Wanda, also known as Captain Warsmith or the Masked Stranger, was the Weaponsmith stationed at Golden Sands Outpost who created Cursed Cannonballs by experimenting with the found remains of Captain Flameheart's cannon. She became Skeleton as a result of the experiments, and waged war with the Outposts for a brief period before retreating. She would later return as the mysterious Masked Stranger, conducting archaeological research on Reaper related artefacts and oversaw the construction of The Reaper's Hideout, all while plotting the resurrection of Captain Flameheart.
Wanda has since splintered off from Captain Flameheart, instead becoming a member of the Dark Brethren. She, along with the rest of the Dark Brethren was directly involved in the assassination and subsequent capturing of Merrick in The Forsaken Hunter.
Once she was Wanda, arrogant weaponsmith of Golden Sands Outpost, whose desire to follow in Flameheart's footsteps resulted in the return of Skeleton Ships and Cursed Cannonballs to the Sea of Thieves.
The destruction of her fleet did not impede this newly dubbed Warsmith for long. Donning the guise of the Masked Stranger, Warsmith oversaw the construction of The Reaper’s Hideout as a way to bring further glory to Flameheart's cause. When Flameheart refused to acknowledge her desire to rule at his side, Warsmith abandoned the Reapers, seeking a new place among the Dark Brethren.[1]
Wanda believed her business was the top in the Sea of Thieves, though she disliked selling to pirates. A businessman named Salty had obtained a Cursed Cannon that belonged the legendary Captain Flameheart. He established a partnership with Wanda, and they tried to replicate the many magical effects of the Cursed Cannon through alchemy and blacksmithing, creating consumable cannonball versions. They tried to sell the cannonballs at the Outposts, but Outpost governors refused to give them seller permits for their goods. Wanda became especially frustrated, believing the Order of Souls were behind the conspiracy.
She created more dangerous cursed cannonballs, waiting until the Outposts came back to their senses. One experiment backfired horribly, inflicting Wanda and Salty under a terrible curse. Salty turned into a small undead skeleton parrot, and Wanda was slowly turning into an undead skeleton, both slowly losing memories of who they are. Just prior to Cursed Sails, her affliction robbed her voice and caused a noticeable transformation to her arm. She also displayed cursed cannonballs in her shop that were rewarded for the eventual Cursed Sails campaign. Once she fully transformed into a skeleton, she left her shop to her twin sister Wonda, and waged war on the outposts as Skeleton Captain, "Captain Warsmith". She helped create the Skeleton Ships, and helmed The Sandman’s Revenge for its battle in Cursed Sails.
The Cursed Sails Campaign prompts pirates to trace Wanda's disappearance at Sharon's request, through her journals scattered in the Sea of Thieves.
The Masked Stranger first appeared with Jim during Smuggler’s Fortune at the Uncharted Island now known as The Reaper’s Hideout. She was working on deciphering the contents of Reaper’s Chests and creating sketches of a chalice, a dragon figurehead, and of Shipwreck Bay.
Later, through The Fort of the Damned, she and Jim moved to Castaway Isle to keep a close eye on Old Boot Fort, which had just transformed into the now Fort of the Damned, where the Ghostly form of Graymarrow was released with a Shadowy Ritual.
With the The Seabound Soul, their planned ritual at Shipwreck Bay was completed, releasing the Ghost of Sir Arthur Pendragon from his curse. This set Pendragon on a mission to enlist pirates with the task to release the souls of other cursed Captains, which lead to the accidental releasing of Captain Flameheart whose soul had also been cursed. During all of this, Stitcher Jim was at Taverns, filling in for Duke as the Bilge Rats representative, while the Masked Stranger worked away behind a locked door within Wanda’s Hideout on Wanderers Refuge.
Coming out of hiding for Festival of Giving (2019), she charted the previously Uncharted Island at I/J-12 and named it The Reaper's Hideout. There she took residence on the South-Eastern island, dressing it up for the festive season, and began collecting Gifts from passing Pirates. Construction continued through Legends of the Sea, with a Fort erecting around the South-Eastern island, while The Masked Stranger accepted various of the more valuable Trading Company Treasures for double their value.
In the Heart of Fire Tall Tale, Stitcher Jim's carvings in the walls of his hidden Hideout at Liar's Backbone indicate that the Masked Stranger is Captain Warsmith. Additionally, the Stranger can be seen overlooking Stitcher's ritual during the Tall Tale.
The construction was complete with Ships of Fortune, and the Masked Stranger disappeared. In her place, The Servant of the Flame moved in, representing the Reaper's Bones company.
Wanda reappears during the Dark Brethren Tall Tale, where it is revealed that she has joined the Dark Brethren because she learned that she was only being used by Flameheart and wish to take revenge on him.
In the trailer for the Forts of the Forgotten, she could be seen standing on her ship with another figure dressed in a similar outfit, looking at the Sea Fort in which her sister, Wonda is being held captive.
At The Reaper’s Hideout during the Heart of Fire
At The Reaper’s Hideout during the Crews of Rage:
At The Reaper’s Hideout during Legends of the Sea:
At The Reaper’s Hideout during Festival of Giving (2019):
No dialogue was available.
The Masked Stranger could be found in Wanda's Hidden Lab behind a locked door.
At Castaway Isle during Fort of the Damned (Content Update):
At The Reaper’s Hideout during Smuggler’s Fortune:
At Golden Sands Outpost before the Cursed Sails:
Now having lost her Weaponsmith title, Wanda began to show signs that something was wrong with her; her right arm had transformed into a Skeleton arm and her right eye had gone blind.
At Golden Sands Outpost before the Cursed Sails:
Wanda forgot her name and began referring to herself as "the Blacksmith". She also would regularly inspect her left arm as if something was wrong with it.
At Golden Sands Outpost before the Cursed Sails:
Salty working on something in a corner of Wanda's shop.
At Golden Sands Outpost before the Cursed Sails
To browse the journals written by Wanda, please refer to Wanda/Journals.
