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The Hobbit #02 - Roast Mutton (the Trolls) Mystery Cache

This cache has been archived.

OReviewer: As there's been no cache to find for a long time or has had no owner response for at least 30 days, I'm archiving it to keep it from showing up in search lists, and to prevent it from blocking other cache placements.

Please note that if geocaches are archived by a reviewer or Geocaching HQ for lack of maintenance, they are not eligible for unarchival.

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Hidden : 1/20/2013
Difficulty:
3 out of 5
Terrain:
1 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

Second cache in the "sequel" to the LOTR series here in northern DE. You do not need to find all the caches in order, but the numbering scheme follows the progression of the story. You must find the first 12 caches and gather the clues to unlock the final cache: "The Last Stage". Please see the Intro and Helpful Info page for, well, some helpful info. The first stage is NOT at the posted coordinates, but they are a good place to start your search.

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After reluctantly being convinced by Gandalf and the dwarves to go along on their silly geocaching adventure as their "professional" burglar/cacher, the 14 of you set out from Hobbitton to make your way to the Lonely Mountain. After slogging all day through the muck and mire, being a long way from home, and missing second breakfast, elevensies, and afternoon tea, you and the company could sure use a hot meal and a warm fire. Things are so wet though, that the dwarves, who are known among other things for their ability to start fires in even the worst conditions, are having trouble getting one lit.

Off in the distance, you spot a faint orange glow and hear murmuring voices. Are these friends, or foes? As the appointed burglar, it's your duty to scout things out and report back what you found.

As you creep closer, you see that it is indeed a fire, but the creatures around the fire are certainly not of the friendly type, being trolls and all. These trolls had been eating nothing but roast mutton for the last week and were ready for something else. It's one thing to get caught by a muggle right as you make a grab, but it's an entirely different ordeal to be caught by a TROLL muggle. Don't let that happen...

You have heard that trolls sometimes carry a very special cache, and being a burglar of sorts, you think it's time to earn some cred with the dwarves, so you decide to try your hand at pickpocketing.

This is not the best time to learn that you're not actually a very good burglar, and you are quickly caught. The trolls, named Bert, Tom, and Bill, begin to fight over you, and after Bert puts his fist in Bill's eye, they drop you and you are able to scamper into the woods. The dwarves come to your aid, and end up getting caught themselves. With all the dwarves sitting around the fire in cloth sacks, the trolls argue over whether to roast them now and eat them later, mince them and boil them, or sit on them one by one and squash them into jelly.

After a lot of arguing, they finally decide to roast them now. "No use roasting them now, it'll take all night!" said a voice, whom the other two thought was Tom.

"Now don't start the argument again, or it will take all night" said Bert, who thought it was Bill who spoke.

"Who's arguing?" said Bill.

"You are!" said Bert.

"You're a liar!" said Bill, and the fight started all over again. In the end, they decided to mince them and boil them, and started to get out their pots and knives.

"No use boiling 'em! We ain't got no water, and it's a long way to the well." said the voice again.

"Shut up!" said Tom, "or we'll never be done!"

"You're a booby!" said Bill.

"Booby yourself!" said Bert, and the third round of "Who's on first?" was underway. After a long while, they came to the agreement that they should sit on them and squash them into jelly. But which one to sit on first? You see where this is going, so I'll spare you the rest of the narrative...

"Dawn take you all, and be stone to you!" said the voice, whom we now know belongs to Gandalf. Just then, the rising sun over the trees cast it's first rays on the trolls, and all 3 were immediately turned to stone.

Before moving on, the company decides it would be best to raid the trolls' supplies, for trolls are known to keep great hoards of treasure that they plunder from folks passing through their lands. As Gandalf and the dwarves begin looking for the trolls' cave, you remember the cache that you tried to burgle from Bill earlier.

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The first stage is not located at the posted coordinates, however there you will find "Bill", who is also known as William Julius "Judy" Johnson, standing in the very spot and the same pose he was in when the sun arose. By standing within the circle of "light" nearby surrounded by the "red" glow of the fire, the location of the first stage will line up with the toes of Bill's left foot. No need to disturb any of the bushes or landscaping. That cache will then lead you to the troll's treasure, but beware, there is a troll "Saint" guarding their treasure who attempts to lead you astray.

Congrats to GreatOdyssey on the FTF!

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

[Stage 1 puzzle]: "Yvtug" naq "erq" ersre gb gur oevpxf. [Stage 1 container]: Zntargvp, jvgu "culfvpny yvzvgngvbaf". [Final]: Syvc gur "Fnvag'f" neebj naq vg jvyy cbvag gb gur pnpur.

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)