At my last job, I was one of two people hired to put together and run the tech support department in an Internet startup, and they didn’t have office space for us, so we ended up in a windowless room that the company rented from some mob lawyers, on a different floor from my company’s main office. None of the users could ever find us. It was heaven!
Also, Ginny isn’t mad enough yet. Dave would have become as unto a computerized god by now. Helen or Madblood too for that matter. Heck Lovelace and Nick would probably both be in control by now and neither of them is …afflicted with Walton’s Disorder (Nick is just angry, not mad).
I don’t know why people keep saying things like that. Dave was only in charge of the computer because he specifically uploaded himself in such a way that he would be, and he had hardware access to set this up. Lovelace and Nick didn’t take control of the Whimsy VR when they went into it. When Nick tried to enter the VR Sweetheart was in, Mr. Green captured him and put him in a dark place from which he couldn’t escape. Yet people confidently state that Nick/Dave/whoever is some kind of VR god who would take over everything if he was here.
Jeff and Shaenon leave breadcrumbs that would allow a sharp observer to spoil future plot points. I’m not, but on the off chance I support any fan theories that are both nonobvious and correct, I’ll post them as cryptograms, so I can scratch that itch without worrying about spoiling anything. Please don’t post solutions.
1. UDFVQF AQQG RFQ IQHRBQ ROX NRMQ PDHYDTOX QZQG.
2. PNR MISTAMPSM LAPPIR PFEDJ YD PNR AEESKAI YB A CSADP EYLYP LFSIP LH CAKYPPR ADO PSCREISIH, NRE TSDO NRAIRO LH RSPNRE PSV YE CSDDH. PNSJ GYD’P LR A VFERIH TSISPAEH KSMPYEH, LFP CSADP EYLYPJ CYDDA NAVVRD.
Augh, all 5 are using different cryptograms? I solved #2 using the apostrophe to get the N and T from GYP’D -> WON’T, and from there to several character names (Gavotte, Tigerlily, Ginny, Tip), but realized along the way that the other four entries are using different substitution sets.
I’m impressed with what automated solvers such as https://quipqiup.com/ can do. I wasn’t even sure #5 was long enough to solve without context, but… yep.
Ooh, I like your Theory 1. When this arc started, I figured we were in Mr. Green’s City (Where everyone wears emerald-tinted glasses, eh?), and thought that explained the various facewear-sporting ladies.
I hadn’t revisited that theory since the last couple weeks had introduced some problems with it.
ISTR someone pointed out a while ago that all the eyeless women’s names can be interpreted as bee-related.
Bee-trix
Melanie (mel = honey; the name “Melissa” actually means “bee”, but that would be too obvious)
Mrs Ape (ap-iary)
Madame Delphi (bees were sacred to the Delphic Oracle, and Delphic coins had bees on them)
It’ll be interesting to see if the mayor’s name follows the pattern.
Having played through all of “Nord and Bert couldn’t make head nor tail of it”, I can assure you that this is a relatively easy and straightforward way to Meet the Mayor.
I would, but I already used my orange juice to create a primitive battery so that I could jumpstart the stalled car that was blocking the entrance to the pumphouse, so that I could get in and sabotage the pump with a left-handed monkey wrench and flood the valley where MacMillan’s Dairy Farm is located so that the wheels of cheese in the MacMillan’s walk-in freezer would float and I could use them as stepping stones so I could reach the trap door in the ceiling leading to the landing with the mural I saw from the yogurt fermenting room so that I can use my colored spectacles to find the hidden message so I can find out what I have to do to get past the belligerent Pythagorean street preacher blocking the bridge leading to the secret back entrance to the condemned wing of the old children’s museum
“Well, we wouldn’t want you to get *bored*!”. ^_^
That is a strange high house. Now if only there were mist…
I’m seeing a small white house that may possibly have a mailbox, but I’m an uncultured slob.
I think that’s a flag.
A weather vane? Laundry drying? Distress signal? Warning? Distance makes it difficult to make out.
Not much of an open field to the west of that white house, though.
That only works with Castle Ravenloft or Castlevania, not a small white cottage. This is more bucolic. Still a heck of a climb.
Do you think Strahd is up there? Seems to be a bit too much sun for his tastes
Heh, Strahd is an Ancient vampire. He can handle a bit of it.
Ever read “The Strange High House in the Mist” by H. P. Lovecraft?
Needless to say, yes.
Was typing it up as you were posting. The town below must be Kingsport.
Yes, but it was strange aeons ago.
Wow, I got the intended reference entirely wrong, then. I was about to recommend bringing some Warlock’s Wheels and a glass dagger.
… though now I am wondering if Wavyhill had a hobby of scrying on future horror fiction authors. It would have explained a lot.
Don’t forget to blackmail a werewolf into helping you! ^_~
I’m now imagining Sweetheart’s reaction to finding out that her place of business is located somewhere clients can’t reach it.
At my last job, I was one of two people hired to put together and run the tech support department in an Internet startup, and they didn’t have office space for us, so we ended up in a windowless room that the company rented from some mob lawyers, on a different floor from my company’s main office. None of the users could ever find us. It was heaven!
Also, Ginny isn’t mad enough yet. Dave would have become as unto a computerized god by now. Helen or Madblood too for that matter. Heck Lovelace and Nick would probably both be in control by now and neither of them is …afflicted with Walton’s Disorder (Nick is just angry, not mad).
Now I have a name for my next pet. Here Walton, Walton! And yes, the other characters in the Narboniverse would rule the VR system by now.
Mell, of course, would rule by force. Whereas Caliban would rule through demonic infestation.
I don’t know why people keep saying things like that. Dave was only in charge of the computer because he specifically uploaded himself in such a way that he would be, and he had hardware access to set this up. Lovelace and Nick didn’t take control of the Whimsy VR when they went into it. When Nick tried to enter the VR Sweetheart was in, Mr. Green captured him and put him in a dark place from which he couldn’t escape. Yet people confidently state that Nick/Dave/whoever is some kind of VR god who would take over everything if he was here.
The Cliffs of DOOM!?
Or the Minigame of DOOM!?
‘The Cliffs of Insanity’ of course.
Jeff and Shaenon leave breadcrumbs that would allow a sharp observer to spoil future plot points. I’m not, but on the off chance I support any fan theories that are both nonobvious and correct, I’ll post them as cryptograms, so I can scratch that itch without worrying about spoiling anything. Please don’t post solutions.
1. UDFVQF AQQG RFQ IQHRBQ ROX NRMQ PDHYDTOX QZQG.
2. PNR MISTAMPSM LAPPIR PFEDJ YD PNR AEESKAI YB A CSADP EYLYP LFSIP LH CAKYPPR ADO PSCREISIH, NRE TSDO NRAIRO LH RSPNRE PSV YE CSDDH. PNSJ GYD’P LR A VFERIH TSISPAEH KSMPYEH, LFP CSADP EYLYPJ CYDDA NAVVRD.
3. LFH WJRRNP WUMLQHMR RNMGYGHS. IJQNR IUS LFHJMC: YL FUWWHQHS IHXJMH LJ U LHRL RNIAHDL QUPHS IHMQYDH, PYRRYQZ UQS WMHRNPHS SHUS. WMJIEHP: LYZHMEYEC UEMHUSC FUR UQ JMYZYQ RLJMC.
4. XJY AIYGN RQCXYN WYMDKYA G NYGC WDL GEZ JYCTA NYAMVY EQMU.
5. WUTPR/ZRUKPH, TAR ‘ZAPS TAWT TPVR QHUKHT.
Augh, all 5 are using different cryptograms? I solved #2 using the apostrophe to get the N and T from GYP’D -> WON’T, and from there to several character names (Gavotte, Tigerlily, Ginny, Tip), but realized along the way that the other four entries are using different substitution sets.
I’m impressed with what automated solvers such as https://quipqiup.com/ can do. I wasn’t even sure #5 was long enough to solve without context, but… yep.
Ooh, I like your Theory 1. When this arc started, I figured we were in Mr. Green’s City (Where everyone wears emerald-tinted glasses, eh?), and thought that explained the various facewear-sporting ladies.
I hadn’t revisited that theory since the last couple weeks had introduced some problems with it.
“What are you doing out here?”
“The beach is right there, silly.”
I suspect the geography of this place is rather variable, and possibly personalized.
It seems like a pretty standard “Keep you running in circles so you don’t notice you aren’t actually going anywhere” simulation lock actually.
Doesn’t seem to stop the kid.
Ah, so they’re on board the Enterprise TNG holodeck.
Don’t be silly. The Holodeck can’t bonk you on the head with walnuts, there’s a safety protocol!
The suburbs of Silent Hill, maybe? Farm country to go with the coal country?
Hmmm….. I have a hunch… we’ll be seeing a certain bee swarm gestalt mind soon…..
We’ll see her real form. The bees were remote drones this entire time.
She’s actually a salamander hivemind.
True, if they somehow extirpated Gavotte….
Gavotte was not an employee. And I don’t think that is who Sora meant.
ISTR someone pointed out a while ago that all the eyeless women’s names can be interpreted as bee-related.
Bee-trix
Melanie (mel = honey; the name “Melissa” actually means “bee”, but that would be too obvious)
Mrs Ape (ap-iary)
Madame Delphi (bees were sacred to the Delphic Oracle, and Delphic coins had bees on them)
It’ll be interesting to see if the mayor’s name follows the pattern.
Oooh, good catch
I wonder if the walnut bonks+lintel bonk earlier are a more visceral manifestation of “You’re wearing the hat!”
Having played through all of “Nord and Bert couldn’t make head nor tail of it”, I can assure you that this is a relatively easy and straightforward way to Meet the Mayor.
Could’ve been worse. They could’ve needed ghost attractant.
i’m certain i have played this game before.
GO NORTH
OPEN BOX
GET REPELLENT
TALK GOATHERD
yeah, it’s all coming back to me.
I’m going to need a small brass lantern, a featureless white cube, and a coconut here.
Oh, god, those cubes. There were so many of those stupid cubes.
I thought the ghost repellent was root beer from the vegetarian cannibals.
https://xkcd.com/461/
‘Scuse me, can I have that bucket? I don’t know why, but it’s clearly going to be useful for SOMETHING.
This is getting too complicated. I need a drink. Somebody mix me a screwdriver.
I would, but I already used my orange juice to create a primitive battery so that I could jumpstart the stalled car that was blocking the entrance to the pumphouse, so that I could get in and sabotage the pump with a left-handed monkey wrench and flood the valley where MacMillan’s Dairy Farm is located so that the wheels of cheese in the MacMillan’s walk-in freezer would float and I could use them as stepping stones so I could reach the trap door in the ceiling leading to the landing with the mural I saw from the yogurt fermenting room so that I can use my colored spectacles to find the hidden message so I can find out what I have to do to get past the belligerent Pythagorean street preacher blocking the bridge leading to the secret back entrance to the condemned wing of the old children’s museum
Sounds like a Quest. I’m in!