Find Me

[kestrelknight]

Partially inspired by Kikacat's "The Adventure", and partially by The Geoguessr Challenge.

Imagine, if you will, that you are sitting at your computer, happily playing a quick game of Mafia, when your phone goes off in your pocket. You ignore it, too absorbed in the game to be bothered with phone calls. Later, after you are brutally murdered, you check your phone to see who had called. It's an unknown number, so you dismiss it, and become involved with the game once more.

A few hours later, you're about to hit the sack when your phone rings again. This time, you pick it up.

"Hello? Please, you have to help me!" a female voice says, desperation clear in their voice.

"Who is this?" you ask.

"It's Kestrel Knight. Look, I know we've never really met, but you're the only person I can turn to! You have to help!"

Kestrel Knight? you think to yourself, the name sounding familiar.

"Aren't you someone I know from the BrainDen forums?" you ask.

"Yeah, I am, but I kind of urgently need help!" she tells you.

"What's wrong?" you ask.

"I've been kidnapped! I don't know where I am, but I'm calling from a payphone right now. It looks like an English-speaking country."

"Wait, how do you have access to a payphone?" you query, slightly confused.

"I escaped form the hotel room they've been keeping me in, but they're sure to find that I'm gone soon."

"Okay, describe your surroundings," you tell her, getting to the point.

"Well, I'm on a main street. There's a train station nearby, and there are a bunch of trams going around. There's quite a few people around. There's an ad for a website, and the extension is .com.au. Actually, this whole place is pretty familiar. I think I know where I am. Just, please, I need help, I'm being kept in a hotel somewhere near here, and I need you to find me. I don't know if my captors are going to move me, but will you help me?"

She's beginning to ramble now, and is obviously rather distressed.

"Absolutely. I think I might know where you are, too. I'll come get you as soon as possible," you say, trying to sound confident. In reality, you're not sure if you'll be able to help. You have no idea what she looks like, and you don't know her real name. You're not even sure where she is. But, hey, someone has to help her, right?

"Thank you! Well, I guess you'll need to know what I look like, huh? Okay, I've got--"

Kestrel is suddenly cut off in the middle of a sentence. You hear a muffled shout, then the line goes dead.

1. English-speaking country

2. Main street
3. Train station nearby
4. Lots of trams
5. Lots of people
6. URL extension for the country is .com.au

~~ Okay, people. I've been kidnapped. Your job? Find me. If it helps, you can start making guesses based on what I've told you, and I'll tell you how close you are. ~~

[Pickett]

Kenya

[kestrelknight]

I'm not sure whether you Googled that or not, but good job!

Next part coming soon, I have lots of work to do.

[kestrelknight]

Okay, I still technically have a lot of work that I should be doing right now, but this'll be a quick "chapter".

As your small plane touches down in Kenya, you can't help but feel a bubble of excitement in the pit of your stomach. You've never been closer to saving Kestrel - well, expect for that whole Mount Rushmore incident...

As you step out of the plane, the first thing you notice is the heat and humidity. You can already see the sweat patches that are bound to pop up all over you.

If you've been paying attention, you may have noticed somewhat of a theme throughout the locations that Kestrel has been taken. It's become more obvious as the game has progressed, but it's somewhat vital now to you taking the next step.

You're in Kenya, and so is Kestrel, but now you find yourself wondering, "Where now?"

So tell me, everyone... Where am I?

EDIT: Incidentally, I find it amusing that Weebl's "Kenya" is the first thing that comes up when you type, "free snorkel with every visit" into Google. Is there no place that actually supplies free snorkels with every visit? Clearly not. Frankly, it's outrageous.

Edited September 3, 2013 by kestrelknight

[OmegaScales]

Considering every location has been near something high (

Citigate Melbourne, Eureka Tower, Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore). I'm going to say Mount Kenya.

Another thing is that all the locations are rather widely known, so, going with the above as well, it may also be Mount Kilimanjaro.

[kestrelknight]

Not quite. The height was ab unfortunately overlooked coincidence. The second part of your guess was correct, though, so...

[kestrelknight]

Bump. Giving you the answer: Nairobi National Park in Kenya.

After being granted entry to the park, you automatically start listening for the familiar voices of Kestrel Knight and Demetri Noble. You also look for people wearing cliche tourist outfits.

You stand around for a few minutes, not hearing or seeing either of the two, when you hear a wonderfully cynical Australian girl say, "We're seriously going on a safari?"

You whip around as inconspicuously as possible. There stands Demetri, arms linked with Kestrel, who's holding a map in front of her face.

"Yes, we're seriously going on a safari. Would you rather I tie you up, gag you, and throw you into a freezing cold meat locker?" Demetri snaps.

"Actually, that sounds pretty appealing," Kestrel says, lowering the map slightly.

The two of them are wearing the stereotypical explorer outfits: All khaki shorts, short-sleeved shirts and pith helmets. You notice with a smile that Kestrel is toying with a plastic hatchet attached to her belt.

A woman approaches the two of them and asks for directions to the bathrooms. Demetri shoots her a death glare, pulling his own plastic hatchet off his belt.

The woman backs away, saying, "Sorry! I thought you worked here!" in a Canadian accent, before scuttling off.

"I told you the stupid outfits were a bad idea," Kestrel gloated in a sing-song voice.

"Right, no safari for you!" Demetri declared.

"Aw, boo," Kestrel said, pouting with mock disappointment.

"We're leaving. GOODBYE, KENYA!" he yelled, dragging her along as he stormed out of the park.

That was short-lived, you think to yourself.

Your phone buzzes again in your pocket. You take it out, hitting the 'View Message' button.

Ah, mon ami! C'est une bon journee en France! Vous devez nous rendre visite. Nous ne serons pas les seules choses qui sont cachées.

I did all that without Google Translate. Impressive, huh? You, on the other hand, may need a little assistance from every would-be traveller's best friend.

Okay, I managed the first three sentences without Google Translate. I'm still happy with that.

Edited September 8, 2013 by kestrelknight

[OmegaScales]

La première chose qui vient à l'esprit est le Musée du Louvre.

[kestrelknight]

Nope. Think about the last sentence. (No GT this time, too! )

[kestrelknight]

Bump.

One of my acountless friends has guessed the answer. Come on, guys.

Vous devriez vraiment rendre visite, parce qu'ils ont des pommes les plus étonnantes ici. En fait, je me sens un peu malade...

[RotationalSymmetry]

it's Disney Land in France!

(I don't know how to do spoilers)

[akaslickster]

Sidney Australia?

[OmegaScales]

Could it be Lourdes?

[kestrelknight]

Good job, newbie! (It's refreshing to see the newbies in the Word Riddle area.)

Yeah, I just read your name... *sigh* (Well, everyone else, I've officially gotten one of my friends to join the site.)

Next part coming soon! Definitely in the next two days.

EDIT: Typo.

Edited October 7, 2013 by kestrelknight

[akaslickster]

I guess no one got it yet. IDK

[kestrelknight]

Okay, so maybe two days was a little optimistic, but I'm aiming to have in done within the next actual two days.

Edit: And I will point out that RotationalSymmetry up there got the correct answer.

Edited October 14, 2013 by kestrelknight

[kestrelknight]

After flying to France, getting to Disneyland, waiting for an hour in a queue and paying 36 pounds, you're finally inside. You're so close to catching up to Kestrel and her kidnapper. You can almost smell the reward money. As you wander through the attractions, looking completely inconspicuous, you're listening for the familiar voices, and looking out for people who looked so impossibly cliched-ly touristy that they had to be fake.

After hanging around for half an hour, you get the feeling that something's up. Usually you would have either seen them, or KK would've made contact by now.

Perhaps they've moved on... you think to yourself. Or maybe he's killed her! Or maybe they...

Your worried thoughts are interrupted by a loud giggle and a flash of bright pink. You look down at a feminine blob on the ground in front of you. An angry British man is standing over her, motioning to his left foot.

"Get up, my dear. We're going on the Disneyland Railroad," he tells her through clenched teeth.

A small crowd has gathered around his fallen companion, the aforementioned pink blob. It appears that the guy has managed an even sillier outfit, as Kestrel in dressed in a hot pink onesie that's three sizes too big, and baby pink uggs.

"Hey, ya dingus! You said we were getting ice cream!" the blob cries, raising an indignant arm, but staying on the ground. You're not really sure if she's seen you. She doesn't seem like she has, but she could be playing dumb.

"Do you want to throw it up again?" he asks, with a pointed look to his left boot.

The girl glances around, and then spots a security guard in the concerned crowd.

"Excuse me, sir, but that crazy man has a gun concealed in the sole of his left shoe. That's what he tells me, anyway. Personally, I think he should've used a bomb. That would've been so much more fun," she tells the guard.

Her captor freezes in place, feeling unnaturally vulnerable under the stares of tourists and French people - most of whom also freeze. Suddenly, he grabs Kestrel's arm and makes a run for it. Something tells you he's going to get away again. As she's being dragged off, Kestrel catches your eye and mouths, "I'll text you!" before disappearing into the crowd.

That's the last you hear from her for a week. After the first two days, you decide it would be best if you headed back home, so you catch the first flight back to [insert your town name here].

Once safely at home, you wonder if you should contact the authorities. Of course, they would know that Kestrel was missing, but would they know about your frantic hunt around the globe for her? Would they know that she pinned her life on someone she'd never met. You begin to wonder why she would trust you that much.

You continue like this for a few days, deciding that - for Kestrel's sake - the Police should be left in the dark (for now). Until you receive another clue, it would be pointless to try and find her. You're not made of money; it's a miracle that you've been able to afford every flight you've already been on. You only feel comfortable with two more flights - one to Kestrel, and one back home.

You're not sure why, but you know that this will be the end of it all.

That's right, everyone. This is the last puzzle - so give it your all. It was so much fun to make. (And in case you don't sense my sarcasm, it was a massive pain in the butt. But it'll be worth it.)

53. 75,14,DE. 49. A. 57,60. 90,85. 90,E,39. 90,8,92,G,1,T. 9,18. A,74,A,39. (comma)

5,92,T. 90,E. 74,8,RLD. 90,85. 90,E,39. 19,7,E,74. 74,33. A. 3,E. (period)

53. 95. 34,E,7. 5,39. 16,8. MA,7,39. (comma) T,88,M,15,LED. DA,39. A,9,52,R. DA,39. (comma)

A,7,D. 95. 9,92,LL. 8,9. 90,70,E. 74,67. 16,A,53,D. G,8,8,D,5,39,E. (period)

[RotationalSymmetry]

KestrelKnight, there is a typo. In the last line, it says 90,70,E. It should be 90,76,E. I've worked it out already but I think I'll let others try.

[kestrelknight]

KestrelKnight, there is a typo. In the last line, it says 90,70,E. It should be 90,76,E. I've worked it out already but I think I'll let others try.

Thanks for pointing that out (assuming that's right) and for not giving away the whole thing. (I discussed my code with her.)

On another note, I thought you were sick. T_T

Edit: Checked, and RotationalSymmetry is correct. That should read "90,76,E"

Edited October 15, 2013 by kestrelknight

[kestrelknight]

Let me know if you need a hint. I can wait.

[RotationalSymmetry]

*bump*

[kestrelknight]

Congrats to Pickett for decoding it over on the Logic/Math section! Here's the uncoded message:

I reside in a land that they thought far away,

But the world that they knew was a lie.

I am seen by so many, trampled day after day,

and am full of those who said goodbye.

[Kikacat123]

A cemetery? ("Full of those who said goodbye") Or maybe the Great Wall of China? ("Trampled by many, far away")

[kestrelknight]

*applauds*

Yay! It's the Great Wall of China! I wanted to put a "supposedly" before the "full"; however, I wciuldn't make the rhythm work with that addition. Epilogue coming soon.