I second the painting, its great, you can give it your full attantion, or you can watch something or listen to podcasts/audiobooks while you do it. Plus a game needs to start somewhere, and i think art is a good starting point. Draw what you imagine the game to be, make maps, create design documents with notes for systems, interactions, ui ect. Programming for me is much easier at that point because you already know what you want to achive, and can start with a specific goal in mind
What are some famous tall tales, that get drunkenly told by fisherman and sailors in portbars around the islands?
Also what are some of the superstitions that the locals believe in?