The Scarab Charm
Rumours
They say a black tent stands on flat sand in a dry riverbed or by an oasis. A grandma lives in it — she weaves rugs and makes charms for travelers, so nothing gets lost on the road. And her little fire smells of coffee with cardamom.
Who: Grandma Zeynab
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
Grandma Zeynab has to see a live scarab to carve one true. Scarabs roll their balls across the sand, but only by day.
Hint 2
You can't catch a beetle with your bare hands: you need a net, and nets are made at the workbench.
Hint 3
The beetle needs a purple stone. It hides in geodes (stone nuts deep underground) and glows in caves.
Hint 4
The setting needs two pieces of gold. It lies deep down in gray stone, and a plain drill won't take it.
Hint 5
The last thing is a string for the cord. It's twisted from grass at the workbench.
Good to know
- After the scarab you can gather everything at once (the amethyst, two Gold and a string): Grandma takes them one after another in a single talk.
- If your drill skids on a block and throws sparks, it's too weak: upgrade your drill at the workbench.
- In a world with other players, only one of you helps Grandma Zeynab at a time: if another player is already on it, or someone already helped her 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 a black tent on flat sand in a dry riverbed or by an oasis: Grandma Zeynab lives there. Walk up and press E (on a phone, the glowing action button). She makes charms, and she asks you to catch her a live scarab.
From Cubby's diary
Met Grandma Zeynab — she makes charms for travelers. The strongest is the scarab: whatever you find stays with you! Only she hasn't seen a live scarab in ages, and can't carve one true without it. She asks me to catch one.
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At the workbench make a Butterfly Net from two sticks and four strings. String is made there too: three Grass in a row, and you get Grass by cutting dry grass or shrubs with a sword.
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By day, look for a scarab on the sand: a shiny black beetle rolling a ball backwards (scarabs sleep at night). Hold the net, get close and swing it (click, or the action button on a phone): the Sacred Scarab goes into your bag.
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Bring the scarab to Grandma and press E (the action button on a phone). She looks it over, draws it in the sand, lets it go, and then asks for a stone: an amethyst.
From Cubby's diary
Netted a scarab — it was rolling its ball across the sand backwards. Grandma looked it over from every side, drew it in the sand so as not to forget, and let it go: "Off you fly, dear!" Now she needs a stone — an amethyst.
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Amethyst hides in geodes, stone nuts deep underground: some are lined with quartz, others with purple amethyst crystals. Caves have amethysts too, purple with a faint glow. Drill out one Amethyst block: that takes the Steel Drill or better.
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Take the amethyst to Grandma and talk to her (E, or the action button on a phone). She carves a beetle out of it and asks for two pieces of gold for the setting.
From Cubby's diary
Cracked a geode, a stone nut — purple sparkles inside! Grandma took the amethyst and carved a beetle out of it: stone, yet it looks alive. Now she needs gold for the setting.
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Gold lies deep down in gray stone and glints yellow. Drill out two Gold blocks: only the Silver Drill or better can take them.
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Take the gold to Grandma and press E (the action button on a phone). Now she needs a string for the cord: make String at the workbench from three Grass in a row.
From Cubby's diary
Found two gold nuggets deep underground, in gray stone. Grandma was delighted: just right for the setting! Only a string for the cord is left.
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Bring the string and talk to Grandma. By her fire she melts the gold and sets the amethyst beetle in it. Stand still next to her by the tent while she ties the Scarab Charm on you, and it's yours.
From Cubby's diary
By her fire Grandma melted the gold, set the amethyst beetle in it and tied the charm on me with a red cord: "Now what's yours stays yours."
Reward
While the charm is in the rucksack and charged, chests and keys aren't lost when your strength runs out: they stay where it happened, and the golden beetle guards them. Go up and press E — all comes back. Then the beetle rests a day.