Once more Merrick called me to the Vesper docks.  “Go speak to the mysterious man at the end of the docks.  Be careful”, he whispered.  I went to the docks end and found the mysterious man.  Laughing, he told me that the robe riddles were a test to see if I was in fact a worth competitor. “You have passed the test. In 14 cities I’ve left more clues.  Each surrounded by Star Sapphires.  Seek the clues but trust no one. Begin at the statue in Minco.  I’ve given you two clues.”  As I found the clues, I noticed that they each had a number. a letter and words.  The clue at Buc’s Den had an arrow leading through the gate. Going Through I found two more notes,  “Curiosity should be rewarded.” “White Beard Stole a clue.” That was worrisome.  At Serpent’s hold again I found an arrow.  This time it lead to a bag with a note, “A.M.E.L.I.A. is nice, isn’t she.”  That is a strange way to write a person’s name.

After finding all the clues I used the numbers to put the words into a sentence.  There are tongs in the city of Zento.  Each is worth more that gold.  While the letters said, “Remember Zuull”.  Off I went to Zento. Arriving at the spot where the tongs should have been, I found a note saying that they were in Vesper at the Deadly ……  At Vesper, I first looked at the pits, after all they are a place of death.  I found nothing.  Then I remember the weapon shop’s name was Deadly Intentions.  There I found 5 tongs.  Again the clues made a sentence. “Find the wise men. There are two wearing purple.  Seek the virtues but from a nearby distance as close as they can get.  Again I searched each shrine of virtue. At the shrine of Valor I found Zara the wise.  After telling her the word Zuull, she gave me a clue “2 men are looking for the treasure.” Then she would say no more.  At the Shrine of Justice, I found Kerby the wise.  He told me that there were 7 parts to the new clues and we had been deceived.  Again I reported to Merrick.  He pondered the clues.  Who was the man who had deceived  us.  Was it White Beard?  He had stolen a clue.  We seemed no closer to the treasure.