Investigate a Ship

Briefing​ (top)

You must be at least level 10 and have "Luck" skill at least 6. This is your base skill, not modified by items and not contributed by an officer.

Talk to any governor of your served nation, or any governor from a nation with which you have a Letter of Marque. Say "I'd like to talk to you about a small piece of business". In addition to the usual offer of a ship-hunting quest, there should now be an option "I have a special mission for someone with your particular talents". Pick this.

You are told to investigate a certain ship belonging to an enemy of your nation. You are told where the ship is now. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find out where the ship is going, then find out what it is doing there.

If you decline, a similar offer may be made in a month's time.

If you accept, a quartermaster from the secret service will enter and give you 6 poisoned throwing knives and a lockpick. Don't waste the knives on random targets or the lockpick on random chests, you'll need them for the mission!

QB opened.

Find the ship​ (top)

Sail to the port given in the briefing. Upon arrival, one of your officers, or a random crewmember if you have no active officers, asks for orders. You order your ship to return to the port where you took the mission. QB update.

Look for a sailor standing still. In a large port with more than one pier, he'll be on a different pier from the one where you just moored. In a small port with only one pier, you're on that pier and so is he. Talk to the sailor and bluff your way onto his ship. Walk to the end of the pier on which you found the sailor. Teleport on board the ship. Lose your own ship and all your officers. (Don't worry, if you complete the mission then you'll get them back.)

On the ship, you are challenged by a soldier. Bluff your way past him. Teleport to the ship's hold. After a self-dialog, walk to the crates at the back of the hold. When you find the right spot, you automatically move behind the crates and sit down. QB update.

A soldier appears and searches the hold. If you're lucky, he doesn't notice you; he wanders around a bit, then leaves. If you're not lucky, he spots you and you have to fight him, then you sit back behind the crates. Either way, QB update.

The ship arrives​ (top)

After some time, the ship arrives at its destination. You stand up. QB update. You can walk to the ladder and teleport to deck, where you're challenged by a soldier. If you're female, you can bluff past him. If you're male, you fight him plus one more. Alternatively, if you're male, wait in the hold until a sailor arrives, then ask him to help you move a crate. With his assistance, you can bluff past the soldiers on deck. In any case (unless you're male, impatient, unskilled in combat and now dead), teleport to the port. QB update.

Find the plans​ (top)

Wait until nightfall. Find the town hall (or the pirate boss' house if you're at Nevis Pirate Settlement). Depending on location, there are usually two guards outside, though at least one location has only one guard while a couple of others have four. SAVE GAME NOW! The next bit is tricky.

You need to kill all the guards by the town hall. For preference, use the poisoned throwing knives. If the alarm sounds, try to run to another location - several town halls are near to taverns where you can take cover. If you're in San Juan, this is not an option.

Once the door guards are all dead, go to the door. If you have a lockpick, you automatically go inside. (If not, you're stuck.)

Inside the town hall, look for a chest. When you go to it, you find the plans and make a copy. QB update.

Escape​ (top)

Leave the town hall. The guards outside are now alerted. Try to avoid them and make your way to the tavern. Talk to the Smuggling agent. Arrange a deal for a smuggler to take you back to your base port. If you don't have enough money, the agent will accept a promise to pay double upon arrival. QB update.

Wait until the next night. QB update reminds you where you need to go to meet the smuggler. Don't be late, you don't want to miss the boat!

Make your way to the beach. Talk to the smuggler. QB update. You have control over the smuggler's ship. Sail back to your home port.

Return, report, reward​ (top)

Go to the governor's residence. If you had to promise to pay the smuggler double, the smuggler will follow you.

Talk to the governor. Hand over the copy of the enemy report. Receive a cash reward and a boost to your status with your nation. Get your ship and officers back. QB update and close.

If you couldn't afford to pay the smuggler, claim the fare as expenses and get a little more money. When you leave the residence, pay the smuggler.