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Jarrett

Fundamentals of Wurm Land Navigation

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A guide to reading maps, plotting courses and/or treasure map clues.

If you have any questions, comments, or found something I missed or didn't go into great enough detail about... please respond to the post below or contact any of my toons:

Jarrett, Jarretttwo, Jarrettthree, Jarrettfour, Jarrettfive, Jarretsix, Jarrettseven

 

Introduction

I have been playing Wurm for about 8 months now... I am still a newbie in several ways, but I have had several really good mentors and I am a really fast learner.

 

More importantly, I have an extensive real live background in mapping, map reading, and land navigation from my experience as a U.S. Army Logistics Officer. I excelled at land navigation. If I had an accurate USGS map, a protractor, and a compass, you could drop me anywhere on that map (without telling me where) and I could identify where I was, plot a course to where I was expected to go, and go there.

                                                                                                                                                                                     tQJIfXVuV9Kvx6Oc2oQpX9iWG5Wg1n_H90qVCiBCWMpkblqyjVL2vmTqiftsidf1aqI=w2400

I considered it fun... and to be honest, Wurm treasure maps are very similar. This puts me in the position of being an expert. The treasure map update came out about 3 weeks into my starting Wurm and I was completing treasure maps on foot in starter gear.

 

I have completed more than 100 maps, and I have a 100% success rate... so I know what I am talking about. (133 as of 2-6-23 not including maps which I helped others out)

 

This guide is dedicated to Sinnjinn, who taught me 75% of what I know in Wurm, and to Minikilljoy... who left our ranks to play in the next realm. He was instrumental in keeping the Cadence community map up to date before he passed the torch to me two weeks before his passing. I didn't raid with him, but I miss him all the same. He is an inspiration to me. Even when his health was failing, he was active in the game and in the community. This is in tribute to his service...

 

All illustrations and links on this map will be based in Cadence

Understanding the Community Map

Spoiler

 

The community map can be found here: Cadence Community Map 

Yaga (another very active user in the community) created this map using files the developers dumped for player use. He and his friends with the know how, added layers to the map which can now be toggled on and off which are very useful for getting around and knowing where you are at any given time. 

The map isn't perfect, you cannot tell if a dark green tile is a tree or a bush, but there are ways to tell if there are certain trees in an area being represented and and player made groves (basically, trees with no grass between them)... what's more, the dev map files don't get dumped very often. There are new ones every six months to a year from what I understand, and the last dump was in July of last year so there has been a lot of changes since then. I will be giving tips on how to see around those changes.

 

First things first, here are a few things you need to know to be able to translate the image file of the community map to something you can make sense of in the game:

  • Each pixel on the map represents 1 tile in the game.
  • A tile is a 4 meter by 4 meter square on the ground, which pretty much makes up the world of Wurm.
  • Cadence is 4096 x 4096 (corresponding to roughly (16 x 16 kilometers) or 256 square kilometers.
  • You can click and drag your mouse to pan.
  • This coordinate system (unlike the "classical" Cartesian system) has its origin in the upper left corner. I will go into more detail on the coordinate system in the grid coordinates section.
  • The pixel colors mean different tile types. In broad terms, blue =water / tan = sand / grey = rock / and green = vegetation. I will go into more details onto the different tile types on the map down in the "Tile Types" section.
  • The top of the map is north(N), the bottom is south(S), left is west(W), and right is east(E). 
  • A person on foot can traverse up a slope (slowly) up to 30 dirt without climbing... however, they can climb any slope (default hotkey = z) as long as their stamina holds out. Running out of stamina while climbing a steep slope can result in injuries in the form of fall damage when you slide back until you can get you footing without climbing.
  • A person who is mounted either on a horse, large cart, or wagon can traverse up to a 40 dirt slope (also slowly).

Layers

The community map is actually an image file with several layers on top of it. Click on the spoiler below and I will go over all the different layers currently available on the community map.

Spoiler

 

Topography

Spoiler

The map will load in Terrain mode which looks like the image below on the left. When you click the topography radio button, the first thing you will notice is all the lines (in the right image below):

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These are called topography lines, each of them represent 200 dirt of elevation in the Wurm world. When there are several parallel lines like what you see above, it means you are looking at a slope from east to west, or from west to east. In this case it is west to east because you can see water in the west side of the images. Water is always at 0 dirt elevation so there is a hillside running from north to south in this location.

 

Since this part of the map is zoomed in close (you can tell because you can see individual pixels (tiles), you can determine that the slope going from east to west is fairly steep, but not so steep that a mount (horse, wagon, cart) wouldn't be able to find a course... though straight line travel may be difficult. 

 

Note: when topography lines make a circle, that indicates a hill or a mountain top.

 

If there aren't many topography lines in the area you are looking at on the map, it means that it is a fairly flat area (within 200 dirt at all points). A vast portion of the illustration below is an example of a fairly flat area. It starts sloping in the NW corner.

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It is important to know that the closer together the lines are together, the steeper the slope is... the image below shows a much steeper slope (practically a cliff). It would be very difficult to traverse... if you were coming from the south it would be a good idea to steer to a more manageable slope (Red Line = bad path ; Blue line = manageable path)

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That circle the arrows are pointing to are a hill top or a mountain top in this case. Sometimes... if you aren't close to water, it can be hard to tell when topography lines are indicating an upward slope or a downward slope. This is particularly difficult when reading treasure maps, which I will be discussing further below.

 

Knowing how to read topography is useful not only for identifying the best route to take to get to (or avoid) the top of a mountain, it can also help you identify where you are if you are lost and there aren't other landmarks around. If you see a mountain to your direct west and another mountain far to the direct south... it means that you are are directly east of one mountain and directly north of another... there are very few places on the map where that is true. It can be used to make a rough estimate of where you are on the map. I will be going into greater detail on methods such as this one in the Fundamentals of "Land Navigation" > "Figuring out where you" are section.

Deeds

Spoiler

 

Deeds in Wurms are player claimed lands where they are able to manage permissions. They show up on the map as a yellow square with a black border with the deed's name under it. The hotkey "D" toggles deeds on and off.

 

You are able to search for Deeds and Special placed in the "Find" drop down window on the left side of the map.

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It is important to know that not all deeds in Wurm are displayed on the community map. Some people don't want visitors, and some people worry that if they post on the community map and their deed disbands because they didn't stay on top of their upkeep, it would let people looking for loose free stuff know exactly where to look. For these reasons the owner of the deed is able to request their deed be removed from the community map. Cadence works on an Opt-out system... meaning if a player comes across you deed and post it to the community map thread here, I will put the deed on the map. If the owner of the deed wants the deed taken off, I will remove them if requested on the same forum thread (Cadence Community Map) .

 

I run the Cadence community map, and I will add it as soon as I notice the post. Feel free to PM me directly as well. Note: I do not control the community maps for Harmony or Melody, but I can refer you to whomever does if you ask.

 

Additionally, if you find a deed that is on the map, but has since been disbanded by lack of upkeep, or the owner removed it... you can let me know about it (Cadence Disbanded Deed Reference Thread). I also manage the disbanded deed reference document for Cadence. The more disbanded deeds we have added to this document, the easier it will be to find treasure map clues that have stamps to those deserted deeds and for Archaeologists to fill out their Arch Journals. Note: to my knowledge, a disbanded deed reference for Melody or Harmony has not been started yet. I only started the Cadence reference earlier this month.

 

A Starter City (Sonata and Encore on Cadence) will have a red box around the yellow box with the black border.

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Public Deeds are deeds where the owner has indicated that the deed is meant to be a public gathering place...these can be memorials, markets, monasteries, or arena's.

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Highways

Spoiler

 

Highways are marked above ground (or with causeways, within 6 tiles of the surface underwater) roads in Wurm. They are marked with catseyes that can glow a little in the dark. They are represented on the map by orange lines. The hotkey "H" toggles highways on and off.

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Here are the different colors of catseyes and what they mean:

  • A green catseye represents an active highway section between two waystones. If the waystone at the highway doesn't end at a deed, the waypoint at the other end will have the path labeled "Unknown".
  • A blue catseye means that the highway isn't completed and there is only one waystone... that path will be labeled "Under Construction".
  • A red catseye means it is the last catseye in a line of catseyes leading from a waystone. It can also happen if someone pries up a catseye for highway modification. Do not pry up catseye(s) without fixing the highway afterwards... it is very rude and breaks people's ability to find routes between deeds.  

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They are manually added to the Community Map. If you complete a new stretch of highway, and would like to have it added to the map, you can request it on the Cadence Community Map Thread.  I run the Cadence community map, and I will add it as soon as I notice the post. Feel free to PM me directly as well. Note: I do not control the community maps for Harmony or Melody, but if you ask me, I can direct you to the correct place.

 

Keep in mind that the highway must be completed before I will add it (the catseyes linking the two waystones need to be green). However, I am fine adding hhighway that doesn't lead anywhere, or leads to a disbanded deed. Knowing where highways help newbies know where they are... and they show up on treasure maps.

 

Please follow the instructions on the first page of the post. However, if your road is too curvy, or you aren't entirely sure of the coordinates (if that is the case read the section below on "Coordinates" and "Figuring out where you are"... if you are unwilling or unable to post it to the community map thread, I will find it eventually and add it myself 😉

 

Bridges

Spoiler

 

Bridges appear on the map as a purple line. The hotkey "B" toggles bridges on and off.

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Bridges are just what they sound like they should be... a bridge crossing  something. A bridge doesn't necessarily need to have a highway on it, or cross a body of water to be labeled on the community map. However, bridges used as decorations on structures that cannot have foot traffic will not appear on the map. If you have a new bridge constructed, and would like to have it added to the map (even if it isn't on a highway), you can request it here.  I run the Cadence community map, and I will add it as soon as I notice the post. Feel free to PM me directly as well. Note: I do not control the community maps for Harmony or Melody, but if you ask me, I can direct you to the correct place.

 

 

Tunnels

Spoiler

 

There are three types of tunnels on the map... and once technically isn't a tunnel at all but belong with the layer. These three are:

  • Tunnels - These usually go through hills and mountains and are on the map as a red line. Any tunnel that is listed on the community map should be reinforced on both side walls and the floor. Highways can go through tunnels, but aren't required to in able to have it on the map. If you have a new tunnel constructed, and would like to have it added to the map (even if it isn't on a highway), you can request it Cadence Community Map Thread.  I run the Cadence community map, and I will add it as soon as I notice the post. Feel free to PM me directly as well. Note: I do not control the community maps for Harmony or Melody, but if you ask me, I can direct you to the correct place.

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  • Boat Tunnels - These usually go through hills and mountains like regular tunnels and are noted on the map with a red and blue striped line. They have to be at least 6 dirt deep for shallow boat traffic (row boats, sail boat, knarrs) to pass through and up to 20 dirt deep (which all other boats can pass through. Boat tunnels can be one tile wide or wider, and tall (as pictured) or pretty low. Both sides of the tunnel need to be reinforced to be noted on the map. If you have a new boat tunnel constructed, and would like to have it added to the map, you can request it Cadence Community Map Thread.  I run the Cadence community map, and I will add it as soon as I notice the post. Feel free to PM me directly as well. Note: I do not control the community maps for Harmony or Melody, but if you ask me, I can direct you to the correct place.

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  • Canals These usually cut across low lands to allow boat traffic to move between lakes, or to reach a boat tunnel. They are noted on the map as a blue line. They have to be at least 6 dirt deep for shallow boat traffic (row boats, sail boat, knarrs) to pass through and up to 20 dirt deep (which all other boats can pass through. If you have a new canal constructed, and would like to have it added to the map, you can request it Cadence Community Map Thread.  I run the Cadence community map, and I will add it as soon as I notice the post. Feel free to PM me directly as well. Note: I do not control the community maps for Harmony or Melody, but if you ask me, I can direct you to the correct place
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Resources - Not really used at this time

 

Special Places

Spoiler


Special places are objects of interest in the game that have been added to the community map. They are great landmarks to know where you are if you lose track of your location. 

You are able to search for Deeds and Special placed in the "Find" drop down window on the left side of the map.

 

Guard Towers

These are very visible structures that remain long after a deed crumbles to dust. They have several purposes:

  • They are super useful to newbies when they have a troll chasing them and nothing but a starter sword to tickle it with.
  • They are great for telling where you are on the community map! 
  • They are often used as locations to dig at for treasure maps.

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Mission Structures

Mission structures are special structures built by players as part of a mission. After the mission is over, the structure is still standing, and make great landmarks. They are pleasing to look at as well.

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Grid

Toggles on and off grid squares. This can be toggled on and off by the hotkey "G"

 

Grid Squares

Spoiler

 

The "map grid" is an overlay showing grid cells that use the same notation as the in-game map. This can be very helpful when trying to describe the location of an area for another player when in-game without going into the coordinate level.

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Coordinates

Spoiler

 

Each tile on the map has a coordinate associated with it. Unlike Cartesian maps (which start from the bottom left), Wurm starts from the top left.

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While you move your mouse pointer over the map the coordinates of the current map point are displayed in the upper right corner:

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This is how you determine the precise coordinates for any map point you may want to work with.

 

You can also select a point on the map (to save its coordinates) by a single left-click. A small crosshair symbol will appear and the coordinates will be shown in the field "Selected". The contents of that field can be copied to the clipboard in the usual way (by selecting and pressing Ctrl-C). Clicking on the same location again (on the crosshair symbol) will remove the marker.

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You can load the map by adding location coordinates to the URL (web address) like this:

https://deliverance.yaga.host#<x>,<y>

(Replace <x> and <y> by valid location coordinates).

 

The map will load and be centered on the given location (if the coordinates are valid).

 

In addition, every time you select a location by left-clicking on a point on the map the URL shown in the address field will change to show the selected coordinates. Thus, you are able to share a view of a certain map area by just copying the address shown in the address field of your browser.

 

Tile Types 

Spoiler

 

 

If you want to read about the different tile types here is a link to the wiki on the topic. Below, I will discus how each tile type is represented on the community map.

 

Rock / Cliff: Represented as gray on the map.

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Dirt / Packed Dirt: Represented as a chocolate brown on the map.

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Roads: (All Pavement Types Except Gravel): Represented by a brown/grey color on the map.

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Gravel: It is slight, but there is a color difference between roads and gravel. Gravel is a slightly deeper shade of grey. The tiles in the center area are gravel, there is a road on the left, and rock on the right.

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Tunnel / Cave Entrances: Represented as black on the map. They can be confused with tar tiles easily... but cave / tunnel entrances are darker on the map. There is a road in the center entering this tunnel enterance.

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Clay: Represented as a blue/gray on the map. Clay can be found in 2x2 squares, or 3x2 rectangles, I think I recall seeing a 3x3 once too. Clay can be found on land (right picture) and in water (left picture... in the center). It is more commonly found along shorelines. I apologize for the clay in water picture... clay pits are small on the map and blend in very well with the water.

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Tar: Represented on the map as a dark charcoal color. Like clay, tar can be found in 2x2 squares, or 3x2 rectangles, and can be found on land (right picture) and in water (left picture).

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Peat: Represented on the map as a deep brown (darker than dirt). Peat can be found in irregularly shaped fields in various sizes.

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Moss: The two patches of moss look like they are different shades of green due to the dark pixels surrounding the right hand picture. It is an optical illusion. One which you may see a lot of on the map.

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Trees / Bushes / Enchanted Trees: The same optical illusion I spoke of above with the moss is at work here with trees and bushes. The ones that appears to be darker green means the trees are denser on that part of the map.

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Grass / Enchanted Grass / Lawn: Light green colored, but not as light as the moss above. The lighter green in all of the tree pictures above are grass tiles.

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Steppe: Represented by a yellowish green on the map.

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Swamp: Represented by a dark green teal on the map.

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Tundra: Represented by a more light blueish teal on the map

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Water: The dark blue water (near the bottom of the picture below) indicates that the water is more shallow than the light blue pixels (in the top of the picture below).

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Sand: Represented by a tan (sandy) color on the map.

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Lava: Represented by bright yellow tiles on the map. Lava cools over time, so it is highly likely that the lava tiles represented on the map will have cooled into rock tiles since the map was last updated in July 2022.

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Understanding Treasure Maps

Spoiler

Treasure maps were added to the game last summer (2022) and have added a fun activity that gives you a reason to travel in the game. Some people think the rewards for doing a treasure map are not consistent, or consistent in terms of map difficulty (as in a 1ql map may be harder to decipher than a 90QL map), and often not worth the effort. I for one, love to do maps for the challenge. I think the sleep powders included in every chest make them worth doing by themselves.

 

They are also a good source for mid to high quality leather, gems, gold/silver/electrum lumps, and paper. And sometimes, you will get upkeep tokens, rare strange bone fragments, unique treasure items that only come in chests, or a rare item. 

 

In the sections below, I will be discussing the differences in maps by quality level, the different types of maps, and how to decipher and match them up with the community map so you can plot where to look for treasure.

Quality Levels

First, it is very important to know that the rarity of the map does not seem to impact the quality of the rewards... so a rare map at 90ql will have the same rewards as a supreme or fantastic map. I hope the developers change this in the future, but it is what it is.

 

Treasure maps that are between 1-29ql are called novice clues. They only have 2-3 steps that are usually within a grid square or two of the location where the map was opened and further clues are usually a grid square or two away. The rewards are usually uninspiring, but it will always have at least 1 sleep powder, and 2 gems. The quality of the items in a novice chest are usually at least 50ql. However, one nice thing about novice clues is that you can still get unique treasure items from them on occasion. 

 

Treasure maps that have a quality level between 30 and 59 are called challenging clues. They have between 3 and 5 steps and often require traveling several grid squares between clues. The rewards tend to be better than novice clues, they will contain at least 2 sleep powders. You will sometimes get rare items and are more likely to get upkeep chips. The quality of the rewards (gems, leather, etc) tend to match the ql of the map they came from.

 

Treasure maps that have a quality level that are 60+ are called difficult clues. They have between 4 and 6 clues that will take you far each clue. I have ended on the opposite side of the game map doing difficult clues before. Another distinction of difficult clues is that when you dig in the correct spot for treasure, you will be ambushed by 3-6 creatures which can sometimes overwhelm some of the best tank players in the game. You have to be careful when dealing with difficult treasure maps. It is often best to ask for help, or run away and try to take the mobs on one at a time. The rewards for finishing these maps are the best of any of the maps. They always contain at least 3 sleep powders and you will often get a rare item and upkeep chips. The quality of the rewards (gems, leather, etc) tend to match the ql of the map they came from.

 

One last thing to note... a treasure map's clue won't end on a deed, they can however be behind a random fence you find along the way. Since the fence likely won't be on a deed, you can try to either go around it or destroy a section of the fence. 

 

Types of Treasure Maps

Spoiler

 

Tower Clues (text based)

Spoiler

 

Tower clues always give you a grid square, the generated name of the tower, the nickname of the tower (that the player gives it), and a clue that it is "near" something... most often a disbanded deed. Sometimes it will say that it isn't near any settlement... and sometimes instead of a tower, it will guide you to find a mission structure (look up at mission structures in the "Layers" section of the community map in this guide if you don't know what a mission structure is).

 

Examples:

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Maps

Spoiler

 

There are several different types of maps, I will show them all here. The maps have actually gotten a little harder since the cartography update (December 2022) because some of them may not be perfectly oriented to north or detailed at all. 

 

Important things to know:

  • Depending on the quality of the map, the x may not be exactly the correct spot to dig. I once had a map location zeroed in to the tile and the clue ended up being 10 tiles away. The higher the quality of the map, the more likely the clue may be off by a few tiles.
  • The higher the quality the map is, the smaller the area will be where you can dig and find the clue... for example, a 20ql map will have a pretty large area where you can dig and find the clue from where the x actually is whereas a 90ql map you will have to be within 2-4 tiles of where it happens to be (which may be several tiles from the marked x on the map) to find it. It can get frustrating.. but I have done A LOT of maps, and I have never had one I couldn't finish. I did have one that was bugged once (the map showed as blank), but I did a /report and the GMs got it sorted out for me.
  • The maps may completely remove a type of landmark (like roads). This adds to the difficulty when you because you might discount an area because you would expect to have something in particular on the map
  • It can be very difficult to ascertain the scale of the map (there isn't a scale at the bottom)
  • Maps do have a legend, you can right click on the map to see what the different colors represent... though the shades kind of run together. I will list the different colors and shades further below.

 

Each map (that is not a tower clue) has "Show Hint" option that will show you the in game map with an area circled where you should be looking for the clue. Lower quality maps have smaller search areas than higher quality maps.

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After you see what part of the world you need to be looking at, right click on the map and select "Open".

 

There are a few things in common with most treasure maps (not including the tower clues here):

  • They have an X that marks the spot.
  • The colors usually mean the same things regardless of the type of map.
  • The map is current... which means that it will have the current roads and objects on it. The community map dump was made about 8 months ago (at this time January 2023)
  • Most maps will have topography lines, but they won't correspond with the community map which has them at a scale of 200 dirt. That is not to say topography lines in these maps are not useful... they just don't always match perfectly with the community map.
  • North is the top of the map... there is one type of map where it may be off by a couple degrees. I will point it out below.
  • They will have areas that are "burnt" which will obscure part of the map. The these obscurities will often hide or camouflage important landmarks that would make the clue easier to find.

 

Here are the different types of maps in order of difficulty (in my opinion) from easiest to hardest and why they are ranked as they are:

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This is the easiest type of map in my expert opinion. There are several roads listed, several different tile types that can be matched up to the community map. The only way it would be easier is if it referenced the a deed... as it is, I know this area exceptionally well, and this area is directly outside the north gate of a deed I have ownership of. I could pinpoint this map to the tile.

 

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This map is also easy... It is very detailed and has a lot of reference points. The only thing that makes this one a little more difficult than the last one is that I am not as familiar with the area... which is something you need to take into account. I would need to see the hint circle for this map to see where I should start looking.

 

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This one is slightly more difficult because it has a little less detail than the previous one... but there is plenty to work with here. Note how it references a disbanded deed. If that deed is in the Disbanded Deed Reference (which I will detail in a section further in this guide), you will have a set of coordinates to start from. You will see me bring up the value of the Disbanded Deed Reference more and more as we get into the more difficult maps. One other thing to point out on this map is that a good portion of it is covered up in obscuring "burnt" areas.

 

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This one is about the same difficulty as the one immediately above... there is a road to reference and the shape of the desert can be matched against the community map. Note, the treasure map has two different kinds of road (cobblestone moving into slate)... the community map would show both of them as the same color.

 

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This one is a little tougher... it doesn't have the detail the others up to this point have had, and those "burnt" areas could be hiding some useful references... however, that coastline and the patches of green in the sand should be enough to get a general idea of where to dig when you compare it to the community map.

 

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This is a tough map... you have very few reference points. If you look closely... you can make out a road. It can be easily missed though (I just noticed it). I happen to know where Zen used to be (and it is in the Disbanded Deed Reference (thank you Mrwickster) which makes this much easier. Without knowing where Zen was, or if that road wasn't there, you would have to pinpoint it by looking at the topography lines and the shapes of the rock formations. As I mentioned in the opening statements of this section, the topography scale of the treasure maps usually do not correspond 100% to the community map... and it is hard to figure out the scale of treasure maps, which makes it even harder to get the location based on topography alone.

 

And the hardest kind of map are... these 2 examples:

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The one on the right is the worst.. These maps look like they were finger painted by a kindergartener. They have only started showing up since the cartography update (December 2022). If you don't know where the disbanded deeds are referenced, you are or aren't very familiar with those areas... you re going to have a tough time. The map on the left has a few roads... and water which makes it easier than the one on the right. 

 

To add even more difficulty... these are the maps where north on the treasure map may be a few degrees off from the community map.

 

For the right map, unless you know where Storm is (by looking at the Disbanded Deed Reference or archaeology). This wasn't my map, but I was in the area when the owner asked about it in the Freedom chat channel... so I went along the mountain and did archaeology on flat areas until I found Storm. Using that, I was able to give the owner an approximate location to look... and they found it. This is a good example of another resource.. if you have trouble with a map, ask in the Freedom chat channel. There is no shame in asking for help.. and people like me like the challenge 😉! I have had maps where I have asked others to help. A second pair of eyes may spot things you missed (like that road a couple maps up)

 

The Map Legend

It is possible you have been reading the colors on the map wrong. If you right click on the open map, you can select "Show Legend". 

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I marked up this image so I can list out what each color (vaguely) represents.

1: Grass, Fields, Kelp, & Reeds

2: Grape, Hazelnut, Thorn, Marsh, and Marsh

3: Other Bushes and Mycelium

4: Birch, Pine & Other Small Trees

5: Cedar, Maple, Oak & Willow Trees

6: Steppe

7: Sand & Plank Paving

8. Sandstone Paving

9. Snow & Marble Paving

10. Cliffs

11. Clay & Gravel

12. Rock

13. Cobblestone & Stone Paving

14. Mines. Peat, Tar, and Slate Paving

15. Dirt & Pottery Paving

16. Lava

17. Tundra

18. Water

 

 

Using the Community Map to pinpoint clues from treasure maps

90% of all the requests for help I get looking at clues involve a clue someone has that doesn't have a road or a shoreline on it. To a lot of players the different colors, lines, burn marks look like a rorschach test than anything they can understand. By the time I am done, I hope you will all be able to look at maps and see blonde, brunette, redhead... or at least reference points you didn't see before that will help you figure out where to dig. 

 

I will first go over how to narrow down the search area using the hint... then I will plot an easy clue, followed by plotting two of the more difficult clues I referenced above.

Spoiler

 

Comparing the hint search area from the world map and comparing it to the the community map to narrow your search area

Before we open the maps, we need to look at the hint to narrow down the area we should be looking at. If you right click the map and select show hint it will show the in game world map. It can be difficult to compare the world map to the community map at a glance. I have three methods which I use to do that. I will list them by what I do most often, but all three methods work.

  1. Use bodies of water, mountains, deserts, and steppe plains to identify the bounds of the area of interest.
  2. Look for the nearest starter city and use that point of reference to go to the same spot on both maps (this works best for treasure maps that within 1-3 grid squares of a starter town.
  3. Find the grid square on the world map and look it up on the community map.

Using the hint pictured below. I will go over how these methods work.

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Method 1. Use bodies of water, mountains, deserts, and steppe plains to identify the bounds of the area of interest.

Spoiler

 

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This is my preferred method because I am bad at reading the grid squares on the world map, and counting out from Sonata can be difficult when you get further from the starter city.

 

 

Method 2: Look for the nearest starter city and use that point of reference to go to the same spot on both maps (this works best for treasure maps that within 1-3 grid squares of a starter town.

Spoiler

 

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The center of our circle will be toward the west end of the grid. This is a good method if your clue is near a starter town.

 

Method 3: Find the grid square on the world map and look it up on the community map.

Spoiler

 

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This is my least favored method because the in game world map uses a very hard to read font, and it is also easy to get off target. In the left picture it says the center of the circle should be in the center, but I knew the center was to be in the western third of the grid square... it is hard to tell with the in game world map because the hint circle obscured the grid lines.

 

 

Recognizing Map References

Spoiler

 

Now I will go over how to identify points you can use as references to translate between the treasure map and the community map.

 

Treasure Map 1 - Easy

Spoiler

 

Right click and open your map... I will use the same map that I used for narrowing down the search with the hint in the previous section.

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So we know the area of the map we need to study... lets look at the treasure map itself...

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I could check the Disbanded Deed Reference to see if Zodiak Acres is on there, but I don't think that will be necessary. Right away, I see two roads, a body of water, and two patches of sand to the NW of the water. Using those as reference points, I am going to further narrow down my search area.

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I am pretty sure this is the area we want... so the next step is zoom in as far as we can go, and try and get the coordinates for the actual dig spot... as a side note, if you want to make your guide author happy, you could also get the coordinates for the disbanded deed referenced here and post it to this forum thread Cadence Disbanded Deed Reference - Cadence - Wurm Online Forum

 

You can toggle off any overlays that are in your way. 

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Since the X appears to be in the NE part of the sand just north of the road... here is where I would start digging: https://cadence.yaga.host/#3030,2048

 

This clue is plotted. I will be instructing on how to recognize features on the map on the ground in the Fundamentals of Land Navigation section below after I plot two more maps.

 

Treasure Map 2 - Difficult

Spoiler

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I was going through my pile of maps to find one that didn't have as many obvious reference points, so I selected this one. It was only after I looked at the hint that I realized it was near my deed, and I knew pretty much exactly where to look. However, it is still a good example, so I am going to go through the motions and explain how I would go about plotting this map. 

 

So, first we need to look at the hint and get the area of interest narrowed down on the community map. I used the bodies of water surrounding the area of interest to figure out the approximate area on the community map.

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As I said before, there aren't a whole lot of obvious points of references (like roads, deserts, and shorelines), but there are several slightly less obvious reference points we can look for to narrow down the area. I think the easiest things to find on the community map is going to be the steppe land that is in the north with a narrow rock face going east to west just south of it... (circled below).

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Now... using the community map area I narrowed into, I will identify the features I circled in the map above and find the corresponding area on the community map. The red circled area looks like the best (the only) option.

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Next, zoom in as far as you can on that spot of the community map and line up the features on the treasure map and the community map.

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Here is where I think the clue is: https://cadence.yaga.host/#2415,1173

 

This clue is plotted... the next one will give even people like me trouble...

Treasure Map 2 - REALLY Difficult

Spoiler

Ok... now for a really tough one. This is one of those that look like a child painted it. And it is a 59ql map, which puts it on the high end of challenging... which goes to show that even lower quality clues can be very hard to decipher. 

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The very first thing I am going to do is consult the Cadence Disabled Deed Reference to see if Birchland is listed. It is not... I would also ask in the Freedom chat channel if anyone know where Birchland may be. I am not going to actually do that this time because I want to walk through the process I use to for finding clues like this without help. So... the first step is to get the search area by comparing the topography on the world map with that of the community map.

 ySsNAV8Vo2BU8iewx3bU_NUriKmJ4jNbIiqpm1aI 

I note the west side of the circle runs close to the coast line, and ends at the mountain in the northeast. There is also a small pond slightly NW of the search area which has a southern coastline that can be used to determine the northern boundary of the search area.

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This is the narrowed in area... here is where it gets tougher... we need to really look at the map to see if there are any reference points that can narrow down our search area. With the horrible detail on this map, nothing is going to be 100%... but maybe we can find a couple likely locations. 

 

Here are the reference points I think I see:

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From what I think I have gleaned from the map, I have found 3 areas of interest. I will list what draws me to each and how likely I think it is the target... and how I would go about confirming it. 

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Area of Interest 1  

Probability: Moderate - High

Possible reference points found: 5

Coordinates of proposed dig spot: https://cadence.yaga.host/#647,1402

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At first, I didn't like this spot for the treasure... I don't see any sign of the ruin, and the other reference points look fairly weak to go on. What sells this location is that topographic line on the bottom of the treasure map... it's share is nearly identical to the topography of the community map. The line isn't in the right spot, but as you may recall, the treasure maps and the community map are not always on the same scale. 

 

How would I confirm this:

  1. Look for ruins where birchland should be (I would use archaeology to confirm it is Birchland, but finding flat ground there may be enough)
  2. Dig at the circled coordinates.

 

 

Area of Interest 2  

Probability: Moderate

Possible reference points found: 4

Coordinates of proposed dig spot: https://cadence.yaga.host/#438,1460

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I really liked this spot at first, but when compared to the first area of interest, the reference points just don't add up as well. If the first one doesn't pan out... I will look here next.

How would I confirm this:

  1. Look for ruins where birchland should be (I would use archaeology to confirm it is Birchland, but finding flat ground there may be enough)
  2. Dig at the circled coordinates.

 

Area of Interest 3

Probability: Low

Possible reference points found: 2

Coordinates of proposed dig spot: https://cadence.yaga.host/#567,1408

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I kind of liked this spot at first, but the more I look at it, the less convinced I am that it is where I should look. The reference points I found are not oriented the way I would expect them to be for this to be the spot. If Area of Interest 1 & 2 turn out bad, 

I may come here and look for ruins or dig at the X marked above.

 

Ok, now I have 3 points plotted for this map. I think the first one is the most likely spot, so that will be the first spot I go to. However, this section is about plotting the points. I will actually go look for the clues and how to navigate based on the landmarks in the community map in the next section.

Bonus Map Plot: Difficult... but not if you know what to look for

Spoiler

Special thanks to Libelle for asking me to help him on this clue. It is a perfect example for this guide.

 

So, this morning Libelle asked if I could help him with this hint: 

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She said the map just looked like a blob of green to her, but there is actually a lot to go on here.

  1. There are two tar pits located on the eastern part of the map... that is enough by itself 
  2. The topography lines, while they don't scale to the community map does give you an idea where to look.

I was able to solve this one really fast using those two tar pits on the eastern part of the map. I have seen them before, so I knew the area to look in:

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I was also able to match some of the topography lines.

 

I like tar pits... if you have two on a map and can match it up to the community map, you can easily triangulate on them to get an exact spot where the x should be... remember that on higher quality, the x could be off by as much as 10 tiles.

 

 

Fundamentals of Land Navigation

Spoiler

Navigation from the ground

Spoiler

First things first... the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. If there is a highway that goes straight to where you want to go... take the highway! You will run into less obstacles using highways. These obstacles include:

  1. Trees
  2. Bodies of Water
  3. Fences
  4. Walls
  5. unclimbable slopes

 

The next thing I will say is take the highway as close as you can to the area you are going to. Once you are very familiar with the area, or very good at land navigation, you can start cutting cross country but when you get close to where you are going (like a treasure map clue), you are going to need a recognizable landmark to know where you are so you can traverse where you are trying to go. 

 

Detailed Example:

Spoiler

 

Here is a fairly easy treasure map. I am going to skip the whole figuring out where the hint is (you can read all about that in "Using the Community Map to pinpoint clues from treasure maps" section... here is the treasure map, the hint, where the area is on the community map, and where I think the clue is. https://cadence.yaga.host/#1865,946

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The deed on the map with the name cut off is Aeldan's Crossing and it is on the highway network. 

Step 1: Use the Find Route function on a waystone and ride out to Aeldan's Crossing

Step 2: Navigate on the road to the bend where I indicated... that is the closest point that you can be sure of where you are on the community map. If you don't find the treasure, or lose your way, go back to this point and try again.

Step 3: Go west until you reach the rock face in the west... it should be around 15-20 tiles.

Step 4: Cross to the western edge of that rock face. 

Step 5, Travel North West about 15 tiles... you may see a rock face in front of you... that is where the clue should be... however. I would start digging where you are, and every 5 tiles until you are directly past the rock face where the clue should be. If you don't find it by that point, turn west and go 5 tiles and then turn south east and repeat the process of digging every 5 tiles...

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This is called a box search method. If you get back to the first rock face without finding the clue( which shouldn't happen), I recommend going back to the bend where you started from in step 2 and do step 3 and 4 again. Before proceeding to step 5, turn north and go 5 tiles. Do step 5 again, except instead of turning west when you get past the rock face, turn east instead... go 5 tiles, turn south east, dig every 5 tiles.

 

If you don't find the clue this second time... recheck your plotting of the point. Remember, it it is a high quality map, the x could be off by as many as 10 tiles... this is a 14ql map, so you should be able to dig for it from pretty far off. 

 

When you become better at land navigation, you will be able to go up the road from that bend and tell when the road dips between the two rises north west of the bend. Then from there turn south west and start digging after about 15 tiles and ever 5 thereafter. 

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When you become good at land navigation, you can go west by north west and travel about 30 tiles and start digging in your box pattern. I do not recommend navigating to your point using any directions but north, south, east, and west, and the diagonals using the tiles as a guide until you have mastered the first two methods.

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Besides bends in the road, you can use the following as a reference points (ranked from easiest to hardest to use). 

  • Guard Towers
  • Mission Structures
  • Clay and Tar Pits
  • Road Intersections
  • Patches of Sand or Moss
  • Peat, Swamp, or Tundra fields
  • Desert or Steppe Areas Where They Meet with Grass or Forest
  • A Shoreline
  • A Deed
  • A Bridge, Channel, or Tunnel
  • A Rock Face
  • An Oak or Willow Tree... you can see oak and willow trees on the community map because they have 2 open spaces in all directions around them... which makes them decent land marks (if they haven't been cut down)

IQA6nSYpzgJBlvhnC82Lm10HWoweetBF7gYTMGgz < Oak or Willow Trees on the community map.

  • Hilltops and Mountains (look at topography in the Understanding the Community Map section to see what a hilltop looks like on the community map)

Any irregular feature that you can make out from the ground and spot on the Community Map...

 

Remember, you can always go back and try again!

 

 Recovering the clue:

Spoiler

 

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The bend in the road.

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Turn west and go 15 tiles

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Encountered the first rock face

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Turn north west

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Go north west 15 tiles... spotted the 2nd rock face... start digging here

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Success on the first try! 😄

 

 

 


 

I could go over a few more examples, but I think it would be better to demonstrate using the map points I plotted in the previous section... I will alsp do a tower clue where the tower is not marked on the community map. 

 

Practical Exercises!

Spoiler

 

In the "Using the Community Map to pinpoint clues from treasure maps" section, way toward the bottom of that section I plotted out the coordinates for three treasure maps. Because one of the maps was really difficult, I actually plotted 3 likely locations... so I have 5 points in Cadence to navigate to for treasure hunting. Usually, I would try and make sure all my clues are in the same area of the map, but since the goal here is to teach you how to go across the map (sometimes in areas without highways), I will do each one in order and plot the course from each point. 

 

I will be using all the bits of knowledge I have imparted up to now to do each step of this process. I did weeks of Army training to learn to plot points on a map and various techniques to get from point a to point b without a road.

 

The first step will be getting all of my points in the order I want to travel to them...  My deed is Monroevia in G17 at approximately https://cadence.yaga.host/#2168,1097 (Marked Start)

Here are my points:  The ones that are one tab over are other areas of interest for the 3rd map. I will only plot one of them for now since they are all close together and I am just deciding my route.

 

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The closest to my deed is marked on the Map below as TM1, from there, I will travel to TM2, and from there, I will ride all the way across the map (13 grid squares) to TM3. This is why having fast horses with good horseshoes is a good thing. I use a large cart with two 4d hell horses with 90+ql horse shoes and 90+ WoA. I usually go between 30-35 kph. It will take me between 20-25 minutes to cover that distance. 

 

TM4 will be plotted from Monroevia separately from the other three.

 

Leg 1: Setting the course from Start to TM1 area and then finding the clue 

Spoiler

 

The map above is zoomed too far out to be able to see the details we need to find our spots, so I am going to zoom into the area between the start and TM1.

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This is a pretty straight forward route... I will go through the tunnel I dug through the mountain and when the road ends on the other side, cut south east until the steppe area ends and hit a rockface about 10-15 tiles into the wooded area. From the topography lines I can tell that the rock face will be near the top of a hill. When I hit the rock face, I will turn south and go forward around 25-30 tiles, and I will cross another rock face. It is at this point that I will start digging in a box pattern (5 tiles, dig, 5 tiles, until I am well past the area I think the area, turn west, go 5 tiles, dig, turn north... repeat that loop..) It should be pretty easy to find. 

 

This is a 79QL treasure map which means that there will be an ambush when I try to dig for the clue. All maps over 60QL have ambushes on each step. Pro-tip (repeated in the pro tip section at the end)... 

 

Retrieving TM1's Clue

Spoiler

Go through the tunnel.

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Turn south east at the end of the road.

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Ride south east until you enter the woods and hit the rockface going east and west.

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Turn south, ride until you start seeing another rockface and start digging.

Ambush sprung! Drop tent and ride off.

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Kill the mobs one at a time. If you are not well equipped with 70+ fighting skill, I recommend you bring help.

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Return to the tent, pick it up, and dig for treasure... Success! Onward to TM2!

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Leg 2: Setting the course from TM1 to TM2 and retrieving the clue

Spoiler

 

TM2's clue is pretty far away and there are several obstacles in the way... so the first thing we need to do is head south east and find a highway. Once you hit the highway, find a waystone, right click it and "Find Route". Lame Horse Express Lane Mkii is close to the search area, so select it. Ride down to there and once you arrive keep going east, when you pass with the pond to your right, stop when you see sand on your left and move east to the end of it. Turn north and start digging every 5 tiles in a box pattern.

 

This map is 44QL so you will not get ambushed when you find the clue (that only happens on 60+ QL Maps)

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Retrieving TM2's Clue

Spoiler

Go south east until you get to the highway and find a waystone.

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Find the route to "Lame Horse Express Lane Mkii". 

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Ride to "Lame Horse Express Lane Mkii". 

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Ride forward until the sand ends on the left and turn north. Start searching every 5 tiles in a box pattern.

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Success! Onward to TM3... which will likely be the hardest.

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Leg 3: Setting the course for TM 3 and checking the first Area of Interest

Spoiler

As you may recall when I was plotting points for this, the map looks like it was made by a kindergartener using finger paints.

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Here is the route I plan to take. I plan to use the highway most of the time. Its only 2800 tiles away... I will set the waystone to find a route to Birkengrad, When I am nearly there, and there is a turn off to the left with around 100 tiles left, I will go straight and turn right at the next intersection instead. After I go into the desert, I will look for a tar pit on the right. When I am by it I will turn north and go north until I get to a rockface, I will cross that and start digging for treasure in a box pattern.

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AOI 1 looks like a bust... On to AOI 2 which is to the west of Birkengrad.

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It looks like there are definite signs of a ruin there and two guard towers, which should be easy to spot from the sand. 

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No dice on AOI 2, or AOI 3... so now I am going to hunt for ruins in an attempt to find Birchland. Sometimes archaeology, or using the disbanded deed reference may be the only way to work off a map like that. On the bright side, I cataloged several ruins.

 

Several hours later of roaming through the woods looking for ruins, Lesw advised me to look south of the lake, that there was some terraforming there what wasn't in the community map. After another half an hour of searching... I finally found Birchtown! Thank you Lesw!

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As you can see... the treasure map looks NOTHING like the community map. The ruin didn't even have any paved tiles. This was definitely one of my top 10 hardest clues. 

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Well... we finally have a solid reference point for the treasure map... I don't know the distance (because there is no scale to know how zoomed in or out the treasure map is), but I have a direction. I will dig every 5 tiles going north by northeast.

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This is known as traveling by azimuth (which is a fancy word for direction when reading a compass). When traveling by azimuth, it is wise to have a backstop... basically a backstop is a reference point to know if you have gone too far. In this case, if I reach the highway to the north east, I have gone too far.

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Success! 

 

This goes to show that even if you are an expert at deciphering these maps, sometimes the community map won't be much help. You will have to search for anything you can to get where you need to go. 

 

If I didn't have archaeology skill to see where Birchland used to be, I could have blindly did the travel by azimuth method at all the locations.

TM4: Travelling to TM4, Finding the Tower, and Retrieving the Clue

Spoiler

I added this Tower clue after I completed the first three clues. So I am starting from Monroevia again. Full disclosure... I actually figured out after writing this whole section that the tower I was looking for was in fact on the map... and after combing through all of 110 of the maps I had on hand, none of them had towers that were not on the map. So I am going to cheat a little and hide the tower in this next section long enough to say how I would go about finding it.

 

Here is the map... the tower is on the community map already, but I am going to hide it so I can tell you how to find it as if it were unknown. 

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I will find a route using a waypoint to Bluffside but instead of turning onto the Road into bluffside, I  will keep on the road to the north side of the peat bog because it is the very close to southern J12 border. This will be our start point. 

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Here is a zoomed in shot of the area with the deeds and towers marked.

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Here are some important things to know about towers and treasure maps in general: (I explained a little of this in the introduction):

  • Treasure Map clues will not be on an active deed
  • Towers cannot be located within 50 tiles of another tower. 

 

With these two facts in mind, we can likely omit a large portion of this grid because it is either on a deed or within 50 tiles from a marked tower on the community map. With that in mind, and since I know a few of the deeds on this map cover a large area by themselves, I can narrow down my search areas... anything within a red box can be dismissed as a probable spot for the tower. When I disregard those areas, the amount of area to search is not nearly as large. It would be simple enough to check all of these, but another thing to consider is that, most of the time, Guard towers tend to be either along highways, on deeds, near ruins, or on coastlines. That would narrow it down even more.. but honestly if I follow the route outlined below, I should be able to spot this tower since a lot of the area is desert and easy to see across.

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As I said, I know where this tower is... but I didn't when writing this section... it was only after riding this route that I notice that the tower I was looking for was already marked... it is located at https://cadence.yaga.host/#1082,1749

 

Maybe later I will find a treasure map with a tower that isn't marked and I will replace this section with that hunt, but this tells you the general strategy for finding missing towers. Omit areas that don't need to be searched, find the most likely areas and check them 1 by 1.

 

 

 

 

Figuring out where you are

Spoiler

I promise that at some point in Wurm, you will get hopelessly lost. Perhaps you went afk when autorunning and found yourself in a strange place when you got back, you lost connection while riding in the back of someone's cart, or... like I sometimes do, you thought you were moving west when you were actually going east. Seriously... I do that!.... a lot!. Knowing how to regain your bearings when you have no idea where you are is a useful skill to have. 

 

There are a few ways to regain your bearings without having to travel half the map. I will go over a few of them with you. 

  • Ask for directions... (duh): The simplest way to get your location is to ask someone you see in local where in the world you are... this only works if there is someone in local... who knows where they are 😉.
  • Find a deed, guard tower, or a mission structure...: A lot of them are on the community map. You can even search for them in the find box on the left hand side.
  • Find a Peat Bog, Rock Face, or Beach: Most peat bogs, rock faces, and beaches have distinctive shapes... imagine seeing it from above... how wide and what shape would it be.... compare the image (particularly any distinctive outcroppings or corners) in your head with the community map, and you will know exactly where you are.

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  • Find a Highway or Coastline: Move in any direction on the map and you are bound to either hit highway or a coastline of some sort. This method pairs nicely with the next one.
  • Back-Azimuth From a Line: This is admittingly a more complex method, but it does work. It involves you having a rough idea of the region you are in, and being on or near something that is a line on the map... like a highway, tree line, coastline, desert or steppe boundary, spotting a reference point that you actually know that is a long distance away (like a guard tower, a bridge, or a mountain top), noting the direction that reference point is away from you, and then on the community map, drawing a line back from that reference point in the opposite direction that you just got the reading from. Using this, you can get a set of coordinates where you are. This isn't as much for finding where you are when you are lost, as much as it is to get a set of coordinates to report something (like a guard tower).
  • Back-Azimuth Using Two Points. This is where you use two known reference points that you can see in the distance to triangulate your position on the map.

 

Example of Back-Azimuth From a Line: I am standing on this coastline on this beach... and I see a pylon (small man made island for a bridge) to the north east that I know the location for on the map. Using a back azimuth  south west from that same location... I can determine where I am on the map... to be more exact, we would need to use degrees instead of compass directions... but you can eyeball it pretty well if you need to. I would actually call this reading more of an north east - east direction for better accuracy. 

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Example of Back-Azimuth Using Two Points: Lets say we want to figure out where we are on the map, there are no roads, but you can see two clear reference points. You can use back-azimuths to triangulate your position.

 

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NOTE: If you don't like the whole north east by east business, you can use the windows snip and sketch tool (shortcut [Win] + [Shift] + ) and use the ruler. Use your mouse wheel to get the ruler to match with the compass, and it will give you the degrees... what is even more, to get the back-azimuth, all you have to do is scroll your mouse wheel until the ruler is flipped using the same degrees as the first time. Much easier and more percise.

 

 

The Disbanded Deed Reference

Spoiler

About a month ago, I started a publicly viewable document called the Cadence Disbanded Deed Reference. It is a document that lists the coordinates of disbanded deeds that have been identified through archaeology, through treasure hunting, or by people who knew where deeds were.

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The purpose of this document is to be a reference for treasure hunters that have difficult maps... sometimes knowing where a deed used to be is the only way to solve the map... look up at my really difficult map exercise if you need proof of that. I spent about 5 hours cataloging ruins in the search area before I finally got a tip that lead me to the one I was looking for. I have 75 in Archaeology... not many others do. So this reference may be their best bet to find their treasure. It is also a useful resource for archaeologists looking for good places to look for fragments.

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Using the coordinates in the reference, and the direction from the map... you can determine where the clue should be.

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I am maintaining this document, and it could be a life line for people who need it... but it is a community effort to get deeds listed. You can post coordinates of deeds on the thread here: Cadence Disbanded Deed Reference - Cadence - Wurm Online Forum

 

If you get a clue like the one below and you can figure out where the x is... you also know where the settlement being referenced is... you will be doing a good service to the community

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Pro-Tips

Spoiler
  • You can dig for treasure while mounted... I recommend you do so... especially for difficult maps where you will be ambushed
  • Sometimes tar pits can be camouflaged on maps with burn marks but they are excellent reference points... if you see two on a treasure map, you can use them to triangulate to find the exact tile the x is (supposed to be) on.
  • You can rename your maps like you can many other items in Wurm... I suggest you list if it is a tower or a map clue, and which grid to look in... it can help you keep multiple maps organized
  • When doing difficult clues and trigger an ambush... drop something visible (like a tent, or a flag) so you can get back to that same tile after you return from the ambush
  • Invest in a good compass, they are a useful tool when you treasure hunt.
  • If you are hunting for multiple maps (an expedition rather than just a single treasure hunt)... I recommend you take a large cart rather than just a horse with saddlebags. You will need that cart space for all your loot! 🤑
  • If you are a priest, and trigger an ambush... run off to lose agro, and then turn around and cast a damage spell. You can cancel it before it finishes if needed. The act of casting will get the attention of the target, but not all the buddies around him.
  • If you have several maps to do... find several with clues in one area, take a screenshot of the community map in the area your clues are clustered in, and plot all the clues before you ever leave your deed.
  • That way, you can pick off several clues at once. 
  • Sometimes a straight line between two points isn't possible, and sometimes there are fences, walls, and player terraformed slopes that can get in your way... but a functioning highway cannot have obstructions across it. if you find a barrier, look for a marked highway.
  • Don't be discouraged if the loot you get in the chest you get after a hunt doesn't meet your expectations. Every chest will have atleast one sleep powder and a couple gems... often times, that alone is worth the effort. Have fun with it... it's a game!

 

 

Edited by Jarrett
development
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I ended up not needing this space for the guide.

 

If you learned something from this guide and you wish to show your support and gratitude for the many hours I put into writing it... please do so by using your new skills to post things you find on the Community Map thread and the Cadence Disbanded Deed Reference thread.

 

Cadence Disbanded Deed Reference - Cadence - Wurm Online Forum

 

New Cadence Community Map - Cadence - Wurm Online Forum

Edited by Jarrett
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Can't wait - you saw on stream last night how my land navigation skills are! 🤣

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I did, and honestly, I think you are really good at it!

 

Hopefully this guide will help you decipher maps that aren't so obvious though.

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