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The Little Explorers' Journal
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Chapter 1 - An Unexpected Mission
The sun hung low over the city of Marrakesh, casting long shadows across the bustling derbs. Archie, Ruby, Violet, Alex, and Max had just arrived in Morocco.
And they were now in the ‘souk’—the city’s biggest market—where colour, noise, and scents swirled around them. Stalls overflowed with spices, bright fabrics, and glinting trinkets. Street performers spun and played music while the smell of freshly baked bread filled the air.
But the five Intrepid Explorers had no time to admire the sights.
They were on a mission.
It all started a few hours before with an old Saadian manuscript they’d stumbled upon in a dusty antique shop. Archie and Alex, both passionate about history, had noticed a page with precise drawings of three ancient coins on it.
That’s when the shopkeeper, a wrinkled man with a piercing gaze, had leaned over the counter and whispered, “These are the Saadian golden dinars. Three coins minted by Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur after his great victory over Portugal in 1579.”
Archie’s eyebrows shot up. “Wait… the Saadian golden dinars? I read about them on the plane. They’re one of the city’s biggest treasures.”
The shopkeeper nodded, his voice low.
“That’s right, kid. But what you might not know is that they hold the key to a much bigger treasure trove lost for centuries.
“What kind of treasure?” Alex asked.
“The kind of treasure that built empires. The coins and the legend of Ahmad al-Mansur treasure are both an important part of our history—our heritage.”
He paused, then added grimly, “Or at least, they were.”
Archie frowned.
“What happened to them?”
“Unfortunately, the three coins were stolen from a museum yesterday. If the authorities don’t find them soon, the treasure could fall into the wrong hands and be lost forever. Rumor has it the thief has scattered the coins across the city, and he’s probably lying low, waiting for the heat to die down before he tries to sell them…”
Archie’s eyes lit up.
"Don’t even think about it," Max said, immediately.
Ignoring him, Archie asked,
"But how are the coins connected to this treasure?"
"Together, the three coins reveal the location of Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur’s treasure, buried deep somewhere near the desert"
"What do you mean?"
"Each coin has a riddle engraved on it. Solve all three, and you’ll find the treasure."
"No way, Archie! We’re on vacation," Max said firmly. "And we only have three days here!"
Alex, who loved history and anything related to ancient artefacts, came to Archie’s defense.
"Yeah, but this seems important," he said.
"You know we’re really good at finding lost objects, Max. We need to try!" Archie added. We can’t let the treasure fall into the wrong hands."
The five explorers had met a year and a half before during a competition in Sydney. They'd then been sent on a dangerous mission in Northern Australia to retrieve a stolen artefact. From that moment on, they had embarked on many adventures, racing against time to recover precious objects before they were lost forever. For Archie, protecting a country’s heritage was more than just a mission—it was a responsibility he took to heart.
The merchant raised an eyebrow, then lowered his voice.
"What do you mean, kid?"
"We’ve found lost treasures and stolen objects before," Archie said. "We’re a team, and we’re great at finding clues and solving puzzles."
"So, you think you could track down the coins if you had a clue?"
"For sure!" Archie said. "But there’s no clue, is there?"
"Well," the merchant started. "There’s a rumor going around the souk about a hint that could lead to the coins. If you decide to search for them, I can tell you what I’ve heard."
The Intrepid Explorers huddled together, whispering.
"If we can find the coins fast, we can return them to the museum, and the authorities can intercept the thief before they get to the treasure." Archie started.
“But what about our holiday?” Violet complained.
“We already have a clue, and there’re only three coins. We might still be able to find the coins and enjoy our holiday”, Alex pointed out.
“We have to try,” Ruby said.
After negotiating for a while, the five friends finally agreed to look for the coins.
The old man took a scrap of paper and scribbled something down.
"I’ve written down what people are saying in the city. If you find the coins, bring them to me so I can return them to the museum. But be careful. Others are looking for the treasure too, and they’ll do anything to get their hands on it."
"Oh, and by the way, my name is Saïd."
Just then, new customers entered the shop, and the antique dealer immediately changed the subject.
The kids stepped out of the shop, gathered in a huddle, and Archie unfolded the note.
The riddle Saïd had written sounded mysterious…
“Where golden light meets the shadow, where voices echo, and stories pray, The first golden dinar will mark your way.”
“That makes zero sense,” Max said, scratching his head. “Golden light meets the shadows? Voices echo? Stories that pray?”
Alex tugged Archie’s sleeve and pointed toward the towering Kasbah Mosque at the end of the street. Its tall minaret stretched toward the sky, and the late afternoon sun cast long shadows across its walls.
“Could it mean there?” he asked. “Mosques are places where people pray. And the Imams’ voice always echoes during the call to prayer.”
Archie grinned. “Good thinking. Let’s check it out.”
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As they reached the mosque, they noticed something odd. A man in a dark robe they’d seen near the antique shop now stood near the Mosque’s entrance, watching them closely.
Ruby frowned.
“Do you think he’s following us?” she asked Archie.
“He’s definitely up to something,” Archie said, adjusting his backpack. “We need to find the coins before it’s too late!”
The five friends slipped inside the mosque, their eyes adjusting to the dim light. The colder air smelled of incense and old stone. They moved carefully, their footsteps echoing in the silence.
A few minutes earlier, as they were walking, Archie had worked out that “where the golden light meets the shadow” must have something to do with sunset.
Violet’s eyes sparkled as she spotted something. “Look at this,” she said, pointing at a wall covered in beautiful Moroccan zellige tiles.
The hand-cut tiles sparkled in the dim light, showing off their bright colours and geometric patterns. As the sun went down, the light filtering through the stained glass windows hit a spot on the wall—right where Violet was pointing. One zellige tile, which had looked green and red before, suddenly changed colour and began to glow with bright blue and yellow.
“That's it!” Archie exclaimed. “That tile looks different at sunset when the golden light meets the shadows!”
The group rushed over to the glowing tile. But as they reached it, Ruby quickly noticed something else. The tile wasn’t like the others. It was made up of smaller, intricately cut pieces, each one shaped perfectly to fit together like a puzzle. The smaller tiles formed a larger, unified pattern, but each had its own unique geometric design. Nine of these tiles were adorned with hand-painted letters, carefully crafted with fine strokes, standing out against the rest of the design.
“That’s odd,” Ruby said, running her fingers along the edges of a tile featuring a Z. “Why would someone paint random letters on these tiles? Maybe it’s a code? If we can figure it out, it could lead us to the coin!”
Archie walked closer, his eyes narrowing. He gently pressed one of the tiles. With a soft click, it detached slightly from the wall.
“It looks like the tiles can be removed and replaced. It’s a puzzle!” We need to solve it to find the first golden dinar coin!” he said, grinning.
Suddenly, the heavy doors of the mosque creaked open...
The Intrepid Explorers need your help to solve the clue and uncover the location of the first golden dinar as soon as possible. Time is running out!
Your Mission:
Below is a scrambled mosaic tile puzzle inspired by the patterns of the tiles the Intrepid Explorers have just discovered at the Kasbah Mosque. Solve the puzzle, and you’ll reveal a hidden word.
Here are four clues to help you in your mission:
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Nine tiles have a letter, but the word you’re looking for only has seven letters.
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The word you’re looking for is a type of Moroccan tile used to decorate mosques and palaces.
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It starts with a « Z », and the fifth letter is an « i ».
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I’ve used it twice in the story when the kids are in the mosque and Violet is pointing at the wall.
Once you've found the hidden word (and even if you haven't), click the image below to unlock the next part of the adventure!
PS: The historical facts I have mentioned, like Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur from the Saadi dynasty winning over Portugal and building an immense fortune, are all based on real facts. The dinar was used during Al-mansur’s reign. These days, the national currency is the dirham. Also, as a disclaimer, note that in real life, non-muslims are not permitted inside the Kasbah Mosque. I used it as a setting as it’s an important part of Moroccan history for the reader to learn about.
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