The side quest involves a chess game between two long-dead pirates, and a quest for a mysterious drink called Captain Bones’ Special Recipe. It’s a quest that goes off the beaten path, so if you need a guide, you’ve come to the right place.
How to Get Captain Bones’ Special Recipe
Captain Bones’ Special Recipe is found in the first tall tale offered by the Castaway. Vote on the voyage, progress through the portal, go past the caves (DEAD-MEN-TELL-NO-TALES!), and keep moving forward until you reach the ghostly pirate town of Sailor’s Grave.
In the center of Sailor’s Grave is a ship wreck converted to a tavern. Go to the entrance, and look to your left. There is another shipwreck there. Inside are two skeletons playing chess.
Light the candle on the table with your lantern. One skeleton downs his grog, the other skeleton finds his cup quite empty. You will need Captain Bones Special Recipe to fill it.
Leave this ship, and circle to your right around the exterior until you find a ramp under the talking, disembodied skull of the Cursed Captain (it’s easy to find, he doesn’t shut up). Climb up the ship, and use the broken mast to cross to the front half of the vessel.
Walk to the bowsprit and jump into a pool of water. Swim forward, under some wreckage, and you will find a platform you can raise via pulley.
Pull yourself up, and you will find yet another pulley and platform. Cross that to find a third pulley, this time manipulating two platforms.
Pull it until the platform nearest to the pulley is close to the other side of the gap, and jump to it. Once you land, look right, and there will be a small cave.
Inside the small cave, you will find Captain Bones Special Recipe. Exit though a door, and climb up the bowsprit dead ahead.
While you are there, you may as well retrieve that talkative skeleton head. Use your lantern to burn the rope, dropping the cage. There is a key in the tavern to open the hatch, giving you access to that chatty little skull.
Return to the chess players with Captain Bones Special Recipe, and pour the drink in the empty flagon. The skeleton will down it, and the powerful kick will blow his head up (strong stuff!). You will be awarded the A Powerful Thirst Commendation, nice job!
How to Complete the Chess Game
What about that game of chess? To complete that, you will need the head of the Cursed Captain, and to track down Poor Dougie’s Key.
Use the coin to buy into the game, and place the skull atop the now headless skeleton. The Cursed Captain will win the game. Your reward is access to the treasure room of a wrecked ship on the corner opposite the light house (where you went up the first pulley-platform).
That’s all you need to know about how to find Captain Bones’ Special Recipe and complete the chess game in Sea of Thieves.
Check out some of our other Sea of Thieves guides here on GameSkinny:
SoT Legend of the Sunken Kingdom Voyage Walkthrough SoT Shrine of Ancient Tears Journals Walkthrough SoT Shrine of Hungering Journals Walkthrough SoT Shrine of the Coral Tomb Journals Walkthrough SoT Shrine of Ocean’s Fortunes Journals Walkthrough SoT Shrine of Tribute Journals Walkthrough SoT Secret Waters Commendation Guide Where to Find the Kraken in Sea of Thieves SoT Dark Desires Commendation Guide SoT Strike Your Colours Commendation Guide SoT Lost Shipments Voyage Guide
