Puzzle games

[Rotwang]

This was an event that lasted for three weeks, the goal being to guess when and where a mule would log in and to be the first one to claim it, like a NM. The informations about the time and the place of the event were hidden in a storyline, that was developped in posts left on the forums on a regular basis.
Aegnor, Brokensword and Corran won over 1,000,000 gil here.




Catch the thief, rules and discussion
« Thread started on: Apr 11th, 2005, 12:55am »

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So how does this work?

First, the plan -at the moment- is to give three prizes of increasing value. The first one will be worth around 150k, the last one exceeds 800k. You won't get gil, but items. Before each treasure can be found, I will give some more information in this same post about the number of free inventory slots you will need. The items will be easy to sell (although I am very tempted to add that crappy HQ dagger that has been sitting in my bazaar for months ), I will also add some tips about what AH to put them on if needed.

The thief will "spawn" at a specific time and location. The first person to "claim" her (by initiating a trade) will be examined. The trade will be accepted and the treasure transfered if all the requirements are met. Remember to have your jobs visible. If something isn't right, the trade will not happen, and someone else will get a chance. The thief will wait for a given time if nobody is around, long enough to give a chance to someone in the same area to make it to the specific spot, but too short to make it if you didn't figure out the time and place beforehand (10 RL minutes exactly). Once the thief kneels down to log, no trade will be accepted anymore.

How do you figure out when and where? Read the story, the information will be hidden in there. I will try to give the clues about specific requirements first, to let you some time to get prepared. The time will be given at least 24H in advance.

We want every EO member to have equal chance to win. Thus,
- to claim the prize(s), a character will have to (1) wear an EO pearl/sack, (2) have a subjob (this is to avoid mules to be moved to the spawn areas).
- you won't need sky access/CoP/Fenrir to win. Any lvl 30 job should be able to do this safely. No extension will be required. The thief is a lvl 1/- character, and I will have to reach the spawn areas safely. I will have to use some silent oils, but don't want to burn stacks for this.
- Everyone, including other SHs can play.
- All you need is access to these forums. A good knowledge of the game can help, but all the infos you will need can be found on allakhazam. This other link may help too

www.pyogenes.com/v2.html

Additional note : "Every one should be able to" meet the requirement doesn't mean you all meet them if you don't get prepared (on contrary ... the idea is that only those who guess should be able to claim the price). Hence, you may have to switch for a specific subjob (lvl 1 should be enough though)/buy-find-equip-use some item-spell-food-ability-low level craft recipe. The cost of these requirements will be kept as low as a few hundreds gil.


If you ever see the thief not wearing her EO pearl: I am moving to the next area, and you should be sleeping at that time of the night. Don't try to follow/search, please.


First "spawn" : [glow=red,2,300]You will get 4 X silent oils (48k), 2 X prism powders (18k), 2 X sleep arrowheads (34k, will sell at SD AH), 1 X sleeping potion (15k), 1 X poison potions (15k), 1 x paralysis potions (20k). I'll do the maths for you: you need 11 inventory slots, for 150k total value.[/glow]


Second "spawn": [glow=red,2,300]There will be 1 mamushito +1 (170k), 1 yoto +1 (40k), 1 holy degen (30k), 1 flame blade (20k) and 1 bee spatha +1 (10k). I'll add the 2 unclaimed stacks of sleep arrowheads, so come with 7 free inventory slots, to get for over 300k worth. [/glow]


Third "spawn" : [glow=red,2,300]One hakutaku eye cluster. Sold one for 830k recently, it worked the first night I try bazaaring. Previous attempts with prices over average going price (850k last that I saw) never worked. Or if you're in the 60's and will need the hat, you may want to keep the cluster.[/glow]


GOOD LUCK ALL!

[Rotwang]

Catch the thief: prelude
« Thread started on: Apr 9th, 2005, 3:20pm »

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Alchemy guild, Bastok mines, 8:00 AM


Titus: Highmaster ! Highmaster !

Abd-al-Raziq : ... ?

Titus : Someone broke in the secret room last night !

Abd-al-Raziq : WHAT ? ... How ... was anything stolen ?

Titus : Azima is still trying to figure out what exactly is missing, but it it already looks like most of the shop's potion and oil stocks, as well as your collection of fine blades, may be gone ...

Abd-al-Raziq : /sigh

Titus : I am sorry, Highmaster ... that ... that's not it ... we couldn't find the Hakutaku eye cluster ordered by the president's office either ...

Abd-al-Raziq : ... of course ... why would a burglar ignore such a valuable item ... That may be our chance to identify our thief though. Titus, you go find any eye that can serve as an ingredient for the cluster, prepare a stack of holy water, get some dried mugwort and meet me by the cermet crucible to the secret room. Ask Sieglinde to inform the authorities. Hurry up !

Titus : I will be done in five minutes.

[Rotwang]

Abd-al-Raziq : Did you get all the ingredients ?

Titus : Yes, Highmaster. Everything is on the table.

Abd-al-Raziq : Good. Let's see ... Seven vials of holy water should do it ... add the mugwort while slowly mixing ... now drop the eye right in the center ... it works ! We are now seeing at distance through the cluster's eyes!



Abd-al-Raziq : The image will clear up as the surface becomes calm ...



Abd-al-Raziq : Here's our thief ! By Bahamut! She's already out of the city ... and this is definitely not Gustaberg ...

Titus : Highmaster. I hear the guards are coming ...

Abd-al-Raziq: Well, let's see if they can think of any way to catch her, or I am afraid our goods may be lost forever.

[Rotwang]

First report concerning the Alchemy guild burglary investigation


We suppose that the crime was perpetrated around 10 PM the night before the burglary was discovered. This is based on the declaration of the Alchemy guild shop employees, that saw the front door of the building open then close whith no one around. They assumed the wind was responsible. We believe the burglar used some powder or sorcery to escape undetected.

The suspect, a Mithra known as Pepita Bombaah, stopped at the auction house in Bastok mines at 11.19 PM. This is proven fact, as she gave three letters to the mail employee going by the name of Gawful. It was too late to intercept these letters, but we have been able to get the names of the persons they were adressed to: a tenshodo member known as Talib living in the Port of our city, a Sandorian citizen called Smurf, and a the notorious windurstian mob boss Nanaa Mihgo. As the timing would be oddly chosen to send innocent letters, we assume these persons must have some kind of involvement in the burglary. The thief had no reason to take precautions, as she could not know the alchemist would find a way to identify her.

The suspect left the city on a rented chocobo around 11.30 PM. The same bird returned to the stables located at the Crag of Holla later on the same night.

The letters do not constitute sufficicient evidence to arrest possible accomplices. However, we have increased the surveillance of the tenshodo headquarters. The authorities of San Doria have been informed, and are willing to cooperate. The alchemy guild asked that no official request should be sent to Windurst: my understanding is that the alchemists do not want the tarutaru sorcerer ministeries involved in their affairs, and I believe that they may have some more personal plans.

Several witnesses also reported that the supect was seen earlier yesterday - i.e. before the crime - at the Steeming Ship Inn. She had dinner, alone. The only person that spoke to her is a Dark Knight going by the name of Tempus, that tried to buy her a drink. He apparently only got her to accept some sort of linkpearl "to get a chance to know him better". We have no reason to suppose that this is in relation with the burglary.


Lackadaisical Hippopotamus,
Iron musketeer,
Sergeant of the Bastok watch.

[Rotwang]

Catch the thief, part 1: It's oil in your heads
« Thread started on: Apr 13th, 2005, 12:15am »

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Chateau d'Oraguille, 2 days later


Halver : Come in, Novalmauge. As you may have seen, we brought you a new guest.

Novalmauge : Smurf ? Yes, I have seen him.

Halver : He is involved in the alchemy guild heist in Bastok. We found a letter from the thief in his Moghouse. He apparently payed in advance for part of the loot: some potions, powders, and arrowheads that are highly prized by our local woodworkers. The thief confirms she will meet him to deliver to goods "as decided, deep in the area controled by the orcs". She certainly doesn't know him, as she asks that he wears specific clothes so she can identify him. She wants him, or his messenger, to "come in the most unlikely equipment for this area: [glow=red,2,300]the commoner outfit, that all those adventurers I may come across were so rushed to get rid of when they started their dangerous life" ...[/glow]

Novalmauge : Hmmmm ... any mention of a date for the meeting?

Halver : Nothing. That's our problem. We need the know when, and where exactly we will get a chance to catch her. The King would be highly pleased if we did, Novalmauge. This would be very timely, right as we are trying to convince the alchemists that their headquarters would be so much better located in San D'Oria ... and safer. We need Smurf to talk, Novalmauge, he must tell us what he knows.

Novalmauge : I understand.

Halver : I knew you would. Have a good day, Novalmauge.

[Rotwang]

Halver : You wanted to see me, Novalmauge? Any result ... eeeww ... what a stench !

Halver : /em looks at Smurf's pants, and sighs dejectely.

Novalmauge : I think we lost him ... look ... Hey ! Smurf ! Want more ?

Smurf : No hurting ! No hurting ! Smurf good boy now !

Halver : Hmmm ... do you think he could be faking it?

Novalmauge : It's possible, but I doubt it. All I have been able to obtain for the last hours were tears and apologies.

Halver : This is ... unfortunate. Anything interesting before that ?

Novalmauge : He told me that the trade would happen [glow=red,2,300]on a perfect new moon[/glow]. I am not sure if we just missed it, or if it is the next one.

Smurf : See ? Smurf good boy now !

Halver : anything about the place ?

Novalmauge : Not really. Davoi, or the Ghelsba outpost maybe ... I couldn't figure out.

Halver : So you don't want to help us anymore, mister Smurf ?

Smurf : Smurf help ! Smurf help ! No hurting !

Halver : I see ... well, if you told us all you know, I think we can release you, my friend Smurf ...

Novalmauge : ... !?!

Halver : Of course, we can't let you go through Chateau d'Oraguille with those soiled pants ... so you will have to leave ... the other way. That is ... the sewers ... would you like that, mister Smurf ?

Smurf : Smurf happy ! Smurf good boy now ! Smurf go ! Smurf good boy forever !

Halver : I am sure you will. Now ... who said elvaans aren't merciful ... you don't need that broken scalpel anymore, do you, Novalmauge? ... good ... take this - sword - in case you see Drexerion or Phanduron, Smurf ... here ... you can go now ... this way ... that's it ...

Smurf : Smurf good boy ! Smurf happy ! Goodbye !

Halver : Adieu my friend !

Novalmauge : ...

Halver : You were right after all, Novalmauge ... he wasn't faking it.

[Rotwang]

Sieglinde : Titus ?! What are you doing in here ?

Titus : /em panics

Sieglinde : Are you using the crucible to watch that mithra ... again?

Titus : Errrmm ... we may get some information about her contacts or something ...

Sieglinde : Oh ... i see ...

img151.echo.cx/img151/1172/untitled14cb.jpg

[/img]
[/center]


Sieglinde : she must be trading our eye cluster to that [glow=red,2,300]waterfall[/glow], and the meeting was set to take place when she would be naked ... right?

Titus : Hrmmm ...

Sieglinde : That is going to help us, for sure ... now, why don't you GO BACK TO WORK ?!

[Rotwang]

Sunday 04/16, 9 AM PST / 12 AM EST
New moon = 0%
Horlais peak

... No green pearl, no one wearing the starting gear



The clues:
- the commoner outfit/that you got rid of when you started : the starting gear can be bought in the starting cities, depending on your race. That was the only cheap expense required here.
- the perfect New moon : Perfect, so at 0%. There was only one possibility for that WE.
- The waterfall : that one was confusing, I didn't know there were waterfalls in Davoi.

[Rotwang]

Catch the thief, part 2: Blades Runners
« Thread started on: Apr 19th, 2005, 12:59am »

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Bastok port, Tenshodo's warehouse


Talib : Hrmm ... so let's go over this ... one last time please. Hersh has been asked to go to Norg unexpectedly, so I have to send you both to meet the mithra because ..

Finch : ... because I can't cast but I can craft ...

Mannal : ... while I can cast but I can't craft.

Talib: Rrriiight. So who does what, and in what order?

Finch : I craft, then he casts, then we trade ...

Mannal : ... [glow=red,2,300]cause craft and cast is the trick for the trade[/glow].

Talib : O-K! You got that part. Now what about the trade itself?

Finch : She gives the blades, we give nothing ...

Mannal : ... because that's the deal that was set for letting her work on our grounds.

Talib : Good. Now all you need is to get your stuff ready to be there on time.

Finch : Wait, can we get some change for the chocobos?

Mannal : I tend to be sick when I ride, I better not have breakfast the day we ...

Talib : Hrrmmmm ... [glow=red,2,300]Didn't I tell you it's the only part of that area the stupid birds can't access[/glow]? You'll have to walk ... that's why you have to get ready early enough. Understood?

Mannal : Oh good. I hate travelling with an empty stomach, you know. That's good news actually.

Finch : OK then. Let's go Mannal, you're annoying the man.

[Rotwang]

To: Iron musketeers HQ


I am following the two new tenshodo members with a full patrol of my watchmen. The suspects are about to leave Gustagerg, and I am leaving this note to the outpost personal.
The two individuals act like if they were visiting the area, which makes it easy to stay unnoticed at some distance. Nothing in their attitude indicates that they are on an important mission, these two are real pros that would fool anyone unaware of their real identities. I clearly heard the end of their conversation with Talib though. My undercover worker job allowed me to be close enough to the warehouses, and I don't think any of them was able to recognize me without my uniform. I am thus almost certain that we are all heading to the place where that mithra thief hides. I am confident that we will be able to capture all of them, and to bring the stolen goods back to Bastok.
I will send a new report anytime we meet a trustable messenger.


Lackadaisical Hippopotamus

[Rotwang]

Finch : This is a good spot to wait, no Quadav around. Rest, we will need your spells again to escape this rathole without being spotted.

Mannal : OK. So ... what tool are you going to craft for that mithra?

Finch : The man said any would do ... I'll go for whatever I am running short of, or for tsuraras: they re cheap, and it's a very easy recipe. I will good chance to obtain a higher yield [glow=red,2,300]even tho it will be on a lightningsday[/glow] ... and you, [glow=red,2,300]what spell are you going to use[/glow]?

Mannal : [glow=red,2,300]Depends if she's wounded or not[/glow] I guess. But if I have to use a lot of mana she better be very nice with me.

Finch : Haha ...

Mannal : ....

Finch : Gosh, this is long ... when will that thing wear off ?

Mannal : ... let's hope it will ...

Finch : Grumf ! ... I have water in my boots now ... what is this place, first ? The man mentionned[glow=red,2,300]puddle pools[/glow] , not muddy marshes !

Mannal : ... if you had taken the maps, like you were supposed to, we would be on site already, with weeks to procrastinate until the meeting !

Finch : ... Maybe I would have remembered the maps, if you hadn't had that idea to leave right away, just because he told us to leave early enough ! Ah ... the curse is wearing off, let's get out of these tunnels.

[Rotwang]

Finch : Wow ... I never saw such a crowded place before ! And have you seen that shop ? It's run by gobbies ? Eww ...

Mannal : Yes, i wonder what this city is ... did we go all the way to San D'oria? We better behave ...

Finch : Let's ask. Excuse me, sir ... what is this place exactly?

Cloudx : Haha ... this is Jeuno, where do you noobs come from?

Mannal : Jeuno !? Do you hear that Finch ? We made it safely to jeuno on the first try !

Finch : Great ... except we have nothing to do here, and the time is flying.

Mannal : There is a Tenshodo headquarter in Jeuno, Finch. Let's report and ask them for directions.

Finch : Right ... and tell them we decided to make a little detour [glow=red,2,300]on our way to North Gustaberg[/glow]? We'd never get asked to do anything again ! Except clean the warehouses over and over, I mean ...

Mannal : You're right. Let's get equiped, and go back where we come from.

Finch : GOSH ! What are these people thinking ? Check the price histories at that auction house? There is no way we will buy food here Mann, we have to find some cheaper place ...

Cloudx : Excuse me guys ... I couldn't help hearing your conversation ...

Mannal : ... and ?

Cloudx : ... and I think you just found the right person to give you a chance to get enough gil to buy all the food you need, not to mention brand new gear !

[Rotwang]

To: Iron Musketeers HQ



The suspects are indeed real pros, that tried to trick anyone following them into Beadeaux. Thanks to our scouts, we were all able to hide as they suddenly headed back to the Marshlands while invisible. We followed the two suspects to Jeuno. This gives us the opportunity to leave this second note the the consulate.
We are now convinced that the two individuals are a ninja and a red mage, and that they must have reached high levels of mastery in their respective arts: they did not hesitate to put all their undercover low-level gear on auction, and to leave the city almost naked and on foot. Only very powerful individuals would act like this: I am thus officially asking that reinforcements may be ready to come to help arresting them. I will send a messenger as soon as we identify the mithra hideout.


Lackadaisical Hippopotamus

[Rotwang]

Finch : ... This doesn't look at all like the landscapes we saw coming from Bastok ... I told you we left Jeuno using a different bridge than the one we came on ...

Mannal : ... maybe I was wrong on that one ... but who's idea was it to place our stuff on auction to get some more cash to play at that guy's casino?

Finch : ... my plan was to win and to rebuy it or some better stuff ... again, I am sorry you had to watch those guys desynth all your gear. Let's stop fighting, ok ?

Mannal : ... mmh ... Ok. So what do we do now?

Finch : The ducal guard said the conquest update wasn't any close. We head back to bastok and start again from there, ok?

Mannal : Sounds like a plan. Let's hurry though ...[glow=red,2,300] by the time the conquest is updated, we will only have a bit more than a week left[/glow]. We still can make it, but we don't have that much time.

Finch : Ok ... oh ... can I get sneak again please? Just wore off ...

Mannal : sure ... wait ... is that skink running right on you? ... Sh*t ... run man !

[Rotwang]

1) Craft



2) Cast



3) Trade and win 300k. Grats Corran !

North Gustaberg, by waterfall
Lightningsday, 12 days after last conquest update.
Sunday, 9.40 PM EST / 6.40 PM PST


The clues:
- craft and cast is the trick for the trade: Explicit. Even those that don't craft can easily get a success on any lvl 1 recipe. Those are usually very cheap. Everyone can cast: sub WHM, buy Cure I, here you are, brand new healer.
- on our way to North Gustaberg/i told you it's the only part of the area that chocobos can't access: Explicit too. You don't know that area well enough to just guess immediately? Go there a bit ahead of time, check allakhazam for info about it or the quests that happen there, and you should find out quite easily.
- puddle pools : If you knew you were going to the waterfall canyon in N. Gustaberg, this had to sound like a confirmation you were right as you have t go through Dangruf Wadi.
- It will happen on a lightningsday/a bit over a week after the conquest update : This was set to happen on Sunday (after the changes due to the update at the first set time on saturday). There was a lightningsday 4 days after the update (so LESS than a week), the next one was 12 days after it (over a week then, less than two). That gave you the time.