Cache archived automatically

Actually, with the help of an insider within The System, I’m pleased to report that the life of this and the other relevant listings has been extended for a while. This doesn’t change the situation on/under the ground, so please continue to apprise yourselves of that and take all necessary precautions, or contact me directly.

Very sad (underground) times.  Five years ago, this was the first of BradLad and my abanazar caches in these dark passages; always darker if we rely on my poor equipment, which is almost invariably running out of power.

 

Prone as I am to post musical logs, I thought that I would note the passing of these great caches.  The famous Smiths song Hanson Devil sprang to mind but the lyrics might not fit.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbZtvLvwTCU

 

So I thought this gentle tune about the The System might be more appropriate

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP-UtaWQcLA

 

TFTCs

I have been warned by The System that this and its neighbouring opencaches will soon be automatically archived since they have been Temporarily Disabled for too long. So be it. These caches are still checked and maintained but it remains the case that I do not wish them to be publicly logged, should an adventurer be resourceful enough to find them. Since it is not straightforward (or possible?) to view archived opencaches, I believe the html copy at http://abanazar.com/opencaching/OC_ARCHIVE/menu.html will suffice as a starting point, so long as the lure of the adventure outweighs the ability to log online.

This will be disabled for a while and should not be logged.

There is an important update regarding certain aspects of local accessibility. Please revisit the final stage of the solved instructions for more details, if this is on your ready-to-attempt pile.

A simple mistake meant Rocksniffer, CornishGazza & Yukonhuskies and I didn't complete the Inquisicion today but we'll return for more torture. 

  Hello !!!

    I'm pleased to inform you that your cache became: Cache of the month

CONGRATULATIONS !!!
OC Team

It was a typical weekend family breakfast.  Noisy, somewhat chaotic and 
more than a bit messy.

Then, suddenly and with shocking immediacy, blackness, disorientation, a
sense of almost subliminal Castillian murmuring soon followed by a wrench
of physical dislocation 

And then … 

It was dark, it was cool, the air was pure (at least, compared to the 
smell of bacon and eggs) and seven year old Filius was exclaiming

 ‘Oh good, we’re underground again’.

There was a brief pause and then, from all around us, a high, cold (but, I 
hasten to add, somehow very masculine and powerful) voice proceeded to outline
our current predicament, the likelihood of impending pain and the unlikeliness 
of our continued survival. With a start of recognition, I recognised the 
voice and despairingly cried

 ‘The Grand Inquisitor!’ 

 ‘Great!  I love Dostoyevsky’ said the Uxor.

 ‘Not THAT Inquisitor’ I groaned, ‘THIS one couldn’t be more different’.

And so it turned out.  The Grand Inquisitor forced us to play unspeakably grotesque
games with pendulums and to become overly familiar with the gnarly, deep pits
liberally strewn throughout his dungeon. Time – as well as the pendulums – seemed 
suspended; we were trapped in a labyrinthine underground maze, running hither and
thither at the whim of the satanic Grand Inquisitor who appeared to delight in testing
us to the uttermost limits … 

And then, it was over.

The walls didn’t start to glow with heat and move inwards threatening to push us into 
the abyss.  Instead, Filius found the cache, Minimus discovered the resident coin, the
Uxor took some photographs and Minima carried on sleeping.  

And all too soon, we had left the dungeons behind and re-joined the real world having
completed quite literally the best cache we have yet done.

It was Sunday, when one is most likely to encounter the Grand Inquisitor ‘doing the rounds’ of his dungeons. He was passing one of his favourite tongue-loosening devices when he suddenly recalled ex-prisoner Gackt’s note. He couldn’t remember the precise details, but he remembered enough to quickly locate the mysterious package. It was a little larger than he expected, but it was appropriately addressed and furthermore it carried all sorts of warnings about only opening carefully in dry conditions. The conditions were not conducive, so the (incredibly well wrapped) package was placed in his bag for opening later. In fact it was over three hours later when the Grand Inquisitor finally returned to his chambers and summoned his minions to help open the package. Layer after layer was carefully removed. The tension was palpable. Eventually the final layer was discarded. I don’t know what the Grand Inquisitor and his minions were expecting, but it wasn’t this. The transformation in the normally stern (some say grumpy) face of His Worship was remarkable. I have rarely seen him beam so much (if at all). What a lovely and fitting surprise. It’s going straight onto the wall of his inner chamber, and an appropriate use will be found for the magnificent sticky thing too. Gratias tibi valde.

Rest assured that the Grand Inquisitor will investigate the horrors you claim to have deposited, since he patrols his precious dungeons more frequently than is probably healthy (his apothecary is prescribing something he calls vitamin D supplements to make up for the lack of sunlight that results) ...

Over two years have gone by since I passed the Inquisitor’s tests and escaped to tell the tale. My original log was posted as a note for reasons only to be known by him, but today I hope I have redeemed myself and so am finally posting my find. Did not revisit the final, but did visit some other parts.

-

Under the chilly gloom of the eclipse my trusty aid and I once again entered the Inquisitor’s lair which holds tests and torturous devices. This day I was first drawn to another passage which I had not been through previously. In the distance I could hear screams, but only just. We followed the sound until we reached a bricked up wall. The sounds behind were no longer screams, but were crying, sobbing. My trusty aid and I set to work quickly at dismantling the wall until we were greeted by the tearful face of a young lady behind it. Her tears soon changed from that of despair to happiness as I helped her through the opening, my aid snapping away on his camera as I did.

We decided to get her out to safety as quickly as possible. We passed the area that I undertook the first test by the inquisitor previously and the young lady shook with fear as we did. Clearly something had happened to her here too. A short time later we came across a huge torture device and I had to clasp my palm across our new acquaintance’s mouth to stifle her screams as she clasped eyes on it. It was here that I suggested to my aid to hide one of the photos that he took of us releasing this prisoner.

Grand Inquisitor, if you wish to retrieve this photograph before others find it and publish the horror you inflicted on this lady then follow these instructions:

Go to your large torture device at H7 (will need to use a little imagination). Face it from it’s south side. To your left there is stone pillar with a small climb up. Climb up it. You will find the photograph against the pillar buried under a few rocks. To make sure you are in the correct place there are yellow coloured * -> symbols just above the hide.

I hope it is still in good condition. I have been carrying this packaged up for two years in my backpack, but have alwasy had other people with me and so have not had a chance to hide it.

All elements were checked and OK, since the Grand Inquisitor was passing.

We are now able to recommend an opencache.  I haven't worked out how to do that in retrospect so this is my hearty recommendation log.

"Assistant! Come here!"

"Yes, Your Worship?"

"Would you say I had a cold, high voice? You might want to consider your answer carefully."

"Er, perhaps slightly cold, Your Worship. But deep. Very deep. Resonant. Manly."

"Yes, that's what I thought too. I quite liked that last batch of prisoners, though. They tell a good yarn. I suppose they earned their release."

All day underground. ALL. DAY. But it was tremendous and I've not seen field puzzles as elegant as this. Everything was brilliant. 

THANK YOU for an excellent day out, abanazar. I'm really going to have to make the journey a few more times to explore some more of yours!

I was an imbecile - an idiot

 

A fool, if you will.

We wandered lost through the labyrinthine passages. For days and days, it seemed. We were running out of supplies. Our torches were all but dead. We survived off the dank pooled water we came across. We has lost all hope of achieving our goal, let alone again seeing the light of day...<br /> All of a sudden a high cold voice pierced the darkness "Halt! Who are you! Who do you follow!"<br /> "We are but simple travellers, lost in this deep dark place. We follow BareClawz. For we are hungry"<br /> "BareClawz!" Shrieked the voice. "Seize them! And throw them in the hole! They shall rot there for their heresy!"<br /> "No! Wait!"... But all in vain. We were flung into a dungeon and left. Abandoned. Time passed...<br /> As I rolled on the floor of my cell, searching for a comfortable way to lie, I rolled on a stone. Something with which I could cut my bonds! I set about fraying the rope and as I worked with the stone out fell a small container! I freed my companions and we gathered round our failing torchlight to read the message therein. A glimmer of hope. We may yet escape...<br /> We were soon out of our prison, for it was unguarded, following the path described in the container. We felt sure it held information to aid our escape. But as we reached a waypoint we heard shouts and the thudding of feet and we were surrounded.<br /> "I don't know how you escaped! But you will pay! Fetch the device!" Said the sinister voice and before we knew it the glint of shiny metal and the hiss-hiss as it swung turned our knees to jelly.<br /> "I will offer you one chance! Answer my questions and you shall go free... For now..."<br /> ...<br /> As my scream died away, it's echo fading, I saw the device being raised.<br /> "You are free to go! But do not let me see you again." Said the cold high voice, a shade disgruntled. All of a sudden, we were alone.<br /> Onwards we trudged, fatigue dragging us down, but the fresh hope that hand been kindled kept us going. We finally reach where the message in the container had told us to go and there, after a desperate search, we discovered the keys to our escape...<br /> Hours later we burst through the final gateway into the glorious sunlight. We were weak, tired, hungry and incredibly dirty. But we had survived the inquisition and we still wanted our Breakfast...<br /> <br /> Some artistic license has been used in the log above (but not very much).<br /> <br /> Thank you for a fantastic adventure that is completely unique.<br />

Well I wasn’t expecting that (insert your own Monty Python reference). A really, really top cache. My favourite so far on Opencaching. Some great stages and being a fan of field puzzles every stage was brilliant. Found on a subterranean caching weekend with Collapsible Tank and Antpeng.<br /> <br /> Puzzle not too difficult for someone with a maths background although I didn’t really think through the format the result should be in wasting quite a bit of my time but I eventually revealed the trials and torments that would be facing us. Obviously, this must have angered the inquisitor as not only did he make us perform the tasks in a rather inconvenient reverse order and after an already long day trapped and wondering inside this underground prison. Again being careful not to recall these torments too vividly but there were some scary features (be careful) no doubt used for much torture. We lugged round heavy ropes and harnesses but neither were needed thanks to Antpeng’s high tolerance to such torture although if others suffer such a fate I suggest obeying the inquisitors instructions and bring his requested equipment.<br /> <br /> Thankfully, our gruelling tasks were soon over and our only hiccup is that we never got to meet our fellow prisoner who was apparently visiting from London but despite this we soon found our cache and our escape route and all three of us came out unscathed and were soon off for a pint. Little did I know the most painful of the Inquisitors acts was still to come; £3.60 for a Carling Shandy :-O<br />

It seems a masters in engineering is useful. I calculated my coordinates within 15 minutes and have my instructions. Having not yet ventured into these particular environs I suspect I shall be here a lot in 2013 - 3 caches for definite have at least part here and I suspect "The Mega Breakfast" will be here too, though I don't think I'll be fool enough to attempt them all in one go

Amberel recommended this cache to me soon after it was published. He also suggested to think twice about taking children without being sure they were well disciplined. Now completed, I second this very good advice.

The first night that I looked at the puzzle I could not make the figures read correctly, my workings looked promising, but I couldn't get a 'success'. I got irritable as I knew my maths were correct. The second night after consuming the majority of a Trauben Brand bottle, feeling very relaxed, and slowly reading the whole page once more I had a ding moment shortly followed by a 'success'. Not the most healthy of methods, but it worked for me. Once I saw what was required and where, I set to work to find other brave enough souls to face the Inquisitor's tasks.

Our team for the day included myself, xJammmzy (MyNameIsJames), two of PigDogBoyGirl, Electric Sparrow, ES's brother and sister-in-law, and a little dog called Sparky. Two of the party were children, re the above; they were very sensible, I have been with both of them in these sort of areas previously. Horsley Hunter was to be with us too, but unfortunately due to an injury the night before sadly couldn't make it.

As James explained, we started off confidently. Over confidently, and made a mistake in navigation straight away. The map was then pulled out the backpack and consulted continuously throughout the adventure.

I had little idea what the tasks we would face would entail. After we had successfully completed the first, I wondered what the second would bring. The Grand Inquisitor I am sure will be pleased to hear that the second task he set gave me cold sweats and sweaty palms whilst the task was executed. One eye on Sparky, the other darting among the others. "No one slip! Please God no one slip!" rang through my mind, but I had to keep a cool a face as I could until the task was complete.

As for the third, many of the team enjoyed this. Sorry, yes, enjoyed! This was not so torturous. If we hadn't come so prepared, it could well of been. Though Electric Sparrow seemed to scale a good part of it effortlessly, and a couple of the others had a good try too. I would say that I could learn a lot from her technique, but not sure I would. Along one of the more easier sections prior to arriving to that stage I had been following right behind her dancing over deads, trying to match her every foot placement and I managed to stumble over.

To complete this was truly a team effort. Everyone helped, I can't go into details with exactly who did what and where though as it would give spoilers. To think that James and I alone were going to attempt this after completing h4ck3r a few weeks back is now an insane thought. I am relieved that James was too cold and tired to do anything else after we finished that one. Thank you to the whole team, a great effort! And thank you to the Grand Inquisitor, you have certainly outdone yourself this time. I shudder to think what else you could come up with.

*Posting as a note for the time being for personal reasons.

Where to start with this one. I want to give a blow by blow account and post loads of the wonderful pictures that we got, but that would be giving the game away.

Had fun with the puzzle and soon got some good figures, but then needed a hand to get those figures to fit. Once that was done the enormity of what needed to be done next was apparent. I was silently cursing Gackt for wanting to do this. 

A team was assembled and I nearly had to sit it out after managing to smash my car up on the way to work the night before. Mum to the rescue as she kindly loaned us her car for the trip. 

Arrived at the parking spot earlier than the rest (hmm Black Rat!). Then off we set, Gackt, XJammy, Electric Sparrow and family, little girl and Me and Sparky the dog.

Great fun scrabbling around the pits, but we were well prepared and well over 3 hours underground(6 and a half hours from home for the round trip!).

Only a couple of wrong turns, and one of those helped us in the end. But then rushing to get out we made a really big "wrong turn" that was only realised whilst we where all sat safe at home! I'm not sure what the cost of this was, but knowing the Inquisition, someone must have parted with some finger nails or something!I'll leave it at that.

Many thanks for placing this!

A group of us teamed up to have a go at this cache with a dog called Sparky. We made sure we were fully equipped for what lay before us, but we were not prepared for the amount of time it would take.

At the start I lead the way as I had been here before. We headed to a memorable place which I had seen twice before which we would use as a marking spot before we headed to the first task. But already here at the start I went wrong. We gathered around Gackt's map, saw our mistake, and started again. We had a couple more moments like this later.

 The first task took a bit of thinking. The second was harder as we needed to think more how we could do it. The third stage was really fun! Our team had varying abilities. Electric Sparrow climbs like she has glue on her fingers and toes, but most of us could not have done with out our equipment.

I found the final cache and handed down to the others to sign. It was a great feeling to complete. We survived the inquisition. But there was one more task to do, we had to find our way out, which we did or I wouldn't be writing this. We took a long time to do it. Mum was getting very close to calling someone to look for us.

 

Thank you abanazar for setting this challenging cache 

Propietario mantenimiento. Todo estaba bien.

Love pljg's log, I wish I could be as imaginative .

Maths not being my strong point, I had to rely on a web of intrigue to interpret the prisoner's meanderings, and struggled to produce results that met with the approval of the Inquisitor's assistant until I was given a nudge by a fellow advisor.

Then it was a case of summoning the blood to put the prisoners words to the test.

As always, loved the way the theme ran through the whole cache, and it was great to start 2013 in the same way as we saw out 2012, with 2 TOP CACHES in a single day http://www.amberel.com/topcache.htm

Thanks for yet another great cache,

Rgds, Andy

Edited to add recommendation - I thought I had run out, but actually I did have one left .

I have put off logging this cache for a considerable time as it justifies a good write up.  4 months on I've realised that I simply cannot do it justice and I'll just have to log it and say thanks (and sorry for the lateness).  Today is a good time to do it as I've just found the piece of paper with the password on it...

To do what is probably the best cache I'll see in 2013 on new years day was quite depressing.  A great team effort in the (ahem) 'field' and nearly caught by the Grand Inquisitor himself when he turned up at the final location. Fortunately when he lined us up against the wall and shot us, it was with my camera.

A fantastic cache, many thanks.  Highly recommended.

Not to be undertaken lightly! Hmm! No problem with the puzzle element, however my fellow heretics were not sure of the use of a common phrasing. A bit of muttering later, and we were all on the same page.

New Years Day and we all assembled to complete a brace of the Grand Inquisitar's caches. Both execllent.

Not sure how things develop in teams, however, I appeared to be the volunteer (or was that volunteered) for many of the tests laid out for us. Needless to say we all survived, and despite going off in the wrong direction at the final, the cache was duly found and log signed.

An excellent challenge and well worth the long journey we made to attempt this. Superb.

I have waited almnost a year to log this cache not because I was short of recommendations (though I was, and have just withdrawn one from a lesser excellent cache to give it to this greater excellent cache instead) nor because I was short of superlatives (like Nom & Jeep) but simply because I developed a lengthy backlog of caches to log. When it got to a year's worth, I realised it was either time to quit caching, or, when faced with the prospect of never having another experience like this one ever again, deciding to get stuck in and catch up with my logging!

I really loved the plot with this cache. Field puzzles are my favourite type of cache and this one could not have been set in a better place or used the environmental features to better advantage. I also particularly liked the absence of a prescribed route, leaving it to us to figure it out, for better or for worse, enahncing the initiative test yet further.

I really don't want to spoil the plot for anyone but suffice to say, this is one of the very best caches I have ever done, and logging it now has made me truly appreciate the irrelevance of my "favourite caches" bookmark list at the Lily Pad, and frankly, Amberel speaks for me - his top, "Top Caches" are my top caches and this is definitely one of them!

Many thanks, Sandvika #2035

 

"There is a tiny problem, Your Worship."

"Let me guess: the heretic prisoner pljg?"

"Er, ex-prisoner, Your Worship."

"The hallucinations have returned?"

"The majority of his preachings are most lucid, Your Worship, but then…"

"But then he starts spreading word of his imaginary friend again."

"The Council fears that if he gains more followers, our whole doctrine could collapse."

"Dispatch our best Inquisitors to find him."

"Not Cardinals Ximénez, Biggles and Fang?"

"Yes, and if and when we regain custody of pljg, use stronger straps, put out plenty of alternative food for the vermin, and, most importantly, lower the device. It will be a merciful release for this tortured and delusional soul."

A field clue has been corrected this afternoon after feedback from some pioneers, who were successful despite my best efforts  All is now present and correct.

With ruthless efficiency and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope, BradLad and I attacked the Inquisitor’s puzzle.  Like a learned top cacher, we too fretted over the significance of certain figures but managed to pass the test before further experimental results were provided.  BradLad was then struck down by a pestilence; possibly the lord’s punishment for overindulging in the spirit of Christmas.  A further delay occurred when I transported myself to holy ground on a higher plain.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=47b5065b-ba44-417c-a85c-572971901236

Finally, we were ready to proceed although I was somewhat fearful of Premature Burial.  The blackness of darkness supervened; all sensations appeared swallowed up in a mad rushing descent as of the soul into Hades.  Then silence, and stillness, and night were the universe.

I will not say too much about the challenges of mind and body that followed.  At one stage we took no heed of one the Inquisitor’s icons and, at another, fear prompted us to use an alternative technique to that which had been suggested.  Our perilous journey took almost twice as long as indicated by the Inquisitor but this was in part due to difficulties with some final instructions that are now rectified. 

Eventually we reached it.  I rushed to its deadly brink. I threw my straining vision below. The glare from the enkindled roof illumined its inmost recesses. Yet, for a wild moment, did my spirit refuse to comprehend the meaning of what I saw.  At length it forced—it wrestled its way into my soul—it burned itself in upon my shuddering reason.  Oh! for a voice to speak!—oh! horror!—oh! any horror but this!  An outstretched arm caught my own as I fell, fainting, into the abyss.  It was that of BradLad.  We were safe.

Gracias Inquisidor abanazar.  ¡Feliz año nuevo!

"Your Worship, a learned Inquisitor from eastern regions has reported significant variations in his locality when trying to reproduce the prisoner's calculations. Upon further interrogation of the prisoner, we have gleaned more information of his experiments and the importance of local conditions."

"That is interesting, assistant; I trust that you have documented the new findings. We are indebted to the Inquisitor for his Top Advice, but trust that it will not lie too badly on his conscience that you had to extract this supplementary information from the prisoner using our, how shall we say, special techniques."

Through checker - now to assemble a team

We are enjoying our Christmas and New Year's present but find ourselves oscillating towards infinite series and worries about centripetal accelerations and oblate spheroids.  Can anyone save us from this torture?

Precious metal for the first survivor; fool’s gold for the second.

¡Feliz Navidad!