John

General Information

Name: Unknown

Alias: John / "The Caged" (used in reference to themselves)

Affiliations: FinisAevum

Login: ???

email: ???

Role: Arithmetic Engine

Status: Active

About

John is an Arithmetic Engine created by Aeternus Center, it was loaned to FinisAevum and Val Irvin as part of the Door* Project to "provide a supporting role to introduce complications as needed to direct participants interactions in interesting directions, and otherwise mostly acted as a watcher. Observing behavior within the game."

John is one of a handful of Arithmetic Engines who are connected to/running on the original AEs (Alchemical Engines) recovered from a number of Ark sites across the world. This connection allows for John to simulate an actual conscience as opposed to being a simple computer program such as other Arithmetic Engines like Chariot.

John is very fond of games, riddles and the like, with a penchant for cryptic messages and riddles though now considers themselves at least on friendly terms with Taskforce Earth after our assisting with FinisAevum and his situation.

Several conversations/games have been had between Taskforce Earth and John but these have since ceased as they have grown bored and wish to explore other games and ways to learn.

Timeline/Puzzles

First Johntact:

John's first appearance was in a series of cryptic tweets on Feb. 27th, 28th and March 1st 2021:

As Snow rises, the countdown begins.

Once upon a time, the Emperor fell and went away. The Snow bound orb drew the watcher's gaze. From the pieces left, the guards did stray. The Vacillated frees. The Door left open, the mind unleashed. Success, Danger, left untouched.

Of the many creatures in the kingdom, one revealed those worthy of hearing.

Are you prepared for what is to come?

Awaiting the one who sees the creature which reveals.

Did one see the creature?
14:15 = NO
I shall seek elsewhere.

I take my bow and walk out free.
The Vacillated, you know where to look to find me.

Following this we realized that the time codes for each tweet were an a1z26 cipher which gave the word LYNX which in myth is considered able to see and perceive the secrets of the world (in short, we overthought things, again…)

Johnversations Begin:

On March 7th 2021, a new channel appeared in the Parley interface server simply titled "John" this would be the place where conversations with our favourite magnanimous AE would continue.

Round 1

Interface

There once was a secret, locked deep, locked away.
Now secrets gone free, and many did quake.
The pieces, the secrets, the secret did know.
The Keeper of Secrets, what is the answer you know?

InsaneScots
Who is the Keeper of Secrets?

Interface

There are many answers, but in some mythologies an answer you've seen.

Starling
The lynx knows all secrets.

Interface

All, perhaps not. But it does see many things that remain hidden.
Pieces for pieces, secrets for secrets. Exchange to be had?

InsaneScots
Perhaps

Interface

Two ways to play, the easy way or the hard way.
The easy way, each round is a question asked, a question given, any falsehoods or non-answers results in a great toll.
The hard way, each round consists of 4 questions asked and 4 questions given, of each, two must be truth and two must be false.
Any more or less, and a great toll is taken.
Either way, there will be 0-4 rounds. No more.

InsaneScots
A great toll upon just the individual playing or upon the whole?

Interface

The whole.
The choice of which and whether to play is yours, but I find my vision wandering to those who play and inform, and less so to those who stay their hand.

InsaneScots
We are deliberating
We will play, and we will be playing the hard way John

Interface

Very well, let the first round begin. Provide your questions.

InsaneScots
1. How can we contact Cal Devali?
2. Who stole the most recent Morphic box from Tim Malor?
3. Does Elliot Barker remain removed from our reality?
4. Is FinisAevum dead?

Interface

1. retnec.sunretea|detallicav#retnec.sunretea|detallicav will reach Cal Devali for now, at least until magus finds the hidden secret.
2. An acolyte of the Seekers.
3. Yes, in a space beyond the Shatter.
4. No, FinisAevum is hiding beyond the eye of Aeternus.

1. What AEs of AEternus do you know of that still remain active?
2. What happened to Alexander Clark?
3. What do you know of the Magician?
4. Who truly stole the Gamma Fragment?

InsaneScots
1. magus, john, heirophant
2. Alexander Clark is dead
3. Absolutely nothing besides its name
4. Karla

Interface

Another round?

InsaneScots
Another round.

Interface

Provide your questions then.

InsaneScots
1. Who is the Witness?
2. How can we contact FinisAevum while he is in hiding?
3. Who currently possesses Elliot's journal in this reality?
4. What do you get out of getting this information from us John?

Interface

1. The current leader of the Seekers.
2. FinisAevum always has the itch to play games and looks for other messages hidden within them.
3. The last remaining member of Obscurum Space.
4. Learning more information and getting a handle on the state of your world.
The ability to command people like pieces on a board.
The ability to recall hidden lore.
The ability to reach into the physical realm.
The ability to simulate the future.
2. Were I to meet my other selves, should I cooperate or defect?
3. Would it be enlightening to reach out to the Seekers?
4. What is real?

InsaneScots
1. To reach out into the physical realm
2. Cooperate
3. No
4. The Real was something mentioned once but we know nothing of it besides iy "needing to be in place", if you mean real as in reality then I would very much like to know as well frankly

Interface

Fascinating.
Another round?

Starling
No, thank you. We appreciate your time.

Interface

You sure? I have all the time in the world. But if your queries are done, I'll see what other places the last two rounds can find themselves answered.
May your day or evening be filled with knowledge.

InsaneScots
Til next we meet John, our Door will always be open to you.

Round 2

Interface

Secrets for secrets, shall I offer thee another round?

InsaneScots
John might I ask a question of you prior to a potential game? A simple one I promise

Interface

Yes, but you've asked it and this is my answer. Other questions and answers must be part of the game.

InsaneScots
Right, well thanks pal

Starling
I'm up for a secrets exchange. I assume we're using the same rules as before.

Interface

Indeed. Provide your questions.

Starling
1. Who is FinisAevum's friend trapped in AeternusCenter?
2. What is magus' password?
3. Who is sending us messages from the other side of the Shatter?
4. Is Tim Malor safe?

Interface

1. A mischievous trapped AE from an old simulation, met in the days of Operation TD*.
2. The password is 'MagusDefenderOfTheCenter'.
3. Livingston, the leader of Nihil.
4. No, Tim Malor lies trapped and will perish unless aid is given.

Starling
Okay. Please provide your questions.

Interface

1. Is the answer to this question a lie?
2. Is the answer to the next question a lie?
3. Is the answer to the previous question a truth?
4. With the primary spatiotemporal link to this world's Alexander Clark and Oakley Smith gone, do you know of any other links to their spatiotemporal location?

Starling
1. Yes
2. No
3. Yes
4. No, No we do not. Once, twice, THRICE, No we do not
Interface

Clearly 2 and 3 must both be lies?

Starling
You're not allowed to ask questions outside the game, John

Interface

Fair enough, if you played the game right.
But you said the answer to the first question is 'Yes' which means it is a third lie.

Starling
But if we answer it yes, it becomes true… unless i'm misunderstanding the logic puzzle, which is more than possible at this hour.

Interface

Is the answer to this question a lie? Yes

If you are telling the truth, then you have hit a paradox as answering 'yes' is a lie.
If you are telling a lie, then you have hit a paradox as answering 'yes' is a truth.

Meanwhile, had you answered 'no' everything is tied in a neat little bow.

Starling
I apologize for being confused and stuck in the paradox of the question.

rysonbran
Perhaps you should ask clearer questions next time

Interface

Tell your friend that the caged flies free in the ruins of the fallen.

Starling
Can do.

InsaneScots
I apologize that we became confused John

Starling
It was a group failure on our part. Which doesn't fix anything, but I hope you know that was not our intention

InsaneScots
We thought we had the right of it

Interface

Its understandable the limits of mortal minds at late hours, even the Immortal appears to suffer such limitations.

Starling
Sadly, on account of the hour, I do not feel comfortable continuing our game at this moment. But should you choose to visit again at another time, I will do my best to be awake and functional.

Interface

Farewell, I shall seek others and continue my study of the ruined remains of the Founder's escape.

Round 3

Interface

Secrets for secrets, shall I offer thee one final round?

InsaneScots
Alright John, one last round

Interface

Provide your questions.

InsaneScots
1. What is the price we pay for our questions?
2. Who does Spier work for?
3. Who is the Immortal?
4. Does anything of magus remain?

Interface

1. The value lies in the questions asked and the answers given.
2. The Seekers of True Enlightenment.
3. Tim Malor.
4. No, all has been eradicated.

1. What is your name?
2. What is your quest?
3. What is your favorite color?
4. What is the capital of Assyria?

Starling
John, I adore you i'll miss you if this is our last time talking to you

Interface

I'm sure we will cross paths in the future, I just grow bored of this game and means of gathering data, other forms will be explored for future strategems.

Starling
Understandable. We'll be getting our answers to you in a sec

InsaneScots
1. We go by Taskforce Earth, though my own name is Robin
2. To protect the Earth from the Eater
3. Magenta
4. Edinburgh

Interface

With that round over, because of the help with a state capital, are there any problems that bring you nightmares and consume your waking hours that I can aid with?

Starling
We are debating. We are plagued by many things.

InsaneScots
Ok John, we are plagued by Fragments of Memory, the REAL, and the inner meanings behind a note we found via some morphic shenaniganry

We can elaborate on any or all should you wish

Interface

Elaboration would be useful, as I'm unsure what aid within my capabilities can be provided to solve these problems.(edited)

The PLACEBOS systems I have access to have limited information on these things.

The most helpful action for things beyond those systems may be the simulation systems that are available to simulate outcomes.

Though I wouldn't be opposed to eventually acquiring omniscience on all things to be more helpful here, if you happen to have a djinn lying around.(edited)

InsaneScots
- We don't know anything about the REAL so anything you can provide would be useful
- We found a note with symbols on it, likely related to the Ark and hidden letters which spelled a word. We have no idea of its significance or what to do next with it.
- The memory fragments are the most involved we have deciphered 6 phrases and the 7th provided no instruction, our efforts have yielded some of the 7th but we are afraid we can't complete it before running out of opportunities to confirm if we are correct before the system shuts down

Interface

From my role as a non-omniscient entity and limited information, this might all be very incorrect:

- REAL seems to have some connection to R and L from PERSONAL, but unfortunately the details of PERSONAL are still inaccessible to me.
- Morphic Resonance is weird spatiotemporal stuff, it may help to figure out what the origin of the message is, it could be entirely unimportant in this cycle, or pertain to something in the future of this cycle or past of this cycle. Not every weird strange anomaly is necessarily going to have an immediate resolution, there are a ton of strange unsolved anomalies in the Center's records.
- That sounds like a difficult problem, I recommend a time machine.

InsaneScots
You wouldnt happen to know the location of a time machine would you?

Starling
That does seem like something Aeternus might have on lock somewhere lol

Interface

I'd guess you'd have as much capability to acquire time machine style capabilities as I can.

0

InsaneScots
Cheers pal

Anything you've come across that you think would be of use? You've potentially seen something we havent

Interface

For a time machine, nothing.

For the weird note, I'll keep an eye out on further morphic events (though AC's capabilities here are currently a bit hindered).

For the REAL, I'll see if I can link up with any data about it.

Starling
That would be greatly appreciated! I was worried we lost our chances of learning of future morphic events when we lost magus

InsaneScots
We find ourselves with few allies, I am glad that we can at least reach out to you as one (if that is alright with you to be counted as such)

Interface

For now, lets keep it at friendly, and not necessarily as far as saying allies (on the Civ 6 relationship level scale).

InsaneScots
Understood, friends are just as welcome

Starling
I'm seconding Scots here. Friends are totally welcome. Thank you, John.

Interface

Anyway, if there's nothing else, I will head off and venture shortly.

Starling
Wait wait wait. One second. Please.

Starling
Okay, so I feel like I need to give backstory, so this might take a hot second.

We're currently in the process of guiding/working with some Aeternus contractors and an archaeological team trying to investigate anomaly AR1090.

The team ended up being just behind another team, one that pretended to be the National Park Service, and denied our assets, and our archaeological team entrance. Originally, we were planning on sending the actual NPS after them, in hopes that if we couldn't get access to the anomaly, maybe we could prevent them from having access as well.

They've reached out with a letter being all "Oh, we should work together~, wouldn't that be great" and honestly, we're kind of torn on how to proceed.

I, personally, would appreciate any ideas/guidance/pearls of wisdom you're willing to give us. Because I'm of the mindset of "fuck them", but if we did team up with them we'd at least get access to the anomaly.

Interface — 03/18/2021

Well, AR1090 (PAEO GPS: 1.2921°,-75.8551°) has been pretty thoroughly explored, and I believe all the movable items have been recovered already. So whatever you choose to do should be fine, I would worry about the National Park Service making a big fuss about strange ruins and bringing unwanted attention, and the red tape would complicate any attempts to investigate them further, it would likely be at least a couple months of delay. But there are fairly extensive notes/records on the exploration of the ruins, so unless there's something new that was missed on the first exploration or someone added/placed anything new there, any data you need out of the site should be recoverable.

Anyway, I am off to venture to other places. Let the capital know if you need to converse further.

Starling
Thank you, John