So, ye've set yer sights on the frozen crown of the world, have ye? The Northeast Passage is no pleasure cruise, matey. It's a brutal, ice-choked gauntlet that'll test yer ship and yer nerve to their very limits. But for those who master it, it carves a direct path to the riches of the East, aye, and to the fabled Nanban trade, without having to bow to the southern heathens or round the treacherous Cape. Mark this well: this is a path for proven captains only.
The Price of Entry
This is no path for greenhorns. To even hear Mercator's whispers in Amsterdam, ye must first prove yer name is known in every corner of the charted world.
- Ye must hold every single fame-based port permit, from the chill of the North Sea to the spice-laden air of the Indian Ocean.
- Furthermore, ye must possess the hard-won permits for the East Coast of Latin America, Southeast Asia, Oceania, and East Asia.
- And ye must have settled the business of the North Sea's own tale.
The Voyage Itself
Find old Mercator in Amsterdam. He'll set ye on a grand survey, charting the white wastes sea by frozen sea. From the North Norwegian Sea all the way to the West Bering Sea, ye'll be mapping a legend. It's a long, punishing journey of repeated tasks—chart, return, and chart again.
Why Endure the Ice?
Why suffer the grinding ice and endless cold? Because it's one of the possible sea routes to the Far East and Nanban. It's a shortcut for the bold, a way to bypass the crowded southern lanes and carve yer own legacy through the roof of the world.
If ye hunger for the full chart—what gear to trust, how to survive the crushing ice, and every last secret of the frozen deep—make way to the complete guide below. I'll show ye how to seize this passage proper.
When you first get this storyline, Mercator asks you to chart Fram Strait, Lofoten Basin, Denmark Basin and Norwegian Sea. This has been mistranslated, when Mercator says Norwegian Sea he actually means Norwegian Basin which is called Norway Basin in your list of chartable areas. Might help some confused newbies (like myself) to know this information beforehand. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteAfter handing in the first set of charts, you are told to go out and chart West Barents Sea, East Barents Sea, and North Norwegian Sea. You must also chart the White Sea to complete the second step, even though it does not tell you to.
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