There are a total of ten journals to find in Captains of the Damned. They are divided up into two sets. One set are the Lost Journals, and the other are the Townsfolk’s Journals.
While all of the Townsfolk Journals are in the town of Isla Tesoro, the Lost Journals are spread across the bayou and the fort.
Finding all five of the Lost Journals will unlock the Lost Memories commendation.
Finding all five of the Townsfolk’s Journals will unlock Forgotten Memories commendation.
If you are looking for a guide to walk you through the Tall Tale and the remaining commendations, head on over to our Captains of the Sea Tall Tale guide here.
Discover the Lost Journals throughout the Sea of the Damned
You will first need to acquire the Flame of Souls from the Blue Bayou before finding any of the Lost Journals.
Damned Journal 1
After you rowboat out from the area where you acquire the Flame of Souls, you should be back at your ship near the blocked arch. You’ll want to stay in your rowboat as it will be handy to travel between the several journals found in the bayou.
From the blocked arch, face North and start rowing.
You will come across a wooden hut on your left with a rocking chair and banjo on it.
Light the torch next to the rocking chair with your lantern, and the journal will reveal itself on the bench nearby next to the banjo.
My picking brings many a lost soul to my porch, but none so strange or lost as her.
She did sit wit’ me, long into the night, and listen to me play. As the nights went by, the cher started to tell me more about herself.
She talked of a man who played beau music, music that could clasp at your very soul.
He done wronged her, and now the sound of the organ music made her feel like her heart was being ripped from her chest.
Damned Journal 2
From the first journal, you can row straight East to the other side of the bayou to find the second journal. You will row through several narrow paths until you arrive at a tall mast standing straight up against a large rock.
For a more straightforward route to the second journal, turn around and row back to the blocked arch to start from there.
From the blocked arch, face East by North East and start rowing.
As you row East by North East, you will come across a tall upright mast leaning against a large rock. Park your rowboat under the mast.
From the mast, walk East around the large rock. Follow the small river on foot North East to the other side of the large rock.
You will soon come across a hut to your left, on the West side of the river you’ve been following.
Climb up into the hut and light the torch there with your Lantern. Nearby torches will light up!
Follow the lit torches back down the path you walked up until you reach the water’s edge. You should be back by your rowboat now.
You won’t see any more torches light up because you now need to swim underwater.
Dive below and follow the oars below the surface until you reach a sunken rowboat with the journal inside.
A merry chase I’ve been on! Now, at the end of it, I am sure it was hopeless from the start.
I went to the seeress to ask a boon, which she agreed to grant if I could retrieve a lost monkey. Simple enough!
For days I tracked it, the damned thing mocking me at every turn. I’d get close, only for it to chitter with glee and disappear into the mist. Eventually I managed to corner it.
Suddenly there was a strange noise from the direction of the seeress’ shack. The little beast cocked its head on one side and bolted in that direction.
I am afeared to return to her. I have heard tales of what happens to those who fail Tia Dalma…
Damned Journal 3
From the second journal, start to row North East up the bayou, away from the blocked arch.
You will find a broken mast that has two hanging cages on it.
Go to the base of the mast to light a torch there. Once you light the torch, you can shoot down the cage with the worn rope to find a journal inside.
I was right to be afeared. Her rage was like a terrible storm. I would have been better to slip away into the swamps than dare to return to her empty handed.
The fact that the damned monkey stared down at me from the rafters seemed to count for nothing. If anything, it only made her angrier.
She screamed and shouted about the importance of bargains and how people should stay true to their word.
She turned away from me and reached into her pocket. Suddenly she spun around and blew powder into my face. When I woke, I was here.
If you find my bones, heed my words. Do not cross, Tia Dalma!
Damned Journal 4
The following two journals are at the Coastal Fort. Once you have entered the fort’s courtyard, you can begin the hunt for them.
To help with Journal 5, light the torch hanging on the jail cell to the right of the blocked well.
After that, light the four braziers around the well in the fort’s courtyard and jump down in the water. In the well, you’ll find a skeleton with a torch in its hand.
Light the skeleton’s torch, and the journal you need to read will appear just across from the skeleton.
After you’ve read the journal, pick up the Lock Pick at the bottom of the well. Then, with Lock Pick in hand, swim out through the cracked opening in the water and trek back to the courtyard.
The sea calls to me. I hear her, even within these ‘ere prison walls.
She whispers of new horizons an’ adventures to be shared.
But as I stand ‘ere in line, waitin’ to meet me end, all I can do is close me eyes and dream of the sea.
For this sunrise will be me last and I’ll ne’er set eyes on her again.
Damned Journal 5
The last journal is in the jail on the right side of the fort’s courtyard. Make sure you light the lantern outside the jail before reaching the roof. You need to make the journal appear before jumping in.
Jump down into the well to get the Lock Pick. Then, follow the underwater tunnel out of the well back into the courtyard.
Once you are back in the courtyard, open up the locked gate to the stone building and climb up the ladder. Break the weakened rope to make a path across to the stairs on the other side of the shingled wall. Once you over, you will be able to jump on the roof of the jail, drop in and grab the journal.
I sailed the seas for many years, but I never experienced true cruelty till I set foot within these walls.
The Spanish soldiers mete out punishments at their pleasure.
I have seen men flogged for a sideways glance and my own fate was sealed by speaking out when they beat a boy no older than ten.
I will take all that they can mete out gladly, knowing that I have bought his freedom with my life.
For as long as he is free to sail the seas, never shall I die.
Discover the Townsfolk's Journals
The Townsfolk’s journals can be found after the bayou and fort.
Journal 1
You will find the first journal in the clothing shop of the town just as you pass the scene with the ghosts drowning Carlos in the well. The clothing shop should be the first door you open. You will find the journal on a stool to the left once inside.
The rumours of the vast wealth stored away in our treasury must have reached the ears of the pirates.
What else could be drawing them here in such numbers?! I pray that the Captain and his men are doing all in their power to keep it, and us, safe.
Sadly, our illustrious Mayer isn’t giving the same care to the valuables the townsfolk have placed under his protection!
Strolling around town with the key to it around his neck! Any passing knave could take it and force the Mayor to reveal the location of our precious belongings, I despair!
Journal 2
After exiting the clothing shop the first journal was in, continue along the path. You will shortly come across some barrels with three Xs on them down a flight of stairs.
Pass by these barrels, and just outside the tunnel they are in, you will find the journal on a wooden crate to the right.
If you have made it to the clock tower and the auction, you’ve gone too far.
A Pirate’s Life for Me by Hugo Pérez Age 6 and three quarters
My mama is always cursing the pirates and saying they are bad men with no souls!
I don’t think this is true. I think they just don’t like rules and want to have fun. I think I would like to be a pirate!
If I was in the pirate league I could go on adventures and find buried treasure and go to bed whenever I liked!
I’ve been practicing burying treasure! I’ve even written a treasure map rhyme because all maps have to rhyme!
‘Behind a courtyard you will find an X with the loot, but it’s hard to find’ Does that rhyme?
Journal 3
After finding the second journal, continue along the path towards the auction and clock tower. You will want to cross the bridge to the clock tower and immediately turn left. Walk past the auction and down to the small dock.
At the small dock will be a rowboat carrying two skeletons. Get in and row it through the canal.
As you row along the canal, you will get to a closed gate you need to open with a pulley. Jump off the rowboat and walk through the opening to the right of the gate. Use the pulley on the other side and lift the gate out of the way.
Get back in the rowboat and continue rowing through until you come across a scene of ghosts shooting at each other. To the left of the shootout on a barrel is this journal.
The Wicked Wench has been haunting the waters off our coast.
Barbossa is one of the most feared pirate captains to sail the seas and his crew is a rag tag band of villains and thieves.
There are worrying rumours that the pirates have set up a hideout in the sea caves not too far from here. What are they planning?
I have had the men preparing for an attack for days now. Stockpiling weapons, ammunition and enough shot to send the Wicked Wench to Davy Jones.
I pray that we will have the strength to repel Barbossa and his crew of miscreants, but in my heart, I fear the worst.
Journal 4
After you come across Captain Jack Sparrow going through a massive gate, you will want to hold off on raising the platforms with the pulleys to chase after him. Instead, follow along the wall the giant gate is on to find a large staircase leading to the top of the town walls.
Walk South East towards two ghosts on the wall. The journal is on a wooden create just behind the ghosts.
I spend my days and nights protecting the people of Isla Tesoro from pirates.
But today I overheard the Captain arguing with the Mayor. I’m sure I heard mention of the Treasury and then the talk turned to that scoundrel, Jack Sparrow.
Why do I risk life and limb every day to repel pirates, for the Mayor to keep one of them safe within our walls?!
The Captain obviously shares my feelings, as their conversation ended abruptly when the Captain announced that, “Jack Sparrow will be the death of us all!”
Journal 5
Once you pass through the tunnels after finding Captain Jack Sparrow in the treasury, you must go across a bridge and fight Phantoms. Fight them and then continue down the path till you find a place to drop down on a balcony.
The town should now be on fire, and you will see the clock tower fall. Jump down once to find the journal sitting on a ledge of the balcony.
I’m not sure how much more of this I can take. Every time I hear shouting in the street or a bell ringing my heart leaps into my mouth.
Knowing that the likes of Barbossa, Captain Redd and Jack Sparrow are just offshore, is terrifying.
There isn’t a moment of the day when I am not thinking about the inevitable attack. The waiting is crushing me.
Many have fled, but I don’t have the money for passage and even if I did, where would I go? This island is my home but, lord help me, I don’t want it to be my grave.
7 thoughts on “Captains of the Damned Tall Tale Journals, Locations and Text”
by PrometheanSolutions on reddit
Damned Journals locations
Three in the bayou, two in the fort.
On the far left is a hut with unbroken stairs; light the torch and follow the green torches until you get to the edge of the water. There will be a sunken rowboat with its lamp on, swim down and the journal is on there.
When you first sail through on the left path you’ll notice a mast leaning on a large rock with a skelly in a cage hanging from it. It’s right from the first journal, more towards the middle of the bayou. Light the lamp at the base of the mast and then shoot the cage down by hitting the rope holding it. Open the cage in the water and the second journal is in there.
Third one is on the right side of the bayou. Find the platform with the rocking chair on it and light the lamp to the left of it. The journal will be on the bench next to the banjo.
Next, in the fort, after lighting all the lamps you can find, you’ll find one journal down the hole in the middle where the lock pick is, it’s on the edge where the skellys are.
The other is in the jail on the right side of the courtyard. You have to create the path with the lock pick first to be able to hop around and fall in through the hole in the roof of the jail.
Thank you so much for sharing your findings! This is going to help a lot of pirates get through the Tall Tale! We are finding some of these ourselves now too so will hopefully have pictures soon!
The City Journals are as follows.
1 in the Trinket Shop just as you pass the well, should be the first door you open. The journal is on a stool to the left inside the door
The next one is a little further up, on the main path it forces you down. Once you get into a very constricted section of the city, and down a flight of stairs, there is a rocky archway you will pass through. On the barrels to the right just past this, is the journal
When you get to the open part of the city, the part of the Tale where you need to find the townsfolk treasure, take the rowboat down the canal and through the tunnel on the left. Once you can see Ghostly figures shooting one another, the next journal is on a platform to the left, BEFORE you pass those lads (once done with treasure, give it to the skeletons in the boat)
The 4th one is fairly simple, after you come across Jack going through a massive gate, the game will expect you to use platforms and pulleys to get to the next part. Ignore those and follow the wall, you should see a pretty large staircase leading to the top of the wall, looking over the Docks you started on. The book is close to the 2 ghostly Spanish Officers standing by the edge
The last one is fairly simple, you cant really miss it. Once you pass through the tunnels after finding Jack, you must go across a bridge and fight some Ghostly Figures. Fight them and then continue down the path till you find a place to drop down on a rooftop, the town should now be on fire and the tower should fall, on a ledge, on the first part of the drop down to the left, should be your last book
Where did u find the treasure to get “Treasure for Eternity”.
Nice work pirate! These will be helpful to so many pirates as they journey through this Tall Tale. Thank you for sharing! We will hopefully go discover all of these for ourselves very soon 🙂
Instructions unclear, screwed myself.
Oh no! Where did you mess up?