But why is the rum always gone

Balthier walked the beach.  The water was too salty to drink. 3 days since he left the path, which meant 3 days without food, water or RUM. 

The sand was warm though he figured if he had to starve to death at least he'd be warm, besides he was sure their would be hundreds of stories about the adventures of the leading man lost in the darkwood.  And that was something.

Standing between two massive feet of what must have been a giagantic statue, He looked up at the sky watching buzzards circle around him. Then he saw hiding behind the trees what looked like a sail.  Venturing off the warm beach and into the woods he found the sail attached to a whole ship.  It was worn and overgrown, must have been thrown inland by a storm.  Entering through a gaping hole in the side he looked to see what there was to see.

A few dead bodies, all look like they were torn apart, a set of chains that were unlocked... Interesting since the twenty other chains held the remains of dead captives.  Maybe 10 years dead or so.  A small bag or two of gold but of course ...no rum.

He eventually made his way to the captains quarters.  The skeleton sat in his chair and stared our the window holding a small parchment in his hand. Balthier went right for his desk, found a log and a medallian some maps and useless junk.  He popped the false bottom of the second drawer and found the greatest treasure in all the land.

Drinking his new found riches he read the captains log.  It told of a goddess named nocturn. Something to do with shadow twilight and luck.  The captian was obviously very devote in his worship and hoped to find a lost temple to her here along the southern coast of the darkwood.  He wrote of a fountain poured by her hand that gave the drinker nocturns luck. But what most caught his interest was the skeleton key. It could open any lock...physical or magical or otherwise.  In hopes to drink at the fountain it was said many wealthy thieves paid vast wealth in tribute that must now rest in the lost temple.

Closing the book the finished his rum and took the parchment from the captains hand.  A map...of course, it seemed the leading man was meant to court lady luck.

After a well deserved nap on silk sheets he set off into the darkwood. He threw away the map, he wanted to test his luck.