Columbus's Book of Prophecies is one of Windrose's central story elements. In the game's alternate history, the book contains missing pages that describe a treasure capable of granting control over the seas. Multiple factions are searching for these pages, and the mystical artifact tied to them drives the game's opening sequence and main conflict.
The Real Book of Prophecies
The Libro de las Profecias is an actual historical document. Christopher Columbus compiled it between 1501 and 1502, with later additions made up until around 1505, during his final years. He was assisted by his son Ferdinand, his brother Bartholomew, and the Carthusian monk Gaspar Gorricio. It is a collection of biblical passages and prophetic texts that Columbus used to justify his voyages as divinely ordained. The real book is a theological document, not a treasure map. Windrose takes the historical artifact and reimagines it as something far more powerful.
In-Game Role
In Windrose's alternate timeline, the Book of Prophecies contains hidden information that Columbus discovered or concealed. Certain pages were torn out or went missing, and these pages describe a treasure that could grant dominion over the oceans. The nature of this treasure, whether it is a physical object, a supernatural power, or something else, is part of the game's mystery.
The Opening Ambush
The game opens with Blackbeard attacking the player's ship in pursuit of a mystical artifact the player was transporting. Blackbeard succeeds in sinking the ship and the player character is shot through the chest, then thrown overboard. The same artifact seemingly saves the player's life, allowing them to wake on an unknown island with no supplies. This opening sets up the pursuit of the artifact and its connection to the Book of Prophecies as the central narrative thread running through Early Access.
The opening sequence plays out directly: the dread pirate Blackbeard sacks the player's ship in search of a mystical artifact, the player is shot through the chest and thrown overboard, and that same artifact seemingly saves their life. The exact nature of the artifact, and whether it is the treasure described in the missing pages or a key to unlocking them, unfolds over the Chapter 1 story content.
The Chain of Events
The British East India Company came into possession of several of the missing pages. During an expedition, the Company's team uncovered the first fragment of the treasure described in the pages and attempted to ship it back to London. But the information leaked. Edward Teach heard about the cargo and ordered his lieutenant Israel Hands to intercept the ship. This chain of events sets the central conflict of the game in motion, connecting Columbus's historical document to the pirate war that engulfs the Caribbean.
Story Function
The Book of Prophecies provides Windrose with a narrative throughline that connects the grounded pirate survival gameplay to the game's supernatural elements. It bridges the gap between gathering wood on a beach and confronting an undead pirate lord. The search for the missing pages gives players a reason to explore the wider archipelago and interact with multiple factions beyond just fighting Blackbeard's forces.
Factions Pursuing the Pages
Faction | Interest in the Pages |
|---|---|
Seeks the treasure to cement dominion over the seas; supernatural pact tied to the artifact | |
Commercial interest: sea control means trade control; holds several missing pages | |
Aims to prevent Blackbeard's absolute rule; pages are a means to stop him | |
The player (shipwrecked captain) | Survived the ambush with the artifact; finding the truth of the pages is their quest |
Related Lore
Blackbeard the primary antagonist who forged a pact with dark powers to claim the treasure
Israel Hands Blackbeard's lieutenant tasked with intercepting the initial East India Company shipment
Supernatural Forces the dark powers Blackbeard bargained with, possibly tied to the artifact's origin
Tortuga pirate stronghold and one of the last places resistant to Blackbeard's forces