The Hoopoe's Ring
Rumours
They say a proud hoopoe with a crown-like crest lives in a hole in a tall saguaro by an oasis. He boasts he was the wisest king's messenger — and knows his magic ring's secret!
Who: Hoopoe
Hints
Open them one at a time — from a gentle nudge to plain advice. "Good to know" is about what might trip you up.
Hint 1
The Hoopoe isn't just boasting: the king's magic ring really is nearby. The Golden Fish of the oasis by the Hoopoe's saguaro swallowed it, so you'll need a fishing rod.
Hint 2
A worm won't tempt the Golden Fish. She bites only on a date.
Hint 3
By day the Golden Fish sleeps near the bottom. Come to her pond at sunset.
Hint 4
The ring alone isn't enough for the Hoopoe: to hang it round your neck he needs a string. String is twisted from grass at the workbench.
Good to know
- Every time the Golden Fish takes the bait, one date is used up. Bring a few: if she gets off the hook or the line snaps, you'll need another.
- Bring the string along with the ring, and the Hoopoe hangs it round your neck straight away, with no extra trip.
- In a world with other players, only one of you helps the Hoopoe at a time: if another player is already on it, or someone already helped him today, come back tomorrow.
Full solution
Show the whole solution
This is the whole story of the quest, to the very end.
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Find the tall saguaro by an oasis: the Hoopoe lives in a hole in it. Stand by the cactus and press E (on a phone, the glowing action button): the Hoopoe flies down and tells you the Golden Fish of the nearby pond swallowed the ring, and that she bites only on a date and only at sunset.
From Cubby's diary
Met the Hoopoe — hoop-hoop-hoop! — the wisest king's messenger. The king had a ring: who wears it understands beasts and birds. And the Golden Fish of the oasis swallowed it! She bites only on a date, only at sunset.
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Get a fishing rod and some dates. The rod is made at the workbench from sticks and string, and the string at the workbench too, from three bunches of grass (cut grass with a sword). For dates, stand by a date palm and press E (the action button on a phone) to shake it, then walk over the dates to pick them up.
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Wait for sunset and go to the pond by the Hoopoe's saguaro. Hold the fishing rod and, with a date in your bag, cast the float into the pond: hold the mouse button and let go (on a phone, the action button, aiming with the stick).
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The Golden Fish swims up and takes the date. When the float goes under, press to strike, then hold the button to reel her in and let go when she pulls hard, or the line snaps. Once she's landed she coughs up the ring and begs to be let go: press E (the action button on a phone) on "Let the fish go".
From Cubby's diary
Sunset, a date on the hook — and the Golden Fish bit! I held her up — and she coughed: "Pfff!" — out came the king's ring. She begged to be let go — so I did. Splash!
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Take the Ring to the Hoopoe: stand by his saguaro and press E (the action button on a phone). He polishes the ring and asks for a string. If you have none, he keeps the ring and waits: make a string at the workbench and come back.
From Cubby's diary
Gave the Hoopoe the ring. He polished it on his breast, huffed — "Hhha!" — and admired it: "Shines just like my crest!" Now he needs a string to hang it round my neck.
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With a string in your bag, talk to the Hoopoe again: he threads it and hangs the Ring on a Cord round your neck. While it's with you, the desert's beasts tell you where chests and keys are nearby. If you lose it, it flies back to the Hoopoe by itself: visit his saguaro to take it again.
From Cubby's diary
The Hoopoe threaded a string and hung the ring round my neck: "Wear it — and listen!" Now I understand desert beasts. Chatterboxes! But they never lie about chests and keys.
Reward
While the ring on its cord is with me, the desert's beasts now and then tell me of a chest or a key near them — each in its own way: which way, how far, how deep. Listen — and dig!