Crankshaft cavern puzzle

The power generator
The **Crankshaft Cavern puzzle** is the second puzzle that has to be solved on Kaptar in order to get its machinery running and enable passage to some important locations. The Kaptar swing bridge puzzle has to be completed first.

## Getting there

After following a long and winding path from the swing bridge, an ancient Temple is reached which might invite one for exploration. If however this exploration is postponed for later and one ascends the big flight of stairs just to the right of where the first path ended, one reaches a big docking mechanism driving a massive chain that seems to connect to somewhere across the foggy clouds. Behind this docking facility is the Crankshaft cavern, where a big machine, anchored on the surrounding rocks of the cavern, is waiting inactive.

## Inspecting the machine

Upon inspection, we see a central core with four shafts extending in different directions. The core consists of a massive crankshaft driving four short shafts like 'pistons', a gear system under the crankshaft and a massive propeller which can be set in motion by the wind that blows through the cavern. The shorter shafts, or pistons, remain unengaged yet. Their long extensions, when engaged, seem to distribute the power generated by the machine to various further mechanisms. One of them is in the same cavern and seems to be a lift going way down below this level. The other three shafts disappear in the cavern walls and around bends, presumably towards other locations of Kaptar, soon to be discovered.

Facing the machine from the level we are standing on, is a metal pedestal equiped with a rather simple mechanism and a ladder leading on it. And luckily, many sturdy catwalks connect the level we are on with various lower parts of the machine, one leading to the center of the crankshaft and from there down to the gear control system.

## Solving the puzzle

Access to the crankshaft hub
At the lowest end of the gear control system (round the back of it) a handle must be moved to lower a gear in position and a wheel must be turned to turn the flaps of the big propeller below so it can be moved by the wind. The crankshaft will not be engaged to the propeller however, until, one level up, another wheel is turned to engage it to the gearbox. This wheel may rebound if turned too quickly or if not hold firmly in position till it's locked. The lower system is not revesible once engaged. The upper system can still disengage the crankshart.

By now the crankshaft has been put in motion and the four short shafts connected to it are in motion like pistons. The short shafts must now engage with their respective extensions. This is possible by using the mechanism of the metal pedestal that is at the start of the catwalks. Once inside it, we have an aiming eyepiece with a switch mounted on a ring that can be rotated in four positions, upper left, upper right, lower right and lower left. Turning the ring may be a little tricky, but once achieved, point at each positio,n and before the moving piston meets its extension, hit the switch and make sure they engage before moving to the next position. Now the whole power system of Kaptar is in motion and lifts and cable cars can move.

## Further action

Keep in mind that later on the game you will have to disengage the lower left shaft in order to free the passage to the Heart of the Tree which is blocked by a big turning wheel of the machinery.