The Lagoon Black Market: Selling Mermaids for Top XP
There's a trade on Dovion that people talk about in hushed tones: the black market of the central lagoon, also known as the altar. It deals in a very particular commodity — captured mermaids — in exchange for a reward that turns heads: XP, tons of it. Here's everything you need to know before diving into the archipelago's most lucrative (and riskiest) trade route.
Where is the lagoon altar?
The black market sits at the center of the map, right in the heart of the misty lagoon. Let's be upfront: this is not a quiet neighborhood. Dovion's center means thick fog, lighthouses cutting through the haze, bosses on the prowl — and rewards that match the danger. If you've never sailed there, start with our guide to surviving the center of the map; it'll save your hull on your very first visit.
This location isn't an accident: the game puts its best reward at the end of its worst route. That's the whole appeal of the black market, right there.
First, catch a mermaid
Before you can sell, you need the goods. And Dovion's mermaids don't let themselves be picked like flowers:
- In groups, they're vicious. Mermaids turn aggressive in numbers, and their cry can rally other mermaids into the fight. Approaching a whole school without a plan is a guaranteed shipwreck.
- Small hulls have the edge. Ships on the Skirmisher path can harness mermaids into a sled — the Trirème des Sirènes (Mermaid Trireme), the pinnacle of the Narwhal lineage, can hitch up to ten mermaids plus five draft whales. Spectacular, and very handy for transport.
For the full picture on these creatures — behavior, dangers, opportunities — go read Dovion's mermaids: threat or opportunity? and our dedicated article on the mermaid sled.
The sale: an XP jackpot, not gold
Crucial detail, because it reshapes your whole strategy: the altar doesn't pay in gold. Selling a captured mermaid at the black market earns you a huge amount of XP — enough to leap forward in level progression.
That makes the black market more of a timing tool than a farming routine:
- Right before an evolution milestone (15, 30, or 45), a sale at the altar can unlock your new hull in one shot, where regular grinding would've taken a long session.
- Mid-match, when your level stalls but you're holding the sea well, it's the perfect shortcut — provided you accept the risk of the trip.
- If you're torn between stacking gold or chasing XP, our guide gold or XP: what to prioritize will help you decide based on the moment.
The journey: where it's really won or lost
The hardest part isn't the capture or the sale: it's arriving alive at the altar. A few smuggler's rules:
- Travel light. Sell your gold cargo BEFORE heading to the center: if you sink on the way, at least you only lose the mermaid.
- Beware the fog. It hides the altar, but it also hides what's waiting for you. Lighthouses are your landmarks.
- Watch for bosses if you're big. Past level 30, the center's bosses target you as a priority. The irony: the more powerful you are, the hotter the delivery.
- Know when to fold. A lost mermaid can be replaced; a sunk run cannot.
Tempted by smuggling?
The lagoon black market is Dovion summed up in one mechanic: a big payoff, a real risk, and a story to tell when you make it back. Go find out if you've got what it takes as a mermaid smuggler: Play Dovion for free — the altar is waiting for your first delivery.