Cryptic Clue Fest III

This page is about the 2011 Cryptic Clue Fest. For the previous events, see Cryptic Clue Fest.

Old School RuneScape uses the British convention for floor numbering: Ground floor, first floor, etc.

The Cryptic Clue Fest III was a puzzle-solving event held in a similar nature to the original Cryptic Clue Fest and Cryptic Clue Fest II. It was released on 19 July 2011 and closed on 9 August 2011. Clues were released on the Cryptic Clue Fest III thread on the RuneScape Official Forums, with one clue per day released at 3PM UTC every day. The last clue was revealed on 24 July. Mod Kathy confirmed that the event would remain another week on 2 August.

• An item clue reveals the items needed to bring to the NPC.
• These clues were released on the official RuneScape Forum by Jagex Moderators.
• Noted items could not be used.
• Exact number of items had to be in the inventory. Any more or less will not work.
• Players could also have other items in their inventory alongside with the required ones.
• The NPCs took the items from you and you won't get them back.
• It was not required to go back to Avalani after obtaining each rock.
• Players could complete multiple clues in one day - clues did not need to be completed on the day they are released.

Clue 1: 19 July

Letter

Day One - "Avalani seeks help"

Ah ha! So you saw my advertisement did you? Roddeck suggested this would be a good way to find some adventurers that have the necessary skills needed for...

Well, never mind about that for now. I warn you though, the test I've created is incredibly hard. I don't want to sound immodest but when I put my mind to a task the results are often astounding. Don't be too hard on yourself if you fail, I doubt even Roddeck himself would find this easy.

If you happen to see any other adventurers you think are up to my mighty challenge, send them my way and I'll see if they are worthy.

Good luck!

Avalani

Ruin Specialist and Clan Historian

Clue

Tips

The first clue is a sentence which tells you to bring certain items to Avalani, but the letters are substituted. Every letter represents another one, for example every Y is actually an H or every A is actually a Z (this is just an example, and is not true in this clue). You must substitute the letters to solve the cryptogram. There is no consistency on the position in the alphabet in the switching of the letters. Another tip is to start with the small words, such as "PH" and "CX". There are few words that have two letters, so trying to guess "to", "of", etc. and see how that works out for the rest is a good idea.

NPC

The items need to be brought to Avalani in the western part of the Clan Camp.

Solution

Items to bring to Avalani herself are: 5 cabbage 4 onion 3 cow hide How to solve: All characters are swapped with another one, so the H could mean a P and a Y could mean a B (just examples). By trying to make solid words, you can fill in most of the encrypted file, and solve it. Used Symbols: B C E F H I J L M N O P Q R S T U W X Y h m d u o v y r g w b t a l c i f n e s Unused symbols: A K G Q R X Z This leads to the following solution: Encrypted: JHF NTRR WXXE PH OLTWM CX UTIX SQOOQMXY, UHFL HWTHWY QWE 3 SHN BTEXY Decrypted: you will need to bring me five cabbages, four onions and 3 cow hides The cabbages CAN be used from the cabbage field when you cabbage-port or just walk there, but not the cabbage at Draynor Manor. Noted cabbages, onions, and cow hides CAN be in your inventory. The required 5 cabbages, 4 onions, and 3 cow hides MUST be unnoted and MUST be exact in number. All items are close to Avalani. Onions and cabbages are in the garden south of Clan Camp and the Cow hides can be picked up from the cow pen at the crafting guild just west of clan camp.

Clue 2: 20 July

Letter

Day Two - "The Stone Tablet"

Avalani, daughter of the renowned gardener Gustav shunned life amongst the flowers to follow in her brother "Tim the Wizard"'s footsteps, although she wasn't as interested in Fire Strikes. Little did she know where this path would lead; certainly not to years of research into a non-functional portal located at the Clan Camp. She just couldn't shake the feeling that it was somehow significant.

All knowledge of the portal had disappeared into history and legend. Some say it was actually part of a magic mirror that was smashed after Guthix asked if he was the most beautiful in the land, while others thought that maybe the famed artist Goldy Andsworthy had created it centuries ago. But how does this tie into Avalani's request for help? You shall soon see...

Congratulations on solving the puzzle I gave you, I'm impressed that you managed to solve it so quickly. You are clearly the person I'm looking for to help me!

It's been three weeks since I was given this strange tablet and I'm still no closer to understanding the meaning behind the text shown. It was given to me by a most peculiar stranger. All they said to me was "Justice through his judgement". Useless really, why can't people be more direct? Why is there a need to be so mysterious?

Anyway, to the task at hand; here is the text shown on the stone tablet that I've transcribed for these 'forums'. Can you make anything of it? I certainly can't.

Avalani

Ruin Specialist and Clan Historian

Clue

Strange Vision

Oh, I almost forgot to mention; when I was examining the tablet I had a strange vision. Perhaps it will mean something to you. I'm quite good with a paintbrush, if I do say so myself.

Tips

It's a crossword puzzle. The hints say which word needs to be filled in where. For example, "Down - B5 (7 letters) - The capital of Misthalin." would mean that one needs to go to the B-column and go down to the 5-row. From there, the answer, that counts seven letters, in this case "Varrock", needs to be filled in, going down. This means the V is at B5, the A is at B6, the first R is at B7, etc. If it were across, the V would be at B5, the A at C5, the first R at D5, etc. All the answers relate to RuneScape. They can be items, NPCs, monsters, anything. The squares marked yellow tell which items need to be brought, when they are filled in. The number of the row in which the first letter of the yellow-marked word is tells the amount of the item needed. For example, if "cabbage" is in the yellow boxes and the C is at K6, six cabbages must be brought.

NPC

As the vision shows, the items need to be brought to Murky Matt (runes), in the south-eastern part of the Grand Exchange.

Solution

The items needed to bring to Murky Matt are: 2 loaves of Bread 5 Anchovies(cooked ) 1 Garlic The answers to the crossword puzzle are: Across: Across I1 (5 letters) - A wooden way of making food => GRAIN - the texture of the wood itself, and also the raw material used for making flour. Across A3 (4 letters) - A miner necessity for transporting => CART - As per the transport method between the Grand Exchange, Ice Mountain and White Wolf Mountain. Across K8 (3 letters) - A legal travel document => LAW - A teleportation rune type (thus the travel) and also, of course, a legal document. Across I10 (3 letters) - I hear you really have to work for this vessel => URN - Sounds like "earn" - work for, and you do need to spend some time training to fill the crafting urns. Across A6 (3 letters) - Initially an internal document that helps => AID - from the initials of An Internal Document. Across I3 (5 letters) - A stone who sells cold chocolate => ROKUH - an NPC that sells choc-ices and later on chimp-ices. Sounds like "rock". Across C2 (4 letters) - Forward is not how you wear this cape => BACK - Where you wear any cape. Down: Down K5 (7 letters) - The skill that never was => SAILING - Much clamoured for skill both before and after the release of Dungeoneering. Down G3 (5 letters) - Rune, Dragon, God, all warriors need one => SWORD - Rune Sword, Dragon Sword, Godsword... Down D1 (3 letters) - A cradle's owner in start of a disaster => CAT - Disaster is a synonym of CATastrophe. Also deals with the string game "Cat's Cradle". Down E5 (6 letters) - I hear a musical piece that has a ball => CANNON - References cannonballs and has the same sound and similar spelling as "canon," which is a musical form. A famous one is Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D. The solution placed into the crossword grid.

Clue 3: 21 July

Letter

Day Three - "Beadromancy"

Who would have thought that part of this portal would end up in such a place? And to try and sell it...the travesty! It's just lucky that no-one recognised the worth and power of this item. Why would they though? Until you brought it here it looked like a normal, boring, run of the mill, dull, grey rock. I certainly never expected the results of your find to affect the tablet directly, revealing this diagram.

What do you make of this? The structure of the clue looks familiar, I think this is an older version of the vastly popular "RuneSquares" game; something about no duplicates in each row, column and box or terrible things would happen...

Avalani

Ruin Specialist and Clan Historian

PS. If you're struggling to comprehend or solve the puzzles below, the two grids are called 'Sudoku' and 'Rune-Doku' which I know because I've had some experience with them before. Here is a handy page that will help you if you're not 100% sure. The 'Rune-Doku' is simply a 'Sudoku' with numbers being replaced by runes, the runes are Air Rune, Fire Rune, Water Rune, Earth Rune, Nature Rune, Body Rune, Cosmic Rune, Chaos Rune and Law Rune. Hope this helps!

Clue

Body = I7 | Fire = B1

"There are a lot of white keys and 1/4 of them are black. Where do they go?"

Hidden clue
*Highlight clue on forum to see this* "What is in chalices, seats and platters but not in urns, buckets or thrones?" | L - (X + X) - XXII

It captures you. It moves you. Then it's done. It tingles in the back of your head, tempting you to chase it. What is it?"

Hidden clue
*Highlight clue on forum to see this* "I am the beginning of the end, and the end of time and space. I am essential to creation, and I surround every place. What am I?" | X - (V + III)

"If you say my name I am no more."

Hidden clue
*Highlight clue on forum to see this* "What is the end of everything?" '| (X - VII) + (V - II) Strange Vision Again, I had a strange vision during the night. I've done my best to give an accurate picture of what I saw. I hope it's of some use to you.

Tips

You have to get none of the same runes/numbers in any row or column, you need to get the numbers 1-9/runes air-earth-water-fire-body-nature-chaos-cosmic-law in every row and column without repeating a number. It is a good idea to start filling in the 3x3 squares with the most runes in them, by checking which runes are not present yet and eliminating the spaces where they cannot be, due to the interference of the same rune in that row or column. Then, fill in the rows or columns with relatively many runes in them. Continue until the entire puzzle is filled in. Then check your answers to see if everything matches. The grid is defined by the Body = I7 and Fire = B1 found underneath both puzzles.

NPC

You need to speak with Wizard Mizgog on the top floor of the Wizards' Tower. Afterwards, visit Avalani again.

Solution

Items (no more, no less) to bring to Wizard Mizgog are: 7 water runes 4 fire runes 6 body runes One solution for the runedoku. The other solution is by swapping the chaos and earth runes in B4 with B6 and E4 with E6. The completed Sudoku puzzle. "There are a lot of white keys and 1/4 of them are black. Where do they go? Answer: D Major/Ionian Scale OR Bm Minor/Aeolian scale. "What is in chalices, seats and platters but not in urns, buckets or thrones?" Answer: The letter A. L - (X + X) - XXII Answer: 50 - (10 +10) - 22 = 8 Solution: A8 "It captures you. It moves you. Then it's done. It tingles in the back of your head, tempting you to chase it. What is it?" Answer: Dreams/Ideas. "I am the beginning of the end, and the end of time and space. I am essential to creation, and I surround every place. What am I?" Answer: The letter E. X - (V + III) Answer: 10 - (5 +3) = 2 Solution: E2. "If you say my name I am no more." Answer: Silence. "What is the end of everything?" Answer: The letter G. (X - VII) + (V - II) Answer: (10 - 7) + (5 -2) = 6 Solution: G6. The letter and number combinations directly correspond with a square on the Sudoku board and a rune telling you how many of each rune to bring.

Clue 4: 22 July

Letter

Day Four - "The Shiniest of the Shinies"

Hello adventurer, it's so good to see you again - ready for another I shan't wonder? The wizard was certainly generous in giving up his portal piece. The strange activity is getting more intense as we get closer to finishing the portal. I haven't had enough time to study an active rock to determine what type of magic it is, if it even is magic at all. It's certainly going to be causing some trouble if it gets any more powerful. The tablet has cleared up now and left a bamboozler of a clue, I had a fair idea on the previous clues but I am completely stumped by this one! I was never too good at treasure trails...

Avalani

Ruin Specialist and Clan Historian

Clue

Strange Vision

Ah, this appears to be a bit of a recurring problem. Here's another piece of my amazing artwork that came to me through a vision. They're vague, yet also clearer than before; it's enough to give someone a headache!

Tips

The pictures are treasure trail-style maps leading to respawn points for certain items, with a dice in the corner showing you how many of the item you need. One can use the world map to compare areas. As the event is for all players, the maps are limited to the free-to-play areas.

NPC

Take the items to the Gem trader in Al Kharid and then speak to Avalani again.

Solution

Items to bring to the Gem trader in Al Kharid are: 3 ropes 4 leather gloves 4 logs 2 mind rune The maps show the locations of an item spawn with the required number of that item shown on the top right of the map. The strange vision reveals the location where the Gem trader is found. The items to be brought to the gem trader can be discovered as follows: The first map shows Karamja and a die with number 3. In the general store (Musa Point), on the marked spot, a rope spawn can be found. Bring 3 ropes. The second map shows Edgeville and a die with number 4. In Edgeville, on the marked spot, a leather glove spawn can be found. Bring 4 leather gloves. The third map shows Draynor Village and a die with number 4. In Draynor, on the marked spot, a log spawn can be found. Bring 4 logs. The fourth map shows Lumbridge Castle and a die with number 2. In Lumbridge Castle, on the marked spot, a Mind rune spawn can be found. Bring 2 Mind runes.

Clue 5: 23 July

Letter

Day Five - "A Heavy Drinking"

Hello and welcome back to Avalani & Co Adventures, I thought of the name while waiting for the tablet's clue to clear up this morning. I think it really is a good representation of the amount of effort that we've put in to discovering the secret of the portal.

I was surprised at the side effects of having one of the portal pieces nearby, making things shinier than they would normally appear would certainly be a valuable magic. Due to the potency of these rocks, I can only foresee that obtaining the final pieces of the portal will be a challenge. There are other scholars, historians, wizards and - shall we say - entrepreneurs out there who would desire to have such abilities.

The latest clue has revealed itself on the tablet. Keep your wits about you; it's not only what you cannot see but also what you can see. (See, I'm getting good at this cryptic stuff!)

Avalani

Ruin Specialist and Clan Historian

Clue

The Gods toy with us, ferrying their messages to and fro.

Strange Vision

I had a vision, I'm an amazing painter - we both know the drill by now. Our priority must be completing the portal!

Tips

Go through all of the issues of a certain phenomenon on the RuneScape website (for which the hint is in the clue) and look up the four images and see what is missing. For the skill icon and numbers puzzle at the bottom, move the four squares so that the skills on the sides match up, e.g. the firemaking symbol needs a right and a left half to it. So if square A has the left half to the right and square B has the right half at its left side, then B must be right of A. That is, if the other skills match up. The symbols must be correct in the vertical and horizontal line in the middle. The ones on the border of the puzzle do not matter.

NPC

Talk to Barnabus Hurma in Varrock's Museum then go back to Avalani at Clan Camp.

Solution

Items to bring to Barnabus Hurma (found in the south-west of Varrock museum) are: 14 Air Runes (from issue 1) 2 Iron Pickaxes (from issue 7) 3 Empty Beer Glasses (from issue 24) 7 Knives (from issue 18) Images shown are from the God Letters section of the RuneScape website. Each is missing 1 item in the picture, except the first in which it is hidden by their scrambled editing of it. The 4 Tiles once they have been solved. The items missing from each image are (bring EXACT amounts of each item):

Clue 6: 24 July

Letter

Day Six - "Justice through his judgement" This is it. This is the day that all of my years of research and investigating can finally come to an end. It's almost a sad day for me; my research is what has kept me going for so many years. Whatever shall I do... Regardless, we need to get the portal finished and find out where it leads. My studies have led me to believe that it isn't to somewhere dangerous but I am not 100% on that. With a mysterious stranger, sparking rocks and stone tablet that can change itself at will - it's going to be something magnificent whether for good or evil. I'm hoping it's good though.

*you interject* When we open the portal to the wonderful gold-piece dropping tree realm, we'll be rich. Rich beyond our wildest dreams! It's amazing that you can even get out of bed in the morning never mind solving these clues. Here's the final clue, I hope you're up to the challenge.

Avalani

Ruin Specialist and Clan Historian

Clue

Strange Vision

I'm hoping this *is* the final clue, not only are the visions a little distracting but I'm beginning to run out of paint. Here is, hopefully, the final vision.

Tips

Each clue contains several smaller clues that combine together to form the necessary items. This is mostly taking out keywords from the clue and replacing them with words with a similar meaning.

NPC

Bring the items to Sir Vyvin in Falador (east side of the White Knight castle on the second floor) and return to Avalani for your rewards.

Solution

Items to bring to Sir Vyvin are: 1 Wooden Shield 6 Bronze swords 2 Goblin Mails (note: only basic/brown goblin mail, any dyed/coloured mails will not work) Wooden shield: (ghost speaking=>woo, lair=>den, told to be quiet=>shh, gave in=>yield+without a y = ield; wooden shield) Bronze swords: (sibling=>bro, New Zealand=>NZ, Spain=>ES, promise=>word; broNZE Sword) Goblin mails: (eating=>gobbling=>goblin, our arm=>armour; goblin armour) Be sure to bring exact numbers of each.

Bonus: 25 July

Letter

Day Seven - "Thanks for all the rocks"

Thank you so much for solving the clues and retrieving the portal pieces; the portal is close to fully repairing itself I think. I hope that you enjoy the reward that I gave you, it was the least I could do.

During the night, I had another strange vision but this time it wasn't of the world of RuneScape that we both know and love. This was a vision that I have only imagined but does look like what I have been studying for a number of years. Vast 'Citadels' in the sky, bastions of Armadylian power from an era long lost to us. I am not certain about this so I cannot go in to great detail at the moment, we will know more when the portal has finished calibrating and we step through. What do you think?

I'll continue to ensure that the portal is calibrated and I'll be here ready for when it is done. If I am correct about the 'Citadels', then it certainly would make a fitting home for the clans that have been created here at the Clan Camp. You will need to align your clan to a 'Citadel' through an ancient ritual but don't worry about that now, should the time come I have all the necessary scriptures to ensure a safe ritual - no-one will need to be sacrificed.

You should return tomorrow to me at the Clan Camp to see if anything has changed. For now, so long and thanks for all the rocks.

Avalani

Ruin Specialist and Clan Historian

Rewards

After finishing all clues and talking to Avalani, you will get:

	Avalani's hat
	Avalani's robe bottoms
	Avalani's robe top
	Rock fragment

• You can also claim the rewards from Cryptic Clue Fest I and II by talking to Roddeck. You will get the Investigator's outfit from him.
• You may also retrieve previous rewards by talking to Diango, but you must still talk to Roddeck to unlock the Sleuth emote on your Magnifying glass.
• You can also get a Magnifying glass from Diango after talking to Roddeck.

	Investigator's hat
	Investigator's coat
	Investigator's trousers
	Magnifying glass
	Mysterious Book

If you lose any of those items they can be re-obtained by speaking to Diango.

Trivia

• In each of the strange visions, a character wearing the Ghost costume can be seen. The character is wielding an Armadyl godsword, first seen clearly in the third vision (day four). This unidentified character gets clearer with every strange vision Avalani has. This may hint at a character from the future in allegiance to Armadyl , represented by the godsword, further hinted by Avalani when she said, "bastions of Armadylian power from an era long lost to us". However it has been stated in the August edition of the Gielnor Globe that this character represents a fallen armadyl warrior, as this is what Mod Timbo modelled it on, and was never meant to be anyone in particular.
• This is the first time an NPC is used on the forums.
• While speaking to Murky Matt, he claims he has not heard from Roddeck since he "promised to double his dubloons" This is a joke on Jagex's part poking fun at the popular "doubling money" scam. Upon giving your items to Murky Matt, he will claim that he "spent all [his] money on whiskey and beer." This is a line from the song "Wild Rover," performed by Týr and other bands.
• Murky Matt asks, when the player is done talking to him, "Where's all the rum gone?" This is likely a reference to Pirates of the Carribean.
• On the day of the update, the third clue (the Sudoku) contained 2 additional coordinate references for the number grid - "D3 = 2" and "G8 = 9", which did not tally with the results should the same coordinate system from the RuneDoku be applied to the number Sudoku after the required rotation, as G8 would have been 4 instead of 9. Jagex has since deleted these references as the people who followed the incorrect reference brought the incorrect quantities of items to the NPC, and accordingly alerted them to the error.
• On day four the first map location does not resemble the actual location in RuneScape, as the buildings are much smaller and do not retain the same shapes on the clue as they have in the game.
• When chatting with Avalani, if you have given her a stone, but have not obtained the next, the last conversation will repeat as if she never received it.
• Prior to the actual release of the reward, some players knew the reward by looking in POH toy boxes and QuickChat.
• It was theoretically possible to obtain the rewards during the day the Fest started, however this would require extreme luck since it is nearly impossible to guess the correct items to bring to the correct NPCs.
• When talking to Sir Vyvin, he states that he "will not bow down to this wizard from the South, last of a ragged house, bereft of power!", and also asks "Do you think the eyes of the White City are blind?". This is a direct reference, word for word, to Denethor, the Steward of Gondor, from The Lord of the Rings. Sir Vyvin also mentions that Avalani is the sister of "Tim the wizard." This is a reference to Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
• During a conversation with Avalani, she says that she would make sure that the player would get a reward for helping her, even if it was the clothes on her back, which is prophetic considering the fact that the reward for completing the event is a set of her robes.
• When talking to Barnabus Hurma, he will mention the player smudging up the display cases last year, even if they did not participate in Cryptic Clue Fest II.
• "So Long, and Thanks for all the Rocks" is a reference to a book in the "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" series titled "So Long, and Thanks for all the Fish".