Strange Antiquities Guide: How to Find the Moon Heart

In the wonderfully mysterious world of Strange Antiquities, names have power. An object can be known by many titles—an academic name, a common name, or a folkloric name—and a successful antiquarian must master them all. One of the first and most elegant puzzles that introduces this challenge is the quest to find the elusive “Moon Heart.”

Many new players find themselves stumped by this request, searching their reference books for an entry on a “Moon Heart” only to come up empty. The secret to this puzzle lies in realizing that the item you are looking for is hiding in plain sight, under a different, more formal name. This guide will provide you with a complete, step-by-step walkthrough for this brilliant identification puzzle. We’ll show you how to interpret the customer’s request, use all of your analytical tools to examine the mystery object, and cross-reference your findings to discover the item’s true identity.

The Dual-Name Mechanic Explained

A core mechanic you will need to master in Strange Antiquities is the concept of dual names. Many of the arcane artifacts that pass through your shop have two or more names associated with them:

• The Formal Name: This is the academic or official name for an object, such as the “Selenic Totem.” This is the name you will often find as the main entry in your reference books.
• The Common Name: This is the folkloric or more widely known name for an object, such as the “Moon Heart.” This is the name that customers will often use when making a request.

The key to solving these puzzles is to become a master of your own library. The answer is always in the text, but it requires careful reading and cross-referencing between the clues a customer gives you, the physical properties of an object, and the full text of your book entries, which will often mention an item’s common name within the description of its formal name.

The Moon Heart Puzzle: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough

This fascinating puzzle begins with a visit from a quiet and somber customer.

Step 1: Receiving the Request from Luna

A woman named Luna will visit your shop. She will appear troubled and will explain that she is seeking an object that can help her recall a feeling of joy that she has lost. She will specifically ask for an artifact that is associated with the night or the moon, and one that can be imbued with a positive sentiment or feeling. These are your primary clues.

Step 2: Finding and Examining the Mystery Object

Your first step is to search your shop for an unidentified object that matches Luna’s vague description. On one of your shelves, you will find a carved wooden owl totem. At first glance, it seems like a plausible candidate. Now, you must use your tools and your intellect to thoroughly examine it.

1. Visual Inspection: First, simply look at the object. It’s a carved totem of an owl. The owl is a nocturnal creature, which creates a strong association with the “night,” matching Luna’s first clue.
2. Detailed Inspection: Look closer at the totem’s carvings. On the owl’s chest, intricately carved into the pattern of its feathers, you will find a concealed crescent shape. This is a direct and undeniable link to the “moon,” matching her second clue.
3. Tool-Based Inspection: Next, use your “closer inspect tool” (or a similar magical magnifying glass) on the totem. The tool will provide you with information about the object’s imbued properties, revealing that it “imparts a feeling of joy.” This matches Luna’s third and final clue perfectly.

You now have an object that is connected to the night, the moon, and the feeling of joy. You can be confident that this is the artifact Luna is looking for. The only remaining problem is that you do not know its name.

Step 3: Hitting the Books – Connecting the Clues

With your list of identified properties (Owl, Moon, Night, Joy), it’s time to turn to your most valuable asset: your Compendium of Arcane Artifacts.

Searching for “Owl Totem” may not yield the correct result. You must think like an antiquarian and search for the concepts you have uncovered. Look in the index for entries related to the “Moon” or “Night.” In this section, you will find an entry for the “Selenic Totem.”

Step 4: The “Aha!” Moment – Discovering the Common Name

When you read the entry for the Selenic Totem, all the pieces of the puzzle will click into place. The description will perfectly match every clue you have gathered from your examination:

• It will mention that the totems are often associated with the moon and the night.
• It will state that they are imbued with a “sentiment or feeling, such as love or joy.”
• It will note that they sometimes feature crescent shapes.

You have now confirmed that the owl totem is, in fact, a Selenic Totem. But the most important piece of information is in the first line of the description:

“These carved totems, more commonly known as Moon Hearts…”

This is the solution. The “Moon Heart” that you are looking for is not a separate item; it is simply the common, folkloric name for the Selenic Totem that you have been holding the entire time.

Step 5: Labeling and Presentation

Now that you have uncovered the item’s true identity, you can prepare it for your customer.

1. Take the owl totem to your labeling station.
2. You should label it with its common name, the one a customer is most likely to recognize. Carefully type out the name: Moon Heart.
3. Attach the new label to the totem.
4. Finally, place the correctly identified and labeled Moon Heart on the customer service bell on your counter to present it to Luna.

Luna will be overjoyed that you were able to find the exact item she was looking for. You will be rewarded for your keen eye and excellent research, and a new chapter in her story will be unlocked, all thanks to your mastery of the subtle art of identification.

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