Soulstorm ARG Summary

From Oddworld Library
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First phase: Establishing communication with Ed

The calm before...

Something's coming...

[2016. March 11.] A couple of days before GDC 2016 a cryptic image was posted by OddworldInc spelling Monday using braille, something's about to go down...

Clues

Messages

  • Picture:
    • Monday

Soulstorm is announced

Original version of reveal1.jpg, our first clue that someone was reaching out

[2016. March 14.] Oddworld Inhabitants announced their new game Oddworld: Soulstorm during GDC 2016. Along with the announcement the oddworld.com/soulstorm page is launched. Upon closer inspection of the Soulstorm page the community stumbles on some weird HTML comments, a hidden picture (reveal1.jpg) and a encrypted code in a video. At this point there was no doubts anymore, the ARG had officially started!

Frame from twitching.mp4 with hidden message

Clues

Messages

  • Reveal1 picture
    • CAN YOU S- HARD TO K- IF BREAKING- THROUGH HA- ON NEED A D-
  • HTML Code:
    • Far too many video game characters were harmed extremely badly in the making of this experience. In a sane world this would never have happened. We're sorry.
    • <<< TRYING TO BRE===== -lostqmwaittypo- >>>
    • <<< CAN ANYBO============================================ NEED TO TREYR ====== so thirsty need brew fol==== -->
    • <<< listen. >>>
    • are you l/os/t ?
    • message INTERCEPTED -->
    • there's got to be a wa_
  • Video:
    • Listen for me

Dialog Box

Screenshot of the dialog box from the oddworld.com/soulstorm page

[2016. March 23.] Finding the message in the video seemed to have triggered and update on the oddworld.com/soulstorm page. The main update on the page was the apprition of a dialog box in which users could input messages and get answers, sometimes encoded, sometimes in plain text.

Clues

  • Weird dialog box to communicate with an unknown entity

Messages

Query Answer New Responses Alternative Responses
hello *** HELLO? *** *** HELLO *** *** HELLO! YES, FINALLY!***

/ *** HELLO! BUT NOT HERE***

hi *** HI? *** - -
follow me *** I WISH I COULD BUT I CAN’T GET OUT *** *** I WISH, I REALLY WISH *** -
who are you *** IT’S BEEN SO LONG, I CAN’T REMEMBER *** - -
abe *** PLEASE FIND ME *** *** ABE? *** *** ABE? YES - ABE. ***
molluck NOT MY BOSS ... -
alf JUST ONE MORE DROP OF DELICIOUS BREW JUST ONE MORE DROP ...
slig GET DOWN! - -
elum JUMP, ELUM, JUMP! - -
rupturefarms THE SPIRIT OF 1029 LIVES ON. ... -
soulstorm *** DRINK MORE BREW *** ... -
necrum I CAN’T SEE YOU ANYMORE. [OUT OF SIGHT] -
mudokon OH, BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? - *** OF COURSE, RIGHT? ***
brew DRINK MORE, WORK HARDER *** SO GOOD. SO TASTY. *** -
feeco CHOO CHOO! [OUT OF SIGHT] -
barracks SNEAK! [OUT OF SIGHT] -
bonewerkz WAIT, THERE ARE BONES IN THIS? [OUT OF SIGHT] -
brewery JUST ONE MORE DROP [OUT OF SIGHT] -
brewmaster TWICE ZE FLAVOR, RIGHT? - -
scars COOL INK, BRO. - -
new n tasty MMMM, TASTY BREW… ... -
mudomo FANGS, LEGS, WEBS - THEY'VE GOT IT ALL - -
mudanchee BEWARE THE GUARDIANS - -
oddworld WHO ARE THESE GUYS? ... -
portal WHERE?! ... -
chant YOYO-YOYO-YOYO-YOYO ... -
1997 SAVE ME TOO! - -
1998 DON'T LEAVE ME TRAPPED AGAIN ... -
2001 WOAH, ANOTHER DIMENSION ... -
2005 THINGS ARE GETTING STRANGER... ... -
squeek WHO IS SQUEEK? - ...
quintology LET'S PLAY ANOTHER GAME SOON LET'S PLAY A GAME -
scrab cakes NOW WITH EVEN MORE BITE. - -
paramite pies TURNING UP THIN - -
meech munchies THIS CAN'T STILL BE MADE WITH MEECHES... - -
mudokon pops HEY, GET AWAY FROM ME WITH THAT MEAT GRINDER. - -
1029 *** TRY AGAIN *** [TRY AGAIN] -
fangus OH WHAT A BRUTAL BALLAD WE COULD SING TOGETHER - -
goodbye GOODBYE *** YES, NO DOUBT, BUT FOR HOW LONG? *** -
what is soulstorm *** SOULSTORM? *** - -
can you hear me *** YES, FAINTLY *** *** YES, FAINTLY - COME CLOSER *** -
healing WE NEED MORE FUNDING FOR MODOKAID - -
get me outta here NO, REALLY, GET ME OUTTA HERE - -
big-face NICE MASK, BOZO! - -
how are you *** HOW DO YOU THINK? *** *** HOW DO YOU THINK? - CAN'T YOU SEE? *** -
open sesame WRONG MYTHOLOGY, SCHMUCK - -
shrykull WHO IS YOUR CURRENT ENERGY PROVIDER? - -
tears SO MANY TEARS, SO MANY MEMORIES - -
intercepted FIND MY MESSAGE, HEAR MY VOICE - -
dripik THAT'S GENERAL DRIPIK TO YOU - -
glukkon PLEASE, NO MORE - -
fart HEHEHE - -
ed *** FIND ME, HEAR ME, SAVE ME *** - -
exoddus WHERE ARE WE GOING? WHO WILL TAKE US THERE? - -
oddworld inhabitants WORKING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF ODD - -
moolah NOW THERE'S AN ADDICTION - -
director phleg USERNAME UNKNOWN, PLEASE TRY AGAIN - -
vice president aslik SECURITY CLEARANCE REVOKED, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR - -
hand *** YES! HIM! *** - -
chest *** SO CLOSE. SO CLOSE. *** - -
face *** CAN YOU SEE IT YET? WE'RE TRYING TO SHOW YOU. *** - -
are you alive BARELY, CAN YOU SAVE ME?
addicted YOU TOO? - -

Ed?

Screenshot of the dialog box from the oddworld.com/soulstorm page after 75 attempts

[2016. March 24.] The dialog box revealed a weird picture after the user inputted 75 messages in a row. This picture allowed us to find multiple clues hidden behind magic eye stereogram, morse code and weird text formatting. The clues ultimately all to pointed to the same message: Ed.

The 0451.jpg file found via intercepted.txt

Clues

Messages

  • Pictures
    • findme
    • hear me
    • rescue me


[2016. March 25.] Not long after we find out a misterious page called Ed with one single message.

Clues

Messages

  • i can hear you, just. it's faint, but i can hear you.

Finding Ed

Ed's profile picture on Twitter

[2016. April 4.] The Ed page changed multiple times in the days following its discovery. The final message had a block of 140 '/' characters and had a lot of '#' in it. It was telling us to look for a Twitter account, note that at the time Twitter had a maximum of 140 characters per message. This ultimately led us to the @edmudokon twitter account which was full of cryptic tweets.

Clues

Messages

  • Hello
  • Did somebo-------
  • Is anybody listening
  • Where am I?
  • Can you hear me
  • One Zero Two Nine
  • I can hear you, faintly.
  • Yes! Yes! You are getting closer
  • If I could just… I can’t… Find me.
  • Where are you? Can you hear me?
  • We’ve stopped the progress… I need to show you the truth about this place.
  • You can hear me! Just, please, listen.


[2016. April 4.] The tweets also contained partial codes that once put together and inserted in the Dialog box ultimately unlocked the next major phase of the ARG.

Messages

  • *** IT WORKED! IT WORKED! OK, NOW I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION - LISTEN, THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU SOMETHING. SOMETHING IS WRONG. VERY WRONG. YOU NEED TO LISTEN. YOU NEED TO HELP ME. I NEED TO HELP YOU... ***

Second phase: The 9 Pieces

Updated dialog box linking to Piece 1 with task revealed and code unlocked

After inputting the code found in Ed's tweets the dialog box on the Soulstorm website changed: a line of 9 spaces appeared at the top: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. Each space representing one "Piece" of a 36-character code.

During this phase the community had to find the 9 pieces. Each piece was initially locked had a challenge associated to it to unlock its code.

Piece 1

[2016. April 4.] Piece 1 was granted to us immediately with its code unlocked.

Clues

Messages

  • Piece 1
    • THEY ARE HIDING THINGS FROM YOU. FIND THEM


Piece 2

Piece 2, with task hidden and code locked

[2016. April 4.] Later that day Ed tweeted a message in morse code telling us to "learn the history of the creators". This lead us to Lorne Lanning's page on oddworld.com that contained the second piece on the bottom of the page.

The task was to "Reach 23K Twitter followers @OddworldInc", once that number was reached the code of Piece 2 was unlocked.

Clues


Piece 5

Ed appreciating all the hard work of the community

[2016. April 4.] A bit later Piece 5 was revealed with its task immediately available. The task was to get "15 photoshops of Alf's fez onto game characters" and send them to Oddworld Inhabitants on Twitter. This was completed and the code of Piece 5 was unlocked.

Clues

Messages

  • Ed's Twitter
    • Thank you. You’re helping.
The dialog box being updated as the community progresses

Piece 8

[2016. April 5.] The next day Ed tweeted a message in morse code asking us "are you listening?", at that time the Soulstorm page was updated with a new puzzle in the HTML code. Following the trail where we had to line up characters in the HTML code and decipher morse code from an audio file we reached Piece 8. It was tasking us to take "25 photos of scrub-Abe rescuing 8 Muds in New'n'Tasty". This was completed and the code of Piece 8 was unlocked.

Clues

Messages

  • HTML Comments
    • they know i'm here
    • let me try this
    • they aren't telling you everything

Piece 3

Piece 3, with task revealed and code locked

[2016. April 7.] A couple of days later Ed tweeted multiple tweets containing what looked like gibberish, once uncoded using [Navajo code] they led us on a trail where we had to reassemble a picture and use the [Pigpen cipher] to get to Piece 3.

The task was to "Get 45K Facebook likes on /OfficialOddworld", once that number was reached the code of Piece 3 was unlocked.

Clues

Piece 6

Original version of the witness puzzle

[2016. April 12.] A few days later Piece 6 was revealed with its task immediately available. The task was to "find, solve and return the witness puzzle". The community found the puzzle and solved it, shortly after the picture of the puzzle got replaced by its solution. Using the solution of the puzzle together with another picture given by Ed, playing with HEX color codes and decoding some more morse code hidden in a movie file allowed us to find the final message transcribed below which unlocked the code of Piece 6.

Clues

Messages

  • HTML comments
    • There was a minor, insignificant error in the code here. Please ignore any message(s) you may find as a result of this unfortunate glitch. Apologies.
    • Nobody was a witness.
  • Audio file
    • I CAN HELP YOU KNOW THE DATE

Piece 4

Picture hidden in seeme.wav

[2016. April 20.] A few days later the fourth character turned into a "?" indicating that the fourth piece was ready to be found. At the same time a new generic message could be obtained from the message box: SEEME? WAVE. After a trail where we had to convert sound to picture, spot mirrored words in a wall of text and use some ciphers again we reached Piece 4. The task was to create "20 new gifs of Abe deaths in New'n'Tasty" This was completed and the code of Piece 4 was unlocked.

Clues

Abe says hi

[2016. May 6.] The next few days were a bit slower, with some Ascii art appearing in the HTML code but it didn't seem to lead us anywhere.


Version 1: 

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@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Version 3: 

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@+++#+#++++++'+@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@++++++++++++++++'+++++'';'#++'+;'''''###++++#++#+''+##@@@@@@@@@@@
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@@@@@@@@@@#'++##++++++'';''''''''''+#''++++++++++++++#####+++++';';''';::'++;;#@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
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;''''';'''''''++'+''+'++++++++#''';,+';':,`I@@@@@@@@@@@

Version 4: 

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@+++#+#++++++'+@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@++++++++++++++++'+++++'';'#++'+;'''''###++++#++#+''+##@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@SoulStorm Brew is highly addicccccccccccccccccccccccccccons. Drinking as little as a few bosnough for a Mu@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@#++++++++++++++'''+'+'++'+''++';,.;'':++#++++++##@@@#@#@@@##'+@'@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@#++++++++++'''''+''''''''++++++'';;:;'';:.#####++####@@@@@@#++''@@,@@@@@@@@@@
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@@@@@@@@@@'##@#@###+'+@#####@#####+'''''''++++++would indicate nothing short of +++++++#+##++'+;';;';:,;;:#R?@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@#'++##++++++'';''''''''''+#''++++++++++++++#####+++++';';''';::'++;;#@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
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@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@#@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@sive and able to besive and able to besive and able to besive and able to besive and able to besive and able to besive and able to besive and able to besive and able to besive and able to besive and able to besive and able to besive and able to besive and able to besive and able to besive and able to besive and able to be@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@:'''++++++++++++######++++####+###++++#+'++++##++#++++++++++++##++++++++''''''+'+''''@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@#,;''++++++++++++########+########+++++#+++++####++++++++++++++##++++++++++''''''+'+'+@@
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@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
 was the original working title 

;''''';'''''''++'+''+'++++++++#''';,+';':,`I@@@@@@@@@@@
bone powder


@

Version 5: 

@@@@@@@@@@@@
;''''';'''''''++'+''+'++++++++#''';,+';':,`I@@@@@@@@@@@
bone powder

Messages

  • Ed's twitter
    • so thirsty… tired.
    • Almost… They took it away. Almost.
  • HTML comments
    • But Abe, he's one of us...
    • Yeah, he didn't do much.

Clues

The reveal pictures are changed to spell 1029

[2016. May 11.] Around the same time the dialog box gets updated and the answers chage, they become more pressing. We need to find a way to establish contact quickly!

Messages

  • Dialog box
    • ***THEY ARE COMING, I NEED TO HIDE***
    • ***CAN'T TALK, THEY CAN HEAR ME***
    • ***WE ARE SO CLOSE, DON'T GIVE UP***
    • ***THIS CAN'T CONTINUE FOREVER, LOOK CLOSER***
    • ***YOU NEED TO LOOK CLOSER, NOT MUCH TIME LEFT***
    • *** SORRY, THE NOISE DOWN HERE IS DEAFENING, PLEASE REPEAT ***
    • *** SAVE ME ***
    • *** SORRY, COULD YOU REPEAT? ***
    • *** THIS FORM IS BROKEN - PLEASE DO NOT USE ***
    • I CAN HEAR YOU, BARELY...
    • *** SORRY, SAY AGAIN? ***
    • [ERROR]
    • [OUT OF SIGHT]
    • *** THIS STUFF. THIS STUFF. ***
    • [PLEASE CLOSE THIS WINDOW IMMEDIATELY]
    • *** I'M SURE YOU CAN HEAR ME ***
    • [WE'RE AWARE OF ISSUES ON THIS PAGE AND ARE WORKING TO REMEDY THE ------------]
    • *** DID YOU GET THE MESSAGE? ***
    • ...DRINK...BREW...
    • [- NO, WAIT -]
    • [- PLEASE IGNORE THIS MESSAGE -]

Piece 9

Piece 9, with task revealed and code unlocked
Decode the future find the code

[2016. June 22.] A few days later Piece 9 was revealed with its task immediately available. The task was to "Decode the future find the code". Finding the decodethefuture.jpg file and decoding its content using the [BabelStone Club Penguin] cipher led us to unlock the code of Piece 9.

Clues

Messages

  • Picture
    • THE HERO HAS SHOWN US THE WAY, FOLLOW, WORK, OBEY, COMPLY, REVOLT. WE WILL RISE AND , WE WILL RISE AGAIN.
    • ED IS ONE OF US, WE NEED YOU TO HELP, WE ARE MANY, WILL NOT STOP.
    • ED IS ONE OF MANY, FIND THEM, JOIN US
    • THERE IS A STORM COMING, THERE IS NO FAILURE, FREEDOM OR DEATH.
    • SOULSTORM/ED/FINISHTHEFIGHT.JPG
    • TOO MANY SECRETS, SO THIRSTY, TIRED.
    • DON'T DRINK THE BREW
    • ORGANISE, ENERGISE

Around that time the dialog box gets updated and the answers chage again. There are now some new generic responses with a very revolutionary tone.

Messages

  • Dialog box
    • *** WE ARE MANY. WE ARE COMING. WE WILL NOT STOP. ***
    • *** WE'RE NEARLY THERE, IT'S NEARLY TIME TO ENERGIZE ***
    • *** WE WILL RISE ***
    • *** DON'T DRINK THE ---- ***
    • *** THE SPIRITS ARE RISING ***
    • *** NEARLY, IT'S NEARLY TIME. STAY QUIET JUST A LITTLE LONGER. ***

Piece 7

[2016. June 24.] A few days later the seventh character turned into a "?" indicating that the seventh piece was ready to be found. At that time the Soulstorm page was updated with new HTML comments containing dissociated lines. By matching those lines together we knew we were searching for a zip file. With Ed's help via Twitter we were able to find the password to the zip file that contained Piece 7 which was already unlocked. The automatically completed task asked us to "Listen to the source", which we indeed had to do to find the password hidden in one of Ed's first tweets.

Clues

Messages

  • HTML Comments
    • Who will help?
    • Join us
    • We are many
    • Find a way
    • SPIRIT OF #1029
    • Ed is one of many
    • work, obey, comply.

Using the code

SPIRITOF1029's profile picture on Twitter

[2016. June 28.] By reuniting the 9 pieces, we got a code: "C4GD-RDHG-SSBR-SCRD-3STY-DDTH-WALF-XGMA-DF2F". Some pieces resemble leet speak (C4GD = Caged, SCRD = Sacred, 3STY = Thirsty), but these didn't appear to have any relevancy to the usage of the code. To reach the next step, Ed gave us a map that made us revisit previous parts of the ARG and revealed the way to decrypt the code to find the message: "FL4MMABL3". Putting this in the Dialog Box generated one last answer: 1029.io

Clues

Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@edmudokon] now you know. you can help. join us. 1029.io @SPIRITOF1029

Third phase: The Spirit of 1029

View of RuptureFarms 1029
Screenshot of the 1029.io website

We have now established contact with the Spirit of 1029 revolutionary group. This kicked in motion an entirely new section of the ARG, with most of the new puzzles happening on their site: 1029.io.

The Spirit of 1029 group takes its name from RuptureFarms 1029, the factory Abe escaped and then destroyed. Their symbol is a minimalist representation of RuptureFarms 1029 in a cicle of flames.

1029.io

[2016. June 29.] The site told us more about the revolutionary group the Spirit of 1029 with what seemed to be their manifesto written in bold on their front page. The Mudokons had enough and things are about to change: there's a storm coming!

When looking closer to the site's code additional clues waited to be found. Curiously a lot of details (like text color, hidden numbers in the logo) referenced the number 8291 and Ed.

Clues

Messages

  • HTML comments in 1029.io page
    • Well, I rescued Mudokons. But who's gonna rescue me?
    • 8291
  • 1029.io page
WE ARE THE SPIRIT OF 1029. WE ARE MANY. WE ARE COMING. WE WILL NOT STOP. THE POWER WILL SHIFT AND WE WILL RISE AGAIN.

                                  .@               @                                 
                                #@@@    ,@@@@@.    @@@/                              
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              @@@ ,  #@@@@&  .@@@@@@@@@@@@   @@@@@@@@@@@@   @@@@@(  / @@@            
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                      @@@@@@@@@&@@    @@       @@    @@@@@@@@@@@@                    
                        @@@@@@@@@@@   @@@@   @@@@   @@@@@@@@@@@                      
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                            *@@@@@@@@@@@@@/@@@@@@@@@@@@@,                            
                                .&@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@&      
                           
WE WILL NOT BE IGNORED!

THE FALL OF RF1029 WAS THE SPARK TO IGNITE A REVOLUTION. FOR TOO LONG, THEY HAVE CONTROLLED THEIR GIANT INDUSTRIAL MACHINES, GRINDING THE BONES OF OUR KIND INTO DUST IN THEIR ENDLESS PURSUIT OF POWER AND WEALTH.

WE WERE TAUGHT THAT THIS IS ALL THERE WAS: OBEY. / COMPLY. / WORK.

THE TRUTH WAS HIDDEN FROM US. OUR HISTORY WAS HIDDEN FROM US. WE WERE BRED TO WORK, RAISED TO OBEY AND FORCED TO COMPLY.

OUR NATURAL CONNECTION TO MOTHER PLANET WAS ERASED FROM THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF OUR PEOPLE. LOST WAS OUR KNOWING. LOST WAS OUR UNITY, OUR CONNECTION, OUR POWER AND OUR PURPOSE. ALL THAT WE WERE WAS A COMMODITY TO BE TRADED AND EXPLOITED IN THE ONGOING RACE FOR MORE WEALTH. WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE PROTECTED, WE WERE TRICKED INTO KILLING. WHAT WAS WORST FOR US, WE WERE TOLD WAS BEST. WE WERE TAUGHT TO TRUST THOSE WHO WOULD DECEIVE US THE MOST.

THAT HAS ALL CHANGED.

THE HERO HAS SHOWN ALL OF US THAT OUR OPPRESSORS CAN BE TOPPLED. HE HAS FOUND OUR WILD AND KNOWING BROTHERS. HE HAS RECONNECTED THE FACTORY-BORN TO OUR NATURAL WORLD AND ANCIENT WAYS. HE HAS LIT A FIRE IN OUR HEARTS THAT CANNOT BE EXTINGUISHED.

WE WILL GIVE HELP TO THOSE WHO ARE HELPLESS. WE WILL LEND STRENGTH TO THOSE WHO ARE WEAK. WE WILL FIGHT FOR THOSE WHO ARE DEFEATED. OUR MOVEMENT WILL SPREAD LIKE A RAGING INFERNO AND WE WILL TAKE BACK THE POWER FROM THOSE WHO HAVE ABUSED IT.

WE WILL NOT BE SILENCED BY THE MEDIA CIRCUS. WE WILL NOT BE IGNORED. WE WILL NOT STOP. WE WILL NOT OBEY. WE WILL RISE AND WE WILL RISE AGAIN, UNTIL WE HAVE BURNED THROUGH OUR TATTERED BONDS AND RAZED THE MACHINE TO THE GROUND.

WE WILL RISE. JOIN US.

THERE’S A STORM COMING.

The big pause

Hidden message in one of the artwork videos
Hidden message in one of the artwork videos

[2016. July 13.] During this time both Ed and The Spirit of 1029 laid low with almost no communications. A couple of puzzles surfaced during that period but didn't seem to lead anywhere.

Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] There’s a storm coming. Join us. 1029.io

[2016. August 23.] OddworldInc posted a few artwork videos with hidden messages flashing. Those messages didn't really lead the community anywhere even though the Spirit of 1029 seemed to find the important.

Messages


Partial view of the 8291 page

[2016. September 2.] The 1029.io/8291 page gets suddenly updated with corrupted messages and links to other pages with even more corrupted messages. It's unknown how this puzzle was supposed be solved. Unfortunately the pages were not backed-up in their entirety.

Messages

  • 8291 page title
    • EDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDED--EDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDED// EDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDEDED
Partial view of the 2479009 page
  • 8291 page text
the-e--e--bel--EDe---t---c------<br>-----da-k<br><a href="2749102934.html">g-b-ck</a><a href="6279284391.html">f--ht</a><a href="4839021451.html">st--</a><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>/8/2</
  • 2749102934 page title
    • 8Two91
  • 2749102934 page text
we-t-yb---ts-o-po--ib-eat---it----ttoo---k<br>y---av--ohel---<br><a href="5518293761.html">tr--gai-</a><a href="6234578241.html">g-v-i-</a>
  • 5518293761 page title
    • Eight291
  • 5518293761 page text
th-r-m----eaw--_the---rit_whe----it_w---eis---fi--<br>
  • 6234578241 page title
    • 829One
  • 6234578241 page text
--des---ate-oh---ryso----st-_ju---n-m--es-p<br>
  • 6279284391 page title
    • 82Nine1
  • 6279284391 page text
were-----r--ge---gh_nobo---s_its---i--<br>whats---ealpr--lemh-re<br>h-wca----igh--t<br>ho----gm-s--ew--t<br>wh-wi---av--s<br>wher--sED<br>w--e-dED<br>-e--u-ED<br><a href="2479009.html">t-e-estil---m----tle-ve--her-</a>
  • 2479009 page title
    • EightTwoNineOne
  • 2479009 page text
if ---y _he_ --ew.<br><br><br>if on-- _--ey_ --e-.<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>-- -n-y _-o-_ --ew.<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>Far too many video game characters were harmed extremely badly in the making of this experience. In a sane world this would never have happened. We're sorry.
  • 4839021451 page title
    • 8291
  • 4839021451 page text
wh--els-ca----o?wer---app----dit--l---sfa--t

Alf says hi

OddworldInc's profile picture on Twitter when Alf took over
Ed reaching out to Alf who's temporally using the OddworldInc account

[2016. December 22.] On this day unexpectedly both Ed and the SO1029 Twitter woke up and begun posting revolutionary messages.

Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@edmudokon] still here, waiting... waiting to rise up...
    • [@edmudokon] we will rise. together...
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] We are the spirit of 1029. We will rise again. Join us 1029.io Rise up.
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] We are the storm.


[2017. January 5.-6.] A few days later the official Oddworld Twitter (@OddworldInc) was taken over by Alf. There was a conversation between Alf (OddworldInc) and Ed (edmudokon). Ed doubted that it's really Alf and the messages from OddworldInc became more and more garbled.

Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@OddworldInc] Alf here, it looks like I'm needed again. I'm here for any questions ya have. #DearAlf A storm is brewing. I can feel it in my bones...
    • [@edmudokon] @OddworldInc alf? is that you? really you?
    • [@OddworldInc] @edmudokon It's me, it's me! Where are ya buddy? ӏ ţհծŭǥɧṯ ṫɦḗỵ'ƌ ɠōե ỹốṷ ƒỏṛ ǻ ԝĥïḻě țḥẻɼè...
    • [@edmudokon] @OddworldInc no... it can't be you... it can't be alf...
    • [@OddworldInc] .@edmudokon it is me, buddy, I got out! Where are ya? Ὶ ṱĥởűǥḣե ӱợǘ ẁẻгẻ ցỡῄё?
    • [@edmudokon] too risky. can't talk...
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] We will all be free, as Alf was freed. Rise up. We are the storm.


[2017. January 9.] On this day all three Twitter accounts conversed about how Ed should help in revealing the truth.

Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@edmudokon] evidence... i can see it all... scared...
    • [@OddworldInc] @edmudokon We've gotta see it- people need ta know what's happening... Be careful Ed.
    • [@edmudokon] @OddworldInc alf? i can help?
    • [@OddworldInc] @edmudokon Photographs, Ed- we need people to see. You've gotta be brave.
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] . @edmudokon @OddworldInc We will rise up. You can play your part, Ed.
    • [@edmudokon] @SPIRITOF1029 @OddworldInc yes... careful... risky... i gotta help...
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] Oddworld has been blind to the plight of the noble Mudokons for too long. We will rise. Join us! 1029.io
    • [@edmudokon] i will find a way to help...
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] @edmudokon yes, we will help you tell your story. We will help you rise up.


[2017. January 11.] Alf answers some questions about Ed on Oddworld.com, Ed is scared and needs all the help he can get.

Clues

Messages

  • Oddworld.com
    • Will you return in Oddworld: Soulstorm? (Asked by: James, on Twitter)
      You don’t know the things that are going on around here! I wish Abe would leave me outta it and let me run Alf’s Rehab and Tea in peace. I can’t read the future though – it’s not like I have the time to sit around reading tea leaves!
    • How have you been? Also how come Ed can hear you? He doesn’t seem to hear anyone else. (Asked by: Xavier, on Twitter)
      I’ve been busy! Ed? Ed’s scared and I can understand that. Sometimes people can be talkin’ all around you but you can’t hear ‘em. Poor Ed’s confused and afraid. I’m a familiar face – and have you ever seen a mug as trustworthy as mine?
    • How do you know Ed? Did Ed work with you? (Asked by: Connell, on Twitter)
      I know everyone – Abe thinks he has it tough? It’s not easy being such a celebrity. Everyone comes to me with their problems, and Ed has a lotta problems.
    • How’s Ed? (Asked by: Koustoulidis, on Facebook)
      Ed’s in danger and he knows it – Ed’s one brave Mudokon, even though it might not look like it right now. Ed’s got an important job ta do and just needs a bit of help to get it done.
    • Do you know where Ed might be, Alf? (Asked by: Gunnrisfunnr, on Twitter.)
      I’m not sure but I’d love to find out! It sounds like Ed needs some help and I think I know just the guy…

[2017. January 16.] The conversation continued with SO1029 asking Ed to blow the whistle on Thursday.

Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@OddworldInc] Hey pals, Alf here! Thanks for all the questions. I'll be sure to read through them all!
    • [@edmudokon] .@OddworldInc alf? is it really you? can I trust you?
    • [@OddworldInc] @edmudokon It's me- you've gotta trust me, we need your help. What's goin' on?
    • [@edmudokon] @OddworldInc I don't have much time. got to be quick... but I can see it all. I can get pictures...
    • [@OddworldInc] @edmudokon We need them. We need pictures, Ed. What can you see?
    • [@edmudokon] @OddworldInc it's so dark... but I can see them, they're... i can't explain. Shh! they're here, I think i see... oh no!
    • [@OddworldInc] @edmudokon Hide.
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] @edmudokon @OddworldInc we've found a weakness in the system. Get us something and we can get it out on Thursday. Help us, Ed. Be the storm.
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] @OddworldInc We will help @edmudokon but we can't send anything unencrypted. You'll have to break our code. We'll be in touch.


[2017. January 19.] As expected a few days later SO1029 confirmed that they received an encrypted transmission from Ed. Solving this was our next task.

Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] We have received a transmission. We will pass it on as soon as we can verify. We need your help.
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] .@OddworldInc the evidence is clear. Heed our call. Spread our message. Save our species.

The First Transmission

[2017. January 19.] OddworldInc and the community are now working together to decipher and clean up the first transmission coming from the Spirit of 1029.

Intercepted Report

Cleaned up version of the 1029_01_image.jpg file

[2017. January 19.] A bit after @SPIRITOF1029's tweets the Soulstorm page was updated with the clues they transmitted.

Clues

Messages

  • Picture
    • ED
    • YOU ARE THE KEY YOU KNOW IT IF YOU WERE LISTENING
    • LOOK FOR OUR MESSAGE HEAR OUR VOICE
    • Transcript:
Date:
Period: XXXXXXXXXXX
Specification Details:
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
-Observe XXXXXXX and XXXXXXXX changes in test subjects
-Assess long term XXXXXXXX on XXXXXXX
-Determine product safety
Authorization: XXXXXXXXXXX
Tests requested:
-XXXXXXXX Pronostics
- ?Access whenever? product XXXXXXX
-Acidity Levels
- ????? XXXXXXXXX
-Product safety
Expected results: XXXXXXXXXX make XXXXXXXXX interesting
Test results:
-XXXXXXX highly XXXXXX
-XXXXXXX this XXXXXX ?? XXXXXX ?nice? XXXXXXXX
-Highly XXXXXXX
-Subjects: XXXXXX
- XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Conclusion: Product (ready) for consumption 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
??? : XXXXXXXX there is XXXXXX here but it will XXXX ???? XXXXX
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fragments

Random picture from page imgzerofourfiveone

[2017. January 21.] Decoding the morse code in reverse in the audio file and unlocking it with the word storm led us to a new page containing random fragments of a worrying photograph. Those are the first pieces of intel reaching us coming from Asset 98, a member of the Spirit of 1029 movement.

Clues

Messages

  • Page
ASSET98 / CONFIDENTIAL

You have signalled your willingness to help. Now you must prove yourself. Our efforts to get a clear data stream have been in vain. You will have to piece together the image from these fragments. Help us to expose this latest crime against Mudokonkind.

When you have a complete image, show it to @OddworldInc. They appear willing and capable. Recruit others to help you find and share the pieces. There’s a storm coming. Be the storm. We will rise.

[REDACTED] Together we can expose the truth. 1029.

[2017. January 23.] On this day we got two more tweets.

Pictures from page imgzerofourfiveone fitted together

Messages

The first picture

[2017. January 26.] A few days later the first of four incriminating pictures was released. It shows a line of Mudokons in what looks like a labor camp or processing area of some kind. The Mudokons are carrying what appear to be body bags. Tattoos on their chest indicate their slave ID. A Glukkon in the background is supervising the situation.

Clues

Messages

  • Updates on Soulstorm page
    • Update 1: Already a dedicated team of fans have decrypted the image and it has made its way to Reddit. The community is also working on investigating the creepy audio file.
    • Update 2: Having discovered hidden morse code in the audio, which was reversed and substitution cyphered (with the word 'Storm', the key that was hinted at in the distorted image), the audio encryption has almost been cracked! It's looking like a URL - can you help figure out the next step...?
    • Update 3: Congratulations! The community has discovered a secret URL on the 1029.io website! But what are those images of? Are they fragments of a photograph? Once you've got everything together - show us!
    • Update 4: Oh wow! It's a Mudokon...! But what's he holding? Leave it with us, we'll get that image cleaned up soon. Congratulations everyone, great team effort and hopefully we can crack the next four images as quickly!
    • Update 5: Thanks to you guys sharing the previous images online, we've managed to decode the photo further and have updated the thumbnail here. We'll return on Thursday with the finished, fully decrypted image - but until then, please do let us know what you think!
  • Recap on Oddworld.com


1029-01-progress.jpg

The Second Transmission

[2017. February 2.] OddworldInc and the community continue to working together to decipher and clean up the second transmission coming from the Spirit of 1029. Unfortunately the community's use of automated tools and brute force attracts unwanted attention.


More Codes

[2017. February 2.] a week later the Spirit of 1029 communicates that it received another transmission from one of their agents, presumably Asset 98. A bit later the Soulstorm page was updated with the clues for the second transmission.

Around the same time OddworldInc sent out a newsletter mail reaching out to the whole community to help crack the codes that will allow the world to discover the heinous crimes against the Mudokons.


Clues

First clue provided by the Spirit of 1029 during the second transmission.

Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] Our agent has delivered another transmission. We will verify its origins and pass it on.
  • Clue picture from 1029
    • Spread our message.
    • KNOW YOUR CODES
      KEEP THEM CLOSE
      YOU WILL NEED THEM
    • BETHESTORM
    • Decode Everything
  • Barcode at end of Newsletter
    • READ THE NUMBERS KNOW THE TRUTH
  • Newsletter
Something strange is happening on Oddworld.

We've been receiving garbled transmissions from a clandestine organization claiming knowledge of a new and horrifying plight that the Mudokons must face. Can you help us unscramble their communications and save the Mudokon species?


A new mystery awaits you!

Recently, we were contacted by the mysterious Spirit of 1029 group. They claim there is a new threat to Mudokonkind that has been classified top secret and hidden from the world. You can help to uncover the truth, follow Abe's example and save his species.

Our community has already solved one set of puzzles to help reveal the image above, now there's a new mystery awaiting you!

Head on over to the Soulstorm website to see the latest transmission we've received and help to crack the code that will allow the world to discover this heinous crime against the Mudokons.


The story so far...

You can catch up and follow the earlier clues yourself by visiting the Soulstorm website.

We were contacted by a mysterious group, calling themselves "Spirit of 1029." They sent us a couple of files which they claimed to have received from an operative very close to the situation.

The first, a garbled image of a document that had been heavily redacted, held fragments of coded messages and hints at what was happening. It contained a key that assisted in the deciphering of the second file - a harrowing audio clip that contained a hidden message in Morse code.

When those messages were deciphered, we were led to a web page that served up eight fragments, torn and burnt, of a photograph that seemed to depict something terrifying. After a concerted effort from our community and our team at Oddworld Inhabitants, we managed to get the clean version of the image you see at the top of this email.

Now, Spirit of 1029 has made contact again and they say there's more to see. We're going to need more help if we're going to solve this mystery and save the Mudokons.


Join the resistance!

Join the fight back by following Oddworld on Twitter and Instagram, liking our Facebook page and spreading the word about what we've found.

Sign up for the resistance and help to liberate these poor Mudokons now!

You can find the mysterious Spirit of 1029 organization on Twitter here and their Mud on the inside, Ed, here.

There's strength in numbers, help Spirit of 1029 recruit for their cause. Help us find the answers.

The Grid

[2017. February 3.] Decoding the two bar-codes in the lower right corner of the Agent's transmission picture led us to the next step of the trail: a new page from Asset 98 with a scrambled grid and a whole lot of comments in the code. Part of the puzzles of this part were bypassed using brute-force on the lock for which we had to find the password, revealing that the password we were looking for was subjectivism.

Clues

The grid puzzle

Messages

  • HMTL Code
    • Can’t reach any..
    • Listening anyon… there?
    • Can hear us anymore- need to… can’t fnd
    • We will never give… what they… from us
    • Does… care? Freedom isn’t gi… will take…
    • We have never…. Given… deserve. We… take… our righ…
    • Stand up and fi…
    • Don’t be afr….
    • They want to… kill- don’t-
    • Stop them from…. Hurting- they… think
    • We are no less- they think… aside
    • Don’t believe what… told- liars…
    • Can’ fnd anymo-
    • We wil silnced
    • Killin- they are dy..
    • Hurting the..
    • Back down unt… resist.
    • Intercep… our messa… we will fight
    • We will ri…
    • Cannot… silenced when ther… who need… now
    • We won’t ba… we have beat…. Before… Must not-
    • Spent so long…. Afraid… never let- again
    • ...Storm… find it’s way- end
    • Why are … here?
    • Only...profit- nothing more… importnt as-
    • - lies they… will tel-
    • Believe- nothing… terribl- things…

[2017. February 10.] The community eventually figured out how the password was supposed to be found a couple of days after the second image was cleaned up by OddworldInc. It involved identifying what data to actually using slashes and backslashes, resolving the grid as a game of Shikaku and mapping letters on top of the solved grid.

The termination of Asset 98

Scrambled picture from page 1173418569
Clean picture from page 1173418569

[2017. February 7.] After brute-forcing the lock the community found a new page from Asset 98 displaying random pictures when refreshed. Most of the pictures appearing were scrambled but sometimes a clean picture was displayed. One of the members of the community wrote a little script to try to find all the clear images in an automated way. This was not well received by @SPIRITOF1029 who tried to warn us not to use machines. A few moments after the script was run the 1173418569 page started to change every few seconds depicting what appears to be an attack on Asset 98. In the end the page was left almost completely black with Asset 98 terminated.


The different html files telling the story have been preserved here.

Clues

The original pictures have been rehosted on the OddWideWeb:

Note that sometimes some images also appeared in clear:

Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] Machines are the tool of the enemy. The consciousness of our people has been rediscovered. You must trust it. #wewillrise
    • [@edmudokon] what happened? what did you do? who? No! no... aaaaaAaaaaarrrRrrrgggggGgghhh!
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] Now our storm seems a little less ferocious. We can no longer reach Asset 98.
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] We can't reach Asset 98 but we do still have his clear transmissions. Prove you're worthy. Show us that you're able. Send us the grid.
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] You found the grid, the letters and the numbers. Tell us how they fit together. Prove you're no longer slaves to the machines.
    • [@edmudokon] ...he never came back. I could hear him screaming all night... helpless. they took him... he was my friend. how did they know?
Attack on Asset 98
Attack on Asset 98
Attack on Asset 98
Attack on Asset 98
  • Attack on page 1173418569 (excerpts)
    • rEDacted
    • rEDacted :p
    • rEDacted :( :( :( :(
    • Those are ON YOU
    • What's another few on the pile?
    • Who is this?
    • You know. Everybody knows.
    • Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this? Who is this?
    • I tried. We all did. This is ON YOU.
    • W22222ho?$3555582%9564444444441
    - The page now has a pink background
    • HOW MANY MORE PLEASEEEEESTOOOPP
    • ---^---^---^---^---
    • FOLLOW
    • ---^-------^-------
    • I don't think we can help this one.
    • ---^---------------
    • FOLLOW NOTHING
    • -------------------
    • ... ONE LAST CHANGE I THINK I MI-
    - The page is now completely black
    • this one's on you.
    • ---------------
    • -------------
    • ------------
    • -----------
    • ----------
    • ---------
    • don't worry. we have PLENTY
    • --------
    • -------
    • ------
    • -----
    • ----
    • ---
    • --
    • -
    • x⸑x
    • see ya around, 1029...

Asset 99

[2017. February 7.] Shortly after Asset 98's termination Asset 99 stepped in and published the 1173418569 page too. However on this version of the page the clear pictures do not appear anymore. The community used the clean versions previously captured to piece together the full picture and submit it to OddworldInc so they could clean it up.

Clean pictures from page asset98/1173418569/ fitted together

Clues


Messages

  • Page 1173418569
ASSET99 / CONFIDENTIAL / 002

We will not be stopped. We may have lost Asset 98, but we will continue strong. Together. Against the machines. Help us to expose this latest crime against Mudokonkind.

When you have a complete image, show it to @OddworldInc. They appear willing and capable. Recruit others to help you find and share the pieces. There’s a storm coming. Be the storm. We will rise.

The power will shift and we will rise again. Together we can expose the truth. 1029.

The second picture

[2017. February 9.] A couple of days later the second of four incriminating pictures was released. It shows a Mudokon strapped to a chair in what appears to be a Vykkers Labs laboratory. Around him is various medical equipment, syringes and what looks to be an experimental 'strain' of SoulStorm Brew.

Clues

Messages


1029-02-progress.jpg

The Third Transmission

Cleaned up version of flyer1.jpg
Cleaned up version of flyer4.jpg

[2017. February 23.] The code breaking continues with OddworldInc and the community still working together, this time to decipher and clean up the third transmission coming from the Spirit of 1029. Some caution has to be used to guarantee the safety of the Spirit of 1029's operative as the Magog Cartel attention for our activities is growing.

Propaganda Flyers

[2017. February 23.] The clue provided for the third transmission is a zip file containing cryptic files amongst which some scrambled propaganda flyers. Used together with a fourth flyer tweeted out by the Spirit of 1029 we could piece a letter-to-number mapping based on the Malachim Alphabet.

Clues

Cleaned up versions of the flyers in the zip file

Messages

  • Twitter
  • Flyers
    • t h e y a r e w a t c h i n g
    • b e t h e s t or m
    • w e w i l l r i s e

Work Obey Comply

Screenshot of page 12362831522212

[2017. February 24.] Using Steganography encryption and basic astronomy the community identified that the Erriapo and Fenrir Saturn moon names were important. Using the Malachim letter-to-number mapping discovered during the previous phase on those moon names we found the 12362831522212 and 71220283136 pages.

Clues

Messages

  • Page 12362831522212 & 71220283136
ASSET9X / [REDACTED] / 333333333333

We can't hold much longer.

It's dark, and cold. So cold. They don't seem to [REDACTED]. They. Them. It's hard to know how we'll [REDACTED], but we'll try. This can't last forever. We won't last forever.

Look what they're doing to us. Just look.

There is spirit, but it's waining. We need you, [REDACTED]. Help us.

Together we can expose the truth.

We must. We have to. 1029.

The Magog strikes back

[2017. February 27.] On this day @OddworldInc was hacked presumably by the Magog Cartel. The @OddworldInc Twitter account posted three propaganda posters, while it's rightful owners tried to retake control. Later this day @SPIRITOF1029 and @edmudokon tried to shed some light on the actual, much darker facts.


Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@OddworldInc] WORK. OBEY. COMPLY. https://pic.twitter.com/1EFuCIgCJN
    • [@OddworldInc] What's h͙̞̖̙͙̗͞a̭͉̝̠͇̲p̰̖̥̲̘p͏̫̯̱ẹ̖̟͚̤̺͙ṋ̼̲͚͝i̤̕n͇͇̙̥̺̗͔g̴̱̱̭͇͎?̥̣̝͇̤͢
    • [@OddworldInc] YOUR SECURITY MATTERS. COMPLY. https://pic.twitter.com/1NsKnQoVrK
    • [@OddworldInc] S͠t̵̞͍̠̱̮̜͕o̙̙̹̱̝p͚̼̘̭̼͔͖
    • [@OddworldInc] REMAIN LOYAL. OBEY. https://pic.twitter.com/4Rl35OwS7E
    • [@OddworldInc] c̦̙̮̖͡a͓͍n'̴̱͈̟t͕̳̳̜̻͙ ̪͓̭̗͞g̬̤̞̖͠e̜̭̹͎̩̫t̡̤̲̮̹ ̜̰̯͍̪ͅt̗h̵͉̙̗̝̳ro̧̱̼͖͖u̶̘̞̭̥gh
    • [@OddworldInc] Well that was weird... We're back now. That wasn't exactly how we were intending to share the flyers with you...
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] Don't read the news sheets and you're uninformed. Read them and you're misinformed. #wewillrise https://pic.twitter.com/7rs5dkMxWd
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] It's not just the lies that are harmful. It's the confusion. #wewillrise https://pic.twitter.com/FREchtUXjC
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] These records were smashed on the broken backs of our downtrodden brothers... #wewillrise https://pic.twitter.com/0VJb9VpwqX
    • [@edmudokon] We hate those news sheets, they make us read every new issue. Those that can still read...
  • Flyers
Flyer 1 sent by the Magog Cartel trough the hacked @OddworldInc account
Flyer 2 sent by the Magog Cartel trough the hacked @OddworldInc account
Flyer 3 sent by the Magog Cartel trough the hacked @OddworldInc account

The third picture

[2017. March 02.]A few days later the third of four incriminating pictures was released. This one shows a Mudokon locked in a cell located looking very much like Vykkers Labs. The Mudokon is clearly in some kind of distress. The label on his cell door reads "Sample ID: Beverage SSB/004, subject unstable", indicating this Mudokon is one of many test subjects in these SoulStorm Brew trials. A pair of eyes can be seen in the reflection of the glass belonging to a Vykker who is looking into the cell.

Clues

Messages


Oddworld Soulstorm 003 4K.jpg
Coded message scratched on the inside of the glass (mirrored)

[2017. March 05.] A coded message has been scratched on the inside of the glass using unknown symbols. This time the community had to figure out both the alphabet and the message.

Messages

  • Twitter
  • Third Picture
    • There are ghosts in the chair
      No more light
      The cold and the darkness will take me

Hidden truth

First version of the whatifwetoldyoutoo page
Screenshot of the 8291 page
Second version of the whatifwetoldyoutoo page

[2017. March 13.] A few days later, @edmudokon and @SPIRITOF1029 started tweeting again, hinting that the truth was out there but that the people who found it couldn't share it with the rest of the community. One secret was left to be found but couldn't be publicly shared until the Spirit of 1029's operative was safe from the Magog Cartel. This secret was quite huge: filmed footage of a Mudokon loosing his mind while being watched by a Vykker.

Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@edmudokon] please don't share it if you find it. it's too dangerous... they can't know we got it.
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] What if we told you... there was more to uncover?
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] You have all you need. Follow the numbers, find the truth.
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] Some of you have found the truth. Now greater numbers must see. We will show the world. Soon.

[2017. March 14.] The page was revealed a day later. Some members of the community found it previously by grouping together the names of the pictures appearing in the 12362831522212 and 71220283136 pages found earlier. Note that the content of the whatifwetoldyoutoo page changed once it got revealed by the Spirit of 1029, the original version has been archived on the OddWideWeb

Clues


Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] As soon as our operative is safe, we will show you what their last transmission contained.
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] Our operative's safety is confirmed, we've sent the latest transmission. Now they can show the world. #wewillrise
    • [@OddworldInc] They asked us to show the world. It's the least we can do for them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l4jZVTUoak
  • Page whatifwetoldyoutoo (version 1)
You found me.
So, stay with me. Stay with us. Listen. See.

We will show you.

Now, let's see if you can keep a secret...

8291. It's not what you think it is. Do you see?
I need to know if you can see. If there's a way.

~e
  • Page 8291
You're here.
OK, sure, but please - PLEASE - keep this to yourself...

They can't know we have this footage. They just can't.

8291. It's not [redacted] you think it is...
I mean, what were you thinking...?

~e
  • Page whatifwetoldyoutoo (version 2)
This is what's happening.
These are my friends. They're doing this to us. All of us.

There's more, much more, but it's not easy getting it out of here.

Together we're stronger. We can survive.

Stay strong. Stay together.

~e
  • HTML Comments in Page 8291's Code (edited out many repetitions of "WORK OBEY COMPLY" for readability)
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The Fourth Transmission

First clue provided by the Spirit of 1029 during the fourth transmission.

[2017. April 19.] OddworldInc and the community continue working together to decipher and clean up the fourth transmission coming from the Spirit of 1029.

Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] We grow in strength but the signal is weak. Our message fades into noise and light. Help us. This is only possible together. #wewillrise

Find it

[2017. April 24.] The first clue for the fourth transmission is a mashup of the previous three pictures with a lot of text and codes covering it. This includes a powerful tirade praising Abe for having shown the way for the Spirit of 1029 movement.

Clues

Messages

  • Twitter
  • FindIt Picture
    • USE A DIFFERENT CODE. THIS IS NOT RELEVANT DATA. DO NOT COMPLY. DO NOT OBEY. THEY LIE.
    • fire air water earth
      gas liquid solid
    • use what you can't see
    • WE WERE TAUGHT THAT THIS IS ALL THERE WAS: WORK, OBEY, COMPLY. THE TRUTH WAS HIDDEN FROM US. OUR HISTORY WAS HIDDEN FROM US. WE WERE BRED TO WORK, RAISED TO OBEY AND FORCED TO COMPLY. OUR NATURAL CONNECTION TO MOTHER PLANET WAS ERASED FROM THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF OUR PEOPLE. LOST WAS OUR KNOWING. LOST WAS OUR UNITY, OUR CONNECTION, OUR POWER AND OUR PURPOSE. ALL THAT WE WERE WAS A COMMODITY TO BE TRADED AND EXPLOITED IN THE ONGOING RACE FOR MORE WEALTH. WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE PROTECTED, WE WERE TRICKED INTO KILLING. WHAT WAS WORST FOR US, WE WERE TOLD WAS BEST. WE WERE TAUGHT TO TRUST THOSE WHO WOULD DECEIVE US THE MOST. THAT HAS ALL CHANGED. THE HERO HAS SHOWN ALL OF US THAT OUR OPPRESSORS CAN BE TOPPLED. HE HAS FOUND OUR WILD AND KNOWING BROTHERS. HE HAS RECONNECTED THE FACTORY-BORN TO OUR NATURAL WORLD AND ANCIENT WAYS. HE HAS LIT A FIRE IN OUR HEARTS THAT CANNOT BE EXTINGUISHED. WE WILL GIVE HELP TO THOSE WHO ARE HELPLESS. WE WILL LEND STRENGTH TO THOSE WHO ARE WEAK. WE WILL FIGHT FOR THOSE WHO ARE DEFEATED. OUR MOVEMENT WILL SPREAD LIKE A RAGING INFERNO AND WE WILL TAKE BACK THE POWER FROM THOSE WHO HAVE ABUSED IT. WE WILL NOT BE SILENCED BY THE MEDIA CIRCUS. WE WILL NOT BE IGNORED. WE WILL NOT STOP. WE WILL NOT OBEY. WE WILL RISE AND WE WILL RISE AGAIN, UNTIL WE HAVE BURNED THROUGH OUR TATTERED BONDS AND RAZED THE MACHINE TO THE GROUND. WE WILL RISE. JOIN US. THERE'S A STORM COMING.

Electricity

Screenshot of the electricity page

[2017. April 27.] The elemental clues (fire, air, water, earth, gas, liquid & solid) and the "use what you can't see" were clues to point us to the next page named electricity. This page contains a single word in its centre: HELP.

Clues

Messages

  • SaveUs.jpg
    • BREATH
  • Listen.txt (decoded)
    • why do you just watch can you not see us can you not hear the utighdbfn why is this happening wny its too cold to th can you hear us is there anybody there will you help us or rihjsudhgheusodj never are go find pn lose in to it alchem we are cold we are lost we are forgotten and its ecant gmds pneumatigd why are they taking cant stop cold so cold so cold we will rise we will not obey we will not comply jendn we will rise we will rise we will rise we will not die is abe dead here we will not die here we will not die here we cannot die here we cannot die here we cannot die here we cannot survive gheufh help this is not what we wanted we cannot dont cant see speak stop we need to save someone save us pneuma we need to be stop ightnevital energy source of this stop to think breath breathe cant breathe cant always watching we can never eyes stop find rest go now share loose top find think or too last day light never why to a way stp give this is ever not no find things first or the ghtuenth day tjgit let last now or out get in or arttest never stop we will find a way to gain our freedom e why it lost gone now stop taken from us and from the rest we cant stop too much now too pain pain pain pain pain pain pain pain pain pain pain dont believe the things they tell you they lie they know no truth its lost long lost now ghwkfnhjsk what happened to them they are lost ghwufnfasjntiwpldfmwbwietpr stop it greed greed greed greed greed greed greed the expense is us we are tired our spark is fading do not let them extinguish all that we are we cannot snwownfnf see the end save us save us save us we cannot fight help us why is this happening for their proghejwnfiwthisnfwe why forget us let us go we dont deserve no one deserves its not dont believe dont believe they will lie they lie they lie heugnpngjifsk lies lies lies lies lies lies lies lies eieslseiselslsl is abe dead we dont want to die

Pneuma

Screenshot of the ASCII art on the pneuma page
Cleaned up version of helpus.jpg

[2017. April 27.] The BREATH message combined with the decoded text in Listen.txt made it clear to the community that pneuma was an important word, leading us the the next page. The pneuma page initially contained only the ASCII art logo of the Spirit Of 1029 with letters embedded in it changing each time the page was refreshed. Four versions of the page were present, each containing the letters to spell one word, forming the following sentence: Dont let us die.

After a couple of minutes the title of the page started changing, displaying single words, again forming sentences. The words of a single sentence would loop for a bit before switching to the next sentence. After that the generated pages started to change, and started to include even more letters in the ASCII art spelling even more words: Help, Stop, Mask.

Finally the page displayed the helpus.jpg picture.

Clues

Messages

  • SO1029 Logo
    • Don't let us die.
    • Help
    • Stop
    • Mask
  • Title of the pneuma page
    • ?
    • /\--/\--/\--/\
    • it's so hard to breathe
    • please make it stop
    • around how many times
    • we will all die
    • b.r.e.a.t.h.e
    • b..r..e..a..t..h..e
    • b r e a t h e (page title was only a single letter)
    • ..........

The fourth picture

[2017. May 02.] A few days later the cleaned up picture was released on the Soulstorm page. This image shows a Mudokon wearing a breathing mask, running in what appears to be a Mudokon sized hamster-wheel. He is in front of a screen of sorts, reading binary and operating the computer with two levers. In the background some medical equipment can be seen. It is unknown where this picture was taken. The general surroundings do not seem to indicate Vykkers Labs anymore.

Clues


ARG Image 04 4K.jpg

Fourth phase: The Magog Cartel

MagogCartel's profile picture on Twitter

A new player officially joins the ARG. The Magog Cartel now directly interferes during the community's investigation by hacking accounts and websites and by spreading lies through their Twitter account. The first step was attacking the 1029.io the website of the Spirit of 1029 revolutionary movement.

Hostile takeover

Magog Cartel hacking into the official Oddworld Discord server

[2017. August 07.] During the start of the attack we see the Magog Cartel hacking into the Spirit of 1029's website. This led the secondary colour of 1029.io to switch from green to red, having letters spelling MAGOG appearing in the ASCII logo and a new HTML comment appearing noting that the hacking was easily done.

Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] We will not be silenced. We will not stay hidden. The storm is coming and we will rise.
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] The watchers can’t see everything. Our message will be heard. #wewillrise
  • HTML comments on 1029.io
    • heh, that was easy. let's see...
Image posted by the OddworldInc employees while being hacked

[2017. August 09.] On this day in a dramatic finale we finally uncovered the enemy who tried to silence @OddworldInc and @SPIRITOF1029. It was obvious that something was not right from the very beginning when @SPIRITOF1029 fell silent after noticing that someone attempted to hack their communications channel.

On the official Oddworld Discord servera new emote with the Magog Cartel logo was added with the name :staywealthy:. Soon after all messages containing that :staywealthy: emote or the 8291 code (:_e_: :_t_: :_n_: :_o_:) got removed and the Oddworld Inhabitants employees (OWI_Alex, OWI_Pete & OWI_Bernice) stated posting gibberish and messages coming from an other entity including a strange image containing the word vast multiple times.

Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] We’ve noticed some attempts to take over our communications channels. Our message will not be silen
  • Discord
    • Òǚř ʂе¢цгіẗу ẁᾅș πŏţ ḃӷӫǟċḥễđ Ọսȑ šѐсưȑіƫỵ ẅἂѕ ᾒṑե ƃŗӫᾶϲɦẻđ ⍬ṳř şĕсǜӷɩȶӱ ẁấṣ ʼnόՒ þȑѐẩƈȟεժ Ỡùȓ șєϛụґɪŧӱ ẅᾲş բóȶ ḃŗḛąḉℏӫď Ơǔѓ ṡễćṻȓĩťÿ ẇẳŝ ἧὅṱ ḇґèḁčիề₫ ["Our security was not breached" repeated over and over]
    • W& //€q117 PHø|? +/-/∂† +() }{∂|²|2€11.
    • Ḿ̧̪̻̻͇̟̹̭̼͊̈́̍̎̿͐̎͝͞o̧̤̗̠͚̟͒̐͗͆͜͢͡͞C̠̯̳̙̠̳̹͒̽̇̈̽̚͜r̶͕̗̜̲͕̘̒͗̆̄̎̐̓t̛̛̯̠̼͎̭̻̯̜̿͂̑̃͌͂̔ļ̴͙̩̠̯̐̊̆̐̂̿c̢̳͎̱ ̺̮͎͖̟̐̓̐́͋͞ó̧̡̻͙̳͇̼̯̹̄͒̐͗ [MoCrtlco]


The last message was actually a clue towards where we should look next. It referred to an URL. Uncovering this effectively started the next arc of the ARG.


MagogCartel.com

Screenshot of the first version of the MagogCartel page

[2017. August 10.] The messages the Magog Cartel transmitted during their hack led us straight to their website, MagogCartel.com, but it seems completely hacked and corrupted. While investigating it the community discovers multiple codes hidden in the HTML comments. Note that the page has changed since then, but this first version of the MagogCartel.com site has been archived on the OddWideWeb


Clues

Messages

  • HTML contents
    • wewillstopyouyouwillfall
	<p class="Brand New MAGOG Products releasing soon!">
	Welcome to the official Ma___________g_____ life? here? HERE?! ***
	</p>
	<h2 class="Check out this guy!">responsible</h2>
	
DB_PP_PRODUCTTEXT: We’re sourciest, juiciest Parami__from closer to their nests, for our bes___________________________________________________________aramite Pies ever! Made with all natural ingredients[1] and baked in
our traditional ovens to a recipe that’s be............ aster bakers, our pXXXes are packed with Para-meat[2] oooooooooooo00OOoozing [1] at least one natural ingredient in every 12-pack of pie_________8** [2] not necessarily made with Paramites. 

	PLEASE REVIEW AS APPROPRIATE -->
	
	<h2>responsible settle@@@@@@@ments</h2>
	
	<!-- APPROV__tch this space for more information about our exciti________________ everage that’s so delicious, you’ll be craving another on33__________--333333333333 before you even finish it!!!_____________________________________________!!!:D:D:D

INSERT ANECDOTE ABOUT THE ApMpApZING<!-- what? --> VIEW just left of here across Mudos AND who could possibly be the EMPLOYEE OF THE DAY AND THE NEW i mean, how hard can it be? every aspect of every aspect of every as-------------f every aspect of EVERY SIN--E ASPECT of every aspect of every asp--_--------------------ct of every aspect of every as_--ct of every aspect of FOLLOW ME follow US

	<h2>almost%    every settlement</h2>

	<h2>responsible for ***almost*** every aspect of municipal life in these vastvastvastvastvastvast idyllic settlements</h2>
	
	<p class="BUY NOW">Seriously.</p>
	
	<h2>responsible</h2>
	
	<h2>vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast VAST vats vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast vast 1029 vast vast vast vast </h2>

[2017. August 14.] A few days later the Spirit of 1029 sent us messages helping us decode one of the codes in the MagogCartel page. After identifying correct words in the tweets we discovered we had to use the blowfish cipher to decode it.

Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] your help is invaluable to us, together we will blow this latest Magog scandal wide open. together #wewillrise
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] the watchers can fish around the communication channels all they like, we will always be one step ahead of them.
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] -1-4,-2-10
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] the story of mudokonkind is about history. now they treat us just like numbers. they will not succeed.
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] we have given you the tools you need. the ones we can trust will prove themselves capable. leaders will rise as the storm closes in.
  • Decoded message
    • ^_^ U_V DX is is true or false all for profit interests industrial agricultural Mudos provide highest possible return investments overheads dreams limited power gigantic badge leaders product Meech Motors travel expertly trained Slig Security Forces successful undertaking employment vast sentient secure specialist habitation zones benefit factories foundries farmlands stability millions undertakings Cartel management selflessly representatives responsible municipal vast idyllic settlements under construction please subscribe and link and follow and like and buy and buy and buy and buy and buy and buy and buy and buy and buy and buy and buy and buy and buy and buy and buy at magog cartel

The Copycat

weknow.jpg file found on the MagogCartel.com website
Original version of the weknow picture shared previously by OddworldInc

[2017. August 11.] At the same time the Magog Cartel account is trying to get a message accross in a subtle way.

Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@MagogCartel] .@spiritof1029 we see you. We can see what you are doing with your fake reports. you will not prospEr.
    • [@MagogCartel] we are proud of the strong linKs between each of our facilities. our operations are by far the most efficieNt on oddworld.
    • [@MagogCartel] we are aware of some terrible fake repOrts being leaked. please ignore them. our very successful Workers know the truth is very different.


[2017. August 14.] A few days later the message is a lot less subtle. This led us to a hidden picture on the MagogCartel.com website titled weknow! A lot of coded messages are present in the picture, however they obviously come from the Magog Cartel as what appears to be a bait so that we would lose valuable time decoding them. Note that the original picture was shared previously by OddworldInc, indeed the Magog Cartel is cautious not to leak any new incriminating evidence.

Clues

Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@MagogCartel] We know every time an employee falls into a grinder it takes 82 minutes of Mudokon time to clean up. Be safe, for productivity’s sake!
    • [@MagogCartel] We know that an average of 91 eager new employees start their careers with us every day. Help them be the best workers they can be.
    • [@MagogCartel] We know that our facilities are a picture of perfect productivity. Your hard work helps us to show that picture to the world.
    • [@MagogCartel] We know what you’re looking for in a rewarding, productive career. Magog Cartel can help you find it. Discover your options with us today!
  • weknow picture
    • Magog Cartel
    • WE KNOW HOW YOU WORK NOW. WE KNOW YOUR CODES. WE WILL STOP YOU. YOU WILL NOT INTIMIDATE US. OUR WAY OF LIFE MUST BE PRESERVED.
    • LOOK, WE CAN MAKE SECRET CODES TOO. YOU ARE NOT AS SMART AS YOU THINK YOU ARE. WE HAVE THE RESOURCES AND THE PERSONNEL TO SIMPLY SWAMP YOU WITH WORK. HOW MUCH TIME DID YOU WASTE TRYING TO DECIPHER THIS CODE? ALL THE TIME, WE WERE GETTING CLOSER TO FINDING YOU. WE ARE ALMOST THERE. MAYBE WE ARE OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW, WAITING. WATCHING. YOU CANNOT HIDE FOREVER, TERRORIST. WE WILL INCINERATE YOUR SILLY LITTLE GROUP AND SCATTER YOUR ASHES TO EVERY CORNER OF OUR EMPIRE SO THAT YOU WILL ETERNALLY BEAR WITNESS TO OUR SUCCESSES, AND YOUR KINDS UNENDING SERVITUDE. YOU HAVE ALREADY LOST.
    • WE WILL NEVER GIVE IN TO TERRORISTS. YOU WILL NEVER WIN. YOU WILL NOT DEFEAT OUR SPIRIT. WE WILL FIND YOU AND WE WILL WIPE YOU OUT. WE IGNITE THE FLAME THAT LIGHTS THE DARKNESS. THERE IS NOWHERE TO HIDE. YOU WILL NEVER KNOW SUCCESS
    • you are a resource. you are expendable. we will replace you when you fall. you will work. you will obey. you will comply. or you will perish. we have the prestige. we have the power. we will profit. always. always. always.
    • Prestige. Power. Profits. Work. Obey. Comply. Prestige. Power. Profits. Work. Obey. Comply. Prestige. Power. Profits. Work. Obey. Comply. Prestige. Power. Profits. Work. Obey. Comply.
    • RuptureFarms1029 will rise from the ashes. we will rebuild it bigger, better and more profitable than before. it will be the greatest, most efficient factory that Oddworld has ever seen. it will be a towering symbol of Glukkon strength that cannot be ignored. one terrorist will not deter us.

UNDER CONSTRUKTION

Screenshot of the second version of the MagogCartel page
Frame from the WeSeeYou video with the 22/9 date

[2017. September 4.] During the first week of September the MagogCartel.com got updated, simply displaying it was UNDER CONSTRUKTION. The page has changed since then, but the second version of the MagogCartel.com site has been archived on the OddWideWeb

Messages

  • MagogCartel page
    • *** UNDER CONSTRUKTION ***

[2017. September 5.] One day later a cryptic video was posted on the OddworldInc account. It showed the Guardian Angel along with text and numbers flashing. Most notably amongst the flashing messages was 22/9, the date of the EGX event during which OddworldInc had an on-stage presentation. While the EGX event was indeed important for the ARG this video was actually pointing to the release of the Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee 20th Anniversary Dynamic Theme on PS4.

Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@OddworldInc] We're going to be at EGX for an on-stage presentation on Friday 22nd Sept! Grab your tickets now! @EGX https://pic.twitter.com/rDQiDIApa9
    • [@OddworldInc] w̸̨̠͓͍̯̺͉͞e̯̝͖̫̺̯͉̻͘͡ ̗̭̕͢s̴̮̭̫̱ͅe̢̠̮̫̦̼̪̘͠ͅę̠̥̯͔̣̼̻̕ͅ ̻̘̼̣͓̩͚͘͢͠y̴̭̯̪̺͙͚͚̪͞o̬̞͜͢͝u̮̤͖̩̗̰ͅͅ.̴̲̣̪̮̼̱.̡̰̭̗͍̝͉̯͢.̡̡̼͇̙̜̮̦̪̞ͅ https://pic.twitter.com/UoQ3xRAhDU
    • [@MagogCartel] We continue to demonstrate our exceptional technological progress to an ever growing number of customers. Everyone loves Magog products!
    • [@Zulag] Did you just claim the attack on the @OddworldInc account?
    • [@MagogCartel] Attack? We don’t need to attack, we’re already in a dominant position in every market we deem profitable. We just demonstrate our dominance.
  • WeSeeYou video
    • 8
    • ?
    • 2
    • 2
    • 9
    • 1
    • /
    • 8291
    • 829/
    • 229/
    • 22/9
    • EVERYONE
    • WANTS
    • TO
    • EAT
    • YOU

The Informant

Sixth photo of The Informant newspaper

[2017. September 7.] A couple of days later the MagogCartel page got updated again, randomly displaying one of three photos of an issue of The Informant, one of the Magog Cartel's favourite newspapers. Three more pictures of The Informant got shared a couple of hours later via Twitter.

Clues

Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@MagogCartel] We stopped reading the Daily Deception’s fake reports. The latest issue of The Informant is a really great read, very honest. The greatest!
    • [@MagogCartel] It’s great to finally have an honest newspaper to read, and such good quality, too! https://pic.twitter.com/MHuC6jdtNC
    • [@MagogCartel] We’re always happy to see some balanced reporting on our business from The Informant. Refreshing, when there are so many fake reports! https://pic.twitter.com/DmkV4GbVYw
    • [@MagogCartel] We’ve just been told that The Informant is printed on machines made at a Magog facility! That explains the quality! https://pic.twitter.com/Bvz29ZrBvk
  • HTML comment in MagogCartel page
    • seriously, are you guys seeing this?!

[2017. September 22.] A printout of the front page of The Informant was distributed to the ARG hunters during the EGX event. The full transcription of the page can be found on its dedicated page.

MagogGate (EGX)

Handouts distributed during the EGX event

[2017. September 22.] The 2017 edition of the EGX event was the culmination of this ARG phase. OddworldInc managed to secure an on-stage presentation at the event and took the opportunity to show the world the damning evidence the Spirit of 1029 wanted the world to see: footage of Projekt: "Soulstorm". The whole presentation is fascinating and definitely worth a look.

After the presentation OddworldInc members handed out some material for further analysis: stickers with the Magog Cartel and Spirit of 1029 logos, portraits of Abe, Alf, Toby and three yet unnamed Glukkons, Magog Cartel flyers and the front page of the issue of The Informant featured on MagogCartel.com

During the day of the event and the next few days Ed and the Spirit of 1029 made it clear that their mission was done for now, we saw the truth! (even thought the Magog Cartel tried to deny it)

Clues

Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] 22/9. we’ll see you there.
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] Today, we will begin to show the world. #wewillrise
    • [@edmudokon] can… can you hear me?
    • [@edmudokon] so dark… so cold… i have done what i can. i am the storm.
    • [@edmudokon] i can still hear the screams of my brothers i can still taste the tears that rolled down my cheeks
    • [@MagogCartel] Many fake reports are circulating. Don’t believe these dangerous lies!
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] You have seen the truth. Next, we will show you how to help us fight back. With your help, we will spread the message. #wewillrise


EGX ProjektSoulstorm.png

Projekt: "Soulstorm"

Frame from the Projekt: "Soulstorm" footage with clue highlighted

[2017. September 25.] A few days later OddworldInc shared the Projekt: "Soulstorm" footage on their YouTube account. The community quickly discovered that coded messages were hidden in some of the frames of the video, some of them obvious, some of them uncracked.

Clues

Messages

  • Video
    • 8291
    • 1651
    • 1550
    • 1029.io
    • @magogcartel
    • The ghosts in the chair will haunt you forever


ProjektSoulstorm 2.jpg

The Fifth phase: the ARG's not dead

The Origins celebration

Abe's Origins: a celebration of Abe, the original revolutionary

[2018. March 15.] Months later the SPIRIT OF 1029 started tweeting again. The community started looking at all the usual places and upon close inspection it appeared that the ASCII logo on the 1029.io page had even more letters appearing in it randomly than before. Those extra letters could be used to spell ORIGINS. Those letters also appeared in the ASCII logo on the 404 page and for the first time a html comment appeared on the 404 page.

Shortly after a new channel called "origins" appeared on the official Oddworld Discord with a cryptic video as first message.

It was revealed a few days later that this was a built up for the announcement of the "Oddworld: Abe's Origins - Book & Game Collection" kickstarter campaign. This book is OddworldInc's testament to Abe, the original revolutionary that inspired the whole Spirit of 1029 movement.

Note that the book & game collection is still available for preorder on Crowdox.

Clues

Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] Our future depends on us understanding our past. We must know where we come from.
    • [@SPIRITOF1029] We know you can hear us. We know you are ready to help. We will show you more when the time is right. Keep watching.
  • HTML comments on 1029.io page
    • too obvious? i dunno. it's soon though. i can't wait.
  • HTML comments on 404 page
    • me neither. it's going to be great.

Not dead, hiding

1515636880: Ceci n'est pas un screenshot

[2018. January 12.] Around the 12th of January 2018 Lorne Lanning changed his twitter header picture to the 1515636880 picture. While it was hinted repeatedly in the official Oddworld Discord that this image was hiding something, it wasn't until much later that it was found how to use it.

Clues

[2018. May 30.] After months of total silence Ed tweeted one single message: alive.... The embedded picture contains the number 15156. This is a reference to a number in the URL of Lorne's header picture: 1515636880. This number led us to the 1515636880 page on 1029.io.

More importantly this tells us that the usual communications channels of the Spirit of 1029 have been compromised by the Magog Cartel. The Spirit of 1029 is probably still trying to reach out to the community but it's unclear how.

Clues

Messages 

 ɦểɫр. гẹẳčℏɪṅǧ óúƫ ῒԑ ģӫԷṱіᾗĝ ḥǡṛⅾềɽ. էիȅỷ ķῆοԝ. ẁẹ'ṝϵ ṙṵɴᾑıпʛ ộևȽ ờẛ ɩḋϵᾂš, ὅрՒῑổпş, ăұҿἧµϱṣ. ẅϵ ǹêȩḋ ỳờǚґ ḣҽľῥ. ẇể ῂёϱḋ ѕờṃēƅȯƌý ţó ṧṕȑểǻժ Ƚħẹ ẁổṝḓ. եḫϊṥ ƫɦ¡ƞɡ ῐʂ ḸỄƮḨǠĻ. Ƚḣěȳ ḓõᾔ'Ƚ ĉὰгє Ƚḣổṻɕḫ. ţհểӯ ɗṍἧ'ţ. ṣởṁḗɒὀժỵ ňěөƌş ṱὃ ȶěḻɫ իḭɱ. †ɛŀļ ẖĩ₥. ḃḕẛṍɼę îȽ'ṧ Էȭô ḷǎťϱ. ṯĥềŗȇ ḧąș Էố ƃϱ ᾅ ṣọṁȇþöḏỳ ẉíļłȋդǥ եό ȶαҝě ṯẖё јǒŭӷṋёỷ. şõ₥ęƀὁḓẏ ṅểềⅾԑ ƫծ ġềŧ ţհϵ ṃệṣśᾇǵε ộվե. ẁë'ṝе ìη ṭӷơữþŀɛ. аɬł ṑƒ սʂ. ẁё դȅễɖ ĥẹĺρ. թłȩᾂʂĕ ɦȇɫṕ կѕ.
  • HTML comment in page 1515636880
    • it's only going to get harder. we don't have the keys anymore to the usual channels. if you hear anything from them, it's THEM.
    • our options are limited. you can help though. you have to help. if we can be sure it's you, then maybe we can talk. prove it.

The Canisters

One of the canisters coming from Oddworld to our world

[2018. June 11.] A few days later the Spirit of 1029 started dropping canisters in our world, close to where the E3 convention was taking place. Those canisters appear to contain some kind of secret message. The first landed in the JW Marriott hotel in Los Angeles and the second one in front of the STAPLES Center. It is unknown if those canisters have been picked up or what their contents are.

Messages


[2018. September 30.] A couple of months later, longtime Oddworld fan Crashpunk was contacted by the Spirit of 1029 and was given a canister. He promptly shared the enclosed message with the whole community. Unfortunately the trail stopped there as no one was able to decipher the message.

Messages

  • Canister
/=.&.=/\x50\x6f\x73\x69\x74\x69\x6f\x6e\x20\x6d\x61\x74\x74\x65\x72\x73\x2e/=.&.=/NYSE:KO_ATL.GA/=.&.=/@SO1029_36:5=4:4_17:5_12:3_26:3_35:7/=.&.=/
1029.io #wewillrise

Notes on the puzzle:

1. /=.&.=/ is not just a separator. OWI_Pete confirmed that's it's part of the message.

2. The first sequence of characters is actually a hexadecimal encoded string. Decoding it yields: "Position matters."

3. The second sequence of characters stands for:

  • "NYSE" = the New York Stock Exchange.
  • "KO" = the codeword for Coca Cola stocks.
  • "ATL.GA" = Atlanta, Georgia, the location of the HQ of Coca Cola. (Atlanta, GA 30313)

4. We have no idea how to use the third sequence

Canister Message.jpg


The sixth phase: a new start?

The Oddwall

[2019. April 29.] Months later @OddworldInc launched a new marketing game called The Oddwall, the objective was to reveal an image by unhiding sections through social media interaction (votes, likes, subscriptions,...). It started to go wrong when the option to reveal section 3 appeared in a Facebook poll while it was already previously revealed.

This actually foreshadowed some kind of foul play as at the moment section 3 was supposed to be revealed the Magog Cartel decided to spoil all the fun and corrupted the image:


Oddwall M.jpg

See how each section was revealed until this point here.


Messages

  • Twitter
    • [@MagogCartel] What are these foolish games? Get back to work.
    • [@OddworldInc] We don't know what's happening, but we're investigating the issue and we'll have the wall back to normal as soon as we can! https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D6Mw6n4WkAAsSY9.jpg

NewBeginning and "Coordinates"

Clean picture of Ed's scrambled message

[2019. July 26.] On this day suddenly both Ed and the Spirit of 1029 posted a GIF that had a binary encoded message in it, which lead us to a page containing a glitched image. Inspecting the image's source, we found several numbers, which appeared to be multiple pairs of coordinates. We later found out that these were actually hexadecimal codes, which revealed the following words: 

they rise
ODDWORLD
NETWORK

This revealed the next website in the ARG to us.

(The GIF also contains several circle-shaped symbols. We are currently unsure whether these are simple distractions or a puzzle we yet can't solve.)

Liberation.png found on 1029.io

Clues

Messages

Oddworld Network News

http://oddworldnetwork.com front page

[2019. July 31.] The ARG lead us to what appears to be a Magog-aligned news site, featuring several articles that praise the Cartel and its industries, while denouncing Abe as a petty terrorist, who poses no real danger to their status quo. Days after the site was found, several posts changed, some receiving minor textual modifications, while others had their images edited.

  • One page had several characters turned into bold. Reading these characters together formed the sentence "helpus"
  • One image had a new code appearing on it, which when deciphered using Atbash read "WE SEE THE TRUTH"
  • On one page a new paragraph appeared which contained a binary code, which when turned into ASCII read "Arm yourselves"
  • Several pages (1, 2, 3 & 4) had small 3x2 colored rectangles edited into them, deciphering these using Hexahue spellt out "LIES"

Clues

Messages

  • Arm yourselves
  • helpus
  • WE SEE THE TRUTH
  • LIES
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