Ashen Key
An Ashen Key is a type of Key in Sea of Thieves that is used to unlock Ashen Chests to gain access to the valuable Treasure and rewards inside such as Ashen Tomes, Ritual Skulls, Gold, or Doubloons. Ashen Keys are also a type of Bilge Rats Treasure that can be sold to the Bilge Rats for 5 
. Alternatively, they can be sold to the Reaper's Bones for 10 and Reputation instead.
Mechanics
The Ashen Key is not useful on its own, unless the Crew finds an Ashen Chest. A single Ashen Key can be used up to unlock an Ashen Chest, after which, the Chest will reveal three Treasure items. A used Ashen Key cannot be recovered, but the unlocked Ashen Chest can be sold for an equal amount of Doubloons once opened and emptied.
Ashen Chests can be found from various sources, most commonly found as a reward for solving an Ashen Guardian's Notes Quest that is dropped by Ashen Guardians that appear during Skeleton Fort World Events or on Islands as Emergent Skeleton Captain spawns.
Where to find
Ashen Keys can be found from the following sources:
- 1 Guaranteed as a reward for solving an Ashen Key Master's Notes Quest, dropped by Ashen Key Master that appear during Skeleton Fort World Events or on Islands as Emergent Skeleton Captain spawns
- Low chance to be dropped by Ashen Key Master
- 2 Guaranteed as a reward for sinking the Captain's Skeleton Ship at the end of a Skeleton Fleet.
- Low chance to be caught with a Fishing Rod as Treacherous Plunder when not using any Bait.
- 1 Guaranteed for an Ashen Key Stash Voyage, bought from the Black Market for 99 .
- Dug up from a Skeleton’s Orders Treasure Map as a part of the Time-Limited Ashen Key-Seeker Mercenary Voyages.
Tip: If in need of an Ashen Key, find either an Emergent Skeleton Captain or Ashen Guardian on an Island and attempt a soft-reset of the Island by having the whole crew die or exit the Island's Title Card range. A soft-reset has a chance to change the Captain/Guardian to a different type, or cause it to despawn (in which case, a soft-reset can be attempted again).
Rewards
Ashen Chest Treasure Pool
Every Ashen Chest opened with an Ashen Key will reveal 3 Treasure items:
- 1 guaranteed random Ashen Tome
- 2 additional Items that can be the following:
- 5 Doubloon Pouch
- 1,000
Gold Pouch - Ritual Skull
- Roaring Goblet
- Brimstone Casket
- Devil’s Remnant
- Magma’s Grail
- An additional Ashen Tome
- 5
Selling Ashen Keys
Ashen Keys can be sold both to:
- Larinna stationed in every Tavern for Bilge Rat Doubloons
- The Servant of the Flame at The Reaper’s Hideout for Doubloons and Reaper's Bones Reputation and Emissary Value (if sailing as a Reaper's Bones Emissary)
The following is the reward chart for sold Ashen Keys (only applicable when selling to the Reaper's Bones):
| Emissary Grade | Emissary Value |
|---|---|
| No Emissary
|
0 |
| I
|
|
| II
|
|
| III
|
|
| IV
|
|
| V
|
Notes
- It is recommended to sell these Keys to the Reaper's Bones as they will offer increasing Doubloon, Reputation and Emissary Value multipliers for selling these items to The Servant of the Flame as Graded Reaper's Bones Emissaries.
- All Commendations related to selling Ashen Keys can also be earned by selling them to the Reaper's Bones.
- Picking up and placing an Ashen Key on a Ship for the first time gives Emissary Grade Reputation to Trading Company Emissaries representing the Reaper's Bones.
- Ashen Keys can be stored inside Collector's Chests.
- Ashen Keys give off a dark-orange glint from a distance.
- Ashen Keys can be caught with a Harpoon
Commendations
| Commendations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Image | Commendation | Requirements | Rewards |
 | Plundered Prizes | Sell 600 of any Trading Company items while flying the Reaper's Bones Emissary Flag. High Seas only
|  Unlocks the Dawn Hunter instruments for purchase at Grade I, the Dawn Hunter equipment for purchase at Grade II, the Dawn Hunter clothing and vanity for purchase at Grade III, the Dawn Hunter weapons for purchase at Grade IV, the Dawn Hunter ship set for purchase at Grade V. |
 | Fearless Reaper | Sell 320 of any Trading Company items while flying a Grade 5 Reaper's Bones Emissary Flag. High Seas only
| n/a |
 | Key Cash | Sell an Ashen Key. | +10 |
 | Key of Thieves | Use a stolen Ashen Key. High Seas only | +10 |
Pirate Chat Wheel
Here is the Pirate Chat Wheel for the Ashen Key:
Patch history
- 2.10.0 (January 23, 2024)
- Samuel will no longer purchase Ashen Keys within the Athena's Fortune Hideout.
- 2.0.9 (November 20, 2019)
- Introduced.
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