The two brothers looked at each other in fear. He was coming closer. They had their treasure, they fought valiantly to save it. They thought they were free and clear, but somehow.....
Two years ago they found it. It was small, but powerful. Somehow they knew that what they had found would change their world. The year was 1706 and the world was plugging along as usual when the brothers made their discovery. They stumbled upon it by accident and at first didn't give it a second glance. After they looked at it more closely they realized what they had. It was amazing, the last of its kind. People had searched for a long time for this. Debates have been had over its mere existence. Wars had been fought to obtain it. Yet there it was, in their hands. They decided to keep quiet about it. They would wait until the talk died down; until people lost interest. They knew that if they waited long enough, it would be safe.
A few months later, talk started up again. People began to search for their treasure with zeal. Numerous times, they were almost discovered as its keepers and they fought with all of their being to protect it. Now, HE was here. And he wanted it. What could they do?
The brothers came up with a plan. They would hide their treasure somewhere that no one would ever accidentally stumble across it as they had. Not knowing if it would ever be safe to retrieve it in their lifetime, they created a puzzle that, when solved, would reveal a code that would ultimately lead to its final hiding place. Still, they were not sure that this would be enough. So, to further complicate things, they divided their puzzle into 16 separate pieces and distributed them to their closest friends on the East Coast with this simple letter of instruction.
"Dearest friends,
Knowest well that we are in danger. We have found a
secret, a secret so divine that folks will do anything to
obtain it. Fie on them, for we have hidden our secret and
hidden it well. Herein, we need thine assistance. Prithee, hide
ye well a treasure and in such treasure a code. Protect thee
thine treasure with a puzzle of much difficulty to give woe to
all who try to solve it. There shall be 16 of you and each
shall have a code delivered by messenger in the morrow. In
faith, one canst only hope that only the faire of heart shall
findest our secret. Perchance one of our descendants.
Mayhap, one of thee. Grammercy and fare thee well."
Of course, all being good friends they blindly complied with the request and hid well a puzzle...
Fast forward to 2008. Centuries later, the treasures are still out there. The puzzles have not been solved, the codes have not been pieced together. The mystery of what the brothers found has not been revealed in all this time. Can you be the one to solve this mystery?
As the years have gone by, each friends' treasure has remained protected by their descendants. The hides have been changed, the puzzles re-done. But one fact remains the same. Each treasure chest contains a piece to the final puzzle. And that final puzzle will lead you to a secret. A secret which has been held onto for years. Will you be the one to discover it? Will you take the challenge?
This puzzle is part of a series of puzzles created by the greatest Puzzle Masters of the Mid Atlantic Region. There are 17 Puzzle Masters contributing to this series. Solve all of the Puzzle Masters' creations, follow the storylines, gather the clues and find the final. Will you accept the challenge?
Each puzzle is a unique work of art created and owned by each Puzzle Master/Puzzle Team. In each cache there will be a clue that you must gather and record. These clues will lead you to a final mystery cache located somewhere in the mid-Atlantic region. This series is designed to lead you on an epic adventure that will require Master puzzle-solving skills and extensive travel to unique locations. You must travel and log in at each cache in order to claim a find on the final. Due to the extensive time and effort put into this challenge, the cache can be done as a group but each member of the group must go to each cache site and sign each log. Dividing into sub groups and pooling their efforts will not be allowed.
PMC: THE PUZZLE MASTERS Listed below are the owners and creators of each cache in the series. A link is included to each cache.
1. PMC - Quick Brown Fox +- 25 by Frodo_Underhill (GC1CTQD) New Jersey
2.PMC - The Song of the Master Sun by mmammel & Sue-Cat (GC1BJX9) Maryland
3. PMC - Clueless Again? by rehobch (GC1FYY2) Delaware
4. PMC - I Dislike Numbers by CondorTrax (GC1G2MW) New Jersey
5. PMC - The Box by CinderBankers (GC1G8XD) Pennsylvania
6. PMC - Uncle Buck's Cards by GALAP (GC1GAYM) New Jersey
7. PMC - The Meeting House by we3girlsnaguy (GC1FDHT) Pennsylvania
8. PMC - The Message by Team Ekitt10 (GCXX5E) New Jersey
9. PMC - Creative Confusion by Dirty_Bird & BigNastyBrain (GC1GK10) New Jersey
10. PMC - The Order by hostanut (GC1GJCV) Delaware
11. PMC - The Sun, Moon and Stars by M & W (GC1G923) Pennsylvania
12. PMC - Professor Stone by Resolution (GC1GW18) New Jersey
13. PMC - S.E.T.I. by Kang (mblatch) and Kodos (ericles) (GC1H6J7) New Jersey
14. PMC - Urban Renewal by EastVillageFamily (GC1F80V) New York
15. PMC - A Tribute To Caching by ODragon (GC1HCQX) Pennsylvania
16. PMC - Hibernia by GerIRL (GC1HB4Q) New Jersey
17. PMC - Flatlander by Grünriese (GC1HQ4C) New Jersey
AND THE FINAL.....
The elusive GCZZZZcache. It has been missing for a long time. Can you find it?
Coins are in and look great!!!! Solve the series and receive a coin. After the first 4 solvers there will be 5 available Antique Silver Puzzle Masters Coins for the next five solvers!!!!
THE PUZZLE MASTERS!!!!
CONGRATS
Gold & Gift Certificate
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Muddy and Amused
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| Gold |
Grozecki |
| Gold |
Aufbau |
| Gold |
TSEMClarney |
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| Silver |
Trowel32 |
| Silver |
Vinny & Sue Team
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| Silver |
mmamel |
| Silver |
Gabi & Beecharmer
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| Silver |
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When you are ready to go for the final, send me an email at geogipsie@yahoo.com. I will reply with my phone number so if you run into any problems you can call me.
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 Thorns
 Dogs Allowed
 Available year-round  Hunting in area - use caution  Off-trail Hiking Required  Accessible in Winter
 Mud!  Fire Danger, No Campfires  Historic Site  Ticks  Wear bug repellant! |
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Archival and Special Thanks
All good things must end and so to with this cache it is with great regrets that this cache will be archived in the near future. The State of New Jersey has developed a new set of regulations governing the placement of geocaches on state lands. This cache was placed years before the regulations were conceived and unfortunately we have not been able to come up with a method to get this cache compliant with the new regulations. So it is with great reluctance that the cache will be archived in April 2015.
The hiders of this cache want to give special thanks to all the cache owners who contributed to the series of caches that made of the Puzzle Masters Challenge. Without their assistance the series would never existed. Special thanks to gipsie who was the organizing and driving force in making all of this happen. She literally put her blood, sweat and tears into this fun cache. Maureen, thanks for the memories!
Special Mention
The passing of this cache marks the end of an era in caching in the Wharton State Forest. It is with some sadness that we will archive this cache and put it to rest. To allow us to grieve the loss of this treasure a band of intrepid cachers went to the cache April 7 and then again April 12 to give this cache a proper send off. These cachers represented the series hiders, the individual series cache owners and a mix of old and new up and coming cachers. They for a variety of reasons did not complete the challenge. However they offered invaluable assistance in getting this cache removed from the forest to avoid potential littering citations for an unauthorized cache. They also offered much moral support to hiders and themselves as we go through these difficult times. In recognition of their support, they are being allowed to log this cache as a find or a note according to their preference in the Special Mention category. Their logs are not intended to diminish the accomplishments of those select few Puzzle Masters who finished the challenge. Those accomplishments can not be tarnished.
The Special Mention Cachers are as follows:
Marcus Found
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Forbez |
JoenSue |
MichaelCycle |
| JennyDPooh |
TeamT&A |
xxSubSeaxx |
M+W+Dog |
Mad Beanie
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JimmyG |
HAM!! |
gipsie |
| Pezgirl22 |
In Yur Dreams
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NJDC24 |
Y's Owl
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| sant74 |
Logic |
kmtnj |
grunriese |
Pine Baron
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