Well, it was sent away via magic, and the magician who did it only knew there was a land on the other side of the world that then-Europeans didn't know about. Basically, it ends up in North America because it's far away. And my MC is walking/hiking the Rockies to find all the pieces, because she more or less happens across them at first. Maybe I could have one end up somewhere far away, though, because travel would eat up a lot of words. I like that idea, thanks!

Hmmm... related, eh? I will definitely have to think about that. Maybe my MC and the Bad Guy are related. Hmmmmm...

(Thanks for the ideas!)