The ‘Investigations’ side quests in Skull and Bones give you mysteries to solve with plenty of rewards at the end. But sometimes the mystery can be too mysterious. The Grave News investigation may have you stumped in Skull and Bones, mostly due to the location of a floating bottle.
There also seems to be more than one way to start Grave News. Some managed to find a message in a bottle floating around the East Indies. Others, however, say you have to plunder a particular settlement. But completing the latter will still leave you searching for the bottle. So where is the damn thing?
To start the Grave News investigation in Skull and Bones, you must either plunder the Oosten Capital or find the bottle around the Spice Islands in the East Indies. If you can’t find the bottle, you may need to sack the capital to spawn it. Keep in mind that the Oosten Capital is Rank 10, but you only need to complete the first objective to get the clue.
Grave News investigation walkthrough in Skull and Bones – Bottle location
Plundering Oosten gives you your first clue: Go find a bottle dropped by some grave robbers near the Spice Islands. Said islands are east of the capital, so travel in that direction.
There seems to be some debate on where the bottle tends to spawn. Some have found it north of the islands. I managed to find the bottle about 400m west of the Laar settlement. Keep an eye out for a small, orange light on the water’s surface.
The message tells you that your next clue can be found by plundering Fort Premie. The massive Dutch military base is imposing at Rank 14, so you better feel confident.
Luckily, as this is a side quest, it seems like the base doesn’t have as much bite. My Rank 8 ship was able to survive long enough to get the clue, which is handed to you once you complete the first part of the plunder. I suggest you leave once you see ‘Investigation Updated’ appear at the top of your screen.
Check the clue in the Investigations section of the ‘Knowledge’ tab (it’s such a pain). The clue tells you to search the “top of the stairs” at the Necropolis outpost. It’s about 2600m due west from Fort Premie.
Once you arrive, walk forward and go up the stairs. You’ll find the dig spot at the very top, just like the letter said.
Grave News investigation rewards
Opening the chest gives you one final letter. Reading it in the Investigations section finishes the quest. Your reward is a Rugged Chest. Crack it open for 6,000 Silver, five Wood Tar, and two ship vanities: ‘All That Glitters’ for your hull and ‘Sieved Tithings’ for your sails. Both cosmetics are a part of the Iron Will Set.
With that done, the investigation is over. There are still more investigations, all of which lead up to finding Freeman’s Lost Treasure. For the Premium Edition investigations, check out our guides on ‘Bloody Bones’ Legacy‘ and ‘The Ashen Corsair‘.
