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 Forum index » Archive » Archive: General » Old News & Rumors
[TRAILHEAD?] Howard Fair?
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draghkar
Entrenched


Joined: 12 Oct 2005
Posts: 771
Location: Netherlands - the hilly part of it that is

 		got 2 emails from Howard, both saying [error]..

What is going on...
_________________
I live... wake me when I die
Call me nightshade, since I am known as such in the summer court

PostPosted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 4:28 am
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JehosephatDostoevsky
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Joined: 15 Apr 2011
Posts: 98
Location: UK

 		I got an e-mail error too, very weird...

But one thing I noticed. Draghkar, I don't know about you, but the e-mail I received was actually sent from Howard to Howard, and I was BCC'd in. Why would it be sent like that? Is Howard trying to communicate with himself or something?

PostPosted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 5:21 am
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draghkar
Entrenched


Joined: 12 Oct 2005
Posts: 771
Location: Netherlands - the hilly part of it that is

 		I sent a reply, and got the folllowing:

Quote:
---
This electronic mail response has been generated due to the British
Library Section O employee **Howard Fair** being unable to personally
respond.
Please do not send any future mail until this employee contacts you.
Thank you.

Dr Geraint Clyme, head of investigations.
---


We got a new character it seems..

edit
Interesting thing, and probably OOG Dr Geraint Clyme is an anagram for
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
Tired Clergyman


Sent a reply to howards mailbox

Quote:
Dear Dr Geraint Clyme,

I am sure this messages reaches you, since you seem to be monitoring this account..

Please let me know what is going in with Howard, I am one of his researchers, and am slightly worried reading your message.

I hope to hear from you soon..

Draghkar

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I live... wake me when I die
Call me nightshade, since I am known as such in the summer court

PostPosted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 5:36 am
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posse
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Joined: 09 Apr 2010
Posts: 448
Location: Las Vegas, NV

 		New email
Hi, been lurking for a while but also been receiving the same emails from howardfairinthegreenSPLATgmail.com.

Got a new email today after I replied to the automated email response from Dr Geraint Clyme over the weekend (note: had to add some newlines here so the forum post wouldn't go haywire, sorry):

Quote:
[error]
MDEwMDAwMTEgMDEwMDAwMTEgMDEwMDAxMTEgMDEwMDAxMTEgMDEwMDAwMDEg
MDEwMDAwMDEgMDEwMDAxMTEgMDAwMDExMDEgMDAwMDEwMTAgMDEwMDAxMTAg
MDEwMDAxMTAgMDEwMDAxMDEgMDEwMDAxMDEgMDEwMDAxMDAgMDEwMDAxMDAg
MDEwMDAwMTEgMDAwMDExMDEgMDAwMDEwMTAgMDEwMDAxMTEgMDEwMDAxMTEg
MDEwMDAxMTAgMDEwMDAxMTAgMDEwMDAxMDEgMDEwMDAxMDEgMDEwMDAxMDAg
MDAwMDExMDEgMDAwMDEwMTAgMDEwMDAxMTEgMDEwMDAxMTEgMDEwMDAxMTAg
MDEwMDAxMTAgMDEwMDAxMDEgMDEwMDAxMDEgMDEwMDAxMDAgMDAwMDExMDEg
MDAwMDEwMTAgMDEwMDAwMTEgMDEwMDAwMTEgMDEwMDAxMTEgMDEwMDAxMTEg
MDEwMDAwMDEgMDEwMDAwMDEgMDEwMDAxMTEgMDAwMDExMDEgMDAwMDEwMTAg
MDEwMDAxMTAgMDEwMDAxMTAgMDEwMDAxMDEgMDEwMDAxMDEgMDEwMDAxMDAg
MDEwMDAxMDAgMDEwMDAwMTE=
[error]


So far I've gotten:
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
Base64 decoded to binary which decodes to:
CCGGAAG
FFEEDDC
GGFFEED
GGFFEED
CCGGAAG
FFEEDDC

Which are the musical notes to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.


Where to from here?

PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 10:15 am
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JehosephatDostoevsky
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Joined: 15 Apr 2011
Posts: 98
Location: UK

 		ooooh, awesome job. no idea where that leads us to particularly. only thing i know about 'twinkle twinkle' is it was actually mozart's first ever piece, that melody & a series of variations on it. probably of no use whatsoever, but that's the only thing i know about 'twinkle'. that, and it's the same tune for 'baa baa black sheep'

PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 10:25 am
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posse
Unfettered

Joined: 09 Apr 2010
Posts: 448
Location: Las Vegas, NV

 		howardfairinthegreen is on gchat right now, so let's try to get more info from him...

ETA: Okay I'm going to post my transcript of my chat with howardfairinthegreen -- I'm not sure who I was talking to, but it sure doesn't seem to be Howard Fair:

Quote:
me: Hello Howard, is everything all right?
Sent at 10:21 AM on Monday
howardfairinthegreen: [error]
me: Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are
Sent at 10:24 AM on Monday
howardfairinthegreen: [error] VGhvdWdoIEkga25vdyBub3Qgd2hhdCB5b3UgYXJl [error]
Sent at 10:25 AM on Monday
me: I know not what you are, either. What has happened?
Sent at 10:28 AM on Monday
howardfairinthegreen: [error] SGUgY291bGQgbm90IHNlZSB3aGljaCB3YXkgdG8gZ28= [error]
Sent at 10:30 AM on Monday
me: We may have figured that out but Howard disappeared before we could ask him more questions about the parchment.
Is there a way to find him now?
Sent at 10:32 AM on Monday
howardfairinthegreen: [error] V2hlbiB0aGUgYmxhemluZyBzdW4gaXMgZ29uZSxncmUNCldoZW4gaGUgbm
90aGluZyBzaGluZXMgdXBvbixlbg0KVGhlbiB5b3Ugc2hvdyB5b3VyIGxpdHRs
ZSBsaWdodCx3aQ0KVHdpbmtsZSwgdHdpbmtsZSwgYWxsIHRoZSBuaWdod
C5jaA== [error]
Sent at 10:34 AM on Monday
me: I may not understand about Greenwich, but I will try to help. Is there anything else I can do or that I need to know?
Sent at 10:40 AM on Monday
howardfairinthegreen: [error] help me help him do not let him study [error - server rebooting]

Right after the last response, he went offline.

FYI the coded bits:
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
Base64 again, his responses were the following:
Though I know not what you are

He could not see which way to go

When the blazing sun is gone,gre
When he nothing shines upon,en
Then you show your little light,wi
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.ch

Which, by the way, all turned out to be lines from Twinkle Twinkle Little Star


Still not sure what to do with this info now, but fun stuff!

PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 10:29 am
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Minz
Decorated

Joined: 12 Apr 2009
Posts: 183

 		Edit: Ah sorry didn't catch your mention of the word on my first readthrough

posse wrote:

Still not sure what to do with this info now, but fun stuff!


Look at the bold bits :
Spoiler (Rollover to View):

When the blazing sun is gone,gre
When he nothing shines upon,en
Then you show your little light,wi
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.ch


So basically our next hint is or is in
Spoiler (Rollover to View):
Greenwich, London ?


PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 11:47 am
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draghkar
Entrenched


Joined: 12 Oct 2005
Posts: 771
Location: Netherlands - the hilly part of it that is

 		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.


Howard.


Quote:
Personal incident Re: Parchment
[error]
MDEwMDAwMTEgMDEwMDAwMTEgMDEwMDAxMTEgMDEwMDAxMTEg
MDEwMDAwMDEgMDEwMDAwMDEgMDEwMDAxMTEgMDAwMDExMDEg
MDAwMDEwMTAgMDEwMDAxMTAgMDEwMDAxMTAgMDEwMDAxMDEg
MDEwMDAxMDEgMDEwMDAxMDAgMDEwMDAxMDAgMDEwMDAwMTEg
MDAwMDExMDEgMDAwMDEwMTAgMDEwMDAxMTEgMDEwMDAxMTEg
MDEwMDAxMTAgMDEwMDAxMTAgMDEwMDAxMDEgMDEwMDAxMDEg
MDEwMDAxMDAgMDAwMDExMDEgMDAwMDEwMTAgMDEwMDAxMTEg
MDEwMDAxMTEgMDEwMDAxMTAgMDEwMDAxMTAgMDEwMDAxMDEg
MDEwMDAxMDEgMDEwMDAxMDAgMDAwMDExMDEgMDAwMDEwMTAg
MDEwMDAwMTEgMDEwMDAwMTEgMDEwMDAxMTEgMDEwMDAxMTEg
MDEwMDAwMDEgMDEwMDAwMDEgMDEwMDAxMTEgMDAwMDExMDEg
MDAwMDEwMTAgMDEwMDAxMTAgMDEwMDAxMTAgMDEwMDAxMDEg
MDEwMDAxMDEgMDEwMDAxMDAgMDEwMDAxMDAgMDEwMDAwMTE=
[error]

This second one is alraedy dealt with I see Smile
_________________
I live... wake me when I die
Call me nightshade, since I am known as such in the summer court

PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:04 pm
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JehosephatDostoevsky
Veteran

Joined: 15 Apr 2011
Posts: 98
Location: UK

 		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


PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:20 pm
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natas
PHP Ninja


Joined: 06 Oct 2007
Posts: 3177
Location: Northwest Indiana
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.


Howard.


Wrong. Here. Not. Good. Help. Me. Parchment. Taken. Wait. For. Tonight.

PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:33 pm
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JehosephatDostoevsky
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Joined: 15 Apr 2011
Posts: 98
Location: UK

 		wow. i got the e-mail too but COMPLETELY missed that. nice one!

PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 1:35 pm
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JehosephatDostoevsky
Veteran

Joined: 15 Apr 2011
Posts: 98
Location: UK

 		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?

PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 7:03 pm
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posse
Unfettered

Joined: 09 Apr 2010
Posts: 448
Location: Las Vegas, NV
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. Sad

PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 8:17 pm
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posse
Unfettered

Joined: 09 Apr 2010
Posts: 448
Location: Las Vegas, NV

 		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:

Quote:
cfkafkd eb tfqe qeb
clroqe ibqqbo xp efp kxjb
qeb bkqoxkzb ql qeb dobbk
fp ilzxqba yv qeb zeroze lc
qeb pxjb. jlqebo ql plk.
jloqxifqv ql fjjloqxifqv.
zljb tebk qeb prk pefkbp
ilkdbpq xq qeb qfjb lc
elofwlkp ilkd. yofkd kl
jbqxi klo zlfk klo hbv.
bkqoxkzb dxfkba yv zxiifkd

xsbofqv!


Spoiler (Rollover to View):
ROT-3 decodes to:

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.

PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 8:32 pm
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JehosephatDostoevsky
Veteran

Joined: 15 Apr 2011
Posts: 98
Location: UK
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".


PostPosted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 8:43 pm
Last edited by JehosephatDostoevsky on Mon Jun 13, 2011 8:46 pm; edited 2 times in total
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