WEEK FIVE

[al2955]

the pygmalion. . . ONLINE CAPTAIN'S LOG: WEEK (5)

monday - thursday (33) survivors It had been merely a week since the last trial, but you find yourself faced with a new week on The Pygmalion. When you awaken, you will find the handcuff around your wrist gone. The robot in the cafeteria has prepared another breakfast of various foods. (OOC: Please submit your murder proposals by 9 PM EST Tuesday.) taken list profiles private conversations setting rulebook murder proposals ENTER COMMAND_

Comments

[antietam]

throughout the week, conference room.

[ On the whiteboard, you'll find an anonymous message: ]

Ifmmp. J'e mjlf up tff uifsf't boz jousftu jo b mbohvbhf uibu jto'u npojupsfd. Usz uif qbsmps.

[ It's a simple code. Every letter is replaced with the next letter in the alphabet. If you decode it, it reads: Hello. I'd like to see there's any interest in a language that isn't monitored. Try the parlor.

Looks like it's a coded scavenger hunt. ]

tuesday afternoon, conference room.

[ Adam is here! He waited to avoid the crowd of people because there was only a select amount of things it could be. He didn't own very much. In fact, the item in the case is a hand-me-down. It's a deck of tarot cards that look very worn. A close look might come up with some dirt on them. He looks quite pensive as he tries to read the mess of cards that are face-up. ]

afternoons, archives.

[ Even though he's lost his Life Partner Jason, Adam can still be found in the archives pouring over everything possible. Honestly, just tell him to get lost. ]

Archives

[tacklefordwhimsy]

Hi, Adam! Found anything that isn't memes?

[Shelley enters casually and greets you! It has been a while, Adam!]

[antietam]

[ It's been a while because he's been in here ever since it opened. ]

Oh, hey. [ He looks a little tired. ] Not exactly, but even the memes have given me a better idea of what we're looking at here. Combined with the motives they give us, this has to be a way of studying human psychology. Sometimes by memes.

[tacklefordwhimsy]

That'd explain the motives. All of them so far seem suited to test our reactions to certain threats. Maybe those who are psychologically stronger will be the ones to survive to the end?

[antietam]

By resisting the motives? So this whole murder project would really be a ploy to see who doesn't give in?

[ He's just going to set whatever datapad he's reading down and sigh. ] That's stupid.

[tacklefordwhimsy]

[Shrug. Don't shoot the person who theorizes!]

It could be that! Besides I'm sure the reason for this project will be'stupid no matter what. Nothing that involves people killing each other can be good.

monday; conference room ---> parlor

[thanatosincarnate]

{ Eventually, Arumat will decode that message himself. It's not that hard for him to figure out -- after all he is military personnel on some level still.

He'll eventually go into the parlor, and ... well. Who is he supposed to find within? Or what, for that matter? }

[antietam]

[ Adam is not in the parlor! But if Arumat goes over to the datapads, he'll find a note tucked under one of them. A pen will roll out from underneath it as well. Looks like he might want to write this down.

This code is a little harder, so there's a clue written down on top: Literary. From then on is a series of numbers written like so: 1:39:7:4 with spaces (and punctuation if needed) after each fourth number.

If he looks in the books, he might be able to deduce that 1 is the first book in the digital library, 39 is the page, 7 is for the lines down, and 4 would be the 4th word in the line. If he does this for each sequence of numbers, he'll get: Let's talk. arrival room.

Then there's another sequence of numbers but with an added number and no spaces after each other, eg 1:39:7:4:1. Going by the first pattern, that extra number would suggest the first letter of that fourth word. There are 26 of these which should leave Arumat with a sequence of random letters. Probably an alphabet? ]

---> Arrival room

[thanatosincarnate]

{ At first, Arumat's a little irritated because he dislikes little 'games' where its difficult to find someone. But he eventually is able to piece things together and even observes the alphabet that's been written out. Likely to help with learning the new code.

He'll go towards the arrival room and enter within, looking for someone. }

...

[antietam]

[ Nope, still no one in there. He's not just going to wait around for someone to decode things! But there is a note wedged in the door of one of the first pods. Take it? ]

[thanatosincarnate]

{ He looks annoyed.

Arumat's straightforward about everything, so he has a hard time understanding why someone would not want to wait around at least a little. Or make it easier for a meet up.

He'll snatch the note up and read it. }

archives

[mnasthai]

[ Truthfully, Kazuma isn't surprised to see Adam here at all. It's his favorite room as well.]

Hi, Adam. [ He hopes Adam doesn't mind that he sits down close to him, pulling out a datapad of his own.]

This is the best place on the ship. [ Someones in a good mood today.]

[antietam]

[ Adam smiles when Kazuma sits next to him and puts his notepad in front of both of them. Unfortunately, it just has notes on memes. Something called the Murder Squash Song is underlined at the top. He's trying. ]

It gives us something to do. Maybe it's a ruse to keep us occupied, but I guess it's working. Anything you're looking for in particular?

[mnasthai]

Not really, I just like reading. [ He looks at Adam's notepad, but he can't really make sense of Murder Squash Song. What are memes?]

Is this a clue to something?

[antietam]

Oh. [ How to explain the song. ] Maybe? Well, it's something that's pretty popular where I'm from but Jason didn't know about it.

But I don't suppose you use the internet much?

[mnasthai]

[ Kazuma blinks a bit.] I can't say I have.

It's mostly restricted for government and scientific use.

monday; conference room → parlor

[breakshot]

[ Is someone vandalizing the whiteboard again—

Oh. Machias stops, curiously looking over the message. ... Well, this sort of cipher's nothing new to him. That one he learned outside the academy; during his Sunday School days. In fact, there's a reason the kids back then never invited him to set up any scavenger hunts come playtime. All right, let's head over to the parlor and start searching. What are we looking for, anonymous code aficionado? ]

[antietam]

[ The set up is the same as what Arumat received, needing to use a book to spell out a message that will lead to the arrival room. However, the alphabet that he'll write down is notably different than the one Arumat found. Someone changed it out.

Still, head on over to the arrival room! ]

[breakshot]

[ It takes Machias a bit, but he decodes it once he's figured out the alphabet. More substitution? Well then, let's see what the arrival room has in store for us. Will we finally meet this mysterious code writing anon!!

Of course, it's not a room often frequented by others. And it's also a big room too. Best to exercise a bit of caution before entering; which means he'll step in pretty quietly while glancing around. Anything out of place? ]

[antietam]

[ There's no blood pouring out, at least. Which is probably why he chose it since people are much less likely to enter randomly.

No one is there, and there's nothing out of place. However, if he looks at the first pod in the room, he'll find a note wedged into its door. Read it? ]

[breakshot]

[ Let's yoink that note out of there and look it over. What's it say, doc? ]

scavenger hunt

[tevinteriscoming]

[Well, obviously if there's a code to break, he's going to try to do that. Especially as he's been growing bored with all the reading there is to do around here; if someone is going to set up an intellectual exercise to take up his time, he's not going to pass up the opportunity.

In any event, it doesn't take him long to decode the message and make his way to the parlor.]

[antietam]

[ Nothing seems to stand out in the parlor, but if he goes over to the tablets (sorry Dorian), he'll find a piece of paper tucked under one along with a pen. The note contains a hint and a series of numbers separated by colons.

Should he manage to piece together words from the first book in the tablet, it will read: Let's talk. arrival room.

The line beneath that has another sequence of numbers but this time with a fifth number added on, which suggests letters. If he writes them all down, he'll come away with 26 random letters, different from the ones Arumat and Machias received. Probably a clue for the arrival room. ]

[tevinteriscoming]

[Writing down the clue, and then making his way to the arrival room. Hopefully this won't end in anything too dull; it could really be Alice screwing around and trying to drag him into a blood soup room.]

[antietam]

[ An eyeball falls on Dorian's head.

Actually, for once there is no blood soup going on in the arrival room. There's nothing going on. Nothing to be found except for a note wedged into the door of a random pod.

Read it? ]