As you travel across the vast deserts of Sand: Raiders of Sophie, you'll occasionally encounter Suspicious Piles of Sand that conceal valuable loot beneath the surface. These hidden stashes are commonly found near shipwrecks, but you'll need a shovel before you can dig them up. This guide explains where to obtain a shovel, how to excavate buried treasure, and how to unlock the Am I a Real Pirate Now? achievement.
Before you can recover any buried loot, you'll have to locate a shovel. Unlike most equipment, this item doesn't appear inside chests or containers. Instead, it spawns directly in the game world, making it somewhat harder to find.
The most reliable places to search are abandoned towns, ruined cities, and industrial facilities. Early in the game, it's usually better to ignore forts, as they appear to have a much lower chance of spawning a shovel.
Keep an eye out for small mounds of sand with a shovel sticking out of them. These can usually be found around buildings or other structures at various points of interest. Once collected, the shovel is placed in your inventory and can only be used once.
Most Suspicious Piles of Sand can be discovered around shipwrecks scattered throughout the desert. Although the landscape is almost entirely covered in sand, these mounds stand out thanks to their slightly different color, making them fairly easy to recognize from a distance. Interacting with one will reveal that treasure is buried below, but you'll only be able to dig it up if you're carrying a shovel.
Before attempting to excavate the cache, make sure the shovel is in your character's inventory rather than stored aboard your ship. Walk up to the sand pile and use the interaction prompt to begin digging. After the excavation is complete, be sure you have enough free storage space or an empty container available to collect everything hidden inside the treasure cache.
Successfully uncovering your first buried treasure from a Suspicious Pile of Sand will reward you with the Am I a Real Pirate Now? achievement in Sand: Raiders of Sophie.
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