John Ratite's Custodia Islands Getaway [Round 11: Movement]]

[T McAy]

From the travel section of gl-postdispatch.com

*** SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY OFFER ***

IT’S TIME FOR A GETAWAY IN THE LUXURIOUS AND ENIGMATIC CUSTODIA ISLANDS

Reservations are now being taken for getaways on the newly opened Custodia Islands resort. Unbelievable travel fares are being offered as part of the resort’s grand opening. In Custodia, guest amenities are nonpareil and puzzles are coin of the realm.

The Custodia Islands are a chain of about one hundred small landmasses in the South Nonspacific Ocean. The island group is something of a mystery for geologists who cannot agree on how the chain was formed. Some believe that Custodia was created by undersea volcanic activity and others claim that the islands are rogue peninsulas that broke off from larger continents. More controversial theories mention pre-Columbian terraformers, extraterrestrial subcontractors and a collision between ocean freighters carrying World Almanacs and quick-drying cement.

Whatever the origins, the Custodia Islands are now the preeminent holiday destination for devotees of obscure facts and figures. This is largely due to the recent acquisition of Custodia by international puzzle resort developer John Ratite. According to Ratite, "Five-star hotels, relaxing beaches and stunning natural features are ancillary to the main attraction of the resort—the challenge of a trivia competition." Ratite is alluding to a challenge similar to his Fun House that opened last year. In that competition, visitors answered trivia questions in order to navigate through a large novelty house. The most successful navigator was awarded a prize. Ratite has promised that Custodia Islands visitors will participate in another round of questions and answers with more twists and a fabulous grand prize. "Well, even if the twists and prizes aren’t that great," adds Ratite, "it should still be better than, say, that one show with Kennedy."

Don’t let this opportunity for fortune, glory and really froufrou cocktails slip through your digits! Make your reservations for the Custodia Islands Getaway today! To make a reservation, post in this thread indicating your interest. In the post, please include the name of your home city, so that we know where to send your confirmation packet.

Reservations close Tuesday, February 25.



[This message has been edited by T McAy (edited 04-01-2003 10:29 AM).]

[RequiemEternam]

I would absolutely love to get away from the feet of snow covering the lovely city of Boston, Massachusetts, so please sign me up!

/in

[Qaqaq]

Well, as long as the cocktails are *really* froufrou, I'm in. One needs a break from the harsh winters of Fort Lauderdale anyway.

[Termital]

As it is, snow has covered every part of the country but Xanthi (Greece), but that doesn't make it much warmer. I'm surely /into tropical weather right now, and getting lost in a resort sounds a lot more fun than gettting lost in a sub-basement library.

[Dragon Phoenix]

Although spring could soon be upon us in Rouen, France I am in.

[mikeamok]

we recently got our biennial snowfall here in Killeen, Texas, and some of it even reached the ground this year. normally i would prefer the cold weather, but i am far too eager to embarrass myself to pass up such a competition of trivial knowledges.

[Pi]

Anything to take me away from Nottingham, England

[Corsato]

The sun is shining in Spijkenisse, The Netherlands.

[referee]

I wonder how this will work...
/in from Barcelona, Spain

[jadesmar]

/in from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

[Agamemnon]

The Lowenbrau is flowing in Munich, Germany
And the Ruddles® is flowing too in Gravesend, Blighty
Take your pick!

[Duphrates]

I shall miss the West Pennine chill. Nevertheless take me away from Manchester, England

[Tahnan]

Hey, Requiem, can I hitch a ride from Cambridge, Massachusetts as well?

[Mentat]

The honour of Glasgow, Scotland; must be defended.

[This message has been edited by Mentat (edited 02-20-2003 07:59 PM).]

[Saxifrage]

*blows the dust off* Haven't been around much lately. Buried under all the snow here in Cambridge, Massachusetts, I guess ... all the better time for a tropical vacation.

[Bozzball]

Looking out at the twelve foot of snow in Princeton, New Jersey, I feel the need for a getaway.

[mole]

And there's no snow whatsoever in Brisbane, Australia. Oh well.

[Hitchhiker]

Not that my home state is underrepresented here, but I'm sure I won't miss the snow of Boston, Massachusetts.

[jesternl]

Anything as long as it isn't as F*(&^%^#$ snowing, like it is in Buffalo, New York

[mikegoo]

Lovely and 55 (F) here in Denver Colorado but lovely and tropical sounds like a nice place to be /in now too.

[i_h8_evil_stuff]

freezing my rear off in Middletown, New York, stupid 3 feet of snow outside. i would love to go to a tropical island!

[PuzzleProdigy]

The snow has turned to rain, here in Charlottesville, VA

[Tablesaw]

I also haven't been around for a while. I'm not sure exactly why I'm joining this, since I can't think of any place where the weather is better than it is here in Los Angeles, California.

------------------
(It's the saw of the table!)

[Sofis]

While Uppsala is not fully as cold as my native Luleå, I won't mind a spell in warmer climes.

[T McAy]

Reservations for the Custodia Islands Getaway are made for the following players:

Agamemnon
Bozzball
Corsato
Dragon Phoenix
Duphrates
Hitchhiker
i_h8_evil_stuff
jadesmar
jesternl
Mentat
mikeamok
mikegoo
mole
Pi
PuzzleProdigy
Qaqaq
referee
RequiemEternam
Saxifrage
Sofis
Tablesaw
Tahnan
Termital

After the better part of a day’s worth of airport connections and customs inspections, the 23 visitors find themselves on a seaplane bobbing above the Nonspacific Ocean and starting a descent into the Custodia Islands. According to the in-flight magazine, the plane will be landing off the coast of Fedda Dusta, the largest island in the Custodia chain. The magazine also mentions that in addition to the main hotel, restaurants and shops, this island is largely consumed by a very extensive aviary.

The seaplane lands and the visitors are shuttled by motorboats into Fedda Dusta Harbor. The visitors walk across the street to the hotel, check in, and meet in the ballroom for a welcoming reception. There a buffet of mouth-watering island delicacies, but the turbulent day of travel has compromised most of the visitors’ appetites. After some conservative noshing the visitors decide to turn in.

In the morning the visitors take a short walk from the hotel and meet at an elaborate gazebo marking the entrance of the aviary. The visitors help themselves to some breakfast and read through the sightseeing brochures that have been left for them…


Welcome to the Custodia Islands…

My goal in designing this tropical resort was to create a world filled with amazing, exotic attractions all tied together by the knowledge of trivia. I hope you will all enjoy your stay, of course, some of you will have a longer stay than others. The one of you who manages to have the longest stay will be declared the champion and win a special prize.

For now, you have each been assigned to one of two tour groups based on the names of your home cities. Visitors whose cities have an odd number of letters have been assigned to the Lano-Catru group and those from cities with an even number of letters are in the Ocagru group. The Lano-Catru members are:

Bozzball (Princeton)
Corsato (Spijkenisse)
Dragon Phoenix (Rouen)
jesternl (Buffalo)
Mentat (Glasgow)
mikeamok (Killeen)
PuzzleProdigy (Charlottesville)
referee (Barcelona)
Saxifrage (Cambridge)
Sofis (Uppsala)
Tahnan (Cambridge)

and the Ocagru mebers are:

Agamemnon (Munich)
Duphrates (Manchester)
Hitchhiker (Boston)
i_h8_evil_stuff (Middletown)
jadesmar (Ottawa)
mikegoo (Denver)
mole (Brisbane)
Pi (Nottingham)
Qaqaq (Fort Lauderdale)
RequiemEternam (Boston)
Tablesaw (Los Angeles)
Termital (Xanthi)

These assignments may change later on.

The initial goal for each tour group is to be the first to reach Swepia, the second island in the Custodia chain. The way to do this is to explore the attractions on Fedda Dusta. "Signpost" maps (ones that give directions to adjacent points of interest) can be found at most of these attractions to help you navigate. When you visit an attraction, you may have an opportunity to answer a trivia question and win some Struthio coins, the monetary unit of the Custodia Islands.

Struthio coins have two uses. If a visitor wins some coins by correctly answering a trivia question, the money will automatically be added to a travel expense account for that visitor’s tour group. When a tour group’s expense account shows a positive balance any member of that tour group may use the money to purchase things, even if s/he was not the one who earned the money. The most important thing you will want to buy is transportation to Swepia. There are currently two ferries in Fedda Dusta Harbor and each is ready to transport one of the two tour groups to the next island. The fare is two coins per person. Also, the some of the directions on the maps found at the attractions have been covered with a gray film similar to that used on scratch cards. Visitors may use the coins to scratch the film off these maps and find directions to attractions that would have otherwise remained concealed. Note that a coin will only work on the map found at the coin’s original location.

Sightseeing will proceed in rounds. At the beginning of the round visitors will need to select a location to visit by posting the name of the location in bold. A visitor may choose any revealed location so long as an obstacle does not block the path. Tour groups may split up and a visitor may choose to visit a location that someone from the other tour group has already chosen. Each visitor will have 24 hours to choose a valid location. Visitors who do not choose a location within the time limit will be assigned to a location randomly or, if s/he has not made a movement choice two rounds in a row, returned to Fedda Dusta Harbor and transported home.

When all players have chosen or been assigned to locations the moderator will pose the trivia questions. Players will have 48 hours to post answers, or declare some other action, in bold text. A correct answer will award coins to a tour group’s bank account and reveal additional attractions on a map. If the visitors correctly answering a question consist of members of the same tour group then all the coins will go to that group’s account. If members of both tour groups are present then the coins will be split between the two accounts. An incorrect answer, or one not posted before the time limit, will cancel any awards. A round is over after the moderator verifies all of the posted answers/declared actions. Players can then select new locations and a new round will begin.

Visitors may communicate freely with each other to discuss general strategy. The exception to this concerns the answering of trivia questions. Groups of visitors answering at the same location may confer on a question before posting an emboldened answer, but no visitor may help any other player at a different location. Also, consulting outside sources is forbidden.

When a tour group earns enough money to book passage for the entire group to the next island then those tour group members should head for the harbor to purchase tickets. The second tour group to reach the harbor with enough money for passage must pay a penalty. The captain will not let the second-place tour group on board until the group votes for one member to return home. Details of the voting process will be provided later.

If at any point a visitor is "marooned" (on an island where the coin-earning potential is insufficient to proceed to the next island) then that player will be returned to Fedda Dusta Harbor and transported home.

An attraction that appears in bold on a map indicates that coins may be won at that attraction. Location selections and other actions made by the visitors occur in the order in which they are posted. The general deadlines for the game will be 24 hours for movement and 48 hours for answers/other actions. These deadlines may be extended if the game moderator has time conflicts. Constables are roaming the islands to answer any additional question visitors might have.

-- John Ratite


After going through the brochure, the visitors acknowledge the fellow members of their respective tour groups and decide on an attraction to visit first. The map at the gazebo indicates the path that returns to the Hotel/Harbor. It also mentions a bridge leading to the Ostrich enclosure, a trail to see the Emu pens, a pathway towards the Rhea circle and a tunnel leading to the Cassowary exhibit.

[RequiemEternam]

I think I'll go see the Ostrich attraction. You can't go wrong with the Ostrich!

[Dragon Phoenix]

I'll taste the emu, please...

[mikeamok]

eenie, meenie, minie... yadda yadda, Rhea.

good luck, all.

[Duphrates]

What on Earth is a Cassowary? Anyone...Anyone...Bueller?

[Duphrates]

Google teaches me something everyday.

[jesternl]

A cassowary is a bird, like the other ones..
I'm surprised that all three cloggies are in the same group...

I'l go visit the ostriches first.. I love ostrich steak

[Qaqaq]

Rhea for me

[jadesmar]

Rhea

[referee]

I'll visit the Cassowary

[Sofis]

I'll go with the Emu, please.

[This message has been edited by Sofis (edited 02-25-2003 03:04 PM).]

[Hitchhiker]

I'm taking the Emu trail, too.

[Agamemnon]

One will eat see the Cassowary thingy please.

[mole]

I'll take emu

[Pi]

Rhea for me too please, Sir.

[T McAy]

Round 1: Action

The following visitors have been randomly assigned to locations.

Bozzball (Emu)
Corsato (Emu)
i_h8_evil_stuff (Ostrich)
Mentat (Emu)
mikegoo (Ostrich)
PuzzleProdigy (Ostrich)
Saxifrage (Emu)
Tablesaw (Cassowary)
Tahnan (Emu)
Termital (Cassowary)

Visitors i_h8_evil_stuff, jesternl, mikegoo, PuzzleProdigy and RequiemEternam stroll to the Ostrich enclosure, where several of the majestic birds strut regally about. There is a pedestal holding two coins guarded by a rather militant ostrich. The guard bird wears a necklace with this inscription:

Contrary to popular belief, what do ostriches not do as a reaction to danger?

Visitors Bozzball, Corsato , Dragon Phoenix, Hitchhiker, Mentat, mole, Saxifrage, Sofis and Tahnan stroll to the Emu pens, where several of the majestic birds strut regally about. There is a pedestal holding two coins guarded by a rather militant emu. The guard bird wears a necklace with this inscription:

Of dietary supplement, human skin care or leather goods care, which would be the most likely application of emu oil?

Visitors jadesmar, mikeamok, Pi and Qaqaq stroll to the Rhea circle, where several of the majestic birds strut regally about. There is a pedestal holding two coins guarded by a rather militant rhea. The guard bird wears a necklace with this inscription:

What 5’1" actor/director is married to Rhea Perlman?

Visitors Agamemnon, Duphrates, referee, Tablesaw and Termital stroll to the Cassowary exhibit, where several of the majestic birds strut regally about. There is a pedestal holding two coins guarded by a rather militant cassowary. The guard bird wears a necklace with this inscription:

What sea flanks Australia’s Cassowary Coast?

Lano-Catru Balance: $0
Ocagru Balance: $0