Cryptic Clue Fest II

The Cryptic Clue Fest II is a puzzle-solving event held in a similar nature to the original Cryptic Clue Fest. It was released on August 20, 2010. Clues are revealed on the Cryptic Clue Fest II thread on the RuneScape Official Forums and image hints are revealed on the RuneScape Facebook Page.


 * An NPC clue points to the NPC players need to talk to.
 * These are revealed by the NPCs that take part in the event.
 * An item clue reveals the items needed to bring to the NPC.
 * These clues are released on the official RuneScape Forums by Jagex Moderators.
 * Noted items can NOT be used.
 * EXACT number of items has to be in the inventory. Any more or less will not work.
 * Players may also have other items in their inventory alongside with the required ones.
 * The NPC does not take the items, only look at them.

Players can proceed one stage of the event once a day, as soon as the new clues are released. They can choose to do all the clues on the final day. Players wishing to complete this task, however, must visit each of the NPCs in this mini-quest in the order that the clues were given. Attempting to skip ahead and talk to the NPCs out of order will simply give the player the normal dialogue, as if there were no event.

Forum clue
"my shopping list Remember tO Deliver Documents on thE way to the ClerK. Bucket RING mould 3 PIeces of caKE 2 ruBber tUbes Concentrated KhalphitE spiTS 10 FingErs from A newT HERbal teaS"

- Mod Mark H

Twitter hint
Look at what's obviously out of place and see what happens when you add them together!

Forum clue
Scrap 1

''..also features more displays on our rich history. Resident art critic Jacques is particularly proud of our rare painting of King Lathas of Ardougne! So whether it is part of an educational visit, a daytrip around the City of Varrock, or to make substantial donations, please don’t hesitate to visit us! ''

The first parchment seems to have been torn out of some form of advertisement for something.

Scrap 2

''Skyward hall of forgotten ages, 11 treasures stand in barless cages. Find included some calculus expounded, Compare conclusions with tables founded.'' Two of Treasure 1: X + (6x6) = 48 Five of Treasure 2: Y + (65/5) = 60 Eight of Treasure 3: 3Z + 51 = 150

''Note: Due to a slight oversight, non-members cannot access the location to solve this clue. However, Mod Mark H has posted a numbered layout to help solve this clue on the forum.''

Forum clue
...The Museum felt like a different place at night, the suits of armour stood like silent guardians warding against trespassers like myself and the full moon outside cast long shadows from the various display cases creating a labyrinth of shadows.

The clues in the statuette my contact as fiercely protected had led me here, and soon I had found what I was looking for; two tiles hidden in different places.

As I moved to a window to get some proper light, I heard footsteps from the nearby stairs. I leaped behind a display case to hide, peeking out slightly to see who was there. A figure in a dark cloak and hood appeared, I could see that they had a wicked looking dagger in their hand and they were scanning the room looking for something...no, not something, someone.

The figure moved closer and closer, I knew if I moved they would hear me and weaponless I wouldn’t make it to the exit, I was trapped. Then I heard another set of footsteps enter the room.

A flash of green light, a cry of shock and somebody falling down echoed in the room, leaping from my hiding place for the door I saw the hooded figure snared on the floor, a young girl with a handful of runes and a red hat stood by the door.

“Come on!” she shouted at me “We’ve got to get out of here before that spell wears off!”

We ran, bursting through the back door of the museum and making our way through the alleyways of Varrock till we reached a half-built house.

“We should be safe here for a moment, you need to figure out the next puzzle quickly!” the girl told me in gasped breaths.

I pulled the tiles out from my pouch and examined them;

Each tile featured a separate logic puzzle.

Forum Clue
...After solving the clues on the tiles I knew I would need to do some research in the city of Falador and Megan told me that she had hidden another clue in Falador castle.

I had discovered that Megan was the granddaughter of one of the secret society members and the task of protecting “the great secret” had fallen to her. She seemed trustworthy and I needed the help.

She led me to the majestic Falador castle and to the top of one of the towers. There a statue of a knight looked out over the city.

“Here, help me with this” Megan asked, a cheeky smile spread across her face.

She began pulling at a stone engraving on the base of the statue, as I helped we pulled it away to reveal a thin sheet of bronze hidden beneath the engraving.

However, as I started to investigate the relief, the trapdoor leading to the tower flung open and emerging from it was a rather mild-mannered man in a hideously coloured shirt.

“The secret will be ours” he hissed, pulling out the wicked looking dagger from a hidden sheath. He was the same man who had tried to kill us in Varrock, somehow he had found us.

We were trapped again, with nowhere to run. As the killer advanced on us, I glanced over the edge of the tower and thought of a daring escape plan.

“Do you trust me?” I bellowed at Megan, her faint nod was enough to encourage my actions.

Grabbing her arm I jumped off the side of the tower, the rush of air from falling was shocking, but nowhere near as shocking as the cold water of the moat surrounding the castle. I pulled Megan with me, desperately swimming to reach the side and clambered out.

When we finally reached safety, I examined the bronze sheet we had discovered;

Forum Clue
...The sun warmed my exposed skin as we made our way into Al-Kharid.

We had been traveling for a few days, pondering over the numerous clues and puzzles that had led us to this point. Megan and I were close to unlocking what this whole affair was about and we had escaped the man who had chased us through Falador and Varrock.

Megan told me we had to meet a contact here, somebody her grandfather had known. She pushed aside the curtain door of a nearby building and entered. Inside, a woman sat holding an ornate box.

“You have arrived at last” she said warmly.

“For too long, a group of us have protected an ancient treasure... a treasure so huge it would change the power structure throughout all of Gielinor. Its location has been kept a secret but now that secret is threatened by the people chasing you” as she spoke she handed the ornate box to me.

“You were chosen for your skills in unraveling these cryptic messages and puzzles. We need you to figure out the location of this ancient treasure, destroy the clues you have found and write new ones. We cannot allow this group to get a hold of any the clues leading to the treasure. You have proven yourself as a trustworthy and reliable person in your adventures and only you can be trusted with this.” When she finished she nodded towards the box, hinting for me to open it.

I opened it and inside I found an ancient looking tablet...

In magic’s square all paths connected, numbers 1 to 49 must be respected.

Crossed lines are the key, their total you must see.

What is hidden must be detected.



In this final hour I shall speak to you plainly.

When Magician’s Square and Scientist’s Mysteries are brought together, an answer you shall find in treasured grid below.When all keys are found seek me out and your journey shall be at an end.





Trivia

 * On the second day, the Y and the Z in the formula was originally posted as YX and ZX, which confused many players.
 * On the second day, free players were unable to complete the second clue without help in some way, since the numbers in the Varrock Museum display cases were not visible in free to play. This was later fixed by a table posted on the Forums showing a table and the display case's number.
 * When players talk to the NPCs, apostrophes in all contractions appear to be missing. This has not yet been fixed.
 * The quote "This belongs in a Museum" is a direct reference to Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade, appearing there twice, once in the beginning, once at the end of the movie.
 * There appears to be a glitch (or maybe it's intentional) with the third day clue, that if your mysterious book is in your POH toy box, you cannot get the pages added, unlike the second day clue, it didn't matter.
 * On each day, the forum post (chapter) has a title referencing various films, sometimes based on crime fiction novels. The name of the first chapter was "Lumbridge Confidential", referencing the film "L.A. Confidential", the second chapter, "Broken Arrow" references the film of the same name, the third chapter, "The Girl who played with fire runes" is an adaptation on the name of the film,"The Girl who played with Fire".The fourth chapter, "Between a Rock Crab and a hard place" is a reference to the phrase and possibly movie "Between a rock and a hard place"
 * The fourth clue sounds like the rhyme that had to be deciphered in the film National Treasure with Nicholas Cage which went: "The legend writ, the stain affected, the key in Silence undetected, fifty-five in iron pen, Mr. Matlack can't offend."
 * The fourth clue is also to reference to National Treasure in the scene where Riley has to solve part of the puzzle. They have to get letters off the Silence Dogood letters to find the next clue.
 * The hairdresser being the villain may be a reference to the musical and movie "Sweeney Todd" where he attempts to murder the people who put him in jail.
 * Only the investigator's trousers & hat appear in the toy box.
 * It appears that the person investigating Megan is Mod MMH in the Investigators Costume without the hat.