Fan Fic: Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?

You're in Mongolia, a nation of pristine grasslands, rolling hills, and winding rivers. Many Mongolians live a nomadic lifestyle, sleeping in tents and seasonally moving from one place to another while following their herds of livestock and living off the land. Mongolia's natural beauty is largely owed to these pastoralist nomads allowing their herds to only graze as much as not to deplete pasture beyond recovery in any one area- a practice known as subsistence herding. Historically, nomadic herder lifestyles have led to warrior-based cultures that have made them fearsome enemies of settled people. The Mongol Empire was once the largest contiguous land empire in world history. It eventually fractured due to disunity.

While taking in the majestic scenery of the countryside, you step on what you first think is a pebble. You look closer, and realize that it is no pebble. It is a large coin featuring an image of a sitting woman and a placid lion resting at her feet. The woman wears a plumed helmet on her head and loose robes over her body. She holds a long trident in one hand while holding out a leafy branch with the other. A shield emblazoned with the Union Jack rests on the ground. You recognize this woman as Britannia, a national personification of the United Kingdom, and the coin as the United Kingdom's fifty-pence coin. Carved into the coin's opposite side is a brief message: "A gift for these tough economic times. From Carmen Sandiego."

You look around. There is no one in sight. Carmen Sandiego must have been here, but it looks like she has just left and is playing a game with you. You know she's in the United Kingdom- but which of its four countries?

You would normally get a clue from ACME in this situation, but now that ACME CrimeNet has been taken, you will have to obtain clues on your own. From now on, at each new location there will be three witnesses whom you can interview, each with one clue that hints at Carmen Sandiego's whereabouts. Interviewing a witness will cost you either 2, 4, or 6 HOURS. The more time-consuming witnesses provide easier clues, while less time-consuming witnesses give more obscure clues. At any time, you can travel to where you think Carmen Sandiego is, having interviewed all, none, or some of the witnesses.



What do you do?