One of the most common frustrations in Windrose's Early Access launch is sailing into Tortuga with a hold full of treasure, contraband, and animal trophies, only to discover that nobody in town will buy any of it. Tortuga has provisioners, bounty traders, faction vendors, and ship listings — but zero buyer NPCs. If you want to convert plunder into Piastres or Guineas, you need to visit the faction bases scattered on islands around Tortuga.
Quick answer: There is no buyer in Tortuga itself. Buyers are located at three faction bases nearby — the Smugglers of Port Royal Main Base (treasure), the Rogue Buccaneers Main Base (spirits, munitions, animal trophies), and the People of Tortuga Main Base (provisions, medicine). You unlock each location through the Buccaneers quest line and its follow-up quests.
Treasure buyer at the Smugglers of Port Royal Main Base
Items tagged "Could be sold to smugglers" go to the buyer NPC at the Smugglers of Port Royal Main Base. You reach this location through the "Underground Network" quest, which branches off the main Buccaneers quest line. The quest's second objective sends you to "Talk to Marita." Inside the cave at that location, an NPC labeled "Buyer" stands to Marita's left.
| Item | Price | Currency |
|---|---|---|
| Luxuries | 250 | Piastres |
| Contraband | 150 | Piastres |
| Silver Earing | 10 | Piastres |
| Silver Spoon | 5 | Piastres |
| Silver Button | 5 | Piastres |
| Bone Beads | 5 | Piastres |
| Wooden Talisman | 5 | Piastres |
| Clay Vase | 5 | Piastres |
| Gold Mask of the Priest | 5 | Guineas |
| Gold Temple Jug | 5 | Guineas |
| Gold Vase of the Chief | 5 | Guineas |
| Ancient Incense Burner | 1 | Guineas |
| Ancient Chalice | 1 | Guineas |
| Pot w/ Golden Horns | 1 | Guineas |
The gold-tier items pay in Guineas rather than Piastres, so keep that distinction in mind when planning what to haul.
Spirits, munitions, and animal trophy buyer at the Rogue Buccaneers Main Base
A second buyer operates out of the central tent at the Rogue Buccaneers Main Base. The quest that reveals this location triggers around the same time as the Smugglers quest, typically while you have several active objectives in the Buccaneers chain. This buyer accepts a different category of goods entirely — combat salvage and hunting trophies.
| Item | Price (Piastres) |
|---|---|
| Munitions | 100 |
| Spirits | 50 |
| Crocodile Head | 50 |
| Wolf Head | 30 |
| Head of a Mountain Goat Leader | 30 |
| Dodo Head | 20 |
| Boar Head | 20 |
| Crab Shell | 10 |
Animal trophies stack up quickly if you're clearing islands, and the higher-tier heads like Crocodile and Wolf are worth the inventory space.
Provisions and medicine buyer at the People of Tortuga Main Base
The third buyer handles provisions and medicine. This NPC is found at the People of Tortuga Main Base, though the surrounding waters are labeled "Brethren of the Coast Waters" on the map rather than carrying the faction's name directly. You unlock this location during the second step of the Buccaneers quest, when you're sent to deliver a shipment of tanned hides to Charlie Sharpe.
Once you arrive at the hideout, head through the gate and take your first left. The buyer is on the ground floor — do not go up the stairs. Charlie Sharpe and the provisioner are on the balcony above.
| Item | Price (Piastres) |
|---|---|
| Medicine | 100 |
| Provisions | 50 |
How to unlock all three buyer locations
Every buyer location is gated behind quest progression, and the Buccaneers quest line is the key that opens all of them. This quest becomes available at character level 3 and follows the natural early-game progression after you refit the Ketch from the starting beach and learn the location of Tortuga.
Step 1: Progress through the main story until you receive the Buccaneers quest. The first task requires gathering 50 bags of gunpowder and delivering them to Henri Boucher.
Step 2: The second task sends you to deliver tanned hides to Charlie Sharpe. Completing this step reveals the People of Tortuga Main Base on your map, along with its buyer.
Step 3: Continue the quest chain into the "Underground Network" follow-up quest. The second objective here directs you to talk to Marita. Her cave location is the Smugglers of Port Royal Main Base, where the treasure buyer stands.
The Rogue Buccaneers Main Base tends to appear on the map around the same time as the Smugglers location, though the exact triggering quest may vary depending on which objectives you complete first.
Why each buyer only accepts specific items
Each faction buyer has a fixed inventory list. The Smugglers buyer only takes treasure and contraband. The Rogue Buccaneers buyer only takes spirits, munitions, and animal trophies. The People of Tortuga buyer only takes provisions and medicine. No single buyer accepts everything, which means you'll need to visit multiple camps to fully offload a diverse cargo hold.
This is a deliberate design choice in Early Access, but it does mean planning your trade runs. If your ship is loaded with a mix of item types, you'll be making stops at two or three different faction islands before your hold is empty. Sorting your inventory before setting sail saves time — know what you're carrying and chart a route that hits the right bases in sequence.
What Tortuga is actually for
Even though Tortuga won't buy your loot, the town still serves several important functions. It's the central hub for faction reputation, where you spend insignias to level up your standing with vendors and unlock high-end armor blueprints and crafting recipes. It's also where you browse and eventually purchase ships, though the Brig and third vessel are locked behind biome progression in the Foothills region and beyond. And it's the primary recruitment pool for NPC workers, who can be hired and assigned to buildings at your outpost for crafting speed bonuses.
Tortuga takes your currency and your time. It just won't take your cargo. Knowing that before you sail in with a full hold is the difference between a productive trip and a wasted one.