The Free Pilot
From a chance meeting
Possible rewards: Old Surveyor's Chart
6 scenes. Choices with a requirement only appear when you meet it.
The Free Pilot
Right away1A nimble skiff flying a pilot's pennant pulls alongside your ship. At the tiller stands Wend Corley, wearing a wide smile and a brand-new coat. "Collector's enforcement sweep ahead on the main lane, captain! Every ship is being stopped and fined. Follow me through the back channel in the reed islands—no charge, the Guild pays my wage to keep traffic moving!"
- Follow the pilot into the reed island back channel.He waves cheerfully and steers his skiff into the narrow waterways between the tall reed islands.
- [Guild +1] Point out that the Guild never pays a pilot to work for free.The Guild standing 1+Knowing the Guild never gives away free pilotage, you thank him politely, let his skiff pull ahead, and climb above the clouds to drop on his ambush from overhead.
- [Lookout 2] Spot the hidden masts in the reeds from your masthead and circle above the ambush.Lookout level 2+Your lookout spots two bare corsair masts hiding among the tall reeds where no honest ship belongs. You let the pilot pull ahead, then climb high to ambush the ambushers.
- Decline his offer and stay on the main shipping lane.There really is an enforcement sweep on the main lane—they fine you ten silver for minor paperwork infractions and wave you through.−10 silverThe questline ends here.
The Back Channel
Sail to The Back Channel (1–3 passages away)2 Follow the pilot through the narrow reed channel.
The waterway between the reed islands is narrow, murky, and dead quiet, with reeds towering above your deck rails. Suddenly the pilot's skiff darts around a bend and vanishes—just as a heavy iron chain is winched taut across the channel behind your stern!
- Man the guns and engage the skiff!A corsair raider bursts out of the tall reeds right off your beam with guns primed!Battle: Sky pirates · Close range, no escape
- [Helm 2] Pivot the ship in her own length to engage the ambusher at long range.Crew: Helm 2+crewmate spins the wheel hard over, scraping through the reeds to gain distance so the corsair sloop emerges at long range right in front of your guns!Battle: Sky pirates · Long rangeIf you win:+15 silver
- Pay a 35-silver toll to the ambushers to let your ship pass without a fight.Costs 35 silverThe corsairs pocket your thirty-five silver, lower the river chain, and wave you through while the crooked pilot tips his hat.
Above the Ambush
Sail to The Reed Islands (1–3 passages away)3 Drop down on the pilot's ambush site in the reed islands from above.
Diving out of the sun above the reed islands, you spot the whole setup below: a corsair sloop hiding beside a narrow channel with an underwater chain rigged across it, while the crooked pilot waits at the entrance in his skiff.
- Dive out of the sun and open fire on the hidden corsair sloop.Your first broadside slams into the corsair sloop while her crew is still scrambling to drop the river chain!Battle: Sky pirates · Long rangeIf you win:+20 silver
- [Marine] Send crewmate down a line to capture the pilot in his skiff first.Crew: Marinecrewmate drops straight into the skiff and pins the crooked pilot to the floorboards. Deprived of their lookout's warning, the panicked corsairs cut their mooring lines and flee, abandoning their island stash!10 damage to the crewmate who acted
- Report the corsairs' hiding spot to the Collector's enforcement sweep for 30 silver.Delighted by an easy bust, the enforcement officers pay you thirty silver, reduce your ship's heat, and move in with three cutters.+30 silver+1 The Crown standing−1 heat
- Leave it for now.You hold off above the clouds and leave the ambushers for another day.
The Wreckers' Island
Right away4 Search the corsairs' stash on the reed island.
Under a tarred sail on the largest reed island lies three seasons of plundered cargo. Sitting on a crate with his new coat torn, the crooked pilot Wend Corley has lost his smile. "I know every hidden channel on this river, captain," he pleads. "Take me on as a rigger—I'm worth more to you alive than hanging from a Guild yardarm!"
- Take the surveyor's chart and 40 silver from the stash, and maroon the pilot.Under the tarpaulin you find a master Survey Chart of the river's back channels and forty silver. You leave the crooked pilot stranded on the island with a loaf of bread.Fitting: Old Surveyor's Chart+40 silverThe questline ends here.
- Press the crooked pilot into your crew and have him mark the hidden river channels.Kept on a short leash, he works hard in the rigging, hands over twenty silver, and marks four hidden river sites on your chart—accurately, this time.New crewmate: RiggerReveal 4 waypoints+20 silverThe questline ends here.
- Turn the pilot and the looted cargo over to the Guild for a 70-silver salvage reward.The Guild hangs his pilot flag upside-down on their hall door as a warning and pays you seventy silver in salvage fees.+2 The Guild standing+70 silverThe questline ends here.
- Take back the 35-silver toll from his coat pocket, plus the Survey Chart and pirate purse.You pluck your thirty-five silver purse right back out of his coat pocket, claim the corsairs' forty silver and a master Survey Chart from under the tarpaulin, and leave him stranded on the island.Fitting: Old Surveyor's Chart+75 silverThe questline ends here.
The Next Victim
Right away5Emerging from the far end of the channel thirty-five silver lighter, your lookout spots Wend Corley's skiff heading back out into the main lane—where he's already waving his hat to lure a heavily laden Guild grain packet into the same reed trap!
- Hoist warning flags and fight alongside the Guild packet to crush the corsairs.Reading your signal flags, the grain packet's captain fires his bow guns straight into the reeds, flushing out the damaged corsair sloop between both of your ships!Battle: Sky pirates · Long rangeIf you win:+15 silver
- Signal the Guild packet to steer clear of the trap, then continue on your way.Warned by your flags, the grain packet steers safely past the reed channel and sends a boat across with thirty-five silver—repaying what you lost to the toll—plus a commendation to the Guild.+35 silver+1 The Guild standingThe questline ends here.
- Fly on and leave the Guild packet to its fate.You keep flying as the slow grain packet follows the crooked pilot's skiff into the reeds.The questline ends here.
The Collector's Debt Patrol
Right away6Three enforcement cutters descend on the reed islands and quickly round up the corsair sloop and the crooked pilot. The lieutenant in charge turns to you on the bank: "All seized contraband goes to the Collector, captain, but as the informant you're entitled to claim the pirates' ship stores—or I can strike two marks off your enforcement record."
- Claim the corsair sloop's ammunition, provisions, and sky-crystal.Her officers transfer eight bolts, four crates of salt pork, and four sky-crystals from the captured sloop into your hold.+8 bolts+4 provisions+4 crystalThe questline ends here.
- Have her clear two marks from your ship's enforcement record.She signs an official commendation on the spot, ensuring Collector sweeps leave your ship alone for a long time.−2 heat+1 The Crown standingThe questline ends here.
- [Guild +1] Have her turn the crooked pilot over to the Guild for a 50-silver bounty.The Guild standing 1+She gladly hands the fake pilot over. The Guild nails his pilot's pennant upside-down to their hall door and pays you a fifty-silver bounty.+50 silver+2 The Guild standingThe questline ends here.
Data from Magehold Fairwinds v1.9.26. Spotted something out of date? Discord