Peregrinations of the Shard

[Rystil Arden]

(OOC: I assume a Light spell?)

*The writings appear to be written in magic runes that phoneticise out to words in Old Medibarian which are themselves a cipher. There is also a blank square on the wall underneath which sits an ancient piece of chalk, brittle with age.*

*By combining Read Magic, Elektra's knowledge of Old Medibarian, and Vanitri's ability to crack ciphers, they manage to put together the following message:*

Once the Emperor had nine beautiful princesses, and he split up his land to nine generals, each of which took the hand of one of the daughters and became kings, creating nine kingdoms that spanned from sunrise to sunset. Each of the new kings was on excellent terms with the kingdoms to either side, and the entire court was ordered to spend much time with their corresponding associates from those two adjacent kingdoms, and they quickly became blood brothers. In all, the court consisted of a king, a grand vizier, a high priest, a court mage, a general, a spymaster, a treasurer, a chamberlain, a steward, a chief retainer, a master of the servants, and a lowly cupbearer. Each gives orders to the next in command and receives orders from his direct superior.

All was well for one hundred years, until he unity of the kingdoms became threatened by splinter factions that began to grow, mainly from the extremes, kingdoms with only one neighbour, the elite, and the meek. These factions threatened to wipe out all the kingdoms, for fractiousness is the mark of death. All factions were started by a single man, but others soon joined most of them. The faction leader could convince hsi blood brothers, his superior, or his subordinate to join, and they could continue in turn with their own blood brothers, direct superior, or direct subordinate. Blood brothers would never turn one against another, nor a direct subordinate against his own direct superior, so they would never be a part of two separate factions, though one might be uncommitted. Even so, for the most part cooler heads prevailed, as most of the courtiers refused to join a faction, forming their own uncommitted group dedicated to unity, in the same way as the other factions formed theirs, by uniting blood brothers, direct superiors, and subordinates. But yet, though the unity faction was by far the strongest, cracks in the kingdom were beginning to build...A wise spymaster conducted an infiltration of each nation, and he determined that given any member of the uncommitted group, there were factions waiting to pounce on him from almost every direction--in fact, for each of the uncommitted man's blood brothers, either the blood brother is a member of a faction, the blood brother's direct superior is a member of a faction, or the uncommitted man's direct superior is a member of a faction--possibly more than one! And the same is true regarding each of the uncommitted man's blood brothers and the direct subordinates--either the blood brother is a member of a faction, the blood brother's direct subordinate is a member of a faction, or the uncommitted man's direct subordinate is a member of a faction, and possibly more than one. Here were the factions that the spymaster found, with the rest being uncommitted:

Erilan Clan: Formed by Isidor Lanvall, only 1 man, Isidor Lanvall himself
Elcryss Clan: Formed by Cymbeline Klymene, only 1 man, Cymbeline Klymene himself
Ossian Clan: Formed by Galifar Boreas, only 1 man, Galifar Boreas himself
Tyndall Clan: Formed by Ferris Cibber, only 1 man, Ferris Cibber himself

Essentia Clan: Formed by Iole Alcestis, 2 men
Falryn Clan: Formed by Gorgias Hyllus, 2 men
Kirijin Clan: Formed by Amphion Leonides, 2 men
Lyrual Clan: Formed by Aegina Ixion, 2 men
Wyrwood Clan: Formed by Ariadne Atreides, 2 men

Cyranian Clan: Formed by Iryana Faedra, 3 men
Henge Clan: Formed by Felis Ligeia, 3 men
Plynth Clan: Formed by Hekate Indrall, 3 men
Phoenix Clan: Formed by Danae Avani, 3 men

Arrias Clan: Formed by Alcyone Gerontius, 4 men
Amyrin Clan: Deionira Jamilan, 4 men
Hyacinth Clan: Formed by Callista Eurystheus, 4 men
Turpin Clan: Formed by Belinda Doris, 4 men

Azurite Clan: Formed by Isaac Darius, 5 men

 

[Erekose13]

"Well then, an ancient riddle then. With 9 kingdoms and 12 people in each court we are talking about 18 factions plus the uncommitted faction. 47 people were found by the spymaster to be, leaving 61 potentially uncommitted. What do you think we are supposed to write with the chaulk, if that is indeed what we need to do." offers Tenebrynn.

 

[Rystil Arden]

(OOC: I playtested this one on some people from my new FtF group and one guy solved it by himself in about ten minutes, so I know it's doable, though he's quite clever. It's possible to continue without solving this, but it will be extremely difficult without the clues given here)

 

[Velmont]

"It's not a matter of number. Let's go with the obvious. Hogarth, can I borrow your shield please."

Hogarth look at Rinaldo with a surprise look but doesn't question and lend him her shield. Rinaldo makes sure his hat is on his head and activate it. Hogarth shield become a white plain shield, his true nature covered by the illusion created by the hat.

"We have 9 kingdom". A table appear on the white shield. The word kingdom at the top. All teh kingdom are given a letter, from A to I.

"We have 12 ranks.". Twelves rows appear, on for each rank, beside each rank, a letter appear, from A to L.

"Let's say the initial of the first name is related to his kingdom, and the initial of his last name is related to his rank. Now, let's put the number of men in the clan of the founder in the related square. Put it in Bold to make sure we don't forget who are the founder." Numbers appears in different squares, all bold.

"Now, we know that no man is from a different clan then the blood bother, superior or subordinate. Which mean, every men that have any two clan members of different clan over, under or beside them are neutral. Let's put these men in gray." Gray square appear.

"For the same reason, we know all blood brother, subordinate and superior of any 1 man clan are neutral." Other gray area appears.

"Ok, what else do we know."

OOC: The remaining later, when I'll have time to think about it.

 

[Velmont]

"What do you think about that intepretation."

Once the Emperor had nine beautiful princesses, and he split up his land to nine generals, each of which took the hand of one of the daughters and became kings, creating nine kingdoms that spanned from sunrise to sunset.

"We have 9 columns"

In all, the court consisted of a king, a grand vizier, a high priest, a court mage, a general, a spymaster, a treasurer, a chamberlain, a steward, a chief retainer, a master of the servants, and a lowly cupbearer.

"We have 12 rows."

Each of the new kings was on excellent terms with the kingdoms to either side, and the entire court was ordered to spend much time with their corresponding associates from those two adjacent kingdoms, and they quickly became blood brothers.

"A blood brother is represented by the square on each side of a square."

Each gives orders to the next in command and receives orders from his direct superior.

"A superior is the square above. A subordinate is a square under."

All was well for one hundred years, until he unity of the kingdoms became threatened by splinter factions that began to grow, mainly from the extremes, kingdoms with only one neighbour, the elite, and the meek. These factions threatened to wipe out all the kingdoms, for fractiousness is the mark of death.

"I don't see infomration to solve teh riddle in that part of teh text."

All factions were started by a single man, but others soon joined most of them. The faction leader could convince hsi blood brothers, his superior, or his subordinate to join...

"A clan leader can turn to his cause the square above, under or beside him. Let's call this new square a follower."

...and they could continue in turn with their own blood brothers, direct superior, or direct subordinate.

"The follower can do the same thing then his leader, which mean convert the square above, under or beside him."

Blood brothers would never turn one against another, nor a direct subordinate against his own direct superior, so they would never be a part of two separate factions, though one might be uncommitted.

"Two squares side-by-side or two square, on above the other cannot be on two different clans. A square can be of no clan, a neutral, a gray square on the drawing."

Even so, for the most part cooler heads prevailed, as most of the courtiers refused to join a faction, forming their own uncommitted group dedicated to unity, in the same way as the other factions formed theirs, by uniting blood brothers, direct superiors, and subordinates.

"It seems that all neutral must touch each others, side by side or under or above each other. Finally, the neutral clan is one single big clan."

But yet, though the unity faction was by far the strongest, cracks in the kingdom were beginning to build...A wise spymaster conducted an infiltration of each nation, and he determined that given any member of the uncommitted group, there were factions waiting to pounce on him from almost every direction...

"Nothing to solve the riddle in that."

...in fact, for each of the uncommitted man's blood brothers, either the blood brother is a member of a faction, the blood brother's direct superior is a member of a faction, or the uncommitted man's direct superior is a member of a faction--possibly more than one!

"So, for a gray square, a neutral man, at least one one square must be in a clan amoung the East, North East, North, North West and Western squares."

And the same is true regarding each of the uncommitted man's blood brothers and the direct subordinates--either the blood brother is a member of a faction, the blood brother's direct subordinate is a member of a faction, or the uncommitted man's direct subordinate is a member of a faction, and possibly more than one.!

"Same here, for a gray square, a neutral man, at least one one square must be in a clan amoung the East, South East, South, South West and Western squares."

Here were the factions that the spymaster found, with the rest being uncommitted:

Erilan Clan: Formed by Isidor Lanvall, only 1 man, Isidor Lanvall himself
Elcryss Clan: Formed by Cymbeline Klymene, only 1 man, Cymbeline Klymene himself
Ossian Clan: Formed by Galifar Boreas, only 1 man, Galifar Boreas himself
Tyndall Clan: Formed by Ferris Cibber, only 1 man, Ferris Cibber himself

Essentia Clan: Formed by Iole Alcestis, 2 men
Falryn Clan: Formed by Gorgias Hyllus, 2 men
Kirijin Clan: Formed by Amphion Leonides, 2 men
Lyrual Clan: Formed by Aegina Ixion, 2 men
Wyrwood Clan: Formed by Ariadne Atreides, 2 men

Cyranian Clan: Formed by Iryana Faedra, 3 men
Henge Clan: Formed by Felis Ligeia, 3 men
Plynth Clan: Formed by Hekate Indrall, 3 men
Phoenix Clan: Formed by Danae Avani, 3 men

Arrias Clan: Formed by Alcyone Gerontius, 4 men
Amyrin Clan: Deionira Jamilan, 4 men
Hyacinth Clan: Formed by Callista Eurystheus, 4 men
Turpin Clan: Formed by Belinda Doris, 4 men

Azurite Clan: Formed by Isaac Darius, 5 men

"Taking the initials of each clan leader, we can place them on the grid."

Rinaldo stare a moment at his grid he had drawn on the shield.

"Funny, I can't find a solution that put every neutral in a single large clan... is something wrong in my thinking?" asks Rinaldo to his companions.

 

[Knight Otu]

"Perhaps the spymaster isn't trustworthy." Ashnar offers idly. "Let me take a look at that shield..."

 

[Rystil Arden]

"Hmm, Rinaldo's logic seems sound. I bet if we keep trying, it might fit in there. If you have this right with all those constraints, then because of this:

"So, for a gray square, a neutral man, at least one one square must be in a clan amoung the East, North East, North, North West and Western squares."

"Same here, for a gray square, a neutral man, at least one one square must be in a clan amoung the East, South East, South, South West and Western squares."

...you can't have a two-by-two block of neutral people anywhere. That could help us narrow down the possibilities"

 

[Velmont]

OOC: I know I was wrong somewhere. I thought no 3 by 2... no 2 by 2, make sense now. That,s what happen when English is a secondary language...

Rinaldo looks at the shield. All the sqaure become gray except teh clan leader. one by one, the square become white. At some moment, a white square turn back to gray as Rinaldo isn,t satisfied with the position. After ten minutes of playing around, he finish with a solution.

"That could be a map of a maze, but I don't see what we have to write on that plate... should we draw that map?"

 

[Rystil Arden]

"It could be that. What about the names of the clans? If the first letters of the founders formed the grid, maybe there's something to do with the clan names themselves."

 

[Velmont]

"I had thought of that at first, but I didn't saw anything useful and put the idea aside... let's see."

All the numbers change to the first letter of each clan. "Walk the Path of Peace." Rinaldo smiles. "That's what we are trying to do, but some elven kingdom are too stuborn... but I doubt it is what they are talking about."

"You know what, I think it is simply the map of a room, and there must be tiles on the floor. If we walk on the gray tiles, we will be safe. That would make senses. But still, what do we write on this plate? That sentence?"

Rinaldo grabs the chalk gently, trying not to break it more then it is. "Also, I suggest one of you write down this map on a scroll, so if the illusion is broken, we don't lose the map."