Captain Flameheart
| Captain Flameheart | |
|---|---|
| |
| Details | |
| Type | NPC |
| Related | Skeleton Lord |
Captain Flameheart (aka Captain Flameheart Jr.) is a mysterious Ashen Skeleton Lord and NPC in Sea of Thieves. He is the adopted son of Flameheart Sr., fearsome (human) Captain of the Burning Blade.
Flameheart had been a highly anticipated character, known well before the release of Sea of Thieves. He appeared in the E3 2016 Cinematic Trailer, and his statue has been a main feature at numerous conventions and events attended by Rare Ltd. Despite this, his in-game presence had only been referenced until his brief debut in the Fall 2019 release of The Seabound Soul.
Contents
Story[edit | edit source]
Note: As there are two individuals, a father and son, who have taken the pirate moniker of "Captain Flameheart". For the sake of clarity their names shall be distinguished by "Sr." (Senior) and "Jr." (Junior).
Most of what is known of Captain Flameheart comes from the Tales from the Sea of Thieves where the story is told by Captain Flameheart, the Skeleton Lord himself.
Early Life[edit | edit source]
Flameheart Jr. was adopted as a orphan by a pirate known as Flameheart Sr. soon after he was born. Senior nurtured his son with a charmed life and fine education, using the money he had plundered. Junior would grow up into a scholar whose writings are compiled in Tales from the Sea of Thieves, but growing up hearing of his father's exploits as a pirate, he yearned for life on the sea and believed he had a greater calling.
After his father's death, and inspired by childhood stories of adventure, Junior was determined to find his own way to the The Sea of Thieves. At first he had no success in finding a crew, as anyone he talked to would either scoff or walk away. But one night in a tavern, he woke from a drunken slumber to find an Ancient Coin had mysteriously appeared on the table in front of him. Seizing the opportunity, made a trade with the pirate Isidro: the Ancient Coin for a ship & crew. After obtaining his ship, the Silver Blade, he initially wanted to rename it Liberdade, but was discouraged by possible misfortune upon doing so. Finally with a ship and crew of his own, he set sail for the lands beyond the Devil's Shroud.
Becoming a Skeleton Lord[edit | edit source]
Upon arrival into The Sea of Thieves, Flameheart follows Isidro's advice to seek out a strange, tattooed old woman who gives him a treasure map. Unbeknownst to him, the map led the way to the cursed Kraken's Chest; a haunted vessel contained by the Mermaids that attracts Krakens. Despite the unnatural appearance of this chest, Flameheart was convinced this was his path to fame and glory, equalling that of his late father.
Soon after the chest was stowed aboard, the Silver Blade was ambushed by competing pirates. In a desperate attempt to lose his attackers, Flameheart foolishly retreated, steering his ship into the Devil's Shroud. The Silver Blade was ripped apart by the deadly fog, and the chest lost to the depths. Stranded on an unknown island, the crew was beckoned into a cave by a riddle leading to a Golden Chalice of unlimited water. After drinking from the Chalice, the crew ventured deeper into the cave in search of more treasure, slowly losing their minds, flesh, and human needs, until they were transformed into Skeletons. Only Flameheart retained his memories, thereby becoming a Skeleton Lord.
At the end of the cave sat a Skeleton Lord who called himself The Cap'N. He claimed to be a former crewmate of Flameheart's father on the Burning Blade, before Flameheart Sr. cast him marooned on an island. It was the Cap'N who created the riddle, luring Flameheart and his crew to drinking from the cursed chalice, and decided to take him under his wing.
The Seabound Soul[edit | edit source]
Untold circumstances lead Captain Flameheart to be cursed, immobilized with his soul bound to his skull, much like how Rose and George's souls were trapped in their pendants in the Tall Tale Wild Rose.
Ashen Skeleton Lords loyal to Flameheart took his body aboard the Ashen Dragon, where they came under attack from two pirate ships under the command of Martha Jane and Randal 'The Vandal' Stone, who were in search of treasure. Both ships were easily destroyed by the infernal cannons of the fiery ship, and both Captain Stone and Martha Jane soul's were cursed by the Ashen Dragon's crew.
The Ashen Dragon made land at Flintlock Peninsula in the Devil's Roar, where the cursed Captain, in an adorned sarcophagus, was laid to rest, entombed in a sealed chamber.
Some time later, Sir Arthur Pendragon is unwittingly led to free Captain Flameheart from his curse using the Sword of Souls, thinking he was a victim of the Ashen Dragon like Martha Jane and Randal Stone. His burning skull lights up the sky as he promises to bring his vengeance upon the Sea of Thieves.
See Also[edit | edit source]
Gallery[edit | edit source]
Flameheart's first in-game appearance during The Seabound Soul.
