I was actually considering the church in Leadenham because of Dee's direct association with the church based on the link above.
As for the role of Greenwich, I'm not exactly sure if the entity speaking through the errors is Howard after thinking back on posse's gmail conversation with him:
Quote:
howardfairinthegreen: [error] help me help him do not let him study [error - server rebooting]
To me, it seems like there is another entity conversing to us through Howard's account to get us to keep Howard from doing something.
EDIT: draghkar's earlier conversation with Howard seems to suggest the same thing as well.
Quote:
Howard: [server error. Library contact server reboot operating.]
me: what is wrong with the library computer?
Howard: [[[[[[[c2F2ZSBoaW0gc2F2ZSBtZSBkbyBub3QgbGV0IHRoZW0gY2F0Y2ggaGlt c2F2ZSBoaW0gc2F2ZSBtZSBkbyBub3QgbGV0IHRoZW0gY2F0Y2ggaGlt]]]]]]]]
Translation credit to Xerorex:
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
save him save me do not let them catch himsave him save me do not let them catch him
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 10:27 am
JehosephatDostoevsky
noticed i missed out a word from the e-mail last night:
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
should have said "help me watchers everywhere etc
which makes me think that every e-mail we get from now on will be in code, if we get e-mails again. from our chat last night, makes it seem like we'll only be able to contact him through gmail chat, or in person. he mentioned possibly telephone, but i got the feeling that that's a worst-case option, i.e. if no-one was able to physically meet him.
nothing really new there, just random musings.
but onto practicalities:
Lystella - I think you're right about St Swithin's Church, but I'm confused. The one that seems most likely is this one
It's in Lewisham, which is next to Greenwich, and it's in an area called Hither's Green. Seems likely.
BUT
Google suggests that there's this thing called the 'London Stone' that John Dee had something to do with, which was kept at a different St Swithin's church. The church itself was destroyed in the Blitz, but the stone's still there. Only problem is it's located
here
Now, the first one is more likely, as it is roughly in the right geographical area, in a place called 'Hither's Green', and, well, it's still a church. But the second one actually was visited by John Dee, and the parchment does refer specifically to him (confirmed by Howard on gmail chat last night).
Thoughts on this?
Moving on, looks like we'd have to be there a week today. Howard seems to want more than just one of us there, so again, anyone else live in or near London?
Finally - one last thought.
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
if the error at the end of the chat does tell us to 'find Gerald' - I'm thinking, at the church we might be finding Gerald there rather than Howard? I'm also guessing that 'verity' will be the code word we have to say to whoever's there to prove that we are frendlies
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 8:34 am
reesylou
posse wrote:
* make sure not to bring any metal, coins, or keys
The slowest sunset occurs at the solstices (near 21 June and 21 December).
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 9:08 pm
posse
Okay so far I'm thinking:
* location = John Dee's Church -- "mother to son" and "mortality to immortality" can be clues to the exact location.
* when the sun shines longest = summer solstice (June 21)?
* time = horizons long?? Is the horizon longest during the day or at sunrise/sunset?
* make sure not to bring any metal, coins, or keys
* call "verity!" in order to enter
What do you think about the mother/son & mortality/immortality? If it's a church, it could be a statue or painting of Mary & Jesus, and maybe a cross for the mortality/immortality, but those are just ideas...
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 8:49 pm
Lystella
Either "averity" or "verity"
I'm unable to see a clear letter before the "s" on the parchment, whereas in other lines the faded letter on the right portion of the post-flipped parchment has a noticeable origin on the other side, so I'm leaning toward "verity".
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 8:45 pm
JehosephatDostoevsky
posse wrote:
Is that last word correct?? I want to confirm before sending Howard an email.
would make more sense to me without the first letter? seeing as the first two letters are in the crack, are you sure that the first letter is actually there? if not, that makes sense... ish. i mean, it's not really helpful, but it makes sense!
Actually, it makes a LOT of sense if the first letter isn't there. From wikipedia:
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
From the wiki page about John Dee:
A student of the Renaissance Neo-Platonism of Marsilio Ficino, Dee did not draw distinctions between his mathematical research and his investigations into Hermetic magic, angel summoning and divination. Instead he considered all of his activities to constitute different facets of the same quest: the search for a transcendent understanding of the divine forms which underlie the visible world, which Dee called "pure verities".
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 8:43 pm
posse
I took the damaged screen photo and inverted it and flipped it horizontally (see uploaded).
This is what I see in the text, although I am EXTREMELY uncertain about the last word -- and go figure, it's the most important one:
finding he with the
fourth letter as his name
the entrance to the green
is located by the church of
the same. mother to son.
mortality to immortality.
come when the sun shines
longest at the time of
horizons long. bring no
metal nor coin nor key.
entrance gained by calling
averity!
Is that last word correct?? I want to confirm before sending Howard an email.
damaged-screen-invert-fliphoriz.jpg
Description
Filesize
453.11KB
55 Time(s)
Unfortunately, this file is no longer in our archives.
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 8:32 pm
posse
JehosephatDostoevsky wrote:
[error]dGhleSBoYXZlIGhpbQ0KbWUNCnRoZXkgaGF2ZSBtZQ== [error]
me: are you still there howard?
Howard: [error] d2UgYXJlIGhlbGQuIHRoaW5ncyBjaGFuZ2UuIGNoYW5naW5nLiBtZWV0IGhpbS4gbWUuIHNvb24uIHBvc3NpYmx5LiB1bnN1cmUuIGZpbmQgZ2VyYWxkLg== d2UgYXJlIGhlbGQuIHRoaW5ncyBjaGFuZ2UuIGNoYW5naW5nLiBtZWV0IGhpbS4gbWUuIHNvb24uIHBvc3NpYmx5LiB1bnN1cmUuIGZpbmQgZ2VyYWxkLg== d2UgYXJlIGhlbGQuIHRoaW5ncyBjaGFuZ2UuIGNoYW5naW5nLiBtZWV0IGhpbS4gbWUuIHNvb24uIHBvc3NpYmx5LiB1bnN1cmUuIGZpbmQgZ2VyYWxkLg== [error]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
Base64 (again) translates to:
they have him
me
they have me
we are held. things change. changing. meet him. me. soon. possibly. unsure. find gerald.
Let's find Gerald, yes? And sorry, I live across the pond, so no IRL help from me.
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 8:17 pm
JehosephatDostoevsky
new e-mail from howard
Quote:
Dear It support
If you understood my previous message then you will probably understand how this photograph of the scanner glass can help.
Please, little time for me.
Have to leave work soon as no-one else is in the building - all clock watchers!
such mess everywhere! Have to clean my desk just to see the dust bunnies run scared!
Thanks once again for your assistance.
Its always good to be appreciated and needed
Howard Fair
the e-mail subject was "Computers now working again - famous Last words?"
As with the last e-mail, there's a hidden message:
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
help me watchers! scared! assistance needed
edit: here's the attached image
edit 2:
shortly after I posted this on here, I noticed he was online on chat so spoke to him. here's the transcript:
Quote:
me: howard, are you there?
Howard: Yes.
But only for another ten minutes or so - those who... well... did you get my latest email
me: i did
and i understood it... fully
i believe we've made some progress with the parchment
it appears to refer to John Dee, though we've not worked out in what context yet
Howard: that was one of the followers my great uncle was investigating
I - I cannot write much here.
me: is there a safer way to contact you?
Howard: only in person - I work in south east London, UK - can't be more specific at moment
or possibly telephone - but not right now - not sure
in person probably best
me: ok, well i live other side of london but not too far away
Howard: possibly then - its... risky
and what started off as some simple papers have got this departmen into a bit of a lfurry
flurry*
I'm - well - you've read..
are there any others in the area - I'd hate for you to be alone when we met
goodness - I'm sounding paranoid in my older years
me: i'm not sure, i'll ask the others. and better paranoid and safe than naive and in danger!
i think i may know where abouts in south east london you work too. there appears to be messages in embedded in the errors thrown up by your IT system
Howard: Indeed - for example all alone in this small library but it always sounds as if someone's creeping around.
huh?
errors?
what errors? all I know is we had a system reboo and I couldn't access email for a few days
erboot8
reboot*
its late - sorry
why you up so late anyhow - I find its best to work late for me...
no-one around!
me: are you not aware of the errors? we received e-mails from you containing a string of what appeared to be random letters, but they translated to the notes of 'twinkle twinkle little star', and greenich - which suggests royal observatory?
i'm up this late because i watch baseball
Howard: how...?
me: *greenwich, even
Howard: er.... yes. But I can't go into details.
ad as for the song - thats odd - heard a girl [or thought I heard a girl] going past my office window earlier this afternoon singing - sounded like a lullaby
it was a nice afternoon - butterflies and a girl singing... seemd like I was somewhere else breifly
briefly*
me: really? in what way?
Howard: you know - daydreaming - I work close to where you say but can't actually type that my end or I'll be fired automatically.
we have keystroke identifiers
me: understood
well, i'll find out if there are any others who live nearby, and if there is, we might be able to find a secure way to relay your whereabouts
how can i let you know if there are others in london? your regular e-mail address? or is there a different method you'd prefer?
Howard: well - I can meet people there when all the offices close here...
bets to get me by chat.
best*
one minute - phone ringing - late for this time of night...
me: ok, i'll be waiting here
hope it's nothing out the ordinary!
Sent at 12:16 AM on Tuesday
Howard: citysprint - delivery - just got to go and sign for something - back in 5...
me: ok... be careful howard, seems a very weird time for a delivery
Sent at 12:18 AM on Tuesday
me: everything ok?
Sent at 12:33 AM on Tuesday
Howard: Sorry. Had to sign for a delivery.
me: fair enough. anything exciting?
Howard: Sorry. Had to sign for a delivery.
me: wasnt aware you could get deliveries this late at night
Howard: Sorry. Had to sign for a delivery.
me: um, everything ok over there?
Howard: Yes. I am good.
I am tired.
I have to go to work now.
me: ok, well hopefully speak to you soon... keep in touch so we know you're alright!
Howard: Sorry. Had to sign for a delivery.
me: Ok, well I'll let you get on with work then. speak soon...
Howard: I am tired. Sorry. Had to sign for a delivery. I have to go to work now. I am tired. I have to go to work now. Sorry. Had to sign for a delivery.
[server rebooting]
[error]dGhleSBoYXZlIGhpbQ0KbWUNCnRoZXkgaGF2ZSBtZQ== [error]
me: are you still there howard?
Howard: [error] d2UgYXJlIGhlbGQuIHRoaW5ncyBjaGFuZ2UuIGNoYW5naW5nLiBtZWV0IGhpbS4gbWUuIHNvb24uIHBvc3NpYmx5LiB1bnN1cmUuIGZpbmQgZ2VyYWxkLg== d2UgYXJlIGhlbGQuIHRoaW5ncyBjaGFuZ2UuIGNoYW5naW5nLiBtZWV0IGhpbS4gbWUuIHNvb24uIHBvc3NpYmx5LiB1bnN1cmUuIGZpbmQgZ2VyYWxkLg== d2UgYXJlIGhlbGQuIHRoaW5ncyBjaGFuZ2UuIGNoYW5naW5nLiBtZWV0IGhpbS4gbWUuIHNvb24uIHBvc3NpYmx5LiB1bnN1cmUuIGZpbmQgZ2VyYWxkLg== [error]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
at which point he went offline
quite a lot of info there. i'm terrible at codes and base and ROT and stuff, so anyone able to translate?
and, perhaps most importantly - anyone else live in or near london?
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 7:03 pm
JehosephatDostoevsky
wow. i got the e-mail too but COMPLETELY missed that. nice one!
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:35 pm
natas
draghkar wrote:
Computers now working again - last words?
Sorry about that: something to do with the fact that the scanner had been hooked up wrong.
Everything is fine here.
Worry not. All is good. IT were able to give help. Turns out it was all me! It will be a while until I can fix the scanner for the parchment.
Latest project has all my time taken.
Still, more funding applications to do: can't wait. I'll give them what for! Probably take me all tonight.
I've got friends who live there, so if the next clue is actually physically in G-----, I'd be able to go there myself.
But, a quick google search did reveal something interesting: there is a 'G----- Leyline'... that apparently was devised by none other than John Dee.
Hmm.
Also, another historic national facility is based there:
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
the royal observatory. also, it's the site of what was the millennium dome, and of course historically where the whole world took their time from. but, seeing as the clue is 'twinkle twinkle', it's def the observatory that's of interest to us
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:20 pm
draghkar
got two mails from howard:
Quote:
Computers now working again - last words?
Sorry about that: something to do with the fact that the scanner had been hooked up wrong.
Everything is fine here.
Worry not. All is good. IT were able to give help. Turns out it was all me! It will be a while until I can fix the scanner for the parchment.
Latest project has all my time taken.
Still, more funding applications to do: can't wait. I'll give them what for! Probably take me all tonight.
Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 10:27 am
