Sea of Thieves Maiden Voyage tutorial: Key and journal locations, and how to complete all other Maiden Voyage commendations

How to access tutorial quest Maiden Voyage in Sea of Thieves

If this is the first time you've played Sea of Thieves, then, after you've selected a pirate to play as, you'll have to play at least some of the Maiden Voyage quest to access the rest of the game.

If you're a returning player, then you can still play the Maiden Voyage quest to either to refresh your Sea of Thieves skills or to earn the special items available from earning all the Maiden Voyage commendations.

Maiden Voyage can be played at any time by selecting from the bottom right-hand corner of the Sea of Thieves Experience menu, which is the first menu you access upon starting the game.

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Maiden Voyage quest walkthrough in Sea of Thieves

Maiden Voyage begins with you awakening on an island and the ghostly Pirate Lord appearing in front of you. You need to eat, however, to properly talk to the Pirate Lord.

To do this open your Equipment Radial and then select the food you stored there. Once it's in hand, you can eat it and then talk to the Pirate Lord.

He'll instruct you to retrieve the cutlass that is sticking out of the remains of a skeleton tied to a nearby tree. When you do retrieve this cutlass, the skeleton won't be too happy, so quickly destroy it with a few swipes of your blade.

Blade in hand, meet the Pirate Lord on the shore and he'll give you a shovel, which you should immediately put away. The Pirate Lord will then ask you to retrieve some treasure for him.

To do this open up your maps and select the only one you currently have available. You can now look at this map whenever you like and continue to move about the island as you do so. Keep in mind though, you won't be able to tell where you personally are by looking at the map.

To find the treasure head west along the beach, until you reach the area where it curves out into the sea.

Next, follow the curved beach out towards the ruined ship at its end and stop when you reach the plant with red leaves - it's here that you'll find the buried treasure.

With your shovel, dig up the Old Sailor's Chest and then bring it back to the Pirate Lord.

He'll allow you to open the chest and take the equipment inside, which includes a flintlock pistol, compass, telescope, bucket and lantern.

You can now spend some time experimenting with your new weapons and equipment if you like.

This is also the time to explore Old Sailor's Isle, the island where Maiden Voyage is set, and uncover its various secrets, including a collection of hidden journals.

Once you've found every secret or simply want to continue playing the game, talk once more to the Pirate Lord and he'll open the path to the Sea of Thieves. First, however, you have to get your ship ready for the open seas.

Swim out to your ship and board via the ladder on the side.

Your first task is to raise the mast, which can be done by interacting with the sail length rope that is to the right-hand side of the ladder you used to board the ship with.

Now head to the bottom deck via your cabin and collect some planks from the wood barrel you find down there.

You can use these planks to repair the cracks around the base of the mast. You'll need to do this three times for this task to be complete.

Next, select your bucket and head back back to the bottom deck. Here you need to scoop up some of the water into your bucket and then throw it overboard, until your ship is water free.

With that task completed, head to the topmost deck and use the capstan to raise the anchor, before returning to the sail length rope to lower the sails.

Now you can finally head out into the open seas, using the wheel to steer the ship, so that you can follow the trail of green torches to the Sea of Thieves.

Don't let your guard down as your journey though. There will be a shark that you must avoid and, at some point, you'll encounter a skeleton ship.

To deal with this ship, you must load one of your cannons using the cannonball barrel on the deck and fire it towards your enemy. Don't worry if you miss - a kraken will take care of the ship for you.

Eventually you'll receive the Unto the Horizons commendation, bringing Maiden Voyage and the tutorial to an end.

Where to find the key during tutorial Maiden Voyage in Sea of Thieves

If you want to access the hull of the destroyed ship in the middle of Old Sailor's Isle in the Maiden Voyage quest, you're going to need to find the key.

To do this head to the pool of water that lies in-between both ships and, once you're there, look to your left to see a pathway. This path will lead you around the left-hand side of the broken ship and up onto the hilltop where one of the broken masts rests.

You will also find a small spring at the top of this hilltop that descends to the ground below as a waterfall.

To find the key you need to dive underwater in this pool and swim to the rocks that form the top of the waterfall.Just in front of these rocks, you'll find the key sticking out of the dirt.

This key may take some time to find due to it being a similar colour to the dirt that lies the base of the pool, but if you take your time, ensuring you swim slowly, you'll be able to find it.

Key in hand, return to the area that sits in-between the two broken halves of the ship. You'll want to head towards the steps that led up to the first level of the right-hand side of the ship, but don't climb these steps. Instead, look at the ground to the right hand side of this ship to see a hatch in the dirt.

Use the key on this hatch to open the hull for the broken ship, so that you climb inside and help yourself to a selection of lost treasure like a true pirate.

Inside the hull, you'll find 25,000 Gold, 200 Doubloons and the 'My Secret Plan' journal, which you need to read as part of the A Storied Crossing commendation.

Entering the hull will also complete the Hidden Secrets commendation.

Journal locations during the Maiden Voyage quest in Sea of Thieves

As you explore Old Sailor's Isle during the Maiden Voyage quest in Sea of Thieves you might come across a journal or two. There are ten journals for you to find in total during the quest and, if you find them, you'll earn the A Storied Crossing commendation.

Remember - you need to read each journal once you've found them to complete this commendation.

Below you'll find out how to find all ten journals in Maiden Voyage:

The Sea of the Damned

Just beyond the campfire where you begin Maiden Voyage, you'll find a small pool with a waterfall.

If you swim towards this waterfall, you'll discover that there's a cave hidden behind it.

Venture to the back of this cave and you'll find 'The Sea of the Damned.'

Regarding Merfolk

Beyond where you dig up the Old Sailor's Chest, you'll see a sunken ship; the hull is at the very tip of the sand dune, while the cabin is on the right-hand side.

To find this book you need to dive into the cabin, entering through the doorway underwater and pay close attention to the sea-bed.

In one of the topmost corners you'll find 'Regarding Merfolk.'

They Gave It A Name

In the middle of Old Sailor's Isle you'll find the remains of a great ship broken in half. Before you reach this ship, however, there is a path leading to the right, following this will bring you to a ladder and, once you've climbed it, you'll find yourself in the remains of a bedroom.

Next, head up the stairs within this room to reach the top deck of the ruined ship and, by the ship's wheel, you'll find 'They Gave It A Name.'

Lost Secret's

After reading 'They Gave It A Name,' walk around the mast until you find the ladder attached to its side.

Climbing this ladder will take you to the crows-nest where you'll find 'Lost Secret's.'

So Near and Yet...

To find this journal, climb the set of steps at the base of the right-hand side of the broken ship and then cross the bridge that connects the two halves together.

Once you reach the other side of the boat, look to your left and you'll see a pair of barrels surrounded by leaves. At the foot of the upright barrel you'll find 'So Near and Yet...'

My Secret Plan

'My Secret Plan' is located in the hull of the broken ship, which is unlocked with the key you'll find as part of earning the Hidden Secrets commendation.

Lord of the Sea

Head down the path that goes through the tunnel in-between the two halves of the broken ship and continue following it until you reach a bridge.

Rather than crossing this bridge, go to the cliffedge to your right where you'll find a ladder.

Head down this ladder and search through the leaves to your left; amongst the ivy, you'll find the 'Lord of the Sea' journal.

Painting from the Past

Following the path that begins in-between the two halves of the broken ship to its end will bring you to the top of the second island and there you'll find a campsite.

Amongst the items that make up this little camp, you'll find the 'Painting from the Past' journal.

Making Camp

You'll walk past a wooden door on your journey to the top of the second island. Situated to the left of this door is a lever, which, when you pull it, will open the door.

Beyond the doorway, you'll find another small camp and, on the floor to the left of the campfire, you'll find the 'Making Camp' journal.

A Ship That Fits

After reading 'Making Camp' follow the pathway into the depths of the mountain, until you reach a raised bridge.

Opposite this raised bridge, you'll find a capstan, which you can use to lower the bridge and continue down the path.

Eventually, you'll reach another closed door. This time you can raise the door using the pulley next to it.

This will bring you into a cavern containing the rowing boat used for the Yer Boat commendation. Rather than climbing into the boat, head to your left where you'll see a ladder leading to a small ledge.

Once you've climbed the ladder, look on at the right-hand side of the ledge and, on the ground, you'll find the last journal - 'A Ship That Fits.'

The first season has arrived! Learn about all Season 1 Battle Pass rewards and everything else added in the Sea of Thieves patch notes. New to the game? Learn what to do in Sea of Thieves and take take part in the Maiden Voyage tutorial, which teaches you the essentials of sailing and ship battles. It's also useful for beginners to know how to survive fights with skeletons and the kraken. Elsewhere we have advice on how to get easy gold and doubloons, complete skeleton forts and The Shroudbreaker, take part in fishing in Sea of Thieves and Sea of Thieves island maps.

Other commendations and secrets in Maiden Voyage in Sea of Thieves

There are four other commendations for you to complete in Maiden Voyage, the tutorial for Sea of Thieves, and completing these commendations, along with the ones outlined above, will unlock the Magpie's Fortune Sails for your ship.

You can check to see how many commendations you've completed for the Maiden Voyage quest by going to the Reputation tab in the in-game menu.

From there select Tall Tales and then cycling to the next screen, where you'll find the option for Maiden Voyage. Here you'll find a full list of commendations available for this quest and the rewards you'll receive for completing them.

A Fine Catch

To earn this commendation, you have to do a spot of fishing. First, grab your fishing rod from the Equipment Reel, which is located in the second section of the reel.

Once you've got your fishing rod in hand, head to the nearest patch of water and cast out into the sea.

You'll have to wait a short while for a fish to appear, but, when you see a fish swimming and jumping around the end of your line, you'll know it's nearly time to start reeling in a fish.

When a fish does take the bait, you need to angle your rod in the opposite direction to the one it's swimming in. This would be right if the fish is swimming left, upwards if it's fishing directly away from you or left if it's heading to the right.

When the fish gets tired, you'll have the chance to reel it in.

You will have to repeat this process a number of times to catch a fish, but once you do so you'll receive the 'A Fine Catch' commendation.

Just make sure you don't reel the fish in when it's moving or point the rod in the wrong direction - if you do you'll break the line and lose the fish.

A Hearty Meal

This commendation begins with you killing one of the chickens that can be found near the campfire that you awaken by at the beginning of Maiden Voyage. You can do this by using either your cutlass or flintlock pistol.

Once you've committed chickenide, pick up the chicken meat left behind and take it to the nearby campfire.

Now all you have to do is cook it and you'll receive the commendation.

Saluting the Pirate Lord

For this commendation, you need to climb up the left of the broken ship, until you reach the level with the destroyed brig where you'll find a barrel of cannonballs.

Take these cannonballs and then head up the stairs to the top floor of this part of the ship. Here you'll find a cannon and all you have to do now is load, then fire, the cannon.

Yer Boat

The best time to complete this commendation is just after you've read the final book, 'A Ship That Fits.'

In the same cavern where you find this book, you'll find a rowing boat. Once you've read the book, climb into the rowing boat, pick up the oars and take it for a spin.

After a couple of minutes of rowing, you'll receive this commendation.