Keeping the ship's log
Milestone three is done, and with it phase one. Blacktide's harbor now has things in it, and when something happens, the people around you see it.
Things you can carry
The Dock has a coil of tarred rope lying on the planks. The Drowned Rat has a brass lantern. You can get them, drop them somewhere else, and check your inventory to see what you're hauling around. Builders can create new items on the spot, which is how the harbor will slowly fill up.
You see what happens
Standing on Salt Row, you'll now see the harbor move around you:
Ada arrives. Brennan picks up the coil of tarred rope. Brennan has left via the tavern door.
People appear when they arrive in the world and fade away when they leave. You don't see your own actions narrated back at you; you just see the result.
The world keeps a log
Under the hood, every one of those moments is now an event: what happened, where, at which tick of the world's heartbeat, and who was involved. Events are how the parts of Blacktide talk to each other. The room narration you see is just the first thing listening. Later, scripted rooms will react to them, and The Broadside will take notes from them for its reporting. Not every footstep is worth printing, so the world keeps recent events and the paper will keep what matters.
Help
New players can type help to see every command, or help get to learn how one works.
Next
Phase two starts here: time. A game clock that the whole world runs on, days and nights that pass whether or not anyone is logged in, and a bit of colour and drama in how the world talks to you.
The log is open. Next entry when milestone four is done.