#Kapu box

[notprincehamlet]

#cluecrewplaythru: the creature of kapu cave

say aloha to trouble in paradise!

[favcolourrvibgior]

NandhininKarikalan~ Chapter 15

•A Familiar Face •

In the house back at the temple,

Afternoon,

The newly married couple were sitting down on the floor. They had completed the wedding rituals which were conducted by Urvashi.

" Karikalare please listen to me let's stay here for a few days and then go to Thanjavur" requested Nandini. But Karikalan was not in the mood to listen to Nandhini.

" No Nandhini, I don't want to make the same mistake that I did last time, You are coming to Thanjavur with me tomorrow morning that's all," told Karikalan.

"But- " Nandini wanted to protest but Karikalan interrupted her" No buts' Nandhini we are going to Thanjavur tomorrow and that's my order, not a request".

___________________________

At Night,

She knew that it was foolish to protest him. Urvashi came to the house with food in Areca Leaf Plates( Paaku Mattai Plate).

Karikalan had slept due to the activities in the morning. He had his head leaning against the wall. " Karikalare wake up, have your dinner" called Nandhini's as she gently shook his shoulders.

Karikalan slowly opened his eyes and got up, he sat down in the centre of the room Nandhini started serving the food to Karikalan. Karikalan started to eat it.

Nandini looked at Karikalan, at Urvashi and asked Karikalan "Karikalare, can I keep a request".

Karikalan stopped eating and looked at Nandhini "Stop being formal Nandini, I am your husband I will do anything for you" said Karikalan smiling.

"Can we take Urvashi with us to Thanjai even she would want to see the beauty of Thanjavur?" Asked Nandhini. Karikalan thought for a second and replied " If she and her parents are okay with it then she is free to come with us."

Urvashi was frozen she didn't know that Nandhini would take this decision. Nandhini gestured for Urvashi to say yes by shaking her head " I am grateful to come to the god-blessed land, Thanjai. "

" Then I have no objection, you are free to come with us," told Karikalan as he resumed eating.

Karikalan finished eating, and Nandhini was busy preparing a bed for Karikalan to sleep. Urvashi was still in shock she didn't know what to do, she ran away from the house to the palace crying.

She went inside her chamber and burst out in tears. She went near her dressing table and took the box that had the kapu given by Amarabhujhangan. She took it in her hands kept it near her chest and cried.

"Will we ever meet again Amarabhiujhangare? I will be going to Thanjai tomorrow morning and I won't be able to come to Pandiya Nadu Until Akka's mission is accomplished." Weeped Urvashi.

On the other hand, Nandini finally finished preparing his and her bed, she was about to sleep but before she could. Karikalan came close to her which made their noses brush, Nandhini took a step back.

" What are you doing karikalare?" Asked Nandhini in a whisper. " Am I not supposed to be close with my wife?" asked Karikalan.

" You can be but that is all after we go to thanjai." Replied Nandhini as she sat down to sleep.

" Come on Nandhini " pleaded Karikalan. " First to thanjai and then let's think about it, " Nandini told smugly. Karikalan whined like a child.

He knew that he wouldn't be able to change Nandhini's decision. He sighed and lay down. Nandini blew the lamp and whispered good night to Karikalan.

Nandini pulled her blanket up and turned to face the other side, that is towards the wall and slept. Karikalan on the other hand couldn't sleep, he frequently kept glancing at Nandhini.

_________________________

The Next morning,

Nandhini woke up to the Rooster's crows. Nandhini looked beside her to see it empty. Karikalan was not there.

The thought of Karikalan leaving her came to her mind ' If he leaves me here then everything will be spoilt' thought Nandhini as she started searching for Karikalan.

Suddenly he emerged out of nowhere and stood before Nandhini. Nandini sighed in relief, " Where were you karikalare? " Asked Nandhini.

" I went to make a special arrangement to take my wife to thanjai" replied Karikalan. "What have you done" asked Nandhini who was spooked out.

" You will know, take these and go, get ready," told Karikalan as he grinned, he had slik cloth with something in it.

Nandhini looked at him suspiciously and opened her eyes widened in shock, her mouth went wide open," Karikalare these jewels and the silk clothes, where did you get these from?" Asked Nandhini in shock.

" I brought it all the way from Thanjai," told Karikalan. " Stop kidding, Tell the truth Karikalare," asked Nandhini still looking at the jewels.

" I swear, I brought it from Thanjai with me when I came, I have to take my wife to my palace, how can I take her to Thanjai in these Kavi clothes, Tell me " explained Karikalan.

A smile emerged on Nandhini's face upon hearing the reply. " Ok, go fast and wear them, you have another surprise on the way," told Karikalan.

Nandhini looked at him confused, before she could start protesting Karikalan sent Nandhini inside the house to get ready.

By the time Urvashi came there, she saw Karikalan sitting near the pond and throwing stones in the water. Karikalan noticed Urvashi, he knew why she came, to meet Nandhini.

" Urvashi, Nandini is getting ready inside she told me not to let anyone inside" informed Karikalan. Urvashi heard this and started to leave but Karikalan stopped her. He brushed some dust off his hands and clothes as he got up.

Urvashi turned towards him. Karikalan saw Urvashi's bloodshot eyes and asked " Were you crying, Urvashi?". Urvashi nodded a no but her eyes clearly showed the truth.

"Don't lie, Urvashi, did someone do or say something? " Asked Karikalan. " No Anna" replied Urvashi with her head down.

Just as he was about to ask the next question, The house's door opened to reveal a Royal Nandini. Karikalan's mouth hung open. Urvashi went to Nandhini and hugged her and told her that she looked very beautiful. Karikalan kept staring at her. He finally came out of his dreamland.

He was speechless. " Are you Goddess Sita?" Asked Karikalan. Nandini punched Karikalan playfully.

" Well, I have another surprise to give" told Karikalan. Karikalan started walking towards the entrance of the temple, he asked Nandhini to follow him.

When they reached there, they saw a big elephant decorated with flowers and ornaments. " What is this karikalare? " Asked Nandhini in awe.

"Chola Nadu's pattathu Yanai has come to take The pattathu Arasi to Thanjavur," told Karikalan. " But what is the necessary of this karikalare." Asked Nandhini.

Nandhini turned towards Karikalan" Please send this back and bring a palquine instead " requested Nandini.

" No," told Karikalan strictly.

Nandhini sighed in defeat. She agreed to come to Thanjai with this elephant. Karikalan helped Nandhini Climb the elephant.

Nandhini sat on it. After getting the order from Karikalan to go forward the yaanai pagan moved the elephant.

It was nearly noon when they reached Thanjai

____________________________

At Thanjavur,

The trumpets blew as the elephant carrying Nandhini, Karikalan's horse entered the streets of Thanjai. People were gathered to see the new queen.

The news of the arrival of the new crown princess spread like a fire in the palace. In the entrance of the place stood sembian madevi with all their glory.

Sembian Madevi had a platter of Arthi in her hands. The elephant was stopped right at the entrance. Nandini looked around and tried to get down, karikalan got off his horse and helped her.

Nandhini got down, karikalan held Nandhini's hands tightly and walked towards the entrance. Nandini brought her palms together to greet her( Sembian madevi).

Sembian Madevi on the other hand looked at Nandhini as if she had seen a ghost. Nandhini and Karikalan touched her feet to get her blessings. sembian madevi still was in some shock," Periya Pirati, bless us " requested Karikalan. Sembian Madevi kept her hand on their head and blessed them.

Sembian Madevi welcomed the new couple by the Arthi. Nandhini was taken inside by some royal women, Karikalan was about to follow them but Sembian Madevi stopped him. She passed the arthi platter to a maid and walked inside with karikalan.

" Do you even know what you have done?" Asked Sembian madevi to karikalan. "Pirati I love her, so I married her what is the mistake in that? " asked Karikalan.

" Do you even know who she is? You told me that you got a letter from Arunmozli saying that he wants someone to accompany him to war. You lied to us for her? Did you go to meet her? " Sembian madevi threw the question at Karikalan.

"Yes know who she is, I did lie to everyone because if you knew about her you would try to separate us saying that she is an orphan. I didn't want that to happen so I married her. " Replied karikalan to all the questions.

Karikalan and Sembian Madevi who were stood near the pillar at the entrance. Heard the sound of things falling from the king's chamber.

Sembian Madevi and Karikalan looked at each other and rushed to the king's chamber. Nandhini had been taken to the king's chamber by the women to introduce her.

Sundara Chola's eyes were filled with shock and fear he started to push things around in disbelief, the only word that came out of his mouth was"Mandakini!"Before he lost his consciousness.

Hope you liked this chapter!!!

@ambidextrousarcher @celestesinsight @dr-scribbler @nature-writes29 @nspwriteups @ragkee @sambaridli @sakhiiii @sowlspace @thereader-radhika @thelekhikawrites @vijayasena @vibishalakshman @willkatfanfromasia @whippersnappersbookworm .

[brooklynislandgirl]

Your answers to the LGBT muse meme whatsit were fascinating and I'm SO curious -- was there a specific moment Beth clocked that her feelings towards Ron had shifted towards romance, or was it a gradual building up of things or...?

Thank you, darling. We appreciate that. Though she's grown in some ways and changed in others from the moment of her conception on far distant, actual paper shores, I've striven to be true to her and to her internal consistency. That being said. I would have to say as with all things deeply emotional with Beth, it was gradual as arctic ice. The very first minutes of their meeting were deeply fraught with not a small amount of terror. His mien, his vocal timbre, maybe the gun...certainly didn't foster any more truer feelings than fear, regret, and maybe a little exasperation for even finding herself in the path of Hurricane Kanuha. Quickly though he put her at ease well enough with a Claude, a fire place, and a lovely cuppa on a cold, rainy, and nerve destroying night. Riley will probably shank me for saying this but I don't think he would have been unfazed with Cellar-Ron. I know she felt terror again to come face to face with a certain Panini in place of her flower growing, chocolate flake sharing publican, and the immediate worry for his absence, made only slightly less harrowing by the letters they wrote during Ron's mental health recuperation. There has always been a notable difference between the Twins for her. I maintain she can spot a Ronnie at a hundred paces in difference to Reg, and she a: finds Ron to be the more attractive brother, the taller one, the broader one, and generally the better fighting man, bless Frances and all. Perhaps the moment of feelings changing which largely went unnoticed by our intrepid pair came when she would sit on the bar-back and pin him between herself and the counter with her legs, while striving to study for her citizenship application. She'd already decided that Ron was really quite friend-shaped, as lovable and affable as any of the dogs. Forgive me if I don't recall if this was before, during, or after the gift of a Noe in her life, but a sign of deep trust and affection for Beth is to allow anyone to be that close to her scar, that they could reach out and touch it. The scar is both traumatic and kapu in her opinion. Sharks are a man's 'aumakua, and to be so permanently marked by one carries both the taboo and the sacred in the word Kapu and she doesn't really feel comfortable letting anyone, not even Andy, touching it. Maybe the moment of being stricken by lightning, and the moment her heart seized up in wonder, that she saw Ron with entirely new eyes...shaken to her foundations, though, was when John turned up. He was the entire reason she'd come to England in the first place. He'd gotten so deeply under her skin, and maybe because he had been the first to tell her that she was loved {or more correctly, and she'll never admit to this before God or anyone else... she'd asked him to love her, and his reply had been 'God help me, but I do'.} that she'd imagined John being the only one who would. But then Ron defended her when John rejected her as a student and as anything else. He'd stood his ground like some fantastical knight if for no other reason than he could see just how dejected she was, and that was the first time she'd seen him ~Ron~ act like that. And for her. Then there was the boxing event. You know of which I speak, and that was a moment where Beth understood very clearly what the meaning of Want was. She doesn't have a single ounce of self preservation in her body when she can see both Ron and Mr Kray at once.

[ask-the-usa-manor]

Does anyone practice martial arts?

“As of right now? I guess Oklahoma has his Chuck Norris System… Whatever that is,” Minnesota answered, “Arizona made Shuri-ryū, Delaware made To-Shin Do. Occasionally Pennsylvania and Nevada like to box—”

“And Hawaii made American Kenpo and Kajukenbo!” Wisconsin interrupted excitedly, “She has Kapu Kuʻialua too!”

[keena-kapu]

I'm not too familiar with the politics of the British royal family, but did Harry really say that the rest of his family killed his mom?

He hasn’t outright said it but it’s long been a conspiracy theory that the Royal Family had something to do with princess Diana’s death, so the phrase “I will not be bullied into playing the game that killed my mum.” seems to certainly insinuate that.

[relatablepicsofblakebelladonna]

H....he....Hewwo?

[ndconceptarchive]

I love this cover despite the fact that I really don't like this game. Really, it's too epic in comparison to the game we got but still.

If you would like to print out all the games for a shelf display, the link for that is here.

Featured artist: The first image was created by Mark Tolleshaug.

The vintage classic game version was edited by Calina Herman/Little Jackalope in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Nancy Drew games in 2018.

[seksipomminpurkaja]

Imagine my horror when i accidentally dropped my friend’s new puppy because i forgot i cant simply drop dogs like i would drop my cat

[corgi-kid-blog]

Wait what happened?!

it’s not something I would discuss publicly but it has effected me quite a lot. Writing is still going to happen, but it may be restricted to just AO3 and Fanfic.net now rather than tumblr uploads.

My username for both of those is yinyangbangbang if anyone is interested.

[you-have-made-a-fatal-error]

the case for a kapu cave easter egg

(for the case for a shadow ranch easter egg go here for p 1 and here for p 2)

as is the case with SHA we have an achievement:

and an egg listed in the developer box (this time in the ‘Inventory’ tab):

and we also have outside confirmation from the amateur sleuth blog c.2014 that there were plans to include easter eggs when the game was in development. but where does that leave us now?

first, let’s recap what the amateur sleuth blog covered - I took the time to check this out myself too. what can i say, it’s been a long pandemic. (I write as though this wasn’t the type of shit I was up to when we were allowed to do things like ‘go outside’ and ‘see people’).

the amateur sleuth blog noted that the egg might be connected to the trinkets at the immersion center and/or the lockers at the hilihili

the ‘trinkets’: all the non-essential things you can buy with your big island bucks (hula doll, coconut monkey, ukulele) AND the alternate prizes from the wiki-tiki game (key chain and ‘unlucky’ volcanic rock). (note: there is a seperate sassy detective award ‘Trinket Tycoon’ in the games files too, which suggests that trinkets and easter eggs might be different things, but that’s not confirmed)

the lockers: the employee info on dr craven’s tablet  includes the following listings which seem suspicious/promising:

but i’ve opened their lockers - and all the other ones - with no success. (note: the combo for locker 16 is not listed correctly in game. the correct combo is 2-7-6-4).

if you check the box next to the egg listing in the dev box it does show up in your inventory, at which point you can do the ctrl + v thing from dog, idk if there are any interesting messages to be had

--

so where does that leave us?

I want to do back to the Easter_Egg listed in the dev box inventory list. it’s interesting that most of the list is in alphabetical order, and that the potential egg is one of a few exceptions. they are: 1. nancy’s case file (picked up frm nancy’s desk at the start of the game) 2. Egg of Mystery 3. the ‘nose ring’ that unlocks the teeth in kapu cave (taken from quigley’s backpack) 4. melted shave ice (happens if frank or joe has a shave ice in their inventory for too long) 5. the eyedropper from QK’s lab setup - this never enters the inventory (you get an empty-but-clickable inventory box if you add it using the dev box), but nancy uses it when identifying the moth larvae’s food source 6. QK’s tape recorder 7. the number cubes from the kapu cave puzzle (also do not show up in inventory) it’s interesting, but do i know what it means? nope, sure don’t. likewise, no clue if/how it’s significant that entries 1->4 on this list are alphabetized while 5->7 are not.

I’ve also wondered if the easter egg is tied to the mystery lever in the room behind the fertilization station at the hilihili

while the left and right levers trigger lights in the little plant cells along the back wall, the one in the center triggers nothing but a very unpleasant audiofile called “PigSqueel.his” - but I haven’t been able to trigger the egg with it either.

one more point before I finish up, there are definitely unused bits and pieces within CRE’s video and audio files. there are dialogue bits between nancy and the hardy boys that mention taking and sending photos of vegetation near the frass traps and the carved face in kapu cave- though these bits were recorded, nancy can’t even take pictures using her phone in this game. and then there’s this from the developer box ‘Events’ tab:

a crossbow?? what crossbow??? I’ve gone through the audio and video files and haven’t found a trace of one.

maybe the easter egg was just one more thing that didn’t make it into the final product? and yet it would be the only thing on the inventory list that isn’t.

for the record i have tried checking off every item on the ‘Events’ list and none of them caused an egg to pop into my inventory. 

for now, it seems the existence or non-existence of the kapu cave eater egg apparentely remains a mystery.

[hotchkiss-and-tell]

Nancy’s Key Collection

The Creature of Kapu Cave = 3 keys

(Joe is willing to share the key to Mike’s back room for Nancy’s collection)

[naancydrew]

anyone want to talk about nancy drew game interfaces? im fascinated by how they’ve changed over the years. im trying to analyze this based off of a designer’s standpoint and a player’s. read on after the cut! and tell me what your favorite interface is and why!! 

we have the classic interface that ran from #1 secrets can kill 1998 - #9 danger on deception island 2003. 

barely any actual game is taking up the screen but theres a nice big text box and you can very easily get to your inventory. no phone icon since nancy only had a cell phone in a few of the games. i love the green that we have here, the huge chunky fancy-ass scroll bars are amazing and so classic nancy. to top it all off we get silhouettes of the woman herself and the little flourishes and textures just give you such a tangible mystery solving feel. of course this is accompanied by the most iconic looking and unfortunately clunky menu screen (but menus will be another post maybe) 

then they took the old one and made it smaller for #10 secret of shadow ranch 2004 - #15 the creature of kapu cave 2006. 

thankfully the entire menu disappears when you have a conversation so it isn’t limited to that tiny box, but that means you cant exit or save in a middle of a convo. now the inventory box must be opened to access. we have a phone now though! AND A HANDY CHECKLIST!!!!!! thank god. i really enjoy that they kept the same texture and feel for this more streamlined interface. (and that you can choose some fun hawaiian options in kapu cave) 

BIG change here for #16 white wolf of icicle creek 2007 - #25 alibi in ashes 2011. 

that classic green is gone unless you choose it in settings. the text box is completely outside of the main interface, and there is no main menu to go back to. there are a lot of technical improvements with this interface, but it really lacks the charm of the original 2. it feels very modern, but also sterile and really has nothing that screams “nancy drew.” but good god i love how easily i can save my game.

another very big change here for #26 tomb of the lost queen 2012 - #32 sea of darkness 2015. 

dare i say, this one is my personal fave. it’s small, not clunky at all, and has charm! it’s not completely generic like the previous interface, this screen has personality without taking up too much of the screen! the tasklist is easily accessible, along with the notes, and my favorite change by far is THE INVENTORY!!!! SHES BACK IN THE OPEN!!! i love how easily i can access items with this screen. drawbacks, this has gone back to having a separate menu, so quick saving takes a few more clicks than i’d prefer, but it’s still less clunky than the OG. 

aaaand here we are, #33 midnight in salem 2019. the absolute most drastic change. 

i do enjoy the attempt at making you be able to see as much as the game as possible, all of the inventory boxes are semi transparent so you’re really not missing anything on the screen. again, i really enjoy having an inventory box easily accessible, and this one definitely is. one thing all the previous games had in common was that the inventory items were rendered in full color and were mini versions of the actual object. here they went for a very simplified approach which goes with this style and looks crisp but man it’s not what im looking for in a nancy drew game. it actually takes away from the immersion. again, we have a separate menu screen but for the first time it’s with a hamburger menu icon. this interface is honestly not bad from a designer’s standpoint or a general game standpoint, but good god that textbox is atrocious. having the text try and keep up line by line instead of posting it all and letting us scroll through is so annoying. it’s just bad design. another sad thing is, by looking at this, i have no idea it’s a nancy drew game. there’s no character, just like in the 3rd iteration. also i miss the checklist. 

WHEW! i had a lot to say there. my huge paragraph about MID isn’t a complete slam, i understand the choices they made from a UX standpoint, but damn i miss the charm. 

overall, my favorite is still the 4th version, but what’s yours? any thoughts on what they could do better? i’m tempted to go way more in depth and analyze piece by piece (textbox, inventory, checklists, phones, menus, etc) and see how theyve changed over the years, for the better and for worse. i really miss art school huh LMAO 

[meistoshi-a]

all of satoshi’s precious possessions can be divided into two main categories  :     those that he keeps back home in masara town & those that he always carries around.     his most prized possessions are no different.

ITEMS KEPT AT HOME.

the hat he wore throughout kanto + the orange archipelago + johto.          it was, after all, a limited edition cap from the pokemon league, one that satoshi invested a lot of effort into getting   ( sending in a thousand postcards is nothing to scoff at ) ,  & while he stopped wearing it to not wear it out, he still considers it a treasure & keeps it on a shelf in his room with other precious items.

his z - ring, electric z, & steel z.          his z - ring was given to him by kapu - kokeko & later upgraded by all of the alolan guardian deities, & while he does consider all his z - crystals prized possessions because they were won with his pokemon, his electric z was also given to him by kapu - kokeko, making it more special to him.     his steel z has a special place in his heart for being the one that pikachu picked out when hapu gave them freedom of choice in which z - crystal to take & satoshi left that decision up to pikachu.     these sit on a cupboard with all of his trophies.

his trophy from the exhibition match with kukui.          satoshi’s battle with kukui was special to him for a number of reasons, battling all out against someone he admired, & who’d essentially become like the father figure that he never had, his nyaheat evolving into gaogaen, battling in an official battle with agoyon for the first time, battling kapu - kokeko & going head to head with its z move & winning …     satoshi’s exhibition match trophy is a tangible proof & reminder of all of these & it is the trophy he is most proud of & it holds a highly special place in his heart.     it sits, of course, with the rest of his trophies.

a pippi doll.          pokeani forgot to give an explanation for why that was in his room but that’s why i’m here ^_^.     it’s lilie’s, given as a   “ to remember me by ”   parting gift when she left for her own journey.     it, of course, sits with his trophies.     as far as satoshi’s concerned, that’s the only place it deserves to be.

the lunchbox takeshi gave him at the end of johto.          though the contents may be long gone, the box itself has been kept for the memories associated.     takeshi was one of the first people satoshi ever traveled with & the years spent on the road with him are important & special to him, so the first time they truly parted ways felt bitter, but the specialness of takeshi’s parting gift being a lunchbox prepared just for satoshi eased it somehow, & later the utensils within that lunchbox helped satoshi deal with the rocket gang, so he kept the box.     it’s kept on the shelf with his league cap.

ITEMS HE ALWAYS KEEPS WITH HIM.

the handkerchief kasumi gave him at the end of johto.          just like takeshi, kasumi was one of the first people satoshi traveled with, & he treasures the years she put up with him, unlike takeshi having stuck around for his entire journey from kanto to johto, having met him first as well.     by the end of johto, satoshi wanted to part ways as little as she did, if not less.     he holds onto the handkerchief because it’s not only useful to have on hand, but, of course, it reminds him of kasumi every time he uses it.     there’s not a single more well - cared - for piece of fabric in his backpack.

a kasumi lure.          as a gift from kasumi, of course it’s special to him.     always carried in his bag, he uses it pretty much every time he has need of a lure & just any old lure wouldn’t do.     because it’s special to him, he is a little possessive of it & won’t let anyone else use it.

a broken monster ball themed alarm clock.          hanako went to great lengths, going out of town for days, to get this alarm clock for satoshi’s tenth birthday.     & then satoshi broke it the night before he needed it the most.     that alarm clock is the reason satoshi was late to ookido’s lab & received pikachu & all the subsequent events influenced by this fact happened.     it’s broken & he’s never tried to have it fixed, but he still keeps it in his bag.     it’s a reminder of his mom & of all the love & faith she’s placed in him, a reminder of home & a memento of his beginnings as a trainer, so he’d never think to change it, let alone discard it.

half of an old monster ball.          much like the broken alarm clock, this too is one of his most precious possessions from masara town.     it’s part of a monster ball that both satoshi & shigeru fished out of a river, the hooks of their respective fishing rods catching on it, & one they broke in their little tug of war.     while shigeru may no longer be a competitive trainer, satoshi still considers the split monster ball a reminder of their rivalry, as well as their friendship.     it’s still kept in a little bag in his backpack.

[brooklynislandgirl]

Advent Calendar: Day 22 @thebiggestlies​

One of the few perks of being so independently wealthy that you could buy and sell entire countries ~something a friend teases her about occasionally~ is that you can be discerning with your taste in gifts and never worry about the price attached. The one she has in hand at the moment had been in the works since around the summer solstice. With the help of her best friend, Beth managed to grow and age the perfect koa tree and used the heartswood to have the case constructed. In ancient days, only the ali’i class ~from which she’s descended~ were permitted to own items made from the tree, or be allowed to give such a treasure away. Not that the kapu system has survived to the modern age, but it is something she is absolutely certain that Mischa can appreciate. Enchantments drip off the box; minor Forces rotes to ensure the perfect storage conditions, dry and cool, perfectly cushioned. There is a certain kind of dignity for the twin pages that were acquired in less than strictly legal means ~it pays to know a Corax, and Beth paid very very well~ and surreptitiously replaced with the most convincing forgeries known to man. All of the subterfuge and law breaking was worth it though, as she can already imagine the covetous gleam in Mikhail’s dark eyes when he sees his newest acquisition, two pages from the Ellesmere Manuscript of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Beautifully illuminated and incomprehensible in its wording to her, she knows that will hold a special place in his unbeating heart. Normally Beth waits for the sun to set and invites him to enter her home, elsewise he is there when she gets off work, or they turn up together at one thing or another. She’s always reluctant when he has to leave before the first blush of dawn lightens the horizon, wishing she had the power to make the night linger just a few more minutes. Always an unending few more minutes. She’s sealed off the windows with a hanging effect. She’s considered using the space of the empty apartment above her to construct a sealed chamber where he can dream away the day, perhaps even allowing her to stay with him. She broached the subject once, and noticed immediately how the idea struck him poorly. A fan of ivory fingers and a ‘no, Sprite,’ followed by something in his native tongue she didn’t quite catch. It was enough to dissuade her from mentioning again, or going through with the construction, but she keeps the hope that someday, he’ll concede. She gives him plenty of warning in a text, though, that she intends to come to his haven tonight, at least the one she knows about. She isn’t so naive to think that he doesn’t have multiple ones strewn about the city, the world. Mischa might be one of the Enlightened amongst his kind, but madness doesn’t necessarily mean crazy, and it certainly doesn’t equate with stupid. When she arrives, the doorman ~she’d bet anything the man’s an acolyte, or whatever he might consider a bonded servant~ opens the door and keeps it that way until she’s wheeled her overnight case in behind her, and wishes her well. She thanks him and heads directly to the elevator. The door to his haven almost opens by itself at the lightest touch of her hand. She steps inside, pulls the case containing the wrapped gift and what she considers her own wrapping with it, and closes it. When she looks up, she feels her heart in her throat intending to leap toward him, and the subsequent gasp. He is truly a stunning man. Whatever she might have thought to say goes right out of her head, and all that comes out from that enthralled smile is a faint “Blessed Solstice, Mischa…”

[nancydrew428]

Hi!! So I’m conducting kind of a survey/study? Can you rank the games in order from best to worst in your eyes? A simple list will suffice. Include MID, and both SCKs please. But exclude dossiers ;)

Hi! Sorry for the late response! I’ve been doing finals and my last assignments of the semester haha. But I eventually finished this!

Also, don’t hate me (I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned this except for on my bingo card, subtle plug), but I haven’t played 10 of the games, and of the ones that I have played, I still haven’t finished 3 of them🙊😂 So I might not be the most helpful, especially if you need exact rankings or answers from someone who knows everything about each game. I’m sorry! But hopefully my answer will still help you. If not, I’m hoping it’ll be interesting!

1. Curse of Blackmoor Manor

This one has definitely been my favorite game! It took me 8 years to finally finish it, but I’m so glad I did. I love the atmosphere, especially the creepy vibes (and I do like the English moor aesthetic, haha). The game used to scare me so bad, but now it’s just cute, and a little spooky. The only thing I don’t like is the moving rooms. All the other puzzles were good. But that one made me dizzy and confused, lol.

2. The Secret of Shadow Ranch

Dave Gregory. That’s it. That’s the tweet. Lmao. ...Seriously, though, I love being out on the ranch in real life and I love how that translated in the game. I love horses and cowboys. The love story with Frances and Dirk… My heart. I also loved the book. And I liked the glyphs. And the chocolate Shadow Ranch cake is to die for (it’s my go-to chocolate cake recipe!⁠—although I will never do walnuts).

3. Danger on Deception Island

This was the first game I played, so obviously it had to be high up on my list. Again, I love the atmosphere (that’s probably my biggest factor when ranking these games, and with playing games in general). It really reminds me of a place along the California coast that I visit during the summer. And I don’t think there would have been a better game to introduce 8 year old me into the world of ND video games.

4. Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake

This one used to scare me. Every night I would be afraid for the dogs to jump on the house and windows. Every time I would be in the woods looking for bugs I was terrified that something would happen. Also, Yogi! And I remember actually enjoying the puzzles and the hunt for bugs. Also, the speakeasy was so cool!

5. Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon

The Hardy Boys!! I saw someone say this is like an off-brand Murder on the Orient Express, and it was so funny to me, and I wanted to share it with you. But I love the train idea, the Hardy Boys, cooking, the potential “ghosts,” the hunt, and the dialogue.

6. Secret of the Old Clock

I loved this book. It’s the first Nancy Drew book (definitely a classic), and I love how they set the game in the ‘30s. It was completely different in that aspect than any of the other games. Although the driving wasn’t the most fun, I lovedthe pies, going through the secret passages, playing mini-golf, and the ugly yet cute cat that I don’t remember the name of.

7. Shadow at the Water’s Edge

I don’t know how accurate this is in the portrayal of Japanese culture. I hope that it’s pretty accurate and that it isn’t racist, but I’m not sure. But I remember playing this game when I was 11 and being absolutely terrified. The bento boxes were very cute, but I remember getting frustrated with it. The jumpscare is arguably the best part of the game and the scariest scene in any Nancy Drew game.

8. Sea of Darkness

This one is honestly this high up specifically for the graphics. Overall, it is a good game. I liked the puzzles, the setting, characters, dialogue, etc. But the graphics stole the show. It is the best Nancy Drew game with graphics, plus the scenery is pretty (even if it wasn’t as quality). I love the snow and the chilly atmosphere, and I definitely feel like it’s a winter game.

9. Treasure in the Royal Tower

I liked this game. I loved (you guessed it!) the atmosphere. I loved being snowed in, and I loved Hotchkiss. I don’t remember much of this game, and one might argue that that means that it should be lower on the list, but I remember really enjoying it, so I’m keeping it in this spot.

10. Legend of the Crystal Skull

I love the atmosphere, New Orleans, and Henry so much. This isn’t my favorite game, but it is so good!

11. Danger by Design

I like this one, with the Sonny Joon references. I also like Paris, and I think this is a fun game. But I always get it confused with The Phantom of Venice, which is why Phantom is listed right below this one. Which one has JJ and the cookies? I couldn’t tell you.

12. The Phantom of Venice

Like I said, I always get this one confused with Danger by Design. I couldn’t tell you what happens in each. Except this one has you dance in a catsuit and play SCOPA, but I don’t remember necessarily caring for either of these.

13. The Captive Curse

I like this one. I like Germany, the monster, the scary beginning, Renate falling asleep. But I feel like it could have been scarier. (If it was, let me know! I gotta replay it in that case.)

14. Alibi in Ashes

I love Alexei, the ice cream/milkshakes, and getting to play other characters than just Nancy. But other than that, it’s not my favorite game.

15. The White Wolf of Icicle Creek

I’ve only played the Wii version of this game, so I’m not sure how different it is from the PC version. + I never finished it. I loved the kitchen and cooking, and the wolf is super cute! But I didn’t like the ice thing. I could never get past it. Is it any easier on the PC?

16. The Haunting of Castle Malloy

I’m Irish and I think it’s cool that the game is in Ireland. I actually like the character design, but it feels a little bit….ridiculous to me? And the banshee? I don’t know. But I love the atmosphere, and from what I remember, I liked the characters.

17. The Creature of Kapu Cave

I remember liking the game, and I love anything with the ocean or lakes or swimming or diving. Like, the water is where I belong, and I think it’s so fun. But the character design is awful. Frank and Joe don’t look the way they’re supposed to, and I can’t get over it.

18. The Deadly Device

It’s a good game, but I’ve never finished it. It’s difficult in some parts and boring in others. But I love the Tesla idea, Mason’s sarcasm, and Ryan (I just love Ryan). But it’s never really pulled me in. (I think part of it might be because it’s the only game, other than SSH that I’ve tried playing without using any walkthroughs, so I’m having a tough time, lol.)

19. Warnings at Waverly Academy

I know that this is a fan favorite, but it isn’t my favorite. I like all of the Nancy Drew games that I’ve played for the most part, and it is a good game. But I’m tired of school, and I play video games to escape it. Plus, other than Mel, I don’t like any of the characters. That might be the point, but in a game where you have only a handful of characters, I don’t like only having one of them be likeable.

20. Message in a Haunted Mansion

I don’t remember much of this game. But I love anything even slightly spooky, and I remember thinking this game was cute.

21. Secret of the Scarlet Hand

I’m playing this game right now (not as I type this, but I’ve played it on and off for the past few months), and it’s pretty good. I like learning about Mayan culture, but it isn’t that special of a game. Nothing really stands out to me, and none of the characters are all that likeable imo.

22. Secrets Can Kill Remastered

Again, I don’t remember much from this game. It didn’t stick out to me much, and I enjoy games with a good atmosphere and a somewhat lasting impression. This game isn’t bad; I don’t think any of the ND games I’ve played have been bad tbh. But I don’t care about high school, and I want something else to remember. But I give Her Interactive kudos for making a game for girls about murder (especially because it was technically their first game, and this was just a remake). And that sounds sarcastic, but it actually isn’t! Lol.

23. The Haunted Carousel

This wasn’t a bad game. I just don’t really have an interest in carnivals and that sorta thing. They’re okay, but they don’t intrigue me that much. And I don’t remember much from this game. I played it around the same time that I played most of these games, and it didn’t stick out to me. However, I do love the cover and the fact that not every character is white.

24. Ransom of the Seven Ships

I know this game gets a bad rep, but I don’t think it’s a terrible game. But the black face is just too racist and makes me too uncomfortable to enjoy it as much as it could be enjoyed. If HeR toned down the racism a little bit, I could have actually enjoyed this game (except for George’s character design; they did my girl dirty, but what’s new?).

[keena-kapu]

Please give us more of your SJW pirates knowlegde kapu senpai

I don’t have much specific knowledge rather than just general bits but here’s a few things I picked up:

- Blackbeard was actually a pretty nice Pirate. His most notable ship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge, was an ex slave vessel which he stole and his crew then became largely made up of freed slaves.

- Ching Shih, the pirate queen of China, had tens of thousands of pirates (Between 40′000 to 80′000 under her command and more or less ruled the seas. She even fought major nations like the British Empire, the Portuguese Empire and the Qing Dynasty. She was never defeated, and was in fact paid to stop.

- Ching Shih also prohibited men from raping any women, even if they were their prisoners, and ordered if anyone broke this rule they were to be executed on the spot.

- Probably obvious but pirates were super gay. Many new pirate recruits were navymen who were already fucking each other behind their previous captain’s backs, but once recruited it didnt have to be a secret anymore. They’d even offer saltwater baptisms and change names so they’d fit in.

- Because cross-dressing was extremely common in women pirates (Women were prohibited from sailing in some cases) it’s hard to tell an exact percentage, but there were a lot of Trans Pirates. It’s even rumoured that Mary Read, well known lover of Anne Bonny, was a trans guy as it’s said she often prefered the role of a young man. (Bonus: I learned this TODAY when I tried to look up some statistics)

- It’s also possible Mary Read, Anne Bonny, and Calico Jack were in a polyamourous relationship together, but this doesn’t have much passable evidence. The more likely case was that Anne Bonny was cheating on Calico Jack with Mary Read.