WARNING: This really is a scary place at night to go caching. Not recommended for minors or those of a nervous disposition!!!
As the moon rose slowly in the starlit sky behind the silhouetted, menacing, black limbs of nearby trasils, the geocachers ventured into the forest. The squeal of an Etro was a familiar sound to the local Schrodingers tucked up in their beds, listening to the torch lit band passing through over sodden muddy pathways looking for what can only be described as a box with a pen......
The above coords are for suggested abandoning of vehicles only before entering Geophrecia's Lair.
Please only venture into the lair if you have read the above terms and conditions and you are able bodied as some parts of the quest not only take you up and down but also along quite steep inclines that lead away from the pathways and can be very slippery. Get caught slipping down one of these slopes and who knows whose clasp you may end up entwined in.
Do you have what it takes to find Geophrecia's Gold? Do you dare? Can your body take the strain of what lies ahead? Are you aware of what you are about to undertake? Or are you just another victim of Geophrecia's Lair?
Reference:
As with all night quests you are going to be following fire-lamps(see below) that have mysteriously grown on the Trasils(trees) in the forest between 8-12 feet above ground level.
You will need a good strong light source to see them from distance though. One placed around the head might not be strong enough. But if it's hand held then you should hold it at head height to give the fire-lamps maximum effect.
Good footwear is advised as the quest through the lair can be very muddy and uneven in places with deep caverns that are home to some of the worst type of lair creatures I have come across in all my time as a night cacher.
The total length of the quest is only about ¾ mile.
You will hear many noises throughout the lair and witness many eyes watching or even following you. Try not to be too startled as they are only the resident blood sucking Geonektons(see below) and random trasil lined, nose diving Etro's(see gallery).
If you don't believe me then I dare you to look over your shoulders from time to time.
Directions:
One fire-lamp means keep going; two fire-lamps mean there is a cache with instructions at the base of that trasil.
From the published coordinates at the entrance to the lair often named 'The Secluded Copse'(see gallery) you will have two pathway options to choose from.
The path to the left takes you upwards along the top side of the lair. The path to the right takes you alongside a humanly built and lit sports arena.
You will have to walk a few yards along one path until you see the first fire-lamp. Once you have seen the first fire-lamp you are on your way. If after a short distance you don't see anything then go back and take the other path.
At various points throughout the lair you will pass close to the backs of 'Yanos'(see gallery) that are home to the local evil Schrodingers(see below) so please keep the noise to a minimum and avoid raising your torches towards their lookouts for obvious reasons. Waking them up to investigate what you are doing will only end up with you being carted away and thrown into the their 'Rapture Device' where copper snakes are caged nearby eager to tear limb from limb and devour those that disrupt the ever present peace in the forest. Don't say I didn't warn you!!
At each fire-lamp you must look around in all directions for the next fire-lamp if you don't see the next one then continue along the path you are on just a few more yards, all the time looking around until you do see the next fire-lamp. You should never have to guess which direction to take if you don't see a fire-lamp, just carry on that pathway until you do, but only a few yards.
Keep following the single fire-lamps avoiding the chasms until you come to a small bench where the 'young romantic schrodingers' often meet up, this is where you must leave the pathway and continue the trail along a steep slope until you see another trasil with two fire-lamps. This represents the first cache hidden at the base of that trasil(or just inches away) which will give you the ‘N’ coords for the gold and directions back on track to find the ‘W’ coords.
Follow the single fire-lamps again until you get to the next double fire-lamp in the most corrupted area of the forest indicating the second cache hidden at the base of that trasil which will give you the ‘W’ coords. You should now have both 'N' and 'W' coords which using your GPS will guide you to Geophrecia's Gold where IF you can make it past Merveil's Attendant (be careful as he Summons exploding Spawn), you can sign the log book and breathe a sigh of relief with the first three cachers gaining treasure to take with them.
Please view the Gallery so you know the sort of things you are looking for and avoiding.
Don't forget spare power for all light sources, mobile contact to those that will be missed should you end up caught in a sticky situation and please leave each cache well concealed.
Most of all, Good Luck!!! If you make it back in one piece, your NOT a quivering wreck and your mode of transport is still where you left it I will be very surprised.
Anyone not brave enough to venture into the lair alone or as a group and are in need of a guide, please send me a message and I'd be glad to find someone else other than me brave enough to help you :-) ...Oh!! ok go on then I'll join you if I'm free!!!!!
According to the local schrodingers, on a full moon the firelamps glow without the need for any light source so if you are feeling brave.... You wouldn't would you?...... would you?
Geophrecia's Gold: Please only take one prize per group...
1st to find:- FTF certificate and geocoin Trackable item
2nd to find:- Bison tube micro cache container with log book ready to hide.
3rd to find:- Bison tube micro cache container with log book ready to hide.
Feel free to check the related web page above or one of the photo's in the gallery for this caches description put simply.
Special thanks to Neil Doyle the Lair's Ranger for giving me permission to set this quest in Withdean Woods Nature Reserve and my good friend Dan for helping me plan and set up this cache.
All types of feedback greatly appreciated
Once again Good Luck and have fun.