Note: This post is to give information about one of the Exemplars, The Seafarer, for the upcoming drop. We know that the community wants additional information, so this is the first of a series on the Exemplars of Mirandus, which give a bit more color to their backgrounds, activities, and insights into the in-game mechanisms. Enjoy!

Carry me home
To a ship on the sea,
Where wind, wave and foam
My spirit will free,

And if I return
To this dull and dry land,
I’ll be in an urn
Filled with ashes and sand.

The Seafarers’ Song

What do you Really Know about the Sea?

71% of the Earth that we know is water. There are approximately 321 million cubic miles of space in the oceans of this planet. Beneath their surfaces is an alien world of which we know very little. James Cameron may have explored 35,000 feet into Challenger’s Deep of the Mariana Trench all by himself, but can you imagine what it was like in the old days, before radar and computer navigation? The most daring adventurers of the past must have been those who set sail into the great unknown, the endless seas, knowing not what adventure and toil awaited them.

You’re an explorer of the sea, a seafarer. You are envied by those who are tied to their land-locked responsibilities, and you are marveled at by the most civilized people of the towns and cities. They do not understand your life. They do not feel the unbridled joy as you do when you are gently rocked by the waves. They do not know the exhilarating rush of adrenaline that accompanies a squall as it threatens to consume your crew and swallow your ship into its hungry chaos. As you know in your heart, they do not truly live.

Seafaring in Mirandus

Mirandus will take a bold step into the mysterious seas that few games have attempted to take before. The creators of this fantasy world recognize that there is a world on the waves, and an even greater one beneath them. For some, the seas of Mirandus will be a merciless enemy, a deadly wasteland from whence there is no return. For those with their sea-legs, the waters may bring untold opportunities, adventures and treasures. The greatest of those who ride the waves and adventure beyond the horizon are the Human Seafarers.

In addition to the great blue yonder, Mirandus will contain local bodies of water, such as lakes, rivers and ponds. Many of these local bodies will have their own secrets, and Seafarers will be adept at navigating them all. There will be intricate and treacherous coastlines to explore, and the Seafarers will be able to explore them with the greatest of ease. Seafarers receive a bonus to maneuvering in small watercraft as well as large ships.

The world of Mirandus is essentially one huge island, like any continent of the world. Seafarers are driven to explore outward on the water with no boundaries. If a Seafarer knows the way to an unexplored island far from home, they can sail there with little to no danger on their voyage. Seafarers can sail farther and faster than the average player. In fact, if a non-seafaring adventurer of Mirandus has coordinates to a great treasure trove miles from the shore, they would be wise to connect with a Seafarer to deliver them safely… for a price.

Just like in real life, there will be places outside the coast that cannot be visited by a mere canoe. Allowing avatars to simply canoe paddle to a distant deserted isle is a rather lame attempt at authenticity and a jarringly poor player experience. Mirandus will have true authenticity in its seafaring.

Seafarers are at home on a tossed ship, and they find their ways by the stars. They are able to row more efficiently, spending less energy than others. They can travel faster and more safely. They can avoid random encounters, and they can seek out hidden wonders using tips and maps. As long as the Seafarer knows the location of something, they can find it in the vast open sea.

The Seafarer’s Boat

The boat of a Seafarer is their closest companion, their protector and their home. Ships can hold great amounts of treasure and supplies, so in Mirandus, a Seafarer’s ship is the most secure place to stow their goods. Boats, which can be upgraded, enhanced and built upon are vessels into the least known areas of Mirandus for those who dare explore them.

A Seafarer’s boat is the most important thing in their life. While they may not tie themselves down to towns, jobs or mates, every Seafarer has a sturdy rope lashed from boat to heart. With a good boat underfoot, a Mirandus Seafarer is never far from adventure and fortune.