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Voyages are thematic collections of Quests that players can choose to embark upon. Voyages can be purchased from Trading Companies at all Outposts . To begin a Voyage, players must put purchased Voyages up for a vote on the ship's Captain's Table . Each Company provides different types of Voyages of varying difficulties.

• 1.1 Purchasing
• 1.3 Gameplay
• 2.1.1 Treasure Map Voyage
• 2.1.2 Wayfinder Voyage
• 2.1.3 Onboarding Voyage
• 2.2.1 Merchant Contract
• 2.2.2 Cargo Run
• 2.2.3 Lost Shipments
• 2.3.1 Bounty Voyage
• 2.3.2 Ghost Ship Voyage
• 2.4.1 Voyage of Legends
• 2.4.2 Legend of the Veil
• 2.5.1.1 Stash Voyages
• 2.5.2 Athena's Run of Thieves' Haven
• 2.6 Gilded Voyages
• 2.7 Captain's Voyages
• 4 Patch history

Mechanics [ ]

Purchasing [ ].

Voyages can be purchased from Trading Company representatives or from the Black Market at any Outpost . Any purchased Voyages will be held in the player's Voyage Inventory , which is accessed through the Pirate Menu . A player can hold up to three regular Trading Company Voyages and as well as an infinite number of special Voyages. When the Voyage Inventory is full, players can no longer purchase regular Voyages. Any held Voyages can be discarded from the Voyage Inventory.

In order to begin a Voyage, a crew or alliance member must interact with the ship's Captain's Table to place down a Voyage from their Voyage Inventory for voting. If the crew has only one player, the Voyage will begin immediately. If not, the Voyage has to receive a majority vote to begin. Once voted for, the Voyage will become active, indicated with a title card for the Voyage. A Captain's Table can have up to four Voyages put up for a vote, but only one currently active Voyage and one Tall Tale . Once selected, the type of a Voyage is visible on the Captain's Table for all crews to see.

Crews can vote to cancel any active Voyage by voting at the Captain's Table.

Gameplay [ ]

A single Voyage is usually composed of a variable number of quests and chapters. The difficulty, number of objectives and the overall length of Voyages purchased from the Gold Hoarders , Order of Souls and Merchant Alliance increases with the player's purchased promotions with the respective companies.

Each Trading Company Voyage consists of unique quest types, varying from classic treasure maps to engaging combat or cargo shipping, as well as many more.

A multi-chapter Voyage is indicated by "Chapter One" appearing on the title card of the activated Voyage. These Voyages present quests in chapters, with following chapters appearing only when all the quests of the previous chapter are completed. The completion of a chapter is always indicated with another title card, with the last chapter always being introduced as the "Final Chapter". Once a Voyage is complete, a final title card will be presented to indicate its completion.

Types of Voyages [ ]

Voyages are generally themed around the Trading Company that provides them, sending players in search of treasure , locations or NPCs relevant to the company. Most Voyages take part in the three main regions of the Sea of Thieves , although Devil's Roar Voyages, focused in that region but with higher rewards, can be purchased from Morrow's Peak Outpost.

Gold Hoarders Voyages [ ]

Purchased from Gold Hoarder NPCs at any Outpost .

These Voyages are themed around retrieving stashed riches and gold, buried on islands or hidden in vaults.

Rewards Treasure Chests and Artefacts .

Treasure Map Voyage [ ]

Treasure Map Voyages include a mix of X Marks the Spot Maps and Riddle Maps . X Marks the Spot Maps require players to identify a number of islands from an illustrated map, and use a shovel to dig in multiple X marked locations from the map. Riddle Maps require players to solve 2-4 clues and puzzles, which leads to buried treasure . The Voyage is considered complete once every item has been dug up.

Wayfinder Voyage [ ]

Wayfinder Voyages can be purchased by players who have the rank 25 promotion with the Gold Hoarders. This Voyage gives players access to a Wayfinder Compass that leads them to the burial location of a Treasure Vault Key . These keys can be sold or used to unlock a Gold Hoarder Treasure Vault .

Onboarding Voyage [ ]

The Onboarding Voyage is an introductory Voyage offered by the Gold Hoarders . This Voyage can only be bought and placed on a Voyage Table by new players who have just completed the Maiden Voyage . The Onboarding Voyage teaches players how to buy, vote for and complete a Voyage.

Merchant Alliance Voyages [ ]

Purchased from Merchant Alliance NPCs at any Outpost .

These Voyages are themed around retrieving, collecting and delivering goods, in the form of crates or caged animals.

Rewards Trade Good Crates and Cargo Crates .

Merchant Contract [ ]

Merchant Contracts require players to find and return animals and/or Gunpowder Barrels to a specific Outpost by a set time. Animals cabe captured inside animal crates provided by any Merchant Alliance NPCs, and kept alive until delivery.

Cargo Run [ ]

Cargo Runs requires players to pick-up and deliver a number of Cargo Crates from one specific NPC to another. The crates will be requested to be picked up from a nearby tavern , shopkeeper , Merchant Alliance or island NPC . The recipient NPC and delivery date are marked on the crates. The condition of these crates can degrade and must be taken care of to increase gold reward on delivery.

Lost Shipments [ ]

Lost Shipments provide players with a single trade route map, which shows the route of a previous merchant ship. Players will need to follow the route in search of birds circling debris where clues can be found. One of these debris piles will contain the Captain's Key which, after following clues to the shipwreck, can be used to unlock the captain's cabin full of Trade Good Crates .

Order of Souls Voyages [ ]

Purchased from Order of Souls NPCs at any Outpost .

These Voyages are themed around combat, either hand-to-hand or naval.

Rewards Bounty Skulls .

Bounty Voyage [ ]

Bounty Voyages require players to go to specific islands to destroy Skeleton Captains and their skeleton crews to retrieve their Bounty Skulls . Players are given Bounty Maps with 1-4 crews per island . The Voyage is considered complete once all Skeleton Captains have been defeated.

Ghost Ship Voyage [ ]

Ghost Ship Voyages require players to go to a specific large island surrounded by Ghost Ships . Players will need to use their ship's cannons to defeat a number of Ghost Ships , followed by a wave of Ghost Flagships and a Ghost Captain Ship . The Voyage is considered complete once the Ghost Captain Ship has been destroyed.

Athena's Fortune Voyages [ ]

While these Voyages can only be purchased by Pirate Legends from the Athena's Fortune Hideout , non-Pirate Legends can also complete this Voyage when it has been placed for voting on a ship's Voyage Table .

Voyage of Legends [ ]

The Voyage of Legends consists of two chapters, with the first composed of Quests from each of the three Trading Companies . This includes 2 X Marks the Spot Maps , 2 Riddle Maps , 2 Bounty Voyages and 2 Cargo Runs . The final chapter provides a single map leading to a Chest of Legends .

Legend of the Veil [ ]

Legend of the Veil is a three-chapter voyage in which players will meet with the Pirate Lord and help him uncover the Veil Stones that belong to the Veil of the Ancients .

The first two chapters of the will always be random, with some chapters being puzzle-oriented whereas others are combat-oriented. The third and final chapter will always be the same, with players sieging a Sea Fort defended by multiple Ghost Ships and a large, green tornado. Completing this chapter will reward the bulk of the Voyage's treasure , including Athena's Fortune Treasure exclusive to the Legend of the Veil.

Bilge Rats Voyages [ ]

Purchased from Larinna outside any Outpost tavern .

Mercenary Voyages [ ]

Mercenary Voyages encapsulate a varied collection of Voyages with mixed Quests and objectives. Mercenary Voyages are mostly time-limited for the duration of a Content Update or event , costing Doubloons instead of gold to purchase. These Voyages vary in Quest types, locations, chapter numbers and treasure to match the current event. While Mercenary Voyages reward treasure, many also count for various Commendations , which can unlock time-limited titles or cosmetics when completed.

Stash Voyages [ ]

Stash Voyages are Mercenary Voyages that are permanently available for purchase from Larinna for a high Doubloons cost. These Voyages consist of a single Treasure Map for the closest Outpost , which rewards players with a single one of their chosen Bilge Rat Treasure items, necessary for interacting with other features in-game.

Athena's Run of Thieves' Haven [ ]

Gilded Voyages [ ]

Gilded Voyages are special, lucrative Voyages that are offered by the Bilge Rats for a limited time, usually during the holiday season. Gilded variations of Voyages from each Trading Company provides players with larger numbers of valuable treasures . Players can only obtain one Gilded Voyage per event.

Captain's Voyages [ ]

Captain's Voyages are more compact versions of regular Trading Company Voyages, but are only available to Captains and their crews. They can be purchased from the Shipwright Shop at any Outpost and allow players to choose from a variety of quest types, and a mix of shorter or more time-consuming Voyages. 50 of each can be stored in a Captained ship's on-board Voyage Storage, and can be voted upon from the ship's Voyage Table .

Gallery [ ]

A Gold Hoarder Voyage on a Captain's Table .

A Bounty Voyage on a Captain's Table.

A Merchant Voyage on a Captain's Table.

An Athena's Fortune Voyage on a Captain's Table.

A Mercenary Voyage on a Captain's Table.

Patch history [ ]

• Added Captain's Voyages .
• On to the Next! - Players can now discard unwanted voyages within the Quick Menu. No more having to propose them on the Captain's Table and cancel them!
• Company icons in the voyage pop-up UI are now the correct size.
• Voyage description text has been increased in size, and should now be easier to read from a distance.
• Introduced.
• Sea of Thieves
• 1 Commendations

• Ethics Policy
• Ownership Policy
• Corrections Policy

Sea of Thieves Captain’s Voyages, explained

One of the many perks of Captaincy is Sea of Thieves is the ability to buy and embark on Captain’s Voyages. These are quests of varying lengths with mostly familiar tasks and activities, but there are a number of conveniences here. For one, you can pick from a number of Captain’s Voyages to curate what types of activities and how long your play sessions will be. Here’s where to find and propose Captain’s Voyages, as well as the many types of Voyages you can go on in Sea of Thieves.

Where to buy Captain’s Voyages in Sea of Thieves

It should be obvious that only Captains and players in their crew can take advantage of Captain’s Voyages. To purchase these, go to the Shipwright on any Outpost. If you’re in a Captained crew, the second menu option for the Shipwright will be to browse their Supply and Captain’s Voyage Shop. Underneath the supplies are a handful of pages of Captain’s Voyages.

Keep in mind that you will have to level up your Reputation for the various Trading Companies of Sea of Thieves; the bar for being able to buy the Gold Hoarders, Order of Souls, and Merchant Alliance Voyages is level 25, and level 50 for the “Prized” versions of those Voyages. To buy Athena’s Fortune Voyages, you must reach the status of Pirate Legend . You can buy multiple of each type of Voyage, but with a total cap of 50 Voyages total.

Where to view and propose Captain’s Voyages

Your Captain’s Voyages will not be in the Quests menu; rather, they will be on your ship in your Captain’s Quarters. This will be near the Captain’s Table and resemble a bookshelf. You can open your Captain’s Voyages Storage from there, and peruse the different Voyages you have. In the Storage menu, you can filter the Voyages by Trading Company.

To propose a Captain’s Voyages, head to the Captain’s Table and interact with it. There is a middle option that lets you specifically select Captain’s Voyages, and you can select any Voyage from your Storage for a vote.

Types of Captain’s Voyages

The names and descriptions for these Voyages might seem vague, but most of these should sound familiar. You can buy individual Voyages , which will give you one task, or Commissions , which will give you multiple tasks. Upon reaching level 50 for a certain Trading Company, you can buy “ Prized ” versions of these Voyages. And for all the aforementioned Voyages, you can also buy them in bundles of five each.

The basic Voyage types representing each Company are as follows:

• Treasure Hunt
• Shipping Contract
• Skeleton Bounty
• Captain’s Stash (“Recover a buried trove of useful supplies in this unique Captain’s Voyage.”)
• Ashen Mercenary Order (“Brave The Devil’s Roar on behalf of several Companies in this Grand, fiery Captain’s Voyage.”)
• Commission of Legendary Fortune (various quests for the main three Companies)
• Commission of Ashen Fortune (similar to the above, but in The Devil’s Roar)
• Commission of the Ancient Veil ( Legend of the Veil Voyage type )

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Sea of Thieves Tall Tales guide: How to play them in order

Find out how to start each Tall Tale in Sea of Thieves, and what order to play them in.

Want to know how to play Sea of Thieves Tall Tales in order? Alongside the usual Voyages, Sea of Thieves players can embark on a number of fully voiced, highly cinematic story campaigns known as Tall Tales . Expect fearsome baddies, deadly traps, forgotten islands, even some very familiar faces from outside the Sea of Thieves, with Tall Tales often introduces unique new mechanics or twists on existing ones.

There are plenty of Tall Tales to get stuck in with in Sea of Thieves, though, so read on for our walkthrough on how to start each Tall Tale and what order to play them in .

On this page:

How to start a Tall Tale

How to play tall tales in order, tall tales rewards and commendations.

Tall Tales are started by interacting with special books placed in specific locations throughout the Sea of Thieves. Helpfully, your ship's map table includes icons denoting where you'll find them, provided the option is enabled in your Settings menu. Once you find a book, beginning a Tall Tale simply requires the majority of crew members to vote on it .

Tall Tales can also be selected via your ship's Quest Table , but, slightly confusingly, doing so doesn't immediately begin the adventure. Instead, it merely points crews toward the Tall Tales' starting location and provides the opportunity to fast-travel there by diving beneath the waves. Either way, once you reach your destination, you'll need to find the starting book and vote on it as usual to begin the Tall Tale.

At the time of writing, Sea of Thieves features four Tall Tales story arcs spanning a total of 19 individual Tall Tales , each split into multiple checkpointed chapters.

Characters and locations introduced in earlier Tall Tales story arcs reappear in later ones, so there are advantages to playing in release order. To get the full benefit of this, you should play the story arcs in the following order:

Shores of Gold

A pirate's life.

• The Legend of Monkey Island

Within those story arcs, however, there are lots of individual Tall Tales that you'll also need to play in order to follow along with the story. Here's how to play them in the right sequence, along with their individual starting locations:

Set sail on an epic, swashbuckling adventure across the Sea of Thieves and beyond the deadly Devil's Shroud in search of the legendary lost island known as the Shores of Gold.

Witness (and participate) in the events heralding the return of a great evil to the Sea of Thieves.

Join Captain Jack Sparrow on a rip-roaring adventure to save the Sea of Thieves from the nefarious machinations of Davey Jones - and a long-dormant threat stirring far beneath the waves.

The Legend Of Monkey Island

Return to Mêlée Island and other familiar locations to save Guybrush Threepwood, the mightiest of pirates, from a fate worse than death on the Sea of the Damned.

Once a Tall Tale is underway, a special Tale Book is automatically placed in each crew member's radial Quest menu, alongside any unique item that may be required to complete the adventure (as sometimes you may need to progress a little before these appear).

Tale Books contain clues – usually in the form of diary entries and images – hinting at where you should go next and what you should do once you get there, so a thorough read is often essential. However, certain Tall Tales in the Monkey Island and A Pirate's Life story arcs are more explicit, marking your first destination with a glowing beacon visible in sky.

There's one exception to this, though. In A Pirate Life's The Sunken Pearl adventure, your crew is guided out into the middle of the ocean. Otherwise, beacons usually point to active portal arches close to Outposts. Sail through and a short cutscene will play while the game prepares a private instanced server, meaning you can complete the Tall Tale away from the shared world and any PvP interruptions.

Do Tall Tales save my progress?

Unlike Voyages, Tall Tale progress is saved each time a crew reaches a chapter checkpoint , and the save point persists between sessions. However, resuming from a saved checkpoint is a little long-winded.

First, go to the Quest Table on your ship and use the Quest menu to select the Tall Tale you wish to resume . You'll then be presented with the option to either restart the adventure or carry on from an earlier checkpoint. Pick the checkpoint option then either manually travel back to the point you left off or fast-travel to its approximate position.

When working through more complex Tall Tales with bespoke locations, you may be instructed to interact with a Wraith Statue at your destination – this will teleport you straight to the checkpoint location, allowing you to bypass areas you've already seen.

Can I cancel a Tall Tale?

Once a Tall Tale is underway (crews can have one Voyage and one Tall Tale active at any time), it can be cancelled using the same method as a standard Voyage; simply get a majority of your crew to vote to cancel the Tall Tale using the scroll that appears on your ship's Quest Table.

While Tall Tales are primarily about immersing yourself in big cinematic stories, each one also features a number of optional challenges known as Commendations . These are listed under the Pirate Log > Reputation > Tall Tales section of the in-game menu, and can either be completed along the way or during repeat visits. Doing so rewards unique titles and fancy cosmetics relating to each Tall Tale, so they're definitely worth the extra bit of effort.

Here's the full list of Commendations and their associated rewards – including the mandatory Maiden Voyage tutorial which, while not part of a story arc, technically counts as a Tall Tale. You can also jump straight to each Tall Tale using our handy index below:

Maiden Voyage Commendations

• Shores of Gold Commendations

Ashen Age Commendations

A pirate's life commendations, the legend of monkey island commendations, shores of gold commendations.

That's everything you need to know about Sea of Thieves Tall Tales. If you want to tackle these adventures with your mates, here's how to add friends and play Sea of Thieves crossplay across multiple different platforms, and we've also got an extensive beginner's guide on what to do first and how to get started .

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Trading Companies

Gold Hoarders Guide: All Promotions and Rewards

★ SoT PS5 Version and Season 12 are Now Live! ★New Pre-Order and Edition Bonuses for the PS5! ★Check out our Beginner's Guide for new players. ★ Tall Tales | World Events | Trading Companies

The Gold Hoarders are a trading company in Sea of Thieves that deals only in gold and hidden treasure. Read on to learn more about the Gold Hoarders Trading Company, including a list of all its Promotions, Voyages, and Commendations!

List of Contents

What are the Gold Hoarders?

• Emissary Guide
• Related Guides

A Greedy, Gold-Obsessed Company

The Gold Hoarders are a greedy company who want nothing more than Gold and Treasure. They scour the seas and enlist help from sailors like you to unearth all kinds of hidden treasure and riches.

Embark on Voyages in Search of Treasure

Embarking on Voyages will send you across the open seas, tasking you to search for Buried Treasure , complete Riddles , and unlock Treasure Vaults hunting and using treasure keys to unearth rare and valuable treasure.

Sell Treasure Chests to Gold Hoarder Representatives and Earn Reputation

Selling Treasure Chests and their contents to the Gold Hoarders will reward you with company Reputation as well as Gold . The Gold Hoarders will accept Treasure Chests and other valuable treasure like Artefacts and Mermaid Gems.

Gold Hoarders Promotions

Gold hoarder ranks, titles and rewards.

Promotions in the Gold Hoarders trading company will increase your rank, earning you new Titles and cosmetics for each promotion.

In order to earn a promotion in the Gold Hoarders, you must earn Reputation by selling treasure to the company, achieving Commendations , and sailing as their Emissary .

Gold Hoarders Voyages

Buried treasure.

In Buried Treasure Voyages, you follow a map and dig up hidden treasure scattered across the seas, then bring the treasure back to a representative for a cut of the spoils.

Instead of a map, you must test your wits and figure out the location of treasure based on written lines of a riddle.

Treasure Vault

Hunt for hidden Treasure Vaults and unlock them using Treasure Vault Keys that you must also locate. Returning with the treasure obtained from these vaults will earn you massive rewards.

New players who have just completed the Maiden Voyage tutorial level will gain access to the Gold Hoarders tutorial voyage, An Introduction to the Gold Hoarders as soon as they reach the Sea of Thieves.

You can access and start this introductory voyage from your ship's quest table. Complete it to learn more about this trading company and what you can expect to do if you decide to become their emissary in the future.

Medley voyages are longer voyages with several voyage types thrown into the mix. Embarking on these will give you a mixture of Buried Treasure, Riddles, and Treasure Vault quests to complete.

Raid Voyages

Raids are highly dangerous voyages where you will have to fight multiple waves of difficult monsters on land as well as in naval combat. These are not unique to Gold Hoarders as they are available for all Trading Companies.

Gold Hoarders Commendations

28 gold hoarder commendations available.

There are 28 Commendations for the Gold Hoarders. Completing these commendations will unlock new Titles and cosmetics for you and your ship.

Some Commendations will have up to five Grades. Earning a Grade will earn you some Reputation. Only after reaching the final Grade will you receive the reward for the particular Commendation.

Gold Hoarders Emissary Guide

How to become an emissary.

You can become a Gold Hoarders Emissary by purchasing a trading company's Emissary License from the company shop, which allows you to raise an Emissary Flag.

You can raise the Emissary Flag at the table next to the Gold Hoarders company representative in all Outposts. Doing this makes you an emissary for the company, allowing you to rank up your Emissary Grade, and raise your Emissary Value.

Emissary Grades

Emissary Grades are tied to the Emissary Flag you are currently sailing. Completing Voyages while flying the Gold Hoarders' flag will advance your Emissary Grade for the Gold Hoarders, thus earning you highly increased rewards.

Gold Hoarders Emissaries have five Grades that you can rank up by completing Voyages as an Emissary. Within each Grade are separate Tiers that you work towards to unlock new Titles and cosmetics.

Note that flying an Emissary Flag makes you a target for Grade Five Reaper's Bones Emissaries.

Emissary Value

Increasing your Emissary Value will put you on the global leaderboard called the Emissary Ledger. Placing on the leaderboard will earn you great rewards like Titles and company Sails.

Sea of Thieves Related Guides

List of All Trading Companies

• All Trading Companies

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Sea of Thieves Explained Episode 2: Embarking on Voyages

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If you're a pirate who hasn't quite got their sea legs yet, watch this video to learn how to start Voyages and earn some gold, which should help you afford that good pair of boots you'd expect to see a pirate wearing.

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10 things I wish I knew before starting Sea of Thieves

It is easy to feel lost as a new player in Sea of Thieves, as there is a wealth of content just waiting for you. If I were to know the following tips before I started playing, I would have had a much easier time plundering and fighting. At least the onboarding process isn’t as bad as Destiny 2’s.

Although I first joined Sea of Thieves back in 2018, I took a long break and bypassed many updates , so this will be a list of classic tips and new ones.

The Reputation menu will tell you everything you can do

I was rather confused when playing Sea of Thieves for the first time. My crew had stranded me at an Outpost and I didn’t even know about it. I was accepting voyages left and right without any knowledge of what I could do. I soon learned about the Reputation menu , however.

To curb your overwhelming confusion, and replace it with overwhelming knowledge, check out the Reputation menu. Here, you will have everything you can possibly do in Sea of Thieves . You’ve got a list of all the Tall Tales, a list of all the factions, and the Bilge Rats.

Each of these factions will have Commendations – achievements – that will reward you for every possible act you do in the game. So if you want to get a taste of what’s out there in the wild world, then peruse the faction Commendations.

Do note that the Bilge Rats, although a Trading Company, is different from the rest. The Bilge Rats Commendations menu will show you every single update in the game’s history , with the Commendations showing all the new content that the updates brought. As the game gets updated, more entries will be added. So the Bilge Rats Commendations are the best way to see every feature you could embark on.

Knowing this will provide you with some sort of structure and a resource to keep looking back to if ever you need to get your bearings.

Don’t ignore your Renown levels and challenges

When I played Sea of Thieves again after my break, the Seasons and Renown were introduced. Honestly, I initially ignored them. The different trials, the track, the new menus – I couldn’t quite be bothered.

However, it’s really simple when you break it down. Every season has 100 levels full of free rewards, giving you exclusive cosmetics, lots of Gold, and even Ancient Coins and Doubloons . But the real treat is the Renown trials themselves.

The daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal trials are a great resource for the things you can get up to in your adventures. When sprinkling a few easy trials into your voyages, you’ll be earning much more Gold. It’s easy and comes with treasure, I wish I had capitalized on that sooner.

Plan your voyages – even if it’s to not have one

I didn’t plan my voyages. I just went on a random one I had picked up. This is fine, mind you, but planning an adventure is even more thrilling and rewarding .

With the voyage system being scrapped for the Quest Table, it couldn’t be easier to plan exactly what voyage you want to embark on. I would recommend you center your adventures around either a faction, a Bilge Rats update or Commendation, or the emergeant world events.

With those in mind, you’ll be more prone to unlock Commendations if that’s your style or earn more gold. By focusing on a faction, you can fly their Emissary flag and quadruple the profits . Or, for a more buccaneering adventure, you can set sail and face all the world events the seas have to offer you, collecting a large bounty of assorted goods.

This structure brings forth greater joy and Gold – what’s not to love?

Don’t sail near any landmass when triggering random events

When on your adventure, if you’re after (or have been targeted by) a Megalodon, Skeleton Crew, or even the Kraken, make sure not to sail near any landmass whatsoever . Typically, they will flee or lose interest if you’re near an island , especially for the Megalodon, which is an infuriating end for an epic battle.

I would even steer clear of jutting rocks when facing the Megalodon, they’re very sensitive these days.

On the other hand, if you wish to flee and evade conflict, you know what to do.

Join Alliances where you can

At the crow’s nest, you can change your flag color and update your alliance status. These alliances are temporary teams that only last for that session, and they’re a great help. As long as both crews are flying the “Alliance Pennant,” they will be joined in an alliance. There is no ship cap for alliances also, so the entire server can unite if they wish.

When in an alliance, you will also profit and gain reputation from anything sold by your teammates , albeit at 50% of the value. This is a great way to gain additional gold and reputation levels. So it’s always worth flying it in case another crew happens to sail by also wanting an alliance.

Ship size does matter!

It’s not all love and friendship on the seas, however. I learned that ship sizes really do impact speed a little later than I should have. Use the following knowledge wisely to run away from combat, or pursue your prey:

• Sloops are the slowest ship when sailing with the wind, but the fastest when sailing against it.
• Brigantines are the middle ground of speed between the Sloop and the Galleon.
• Galleons are the fastest ship when sailing with the wind, but the slowest when sailing against it.

Keep this in mind if ever you’re in a Sloop and need to turn tails against a full Galleon crew.

Sell Mermaid Gems to the Merchant Alliance

Mermaid Gems, and their improved equivalents, are valuable loot that can be sold to any of the major trading companies . They provide the same amount of gold and reputation for all of them, allowing you to choose who you want to appease.

However, and this may just be me, but the Merchant Alliance has the most boring missions of the trading companies. Not to say that they’re bad, just less interesting and generally more frustrating. So to minimize the amount of Merchant Alliance quests I’d need to do to become a Pirate Legend, I always sell them the Mermaid Gems to gain Reputation whilst I’m off doing other voyages.

If you prefer the Merchant Alliance over another trading company, then you can always apply the same logic and sell the Mermaid Gems to them instead.

The best place to store Gunpowder Barrels…

…is on someone else’s ship.

All jests aside, Gunpowder Barrels do crazy damage to a ship, so they’re always worth picking up. However, there is a strong chance that it can be used against you in the same way . If a cannonball hits it, another player snipes it, or you accidentally swing at it, your ship will go sky-high.

The best places to store Gunpowder barrels are on the crow’s nest , the very end of the bow, or on one of your sails.

No matter where you place one on your ship, however, it’s prone to backfiring. Which is why you’ll want to use it in a fight immediately . When playing with friends, this is easy. With some mental calculations, you can leap off your ship with the Gunpowder Barrel, swim over where you expect the enemy ship to sail to, and light the fuse. When the ship sails over you, they’re in for a nasty surprise.

You can also light it and drop it off the back end of your ship in a chase.

The Sword Dash trick will save you lots of time

My favorite trick in Sea of Thieves has got to be the Sword Dash trick. It would have saved me so much time if I had known about it sooner.

If you sword dash on the very edge of the water , be it from the shore of an island or the edge of your ship, you’ll go zooming . This really helps for traversal to save time going between an island and your ship, and even has some PvP benefits, too.

Try it out, it’s awesome.

How to become a Pirate Legend

When Sea of Thieves first came out, only the Gold Hoarders, Order of Souls, and Merchant Alliance were around. So to become a Pirate Legend, you had to get to level 50 in all three factions. However, since so many more have been added, that requirement has changed .

You now only need to be level 50 in any of the three factions . This means that, if you prefer PvP, you can become Pirate Legend by advancing the three PvP-focused factions, and you can forget about defeating skeletons and obtaining lost cargo.

Equipped now with these tips I wish I had known when playing Sea of Thieves, you should be off to a swimming start. Whilst it’s still around, why don’t you also check out a hilarious Throwing Knife glitch?

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What are Gilded Voyages in Sea of Thieves?

Seeing all the possible Voyages you can embark on in Sea of Thieves can be a little overwhelming. It gets even worse when time-limited Gilded Voyages pop up, but they shouldn’t be something you avoid.

Diving into Sea of Thieves as a newcomer isn’t easy. While its tutorial does a great job of outlining the basics, there’s still a lot of seafaring you’ve got to master by yourself or with the help of the community. Something you won’t get to grips with until they pop up as part of in-game events is Gilded Voyages. When they do appear, they’ll leave you with nothing but questions. But you needn’t worry because they’re designed to be the most lucrative activity of all.

What are Gilded Voyages in Sea of Thieves ?

Gilded Voyages are enhanced versions of standard Trading Company Voyages in Sea of Theives . They offer more loot for your efforts and generally task you with slightly more complicated tasks. Once you begin one, you’ll need to complete it before logging off if you want to claim all of the available loot.

The reason they’re different from the Trading Company Voyages is that you can’t tackle them whenever you want. They’re time-limited events that offer better rewards, but only for a short period of time. You’ve got to drop everything else and complete them if you want to make the most of them.

There are a few different types of Gilded Voyage in the game. I’ve listed all of them below, along with an explanation of what you can expect to receive from them.

• Gilded Hoard Voyage : This pack contains 8 X Marks the Spot Maps across the game’s main regions, which should total around 40 Captain’s Chests.
• Gilded Duel Voyage : Contains 8 Bounty Maps with 4 Skeleton Captains, amounting to a total of 32 Villainous Bounty Skulls.
• Gilded Cargo Run Voyage : Contains 1 Cargo Run Map with 50 Cargo Crates.
• Gilded Voyage of Legends : Contains 2 chapters worth of loot to get through that should take you at least an hour and result in 8 Villainous Skulls, 10 Captain’s Chests, 12 Pieces of Cargo, and 3 Chest of Legends.
• Gilded Voyage of Restitution : This item contains 8 X Marks the Spot Maps for a total of 40 Captain’s Chests, but it is specifically given as a reward for technical issues.

How to get Gilded Voyages in Sea of Thieves

The only way to get Gilded Voyages in Sea of Thieves is by being awarded them as part of an event. This usually happens around the holiday season or big moments in the game’s lifetime. For example, all players could claim up to 4 Gilded Voyages in the weeks following the PS5 version’s launch .

Gilded Voyages return! From May 16th-23rd (10:00 UTC), all pirates will have access to up to four new single-use, time-limited Gilded Voyages of the Ancient Isles, inviting you to sail for lucrative rewards and the Seamark Tribute Tattoo! Just, do beware of other pirates. Please. pic.twitter.com/CI9UNPfNyJ — Sea of Thieves (@SeaOfThieves) May 3, 2024

This perfectly demonstrates how Gilded Voyages work, though. Over a number of days, players can claim them and set sail on lucrative adventures to claim as much gold and treasure as possible. However, the Voyages must be completed within the allotted timeframe. Otherwise, players miss out on their chance to claim the best loot.

How to find Bones Callers in Sea of Thieves

Using a Sea of Thieves Bone Caller summons skeletons to your aid, but they're quite hard to find

Sea of Thieves Bone Callers are a new throwable item that you can chuck out to call three skeletons to your aid, briefly helping you battle any nearby threat. Having allies to fight alongside you that aren't just your crew is a huge help, so keeping one or two of these handy during your Sea of Thieves voyages will be very useful. However, finding Bone Callers in the vast ocean of piracy isn't easy as they seem to have quite a low chance of spawning compared to other throwable, so here's what you need to know about finding Bone Callers in Sea of Thieves and how to use them.

Sea of Thieves Bone Caller locations

The Bone Caller is a new throwable item in Sea of Thieves that, when tossed out, will deploy three allied skeletons to fight by your side for a limited time. Bone Callers can be found in barrels but have a low chance of spawning. Although, fortress islands , such as Sailor's Knot Stronghold, the Fort of the Damned, Kraken Watchtower, and Molten Sands Fortress, seem to be a fairly reliable place to find them based on my experience searching. On the fortresses I explored, I found one barrel containing two Bone Callers each.

How Bone Callers work in Sea of Thieves

As mentioned, chucking out a Bone Caller from the 'Throwables' section of your inventory summons three skeletons to fight with you. The friendly skellies get green names so you can tell them apart and will wander around the area seeking out enemies to attack, be they other skeletons, enemy players, or something else threatening the Sea of Thieves.

When it comes to combat, the skeletons seem to be a tad more resilient than regular skeletons but aren't much better at using their guns and swords. Using these weapons is also all they can do and they're not a crew substitute that can help you in any other way. You also can't direct them in combat as they'll just attack whatever is closest or is attacking them in the moment. Importantly, they also only last for about one minute before disintegrating, assuming they haven't been killed already. Be aware that skeletons can't swim or use ladders, so they can't embark or disembark from your ship.

Regardless, they can be an excellent distraction, drawing the attention of enemies or getting in the way of other players so that you can heal, reload, or retreat. Skeletons from Bone Callers are limited, so while each player can only have three allied skeletons at a time, a full crew of four players could have a pirate posse of up to 12 skeletons at once. Although, since Bone Callers are throwables, one of the best uses for them is to load them into your ship's cannons and fire them at enemy ships to get the skeletons to do the boarding for you. © GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission.

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Will Sawyer is a guides writer at GamesRadar+ who works with the rest of the guides team to give readers great information and advice on the best items, how to complete a particular challenge, or where to go in some of the biggest video games. Will joined the GameRadar+ team in August 2021 and has written about service titles, including Fortnite, Destiny 2, and Warzone, as well as some of the biggest releases like Halo Infinite, Elden Ring, and God of War Ragnarok.

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Sea of Thieves trophy guide: All trophies and achievements, listed

For all the completionists out there sailing the Sea of Thieves , there are more than 250 achievements to complete, but if you are only looking to get platinum on PlayStation, you don’t need to worry—you don’t have to complete all of them.

There are 266 achievements and trophies: 60 from the base game required to get platinum on PS5, and 206 from title updates, Tall Tales, and all the Sea of Thieves seasons released so far.

Base game trophies and achievements

Additional base game trophies and achievements, tall tale achievements and trophies, world events achievements, all sea of thieves trophies and achievements.

These are the trophies needed to be completed to get Platinum on PlayStation 5. Most are general achievements related to things such as factions, food, tutorials, and sailing. Some were available at release while others have bee added as seasons progressed or with title updates.

These are also base game achievements and trophies, but they won’t count for the platinum achievement on PS5. They are miscellaneous activities added with the new seasons and Tall Tales.

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Sea of Thieves on PlayStation 5 review – you’ll laugh, you’ll sail, you’ll drink grog until you’re sick

Microsoft; PS5 (version tested), Xbox, PC; Rare You’re pirates on the ocean wave, fighting sea monsters and digging up buried treasure, but you’re also larking about playing musical instruments

W hen Sea of Thieves originally set sail on Xbox in 2018, it promised a journey filled with shared adventure, but set off a little short on supplies. Though early sailors found a vast multiplayer ocean to explore, it was tough to get a reliable crew together and when you did, the quests were limited in scope and the islands offered little in the way of emergent entertainment. You came, you dug up what you were told to by one of the game’s quest givers, and you returned to an outpost to cash in your treasure, perhaps occasionally battling another crew of players en route.

Over the past five years, however, developer Rare has added layer upon layer of extra content, from pets to fireworks to longer themed quests entitled Tall Tales, which are effectively games in their own right and include tie-ins with both The Secret of Monkey Island and Pirates of the Caribbean. Now various tasks and adventures can be discovered wherever you go, in shipwrecks, caves and other scenic features, so it’s possible to sail around in your boat, spotting interesting stuff and getting lost in side quests, like a pirate-themed version of Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.

It’s into this rich version of Sea of Thieves that the PlayStation 5 embarks – the latest in a series of Microsoft first-party titles coming to Sony’s machine. And what newcomers will find is an absolutely perfect translation of the current Xbox version, retaining the mannered visual splendour, with its stunningly authentic water physics, luminous sunsets and enticingly tropical islands. Experienced players will be able to quickly and seamlessly link to their Xbox accounts, while cross-play between the consoles and the PC is similarly painless. At the start of the game, you chose a boat (sloop, brigantine or galleon), invite friends from the list or select an open crew to play with strangers (Rare runs its own message boards to help players meet up and organise a voyage together), and you’re off.

Sure, you’re still essentially gathering loot and earning reputation with the game’s various guilds while plundering from other players, but there is so much extra detail and joy in the world. My sons and I spent a shameful amount of time chasing around the Dagger Tooth outpost hurling buckets of sick at each other. We took countless screenshots in the photo mode, especially when I crashed our galleon into a pier and they insisted on having photos of their characters pointing at the damage. This is a game in which silliness is its own currency, its own reward.

If you don’t want to be a social pirate you can play alone on a sloop, you can even take part in safer waters mode which takes place on a private server with no other players sailing about looking to steal your booty. And if PlayStation 5 newcomers are a little overawed by the sheer amount of stuff on offer when they start, Rare has provided the intuitive maiden voyage tutorial mode, which introduces the basics. In fact, the UI and onscreen messaging have been improved throughout the game, especially the quest selection screens which now provide more info including how long the mission is likely to take – useful if you only have a limited time to play with pals. In no time, PS5 pirates will be joining their Xbox-owning hearties in foolhardy escapades.

And while Sea of Thieves lacks the systemic complexity of a traditional role-playing game or massively multiplayer adventure (you can’t upgrade your weapons or boat for example – everyone gets the same kit), what it offers is a very different sort of role-play experience, existing somewhere between acting and childlike make-believe. You’re pirates on the ocean wave, fighting sea monsters and digging up treasure, but you’re also larking about playing musical instruments together or firing each other out of a cannon. Whether you’re playing on PS5, Xbox or PC, the Sea of Thieves of 2024 provides its own kind of imaginative fantasy, freed from the tyranny of the skill tree and levelling up system. You’ll laugh, you’ll sail, you’ll drink grog until you’re sick. What a luscious, singular sandbox experience. What a real, genuine treasure.

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A Plan to Remake the Middle East

While talks for a cease-fire between israel and hamas continue, another set of negotiations is happening behind the scenes..

This transcript was created using speech recognition software. While it has been reviewed by human transcribers, it may contain errors. Please review the episode audio before quoting from this transcript and email [email protected] with any questions.

From New York Times, I’m Michael Barbaro. This is The Daily.

[MUSIC CONTINUES]

Today, if and when Israel and Hamas reach a deal for a ceasefire fire, the United States will immediately turn to a different set of negotiations over a grand diplomatic bargain that it believes could rebuild Gaza and remake the Middle East. My colleague Michael Crowley has been reporting on that plan and explains why those involved in it believe they have so little time left to get it done.

It’s Wednesday, May 8.

Michael, I want to start with what feels like a pretty dizzying set of developments in this conflict over the past few days. Just walk us through them?

Well, over the weekend, there was an intense round of negotiations in an effort, backed by the United States, to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza war.

The latest ceasefire proposal would reportedly see as many as 33 Israeli hostages released in exchange for potentially hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

US officials were very eager to get this deal.

Pressure for a ceasefire has been building ahead of a threatened Israeli assault on Rafah.

Because Israel has been threatening a military offensive in the Southern Palestinian city of Rafah, where a huge number of people are crowded.

Fleeing the violence to the North. And now they’re packed into Rafah. Exposed and vulnerable, they need to be protected.

And the US says it would be a humanitarian catastrophe on top of the emergency that’s already underway.

Breaking news this hour — very important breaking news. An official Hamas source has told The BBC that it does accept a proposal for a ceasefire deal in Gaza.

And for a few hours on Monday, it looked like there might have been a major breakthrough when Hamas put out a statement saying that it had accepted a negotiating proposal.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the ceasefire proposal does not meet his country’s requirements. But Netanyahu says he will send a delegation of mediators to continue those talks. Now, the terms —

But those hopes were dashed pretty quickly when the Israelis took a look at what Hamas was saying and said that it was not a proposal that they had agreed to. It had been modified.

And overnight —

Israeli troops stormed into Rafah. Video showing tanks crashing over a sign at the entrance of the city.

— the Israelis launched a partial invasion of Rafah.

It says Hamas used the area to launch a deadly attack on Israeli troops over the weekend.

And they have now secured a border crossing at the Southern end of Gaza and are conducting targeted strikes. This is not yet the full scale invasion that President Biden has adamantly warned Israel against undertaking, but it is an escalation by Israel.

So while all that drama might suggest that these talks are in big trouble, these talks are very much still alive and ongoing and there is still a possibility of a ceasefire deal.

And the reason that’s so important is not just to stop the fighting in Gaza and relieve the suffering there, but a ceasefire also opens the door to a grand diplomatic bargain, one that involves Israel and its Arab neighbors and the Palestinians, and would have very far-reaching implications.

And what is that grand bargain. Describe what you’re talking about?

Well, it’s incredibly ambitious. It would reshape Israel’s relationship with its Arab neighbors, principally Saudi Arabia. But it’s important to understand that this is a vision that has actually been around since well before October 7. This was a diplomatic project that President Biden had been investing in and negotiating actually in a very real and tangible way long before the Hamas attacks and the Gaza war.

And President Biden was looking to build on something that President Trump had done, which was a series of agreements that the Trump administration struck in which Israel and some of its Arab neighbors agreed to have normal diplomatic relations for the first time.

Right, they’re called the Abraham Accords.

That’s right. And, you know, Biden doesn’t like a lot of things, most things that Trump did. But he actually likes this, because the idea is that they contribute to stability and economic integration in the Middle East, the US likes Israel having friends and likes having a tight-knit alliance against Iran.

President Biden agrees with the Saudis and with the Israelis, that Iran is really the top threat to everybody here. So, how can you build on this? How can you expand it? Well, the next and biggest step would be normalizing relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

And the Saudis have made clear that they want to do this and that they’re ready to do this. They weren’t ready to do it in the Trump years. But Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, has made clear he wants to do it now.

So this kind of triangular deal began to take shape before October 7, in which the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia would enter this three way agreement in which everyone would get something that they wanted.

And just walk through what each side gets in this pre-October 7th version of these negotiations?

So for Israel, you get normalized ties with its most important Arab neighbor and really the country that sets the tone for the whole Muslim world, which is Saudi Arabia of course. It makes Israel feel safer and more secure. Again, it helps to build this alliance against Iran, which Israel considers its greatest threat, and it comes with benefits like economic ties and travel and tourism. And Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been very open, at least before October 7th, that this was his highest diplomatic and foreign policy priority.

For the Saudis, the rationale is similar when it comes to Israel. They think that it will bring stability. They like having a more explicitly close ally against Iran. There are economic and cultural benefits. Saudi Arabia is opening itself up in general, encouraging more tourism.

But I think that what’s most important to the Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is what he can get from the United States. And what he has been asking for are a couple of essential things. One is a security agreement whose details have always been a little bit vague, but I think essentially come down to reliable arms supplies from the United States that are not going to be cut off or paused on a whim, as he felt happened when President Biden stopped arms deliveries in 2021 because of how Saudi was conducting its war in Yemen. The Saudis were furious about that.

Saudi Arabia also wants to start a domestic nuclear power program. They are planning for a very long-term future, possibly a post-oil future. And they need help getting a nuclear program off the ground.

And they want that from the US?

And they want that from the US.

Now, those are big asks from the us. But from the perspective of President Biden, there are some really enticing things about this possible agreement. One is that it will hopefully produce more stability in the region. Again, the US likes having a tight-knit alliance against Iran.

The US also wants to have a strong relationship with Saudi Arabia. You know, despite the anger at Mohammed bin Salman over the murder of the Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi, the Biden administration recognizes that given the Saudis control over global oil production and their strategic importance in the Middle East, they need to have a good relationship with them. And the administration has been worried about the influence of China in the region and with the Saudis in particular.

So this is an opportunity for the US to draw the Saudis closer. Whatever our moral qualms might be about bin Salman and the Saudi government, this is an opportunity to bring the Saudis closer, which is something the Biden administration sees as a strategic benefit.

All three of these countries — big, disparate countries that normally don’t see eye-to-eye, this was a win-win-win on a military, economic, and strategic front.

That’s right. But there was one important actor in the region that did not see itself as winning, and that was the Palestinians.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

First, it’s important to understand that the Palestinians have always expected that the Arab countries in the Middle East would insist that Israel recognize a Palestinian state before those countries were willing to essentially make total peace and have normal relations with Israel.

So when the Abraham Accords happened in the Trump administration, the Palestinians felt like they’d been thrown under the bus because the Abraham Accords gave them virtually nothing. But the Palestinians did still hold out hope that Saudi Arabia would be their savior. And for years, Saudi Arabia has said that Israel must give the Palestinians a state if there’s going to be a normal relationship between Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Now the Palestinians see the Saudis in discussions with the US and Israel about a normalization agreement, and there appears to be very little on offer for the Palestinians. And they are feeling like they’re going to be left out in the cold here.

Right. And in the minds of the Palestinians, having already been essentially sold out by all their other Arab neighbors, the prospect that Saudi Arabia, of all countries, the most important Muslim Arab country in the region, would sell them out, had to be extremely painful.

It was a nightmare scenario for them. And in the minds of many analysts and US officials, this was a factor, one of many, in Hamas’s decision to stage the October 7th attacks.

Hamas, like other Palestinian leaders, was seeing the prospect that the Middle East was moving on and essentially, in their view, giving up on the Palestinian cause, and that Israel would be able to have friendly, normal relations with Arab countries around the region, and that it could continue with hardline policies toward the Palestinians and a refusal, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said publicly, to accept a Palestinian state.

Right. So Michael, once Hamas carries out the October 7th attacks in an effort to destroy a status quo that it thinks is leaving them less and less relevant, more and more hopeless, including potentially this prospect that Saudi Arabia is going to normalize relations with Israel, what happens to these pre-October 7th negotiations between the US, Saudi Arabia, and Israel?

Well, I think there was a snap assumption that these talks were dead and buried. That they couldn’t possibly survive a cataclysm like this.

But then something surprising happened. It became clear that all the parties were still determined to pull-off the normalization.

And most surprisingly of all, perhaps, was the continued eagerness of Saudi Arabia, which publicly was professing outrage over the Israeli response to the Hamas attacks, but privately was still very much engaged in these conversations and trying to move them forward.

And in fact, what has happened is that the scope of this effort has grown substantially. October 7th didn’t kill these talks. It actually made them bigger, more complicated, and some people would argue, more important than ever.

We’ll be right back.

Michael, walk us through what exactly happens to these three-way negotiations after October 7th that ends up making them, as you just said, more complicated and more important than ever?

Well, it’s more important than ever because of the incredible need in Gaza. And it’s going to take a deal like this and the approval of Saudi Arabia to unlock the kind of massive reconstruction project required to essentially rebuild Gaza from the rubble. Saudi Arabia and its Arab friends are also going to be instrumental in figuring out how Gaza is governed, and they might even provide troops to help secure it. None of those things are going to happen without a deal like this.

Fascinating.

But this is all much more complicated now because the price for a deal like this has gone up.

And by price, you mean?

What Israel would have to give up. [MUSIC PLAYING]

From Saudi Arabia’s perspective, you have an Arab population that is furious at Israel. It now feels like a really hard time to do a normalization deal with the Israelis. It was never going to be easy, but this is about as bad a time to do it as there has been in a generation at least. And I think that President Biden and the people around him understand that the status quo between Israel and the Palestinians is intolerable and it is going to lead to chaos and violence indefinitely.

So now you have two of the three parties to this agreement, the Saudis and the Americans, basically asking a new price after October 7th, and saying to the Israelis, if we’re going to do this deal, it has to not only do something for the Palestinians, it has to do something really big. You have to commit to the creation of a Palestinian state. Now, I’ll be specific and say that what you hear the Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, say is that the agreement has to include an irreversible time-bound path to a Palestinian state.

We don’t know exactly what that looks like, but it’s some kind of a firm commitment, the likes of which the world and certainly the Israelis have not made before.

Something that was very much not present in the pre-October 7th vision of this negotiation. So much so that, as we just talked about, the Palestinians were left feeling completely out in the cold and furious at it.

That’s right. There was no sign that people were thinking that ambitiously about the Palestinians in this deal before October 7th. And the Palestinians certainly felt like they weren’t going to get much out of it. And that has completely changed now.

So, Michael, once this big new dimension after October 7th, which is the insistence by Saudi Arabia and the US that there be a Palestinian state or a path to a Palestinian state, what is the reaction specifically from Israel, which is, of course, the third major party to this entire conversation?

Well, Israel, or at least its political leadership, hates it. You know, this is just an extremely tough sell in Israel. It would have been a tough sell before October 7th. It’s even harder now.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is completely unrepentantly open in saying that there’s not going to be a Palestinian state on his watch. He won’t accept it. He says that it’s a strategic risk to his country. He says that it would, in effect, reward Hamas.

His argument is that terrorism has forced a conversation about statehood onto the table that wasn’t there before October 7th. Sure, it’s always in the background. It’s a perennial issue in global affairs, but it was not something certainly that the US and Israel’s Arab neighbors were actively pushing. Netanyahu also has — you know, he governs with the support of very right-wing members of a political coalition that he has cobbled together. And that coalition is quite likely to fall apart if he does embrace a Palestinian state or a path to a Palestinian state.

Now, he might be able to cobble together some sort of alternative, but it creates a political crisis for him.

And finally, you know, I think in any conversation about Israel, it’s worth bearing in mind something you hear from senior US officials these days, which is that although there is often finger pointing at Netanyahu and a desire to blame Netanyahu as this obstructionist who won’t agree to deals, what they say is Netanyahu is largely reflecting his population and the political establishment of his country, not just the right-wingers in his coalition who are clearly extremist.

But actually the prevailing views of the Israeli public. And the Israeli public and their political leaders across the spectrum right now with few exceptions, are not interested in talking about a Palestinian state when there are still dozens and dozens of Israeli hostages in tunnels beneath Gaza.

So it very much looks like this giant agreement that once seemed doable before October 7th might be more important to everyone involved than ever, given that it’s a plan for rebuilding Gaza and potentially preventing future October 7th’s from happening, but because of this higher price that Israel would have to pay, which is the acceptance of a Palestinian state, it seems from everything you’re saying, that this is more and more out of reach than ever before and hard to imagine happening in the immediate future. So if the people negotiating it are being honest, Michael, are they ready to acknowledge that it doesn’t look like this is going to happen?

Well, not quite yet. As time goes by, they certainly say it’s getting harder and harder, but they’re still trying, and they still think there’s a chance. But both the Saudis and the Biden administration understand that there’s very little time left to do this.

Well, what do you mean there’s very little time left? It would seem like time might benefit this negotiation in that it might give Israel distance from October 7th to think potentially differently about a Palestinian state?

Potentially. But Saudi Arabia wants to get this deal done in the Biden administration because Mohammed bin Salman has concluded this has to be done under a Democratic president.

Because Democrats in Congress are going to be very reluctant to approve a security agreement between the United States and Saudi Arabia.

It’s important to understand that if there is a security agreement, that’s something Congress is going to have to approve. And you’re just not going to get enough Democrats in Congress to support a deal with Saudi Arabia, who a lot of Democrats don’t like to begin with, because they see them as human rights abusers.

But if a Democratic president is asking them to do it, they’re much more likely to go along.

Right. So Saudi Arabia fears that if Biden loses and Trump is president, that those same Democrats would balk at this deal in a way that they wouldn’t if it were being negotiated under President Biden?

Exactly. Now, from President Biden’s perspective, politically, think about a president who’s running for re-election, who is presiding right now over chaos in the Middle East, who doesn’t seem to have good answers for the Israeli-Palestinian question, this is an opportunity for President Biden to deliver what could be at least what he would present as a diplomatic masterstroke that does multiple things at once, including creating a new pathway for Israel and the Palestinians to coexist, to break through the logjam, even as he is also improving Israel’s relations with Saudi Arabia.

So Biden and the Crown Prince hope that they can somehow persuade Bibi Netanyahu that in spite of all the reasons that he thinks this is a terrible idea, that this is a bet worth taking on Israel’s and the region’s long-term security and future?

That’s right. Now, no one has explained very clearly exactly how this is going to work, and it’s probably going to require artful diplomacy, possibly even a scenario where the Israelis would agree to something that maybe means one thing to them and means something else to other people. But Biden officials refuse to say that it’s hopeless and they refuse to essentially take Netanyahu’s preliminary no’s for an answer. And they still see some way that they can thread this incredibly narrow needle.

Michael, I’m curious about a constituency that we haven’t been talking about because they’re not at the table in these discussions that we are talking about here. And that would be Hamas. How does Hamas feel about the prospect of such a deal like this ever taking shape. Do they see it as any kind of a victory and vindication for what they did on October 7th?

So it’s hard to know exactly what Hamas’s leadership is thinking. I think they can feel two things. I think they can feel on the one hand, that they have established themselves as the champions of the Palestinian people who struck a blow against Israel and against a diplomatic process that was potentially going to leave the Palestinians out in the cold.

At the same time, Hamas has no interest in the kind of two-state solution that the US is trying to promote. They think Israel should be destroyed. They think the Palestinian state should cover the entire geography of what is now Israel, and they want to lead a state like that. And that’s not something that the US, Saudi Arabia, or anyone else is going to tolerate.

So what Hamas wants is to fight, to be the leader of the Palestinian people, and to destroy Israel. And they’re not interested in any sort of a peace process or statehood process.

It seems very clear from everything you’ve said here that neither Israel nor Hamas is ready to have the conversation about a grand bargain diplomatic program. And I wonder if that inevitably has any bearing on the ceasefire negotiations that are going on right now between the two of them that are supposed to bring this conflict to some sort of an end, even if it’s just temporary?

Because if, as you said, Michael, a ceasefire opens the door to this larger diplomatic solution, and these two players don’t necessarily want that larger diplomatic solution, doesn’t that inevitably impact their enthusiasm for even reaching a ceasefire?

Well, it certainly doesn’t help. You know, this is such a hellish problem. And of course, you first have the question of whether Israel and Hamas can make a deal on these immediate issues, including the hostages, Palestinian prisoners, and what the Israeli military is going to do, how long a ceasefire might last.

But on top of that, you have these much bigger diplomatic questions that are looming over them. And it’s not clear that either side is ready to turn and face those bigger questions.

So while for the Biden administration and for Saudi Arabia, this is a way out of this crisis, these larger diplomatic solutions, it’s not clear that it’s a conversation that the two parties that are actually at war here are prepared to start having.

Well, Michael, thank you very much. We appreciate it.

On Tuesday afternoon, under intense pressure from the US, delegations from Israel and Hamas arrived in Cairo to resume negotiations over a potential ceasefire. But in a statement, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made clear that even with the talks underway, his government would, quote, “continue to wage war against Hamas.”

Here’s what else you need to know today. In a dramatic day of testimony, Stormy Daniels offered explicit details about an alleged sexual encounter with Donald Trump that ultimately led to the hush money payment at the center of his trial. Daniels testified that Trump answered the door in pajamas, that he told her not to worry that he was married, and that he did not use a condom when they had sex.

That prompted lawyers for Trump to seek a mistrial based on what they called prejudicial testimony. But the judge in the case rejected that request. And,

We’ve seen a ferocious surge of anti-Semitism in America and around the world.

In a speech on Tuesday honoring victims of the Holocaust, President Biden condemned what he said was the alarming rise of anti-Semitism in the United States after the October 7th attacks on Israel. And he expressed worry that too many Americans were already forgetting the horrors of that attack.

The Jewish community, I want you to know I see your fear, your hurt, and your pain. Let me reassure you, as your president, you’re not alone. You belong. You always have and you always will.

Today’s episode was produced by Nina Feldman, Clare Toeniskoetter, and Rikki Novetsky. It was edited by Liz O. Baylen, contains original music by Marion Lozano, Elisheba Ittoop, and Dan Powell, and was engineered by Alyssa Moxley. Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly.

That’s it for The Daily. I’m Michael Barbaro. See you tomorrow.

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Hosted by Michael Barbaro

Featuring Michael Crowley

Produced by Nina Feldman ,  Clare Toeniskoetter and Rikki Novetsky

Edited by Liz O. Baylen

Original music by Marion Lozano ,  Elisheba Ittoop and Dan Powell

Engineered by Alyssa Moxley

Listen and follow The Daily Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube

If and when Israel and Hamas reach a deal for a cease-fire, the United States will immediately turn to a different set of negotiations over a grand diplomatic bargain that it believes could rebuild Gaza and remake the Middle East.

Michael Crowley, who covers the State Department and U.S. foreign policy for The Times, explains why those involved in this plan believe they have so little time left to get it done.

On today’s episode

Michael Crowley , a reporter covering the State Department and U.S. foreign policy for The New York Times.

Background reading :

Talks on a cease-fire in the Gaza war are once again at an uncertain stage .

Here’s how the push for a deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia looked before Oct. 7 .

From early in the war, President Biden has said that a lasting resolution requires a “real” Palestinian state .

Here’s what Israeli officials are discussing about postwar Gaza.

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We aim to make transcripts available the next workday after an episode’s publication. You can find them at the top of the page.

The Daily is made by Rachel Quester, Lynsea Garrison, Clare Toeniskoetter, Paige Cowett, Michael Simon Johnson, Brad Fisher, Chris Wood, Jessica Cheung, Stella Tan, Alexandra Leigh Young, Lisa Chow, Eric Krupke, Marc Georges, Luke Vander Ploeg, M.J. Davis Lin, Dan Powell, Sydney Harper, Mike Benoist, Liz O. Baylen, Asthaa Chaturvedi, Rachelle Bonja, Diana Nguyen, Marion Lozano, Corey Schreppel, Rob Szypko, Elisheba Ittoop, Mooj Zadie, Patricia Willens, Rowan Niemisto, Jody Becker, Rikki Novetsky, John Ketchum, Nina Feldman, Will Reid, Carlos Prieto, Ben Calhoun, Susan Lee, Lexie Diao, Mary Wilson, Alex Stern, Dan Farrell, Sophia Lanman, Shannon Lin, Diane Wong, Devon Taylor, Alyssa Moxley, Summer Thomad, Olivia Natt, Daniel Ramirez and Brendan Klinkenberg.

Our theme music is by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Special thanks to Sam Dolnick, Paula Szuchman, Lisa Tobin, Larissa Anderson, Julia Simon, Sofia Milan, Mahima Chablani, Elizabeth Davis-Moorer, Jeffrey Miranda, Renan Borelli, Maddy Masiello, Isabella Anderson and Nina Lassam.

Michael Crowley covers the State Department and U.S. foreign policy for The Times. He has reported from nearly three dozen countries and often travels with the secretary of state. More about Michael Crowley

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