EVENT LOG: SCAVENGER HUNT

[lucetimods]

Who: All you scavenger hunters!
What: Scavenging and other fantabulousness, I suppose.
When: November 24th to 28th
Where: The whole village! And yet also all over time and space...
Summary: See this post for more info.
Rating: P for Points! (Keep it PGish, folks. Anything worthy of a higher rating can be brought to your appointments posts.)

As announced by CJ, the village's immediate environs are divided up according to this map. There are five areas: the Nile, Ice Age, Space Opera, Shogunate, and Gangland. Time-and-place appropriate architecture and conjured up NPCs exist in each area.

Don't forget the scavenger hunt! While actually finding things is ultimatly optional, you can find more information on the hunt here. If you want to claim a reward from the hunt, be sure to link at least two related threads on the new rewards claims post.

Finally, here's a quick rundown of the objects:
- In THE NILE: A ceremonial dagger and a piece of Pharoah's treasure
- In GANGLAND: A tommy gun and a set of car keys
- In ICE AGE: A bone spear and a smilodon's tooth
- In SPACE OPERA: a raygun and part of a robot
- In SHOGUNATE: a samurai sword and water from a kappa's head

Happy hunting!

Comments

[reminded]

With a puzzle, perhaps. I think I can manage to throw one together for the purpose. Do you think they'll take up the challenge?

[windandrain]

Oh most assuredly. If you offer then a game, you could make a wager on the outcome. They solve your puzzle and make a request, or they fail and grant you one. They might even like that.

[reminded]

Splendid. Then the only problem that remains is finding a kappa to challenge. I don't suppose you've seen any around?

[windandrain]

I have, actually. They're not hard to spot, if you know what to look for. Follow me and I'll show you what I mean.

[She heads towards a nearby koi pond, pointing to an oddly shaped leaf in the water.]

Notice anything strange?

[reminded]

[Follow her, he shall. He brings a hand to his chin as he inspects the leaf.]

That one does stand out, I suppose. Is that to say that's our kappa?

[windandrain]

It is. You can see how the leaf is in the shape of a ring.

[She reaches into the folds of her robe and hands the Professor a cucumber]

This is their favorite meal. Why don't you try and lure him out with it?

[reminded]

[Dare he ask why she has a cucumber in her robe? ... No, he dare not.]

Thank you. I'll do my best.

[Okay then, here he goes... He steps out to the lip of the pond, crouches, and holds out the cucumber in what he hopes is an alluring fashion. If only his colleagues could see him now.]

Kappa text in italics!

[windandrain]

Be careful, they're quite strong.

[The circular leaf rotates as it notices the cucumber, and it surges forward, the little aquatic goblin all but leaping out of the water to grab the tasty treat!]

GIMME!

Roger!

[reminded]

[Oh! That didn't take much time at all. Layton jumps back with a speed he didn't think was possible from a crouch, taking the cucumber with him. He doesn't want the kappa immediately slipping back into the water.]

[windandrain]

Gimme Gimme!

[The turtle-shelled creature surged out of the water, but didn't attack. It sat, watching the professor and god pensively, looking from one to the other.

Saori meets it with a neutral expression, leaving it to the Professor to decide what to do.]

Will talk...if gimme!

[reminded]

Of course. I meant you no disrespect.

[He tips his hat politely and hands the cucumber over, looking at the kappa curiously all the while. He's never seen anything quite like it.]

I've heard that kappa are very intelligent. Is that true? [Not true in the least, but sometimes a man's gotta do some buttering up to get things done.]

[windandrain]

Yes! Very Smart! Gimme!

[reminded]

[Have the cucumber, bro. It's totally yours.]

In that case, I would love to see your intellect in action. Would you be so kind as to help me solve a problem I've been having?

[windandrain]

[The kappa grabs the cucumber]

Yes, I help. You give food. Like game, yes?

[reminded]

I prefer to call it a puzzle.

[He spots a bucket and small tub nearby and estimates their volumes. He leaves the tub where it is, about ten paces off, but retrieves the bucket and stabs a hole through its bottom with a pen from his sleeve. When he scoops water out of the pond, a thin stream of water trickles out the bottom. He mentally times the leak before speaking.]

You see, I've had a dilemma. I only own one bucket at home, but it's very old and has a hole in its bottom. I don't wish to throw it away because it has sentimental value, but my mother is threatening to get rid of it if it can't do the same job it did before it started leaking, which was to fill the 5-litre sink in the house within three trips from the river. If the bucket can hold 2 litres and leaks 0.5 litres on each return trip, can you show me a way to fill the sink completely in only three trips?

(( TL;DR HERE'S A SOLUTION if you don't feel like doing a dumb puzzle: The kappa won't be able to get 5 L with the bucket alone; on one of the trips, probably the last, he'll need to add the final .5 L from the water on his head. ))

[windandrain]

OK, I solve!

[The kappa takes the bucket, and makes the first two trips. It's reasonably intelligent, but rather impulsive. But since Layton gave it a gift, he felt obligated to comply. Of course, in the end, the kappa does tip out the last little bit into the tub.

When it does so, the creature turns to the Professor, and smiles. Saori claps at it's cleverness, and the little goblin meanders back off into the pool]

Very, very clever Professor!

[reminded]

[Layton thanks the kappa before he goes. He's very glad that he didn't have to see the more vulgar side of kappa lore.]

I couldn't have done it without your help. [He tends to be without cucumbers, for one thing.] I found him quite pleasant, regardless of what the stories say.

[windandrain]

Well, you tried to make him feel comfortable, and you gave him a treat. That's usually enough to warrant politeness from them.

[reminded]

No complaints here. I'm happy to see simple courtesy so transcendent.

Now my only task is getting all of this water back to my flat. [He was so caught up in the puzzle that he didn't consider how much more inconvenient this would be.]

[windandrain]

Well, I can help you with that.

[She walks over and lifts the tub easily, her inhuman strength making it a fairly simple task.]

Where do you live?

[reminded]

[Oh, well this is a nice turn. He only hopes she's a smooth walker... or doesn't mind water potentially splashing out.]

Are you sure? It may be a bit of a walk. My flat is in Gangland, next to the plaza.

[windandrain]

Oh, it's no trouble. Lead the way.

[She makes to follow, her steps light and graceful, the water barely moving at all]

[reminded]

Much obliged. Just let me know if it becomes a bother. [And off they go.]

Have you been enjoying yourself thus far, Miss Kimura?

[windandrain]

It's not heavy, don't worry about it.

[She follows]

During this Shift, you mean? Yes, actually. It's the first one I've liked since I arrived.

[reminded]

Is that so? How long ago did you arrive?