Team Cache Only is the winner! Here's a partial solve...

[samantha73]

Congratulations to Team Cache Only (MakaMi, Tahoeeyes and CincyShan) for solving Cupid's Arrow!  The proxy location was in the City of New Orleans under a bench (curple place) in Coliseum Square Park  29.56.07N 90.04.26W near the seventh light pole counting from the north tip of the park.  The proxy was a magnetic bolt.

The color theme that brings you to New Orleans can be found in two ways.  One way is the three stanzas.  Each one gives you a color (gold, green, purple).  Creative license on curple/purple because nothing else really rhymes with purple    There is another way in one of the images.

The Herrick emoji is also very important, as is making the general connection of love and war, and the Battle of New Orleans which was fought after the war "was already over."

There are a lot of moving parts to this puzzle, and I'll post a complete solution later this week to give people a chance who want to work through it.  I'll also be happy to answer any questions in the meantime.  This has been a very rewarding experience for me, and I'm so happy for the winning team!  Thanks to all who participated in Cupid's Arrow.  

Samantha

[cachemeifyoucan]

Such a fun, well thought out hunt! Thanks Samantha, and team Cache Only!

[tahoeeyes]

I had a blast with this hunt. I can't wait for your next one!!

[Jenny]

Congrats!

[choice]

That explains ifs and "butts" and "dark iron-y"
Good job yall.

[mofinn]

Thanks very much for the (partial) solution! And huge kudos to the members of the solving TCO team! Samantha 73, this was a truly awesome hunt that was very challenging and entertaining; I am very grateful to have participated!

[merlotbrougham]

Oct 9, 2023 7:20:58 GMT -5 samantha73 said:

 I'll also be happy to answer any questions in the meantime.  

Samantha

I was wondering, where were the waypoint items and what specifically was vandlaized?

[samantha73]

The waypoint was a padlock on the Love Wins Nola fence on the river by the steamboat. The info was still available on a Google review. Same with the egg which was a nanocache outside the LaFitte Tavern. Neither were critical but the loss of the waypoint lock (Victory, sweet bents of chain) made me very sad that someone would destroy like that.

[makami]

Hi! Will you be posting the full solve? I know how we got there, just wondering if we followed the same path you intended! Thanks again for a great hunt!!

[samantha73]

Yes I will post more probably next week.

[makami]

Thanks!!