The False Forecast
Anywhere in the sky
From a tavern tip
A tip bought in a tavern for 18 silver.
“A pilot with a splinted wrist says the weather board at a port ahead has been wrong for three weeks straight—luring ships into the exact same trap every time.”
Possible rewards: Salvage Hooks Weathervane
6 scenes. Choices with a requirement only appear when you meet it.
The Rigged Weather Board
At a port1 Dock at the port where the weather forecast board is deliberately wrong.
The chalked weather board on the dock promises fair winds along the north lane, even though the northern sky is dark slate-gray. Forecaster Odran Pell sells the same false forecast to every passing captain—while three armed salvage tugs wait at the far pier, ready to follow.
- Fly into the north lane to catch the salvage tugs in the act.Pell wishes you a pleasant voyage. An hour after you cast off, the three salvage tugs slip their lines and follow you north.
- [Air mage] Have crewmate publicly call out the coming hailstorm on the dock first.Crew: Air caster · MageIn front of a dozen ship captains, crewmate warns that heavy hail will strike the north lane by nightfall. Exposed, a lookout from the salvage tugs hurries off to warn her accomplices while crewmate tracks her route.Reveal 2 waypoints
- Demand hush money from Pell to keep quiet, then fly north anyway.Without a word, Pell hands you a pre-counted bribe of thirty silver while the harbor clerks watch, and you set course up the north lane anyway.+30 silver+1 heat−1 The Guild standing
- Leave it for now.You leave the false forecast chalked on the board for now.
The Hail Shelf
Sail to The Hail Shelf (1–3 passages away)2 Follow the north lane to see where the false forecast sends unsuspecting ships.
Fist-sized hailstones batter the north lane. A merchant ship lies grounded on a rock shelf with a holed hull while her crew bail ice, and the three salvage tugs are circling her with grappling hooks ready.
- Open fire and drive off the corsair salvage tugs.The lead salvage tug drops her towline and turns her hidden deck guns on your ship!Battle: Sky pirates · HailIf you win:+20 silver
- [Lookout] Signal the grounded merchant ship and rescue her crew before the tugs close in.Room: LookoutYour lookout signals the merchant crew with a signal lamp and brings them aboard across a line before the tugs arrive, forcing the wreckers to back off rather than leave witnesses.+1 The Guild standing
- Join the salvage tugs in stripping the merchant ship's deck cargo.You grapple the wreck alongside the tugs and strip thirty silver worth of cargo while the furious merchant captain writes down your ship's name.+30 silver+1 heat−1 The Guild standing
- Leave it for now.You hold back outside the hailstorm while the tugs circle the wreck.
The Merchant Captain
Right away3 Speak with the rescued merchant captain.
The rescued captain shakes hailstones from her coat. "Pell sold me that fair-weather forecast for six silver," she says, holding up his signed receipt alongside her own accurate weather logbook. "Take these to the next port's harbormaster to prove he's luring ships onto the rocks."
- Take her weather logbook and receipt to the next port's harbormaster.She seals her weather logbook and Pell's signed forecast slip in oilcloth for you to deliver to the harbormaster.New job: Accurate weather logbook
- Ask for a cash reward for rescuing her crew right here.She pays you fifty-five silver—all the coin she managed to save from the wreck—and thanks you for the rescue.+55 silverThe questline ends here.
The Lead Salvage Tug
Right away4 Hear the lead tug captain's offer.
The lead tug pulls alongside your hull as the hail eases. Her scar-faced captain leans over the rail.
"Pell chalks the bad forecasts, and we strip the wrecks," she says. "Since you took a share of the loot, you're part of the ring now. Deliver these salvaged crates to our fence at the next port for a third of the take—or keep what's on your deck and forget you ever saw us."
"Pell chalks the bad forecasts, and we strip the wrecks," she says. "Since you took a share of the loot, you're part of the ring now. Deliver these salvaged crates to our fence at the next port for a third of the take—or keep what's on your deck and forget you ever saw us."
- Agree to smuggle the plundered cargo to their fence at the next port.Her crew hoist the stolen crates onto your deck with the merchant ship's name still painted on the lids. "Don't let the harbor inspectors look inside."New job: Plundered hail-shelf cargo
- Keep your share of the deck loot and part ways here. (+30 silver)You sell the waterlogged deck cargo at the next port for thirty silver with no questions asked.+30 silverThe questline ends here.
- Betray the tugs and attack them while their hooks are still fouled in the wreck.You open fire at point-blank range, catching the lead tug while the other two are still tangled in the wreck!Battle: Sky pirates · Close range, HailIf you win:+20 silver+1 The Guild standing
Exposing the Forecaster
At the delivery port5 Deliver the merchant captain's weather logbook to the harbormaster.
The harbormaster compares the merchant captain's accurate logbook against Pell's signed forecast slip and immediately summons Guild investigators.
"Pell trained at this port," she says grimly. "We cast his weather vane right here—along with a twin from the same mold. I'd like to see the second vane mounted on an honest ship."
"Pell trained at this port," she says grimly. "We cast his weather vane right here—along with a twin from the same mold. I'd like to see the second vane mounted on an honest ship."
- Take the brass Weather Vane fitting and thirty silver.Mounted at your masthead, the heavy brass Weather Vane pivots just before the wind shifts, ensuring no rigged forecast board ever fools your ship again.Fitting: Weathervane+30 silverThe questline ends here.
- Take the full cash reward from the Guild instead. (+85 silver)A Guild agent pays you eighty-five silver and thanks you for exposing the wrecking scheme.+85 silver+1 The Guild standingThe questline ends here.
- Turn over Pell's bribe purse as well to prove he paid the tugs from harbor funds.The coins bear the harbor's own treasury marks—proving Pell was paying his wreckers out of port funds. The harbormaster gives you the brass Weather Vane, thirty silver, and a full pardon from the Guild.The questline ends here.
The Wrecker's Fence
At the delivery port6 Deliver the plundered cargo to the tugs' fence at the next port.
The fence runs a ship-supply shop with a sprawling back warehouse. She checks each crate against an inventory list written by Odran Pell.
"Pell marked you down for a one-third carrier's cut," she says. "I can pay you in silver—or give you a set of the tugs' heavy salvage hooks for your own rail."
"Pell marked you down for a one-third carrier's cut," she says. "I can pay you in silver—or give you a set of the tugs' heavy salvage hooks for your own rail."
- Take the silver.She counts out seventy-five silver—your one-third share of the plundered cargo.+75 silver+1 heatThe questline ends here.
- Take the Salvage Hooks fitting and twenty-five silver.You bolt the four blued-steel Salvage Hooks and their chain reel to your rail, ready to strip wrecks fast, and pocket twenty-five silver.Fitting: Salvage Hooks+25 silverThe questline ends here.
- Snatch Pell's signed inventory list from her hand and turn it in to the harbormaster.With Pell's own dated inventory as proof, the harbormaster sends the guards to arrest the entire wrecking ring. The Guild pays you forty-five silver and clears your record.+45 silver+2 The Guild standing−1 heatThe questline ends here.
Data from Magehold Fairwinds v1.9.26. Spotted something out of date? Discord