Hello, Basecamps 33 & 34. ![:endri2: :endri2:](https://d39z42ofxysd63.cloudfront.net/original/2X/9/93fba6052351d9a5b08930a4b2334699420d8e78.png?v=12)
Both Aether and I have inexplicably regained access to the forum.
We’re not sure if it’s permanent or just to help with Saberlane’s codex (@Aether has thoughts, see below), but regardless, I won’t bore you right now with what we’ve been up to since the manor fell, I’ll just say we’re good, we’re safe, and we’re in NYC.
First, we’re SO relieved to see you’re all safe and doing well, Mounties.
Second, hi Eaves. How are you? It’s been so long. Lion’s Heart sounds fantastic, and… Gav!
Okay, for now though, onto the pressing matter. Aether agrees that, well, I’m going to just copy and paste what he texted me this morning:
It’s definitely a multi-phase encryption. The latest word, “included,” turning into “qiuqeggy,” doesn’t totally give up the solution, but it might kinda hint at one of the phases. How could a word with only two duplicated non-sequential letters have two qs and two side-by-side gs when encoded?
It could if the encryption was relative to something else, and with nothing else to go on, I’m betting one of the methods of encryption is based on something IN the word or maybe the letters in the word. My best guess was letter placement, first letter, second letter, like the first letter shifts by one, the second letter shifts by two, etc., but I couldn’t reverse “qieqeggy” back into “included” with just that.
I ended up with “pgbmzazq,” which is just letters, obviously, but if I’m right, “pgbmzazq” means whatever “relative-shift” encryption is happening is happening AFTER another phase that mixes up the letters. So there are at least two methods. Maybe more.
I’d love to have a stab at helping pick the next clue word because picking one with something trackable, like side-by-side double-letters, could help us figure out how the word is being mixed up in the first phase.
One thing for them to not forget is that a lot of the older magimystic encryptions they solved acted like typical brain-teaser puzzles or even video games, where the first stage teaches the ground rules, and the next one flips that first stage or adds complications knowing you have the basics to build on. So if there are two phases, which there are, that means reversing the word like they did with the first clue might be what’s happening in the first phase, or maybe even in a step AFTER the “relative-shift.”
I kinda love this stuff.
![:partying_face: :partying_face:](https://forum.thebriararchive.com/images/emoji/apple/partying_face.png?v=12)
Does that make sense to anyone but Aether?