The Shadow Lord's evil tyranny has finally ended. But thousands of Deltorans are still enslaved in the Shadowlands, the Enemy's own terrifying and mysterious domain. To rescue them, the heroes of the quest for the Belt of Deltora, must find a weapon powerful enough to combat the Shadow Lord's magic. According to legend, the only thing the Shadow Lord fears is the Pirran Pipe. But does the mysterious Pipe still exist? And if does exist, what dangers will geocachers have to face to find it.
The Pirran Pipe has been split three ways. You will need to have found two parts of the fabled thingamajig at the Cavern of the Fear and The Isle of Illusion. The information gained will bring you to the starting location for the final quest.
What ancient magic will be required to prevail against the enemy’s sorcery and find the final cache? Filled with doubts our heroes move on knowing that, whatever happens, their quest will end in the darkness and horrors of the Shadowlands itself.
Deltora is a land of monsters and magic. The story that follows will lead brave geocachers to a hidden world dripping with dangers and evil spells. The cachers will need to be prepared in many ways. Photon laser torches, lactose tolerant elevators, and a keen sense of direction. You shall not enter the hidden realm if the weather gods could cause any reasons for a crisis.
You begin your journey at the Bridge of Size. You must be careful not be caught by the Shadowlord’s Grey Guards. You saunter upstream to the first short tunnel. The tunnel of Danger Flood Waters. Onwards you journey to the second short tunnel. It would be wise to take the larger right hand tunnel.
Passing further along the passage you come to the first of four bridges. The Bridge of Hearts, The Bridge of Shovels, The Bridge of Hot Rocks and The Bridge of Truncheons. Unfortunately these bridges are worthless. The bridges will not assist you. You will see some free art. Lots of free art. And more free art. Woohoo.
At last the geocaching heros arrive at the entrance to a long long tunnel. How far will it be to the chamber with the face of an ESKI friend? Follow the marks. Step carefully.
At the Chamber of used to be Frogs, now ESKI, you need to find the suitably camouflaged cache. Please play the final portion of pipe in the cache at least once to defeat the Shadowlord. Replace the cache as you found it.
The succeeding text is a short exert from a log by some of the beta testers of this cache.
Beware! Above!" shouted Barda.
Lief looked, and his stomach heaved. The air high above them was teeming with flying leeches, streaming in thick, whirring clouds down from the darkness.
Wildly he waved the torch above his head. Dozens of slimy, winged bodies sizzled in the flames. But still many of the leeches swerved around the fiery barrier to settle on his hands and arms, to feed and swell.
And these were only the forerunners. Thousands upon thousands were following, spiralling downward.
"Jasmine, Barda! Get down!" Lief shouted. Recklessly, he cast his torch into the water, then tore off his cloak and threw it across the boat to make a canopy.
In moments the companions were lying face down beneath the cloak, holding it awkwardly in place. A pattering sound began as the first cloud of leeches rained down on their shelter, sensing the warm bodies beneath it. The pattering increased, became a relentless pounding. The cloak began to sag.
Lief's arms and hands were trembling with the effort of holding the cloak in place. The leeches that had been clinging to him before he took shelter, and the few that had found a way to creep under the cloak since then, were hanging like bloated sausages from his wrists and the backs of his hands. He gritted his teeth, forcing down the wild, urgent need to pluck them off.
The loaded cloak began pulling away from the boat's edge. Panic-stricken, Lief heaved at the fabric, trying to tug it back into place. But already leeches were pouring through the tiny gap, fastening onto his hands, slithering into his sleeve.
The cloak bulged and slipped again. The gap at the side of the boat opened further. Leeches poured through in a whirring mass.
We are finished, Lief thought suddenly. After all we have been through, we are lost — defeated by the smallest creatures we have ever faced.
It would have been almost funny, if it had not been so vile.
Even as his hands struggled hopelessly to close the gap, his mind flew to Del. He would never return. Marilen's worst fears had come to pass.
Yet I regret nothing, Lief thought. I did what I had to do.
A strange peace flowed through him. And with that peace came the music of the Pirran Pipe, piercing him with its exquisite sweetness.
At last, Lief surrendered himself to it. He let himself drift in the tides of the sound. His eyes closed.
And so it was that he did not notice that emerald light was suddenly shining through the fabric above his head. He did not notice that the drumming, pounding sound had ceased. He did not hear the soft splash of water as the boat skimmed lightly across a rippling green sea, drawn safely and surely to land.