Heyho folks, I figured I'd set up a thread for each of the current missions. While the use of spoiler tags is encouraged for the first page of the thread, it is not enforced, as the policy is still being worked out, so there may be spoilers! After the missions are completed - i.e. no longer available in the client - I'll either merge the relevant threads into one and store them together in the Archived Missions section, or they will be stored individually; it depends on what is most efficient, and to some extent, on the size of the threads. Keep in mind: This is only a proposal as to how we can structure mission relevant communication, so any feedback is more than welcome - i.e. would it be better to have the whole "batch" of missions centered around a single thread. Mission 14: "We may have discovered a clue to find the location of an old artifact lost during the Great War". Spoiler: Lore Careful! Major spoilers in the document: http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=38520860392941824953
Since I prepared a briefing but it doesn't appear in the alpha for the moment I'm posting it here so anyone can read it. When the mission is declared finished I'll post the debriefing. "An associate has recovered an ancient bottle with some documents inside. The person who found it was doing some cleaning up in an old house. This person inherited the house from his grandfather and found the bottle among other forgotten belongings. Our associate says there is something odd with this bottle and has forwarded it to us for further research. The location of the previous mentioned house is Mérida, Yucatán."
I like it this way because it is more well-arranged. You can read up on one specific mission and don't get info intersected. In general, I would archive it separately so it is easier to find. if there is no big discussion a "batch" is negotiable.
Okay, I'm giving this a shot. Here's what I have at the moment: Spoiler The first text file must be converted to ASCII, which gives a pastebin reference: http://pastebin.com/jJycH4ZH. The pastebin contains a cyphertext in ADFGVX. This type of cypher requires a matrix (36 characters, usually the alphabet + digits) and a key. The third text file could conceivably be the matrix, except that it's only 35 characters and it has some non-alphanumerical characters (which is annoying because online tools reject it; a workaround would be replacing the punctuation with numbers). If it is the matrix, this means that the only digits that can be in the plaintext would be 1,2,3,7,8,9. The first image is, I believe, this german U-boat: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SM_U-29_(Germany). The second image is a hint that it's a WW1 ship, and not a WW2 ship. Also, it was sunk by the HMS Dreadnought, which explains the second text file: it's a report from a "Lieutenant F. K.", who I assume was on board the SM U-29 and sent it shortly before dying, along with the cyphertext. I don't know who exactly he was. Currently, I've no idea about the key.
Spoiler I followed the path of the images and reached the same Wiki page as you (U-29). I also found a separate site which lists additional information like the coordinates where the U-boat sunk (http://uboat.net/wwi/boats/index.html?boat=29). Entering the coordinates as the first passcode didn't work (58N00E). Coordinates for Google maps would be N 58° 20 E 00° 57.
This is a huge learning curve for me, and the first time I have decrypted something and understood what I have done (I think!!) but I must say that in reality I have been walked through this by Bats and Santiak and all I have done is worked out how they worked it out! Hopefully I have taken my first steps to solving some of the codes myself! Thanks folks! Maybe one day I'll step off the coat tails!!
Mission 14 Hints: Windows tool to decrypt document retrieved using text file 1 I prefer spoilers that provide little hints that help me continue to work a problem on my own rather than just throw the solution right out front. To that end I provide a list of spoilers below in a format I have seen others use and which appeals to me. If it actually helps you find what you need, then I am glad, but I am also interested in feedback about this format and recommendations for improving it. The spoilers below assume you have retrieved the document discovered by following the clue in text message 1. It also assumes you have identified the cipher you need to decrypt that document. It finally assumes you have been frustrated by attempts to use various tools to decrypt it. Grrrrrr. The spoilers below form a hint progression meant to help find a tool that worked for me to decrypt this document. The spoilers here do not tell you how to use the tool. Begin by using a web search engine and using the name of the cipher in all search queries. Each hint introduces a new search TERM to create a more focused query or information to help sift through the results of what you have already queried. The final spoiler just gives you the direct URL. Spoiler: Hint 1 The TOOL is not an online form but a Windows application you can DOWNLOAD. Spoiler: Hint 2 It is not downloadable from a purveyor of fine crapware but directly from the publisher. Spoiler: Hint 3 It can used to encrypt/DECRYPT using a variety of cryptographic algorithms, not just the one you need here. Spoiler: Hint 4 It is a free and OPEN-SOURCE tool distributed by a collaborative group dedicated to cryptography education. Spoiler: SOLUTION https://www.cryptool.org/en/cryptool1-en Note: This is just one tool. There may be others you can use.
Well, I managed to decode the message. I used the same tool as Rohva, but not by brute force. My previous hypothesis was correct, I even had the right key, but for some reason the two online tools I tried simply did not work. I've just double checked on (spoiler: following the link will reveal what cypher is used) Spoiler http://www.dcode.fr/adfgvx-cipher and it's not producing the plaintext, given the same cyphertext and parameters as Rohva's tool. Annoying! Can anyone coax that site into producing the plaintext? Just to verify whether I'm doing something wrong, or the site is really broken? Also, the plaintext does not contain the solution. This is where it gets really interesting. The full solution, as progressive hints, follows. Spoiler: Hint 1 Search for more information about the events Franz Klenze narrates in the plaintext. Spoiler: Hint 2 Somebody has written a far more detailed recount of what happened on that sub. Spoiler: Hint 3 I've found it by searching for 'british freighter victory'. Spoiler: Hint 4 The plaintext is a synopsis of the short story 'The Temple' by Lovecraft. Spoiler: Hint 5 That story contains the coordinates. Spoiler: MISSION SOLUTION 20 N 35 W
Sorry, I'm lost. I have never encountered the adfgvx-cipher and I am still unsure what the transposition password would be. Could someone enlighten me? And is it correct that you still have to replace the punctuation with something else in the CryptTool?
Unless you can find a tool that accepts punctuation in the matrix, yes. It's fairly straightforward, though. It's still obvious when you have the solution, and then you can just use find/replace to get the punctuation back.
Alright, just wanted to be sure. @Greenhead I figured it out. For anyone that is still looking for the transposition password: Spoiler: 1 You have it already. Spoiler: 2 It is mentioned in the clues. Spoiler: 3 It is mentioned in the second clue. Spoiler: FINAL DREADNOUGHT If you have still problems, here is the translated text: Spoiler on august 12 , 1917 , i , franz klenze , lieutenant in the imperial german navy aboard the submarine u-29 , write my last words for i can no longer resist the madness that has fallen upon this ship. back on june 18 , we sank the british freighter victory and recovered a piece of carved ivory from the corpse of one the dead seamen. since then our wireless had failed to put us in touch with a fellow u-boat of the imperial navy and we have suffered critical material and personal losses.on june 28 an explosion in the engine room has rendered the guidance and propulsion systems useless and since then an uncharted southward oceanic current has dragged the ship to the south.on july 3 the submersion system also stopped working causing the ship to slowly drown deeper and deeper in the ocean. and finally the next day a mutiny broke loose causing the destruction of all our navigation instruments and death of the six remaining seamen by the hands of lieutenant-commander karl heinrich. since then we are the only inhabitants of this ship and i can no longer resist. i spend hours staring at the ivory piece and i have started to hear a deep voice calling me , i can no longer stand it. today i shall put an end to this torture.i will hide the ivory piece somewhere inside the ship to make sure it is never found for i fear a terrible curse that turns men mad accompanies it. then i will throw myself to the ocean with a bottle containing this message as a warning.if somebody is reading this , please , do not look for us , let the cursed u-29 and his crew rest at the bottom of the ocean. he is calling. he is calling i must go...
Hey Zerosh, great story! Just three remarks: Spoiler: Mr Know-it-all ADFGVX was only implemented 1918 Spoiler: I am too strong linked to reality I was about to become mad when I tried to find a Lt. F. K. among the staff of U29. You can find the real staff by the way here http://www.denkmalprojekt.org/u-boote/uboote_wk1/wk1_u29.htm / At that point of time I learned something was wrong Spoiler: Being masochistic Has anyone tried like me to decipher by pen and paper? That breaks your head. What a job before computers existed... Finally I also went to Cryptool
Hint. There were a great many stories told about lost things in the depths of the sea. Someone spoke of them after countless centuries of obscurity. Quite good at his craft.
For those who had finished this mission, I've updated OP with a link to download a lore document created by Agent Daedalus Thanks @Daedalus !
As a late comer I still want to say that I enjoyed this one immensely. The cipher issue was a huge learning curve for me, but I now suspect that most of us have a variety of new bookmarks. Spoiler: As a funny aside I swapped a "6" for the period in the matrix and when I pasted it into my text editor and read the last line I spooked the shit out of myself and just HAD to unswap everything ASAP.
