Cartography Skill
The main reason to learn Cartography is treasure hunting. Once you find a treasure map, you have to decode it before you can read it, and reading it requires Cartography skill. The more advanced the map, the more Cartography you need.
Once the map is decoded, you have to work out exactly where the treasure is. A decoded map shows a topographic view with an X on the treasure spot, but it is up to you to figure out which part of the world that regional map actually shows.
When you reach the place you believe the map points to, start digging. Double-click the shovel you brought with you, target the map, then target the spot you want to dig. If you are on the right spot, you will start digging and the buried treasure chest will slowly surface. The less Mining skill you have, the more precisely you must stand on the treasure.
When the chest fully surfaces, the treasure's guardian creatures will appear and attack you. Harder treasure maps come with harder guardians.
The treasure chest is locked and trapped. You will need your Lockpicking skill to open it. Every failed attempt at the lock has a chance to destroy one of the items inside. You can reduce that risk with a skeleton key or a master skeleton key. These keys are found inside some treasure chests.
An already unlocked chest may have been looted by a grubber. To get the item back you have to kill the grubber.
Most chests are trapped. The telekinesis spell will not remove the trap. Use the Remove Trap skill, or try to soak the damage yourself.
Once the chest is open, take whatever you want from it. Every time something inside the chest is moved, there is a chance for guardians to appear.
Treasure Map Levels:
- Youthful
- Plainly Drawn
- Expertly Drawn
- Adeptly Drawn
- Cleverly Drawn
- Deviously Drawn
- Ingeniously Drawn
- Diabolically Drawn
When a treasure hunt is finished, the map is marked as completed and will no longer point to any buried treasure.
If you could not finish a treasure hunt or gave up on it, a treasure map trader in Skara Brae will gladly take your deviously, ingeniously or diabolically drawn maps in exchange for tokens.
Skill Training
Cartography can also be used to draw maps with a mapmaker's pen. You can train Cartography by decoding treasure maps, but finding that many maps is not a practical way to train.
What to craft to raise your skill:
- 10-25: Local Map
- 25-35: City Map
- 35-39.5: Sea Chart
- 39.5-99.5: World Map
- 99.5-100: By decoding treasure maps