Duke

Duke
Details
Type	NPC
Location	Tavern

Duke is a Bilge Rats NPC that was introduced in The Hungering Deep event, and can be found in every Tavern. Duke generally spreads rumours and gossip regarding Current Events to lead the players towards the current Bilge Rat Adventure or Mercenary Voyages. Players can also spend either Doubloons or Gold for various Time-Limited Items.

Duke's Black Market

As the only representative of the Bilge Rats, Duke is the one to both reward Bilge Rat Doubloons and offer a way to spend them at his Black Market.

Mercenary Voyages

The first thing you can acquire at Duke's Market is Mercenary Voyages for those Pirates who want to do something adventurous and different from your regular Trading Companies Voyages. Mercenary Voyages are always tied to the current Event. Most Mercenary Voyages cost Doubloons to purchase.

Desirables for Doubloons

These are the various Items that players can purchase for their hard-earned Doubloons. These include Time-Limited cosmetic Items, Letters of Recommendations to earn favour and level up with one of the 5 major Trading Companies, or to simply exchange the Doubloons for Gold.

Goodies for Gold

With every Mercenary Content Update, Duke also offers Time-Limited Cosmetic Items for large amounts of Gold.

Reaper's Chests

Main article: Reaper’s Chest

Any Reaper's Chests that are found on the seas can be sold to Duke for 25 Doubloons.

Dialogue

• Never seen a Bilge Rat before, mate? Come share a grog and let's toast to freedom, adventure and the open sea!
• Here's to the open sea! You ready to test your mettle with the Bilge Rats?
  • So, what's new around here? (Only during The Hungering Deep event)
    • You noticed the sharks getting excitable lately? Great fun trying to outswim them if you ask me!
    • Bit of a mystery, really. If you're feeling curious, there's a fella called 'merry' Merrick who seems to know something about it.
    • He might tell you, if he's sober. Last I heard, he was camped on the South-West side of Shark Bait Cove. Adventure calls, mate!
  • So, what's new around here? (Only during the Skeleton Thrones event)
    • We Bilge Rats have cooked up a challenge for pirate who love to explore. I doubt you've got what it takes to handle this, but you're free to try.
    • We've scavenged parts from across the Sea of Thieves and built ten skeleton thrones in truly tricky places. Easy for us to reach, but for you... ha!
    • It's a real thrill to sit atop the world and survey the seas from our thrones- if you can work out how to reach them...
    • We challenge you to find and sit in all of them. Some are so big that you'll need to sit with a pirate from another crew. So, put your heads together!
  • So, what's new around here? (Only during the Gunpowder Skeletons Event)
    • You'll need to speak up, my ears are ringing! The skellies have started using gunpowder barrels to catch out unwary pirates.
    • Here's a tip from the Bilge Rats, though- shoot the barrels and blow them up before they reach you. Child's play for us, obviously.
    • We're challenging you to use the gunpowder skellies against the others. Have you got the skill to blow up three skellies at once by shooting the barrels?
    • Don't stop there, get creative with it! A few stunts like that and everyone will know your name!
  • Ah, you look like the sort who isn't scared of a little light drowning... (Only during The Sunken Curse event)
    • The Bilge Rats, as always, have been the first to catch wind of local weirdness! How d'you feel about swimming? And malevolent curses?
    • See, these strange mer artefacts have been sighted lately. You'll find them underwater, but they harm whoever gets near!
    • If you're brave enough, you can swim down and destroy them. Just a warm-up for us, naturally. But you might struggle!
    • I think a real pirate would have no trouble finding and destroying the artefacts. I did it before my morning grog!
  • More money to be made, Duke? (Only during the Dark Relics Event).
    • The Order of Souls has entrusted me with an important task - retreiving stolen property! I know, it's not typical pirate work...
    • The skellies made off with several of their Dark Relics; powerful, mystical objects. Who knows what strange rituals they're attempting?!
    • But, I have Dark Relic Voyages from the Order, based on their visions of where the items might be. Find as many as you can, pirate. Do it for Duke!
    • Also... these Reaper's Chests have started showing up all over the place. Beware, they're cursed with the Reaper's Mark, so they invite trouble!
    • I don't know what's inside the bizarre things, but I smell an opportunity! I'll pay you in Doubloons; which will soon be even more valuable...
  • Who are the Bilge Rats?
    • You know the trading companies? Like those stuffy Merchant Alliance fools? Well, a pox on them!
    • Chase commendations and approval from your masters if you like, but the love of adventure, discovery, of the sea itself... that's what we're about.
    • Get out there, get in trouble, get a few scars! We love pirates who chase rumours and follow their noses. Even if the get broken from time to time...
    • Bilge Rats love adventure, rumours and challenges. Whenever something new is happening on the Sea of Thieves, you can count on me to know about it!
  • What's with your outfit?
    • Bilge Rats live like true pirates! There's always a new challenge on the horizon, if you keep your ear to the ground.
    • I'd rather have a few tears in my trousers and the tales that go with them, than look like some kind of... preening pirate pretty boy!
  • What can the Bilge Rats offer?
    • The trading companies offer you goodies for voyaging? Well, so can we! So, get out there, get in trouble and live free!
    • If you can rise to our challenges, you'll get the respect and rewards you deserve. But that's a big "if". Bilge Rats don't do things by halves.

Smuggler's Fortune

Duke's back on top and I'm launching a brand-new Black Market! Only shh, because it's a Black Market. I've got some unusual new jobs for you, too!

What's this Black Market of yours, Duke?

Remember how I had everyone collect all those Reaper's Chests? Well, many of them contained old, but quite rare and valuable equipment!
And with investment from the Trading Companies - thanks to everyone who helped me rebuild few bridges - I think this could be a new kind of shop!
The Black Market lets you trade Doubloons for rare, special items, some of which might have slipped through your hooks in the past.
I can pay yo with Doubloons for certain Voyages, too, so you'll have plenty of spending money. This is my chance to make a name for myself
Oh, I'm still a Bilge Rat at heart, of course. But this is a chance to make it big! You'll help me find more Reaper's Chests, right?

What's this work you have to offer?

Oh, yes! When I opened all those Reapers Chests, there was some fascinating old equipment. There was also a load of waste rubbish!
Rags, dust and plenty of old bones. Worthless! Well I buried them in Rag and Bone Crates on Shipwreck Bay until I could figure out what to do.
But wait! I had a spot of luck. Stitcher Jim is back and he's turned over a new leaf. No, seriously! That wretched old fool is wracked by guilt.
Jim has buyers on the Seaposts for those Rag and Bone Crates. 'One pirate's trash is another's treasure'... so grab a shovel and get digging!

Who are the Bilge Rats?

We're more of a club than a Trading Company, but we do reward pirates who chase adventure and follow their noses even if they get broken now and then...

Bilge Rats love adventure, rumours, and challenges. Whenever something new is happening on the Sea of Thieves, you can count on me to know about it!