Skull and Bones offers an immersive pirate experience with a wide range of activities, from naval battles to trading and exploration. However, the game truly opens up when you reach the late-game stage, allowing you to transition from a lone pirate to the mastermind behind a sprawling trade empire. One of the most exciting parts of this progression is unlocking the Helm Empire mechanics, which introduces the Supply Network, Order Registry, and the elusive Black Market. This guide will walk you through the steps to unlock these features and explain how to use them to expand your pirate dominion.

What Are the Helm Empire and Black Market?

The Helm Empire system is a late-game quest chain that gives you access to new gameplay features and activities. Through the Helm, you can manage supply networks, process raw materials into valuable goods, fulfill smuggling orders, and even partake in high-stakes PvPvE events.

The Black Market is where you spend your Pieces of Eight - a special currency earned by completing Order Registry missions. Here, you can buy rare cosmetic Skull and Bones items, powerful weapons, and ship mascots, enhancing both your pirate's style and capabilities.

How to Unlock the Helm Empire

Unlocking the Helm Empire involves a series of missions beginning with A Covert Initiation. While the exact trigger for this quest isn't fully confirmed, it typically appears once you reach the Marauder rank, a mid-to-late game progression milestone.

Step-by-Step Unlock Process:

Receive A Covert Initiation Quest:

After reaching Marauder rank, check your mail in the pirate haven of Sainte-Anne. This quest will direct you to your next task.

Meet Yanita Nara:

Head to Le Pont Muet, a tavern located at the back of the pirate haven. Talk to Yanita, the barkeep, who will introduce you to the Helm - a secret chamber hidden behind the tavern.

Access the Helm:

Inside this hidden room, you can start various Helm-related missions and manage new gameplay mechanics like the Supply Network and Order Registry.

Helm Empire Supply Networks and Facilities

Yanita's initial task, Taking the Helm, is your first introduction to the Supply Network. Here's how it works:

Supply Network Map:

This map displays different resources (such as sugar cane or poppy) that you need to acquire. You can either fast travel to outposts where liaisons sell these resources or sail there manually.

Purchasing Resources:

Buy the required raw materials from the liaison NPC at the designated outpost.

Return and Unlock Facilities:

Upon completing your resource acquisition, Yanita will introduce you to the first Helm facility - the Distillery. This is where you convert sugar cane into various types of rum.

Later, you will unlock the Smuggler's Hideout in the East Indies, allowing you to collect poppy, which is then processed into opium. This progression highlights how the Helm Empire's trade ventures revolve heavily around illicit goods, like drugs and alcohol, in line with the pirate lifestyle.

Order Registry and Rogue Encounters

Your next major task involves completing missions from the Order Registry - a list of smuggler orders that require delivering processed goods.

Selecting Orders:

Browse the Order Registry to pick missions that reward Pieces of Eight, the Helm's unique currency.

No Fast Travel:

While on an Order Registry mission, fast travel is disabled, forcing you to sail manually to the target outpost.

Bring Required Goods:

Ensure you have the necessary processed goods (rum, opium, etc.) to deliver to the smugglers.

Prepare for Combat:

During these missions, ships from the hostile Rogues faction will attack you. These AI enemies add tension and challenge, especially since Rogue ships can appear even near Sainte-Anne, sometimes harassing new or low-level players.

Successfully defending against and defeating Rogues can also help clear the way for other players to safely leave the pirate haven.

Unlocking the Black Market and Using Pieces of Eight

Once you complete Yanita's initial missions and gain a foothold in the Helm Empire, the Black Market option becomes available.

Visit Yanita at Le Pont Muet:

Here you can spend your hard-earned Pieces of Eight.

What's Available at the Black Market?

The Black Market offers a variety of exclusive items, including:

Stylish pirate cosmetics and accessories.

Powerful and rare weaponry.

Unique ship mascots and pets to personalize your vessel.

Remember, Pieces of Eight are only obtained through Order Registry missions and controlling manufactories, making this currency valuable and central to your progression.

More Helm Empire Features and Endgame Content

As you delve deeper into the Helm Empire, additional activities become available:

Smuggler's Hideouts

Yanita will send you to Telok Penjarah in the East Indies, where you meet Houma, leader of the local smugglers. This location is crucial for advancing the Helm story and gaining access to newship blueprints like the Padewakang.

Upgradable Perks

Within the Helm chamber, a table grants access to the Helm Empire Overview, where you can unlock perks to boost your enterprise, such as:

Enhanced production outputs from distilleries and manufactories.

Increased rewards from Helm Chests and Legendary Heists.

Higher profits from trade dealings with factions like the Confederation of Ungawa and Dominion of Rempah.

Bonuses that extend trade route durations and improve supply run profits.

Keep in mind that these perks reset each season, requiring you to strategically invest your Pieces of Eight.

Hostile Takeovers and Legendary Heists

Hostile Takeovers:

A PvPvE event where your crew attempts to seize control of a settlement's manufactory. Success means steady income from that location.

Legendary Heists:

Intense PvPvE missions targeting a "bullet sponge" boss. The first player to successfully eliminate this target receives a special reward, but other players can try to steal it by sinking the victor's ship.

Summary of the Helm Empire Endgame Loop

Here's the overall flow once you unlock the Helm Empire and Black Market:

Gather Resources:

Acquire sugar cane, poppy, and other raw materials via Supply Network liaisons or by attacking Rogue ships.

Process Goods:

Use Helm facilities to turn raw materials into high-value goods like rum and opium.

Complete Orders:

Accept and fulfill Order Registry missions by delivering processed goods while defending yourself from Rogue attacks.

Engage in PvPvE Events:

Participate in Hostile Takeovers and Legendary Heists for lucrative rewards and faction control.

Earn and Spend Pieces of Eight:

Use this currency to purchase exclusive Black Market cheap Skull and Bones items or upgrade your Helm perks.

By mastering these elements, you solidify your position as a powerful pirate lord, turning the tides of the Indian Ocean to your favor.

Final Thoughts

Unlocking the Helm Empire and Black Market in Skull and Bones is a rewarding milestone that opens a new layer of depth and strategy. It transforms the game from a simple pirate adventure into an intricate game of trade, politics, and conquest. Whether you're managing smuggling operations, upgrading your supply chain, or engaging in fierce PvPvE battles, the Helm Empire gives you a taste of true pirate king power.