Part IV: Things Get Complicated
Back on Mêlée Island, you'll quickly notice the effects from the earthquake that Lila's spell caused. Not much we can do about it now, so let's just have a chat with the Voodoo Lady. Head to the International House of Mojo and confront her about not telling you that the conspicuously large chest with five giant locks on it was The Secret this whole time. When you're done with the conversation, leave the shop and you'll meet up with Widey Bones.
You may have noticed her spouting nonsense earlier, but it looks like she's having a moment of coherence. She tells you that she holds one of five Golden Keys needed to open the cabinet holding the Secret. She won't relinquish hers until you find two of your own, however. After you're done conversing, I'm sure you're raring to venture forth and snatch up all the keys, but we have a couple things to take care of first.
Step one is to visit Wally. Chat with him and ask for a Sea Map. New map in hand, head to your ship and depart. While on the open sea, head to Scurvy Island. Leave the beach and make your way to Elaine's Camp in the top right of the island. To the right is a desk, and upon that desk is a note from Elaine letting you know which lime grove she's currently in. Use the landmarks mentioned to track her down. Chat for a bit if you want, but ultimately you need to grab some limes from the nearby barrel.
Limes in hand, we can now begin gathering the keys.
Old Mrs. Smith's Golden Key
Head to the Locksmith's shop and chat with Locke. Ask her about Old Mrs. Smith, and she'll reveal that this was likely her mother. Ask about the Golden Key, then offer her money and a trade item. She'll decline your offer, but gives you the Golden Key anyway. Simple enough.
Widey Bones' Golden Key
After you've collected two of the Golden Keys, there will be a short cutscene where we learn that Iron Rose stole Widey Bones' key from her. Once you have control and are out on the open sea, you should now be able to spot LeChuck's ship in the southeast. Sail there and climb aboard. No one's here to stop you, so you can wander around freely. Make your way below deck and over the the stack of crates that comprise the Quartermaster's station. The key is just sitting on top of one of the crates. Grab this Golden Key and move on to the next!
Bella Fisher's Golden Key
In order to find Bella's secret fishing spot, you'll need to collect her ship's flag. To do that, we'll need a couple steps.
In the southeast of the ocean, near LeShip, is a boat that is currently anchored in place so they can avoid spreading scurvy. Convincing them that limes will cure scurvy is a fools errand at this point, due to their mistrust of science, so we'll have to go a-questing for a bit.
Head to Mêlée Island and make your way to the shipyards. Stan's shack is pretty worse for wear after the earthquake, and we can see inside. Take the picture of Stan sitting on the desk. Head to Scurvy Island and go to Elaine's camp. Take the picture frame sitting on the desk. Guybrush will note that it's supposed to be a picture of him and Elaine, but right now it's just Elaine.
Make your way to the lime grove that Elaine is currently in and ask her about the missing Guybrush picture. You'll find out that a seagull came by and stole half of the portrait. While you're here, ask her how her scurvy prevention program is going and she'll hand you a sample flyer. Leave Elaine's grove and head to the seagull nest pictured in the map. Take the Guybrush picture from the empty nest.
Now head to Brrr Muda and go to the Ice Quarry. If you've already visited Barebones Island and talked to Ned, then you'll know that Stan is imprisoned here. Chat with the guard and ask to be let in to see Stan. He'll want proof you know him, which isn't a problem due to our burgeoning inventory. Examine the picture frame you're holding to get a closeup view. There will be various pics that can be mixed and matched in the frame that you may or may not have picked up. The important ones are you and Stan. Place Stan's picture on the left and Guybrush's on the right to create an intimate kodak moment. If you have not talked to Ned, just showing the doctored picture to the guard is enough for you to be let inside.
The guard will see that you two are, indeed, quite close and let you inside the quarry. Head toward the back and have a chat with good ol' Stan. Offer to break him out and he'll decline due to only being sentenced to a single month of hard labor (which he'll prove by giving you the judge's order confirming his sentence). He'll also mention that this could change if the court ever finds his accountant, Ned Fillagree. Use your monocle on Stan's shackles to record the serial number, and then leave the Quarry. And also leave the island. Make a quick stop in Mêlée and have the locksmith make a key for cold prison shackles, then back out to sea.
East of Wally's logo on the sea map is Barebones Island. Sail there and you'll find Ned, Stan's accountant. He's hiding out here, but is very glad that Stan has a nice long sentence. Show him the judge's orders to let him know that it's panic time, since Stan will only be locked up for a month. He'll hastily hand you his files and tells you to get the judge to increase Stan's sentence. Head back to Brrr Muda and enter the courtroom. Hand the incriminating documents to the judge, but he'll need to know that you are Ned. Since we filled out that customs form, we can't just quickly lie. But if we make our way through the options until we can claim that we use a legal pseudonym, that will be enought to convince the judge and we'll receive a new set of judge's orders.
Back to the Ice Quarry. Show Stan the new judge's orders and he'll ask to be broken out. Use the shackle key to unlock his bonds. He'll be grateful and ask how he can repay you, so just let him know that Elaine needs help fine-tuning her scurvy prevention flyer. Escape through the nearby escape tunnel and you'll wind up on Scurvy Island.
When you get the option to offer helpful suggestions for the flyer, just pick whichever ones you want. No wrong answers here, folks, might as well get silly! Once Stan and Elaine leave, nick the flyer and head back to the stranded ship. Give the new flyer to the crew, and they will new believe in the power of limes and allow you to board their ship. Take the Bella Fisher flag. In your inventory, combine the flag with your sea map. Guybrush will overlay the flag onto the sea map and mark an X where the hole is.
Sail to the X. Now drop anchor and climb down the chain. At the bottom, head all the way to the right and swipe the Golden Key from the bow of the ship.
Brrr Muda Island's Golden Key
Once on the island, make your way to the Ice Palace. Climb all the way to the top of the mountain to get to the palace proper. Grab the book of matches on the fireplace, and take note of the icicle dripping into a bucket. The seasoned adventure game players will no doubt notice the extremely subtle Golden Key laid in the Queen's crown. Have a chat with Queen Onida about it to learn that the only person who can touch the crown is the queen. And that you can challenge the queen at any time to become queen yourself. Sounds like a fun diversion. Challenge her to any of the three contests, and you'll be whisked away to the Town Hall where you will lose. Time to use our Guybrushian whiles to rig prepare for the challenges.
Contest of Heartiness
In the Hall, enter the door on the far left. There's a large sign along the back wall notating the fish of the day. Notate that yourself, and then head to Mêlée Island's fish shop and pick up a batch of that fish.
If you haven't done so already, swing by LeShip and swipe the bottle of Demon Pepper from the galley. Now return to the Contest of Heartiness room. Use the fish you're carrying with the bucket on the table, and then sprinkle the bucketed fish with the Demon Pepper. Ring the triangle to initiate the Contest.
When asked to select your fish, pull one out of your inventory and set it down on the plate. Guybrush will manage two bites of raw fish to the Queen's one, so that makes us the winner of the Contest.
Contest of Seriousness
Head to Mêlée Island. On the docks, you'll no doubt have seen the carnage wrought by the Secret finding spell's earthquake side effect. The cook is, rather understandably, upset. Check out the cookbook on the counter in front of him, and then ask to take it back.
Return the recipe book to the Mansion, and ask Carla to borrow "The Endless Tale of the Voyage That Would Not End." Take this engrossing tomb to LeShip and offer it to Bob. Chatting with him earlier would have revealed that he's already bored with the joke book, so what better alternative than a novel seemingly without an end? You'll swap books.
Make your way back into the Brrr Muda Town Hall and enter the door along the back wall. Ring the triangle to initiate the contest. Queen Onida will tell a joke. Make sure not to laugh at it to continue to the next round. Once your turn arrives, break out the book of Demon Jokes and tell any of them to get Onida to break. Contest win has been secured.
Contest of Intelligence
Make a quick stop at Lookout Point on Mêlée Island and pick up the stack of firewood. Now head to Brr Muda and enter the center door along the left wall in the Town Hall. Use the firewood in the fireplace, then use the matches to light the wood. Ring the triangle to start the contest. While the Queen is solving the algebra equation, try to sneak a look at her paper. The fire is causing the nearby icicle to drip into the bucket. Upon hearing a drip, Onida will be distracted. While she's looking away, swap the tests. When the judge returns, you'll be declared winner of the contest. If you run out of time to sneak a peek and swap, just try the contest again and the swap option will be available from the start.
It's Good to be the Queen
Having won all of the contests, you are summarily sworn in as Queen. Agree to all the vows and you'll receive the crown. Guybrush will very discretely remove the Golden Key from the crown, and then you can give whichever wise parting word you wish from the choices available.
Terror Island's Golden Key
Dock at Terror Island and then leave the beach area. Head to the Unlucky Place and pick up the silver key sitting amongst a pile of bones. Leave that section and head to the Mysterious Clearing. Wander over to the right and take the lantern sitting by the pirate skeleton. Take a brief detour and leave the island entirely to return to LeShip. Climb up into the crows nest and light the lantern with Flambé's head.
Return to Terror Island and head to the Twisting Path. Follow the eponymous path to the end where you'll be blocked by a gate. Use the knife to pry the sign off of the gate, then use the silver key in the uncovered lock. Walk through the open gate and follow the path until you find yourself in a maze. There are Xs by two of the three doorways, so just walk through the door that is not marked with an X. Keep following the unmarked doors until you find yourself out of the maze. Follow the new path until you fall off of a cliff.
Chat with your old buddy Herman Toothrot (who I guess is no longer your grandfather-in-law?) for a bit. When you're finished with the conversation, try to grab the Golden Key sitting on a slab along the left hand side of the room. Herman will snatch it up and deny you access. Keep insisting that he give you the key until your insistence initiates a struggle. The lantern breaks in the scuffle...but at least we have the Golden Key?
At any rate, read the sign you pried off of the gate to be teleported outside the cave.
Unlock the Secret
Back on Mêlée Island, enter the International House of Mojo and use all five of the Golden Keys on the cabinet. Guybrush will unsuccessfully try to open up the golden chest that was inside, and eventually LeChuck will arrive and steal it. After he leaves, follow him outside.
Back to the Part III! On to Part V!