ninth bolt ⚡ discussion: treasure map

[ramuhs]

Who: Cid, Alhaitham, Shadow, Sherlock, Miriam, and then anyone else interested!
Status: Open
Where: Surasthana Cafe in Eltrut
What: After seeing the notice of the board and knowing a few people who already pieces of the map, Cid will send out a message for those who are interested in the Treasure Hunt Special Quest. The only condition is whatever is discussed must be kept secret because there could be potential of the group making their own thing to rival Hawk Jimins 👀 Note: this is just to talk about the map and try and create an idea of where they can try to go later when things are less crazy. It's also basically a network post disguised as a log post. This is also happening before all the crazy arrests/abductions.
Warnings: none

[ NETWORK: TEXT; ID: RAMUHS ]
I'm feeling for a bit of a challenge regarding the treasure hunt, and I wonder if anyone else is the same. If so, contact me privately and I can make arrangements for a group meeting. Perhaps we might have an advantage over this Jimins fellow 😉

[Network communication will be handwaved so i don't die, but for those who already know Cid or the mentioned characters in the list, they will definitely be allowed in. For those who don't know anyone, eh it's fine lol, he'd just ask more questions about their identity and why they would be interested. Feel free to PM me if you're not sure!]

[ THE GATHERING ]
For those who have seen Cid's message and gathered in Kaveh's café, Surasthana Cafe, in Eltrut, they will find the desks and chairs arranged so that anyone can sit comfortably. It's a rather loose gathering since it's more or less a "first meeting" of sorts. So other than mingling around, one of the main goals is:

piecing together the map

Cid will show his piece of the map and the others will as well. For easy reference, here are the pieces as was listed in the February mod notes:

» Depicts mountains and other terrain such as a river (Cid)
» Depicts a large mass of water with depictions of sea monsters and wrecked ships (Alhaitham)
» Depicts a different mass of water that is more of a lake with symbols that could depict a settlement near where it's torn (Shadow)
» Depicts some strange script that could be a riddle, along with a diagram of squares with a large "X" on one (Sherlock)
» Depicts some skrunkly foothills and a forest (Miriam)

We are completely free to expand and add to the details, and it's possible for the pieces to potentially connect to each other! It's also possible for them to have just enough pieces to try and fill in some of the blanks to create a rough map, so anyone is free to add to it!

This is a pretty loose log, in fact TREAT IT LIKE A NETWORK POST because for the most part it's just having conversations rather than a lot of action going on. Make your own toplevels and topics as you see fit! Let's try to not crowd one thread. This also means threadjacking will be allowed, but try to keep it relatively organized. Good luck guys, let's see what we can come up with

Comments

[ramuhs]

Right, here is my piece of the map I happened to acquire. As far as I can make out, seems to be a mountain range with some rivers. Not a lot to go on, especially with there being a surprising number of islands and leviathans with mountains on them, but I'd say it's an easy landmark to spot and something to start with.

[ooc: Primary focus for this thread is talking about any potential locations with mountains (either established places or can make up new ones that people might have seen), but can also talk about any relevant pieces that might connect to it!]

[astudyinviolet]

I think those three large mountains which appear similar to each other might narrow down which mountainous areas to search. Other locations may have mountains. However, do they have three in close proximity and roughly the same size and shape?

[ramuhs]

[A low hum.]

Aye, and while many mountains may have rivers around them, there would need to be at least two that lead directly to them in a south-westerly direction. The mountains also look like they might curve or form a ring... Like a caldera or crater.

Refreshments

[empyrean_mirror]

[Want some coffee? Snacks? A book? Kaveh to retrieve blankets or pillows from the weird lumpy fort in the corner? Flag him down here, he's flitting about the cafe like a honeybee on stimulants to make sure everyone's served and comfy.

So is mehrak so if you want your coffee served by a flying suitcase that can happen too.]

[indispensable]

[Alright Kaveh you've been bouncing around the place for far too long without letting yourself take a break so Alhaitham is going to force you to have one—

—by reaching out when his husband passes by him the next time, grabbing hold of him and forcibly tugging him down onto Alhaitham's own lap. Yes, there are people here still. No, he does not care in the slightest. Kaveh should already know this.]

[empyrean_mirror]

Wh--Alhaitham!

[CID IS HERE. DAD IS GOING TO SEE, ALHAITHAM.

nevermind he's probably seen much worse by now.]

[wherethereislight]

[Shadow isn't hard to miss, when he's standing on top of a table. There's a lot more people than he liked in this place and he has to be able to see with all the map gatherers huddled together. His arms are crossed, standing slightly away, clearly indicating he didn't want to be bothered. Why are they meeting in such a public space in the first place? Needless to say, Shadow is more grumpier than usual to be caught between treasure map gatheres and just regular patrons of the cafe. This better bring results.

Soon would be nice, because he's getting annoyed someone keeps trying to offer him drinks or snacks.] I don't want anything. [He just wants to leave already.]

[empyrean_mirror]

[He owns the place, Shadow, of course he's here?? Rude???

Kaveh pauses for a long moment to squint at the...mammal...standing on top of one of his tables. clearly debating asking him to get down, do not put your feet on top of where people eat. But, well.

He might be too short to see the maps otherwise, so Kaveh supposes he'll just wipe the tables down after.]

...Given that this is a completely normal gathering at a cafe for no suspicious purposes, wouldn't you at least like some coffee.

[Subterfuge, Shadow! Hide in plain sight!]

[ramuhs]

[He's been jotting down notes and attempting to redraw the map as the pieces come together, so it's time for a coffee break! He'll make his way over to Kaveh, but there is a bit of a knowing smile as yes, he did see what happened with Alhaitham.]

You seem to be quite busy. I need to thank you again for hosting our little meeting.

[empyrean_mirror]

...[He's already starting to blush. Not a word, Cid! Not one!!!]

Well, it seemed like the easiest solution, and I'm pretty curious about the maps myself.

[astudyinviolet]

[ Sherlock's map piece doesn't have much in the way of landmarks. It does have some text that isn't easily read. Perhaps it talks more about the squares and the X, but the handwriting is bad enough that translation magic doesn't make it easily understandable.

Also... that was his pillow fort, Kaveh! ]

[empyrean_mirror]

[PEOPLE NEED PILLOWS TO SIT WITH, SHERLOCK, WE'LL PUT THE FORT BACK LATER.]

[astudyinviolet]

[ It was a cozy spot, and he will take his awful looking blanket and his Winterwarding Blanket with him. ]

[wherethereislight]

...What is this? [Sherlock's map has gotten the attention of the dark hedgehog, just from how different it was from the others. It's the least map looking thing yet.]

[astudyinviolet]

It was described as a piece of a treasure map, and if we follow the adage of "X marks the spot," it could very well show where the treasure lies.

I am trying to decipher the text here. It is some form of text as characters repeat. I cannot say if it is a clue or something unrelated.

[ Beside him are scratch pieces of paper where he has tried to copy down the text while also altering how he writes each stroke. Maybe he can get the translation magic to work if he somehow "improves" the handwriting. ]

Reference: Answer for Sherry's map piece

[astudyinviolet]

Text translation

A treasure like any untold
Will be found by pirates bold
Seek where the weaver and baker meet
Along with the fishers and butchers on the street

Ruined now it may be
But the past you can see
Under the path, you'll then go far
To reach out among the stars

Riddle meaning

look for the ruins of a marketplace and search under the pathways for the next clue or the treasure or something

[indispensable]

[Alhaitham's piece of the map is... very not helpful, actually, because the only thing that's on it is pretty much just.

Water.

Lots and lots of water.

He's not even going to say anything because he doesn't think any commentary will be of use here so he'll just leave it out on a table for others to look at. Have at it, folks.]

[astudyinviolet]

[ Guess who took one look at that and turned a shade paler. That's his commentary. ]

[indispensable]

[Whoops sorry, Sherlock. At least this is less embarrassing than their conversation about horny dreams.]

[empyrean_mirror]

...You of all people would get a piece like this, wouldn't you?

[indispensable]

[Alhaitham's response is to make a face, which frankly is more than enough for him to express his distaste at this place's idea of a joke, clearly.]

I'll make sure to double check the next time we decide to grab a fragment of a map piece that's up for auction. [His voice is so, so dry.]

[crystalrepose]

Here's the piece I acquired.

[Skipping past the property damage and re-experienced crystal statue trauma and punching she did to get said map piece.

There's a cluster of hills in the top right corner, and a dense forest sweeping in from the bottom. There's some empty space between both, with no indication of what it is.]

I'm not certain if these hills are connected to the mountains Cid has found or not. There's a map key, though.

[It of course didn't have any names on it or any symbols, but it did have distance markers on its key; 0, 100, 250, 500, and so on, with a ratio of 1:10,000 over the bar scales. 10,000 what, though?]

[astudyinviolet]

Hills, a dense forest, and a clearing... I'm most interested in the map key if it could apply to the other pieces.

[ Even if they don't have the unit of measurement, they could try different ones to get a sense of scale. ]

[crystalrepose]

Does the scale line up with the grid on your map, Sherlock?

[Miriam does turn it over to look at its opposite side like she saw him doing; there's just a smudge in the corner, suspiciously tea colored. It probably wasn't from today, but Miriam scoots her mug a little bit further away anyway.]

[ramuhs]

[Taking a gander at the piece and placing his near it along with the one Shadow had brought over.]

It does feel as if there might be something missing, however I think there could be some relation.