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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(micro)
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A mathematical puzzle to point you across a steep gully.
Free Parking is available at N53°33.724 W001°50.091
The location of this puzzle is at N53°33.746 W001°50.262
Look for a concrete plinth with steel bars sticking out of it.
For the purposes of our puzzle, this is now an exact scale replica of the Towers of Olisco.
In the third century BC, the Truth Beaters of Olisco used to embark upon a number of quests. In this one, Asham, a young monk, heads out to hide a prayer. The prayer is represented as a 35mm film canister somewhere across the ravine. To find it, you will have to retrace his footsteps on the scale model.
This cache requires knowledge of ratios, scale, distance/speed equations, bearings and headings and basic line-of-sight surveying. I suggest that anyone trying this cache should bring with them a calculator, a tape measure, a protractor or magnetic compass, a pencil and paper, and a ruler. It might also be a good idea to work out the distance/time sums before setting off, rather than spend longer at the site doing maths.
At the site, please note that magnetic compasses will not work near the metal posts. For this reason, I have nominated the television mast as “North”. It is to be taken as the zero point for all bearings for this puzzle. It is visible from your location unless the rain is moving in from the west, and can be found on a magnetic bearing of approximately 210 degrees.
I hope you enjoy working out this puzzle. If there are requests for clarification I will publish the solution on my web site. I suggest that those who attempt this micro cache should also take with them the details of Digley Circular cache, to be sure of at least one easy find for the day.
The cache is hidden on the other side of the ravine. Please take care and find the safest route across. The direct route from the towers is very steep, and should be avoided by anyone without ropes. Anyway – on with the puzzle:
UNITS OF MEASURE:
STEIGH – A measurement of time
CALTAR – A measurement of distance
LODAN – A measurement on a compass ring.
NON-VARIABLES:
Asham’s carefully measured strides never vary. He always walks at exactly 8 Caltars per Steigh.
There are exactly 600 Lodans in a circle.
North is point Zero.
No matter where a monk is, the distant tower on the far horizon is always taken as Zero, (or six hundred) Lodans.
THE STORY
Asham is a junior monk about to embark on his quest to become a senior Truthbeater. To do this, he must follow the ritual of Trigan’ohm and bury his prayer on the far side of the Chasm of Thorns.He sets out from the Tower of Sleeping, which is one of the wider towers. His first journey is to the Tower of Washing, where he must cleanse himself using oils and spices purified by the Boil-ridden Boatmen of Bonk. He aligns his Lodan Circle in the proper way and walks on a heading of 400 Lodans. He does not know how far the walk is, but it takes him exactly 8.88 Steighs.
Once his body, mind and aura have been cleansed, Asham needs to eat his meal of thrice blessed rabbit’s cheese. After he re-sets his Lodan Circle, he walks out to the Tower of Eating on a heading of 450 Lodans. This time, his journey takes him 8.13 Steighs.
His final journey takes him to the tower of Sighting. It is a long walk and it takes him a whole 11.5 Steighs to get there, on a heading of 33.3 Lodans. After he has walked for 3.25 Steighs, he passes the Tower of Honking; Where The High Honker blows a ritual blast of the sacred Yurgle Horn, which has been fashioned from the hides of a thousand and six bullfrogs.
The Honk of the Yurgle Horn is the signal for Kohli to take his post. Kohli climbs to the top of the Tower of Aiming and holds his Stuchan Staff upright. He looks checks his Lodan Circle and sees Asham lying flat on the Tower of Sighting on a heading of 66.66 Lodans from his position. Kohli’s Stuchan Staff is precisely 10.5 Caltars long, so it takes a lot of training to hold it steady.
Now, all Asham has to do is align his head (The top of the tower he is on) with the tip of the Stuchan Staff as if he were aiming a rifle. The tip of the Stuchan Staff then points the way to a ledge where he should bury his prayer.
Taking careful note of the site, Asham makes his way down the steep ravine, braving thorny vines and treacherously crumbly paths, which hide sharp spikes and angry bees. The journey takes longer than he would have hoped, but eventually he arrives on the far bank and makes his way to the ledge.
Not far from there, Asham sees a lone Oak Sapling. He is moved by the beauty and strength of nature’s creation, and decides to bury his prayer under a hand small pile of rocks at its roots. His ritual is now over, and all he has to do is return to his Brothers and tell the tale of the day.
FINDING THE CACHE:
Once you have worked out which tower Asham started from, you should then plot his course to find out which is the Tower of Sighting and which is the Tower of Aiming. You also need to find out how long a Stuchan staff is, but to do this, you will need to work out the scale distance of a Caltan.
Remember, the trick is to put the Stuchan Staff model (such as a pencil) on the Tower of Aiming and use the Tower of Sighting as a spot to place your eye. Where the two points meet, you should be within about four feet of the micro cache on the far bank.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ybbx ng gur onfr bs n lbhat bnx fncyvat n pbhcyr bs srrg sebz gur pbeerpg fcbg.