Sea of Thieves' first major free content expansion has just become available. Titled Sea of Thieves adds a few new systems and content pieces and is headlined by a limited time event which includes a few event-exclusive rewards.

Scars and tattoos can now be added to player avatars to further make pirates more unique, there's a new flag system for ships, and even a brand new instrument (a drum!) needed to summon the mighty megalodon shark. But first, the quest itself! How does a pirate and their crew start The Hungering Deep's limited time event, Merrick's Quest? And how do we get the drums?! Allow us to explain, in detail.

How to Start The Hungering Deep's Main Quest (Where to Find Merrick)

When starting up Sea of Thieves after the free update, players start as per usual in a tavern except there's a new character here, the Bilge Rat. This is where you learn of new events, beginning right now with Merrick's Quest. He'll point you in the direction of Shark Bait Cove.

1. Head to Shark Bait Cove (I-24 coordinates)
2. Visit the beach at the southwest beach and speak with Merrick to begin quest to find his journals.

From here on our there are many sets of clues to follow before getting to the giant shark, and you can fast-track this quest by skipping the taverns and going to the three journal locations right away.

Where To Find Merrick's First Journal (XX)

Merrick offers this clue to look for the "fin-rock that stands in a lagoon" and it's very close by! Head to the center of Shark Bait Cove and look for the fin-shaped rock to find Merrick’s Journal XX which has two pages. The first hint is that two ships had to work together, using the drum instrument, to summon the giant megalodon shark. The second hint, "red haired and fair of face, her tavern stands at a shining place!" which refers to Tina at Golden Sands Outpost (E-12)

Where to Find Merrick's Second Journal (V)

1. Head to Golden Sands Outpost and ask Tina about drunken pirates. She tells you about Merrick's sunken ship, The Killer Whale and reveals it's "north of that place… Idiot Island, or something. East of Double Trees." This translate to north of Fool’s Lagoon (K-17) and east of Twin Groves (I-13)
2. Head to the uncharted island at L-14 and look for the crow’s nest sticking out of the water. Climb it to read the journal which reveals the location hint with a "tavern that hasss a nasty bite, where the drunks sslither evry nighT. The BARkeep’s fond o her own grogg, a scarred beaut in a Wild spott," which refers to Teri at the The Snake Pit tavern on Dagger Tooth Outpost (Q-8)

Where to Find Merrick's Third Journal (I)

1. Head to Dagger Tooth Outpost and ask Teri about drunken pirates. She gives a few location hints: "fishy lil cave," "underr the golden arch," and "uncharted place wessht o’ Shark Tooth Key- he sshaid there’sh a rock nearby ‘looks jussht like hish enemy" which points to Shark Tooth Key (U-15) and if you go west you can find a barely visible uncharted island at S-16.
2. This one's tricky to find so swim underwater at the northeast side of the island and look for the stone doorway cave entrance. Inside is the last of Merrick's three journals which which again has just two pages which hint that he's making more of his drums for other pirates and that enough people can learn his shanty they can summon the beast from the deep once more.

How to Get the Drum - Sea of Thieves' New Instrument

The last of the journal entries basically direct players to return to Merrick at Shark Bait Cove and here's where players finally get the drum instrument and a cool new tattoo.

"I hope you can carry a tune… take this drum with you. I’m thinking of making more, now I’m retired. And hey, wear me tattoo. I want that thing to know who sent you!"

1. Head to Shark Bait Cove (I-24) and find Merrick on the southwest beach. Ask him about where to find the beast and he explains that the special tune can summit the shark, but that at least five players are needed to make this happen.
2. Get the drum and tattoo from Merrick. Both are needed for all players involved to summer the giant megalodon shark.

How to Find and Kill the Megalodon

Where to go next is the most difficult riddle of The Hungering Deep. The coordinates of where to summon the shark come from everything said and read so far. The "infernal ridge" hint refers to Devil's Ridge (U-24) and "don’t get too close to the Shroud!" refers to the border of the map, leading to the dead red sea. To find the exact map coordinates, note that the names of all of Merrick's loves begin with "T" and note the journal numbers which add up to "26." Boom.

1. Head to T-26 at the southern edge of the Sea of Thieves game map but ensure one player is drumming Merrick's shanty the entire way. Other plans can only pick up the tune from a player already playing it so you can trade it off (you'll need to in order to continue the tune onto the ship since you can't play and climb the ladder at the same time) and share with other players along the way or at the location.
2. Make sure everyone has the drum and tattoo equipped (can equip tattoo at the chest by Merrick) and wait for another ship to arrive here, doing the same limited time quest, and once five players are here all playing the tune, the tattoos will glow.
3. Fight the shark. Kill the shark. It's a long fight.
4. Return to Merrick at Shark Bait Cove (I-24) to collect the rewards!

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The next 2 Sea of Thieves expansions, Cursed Sails and Forsaken Shores, release later this summer.