths and providing much needed respite for the East Indies. Finally they faced off against Vikram Rajan himself, sinking the Schaduw once more and stopping his reaping of souls... for now.
The captain would then return to Sainte-Anne, meeting John Scurlock on the bridge near Atelier's shop. The defeat of Vikram had seen a turn in both of their fortunes as the seas were calmer, trade had gone back to normal and whilst they didn't find the motherload of silver they were looking for, enough had been recovered to satisfy Teuling for the time being. Regardless of whether the captain tells Scurlock the truth of the treasure, the Kingpin will still give them their cut.
| “ | "Regardless of what the treasure really was, Freeman's got some bloody explainin' to do. The Schaduw went down, but I fear she'll rise again, along with that damn captain of hers." "Philippe La Peste, the Hubac Twins, Li Tian Ning -- those shit-lords tried to seize the treasure for themselves. And others will come for it still." "Already got fresh reports of Dutch vessels massing nearby, meaning to take a turn at the slaughter. But as long as we have each other's backs, you might have your own pirate empire one day... well, maybe just a sliver. " "Trouble seems to follow you like a fucking specter. Watch your back, eh? Only a matter of time. Cully, before one of ours looks ripe for a stabbing." |
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| ~ John Scurlock, Edge of Darkness -- Shadows of the Deep |
Archive Entries[]
Ancient Ritual[]
| “ | Ancient Ritual My deepest thanks for bringing forth this ancient tome, a vessel of our ancestors' knowledge. Within its pages, I have glimpsed a tale of great calamity that our forebears faced and subdued. They wielded an ody, empowered by the might of its bearer, to silence the ancient threat Much of the tome has succumbed to time, its wisdom eroded like stone under the sea maiden's touch. Yet, I have uncovered a single truth: the relic remains hidden within Vorona Falls, long-forgotten stronghold of our people. Hurry now, for Vanderkill and his hounds may already be closing in. The knowledge you seek cannot fall into tainted hands. Sea People Huntmaster |
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| ~ Sea People Tome -- Archive Entry |
Letter in the Sand[]
| “ | Final Entry, Ody Stolen 25 May, 1695 Captain Willem This may be my final words. They came while we were distracted. My men fell, and with them, the ody was taken. These attackers were no ordinary pirates, part of La Peste's blighted crew. As I lie bleeding out, I overheard their task from their Plague King -- deliver the ody to the Twins, a first step towards taking down Vikram and claiming Freeman's Treasure for themselves. May this entry be found by any captain of the DMC: The Twins' hideaway lies within Fort Louis. Strike fast,. You have a small window to steal it back while they and La Peste are engaged with the Helm's agents. |
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| ~ Huntmaster's Translation -- Voices from the Past |
Huntmaster's Translation[]
| “ | Sea Monsters and Cursed Ships The ody is a key, but an incomplete one. The markings speak of two more pieces required to unlock its power. First, the bone of a great beast, long since vanished beneath the waves. Slay it, and bind its strength. Second, a fragment from a cursed ship, one lost to time and darkness. Sink it, and claim its soul. With bone and fragment, a place with three rock formations you must travel to. It is there, in the dancing flames, where the ritual will be complete. Sea People Huntmaster |
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| ~ Huntmaster's Translation -- Voices from the Past |
Schaduw Remnants[]
A Humble Fisherman[]
| “ | For the last time, where is it? Where is the fucking trinket? I-- I don't know what you mean.. Please. We are humble fishing folk. We are a peaceful village-- By order of his Majesty, Willem the Third, your claims to your possessions have been relinquished to the Dutch Merchant Company. Everything you had now belongs to us, zeerover (pirate). Pirate?! We are no pirates. Please. Take our supplies. Take our silver. But let her go.. Let Mira... Do you know who your wife is, fisherman? You trough these waters, and all this while, you do not realize the true power within your reach. I do not know of any trinket or artifact Let her go. Take me instead. What use do I have of you, fisherman? It is your wife's secrets we want. Devils! Il kill you all--!! Take her to the Schaduw. Burn the rest. Miral!! |
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| ~ A Humble Fisherman -- Archive Entry |
Agent Provacateur[]
| “ | Vikram, I've heard of your exploits off the coast of India. Darn fine work sinking those Dutch dogs. But what's in it for me? More importantly, why shouldn't I tell Freeman about your little plan to fuck him over? Freeman. I heard he left you high and dry. Kicked you off his grand heist. Careful what you say next, Cully. I could... feed you the details of his heist.. Who knows what you will do with the information? But I am sure the DMC would be most interested to know when they plan to attack. And what's in it for you, huh? What reason do you have to screw Freeman over? What I'm after is more precious than silver or jewels. You can pick off whatever treasure is left once the Schaduw is limping and gutted. Hmph. Uricko Freeman has his own head up his arse. I'd like to see nothing more than to see the look on his face when he realizes he's been royally fucked. Very well. We have an accord. |
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| ~ Agent Provacateur -- Archive Entry |
True Intent[]
| “ | Where is that damn Schaduw? How many moons have we been chasing that ship? Freeman and his crew do not see my true intentions. Asnah, Li Tian Ning - they are good folk, but I do not care for their delusions of building a pirate paradise like Lanitra. What is the point, when the DMC and that devil Vanderkill can swoop in at any moment and destroy what is most precious? Mira is all that matters. I wish I could go back to simpler days: the morning dew on the rice stalks, the sea sifting through the palm trees... That fateful night, when you washed up upon the shore, barely clinging to life, it was as though the sea had blessed me with great fortune. Someone to care for. Someone to love. A reason to live again. I will get you back, Mira, I promise... We are so close now... My poor, sweet Mira... |
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| ~ True Intent -- Archive Entry |
The Schaduw Heist[]
| “ | Vikram! More of the Dutch dogs! Help me fight them off! Mira. Stay with me, Mira. Ill get you out of here. I'll get you free. And then these Dutch devils will pay for taking you. We don't have time! We need to secure the treasure! That's exactly what I'm doing. Asnah. This is Mira, my dear wife. What?! What's she doing aboard the Schaduw? And where is the treasure Freeman promised? There is no treasure. There never has been. Freeman and that bastard Vanderkill have wanted the same thing all along. And they will not have her. |
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| ~ The Schaduw Heist -- Archive Entry |
Shadows of the deep story[]
Trivia / speculation[]
The true value of treasure truly depends on the eye of the beholder -- Skull and bones twitter
The magic artifact Vikram carries appears to be a dagger with the supposed ability to warp reality. As such it is quite the lure and provides the motivation for many figures throughout the Indian Ocean who blindly chase after it. Vikram himself says that Oceans of Blood have been spilled over the artifact and John Scurlock also notes that every major pirate lord wants to get their hands on the artifact for one reason or another.
Philippe La Peste would want his affliction to be cured, the Hubac twins would like to take control of their own fate from their creditors, Li Tian Ning no doubt wants to take control of her fate and perhaps see the Dragon's Claw fall whilst the Emperor of China conversely wants their Dominion to extend beyond the middle kingdom. Vikram himself wants his wife back as well as to create a world for them both built on the bones of the Indian Oceans dead. There are no doubt more factions that would take an interest in the artifact if they knew about it's powers, such Teuling, The Helm and Admiral Rahma.
Oceans of blood have been spilled, and oceans more will likely be spilled in the future...
Gallery[]
