Connecting the Pirate101 Teasers

So we've got all of these new teaser images from KingsIsle, which, if you haven't seen, I'll be happy to recap with you. But the question still remains - how do they relate? What's the significance? Some players have some very interesting ideas.

 

The above is, of course, an illustration. But the bird pictured there is very real, and flamingos are indeed found in Zafaria - they likely even originate there. I will be presenting the teasers thematically, no in the chronological order that they were released. If you were curious, the first was the photo of the old man, the second the photo with the eagles, the third the shark, the fourth the chest with two locks, and the fifth the bird.

Completely Barmy!

There have been several methods of releasing photos, but two were released in Newsletters specifically, and both with a similar caption that the others seem to lack - "Barmy." They are both also the lower-quality photos available. This leads me to believe that they must be connected.

If you can't read it, Bonnie is saying "The Ancient Ones aren't the only ones who've gone. He's gone... gone completely barmy, Captain!" Back in my last teaser post HERE, we observed that Bonnie is unpromoted and that this appears to be an interior location on Skull Island. So while the Ancient Ones may refer to Aztecans as some believe, it's likely the Aztecosaurs in Skull Island's caves, not Book 15 of the El Dorado arc. 

We know now, though, that something else is completely barmy - this chest with two locks that is an interface of some sort. My first question is exactly how this chest appeared. Could it be combat? Think about the positioning - this puts it right in Cutthroat territory on Skull Mountain, and means you'd need to be in a battle to interact with it... unless, of course, you'd just completed that battle and it was a reward.

At that point, what happens? You unlock one lock, and another player must be present for the other? You must obtain two keys from various battles? Perhaps these chests appear randomly, and you must battle nearby creatures for the two keys to unlock them. Or maybe they're Pirate101's version of silver chests. I don't think it's any coincidence they're on Skull Island near Aztecosaurs. My guess is that this is a new feature or interface entirely, and whoever is talking with Bonnie is going to point us in the right direction.

Green Sharks and Pink Flamingos

Cret92 made the observation that we've now seen two NPCs that are at least part of a quest, and that there are two locks on the chest. Two quests - two keys. But the NPCs seem interested in something else.

As we get into the first of our larger pictures, we see Carcarius Grimtooth, a shark unlike any we've seen yet, who says "Hola, tiny Captain! I seek passage with you!" Now since we aren't in the business of public transportation, this tells me one thing - new companion. Possibly from a main quest, possibly not. Why it was in the Witchdoctor sanctum was beyond me... until the release of the most recent image. 

Now we know that there's not just a random NPC that Vadima has us speaking with. Because there's another one - and it's not very often that another NPC appears randomly in training areas, and so I'd bet they aren't around to stay. We know now that it's not part of the main quest, but side content, as there's a yellow exclamation above this flamingo's head. 

And so, my guess would be class companions. The Shark is outfitted to be a Witchdoctor, wand and all. The bird is certainly a Musketeer. These two images must also be connected. Are we going to only be able to see the ones we can receive - or can we have all five? (One can dream)

This does raise an interesting question - where do these NPCs, regardless of what they're for, come from? Neither have known similar species in Pirate101. So what will the other three be?

Last Piece of the Puzzle

There's always something that just doesn't fit, and the last teaser image of the Aquilans is just it.

If you read my last post about the teasers (linked above), you'll remember our discussion of Gladia Portitrix and what she might be taking us to in that distant Colosseum. The Romans would actually flood their Colosseum, build battleships in it, and fight naval battles - so what better place for ship PvP? But why eagles? Why not a lovely floating island with a general theme, Colosseum, and some teleporter, instead of the dock that seems to suggest that Musketeers are going to be hosting whatever party this may be?

So What is this Update?

Good question. From the looks of it, the next major test realm is going to be a lot of new side content - but what we've seen so far is at least one new interface and a few class companions. That doesn't mean that's all that's coming. Johnny made a good point that if Book 15 is our search for "G" in Valencia (because Avery can't possibly have a better lead than this), then it might not necessarily be too long. Because our final Kane encounter wouldn't come 75% of the way through the first arc, it may only be a visit for information... and close-up view of Valencian politics.

That in mind, it'd make sense to have this variety of new features. Pirate101 does seem to enjoy larger updates that are spaced further apart, so I'd definitely have high hopes that whatever it is ought to be good. What are you thinking of the teasers?

Thanks for reading and see you in the Spiral!