The Quest for PC Plum's Carving

The Quest for PC Plum's Carving took center stage in The Adventure to Annihilate the PC and Linux Guy Empires for Good, forming the entirety of the second act of the adventure. This pivotal quest revolved around successfully locating PC Plum's Carving, an extremely significant and elusive creation by PC Plum, hidden within the Cave of Caerbannog at the Green Valley in the Southeastern Mountains on the Northern Continent of MAC C.

## Background

The inception of this quest stems from the detailed observations of master researcher Anon A Mousse. During his research, he discovers plans for the amalgamation of The PC Guy Empire and The Linux Guy Empire. He confirms his findings after he intercepts a letter from Diana, leader of the Linux Guy Empire, to King PC Guy, leader of the PC Guy Empire, confirming their intent to merge. Recognising the potential threat posed by this union, Anon A Mousse devises a strategy to pit the empires against each other, leading to their mutual destruction on their own accord. Seeking assistance, Anon A Mousse partners with Mac Guy3135 and Dilys. Uncertain about how to instigate a war between the empires, they embark on their quest and are soon joined by Strange Lion, who guides them to Passemafuser, an ancient figure residing on MAC C.

Passemafuser imparts crucial advice, suggesting that a carving he had heard of could be the catalyst for the empires' conflict. However, he is unaware of the carving's precise location. Undeterred, the group embarks on a multi-day trek across MAC C, discovering a clue at Winston Wallace's Temple. Here, Winston Wallace divulges that while knowledge of the carving's location, referred to as "The Legendary Carving of Linux," is non existent, information still exists regarding the trail leading to this vital artifact. This marks the commencement of the quest for the elusive carving.

## The Quest

The quest unfolds with guidance from Winston Wallace, validated by Adrian Appleby. The guidance states that along the path from The PC Guy Empire to the Earldom of Lisa, the group will encounter five distinct structures, each inhabited by mystical beings. Each location presents a riddle; solving it yields three words to be inserted into an application, unveiling a place on Earth associated with English words or phrases. Combining the five place words will reveal enough detail to pinpoint the precise location of PC Plum's Carving.

The ensemble of protagonists, including Anon A Mousse, Strange Lion, Passemafuser, Mac Guy3135, Dilys, and Bulktani, embarks on this complicated mission. Equipped with supplies from Earth, they traverse The Bridge of Death and reach the first landmark, a honey tree. Winnie the Pooh, encountered here, requests honey, and in the process of granting it, the group faces a swarm of bees. During their escape, Passemafuser retrieves a message in a bottle containing the first riddle: "My uncle did some unpaid work to polish an arrow rich in quartz." Deciphering the riddle as "volunteering, pointer, marble," they unveil the first descriptor word, "Green Valley."

Advancing to Newton Castle, in ruins due to Mac Guy-inflicted damage from PC Guy's Prison, the group encounters Big and Small, necessitating their destruction to access a mysterious case. Within the case lies the second riddle: "My uncle wore a helmet decoration to the 2010 general election." After careful consideration, the protagonists decode this as "crest, vote, hung," revealing the second descriptor, "Boulder." The journey leads them to The Globglogabgalab's House, previously destroyed in a prior quest. From the rubble, the 4th Doctor and Romana 2 emerge, presenting a book with the third riddle: "My uncle walked three feet down a marked route before losing all his credit card information." Easily deciphered as "yard, track, scam," it points them to the third descriptor, "Twin Falls."

The quest continues as the protagonists utilize The Tardis for faster travel. Their journey faces a setback when escaped prisoner Naomi shoots them down. After a heated confrontation, Dilys kills Naomi, and the group proceeds to McIntosh Castle. Here, they encounter Thomas the Tank Engine and a stone arch with the fourth riddle: "My uncle walked into a battle that was not on time with I/O male connector." This proves to be the most challenging riddle. Initially, they interpret it as "marches, late, plug," leading them to "Yellowstone." an incorrect answer. Unaware of their error, they continue, using Thomas the Tank Engine as transportation.

Unfortunately, more misfortune befalls them as Thomas the Tank Engine's rusted brakes prevent him from stopping at the end of the line, resulting in his demise and the protagonists becoming lost and off track. Eventually, they find their way back to the path and, at the Earldom of Lisa, discover the final structure, a storage unit serving as the temporary home of The Lion Guard. Bunga allows Bulktani to destroy the structure, revealing the last clue on a large wooden board. The board reads: "Your uncle walked on two fools at once because his wife was attacking his car wheels due to an incident with sending the wrong message." The protagonists successfully decipher this as "straddle, bursting, texting," leading to "Fairview," the final descriptor.

At the camp that night, the protagonists realize they have made an error in solving the riddles and identify the fourth riddle as the culprit. After careful consideration, they correctly decipher it as "marches, later, plug," leading to "Green River." This revelation is crucial as they recall a notable Green Valley in the Southeastern Mountains.

The following morning, the protagonists embark on the lengthy journey to the Southeastern Mountains. After many days of travel, they locate the Green Valley, and with Ono's assistance, find the Cave of Caerbannog. Inside the cave, they search and successfully locate PC Plum's Carving, extracting it safely from the walls. They return it via river to The PC Guy Empire, marking the beginning of the next phase of the adventure, The Battle of the PC Room.

## Aftermath

Following the brief Battle of the PC Room, Diana officially proposes a war in the Equatorial Desert. Despite this, the protagonists' efforts do not yield the desired outcome. PC Plum eventually recalls that he carved false information on PC Plum's Carving and alerts King PC Guy. Subsequently, the protagonists face defeat after The Great Cotswolds Chase, an event marked by the PC Guys' irresponsible actions that jeopardise the secrecy of MAC C.

In response, the PC and Linux Guy Coalition is established, but its swift dissolution occurs, partly due to the recklessness displayed by the PC Guys during the chase, resulting in the creation of additional adversaries and enraging the Mac Guys enough to rise up and attack the coalition.

Had the carving not been located, The Great Cotswolds Chase would not have transpired, leading to an earlier formation of the coalition with less pushback by the Mac Guys, potentially making the coalition impervious. This, in turn, could have prevented the rise of the Peasant and Mac Guy Coalition, averting their takeover of MAC C. The PC Guys might have advanced further, remaining undefeated until the eventual invasion by humans. Without the precedent of the Peasant and Mac Guy Coalition, the Mac Guys and Peasant PC Guys might not have amassed enough power to establish the Second Mac Guy Empire before the human invasion.

It can also be argued that the absence of the carving's discovery and the subsequent chase might have prevented the Human Invasion of MAC C, as King PC Guy would not have sought Winston Wallace's assistance to take back the empire in such a scenario.

The protagonists covered around 4000km during the quest, and it took roughly 50 MAC C days to complete. Due to the return journey utilising the Performa River, following the river downstream for the first part, this journey was the quickest of the three.