Avernum Mystery Cache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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Avernum is the name of a computer game, which takes place completely in underground caverns and tunnels. In Roman mythology, Avernus was believed to be the entrance to the underworld.
Among many religions the lowest part of the world is usually represented as the realm of the god or goddess of the dead. It is here that the spirits of the deceased stay. The underworld is seperated from the world of the living by an impassable abyss or river. The entrance to this realm is often guarded by a huge monster, such as the Greek Cerberus and the Norse Garm. The Greeks and the Romans had their Hades; the Egyptians Duat; in the ancient Indian mythology it was called Naraka; the Germans called it Helheim; the Incas called it Uca Pacha; the Aztec referred to the underworld as Mictlan; and the Maya believed in Mitnal.
Learn more about some of them when you explore Avernum. The cache contains information about this underworld and it's gods, goddesses and guardians. These stories are grouped by type (ie Greek, Celtic etc) and are in envelopes in sealed bags. You are welcome to take a story and replace it with another, or to sit there and read some of them (don't forget spare batteries!).
This Avernum is only one tunnel, not the underworld itself (mind you...). The coords given are those for the entrance. Park at the church nearby and walk down towards the river, cross it and take the smaller path to the left, and go through the gate/stile. You'll find the entrance right there on your right.
The water gets very, very cold further in, though it doesn't get all that deep, but do be prepared.
Just past the entrance is a deep pool of water; someone put an old farmer's gate over this. This makes it easier to cross, but be careful: the gate is rusty, has barbed wire along the top and the bottom rung is partly missing and loose.
JUNE 2011: NOTE ADDED TO SAY THAT THIS GATE IS NOW EVEN MORE RUSTY AND IS BROKEN; WE HAVE ADDED TWO BRANCHES/LOGS ACROSS THE WATER TO MAKE CROSSING EASIER, AND EVEN I MANAGED TO CROSS WITH THIS (THOUGH ONLY JUST) , BUT PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL AND CROSS ONLY AT YOUR OWN PERIL
Go into the tunnel and follow it till it clearly widens with a piles of stones along the sides. The cache is hidden here. We estimate this to be about 50-75 meters in. The tunnel itself goes on a bit longer till it becomes a dead end.
PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN ATTEMPTING THIS CACHE. DO NOT DO THIS ALONE. WEAR PROPER FOOTWEAR, HEAD PROTECTION IS NOT A MUST BUT USEFUL (*she writes while still rubbing her sore head*) AND BRING GOOD TORCHES WITH SPARE BATTERIES.
The Crown Prince has been here during very heavy rain and it was fine, but please use your commmon sense; if at any time you find you are more than knee-deep in water, we recommend you abort and turn back.
WE DO NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANYONE GETTING SCARED OR INJURED IN ANY WAY.
As for bringing children, you know your own and what they might be capable of. The Youngest at 9 had no problems at all, The Prince at 12 couldn't/wouldn't get past the entrance, and the Crown Prince at 15 went back in again just for fun.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ba gur evtug.