Surrender at 20

Bilgewater: Burning Tides - Act Two

Following ACT ONE earlier in the week, ACT TWO of the Bilgewater: Burning Tides event has started with a continuation of the story, new summoner icons to earn, a set of three Bilgewater inspired skins are now available for Aatrox, Garen, and Quinn, and more!

Continue reading for content previews and a look at the second act of Burning Tides!

Below is what's new in ACT TWO. For the full experience, sail over to the Bilgewater: Burning Tides site!
"Gangplank’s warehouse burns. With the pirate captain’s thugs swarming, the resolution of Graves’ and Twisted Fate’s long-simmering feud threatens to engulf the entire city in flames."

Table of Contents


I. READ THE STORY

First up we have a continuation of the story from ACT ONE. Be sure to catch up on the four parts from the first act before diving in to ACT TWO's story!


I’m coughin’ up black. The smoke from the warehouse fire is tearin’ my lungs to shreds, but I don’t have time to catch my breath. T.F.’s getting away, and I’ll be damned if I’m gonna spend another dog’s age chasin’ him all over Runeterra. It ends tonight. 
The bastard sees me coming. He shoves a couple of dock hands out of the way and runs off across the wharf. He’s trying to work his escape card, but I’m keeping the heat on him, so he can’t focus. 
More Hooks swarm around, like flies on an outhouse. Before they can block his path, T.F. tosses a couple of his exploding cards and takes the thugs out. A few Hooks are an easy fight for him. But I ain’t. I’m comin’ to get my due, and T.F. knows it. He scurries down the wharf as fast as he can. 
His scuffle with the dock boys gives me just enough time to catch up. He sees me and darts behind a huge hunk of wha 
le spine. A blast from my gun shatters his cover, filling the air with shards of bone.
He answers by trying to take my head off, but I shoot his card in midair. It explodes like a bomb, knocking us both on our asses. He scrambles to his feet first and takes off. I fire Destiny as fast as she’ll shoot. 
Some Hooks close in on us with chains and cutlasses. I turn quick and blow their insides out their backs. Before I can hear the wet slap of their guts on the dock, I’m spinning on my heels. I take aim at T.F., but I’m clipped by a shot from a pistol. More Hooks, and these are better armed. 
I duck behind a piece of an old trawler’s hull to return fire. My gun just clicks. Gotta reload. I slam some fresh shells into the cylinder, spit my anger onto the floor, and wade back into the chaos. 
All around me, shots and bolts burst through wooden crates. One of ’em tears a chunk of my ear off. I just grit my teeth and plow forward, squeezing the trigger. Destiny is chewin’ up everything. One Jagged Hook loses a jaw. Another is blasted into the bay. A third gets torn into a red sheet of muscle and sinew. 
I snap around to find T.F. escaping deeper into the slaughter docks. I run past a fishmonger hanging up scavenger eels. One of the beasts is just skinned, its innards still spillin’ onto the dock. The monger turns on me, swinging a meat hook. 
BOOM. 
I take off his leg. 
BOOM. 
I follow up with a shot to his head. 
I shove away a stinking razorfish carcass and keep moving. The blood is ankle deep, some of it from the fish and some from the Hooks we’ve gunned down. It’s enough to give a dandy like T.F. fits. Even with me on his tail, he slows his stride to keep from messin’ up his skirts. 
Before I can close in, T.F. kicks on into a gallop. I can feel myself losing wind. 
“Turn and face me!” I holler. 
What kind of man don’t own up to his problems? 
A noise to my right draws my attention to a balcony holding two more Hooks. I fire, and the whole thing crashes to the docks. 
The gun smoke and debris are so thick, I can’t see a damn thing. I run toward the sound of his lady boots thudding across the wooden slats. He’s makin’ for Butcher’s Bridge at the end of the slaughter docks - the only way off the island. Damned if I’m letting him get away again. 
As I reach the bridge, T.F. skids to a halt, halfway across. At first, I think he’s given up. Then I see why he stopped: On the far side, blocking his way, there’s a mass of sword-wielding bastards. But I ain’t backing down. 
T.F. turns back only to find me. He’s trapped. He looks over the side of the bridge, down at the water. He’s thinking about jumping - but I know he won’t. 
He’s all out of options. He starts walking toward me. 
“Look, Malcolm. Neither of us needs to die here. As soon as we get out of this-” 
“You’ll run again. That’s all you’ve ever done.” 
He don’t answer. Suddenly, he ain’t so worried about me. I turn back to see what he’s fixed on. 
Behind me, I see every lowlife that can carry a blade or pistol storming onto the docks. 
Gangplank must’ve called in all his boys from across the city. To keep going’s a death sentence. 
But livin’ ain’t the most important thing to me today. 


They’re in no rush, the Hooks. Not anymore. They know they have us trapped. Behind them, it looks like every rat-stabbing cutthroat in Bilgewater has shown up to the party. 
No way back. 
On the far end of the bridge, blocking my escape into the maze of Bilgewater’s slums, is what appears to be the whole Red Caps dock gang. They rule the east side of the waterfront. Gangplank owns them, just like he owns the Hooks and nearly the whole damned town. 
Behind me, there’s Graves, stomping ever closer. The stubborn son of a bitch doesn’t care about the mess we’re in. It’s amazing, really. Here we are, yet again, like all those years ago. Deep in the muck, and he just won’t listen. 
I wish I could tell him what really happened back then, but there’s no point. He wouldn’t believe me, not for a second. Once something’s lodged in that thick skull of his, it takes a while to shake it loose. And we don’t have a while. 
I back up to the side of the bridge. Over the rail, I see the winches and pulleys suspended beneath me - then the ocean far below. My head spins, and my stomach drops into my boots. As I stagger back to the middle of the bridge, I get a full view of how bad a spot I’m in. 
Looming in the distance is Gangplank’s black-sailed ship. From it, a damned armada of boats is closing in below, rowing hard. Looks like all of his men are heading our way.
I can’t get through the Hooks, I can’t get through the Caps, and I can’t get through Graves’s pig-headedness. 
Only one way to go. 
I step up onto the railing of the bridge. We’re even higher than I realized. The wind whips at my coat, making it snap like the sails of a ship. I should never have come back to Bilgewater. 
“Get the hell down from there,” says Graves. Is there a hint of desperation in his voice? 
It’d break him if I died before he got the confession he wants so much. 
I take a deep breath. It really is a long way down. 
“Tobias,” Malcolm says. “Step back.” 
I pause. I haven’t heard that name in a long time. 
Then I jump from the bridge. 


The Brazen Hydra was one of the few taverns in Bilgewater that didn’t have sawdust on the floor. Drinks were rarely spilled, let alone teeth, but on this night, its patrons could be heard all the way to Diver’s Bluff. 
Men of some repute, and even greater means, were turning the air blue with wondrous songs of the very worst acts. 
And there, in the middle of them all, was the conductor of the night’s revelry. 
She twirled, toasting the health of the harbor master and all his watchmen. Her lustrous red hair whipped around, captivating the eyes of every man in the room, not that they had been looking at anything other than her. 
No glass had been allowed to run empty all night - the crimson-haired siren made sure of that. But it wasn’t the dulled senses of every man in the room that drew them closer. It was the promise of her next glorious smile. 
With merriment still shaking the tavern, the front door opened, and in stepped a plainly dressed man. Inconspicuous to a degree that only comes from years of practice, he walked to the bar and ordered a drink. 
Among the clumsily assembled gallery, the young woman grabbed a fresh glass of amber ale. 
“My fine fellows, I’m afraid I must take my leave,” she said with a flourish. 
The men of the harbor guard responded with loud bellows of protest. 
“Now, now. We’ve had our fun,” she said, chiding them amiably. “But I have a busy night ahead, and you are all so very late to your posts.” 
She hopped onto a table without missing a beat, before looking down upon them all with triumphant glee. 
“May the Mother Serpent grant us mercy for our sins!” 
She smiled her most captivating smile, raised the large tankard to her lips, and then downed her ale in one tremendous gulp. 
“Especially the big ones,” she said, as she slammed her glass on the table. 
She wiped the beer from her mouth to a rapturous roar of approval and blew a kiss to all.
Like servants before their queen, the room parted. 
The door was held open for her by the gracious harbor master. He hoped to garner one last glance of approval, but she was lost to the streets before he could look up from his unsteadily courteous bow. 
Outside, the moon had dipped behind Freeman’s Aerie, and the night’s shadow seemed to reach out to meet the woman. Each step that she took from the tavern became more purposeful and surefooted. Her carefree veil dissolved, and her true self was revealed. 
Her smile, her look of wonder and joy, were gone. She stared grimly, not seeing the streets and alleys around her, but looking far beyond to the many possibilities of the dark night ahead. 
Behind her, the plainly dressed man from the tavern was gaining. His footsteps were silent, yet unnervingly swift. 
In a measured heartbeat, he put his stride in perfect unison with hers, just off her shoulder, out of her periphery. 
“Is everything in place, Rafen?” she asked. 
After all these years, he was still taken aback at how he could never surprise her.
“Yes, Captain,” he said. 
“You weren’t spotted?” 
“No,” he bristled, reining in his displeasure at the question. “The bay was free from the harbor master’s eyes, and the ship was as good as empty.” 
“And the boy?” 
“He played his part.” 
“Good. We meet at the Syren.” 
At her word, Rafen broke away and disappeared into the gloom. 
She continued onward as the night wrapped itself around her. Everything was in motion. 
All that remained was for her players to begin the show. 


I hear Graves roar as I dive off the bridge. All I can see is the rope beneath me. No need to think about the fall or the bottomless black depths. 
Everything is a blur of rushing wind. 
I nearly scream with joy when I catch the rope, but then it burns into my palm like a branding iron. My fall stops with a snap as I slide to the bottom of the looping tether.
I hang there a moment, cursing. 
I’ve heard that dropping into water from this height normally won’t kill a man, but I’d rather take my chances on the stone loading dock that’s at least fifty feet straight down. I’ll die, but it’s a damned sight better than drowning. 
Between me and the stone platform, a pair of heavy-duty cables run from here to the mainland, one forward, one back. Crude, noisy mechanisms power them. They’re used to transport rendered down parts of sea beasts to the markets in Bilgewater proper. 
The cables strum as a heavy rusted bucket, as big as a house, grinds its way toward me.
I let a smile creep on my face for a second. That is, until I see what’s in the cart. I’m about to drop feet first into a seething vat of rotting fish spleen. 
It took me months to earn the coin for my boots. Supple as gossamer and sturdy as tempered steel, they were crafted from the hide of an abyssal sea drake. There are fewer than four pairs in the whole world. 
Damn it. 
I time my jump just right and land in the middle of the chum bucket. The cold slop seeps through every hand-stitch of my prized boots. At least my hat’s clean. 
Suddenly, I hear that damned gun bark again. 
The mooring line explodes. 
The cart groans as it slides free from the cables. The wind’s knocked out of me as the bucket slams into the stone platform. I feel the foundations of the dock shake before everything flips on its side. 
The world falls over my head, along with a ton of fish guts. 
Struggling to stand, I look for another way out. Gangplank’s launches are closing in. They’re nearly here. 
Dazed, I drag myself toward a small boat moored on the loading dock. I’m not halfway there when a shotgun blast rips its hull wide open, scuttling it. 
As the boat sinks, I drop to my knees, exhausted. I try to catch some breath over my own stench. Malcolm stands over me. Somehow, he made his way down, too. Of course he did. 
“Not so charmin’ now, are ya?” Graves grins, looking me up and down. 
“Are you ever gonna learn?” I say, rising to my feet. “Every time I try to help you, I-” 
He fires into the ground in front of me. I’m pretty sure I get a chunk of something in my shin. “If you’d just list-” 
“Oh, I’m all done listenin’,” he interrupts, grinding out the words. “The biggest score of our lives, and before I knew it, you were gone.” 
“Before you knew it? I told you-” 
Another blast, another shower of stone, but I’m past caring. 
“I tried to get us out. The rest of us saw the job was going south,” I say. “But you wouldn’t back down. You never do.” The card’s in my hand before I realize it. 
“I told you then, all you had to do was back me up. We would’ve gotten out clean – and rich. But you ran,” he says, stepping forward. The man I used to know seems lost under years of hatred. 
I don’t try to say anything else. I can see it in his eyes, now. Something’s broken inside of him. 
Over his shoulder, a glint catches my eye - it’s a flintlock. The first of Gangplank’s crewmen are on us. 
Without thinking, I flick the card. It slices toward Graves. 
His gun thunders. 
My card takes out Gangplank’s man. His pistol was leveled at Malcolm’s back. 
Behind me, another member of his crew slumps to the ground, a knife in his hand. If Graves hadn’t shot him, he could’ve had me, cold. 
We both look at each other. Old habits. 
Gangplank’s men are all around now, crowding in close, howling and jeering. There’s too many to fight. 
That doesn’t stop Graves. He brings his gun up, but he’s out of shells. 
I don’t draw any cards. There’s no point. 
Malcolm roars and goes at them. That’s his way. He shatters one bastard’s nose with the butt of his gun, before the mob beats him to the ground. 
Hands grab me, pinning my arms. Malcolm’s hauled to his feet, blood dripping from his face. 
Ominously, the hoots and hollers from the mob around us fall silent. 
The wall of thugs parts to reveal a red-coated figure striding toward us. 
Gangplank. 
Up close, he’s much bigger than you’d imagine. And older. The lines of his face are deep and chiseled. 
He’s holding an orange in one hand, slicing off its skin with a short-bladed carving knife. He’s doing it slow, making each cut count. 
“So tell me, boys,” he says. His voice is a deep, rumbling growl. “Do you like scrimshaw?”
 Be sure to check back when ACT THREE launches for the continuation of the story!

II. EXPLORE THE WORLD

By checking out the Explore The World page, you'll find an interactive scene of the "The Slaughter Docks" mentioned in the second act of the story, complete with several pop up bits of information on  the Slaughter Fleet, Butcher's Bridge and much more!

Here's the points of interest from "The Slaughter Docks":
  • Twisted Fate, the Cardmaster
    • "Twisted Fate is an infamous card sharp and swindler who has gambled and charmed his way across much of the known world, earning the enmity and admiration of the rich and foolish alike. He rarely takes things seriously, greeting each day with a mocking smile and an insouciant swagger. In every possible way, Twisted Fate always has an ace up his sleeve."
  • Architecture
    • "Bilgewater lacks natural building resources, forcing its inhabitants to scrounge whatever they can. It’s common to see remnants of ships from as far as Ionia, Demacia, and the Freljord incorporated into the architecture."
  • Slaughter fleet
    • "Fleets leave port at sunset every night to hunt mighty sea monsters. As rivals represented by unique symbols and traditions, many of the fleets constantly fight among themselves for dominance."
  • Slaughter sheds
    • "After a successful sea monster hunt, the slaughter fleets return to the slaughter docks to render the massive creatures down to meat, bones, and armored hides inside these enormous sheds. A lucrative trade in glands, organs, and secretions harvested from the serpents thrives in Bilgewater."
  • Sea monsters
    • "Massive sea monsters are a constant threat in the waters around Bilgewater and over the centuries, a trade industry has grown out of hunting and harvesting them. The nature of the beasts’ attraction to the islands is unknown, but their impact cannot be denied."
  • Wharf rats
    • "A terrifying blend of shark and rat, these creatures are larger than dogs and are known to prey upon drunks and lone fishermen on moonless nights. They often travel in packs, and are easily capable of biting a man’s leg off."
  • Tahm Kench carving
    • "Ol’ Tahm Kench’s likeness marks dens of avarice throughout Bilgewater. A symbol for greed and uninhibited freedom, the River King’s face appears as lewd graffiti almost as often as it is a guidepost for those looking to satiate tastes of an indelicate sort. "
  • Gun’dola
    • "These raised platforms transport goods and rendered-down sea monster meat, bone, and fat across the islands on rust-worn rails. Some of the gondolas have cannons installed, inspiring the locals’ clever name."
  • Butcher’s Bridge
    • "Once an ancient stone bridge leading to a temple entrance, it’s been kept up haphazardly and primarily serves now as a connection between the slaughter docks and one of Bilgewater’s slums."

III. LIVE THE EVENT


Bilgewater-Inspired Skins

Following the release of Cutthroat Graves and Cutpurse Twisted Fate in ACT ONE, new Bilgewater-inspired skins for Aatrox, Garen, and Quinn are now available!

Corsair Quinn
"Scout the horizon for other ships and secure sea monsters for your slaughter fleet as Corsair Quinn."

Sea Hunter Aatrox
"Stalk the untamed beasts below the waves and slaughter your prey as Sea Hunter Aatrox."
Rogue Admiral Garen
"Command a monster-hunting galleon and bring glory to your slaughter fleet as Rogue Admiral Garen."

[Video previews available here: Seahunter Aatrox, Rogue Admiral Garen, Corsair Quinn.]


Here's an extended set of previews for these three new skins:

Sea Hunter Aatrox

750 RP

Rogue Admiral Garen

750 RP

Corsair Quinn

750 RP

Bilgewater: Burning Tides Rewards

If you've already completed ACT ONE's summoner icon challenges, another set icons can now be earned as we move into ACT TWO!

 Click the icon in your League of Legends client to start:

ACT TWO has you choose between a new set of Graves & Twisted Fate icons again, with a new set of challenges to earn them:
Remember, you must complete the acts IN ORDER, meaning you must complete the act one before moving on to act two's icons, and you can only pick one side per act! You have until the end of the event to earn icons from each act. If you have more questions, see the FAQ for ACT TWO!

FAQ

Lastly, here's dArtagnan with an FAQ on ACT TWO:
"Hey all, 
Many of you may have some questions regarding the requirements for the event as well as how the rewards will be distributed. Be sure to check out our Bilgewater Event FAQ for an overview of how the event will work! 
If you are looking for more specifics, the following should help clear up any confusion!

Act 2 is now Live!
  • In order to access Act 2, you will need to restart your client if you are already signed in
  • Remember, to choose your new champion path, you must activate it on the main page of the client
  • Our servers are getting flooded with requests for the next Act, so it may not be available to click when you first login. Keep trying however! You should be able to click it in the near future.

Music of Bilgewater

Black Market Brawlers
Not currently available. Will be available later in the event! We will update this when its live
  • Must be level 3
  • Only available in the special Game Mode, and not available in normal Summoner Rift queues
  • When an enemy champion is killed, all players who got an assist will receive a Golden Kraken (for example, if you get a kill, and your other 4 teammates got an assist, all 4 players will receive one Golden Kraken).
  • Large Jungle Creeps are: Blue Sentinel (Blue buff), Red Brambleback (Red buff), Ancient Krug (Large golem), Crimson Raptor (Large raptor), Greater Murk Wolf (Large wolf), and Gromp. Note: Rift Scuttler (crab) will not give bonus, as it is a neutral monster and therefore cannot be counter-jungled
  • Morellonomicon is disabled while in this mode. Be sure to check out the new items for BMB!
  • Once Golden Krakens are spent, these purchases/upgrades CANNOT be undone/cancelled.
  • it is not possible to 'lose' Golden Krakens without spending them
  • Not to be confused with Brawl Brothers

Butcher's Bridge
  • Must be level 6
  • Completely replaces The Howling Abyss until the end of the event. You cannot toggle between the Howling Abyss and Butcher's Bridge maps
  • Available in Matchmade 5v5 ARAM and in Custom Games
  • Gameplay is exactly the same, regardless of how visuals may look

Event Icon Rewards
  • You must first select a champion path for EACH act to start earning points to completing objectives. Once a champion path is chosen, it CANNOT be changed
  • It is not possible to receive/earn both icons from a specific act
  • Objectives for the icon must be completed in order. You cannot work towards (earn points for) the 2nd objective, until the 1st objective is completed. NOTE: You cannot complete both objectives in the same game. You can only unlock one objective, per game.
  • Matchmade Games includes all game modes you can enter a queue for (Including Co-op vs AI). Custom Games will NOT count.
  • The objective requirements are cumulative. Example: for the Graves Icon for Act 1, you need 20 Kills. You do not need to get 20 kills in a single game, but 20 TOTAL kills over as many games as needed.
  • Once you have completed the 2nd objective, the icon will be automatically unlocked.
  • You must complete Act 1's objectives before you can unlock subsequent Act rewards. You will have to the end of the event to complete all act rewards however.
  • It may take several minutes for your icon reward to appear on your account. NOTE: The icon may be "buried" in your list of icons, so make sure to carefully scroll through all of them to find it! If it does not appear after 24 hours, make sure to submit a ticket.

Bilgewater Skins
  • All Bilgewater skins are NOT Legacy Skins, and will be available for purchase after the event.
Be sure to return in a few days for ACT THREE of the event, which will include more story, the Captain Fortune skin, another set of summoner icon choices, and more!

Check out these links for more information on the event:
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