Guide to the Quest for Guybrush Tall Tale

The Mêlée Island adventure continues

Tall Tales are story-based voyages in the Sea of Thieves that you can experience alone or with your crew. They tell a narrative and involve solving puzzles, using unique mechanics, and overcoming perils.

The Quest for Guybrush Tall Tale is the second part of the Legend of Monkey Island saga, combining the storied “Monkey Island” game franchise with the world of Sea of Thieves. Our guide to the first chapter can be found here.

This guide walks through The Quest for Guybrush Tall Tale, detailing what to expect at each step, how to solve the expansive side quests, as well as where to find those pesky hidden Journals. This guide contains puzzle solution spoilers, so read at your own risk.

Rewards for The Quest for Guybrush

• Complete the The Quest for Guybrush Tale for the first time to unlock the Idol o’ Many Hands.
• Complete all Commendations in the Tall Tale (more on these below), and you’ll unlock the Governor Guybrush Portrait
• Every time you complete the Tale, you also pocket 8,000 Gold

Overview of the Tall Tale

In this Tall Tale, you’ll be visiting Mêlée Island, a location filled with characters to talk to and puzzles to solve.

• Along the way, there are 10 interactable “Memoir Spots”. These are special locations that let you sit down and take in the scenery, and trigger a narration by Guybrush Threepwood. They’re also always nearby a decorative inkwell to mark their location. You need to discover all 10 along the way to fully complete this Tale!
• Hidden around Mêlée Island are Elaine’s Five Journals that you need to discover!
• There are some objectives (Commendations) that are easy to miss, so we’ll point them out at each step to make sure you don’t skip by them

Beginning the Tale

To start your journey, you need to talk to Kate Capsize, a redhaired pirate standing by a wreckage filled camp located on every outpost (titled “Capsize Charters”). Here you’ll see the Tall Tale book sitting on a table, ready for your crew to cast their votes and begin the voyage.

When the Tale begins, a short cutscene will play out before the Pirate Lord opens a portal through the nearest stone archway in the sea. Sail your ship through this portal, and after traveling through a short loading zone, you’ll arrive at Mêlée Island! Sail straight ahead, and dock your ship at one of the piers.

International House of Mojo

Upon arriving on Mêlée Island, you’ll need to visit Corinna in the International House of Mojo in town. She explains that you can talk to the three Pirate Leaders in the Scumm Bar and take on the three “Legendary Trials”.

Head back to the Scumm Bar and talk to the trio, who’ll inform you about these tasks ahead.

NOTE: While you’re in the Scumm Bar, head back to the kitchen and talk to the chef to unlock the “Gainful Unemployment” Commendation

Before you can complete these trials, there’s a pesky fog covering parts of the island that you need to get rid of. Talk to Corinna once again, and she says she’s cooking up a potion to dispel the fog, but before she’ll give it to you, you need to go find 3 important items that will help you on your quest. You can now find this information in your Quest Book as well.

The Three Items include a Rubber Chicken Pulley and Mighty Pirate Sword from the Shopkeeper up the street, and the Treasure Map from the Citizen standing on the street corner.

Unfortunately, all of these items cost a hefty sum of money, and you don’t have any (nor will you be able to find any no matter how hard you look!). However, by clicking through the dialogue options when talking to these characters, they’ll offer up alternative solutions. For the shopkeeper, he’ll give you his items for free if you take a Note of Credit slip and get it signed by Governor Guybrush. For the Citizen, he’ll trade you his map for a Signed Sea Chart from the Governor’s Mansion. Head through town and up to the Governor’s mansion now.

In the Governor’s office, you’ll find Guybrush still sleeping and easily pickpocketable. Steal a storage Key off of him, and use it to open a storage chest in the corner of the room. Inside is an Inkwell that you can set down on his desk, but there’s no quill to write with yet. Head downstairs and search the table for the quill, and return it to the office. Finally, take out the Note of Credit and you’ll be able to forge the Governor’s signature on it.

While you’re in the mansion, search the bookshelves downstairs which are filled with humorous books. One of the books will fall down revealing the Signed Sea Chart that you can pick up.

Take the Note of Credit to the Shopkeeper in town, and then you can grab the Rubber Chicken Pulley and the Mighty Pirate Sword for free. Take the Signed Sea Chart to the Citizen on the street corner and you can trade it for the Treasure Map. Then return to Corinna in the House of Mojo and she will give you the potion you need to clear the fog. Now head to the south past the docks and take the long path up the mountain to the Lookout point, and put the potion into the campfire.

Congratulations! You’ve cleared the fog, opening up new areas of Mêlée Island and unlocking a checkpoint in the Tall Tale! You can now head down a new path down the Lookout mountain, as well as a path behind the Governor’s Mansion. Your map in your quest book will come in handy!

Elaine’s Hidden Journal #1: Note, there is a journal to read on the wooden scaffolding on the path down the other side of the mountain. The journal is on a group of barrels next to a wooden stairway

Elaine’s Hidden Journal #2: There is ALSO a journal on the pathway behind the Governor’s mansion, sitting next to a small rock

The Three Trials

Now that you can access the other parts of the island, you can begin taking on the three Legendary Trials. These can be done in any order, but you’ll need to earn some cash at the Circus Tent FIRST to progress the other Trials

NOTE: While descending the mountain from Lookout, you will find ropes that let you zipline down to key locations quickly. Simply interact with the rope to slide on down!

The Circus Challenge

Head to the big top circus tent (shouldn’t be hard to find) and talk to Alfredo, then talk to Bill. You need to locate and put on a circus Costume before you attempt the challenge, so look for a pedestal in the middle of the room and pick up the costume laying there. Use the Clothing Chest behind Alfredo to equip the Circus Performer Costume. Talk to Alfredo to have him describe the challenge to you.

Memoir Spot: On the east end of the tent behind the cannon, sit on the cannonball barrel

The challenge goes like this: head to the starting line, ring the starting bell, then climb the ladder. Cross a tight rope, then ring the second bell. Leap across the platforms and ring the third bell, then slide down the zipline and ring the last bell by the cannon. Finally, climb into the cannon and launch through the rings and land in the water.

It might take numerous tries to get it down right, so keep trying until you pull it off (TIP: aim the cannon and make sure it launches you correctly before you start the course!). Once completed, talk to the Fettucini Brothers to earn your reward: 404 Pieces of Eight!

NOTE: There is a commendation for completing the challenge in under 25 seconds- so keep trying until you nail it perfectly!

Memoir Spot: Outside the circus tent on the path looking down to it is a spot to sit on a formation of rocks overlooking the tent

Trial of Thievery

Now that you’ve got a bundle of coin, why not head over to Stan’s Previously Owned Vessels on the other side of the bay! Unfortunately, the draw bridge to get over there is raised, but if you climb up part of the mountain you can take the zipline rope down to the other side, and then use a lever to lower the bridge for future use.

Memoir Spot: on the North side of the bridge, to the north by northwest is a barrel to sit on

Now go talk to Stan the boat Salesman. Once spoken to, he’ll follow you around trying to sell you one of his ships, so approach each ship’s sale sign and interact to have Stan describe the ship to you. After he’s described three ships, the little grog rowboat, and the replica Idol o’ Many Hands by the dock, he’ll stop following you.

The goal is to find a way to steal the real Idol that he’s got locked in his office, but we need to distract Stan first. After Stan has stopped following you, talk to him again to get a new dialogue option. He reveals that the Headless Monkey ship has already been sold, and if you continue to pester him he’ll reveal that the pirate with the deed to the ship is named Meathook and is over on Hook Island. You’ll need to deal with him for the next step, but first there’s a couple more things to do here by Stan’s:

Memoir Spot: Sit on the barrel directly in front of Stan’s shop

Elaine’s Hidden Journal #3: On a barrel right behind the Grog Rowboat

NOTE: Use one of your pieces of eight at the Grog Vending Machine to pull out a bottle. Drink it to unlock a Commendation

Now head to the Southeast past Stan’s up a hill. Captain Smirk the Swordfighter’s hut is here, but we’ll come back to handle this later. For now, use the zipline here by the cliff to cross the bay, then keep to the shoreline heading east until you reach the zipline to Hook Island (use the map in your quest book to help find it).

Memoir Spot: on a short rock directly facing the Hook Island arrow sign

Talk to Meathook in the building on Hook Island and he’ll explain he needs help trapping a creature called “The Beast”.

Memoir Spot: on a barrel by a door opposite Meathook

To the right of the fireplace is the cage area, remove the cutlasses from here revealing three spots that need to be repaired with wood planks. If you don’t already have wood planks on you, go around the back of the house to a small woodcutter’s hut to pick some up.

Next step is to find something to act as a lever. Head into the forest to the east and grab a stick off of the “Mop Tree”, then put it into the lever by the cage.

Now Meathook wants you to find concentrated Banana Grease, which is simple enough: it’s in his house. Search all the crates and cupboards until you find it.

Finally, you need a shanty to attract The Beast, but Meathook can’t remember it. It’s written down and hidden under his pillow- finding this adds the shanty to your shanty radial when playing an instrument!

Now walk through the woods all the way around to a cave on the backside of the island, and play this new shanty (“Summon the Beast”) all the way through. Now you can go ahead and pick up “The Beast”.

NOTE: There is a commendation for petting the Beast with the interact button as you would a pet. Make sure to do this BEFORE putting the Beast back in its cage!!

After returning the Beast to its cage, Meathook will give you the Bill of Sale for the Headless Monkey Ship. Time to return to Stan.

Back at Stan’s shop, tell him you’ve got the Bill of Sale, and he’ll start telling you about “extra features”. Talk to him about each one until you finally convince him to climb into a wardrobe. Lock the door behind him, and we’re finally free of that pesky salesman!

NOTE: There is a commendation for interacting with the wardrobe that Stan is locked in even further. In fact, you can push and shove this wardrobe until you dunk Stan into the ocean!

Now go grab the office key hanging behind the Grog Vending Machine, and unlock the office. The Idol is in a safe, and the combination is on the last page of the Sales Ledger on the table. Move the safe lever Left 3 times, Right 4 times, then Left 3 times. Congratulations, you’ve stolen the Idol o’ Many Hands! Hand it to the vision of Corinna that appears outside the office. That’s one Trial down!

Trial of Sword Mastery

Head up the hill past Stan’s to Captain Smirk’s hut. Before knocking on the door, use the Weapon Armory to equip the Mighty Pirate Sword, then talk to Captain Smirk. Pay him the money you earned from the Circus to come in and do his training.

Memoir Spot: VERY IMPORTANT! there is a chicken crate you must sit on inside Smirk’s hut, and if you leave here without sitting on it after completing training you will not be able to get back in during this play through of the tall tale! Sit on this chicken crate while you have the chance!

You’ll enter into a training sequence against a dummy where you’ll learn about “Insult Sword Fighting”. Insult Sword Fighting basically combines sword fighting with dialogue interactions, where one swordsman will say an insult, and the other must use the correct retort to counter, allowing them to land a sword strike. Once you get through this training sequence, you’ll receive a map of locations to other swordfighters.

Memoir Spot: sit on a rock outside of Smirk’s hut

You need to head around and fight every sword fighter to learn new insults and retorts, as one of the commendations requires you to use all 20. You’ve already got 4 after training, so there’s only 16 more insults and retorts to learn. Every time you learn a new insult, you need to use that insult in a fight to learn the proper retort that matches it.

Use the zipline to cross the bay and talk to Murray the skull, who will remind you the rules and then start you a fight against a ghost pirate. Remember, each insult has a matching retort that counters it, so try to memorize which one counters which! Now use the map to walk around the island finding sword fighting opportunities until you’ve learned all 10 insults and 10 retorts. At each location, talk to Murray to start a fight.

Once you’ve learned it all, win a fight and Murray will give you a note of hints to the location of “The Sword Master”. You’ll have to find the secluded dark forest path in the center of the forest, and walk through until you reach the yellow flower grove. The entrance to the forest is marked by a torch brazier at the base of two twisting tree branches over the path, and you can find it very close to a zipline coming off of the lookout mountain.

Reach the yellow flower grove and head southeast, and a secret switch on the back of a wooden sign will raise the bridge. Continue ahead to a clearing by a cabin where Captain Smirk and Carla the Sword Master are being ambushed by LeChuck’s ghostly forces.

Elaine’s Hidden Journal #4: nested between two rocks just before the sign with the secret switch

When you approach the battle, you’ll engage in an Insult Sword Fight against “Ribbsy”. Ribbsy uses insults you’ve never heard before, but all of their insults can be countered by one of your retorts. Try to match retorts to insults until Ribbsy is defeated. Carla will give you a medallion for passing the Trial of Sword Fightery, and Corinna will appear to take the medallion off your hands. Only one more trial to go!

Memoir Spot: There is a bench to sit on before crossing the small stream bridge heading to Carla’s house

Trial of Treasure Huntery

The hidden treasure to discover for this trial is in the same dark forest we just journeyed through to Carla’s house. Follow the directions in the Quest Book on the “Do the Monkey” page and they will eventually lead to the yellow flower grove. Heading north of here is a wooden sign. Dig at the base of the sign to uncover the treasure.

Memoir Spot: Across from the sign, sit on the rock

Unfortunately, the treasure chest does not contain the treasure we seek- it only contains more papers leading us on our quest.

Head back to the forest entrance and directly across is the “artist’s shack”. Turn right and head to the lamp post, then take the path to the right until you find a pumpkin scarecrow slain with daggers. The daggers point the direction towards a wagon, and from the wagon locate the two big dead trees to walk through. Down at the beach is a fishermen’s shack, dig directly in front of the fishing rod to find the next chest with another set of questing instructions.

Head back through the two trees then turn left and head down the road going East by Southeast until you find the small bridge over a stream. Continue forward down the path heading South until you reach a fork in the road. The left heads down to the water while the right heads inland, follow the one marked by the lamp on the tree branch, which is to the right. Follow this path until you find a secluded camp inside a group of trees (if you reach the lamp post whose light is off, you’ve gone too far). Look through the trees to the south to see the distant glow of Meathook’s house. Head towards that lamp post, then look to the west to see a big tree with a heart carved into it- Dig here!

Follow the path South West until you get to the Zipline that crosses the bay. Over this, face away from the moon and using your spyglass spy the string of six red flags down at Stan’s shop. Head down there then continue up the path to the bridge where you’ll see several fish skeletons. Cross the bridge and head to a broken down cart.

Elaine’s Hidden Journal #5: there’s a journal to read on this cart

From the cart, turn right and spy a torch through the woods. Go to this torch through the rocks and dig in front of it to find the final treasure of the quest. Give it to Corinna and the three Trials are complete!

Return to Corinna

Find your way back to the International House of Mojo in town (either by climbing the Lookout Mountain and going down the other side, or following the path that leads behind the Governor’s Mansion). When you approach Corinna, she will create an Elixir that will wake up Guybrush from his trancelike state. Take the Elixir to the Governor’s mansion to play out the final cutscene. After you’ve snapped Guybrush out of it, you can now return to your ship and sail out of the portal to complete the tale and return to the Sea of Thieves- but if you’re not ready to leave yet, you can still explore the island looking for those Memoir Spots, hidden Journals, and taking in all the NPC’s new pieces of dialogue!

And so the middle chapter of this three part saga comes to a close! Make sure to follow us on Twitter @GoldenSandsBlog as we cover the exciting conclusion to this saga next month, and all future Sea of Thieves updates to come