The Pirates Den

The Pirates Den

As you pass through the gates and approach the first building you will find that it has a Gunsmith Workbench in front of it!  Inside is Barney, the Gunsmith.  He is a bit hard of hearing in a funny way, but as you talk to him he will teach you about pistols, he will teach you about the different types of pistols, and he will teach you the Gunsmith Skill -- for a price...  Check the training options at the bottom of the section for the details.

Barney is both a Gunsmith and a Firearms Merchant, and he has the following for sale in his shop:

-- Pistol (Cost: 750 gold - Damage: 60 / Taunt: Pistols / 20 Pistols)
-- Scatter Pistol (Cost: 500 gold - Damage: 60 / Taunt: Pistols / 5 Pistols)
-- Bullets (Cost: 1 gold - For Muskets and Certain Pistols)
-- Lead Shot (Cost: 1 gold - For Shotguns and Certain Pistols)
-- Schematics for "The Twins" (Cost: 900 gold - Parts Required are Pistol Barrels: 2 / Wheel Locks: 2)

In addition to all of that he also offers you a shooting mini-game in which he throws 10 targets and you shoot them.  The rules are really simple -- you get 10 shots in total, and he will throw targets out for you to take those shots.  If a target is moving too fast and you know you cannot hit it, do NOT try.  Just wait for the next target, but be aware that you are only allowed to NOT shoot at three targets in a row, as failing to shoot at the third target ends the game.  Just take your time, shoot the ones you know you can hit, and she'll be right mates.   The first three times you play the game are free, and after that you have to put up 10 gold to play - but as long as you hit at least five targets you get the 10 gold back.

Unlocking the Crack Shot Achievement by hitting all 10 Targets

Each time you play you can earn 10 Glory, and get in a little target practice of course, and if you manage to hit all ten targets without a single miss you unlock the Achievement 'Crack Shot' (10 GP) for hitting all 10 targets in one game.

After your first three plays you unlock a second game that is called "Shooting the Fleet" which is another shooting mini-game in which you shoot three sets of targets.  Hit the majority and you get your money back, win all of them and you can win a purse prize.  In theory between the two games you can milk them for a very little Glory -- but bear in mind that the Glory is only awarded when you have improved your performance and only in small amounts, and once you have averaged 9 out of 10 it stops granting Glory for equaling that score, so you cannot use this as an unlimited fountain of Glory but wouldn't it be cool if you could?

-- The Rest of the Den --

Now it is time to explore the rest of the Den, but before we do that I want to warn you about something -- do NOT talk to Patty's father during this visit!  Seriously, if you do talk to Steelbeard you will lose Patty, as she parts company at that point.  Since we sort of need her to stay in the party while we obtain the Glory and gold we need to improve our character, we want to hold off on completing that part of the Titan Weapon quest until we are actually ready to do that.

Something for you to bear in mind with respect to gathering resources and items...  Inside the Pirate Den the residents may be a bit more sensitive to having their things stolen from them so you want to be very aware of what you are doing here.  Just because an item is sitting out in the open does not mean that (A) one of the pirate NPC's does not believe they own it, and (B) they tend to aggro quickly if they feel you screwed them over.  So do not steal from them, right?

From Barney's shop there are two directions to head in -- well, three really since you can also return to the Main Gate -- and those are The Main Gate, the bridge and the stairs going down. 

Across the bridge is located the Pirate Merchant and Monkey Trainer Flannigan, who sells the following items:

-- Bone Saw (Cost: 100 gold - Used to cut off limbs, bones, or claws)
-- Colourful Trousers (Cost: 150 gold - Bladeproof: 2 / Bulletproof: 2)
-- Fire Oil(Cost: ??? gold)
-- Old Bandana (Cost: 100 gold - Bladeproof: 2 / Bulletproof: 2)
-- Old Shoes (Cost: 75 gold - Bladeproof: 2 / Bulletproof: 0 / 2 Silver Tongue)
-- Old Short Boots (Cost: 125 gold - Bladeproof: 5 / Bulletproof: 0)
-- Pickaxe (Cost: 150 / For Mining Gold)
-- Plain Shirt (Cost: 100 gold - Bladeproof: 5 / Bulletproof: 5)
-- Salt (Cost: 100 gold - Taunt: Dirty Tricks / Reload: 10 Seconds)
-- Shovel (Cost: 150 gold - For digging treasure or graves)
-- Skull Earring (Cost: 200 gold - 5 Intimidation)
-- Sparkling Gold Ring (Cost: 150 gold - 5 Silver Tongue)
-- Striped Bandana (Cost: 100 gold - Bladeproof: 2 / Bulletproof: 2)
-- Striped Shirt (Cost: 100 gold - Bladeproof: 5 / Bulletproof: 5)
-- Torch (Cost: 15 gold)

Flannigan can teach you how to tame Monkeys and how to teach your parrots tricks -- see the abilities list at the end of this section for more details and the costs!  Regardless of what else you purchase from him you should at a minimum buy a Shovel and a Pickaxe -- you will recall that we passed through a cave before we crossed the bridge that lead to the open glade in which the Main Gate is located in?  Well, we could have mined the walls of that cave if we had owned a Pickaxe, which we did not -- but now we can!  So yeah, you really should buy one of each and this is me assuming that you did in fact do so -->  :)  <-- but only ONE, so check the amount of them when you make the purchases to be sure you are not buying more than you actually need, right?

The second bridge leads to the distillery on the floor above the Pub, but the blokes tending to it will kill you if you go in there, so best not then.

== The Pirates Den Public House ==
Heading down the stairs from Barney's place takes you to the docks area and a Public House -- out front you are accosted by Curtis, who fills you in on which way up is around here, and it works out that he sort of fills the unofficial role of Port Commander... 

Standing by the fire in front of the Pub is a bloke named Morris, from whom you can learn some details about the local Rum Industry, and then tries to convince you to help him steal some Rum for his personal consumption needs.   He wants to sell you his plan to steal the Rum -- and he wants 100 gold for his "plan" which as far as I am concerned was just too dear a price to pay.

Across the way from the Pub is Steelbeard's Pirate Ship, but we are avoiding that for now.

Inside the Pub you will find Pirate Hank, the aforementioned Booze the bartender and distiller, who also happens to be a Skills and Ability Teacher (see the list at the bottom of the section for more information on that) including improved Bulletproof!  Booze is a Merchant who sells the following items:

-- Rum (Cost: 100 gold - 100 Blood)
-- Grog (Cost: 60 gold - 50 Blood)
-- Bloody Mary (Cost: 75 gold - 100 Regeneration)
-- Painkiller (Cost: 150 gold - 50 Bladeproof / 50 Bulletproof for 60 Seconds)
-- Recipe for Painkiller (Cost: 500 gold - Requires 1 Sugar, 1 Bloodroot)
-- Recipe for Rum (Cost: 500 gold - Requires x2 Sugar)
-- Recipe for Grog (Cost: 250 gold - Requires x1 Sugar)
-- Hand Mirror (Cost: 2000 gold - 10 Silver Tongue)

Finally you can ask him about Steelbeard, who he has strong feelings about and will share them with you -- and you learn that while Booze respects Steelbeard, he is very angry at him too.  Asking about his need for sugar flags the new quest The Sugar Shipment (a sub-quest under The Titan Weapon Quest).  You also flag he sub-quest The Water Carriers (also a sub-quest under The Titan Weapon Quest).  Asking about the Sugar situation also flags the quest The Sugar Trade under the local quests.

Before you leave Booze be sure to deliver the letter you were given to deliver to him, so you can complete this part of the quest Pirate Post -- and of course you get the reply from Booze to take back to the port.

Speak to Holly the barmaid, who you can pump for information about happenings in the Den, including information about treasure and Steelbeard (if you are willing to pay her 100 gold that is)...  She also wants paying (another 100 gold) for information about the treasure...  Holly is also an ability teacher, and she can instruct you on Cunning and persuasion.  See the list at the bottom of the section for the details.

If you pay her the 100 gold that she is asking for information on Pete's Treasure, she gives you the new quest Pete's Treasure Map, which is actually a sub-quest of the Titan Weapon quest, so you actually should go ahead and pay her for this.

Paying her 100 gold for what amounts to nothing but worthless gossip over Steelbeard though seems to be a waste of money!  All that she tells you is a rumor she heard about Steelbeard joining with other captains for a raid, and them fighting over the loot in the end.

Unlocking the Drunkard Achievement by winning 10 Times

-- The Pirate O'Brian --

Standing near a table is a drunken pirate named O'Brian to whom you can talk to get information about the ship and how to become a member of the crew.  He tells you to get a map and shovel and go dig for treasure -- and you of course ask him if he has treasure buried? 

You can challenge him to a drinking contest, and he agrees, at which point after you discuss the rules, you can make it more interesting by adding a wager to the contest, either $50 gold -- or -- you can bet his Treasure Map!  Of course you will have to put up your own valuables against his map, and in this case that is $500 gold, so you will not be wanting to lose this!

Once the contest starts you need to pick up each of the bottles off of the table by its neck and drink it down.  Sounds simple enough, right?  Well, not so much...  You see you need to consume all of your bottles before O'Brian drinks his, and you must NOT allow any to get knocked over, fall, or break!  If you knock over a bottle you have to wait for it to get reset, and that can allow him to beat you, so you know, do not do that!  Got it?  Oh, and the drunker you get the harder that will be! 

It would be a really good idea to save the game BEFORE you do this, right?  You will need to finish the $50 bets several times before he will do the treasure map one as well, just so you know, and after you win 10 matches you will unlock the Achievement "Drunkard" (10 GP) for winning the 10th contest.  Do it right and you get his map and a tasty 10 GP Achievement in the bargain!

In the corner is a bloke named Meeks who you can talk to about the curse that Steelbeard sails under.  You have to buy him some Rum first, but after you do he tells you what he knows!  After you chat with Meeks Booze calls you over and yells at you not to give Meeks any Rum -- apparently Meeks is an outsider...  Booze fills you in about Garcia, who Meeks works for, a Captain who is actually aligned with the Titan Mara!

Exhausting the chat options reveals Booze's take on Meeks, and the fact that he is up to something -- you offer to find out what Meeks is up to and Booze jumps at the chance to have you do that, adding that he will tell you when the time is right for following the booze hound.

-- Curtis --

As you exit the Pub talk to Curtis again and he will ask you to go get someone to relieve Fence at the gate, as well as deal with the Water Bearers.  Head to the Waterfall and talk to Doggs and Foster -- who pretty much ignore you as they argue who gets to do whatever it is they were supposed to do...  Talk to Colby on the other side of the water and he will fill you in -- you deliver the message that Curtis sent and learn that THAT is what those idiots are arguing about!

You sort out the situation and then tell them what you want done but they are not having any and you end up having to fight both of them just to decide who does guard duty!

-- O'Brian's Treasure --

Once you have that all sorted out and before you go back to Curtis, head through the cave on the other side of the river and you will find a beach there with the red-X marking the spot where the treasure is buried.  First kill the Sand Devils on the beach -- there are two groups of them by the water -- then dig up the chest, which also unlocks the Achievement "Treasure Hunter" (10 GP) for finding your first treasure in the game.  Well done!

Opening the chest reveals am Emerald, some gold, a Golden Goblet, and a Bowl.  The Emerald is worth 75 gold, the Goblet is worth 100 gold, and the Bowl is worth 75, and of course there is 800 gold coins to be taken as well!

Make sure you clear out the resources that are to be had down here, and then carefully go up the grassy hill and kill the Jaguar with Patty's help!  With that dead and the 100 Glory well-earned, go clear the other beach of more Sand Devils and a Giant Crab...  Patty knows Kick, and that will knock it onto its back so you can kill it!  Loot the corpses and grab all of the resources from the beach (make sure you heal and save as needed and appropriate).

Digging up your first Treasure Chest - and a few Achievements

With the second beach area now completely cleared of monsters and its resources gathered, return to the Den to talk to Curtis, and he expresses his thanks to you.

Before departing head down to the beach through the other gate and talk to Blake, who is also a teacher, and at the minimum learn the Kick move from him!  See the listing at the bottom for all of the things he can teach you!

We have not actually explored the entire Den area -- there is the Smithy past the Pub, and a fire with some pirates at it, but we are going to save that for later, when we are ready to progress the Largo rescue, so for now head back to the Port in order to deliver the message to Pedro!

--== Drinks, Provisions, Tools & Utility Items ==--

You can find the following items here and there in the Jungle and its environment, as well as animals and Savages to kill...  When you end up badly mauled it is usually a good idea to head back to town and spend the night sleeping in one of the beds in the Hut to heal...

--== Resources ==--
-- Black Oleander
-- Bloodroot
-- Gold (Found in a chest near Vasco's Tower)
-- Golden Clover
-- Makiberries
-- Powdered Red Poppy Seed
-- Skullflower
-- Swordthorn

--== Leveling Abilities & Skills ==--
The following abilities and skills are leveled by obtaining training from the proper NPC:

-- (Barney) Learn Gunsmithing (1000 gold - Firearms 6)
-- (Barney) Critical Hit Training (1000 gold - Firearms 1)
-- (Barney) Headshot Attack (500 gold - Firearms 2)
-- (Barney) Fast Draw (1000 gold - Firearm 4)
-- (Barney) Level Pistols (500 gold - Firearms 1)
-- (Barney) Marksman Training (1000 gold - Firearms 4, Pistols 1)
-- (Blake) Kick Move (500 gold - Toughness 1)
-- (Blake) Heal (500 gold - Toughness 2)
-- (Blake) Better Healing (1000 gold - Toughness 5, Bladeproof I)
-- (Booze) Make Painkillers last Longer (1000 gold - Toughness 2)
-- (Booze) Intimidation Skill (500 gold - Toughness 1)
-- (Booze) Improved Intimidation (1000 gold - Toughness 4, Intimidate I)
-- (Booze) Advanced Intimidation (1500 gold - Toughness 7, Intimidate II)
-- (Booze) Handle Gunshot Wounds (500 gold - Toughness 3)
-- (Booze) Handle Gunshot Wounds Better (1000 gold - Toughness 6, Bulletproof I)
-- (Flannigan) Monkey Taming (1000 gold - Cunning 6)
-- (Flannigan) Parrot Tricks (1000 gold - Cunning 8)
-- (Flannigan) Faster Dirty Tricks (1000 gold - Cunning 10)
-- (Flannigan) FIghting Dirty Tricks (500 gold - Cunning 3)
-- (Flannigan) Improved Dirty Tricks (1000 gold - Cunning 6, Dirty Tricks 1)
-- (Flannigan) Advanced Dirty Tricks (1500 gold - Cunning 9, Dirty Tricks II)
-- (Holly) Basic Persuasion (500 gold - Cunning 1)
-- (Holly) Improved Persuasion (1000 gold - Cunning 4, Silver Tongue I)
-- (Holly) Advanced Persuasion (1500 gold - Cunning 7, Silver Tongue II)