Bamboo Fountain

The Bamboo Fountain is an abstract enemy in CrossWorlds. It can be encountered in Sapphire Ridge as part of the Trial of Patience.

Bamboo Fountain
Peace and Tranquility, my friend. The only way to defeat it is to sit and listen.
-Monster Fibula report

Appearance[ | ]

The Bamboo Fountain is a small contraption made entirely out of bamboo. Water comes out of a small bamboo pipe that is attached to a wall. That water enters through another bamboo pipe that has its other end shut, which allows it to accumulate water and tilt until it empties itself, causing it to hit a round, dark rock with a hollow sound.

Combat[ | ]

This isn't an actual enemy; it is only a part of the Trial of Patience. The player must wait until the fountain hits the rock twelve times to hit a switch with a Ball. If they move, hit the fountain while waiting or hit the switch before or after the fountain has hit the rock twelve times, they fail the trial and must try again.

There are three types of distractions during this trial. The first one is the fact that the fountain doesn't hit the rock consistently, so it might hit it twice in a row or take way longer than intended. The second consists of different enemies doing harmless stuff in a specific order: a passive Sun Beetle hitting bamboo and causing a sound like that of the fountain, a pair of Pandzas flying over the fountain and growling, and two Moon Beetles slashing bamboo with their swords, also causing a lot of noise. The third and final one is the player's own party. Party members will begin chatting and mentioning numbers that are colored yellow so the player loses their focus. In case they aren't accompanied, Sergey will speak and add a faulty hit counter to the top right of the screen. The party will mix their solo dialogue in case it is full.

C'Tron[ | ]

That pipe… that doesn't seem physically correct, does it?
Gosh, Water in CrossWorlds. Not gonna get over that.
…Wait…
Err… Did it tip 6 times now? Or was it 7, already? Dang it.
I was distracted by the implausible water physics and forgot to count…
…
So like… where are we now? 9? 11? Gosh, I messed up!
Whyyyy?!

Emilie[ | ]

This… This is boring.
Man, I remember how I saw a fountain like this in real life a long time ago.
How many years ago was it? 6? Maybe even 8.
Anyway people kept throwing coins at it for good luck.
And there was this one guy that threw like… 10 coins at it at once. The poor thing almost broke!

Apollo[ | ]

This… This can't be right!
This pipe is CHEATING!
I heard stories of Seekers that managed to fail this challenge more than 8 times!
That is ridiculous! Counting to 12 should be easy! It's barely more than 10!
Whyyyyyy?!
What is it, Spheromancer Lea? Do you think counting to 10 is hard? What about 8?

Joern[ | ]

This is so relaxing.
Hm… 8 eggs, 6 carrots, 10 onions…
Whyyyyyy?!
Ah sorry, I'm trying to remember what I still have to buy for dinner tonight.
Gonna have to start cooking at 7 to be done in time.
Wait!

Sergey[ | ]

Sergey: Oh, it's the Trial of Patience, I see…
Sergey: They really had fun with that bamboo fountain, didn't they?
By the way! I've found a way to add a counter to make your life easier, Lea!
…!
Sergey: W…Wait… Damn, I made a mistake!
Lea, please ignore the counter! It's wrong!
…?!

Strategies[ | ]

Sound doesn't help entirely because of the beetles that appear occasionally. There is no better strategy than just staring at the fountain until it completes twelve hits. That usually happens when the Moon Beetles appear.

Locations[ | ]

Sapphire Ridge

Flower Lake (x1)

Gallery[ | ]

How entertaining.

Trivia[ | ]

The Bamboo Fountain is programmed as an enemy, despite being completely passive and invincible.
Considering he is an experienced CrossWorlds player, it is likely that Apollo is just messing with Lea and wants her to fail at least once. However, it is also believable that he is being his usual bothersome self.
The accompanying Golden Beetle will fall asleep and wake up from the noise of bamboo.
The Monster Fibula entry states that you should sit and listen, despite the fact that this strategy isn't actually effective.