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Several factions control different parts of Windrose's alternate Caribbean. Their competing interests and alliances drive the game's story and create the political backdrop for the player's adventure. At the April 14, 2026 Early Access launch, the game features four player-facing factions plus Blackbeard's hostile crew. The faction system is functional but the developers have noted it will continue to be expanded across Early Access.

The Five Active Factions

Four factions in the launch build are accessible for trade, reputation, and faction-specific gear. A fifth faction, Blackbeard's crew, is hostile and serves as the game's primary military antagonist.

The Brethren of the Coast

A pirate brotherhood that once unified the Caribbean's independent pirates under a common code. The Brethren operated from Tortuga and stood for "freedom, equality, and brotherhood." Their strength came from solidarity: individual pirate crews were vulnerable, but united under the Brethren's code, they held real power in the Caribbean.

Edward Teach (Blackbeard) was once a member but "quickly saw them as weak and limited in their views." He never believed in their ideals; he believed he was "born to rule." When the time was right, he betrayed the Brotherhood and stole a large sum of gold meant for Tortuga, using the stolen wealth to build his own crew and fleet. This betrayal shattered the Brethren. Surviving members of the Brethren are scattered across the archipelago. Reuniting the remnants of the Brethren is part of the main storyline.

Their faction trader at the Tortuga waterfront sells Shipwright's Tools, steel nails, salt, trade goods (coffee, whiskey, madeira, brandy), and ship designs. They represent the game's "good pirate" faction: criminals with a code, fighting against a far worse threat.

Rogue Buccaneers

An independent pirate-aligned faction focused on loot, plundering, and trading rather than ideology. The Rogue Buccaneers operate from Tortuga's Market and from a temporary island base reached via the Buccaneers side quest. They are descendants of the historical 17th-century Caribbean freebooters; the word "buccaneer" comes from the Carib word "boucan" for smoked meat.

Their faction trader sells Master's Tools, armor plans (Filibuster's Jacket and Pants, Tracker's Jacket and Pants), and weapon plans. Their inventory expands with player reputation. Compared to the Brethren, the Rogue Buccaneers are more transactional and less ideologically committed.

People of Tortuga

The civilian and military population of Tortuga, the last major settlement holding out against Blackbeard's undead. Their population includes former pirates, merchants, soldiers from the destroyed British Navy, and civilians. They are not a unified army, but their collective survival depends on holding the line against Blackbeard's forces.

Their faction trader sells Sewing Tools, building plans, and armor plans (Privateer's Coat and Pants, Marksman's Doublet and Pants). The Recruitment Vendor at Tortuga offers Farming Contractors and other NPC workers for 10 gold coins. Helping Tortuga's defenders and strengthening the town's defenses is part of the game's progression.

Smugglers of Port Royal

The most secretive of the player-facing factions. The Smugglers operate from a hidden base discovered through exploration and through specific quests like "Underground Network." They deal in contraband, rare relics, and currency exchange between Piastres and Guineas (though the rates favor the smugglers).

Their faction trader sells Smithing Flux, armor plans (Conquistador's Cuirass and Pants, Pikeman's Cuirass and Pants), and Hull Bracing for ships. At Rank 3 reputation, the Smugglers unlock Windrose Naval Tactics, a set of ship passive bonuses unavailable through any other faction. Their secrecy and economic specialization make them one of the more rewarding factions to grind reputation with.

Blackbeard's Crew

The dominant military power in the game, led by Edward Teach. After betraying the Brethren and forging a pact with dark powers, Blackbeard commands an army that does not tire, fear, or need supplies. His undead fleet patrols the seas and occupies strategic islands. His motto captures his character: "Why settle for less when you can take it all?"

Blackbeard's closest ally is Israel Hands, his second-in-command and longtime companion. Hands is one of the main boss encounters in the game. Blackbeard's crew is hostile to everyone, including the player. Their forces include multiple enemy types:

On the seas, the player encounters Blackbeard's warships. Defeating a Blackbeard's Pirates' Ketch yields valuable loot including Insignia of a Blackbeard Lieutenant, Naval Supplies, Piastres, and Contraband.

British East India Company

The British East India Company functions as a background narrative force rather than an active player-facing faction in Early Access. The Company came into possession of several missing pages from Columbus's Book of Prophecies. Their interest is commercial: the pages describe a treasure that could grant control over the seas, and sea control means trade control.

The Company hired the player as a freelance courier to transport the artifact to London. The information leaked to Blackbeard, who ordered Israel Hands to intercept the shipment. This chain of events set the central conflict of the game in motion. Whether the East India Company becomes a tradable faction in later Early Access content is unconfirmed; the developers have stated the faction system "hasn't been fully developed yet and is still under discussion."

Bounty Agents and Reputation

Faction reputation is tracked separately for each faction (Brethren, Rogue Buccaneers, People of Tortuga, Smugglers). Reputation is not shared between factions, so building rep with one does not raise rep with another.

Reputation is earned by defeating Blackbeard's forces (on land or at sea) and recovering Insignias and Letters of Favor. These items drop from elite enemy types and are turned in to the Bounty Agent of the chosen faction at Tortuga. Each faction's Bounty Agent is positioned next to that faction's Provisioner, where higher-tier items are unlocked as your reputation rank increases.

Community sources report that Rank 3 with a faction sits around 500 reputation points and unlocks the most desirable inventory tiers (rare ship gear, faction-specific armor plans, building blueprints). Rank 3 with the Smugglers specifically unlocks Windrose Naval Tactics, a set of unique ship passive bonuses.

Currency System

Windrose uses two primary currencies plus barter materials:

Faction Relationship Note

Per Boostmatch's faction guide and PC Gamer's launch coverage, the four player-facing factions "do not compete with each other in any meaningful way. They are all, to put it diplomatically, on the same team against a common enemy. Specifically, everyone hates Blackbeard." Players are not forced to commit to one faction exclusively; building reputation with all four is the standard approach.

Mysterious Dark Powers

Beyond the named factions, the game references mysterious dark powers looming on the horizon. The story is described as "an epic fight against unspoken ancient evil." Corrupted enemies such as the Drowners, Swollen Drowned (undead variants with toxic spit attacks) and Plague Thralls appear to be connected to these supernatural forces rather than any specific named faction. Community rumours have pointed at additional corrupted variants beyond the confirmed roster, but no independent pre-launch showcase has been verified as the source for them. The Cursed Swamps and the planned Ashlands biome are heavily associated with these corrupted enemies.

Other Power Groups

Secret cults, rival pirate captains, and indigenous island communities are referenced in the game's broader lore. The developers have stated there is "much more ahead: more factions, new faces, unexpected twists, and moments that will define your journey." The full extent of faction interactions, reputation systems, and alliance mechanics will become clearer as the game progresses through Early Access.

Faction System Status

The faction system is functional at Early Access launch but the developers have indicated it will continue to be expanded. The Steam Community discussion notes: "Windrose will feature faction systems to add depth and replayability. However, this aspect hasn't been fully developed yet and is still under discussion."

What is currently known about the faction mechanics:

Where to Sell Loot (Item Tooltip Guide)

Windrose points you at the right buyer directly in the item tooltip. At the bottom of each sellable item's tooltip, the game names the faction that will buy it. Early players frequently make the mistake of hauling everything back to Tortuga the hub town only to find no purchase option, because the hub itself has no generic buyer. You sell goods to the NPC with the buyer overhead icon at that faction's hideout:

• Brethren of the Coast buyer sits at the Brethren camp on their dedicated island

• Rogue Buccaneers buyer sits at the Buccaneers camp (their island base)

• Smugglers of Port Royal buyer sits at the Smugglers' hidden archipelago

• People of Tortuga have a Recruitment Vendor and a Provisioner but no generic buyer at Tortuga itself

Tortuga specifically hosts only Bounty Agents and Provisioners, not general-purpose traders. To convert plundered goods into Piastres or Guineas, you must travel to a faction camp. Creators consistently flag this as a new-player pain point.

Faction Camps and Outposts

Each player-facing faction has at least one dedicated location away from Tortuga, in addition to its Provisioner and Bounty Agent stall on Tortuga itself:

• Brethren camp: their own island with the Brethren buyer, Provisioner, and quest-givers

• Buccaneers camp: a dedicated island base, plus a secondary outpost in Tortuga for convenience

• Smugglers' archipelago: a hidden cluster of islands reached after the follow-up Tortuga quest; hosts the luxuries and contraband buyer

• Tortuga: civilian-military hub; its population is the People of Tortuga faction; hosts all four Bounty Agents except the Smuggler agent, which sits at the Smuggler base

The Buccaneers camp is easy to miss because it is not directly signposted in the main story. Players commonly stumble into it after clearing a pirate camp on another island and finding a note telling them to report the loss to the Buccaneers, which triggers the camp appearing on the map.

Luxuries and Contraband Sell Only at the Smuggler Archipelago

Luxuries and contraband have a single buyer in the game: the Smugglers. The Buccaneers buyer will refuse these items outright. If you are holding ancient chalices, wooden talismans, talismans, silver spoons, buttons, bone beads, or similar rare goods and cannot find a sale, travel to the smuggler archipelago. The follow-up quest that unlocks this route triggers after you first visit Tortuga.

The smuggler buyer pays in Guineas for the rarest curios and in Piastres for lower-tier luxuries and contraband. This is the single fastest way to accumulate Guineas for the Naval Tactics unlock, much faster than waiting on buried treasure drops.

Merchant Contracts

Every faction Provisioner sells Merchant Contracts that, when placed at your base, function as automatic supply stalls. Each contract is a prefab structure (no resource cost to place) that periodically delivers a crate of themed goods straight to your outpost.

• Natural Resource Contract (People of Tortuga, unlocked after the Coastal Jungle boss): delivers sulfur and other advanced materials

• Animal Product / Animal Hide Contract: delivers hides, boar tusks, etc. Example: one 40-piastre order of boar tusks delivers 7 boar tusks per 70-minute cycle

• Cooked Food Contract: delivers prepared meals; often skippable unless you are short on cooking ingredients

Contracts need no upkeep resources but the delivery timer runs on real-time minutes, not game-time hours. Rough hide is a bottleneck in the early-to-mid game, so the Animal Hide contract is consistently recommended as a first pick. Creators note that while you could farm 7 boar tusks faster by killing boars directly, contracts free up your exploration time and stack passive income.

Hireable Camp Workers

At Tortuga you can hire named NPC workers for 500 Piastres each. Once assigned to a crafting station at your base via the bonfire Workers tab, they wander the camp and apply a permanent buff to that station's output. Three confirmed hires:

• Jasper Crow: assigned to the Weaponsmith Workshop / upgrade benches. 30% chance to recover the materials spent upgrading an item. Scales enormously with cannon and gear upgrades, which are some of the most expensive crafts in the game.

• Rosalinda Merca: assigned to the Alchemy Table. Master Bottle Maker: doubles clay bottle output, with a 30% chance to craft an extra elixir on every elixir recipe.

• Black Axel: assigned to cooking stations. Bonus chance to produce an extra cooked meal on each recipe; notable for co-op groups burning through food buffs.

Workers do not interact with the player once assigned; they are a persistent station buff with a wandering NPC visual. To place one, press E on a bonfire and use the Workers tab inside the station's interaction panel (similar to how Doctor Galen is placed from the bonfire's Guests tab).

Faction Side Quest Rewards

Faction side quests pay out in a blend of Piastres, Letters of Favor, and occasional gear. Confirmed example: the Buccaneers deliver 50 bags of gunpowder quest pays 50 Piastres plus 5 Letters of Favor on completion. Letters of Favor are especially valuable because they are earned through non-combat tasks (courier runs, deliveries, scouting) and can be turned in at any of the four faction Bounty Agents, not only the faction that issued the quest.

This makes Letters the most flexible reputation currency in the game. Stockpile them until you know which faction you need to push to Rank 3 next, then deliver them in bulk.

Why There Is No Negative Reputation

All four player-facing factions are positioned as co-belligerents against Blackbeard. The game does not implement negative faction reputation: there is currently no way to lose standing with any faction, and no friendly fire between them. On the seas, any non-Blackbeard sail shows up as a green friendly. You can even jump in to help a Buccaneer ship fight a Blackbeard fleet mid-sail and earn loot from the wreckage without any reputation penalty elsewhere.

This design choice is explicit: players are never punished for spreading reputation across all four factions. The optimal strategy is not to pick one and commit, but to let gear priorities dictate which faction you push first. See Bounty Agents for the reputation mechanics.

When Factions Unlock in the Main Story

None of the four player-facing factions are available at the opening of the game. Faction vendors unlock when the main story points you to Tortuga, which lands after the starting island and the coastal jungle introduction. On first arrival, three of the four Bounty Agents (Brethren, Buccaneers, People of Tortuga) become active at once. The fourth, the Smuggler Bounty Agent, unlocks after the follow-up quest that introduces the smuggler archipelago.

The practical effect is that the first few hours of the game involve stockpiling insignias, Letters of Favor, and luxuries with no place to spend them. This is the intended pacing. When Tortuga opens, that stockpile converts into one or two rapid faction rank jumps in a single session. Hoarding is not punished; the only mistake to avoid is leaving Tortuga on the first visit without exhausting tavern and waterfront dialogue, because the Smuggler quest breadcrumb is hidden in that conversation tree.

Recommended First-Faction Push: Naval Tactics via Smugglers

Creator consensus at Early Access launch recommends pushing Smugglers of Port Royal to Rank 3 before any other faction. The reason is that Smugglers are the only vendor for Naval Tactics, which are a ship-wide passive slot that no other faction can provide. Every other faction's inventory overlaps with another faction somewhere (cannons and hull armor roles compete, armor sets compete across Buccaneers and Smugglers), but Naval Tactics are structurally unique. Unlocking them first installs a passive like out-of-combat hull chip-heal, a Broken Rhythm debuff on enemy ships, or a Stored Volley damage spike that benefits every subsequent fight and every subsequent faction grind.

Alternate first targets are valid if your priorities differ:

• Brethren of the Coast if you want a bigger ship hull first. Brethren Rank 2 unlocks the Brig design and Rank 4 unlocks the Frigate, which are required for heavy 24- and 36-pounder cannons.

• Rogue Buccaneers if you want cannon upgrades. Rank 2 unlocks the Perfectly Ordered 12-Pounder Roost, whose post-reload ramp turns a consistent cannon rotation into a rapid-fire cycle.

• People of Tortuga if base automation matters more than combat power. People of Tortuga merchant contracts automate rough-hide, tusks, and other bottleneck resources into your base.

How Reputation Converts to Ship Gear

The full loop from faction combat to an upgraded ship is:

1. Farm insignias from Blackbeard crews on land and at sea.

2. Turn them in at the faction's Bounty Agent to raise reputation.

3. At the appropriate rank, new items appear on the faction's Provisioner.

4. Pay Piastres or Guineas for the schematic. The vendor does not hand you a working item.

5. Return to base, learn the schematic in your journal, and craft the finished item at the Shipwright's Workbench or the appropriate bench.

6. Mount the item on your ship at the wharf.

Blue-tier and higher items come with passive rolls (damage, reload speed, damage reduction). A favorite item can be ascended at the anvil from blue to purple to legendary, each step unlocking an additional passive. Because ascension materials like Tumbaga Ingots are rare, it is better to pick a Rank 2 or Rank 3 schematic whose base roll you like before committing ascension materials.

Sea of Thieves-Style Guild Structure

Launch-week creator guides compare the faction loop to Sea of Thieves guilds: four distinct reputation tracks, each with a signature gear line, none locked against each other, and the player free to pick favorites. Windrose extends the idea by also having faction rep unlock crafting recipes and crafting materials, not only finished gear. A faction rank push therefore advances both your character loadout and your base's production chain. The overall design lesson is: pick the faction whose progression solves your current bottleneck (ship size, cannon damage, base automation, ship passives), push that faction to Rank 3, and only then diversify to the next faction with a fresh wave of insignias.