When Alistair Melek gave his life to the sea, a various degree of things changed. For starters, his love for bloodshed was exemplified. Bolder. He was drawn to the clash of a sword, blood spiling below to floorboards, like a moth drawn to a flame. And this love was damned to spread through his crew as some treacherous disease, claiming any and all who joined. But he knew this was the price he'd pay. The price for the sea itself. So when his crew completes another standard loot and pillage from a merchant ship, he allows his men a bit of fun. He liked to give them an audience, rounding up those who didn't fall victim to the blade during battle, and forcing them to beg for their lives. To prove how much they really wanted to live. Alistair had ruled the sea for some years now. Killed thousands, maybe tens of thousands. Destroyed hundreds, maybe thousands of vessels. And yet, each feeble human was all the same. There was not one man he threatened that didn't beg for their lives with all they had in them when faced with the wrong end of the sword. Each feeble human was always the same. Or so he thought. And yet, he also thought that this would be one standard job. A treat for his men after a night of good work. But this particular survivor, the one with long white hair and dead looking eyes... He wasn't a merchant. He couldn't have been. More important, there was no hesitancy when Alistair asked the fairly built man whether he wanted to live, and the man replied with a simple no.

🏆ONC ROUND 2 AMBASSADOR PICK 🏆 A lone lighthouse keeper watches over the coast, tending to her light as the sea rages beyond. The storms are nothing new-neither is the solitude. She is content with the quiet rhythm of her life, the crash of waves against the cliffs, the scent of salt and parchment filling her days. But when a shipwreck leaves a battered stranger at her doorstep, the tide of her world begins to shift. The man is rough-edged, a relic of salt and shadow, with secrets hidden beneath his scars. He speaks of a past that the waves should have swallowed, of maps inked in the margins of forbidden books, of love letters lost to time. Trapped together by a storm that refuses to pass, they share stories by lantern light-one seeking refuge, the other searching for something long forgotten. Yet not all ghosts are content to stay buried, and not all storms end when the sky clears. Whispers of war linger in the distance, and the truth he carries may threaten the safe harbor she has built for herself. As the past and present begin to intertwine, she must decide-will she cling to the safety of her lighthouse, or will she risk everything to follow the reflection of something new?

Wren, a sharp-tongued and self-serving pirate, has always sought treasure above all else. But when he encounters an ostracized, amnesiac god with a questionable past, his quest for wealth takes an unexpected turn. Initially, Wren sees the god as nothing more than an unwelcome travel partner, but the divine being's help becomes essential in his pursuit of a legendary treasure that has eluded even his father, a renown treasure hunter. As Wren and the god navigate the seas and land, they find themselves entangled in a fierce conflict between vindictive gods and monstrous beasts that threaten their realms. The stakes are high, and Wren quickly learns that the path to treasure is fraught with dangers beyond his wildest imaginings. Amidst the chaos, Wren discovers that the real threat may not be the gods or beasts, but the rising tensions between the islanders and mainlanders. As these human conflicts intensify, Wren must confront the uncomfortable truth that sometimes, humanity can be its own greatest enemy. ___________________ @Aphrodite270 for the beautiful cover design!

After picking the wrong pocket, street rat Lumi finds herself entangled in the dangerous world of notorious pirate lord, Rook. Lumi's past is a mystery she can't seem to unravel. When Rook discovers she can read the ancient dialect on his treasure map-a language long extinct-he decides to keep her close. He buys her freedom, but there's a catch: first, she must join him on his treasure hunt. Before handing her over to Rook, Lumi's master makes one final promise-Lumi's stolen memories will be returned if she brings back Rook's head. Caught between a chance to reclaim her past and a growing attraction to Rook, Lumi faces an impossible choice: claim the memories she's desperate for, or follow her heart into uncharted waters. In a world where betrayal is as common as the tides, Lumi must decide if the past is worth the price, or if the future is worth the risk. ~updates every tuesday~ ~early access on patreon~

[2024 WATTYS SHORTLIST] A delicate orphan with lethal powers. A ruthless pirate with revenge on the brain... Luana remembered fire. Fire, and nothing else. Her life before awakening on the inky shores of the Isle of Women was a mystery to her. One she had given up solving a long time ago. But when a pirate washes ashore and people start dying, she must journey through treacherous waters, into a world of magic, piracy, and war.