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 Forum index » Archive » Archive: Ephemeral » ARG: Intimation
[PUZZLE][SOLVED] Amber
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Turducken
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Joined: 10 Jun 2009
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Location: REACHing for September 14th

 		[PUZZLE][SOLVED] Amber
Well guys and gals, first off I want to congratulate us on reaching the ranks of CF, niice accomplisment.

Anyway,

You know it, you love it, you hate it, but is it a puzzle?

Let me recap for new players.

Eridanos, a PM made player, he has a "project" that he's working on, we also discovered a wordpress of his . Simply, there is a pw protected page called "Amber", now from what we know, we have not been given any clues as to what the password is, YET. There has been speculation on whether this is a puzzle, or just a random page the PMs use for who knows what. So the hard hitting questions are:
Is this a puzzle?
and
If so, have we gotten any clues?

/SYS:/COMMAND:BEGINDISSCUSION Eridanos Wordpress

edited subject. ~drizjr

PostPosted: Tue Aug 04, 2009 9:21 pm
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drizjr
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 		[solved] Amber
I revisited http://eridanos01.wordpress.com/amber/ to re-read this:
Quote:
The River…

"…for I cannot accept the story of a river called by non-Greek peoples the Eridanus, which flows into the northern sea, where amber is supposed to come from…….Yet it cannot be disputed that tin and amber do come to us from what one might call the ends of the earth… [tin from Britain, amber from the Baltic sea]. In any case it does seem to be true that the countries which lie on the circumference of the inhabited world produce the things which we believe to be most rare and beautiful."

"[At the wedding of Poseidon and Beroe :] Eridanos brought shining gifts, amber from the trees of the Heliades that trickle riches."


Does anything stand out, my friends?

The password is:
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
shining gifts


I was trying an number of things. I'm not sure if there's a space there, but I'm fairly certain it's all caps. Anaerin confirmed the pw as it is now. eta: an 's'

Spoiler (Rollover to View):

Protected: Amber

"Eridanos brought shining gifts, amber from the trees of the Heliades that trickle riches."

The basic layout of the Surface terminal visual navigation interface:

>>STONEWALL:SURFACETERM/NAVTYPE:VIS//

>NAVHIST:PATH//[...]

>MEM:LOC//[...]

>EX:VECTOR//[...]
>EX:VECTOR//[...]
[etc]

* STONEWALL The name of the construct that Sys erected to contain the AI, "S" (Sacagawea).
* SURFACETERM "Surface" appears to indicate that Sys operates its data storage over the surface of its Stonewall. I suppose with a limited medium, its best and safest place to store data could be right at ground zero."Term" would clearly indicate a terminal-like interface.
* NAVTYPE "Navigation type" – Could there be more than one interface type?
* VIS "Visual" – Is this just what the child tentacle decided was the best navigation type for us to interface covertly and effectively? Presumably, Sys wouldn't use a visual interface. "Visual" is quite helpful with node contents, as explained below.
* NAVHIST"Navigation history" – This is where it gets interesting. It appears that a brief history of navigation commands is retained. Not many, but enough to feel like you've got a tail.
* PATH As explained below, one travels about this network by following directions, vectors. The NAVHIST:PATH appears to be a string of these most recent vector codes.
* MEM:LOCHere's the core of the network: "Memory location" – my guess is a unique 16 character code that identifies a specific node in its network. At each node, Sys can store various kinds of content, encrypted or otherwise.
* EX:VECTORIf MEM:LOC is the core, these would be the seeds. Each node contains any number of "Exit vectors" – a single, unique direction that can be taken from one node to the next. The trick is that the two letter 'vector' code is not the same to return to the node you were just at. That makes it easy to get lost.

It's important to note that this node network of Sys's could be altered at any time. It does seem that new nodes have been added throughout its life, and even during hibernation, 'subroutines' that Sys has created (little mini maintenance versions of itself, far more limited in capability) continue to traverse this network, managing bits of data that, well, appear at random times through the week.

Node Data:

Each node may contain any of a collection of content types – encrypted, hidden, visual, aberrant, etc.

* >NODE:DATA//[...]Self-explanatory. Typically, this is data that Sys has stored itself; external references, notes, yadda yadda.>NODE:DATA//NULL is an empty node.
* >NODE:DATA/SWP:CLSFD/[...]This indicates data that under Sys's "Shipwreck Protocol" has been categorized as Classified. Typically this data is moved and secured under some form of lock/key (see below)
* [[SWP:CLSFD//[...]]]This indicates the hidden or locked classified data.
* …and a few additional formats

Bits of data have appeared that have been categorized as classified and transferred, for security reasons no doubt, to much more obscure locations.

* PATHLOCK Any node which contains content labeled as being "PATHLOCK"ed means it's been moved to a different node, but can only be read by visiting that node via a specific path, the pathlock vector strings are the 'keys' to this data.

Data Types:

While each node could have listed any number of text-based data content, the visual navigation interface also interprets content visually where available.

Having this node network reside over the surface of the Stonewall apparently means that this interface visualizes that node's location on or over the actual Stonewall (as evidenced by the "stone wall" depicted as the background). When traversing around the network, one might come upon other imagery – it may be a video that Sys has stored there, links to external assets or even – and this is intriguing – damaged nodes, places where the other kind of the AI's tentacles (I consider as hostile) have lashed about. At one point, the child tentacle even secretly hid a number of her shattered story puzzle pieces (images) around the surface at accessible nodes.

The Unexplained node

There is one node which remains mysterious, and frankly a little worrisome. Located at the node 7F64-DD2F-4C79-8866, which can be located from S's backdoor following a vector path FN-KZ-TR-TU-SC-DK-CQ-PH-BL. The Stonewall there has the appearance of a misplaced brick, sprayed with graffiti in the shape of a scorpion, a symbol that's been seen previously, and just recently appeared in the child's story. This node only has a single vector for a way in and only one way out.

Clearly, this network is quite complex; and who knows how many other layers there may be, or what we still haven't discovered about Sys. And to exist in an untraceable virtual world, not bound to any real physical location or server (I gather from Sys's answers to my questions the week of June 11), is definitely consistent with the theory that this is in fact an AI from the future.

Sys, we have much to learn from your programming. It's a pleasure to have met you.

UPDATE/August

Much has happened over the course of many weeks. But this is intriguing. This unexplained node, this 'Scorpio hatch' is now open. Well, perhaps it's better to say it burst open, but when it did, a tentacle of some sort whipped about and disappeared, leaving the unrepaired hole in its wake. This hole looks to be our way in to the AI, and our way in to attempt to rescue Essy and Sys. The difference is that on entering, we apparently have a similar situation to the surface network, but we're digging into an unknown space. The subroutines 1 through 5 are prepared and waiting, but they need direction. They navigate by navpaths, lists of vectors or instructions for moving about. As they're now digging into a dangerous place, they need to know where to go, and based on what we see on entering that 'hatch', it looks like we're navigating some new kind of dense network, or forest.

These visualizations, I think, could be best described as 'creepy'.


eta: bold and blue text as it appears on the blog
edit: fixed a font color coding error

PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 3:37 am
Last edited by drizjr on Sat Aug 08, 2009 2:03 am; edited 1 time in total
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dreamerblue
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 		A HA! This answers a question I asked in IRC.
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
When I read Eridanos' Wordpress entry for Aug. 5, I noticed that this sentence seemed strange:

"'Split in twain' means split in two, and like shining gifts, there are two skulls on the page. [emphasis mine]

I thought that mention of "shining gifts" seemed strange!!!

Hindsight is 20/20, heh Smile.


Edited to add spoiler tags, since it's spoiler-tagged above...I never know when I'm supposed to use those darn things Smile.

ETA: So...this Eridanos guy...doesn't generally tell us something we don't already know, does he?

PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 9:00 am
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Abraxas
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 		Uaaaah...a password with a space? Nasty.

And yeah, dreamerblue wondered about the
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
"shining gifts"
, I can attest to that. Good eye. Smile
I assume drizjr jumped on it for the same reason, especially since she tried a password with a space in it...

I imagine even if it had been cracked back then, it wasn't an awful lot of news to you. Although the notion that the nodes are on top of the Stonewall and therefore we are digging into the AI - something that Eridanos brought up later, anyway - was something I didn't think about. I always assumed the hole leads outside as analogy to Dreaming Eyes running through the woods.

Now, I wonder about this Stonewall, though...I thought it was constructed to keep the AI inside. Was it created to keep the AI from damaging its core, instead? There must be a layer around the Stonewall that Essy and her subroutines move in, while the Stonewall shields the core.
Then why worry about the AI escaping, if the Stonewall leads inside. Do I get confused with the visual, here? Confused

Or maybe Eridanos just sucks at this ARG, as krystyn said. Razz

Edit: Aaargh, never mind, dawned on me just a minute later what else he said...Essy was inside, but broke out. We are now going back in. We are not, in fact, chasing after her, as I thought for the longest time.
This provides for an interesting contrast to the analogy to Dreaming Eyes. Twists it around to suggest that Essy wanted to escape from "outside" and go back "in", as Scorpio AI would want it to.

(Now that Amber is done, I hope you can forgive me for going largely OT with this...)

PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 9:23 am
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dreamerblue
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 		I actually think some people tried shininggifts and shining-gifts before...maybe that's in the trailhead thread somewhere.

I am also confused by inside/outside and Stonewall purpose issues...hopefully this will all be clarified eventually.

PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 9:37 am
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ancalime
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 		WOO! Great job!
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 10:26 am
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Turducken
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 		The next big question


CONS
do we tell him??? he could change the password this is him Twisted Evil this is us Shocked Silly

or not well nothing, unless he can find out


PROS
do we tell him??? he might realize we're awesome, and he could unleash his project on us (hoping THAT isn't the project) and it could be a Super Magical Awesome Navpath Generator Thingymajiggy

Or not he won't find out, and we continue with absolutely nothing except the thought of accomplishment.

PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 10:40 am
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dreamerblue
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 		I have a suggestion, but it is only a suggestion: ask him again if he is willing to allow some of us access to the Amber area of his site. I wonder if, when he said "shining gifts" in his post, he may have in-character been hoping that some of the people he trusts would be able to use that to get in.

And if he says no, well, we go in anyway Twisted Evil

PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 11:48 am
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drizjr
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 		Truly, I credit this solve to dreamerblue for pointing out in chat, how strange the use of the phrase "shining gifts" was in this part of Eridanos' blog dated August 5:
Quote:
<snip>"Split in twain" means split in two, and like shining gifts, there are two skulls on the page.<snip>


dreamerblue, thank you for pointing out the weirdness of it. Doing so, made it stick in my mind.

My gut feeling is that we should hold off telling Eridanos that we cracked this password. I don't fully trust him; mostly because of his early attempt to take advantage of SYS when she was confused. But I will yield in deference to the decision of the majority, or to those who have had more contact with him.

Besides that, I was really, really hoping to find a 3D rendering of the maze behind that password! Cool
Who knows if he is yet to post that or some other insights on the Amber page... would he openly share them with us? As said above, would he be impressed that it was cracked, or would he become slightly more paranoid and perhaps retract into his own "dark forest"?

PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 2:15 pm
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krystyn
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drizjr wrote:
or would he become slightly more paranoid and perhaps retract into his own "dark forest"?

that's so emo
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 2:18 pm
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ironnikki
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krystyn wrote:
drizjr wrote:
or would he become slightly more paranoid and perhaps retract into his own "dark forest"?


that's so emo


Bwahahahaha. Was not expecting that.

But yeah, driz makes a very good point. If we tell Eridanos that we found his password, then he won't put anything up there that he doesn't want us to see. If there is something that he wants us to know, he'll either tell us, or put it up on the open part of his blog.
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 2:40 pm
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dreamerblue
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 		Oh. Wow.

I think the PM has been trying to get us to get this password for a while.

On this page in the Big-Ass Thread (BAT?), Gooze said:
Quote:
EDIT 2: More has been added to the first post by Eridanos01 on his Wordpress page. It reads:
[At the wedding of Poseidon and Beroe :] Eridanos brought shining gifts, amber from the trees of the Heliades that trickle riches."

According to the site that this quote comes from, http://www.theoi.com/Potamos/PotamosEridanos.html

Amber is the tears of Heliades. I've tried to put this in as the password but it doesn't work.


Now read a few paragraphs up from the end of http://thewaytheirworldended.com/missionlog26.php...Higgins says:
Quote:
I look around here at all the ancient tools and technology I've collected and studied in my career, decorating this lab like shining gifts of old, and all of it means nothing. [emphasis mine]


That log was released during the June 24 to 25 active period, right in the midst of the Eridanos controversy, and noone picked up on it, heh Smile.

Edit: mind you, I fully agree that we did not expect there to be a space in the password.

Edit again: Man, you guys, hindsight really does make you laugh. Please understand that I am going to quote this next bit not to criticize anyone involved, but because I am amused at how close and yet how far y'all were (I'd include myself, but I was MIA at the time & thus not helping at all Smile). On this page, this exchange (edited a bit) takes place:

snorkle256 wrote:
Keep in mind for possible future solves that the second part of the plain text has not been used for anything yet.

wrote:
[At the wedding of Poseidon and Beroe :] Eridanos brought shining gifts, amber from the trees of the Heliades that trickle riches.

AldisValkyrie wrote:
Well the only thing that hasn't been solved is the amber page...


But then the clue was totally missed, in favour of other tasks and more obscure options:

anaerin wrote:
I'm not so certain that we should be even trying to "solve" that page at the moment. It's obvious that it's not obvious, and just trying to blindly throw passwords at it smacks of bruteforcing to me (yes, I said it).

I'm certain when we are supposed to open it, we'll be given a more concrete kl00. Or a hard poke from the PMs.

danteIL wrote:
The only other thing I've tried for that password is "Zeuxippe" who apparently was the river-god Eridanos' daughter. Didn't work.


Hee hee Smile...

PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 11:49 pm
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Turducken
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 		The password may have been shining gifts, but the actual page was far from that, I mean talk about STUFF WE KNOW U PM PLAYER
somebodys a little slow

PostPosted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 11:44 am
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Shad0
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 		Re: [PUZZLE][SOLVED] Amber
Re: stuff we know
Turducken wrote:
The password may have been shining gifts, but the actual page was far from that, I mean talk about STUFF WE KNOW U PM PLAYER
somebodys a little slow

Well, sure, we know it now... Think about how long that page has been available to us, though, and how much (or how little) we knew back then, comparatively speaking.
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 2:31 pm
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dreamerblue
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 		It's kinda like Eridanos is using that as a wiki for himself, heh Smile

PostPosted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 4:34 pm
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