The Treasure of Les Cridge Multi-cache

This cache has been archived.

reedkickball: Sadly, I'm going to archive this. I don't have the ability to maintain this great cache any longer and I haven't been able to hand this off to anyone.

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Hidden : 5/26/2006
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
3 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

Welcome to The Treasure of Les Cridge

This multi-cache is meant to be an immersive caching experience. The posted coordinates are for parking only, which is located at the end of Hedges Run Drive. Once parked, follow the sidewalk 0.1 miles on foot to the cul-de-sac at the end of Aegean Terrace. Note that public parking is restricted on Aegean Terrace. From the resident parking spots on the west side of the cul-de-sac, go down the hill between the condos and the townhomes to reach the trailhead ("TOLC Trailhead" N38 42.269 W077 18.561). Despite the subdued entrance, this is a well-established public trail. Also, for reference, there is a sewer cover directly in front of the trailhead.

The final location is at:

N38 41.ABC
W077 19.ABC

There are a few instructions that you must follow to make the most of this cache and to reveal the actual location of the treasure. Here they are:

1) TAKE THE STORY WITH YOU ON THE HUNT.
Print it out or put it in your PDA. You'll miss all the fun if you don't have the story with you. I recommend using the "Print PDF" option, to ensure that your browser doesn't cut any of the story off in the margins. NOTE TO CACHEMATE USERS: CacheMate may truncate the story. Please check to make sure you have the whole story before you begin the adventure.

2) FOLLOW THE READING INSTRUCTIONS IN THE STORY. DO NOT READ AHEAD.
This is very important. The story is revealed as you progress through the cache. It only makes sense when you are fully a part of the story by reading it at the appropriate locations. Start with the Prologue and then begin the rest at the location for Clue A. You can continue reading the story at the Clue locations either before or after you make the find. There are valuable hints in the sections of the story associated with these locations if you are having trouble making the find.

3) DOWNLOAD ALL OF THE WAYPOINTS AND PROCEED THROUGH THE CACHE IN ORDER.
Read the Prologue and then proceed to Clue A to start the cache. The headers for each new portion of the story tell you which Clue or Waypoint you should proceed to next. Again, the cache will only make sense if you experience it in its entirety in order. Follow the trail and you won't have any trouble keeping things straight. Also, Everything basically proceeds from east to the west.

4) The cache consists of 3 clues and several waypoints. Each location is important to the story, but you'll only need to search for pieces of the location to the treasure at Clue A, B and C.

5) Each clue is written on a black 4" diameter metal plate. Each plate has the letter of the clue (A, B or C), the initials of the cache ("TOLC") and two numbers. The top number is for the latitude and the bottom number goes with the longitude. Fill in the three decimal places in the Lat/Lon for the location of the treasure with these numbers in this clue order ".ABC".

6) There is some steep terrain associate with finding the clues. A couple locations may be very difficult during or after any kind of rainfall. Please be careful!

       6a) I have updated the cache with an alternate way to find Clue B that allows you to avoid the steep climb at that location. You can take either the "Difficult" (Terrain Rating elevated to a 4) or "Easier" path to find the clue. Both clues are identical. It's up to you and your caching party. After receiving a lot of feedback on the cache, I decided this was the best way to allow more cachers to enjoy the adventure. It should now be pretty kid friendly.

7) You don't have to locate anything at locations listed as "Waypoints", just get close enough to understand how they fit into the story.

8) The story contains valuable hints about the locations of the clues and treasure. Read it carefully. It also contains many references to your surroundings. Pay attention to everything.

9) The cache requires about a 1.5 mile hike from the parking waypoint to the treasure. So, expect to go about 3 miles round trip. I've used a mountain bike back there several times, so that is an option.

10) HAVE FUN!!
 This is one of the prettiest locations in "Les Cridge" and I bet most people don't know it's even there.


Prologue:
Your uncle, the famous Captain Silas Mortimer, first told you the story of the Treasure of Les Cridge seven years ago. Since then, you had hung on every word about his quest for the treasure. Captain Mortimer died one week ago today. For the last two years of his life he was penniless and an object of the townsfolk’s derision. They thought he had gone mad. Once, he had been a great adventurer, but his relentless and ultimately unsuccessful pursuit of the treasure had reduced him to a shell of his former self.

You were the only member of the family at his bedside that night and because of your kindness he entrusted you with his most prized possession, his diary. You would never have turned away from him the way the rest of your family had. You had loved him. He mentored you in the ways of the sea, despite your parent’s insistence that you renounce your fondness for adventure and inherit your family’s medical practice.

Since your uncle’s death you had poured over the ragged and threadbare diary. It contained intricate, but cryptic accounts of Silas’ hunt. There were incredible cities, mysterious drawings of ancient symbols, pirate ships and gold. But the most ominous report was of a dark and evil pirate named Captain Belloc. Uncle Silas had told you about the pillaging and bloodshed committed at the hands of Captain Belloc. It was Belloc’s treasure that your uncle was after and he had vowed to use the treasure for good to atone for the evil committed by the pirate. Many of the townspeople, including your family, had grown to believe that the dark pirate was a figment of your uncle’s imagination. You knew he was real and you knew that your uncle had been extremely close to finding his treasure.

Woven into the story contained in Silas’ diary are three clues: A, B, and C. The location of the treasure can only be known by discovering all three. Silas seems to have found the first clue, but he never mentions what it was or where he kept it. The second is said to be hidden amongst great magic. The pit of your stomach turned as you thought about the third. One of the diary’s sketches shows the skeleton of an ill-fated maiden suspended from the bow of Captain Belloc’s ship. The final clue hangs from her neck.

Read at Clue A (N38 42.287, W077 18.588):
Off to the north-east you can see the bustling port city of Les Cridge. You’ve lived there all your life, but the sea and the memory of your uncle are calling you. Since you received the diary, you could feel yourself being drawn into your uncle’s world. Even though you loved your family dearly, medicine isn’t in your blood.

As you stand here reading the pages of the diary you feel a bulge in the back cover that you hadn’t noticed before. You tug at the fabric gently and a small shred of paper falls from the book and lands at the base of a tree. The letter “A”, the letters “TOLC” for “Treasure of Les Cridge”, and two numbers are printed on the note. You found the first clue!

The excitement of this moment of discovery solidifies your decision. You give in to your destiny. You explain your plan to your two closest friends, Stephen and Andrew. Under the cover of darkness, you slip into the port with them, commandeering your late uncle’s boat, and set sail for adventure…

Read while headed to Clue B
(Difficult--Terrain Rating elevates to a 4: N38 42.191 W077 18.642)
(Easier: N38 42.152 W077 18.668):
Several years passed as you explored the places illustrated in Uncle Silas’ diary. Every bit of it was real. Every page was an exotic location and the illustrations were accurate to the last detail. You knew the treasure wasn’t a hoax. So, you and your friends amassed a crew of over 50 and purchased a glorious new ship, The Majestic, for your quest to find it. You had pieced together from the accounts of many townsfolk and sailors that the magical location of the second clue was to the west, in uncharted portions the Oqq Okwan Sea. The exact location was unclear, but it was called, “Luogo Dei Runes” or the, “Place of the Runes”.

So you sailed your ship for several weeks and forged deep into unexplored regions of the Oqq Okwan Sea. As you traveled you began to see strange and ancient markings. You could not decipher their meaning, but each one caused an intense response within you. Some were evil, and caused you great fear; others gave you an overwhelming feeling of peace…

Read at Clue B:
This was the Place of the Runes. While searching to find the second clue amongst the ancient markings, you and your scouting party are overcome by a deep sleep. The runes are able to see deep into the hearts of each of the members of your crew. Each is granted one of two dreams according to their skill and daring. Both dreams reveal the same information such that regardless of the dream you are granted by the runes the same treasure can be found.

(Difficult--Terrain Rating elevates to a 4: N38 42.191 W077 18.642): In the first dream is a star shining in the eastern sky. It shines directly over a large “V” shaped symbol high on top of a menacing hill. At the base of the “V” is a plaque that contains the clue.

(Easier: N38 42.152 W077 18.668): In the second dream, the same shining star reveals a small path to the east only a short distance beyond Luogo Dei Runes. A beam of its light illuminates the base of a tree with a plaque that contains the clue.

You find the clue exactly as your dream had revealed. Your uncle would be so proud! He had never gone this far. But, from the instant you make the discovery, you are filled with both excitement and fear. An encounter with Belloc is close at hand…

Read while headed to “TOLC Wreckage” (N38 42.000 W077 18.818):
The two clues combined showed that the treasure was farther to the west. Every day that you sailed beyond the Place of the Runes, you felt an unexplained evil growing around you. Many of your crew were getting sick and were plagued with persistent and terrifying nightmares.

Then, after sailing for seven days you spotted a pitch black ship marked by tattered sails and rotting planks on the western horizon. It exhibited agility and speed far beyond its unseaworthy appearance. It was almost… demonic. For several years you had both dreaded and longed for this moment. It was Captain Belloc’s ship. The ship caused great anxiety among your men. It drew closer each day, but always sailed ahead of The Majestic keeping its back to you. Despite the best efforts of your lookout and his spyglass, he could not gain a glimpse of the woeful maiden nor the precious bounty around her neck.

After six days of sailing behind Belloc, thirteen since you’d left the Place of the Runes, the black ship disappeared. Having the ship in constant sight had been chilling, but with its location a mystery, your crew were terrified.

You awoke the next morning to a massive explosion, then several more. Fire, devastation and the screams of your men were all around you. You clamored to the side of the ship as you gasped for a clean breath, when a hole in the smoke opened and you saw the black ship just 20 yards off your port side. Captain Belloc stood on the deck of his wicked vessel taunting you with cold, dark eyes and a malevolent grin.

The smoke clouded over again and the black ship was gone. Another explosion from Bolloc's cannons thundered and you heard the hull of The Majestic snap. Within minutes, it was over.

Read at “TOLC Wreckage”:
You awake in a small cove, washed up amid the timbers and debris. All around are the jagged remnants of The Majestic. Stephen is here and is tending to the 19 remaining members of the crew despite a severe gash along his forehead. He tells you that Andrew is dead along with 24 others.

You vow revenge…

Read while headed to Clue C (N38 41.888 W077 19.010):
A few tools, a chest of rum, and 3 barrels of black powder were all that was salvageable from the wreckage. Uncle’s Silas’ diary was wet, but it had made it to shore safely in your vest pocket. Everyone remained by the flotsam of The Majestic for two days hoping against hope that more survivors would wash ashore as they had. Two more men did, but they were dead. Half of the crew buried the casualties and continued to search the wreckage, while the other half hunted for food and water.

Your destiny continued to call you to the west. Stephen organized the men and you continued your journey. The sense of evil of the place was palpable, but your hatred for Capt Belloc and desire to finish your uncle’s quest drove you on. You kept the shoreline to your right, all the while staying inside the forest to avoid being spotted by your enemies. The men were tired, but fueled by the same motivations that drove you.

After two days of difficult journey, you came upon an abandoned manor (“TOLC Manor” N38 41.988 W077 18.919). Someone of great importance must have inhabited the place, but they’d left long ago. Stephen suggested taking advantage of the home for shelter for the night. You agreed and the men wholly appreciated the rest. The chest of rum was put to good use.

Invigorated by the comfortable lodging, you set out again. The path was difficult, marked by dense underbrush, several water crossings and wild animals…

Read at Clue C:
Then, on the fourth day of your trek you wander out onto small peninsula. Through the trees to the southwest you spot a dark shipyard… and Captain Belloc’s menacing vessel anchored to the main pier! The shipyard is overrun with ghouls and demons, wraiths and specters. Even though the sun is shining bright, an unnatural shadow covers the marina.

Then, for the first time you see the skeleton hanging from the front of the ship. You and Stephen crouch down at the base of a large tree and peer through the spyglass. The final clue is obvious through the magnifying power of the lenses. You say a quick prayer for the maiden as Stephen records the precious information she holds. You finally have all of the information that you will need to find the treasure. Your measurements show that the final location is just beyond the marina, but there is no way around it. You’ll have to go through the heart of the enemy to complete your quest.

Your men make camp for the night, while you and Stephen devise a plan. The three barrels of black powder that had washed up with the debris of The Majestic will soon sound the demise of the evil pirate and avenge the death of Andrew and the rest of the crew…

Read while headed to “TOLC Warehouse” (N38 41.790 W077 19.068):
You and Stephen decided that the best route to the shipyard was to follow the bay’s coastline to the south and west. You left all but three of your strongest men behind. A smaller raiding party meant you would have a better chance of remaining covert. It was a good thing that you did, too, because you were able to successfully slip past the many lookout towers that Belloc had positioned along the shore.

You knew that Captain Belloc thought you were dead. Most of his patrol boats remained in the giant warehouse on the east side of the marina instead of mercilessly hunting after you as you had expected. That warehouse will be the spot for the first barrel of black powder to ensure that they wouldn’t be able to deploy against you.

That will be the easy one…

Read at “TOLC Warehouse”:
You place the first barrel at the base of the warehouse in the crawlspace below the floorboards. The cover of the forest provides you with safe ingress to the spot, but a large clearing stands between you and the pier where Capt Belloc’s boat is moored. If executed exactly right, you decide that destroying the warehouse first should create the necessary diversion to allow you to place one of the remaining barrels at the base of Belloc’s vessel and the other at his mansion to the west. Your revenge would be complete. Belloc and his evil ship would be no more.

The first explosion echoes in the dense and mysterious fog. An unholy shriek erupted from each creature as they ran panicked to the warehouse. The three men from your crew take the second barrel to Belloc’s ship (“TOLC Belloc’s Ship” N38 41.843 W077 19.061) while you and Stephen race across the clearing to the murderous pirate’s mansion. You see one of your crewmen spotted by a flying wraith. The specter extends its knifelike talons into the man’s chest and carries him off into the darkness. The other two reach the base of the ship and set the charge.

Read at “TOLC Belloc’s Mansion” (N38 41.779 W077 19.200):
Just as you and Stephen are about to reach the mansion, Belloc’s body condenses from the thick fog and materializes in front of you. He says nothing, but points a crooked finger in your direction and glares at you with red hot eyes. A horde of ghouls instantly change their direction away from the burning warehouse and descend on your position.

Just then, the second barrel detonates and Captain Belloc’s ship disintegrates into millions of splinters. Stephen seizes the opportunity and races at Belloc with the final barrel. You see him light it as he sprints. You feel your sense of time slow to a crawl as you realize what Stephen is doing. Belloc had lowered his ethereal guard by materializing and Stephen recognized the pirate’s weakness. They are both vaporized by the ensuing explosion.

Instantly, the dark cloud surrounding the area is lifted. The ghost and ghouls evaporate and you are left alone with your two remaining crewmates. Your thirst for revenge has been quenched, but at an incredible price. Stephen and Andrew knew the dangers of the quest and their loyalty to you was legendary. You will honor their memory and the memory of the other dead members of the crew by completing the expedition. Despite all of the evil surrounding it, the Treasure of Les Cridge would finally be used for good as your Uncle Silas had always intended.

Read while headed to The Treasure of Les Cridge: (N38 41.ABC W077 19.ABC)
You gathered the rest of the crew and confiscated the largest intact ship from the shipyard. Then, you began on the final leg of your journey. You set sail down a narrowing stretch of the Oqq Okwan Sea into a deep and dense jungle. The fear that your men once felt had been lifted. The foreboding sense of danger that constantly plagued the men since first sighting Belloc’s ship was replaced with a voracious excitement for the treasure close at hand. You knew that you were only a short distance away.

When suddenly you spot it. Hidden stealthily in a rocky tract of hillside about ten feet from the water you find what your Uncle Silas had sought for so many years...

***** The conclusion of your adventure can only be found inside the cache. *****

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Ab cvengr pnpur fubhyq raq jvgubhg n ersrerapr gb "Jnyxvat gur Cynax"! Obggbz bs Ynhery ohfu/gerr

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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