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OldRoot

Compiled by RetroGamingNow

Last updated: 2021-07-21

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Notes

For the title of each slide, I will put the name of the image, the number, and a link to the original Imgur page

When possible, I also have links to the original Reddit conversations from the time of discovery

Information from the image will be in Courier New
Dead ends (as far as we know) will be marked in red

This means that there is no known link to a future clue
These are the places that we still need to solve

Unsolved Codes will be highlighted red
To the best of my knowledge, I’ve included dates as well
This is an evolving document - I will try to improve the formatting and information as time goes on

There are still a few things I mentioned in the video that aren’t on here

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Resources

GitHub

useful for early in the puzzle, but not updated

Mind Map

More extensive, better for back half of puzzle

Mind Map 2

Picks up where previous left off

ZedWork Google Drive
OldRoot Subreddit

Many primary sources are found here

My video

If you’re on this document and haven’t seen it

RGN Discord

If you want to discuss this with other RGN viewers

The RGN Subreddit

could also be a good place to post findings

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2014-07-11

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First Contact

Reddit user LewisGreen receives message from user OldRoot

Link to imgur image: MVuvRXw.png (01)

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MVuvRXw (01)

Minecraft figure in forest
Link to SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/oldroot/it-has-begun

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SoundCloud

Two Files:
“It has begun.”

Spectrogram Image:
silentraven

OldRoot

Spectrogram Image:

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h1C9NNr (02)

The Raven is watching

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OnsNsf5 (03)

Reddit User Toxicpopcorn messages OldRoot
Responds with this link: https://i.imgur.com/OnsNsf5.png (03)

Hard to see, but brightened (03a)

o ldrootblog.tumblr.com

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OldRootBlog

Title: Shadows of the Past
I can’t replicate it since it seems to be dead, but apparently it was password-protected by “silentraven”
Links to this image: https://i.imgur.com/vWmZtsn.png (04)

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vWmZtsn (04)

Brightened (04a): we are the answer

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1kQI92P (05)

Another message received with this link (05): https://i.imgur.com/1kQI92P.png

Message text: Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

Above Head

ZH DUH ZD LWLQJ
Caesar Cipher +3 = WE ARE WA ITING

Below feet

--- .-.. -.. .-. --- --- - = OLDROOT
fm3Yw0b

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Morse Code

Several images have Morse Code
MVuvRXw (01):

... -.. .-. --- --- - = SDROOT (neg. space)

h1C9NNr (02)

--- .-.. -.. .-. --- --- - = OLDROOT (neg. space)

OnsNsf5 (03)

Can’t find code - is there any??

vWmztsn (04):

... -.. .-. --- --- - = SDROOT (neg. space)

1kQI92P (05)

--- .-.. -.. .-. --- --- - = OLDROOT (neg. space)

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fm3Yw0b (06)

Image
Brightened:

RAVEN: interior text from The Raven

Morse code, bottom left

- . . - . . -. .-.. -.. .- . . = TEETEENLDAEE

Some words are changed from original:

The hidden truth is
The truth is hidden

Dead end

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Dead End

Some of the words were changed, spelling out "The hidden truth is". /u/Mordecai_Pielord did some Googling, and found a whitelist application for the server "Kingdom of Companions", reading:

Hidden deep in the Roots of an Old Tree

A Mystery awaits, with patterns of Three

He watches from behind, Quiet and Mute

The one with No Face, whom they call Old Root

Let these words Foreshadow of what might be

If you make the decision to Whitelist me

WUDSSHG LQ D SULVRQ RI ZRRG

The bottom line, when ROT23'd reads "TRAPPED IN A PRISON OF WOOD".

OldRoot's Disqus account shows one post on a "Mindstorm Vanilla Server" whitelist application, reading:

Deep in the Roots of an old Tree

Where a Sacrifice made, in patterns of Three

Let these words Foreshadow of what is to be

If you make the decision to White list me

Chapter 3: Tricked!

Looking around on the Internet, we found OldRoot on a server listing, showing he had been visiting a server named NightmareCraft. We went on the server, had a look, and found a big tree. Inside it was a maze, and presumably the location the original images were taken. My memory of this time is very faint, but we were led on by a fake OldRoot on MinecraftForums for hours, eventually culminating in a sign with morse code, a password protected tumblr blog named "oldravenroot" containing Katy Perry lyrics, stupid long horses, and a couple very angry server owners. He joined this server a few times, but quit once someone mentioned reddit. He would stay there for a while sometimes, but as soon as anyone slipped up and mentioned reddit he would leave.

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jXz4y07 (07)

New image posted
Binary Code: ASCII characters

01100100 = d

01000100 = D

01100010 = b

01101000 = h

01010101 = U

01111010 = z

01000001 = A

dDbhUzA

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dDbhUzA (08)

Hex:

56 4b 45 4b 71 37 39

Convert to text:

VKEKq79

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VKEKq79 (09)

We are the Answer
Morse Code:
-.. . -.-. . .--. - .. = DECEPTI
Text: lower left

“If I was a RAVEN”

Dead end

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2014-07-12

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3nxT6zN (10)

New picture sent as message
Text on left ??? WHQ

Oct Hex

15062440 = 346520

14632440 = 333520

15033040 = 343620

16034440 = 383920

15232040 = 353420

15061040 = 346220

15031440 = 343320

15063040 = 346620

15033040 = 343620

15031040 = 343620

150304 = D0C4

TODO: /u/Gellis12 cracked the numbers through octal->hex->base32->ascii, and got "ozTMBqT", which was another imgur link.

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ozTMBqT (11)

Good Luck
Another imgur link: mqh9lmX

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mqh9lmX (12)

Apparently, this was n4IemAT
Was brute forced
OldRoot sent unblurred image [where is this?]

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n4IemAT (13)

You are deeper down the Rabbit Hole

False Prophits will decieve you

Those who are pure will see what hides in the darkness

The Raven is always watching

We are the Answer

Words in three corners:

Dokdor
Lady
[???]

Why is there a border?

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o1K7EYU (14)

ASCII can be converted to text

Same on both sides

Dots

Blue: unknown

s, i/t, w, d/e

Red: misspellings

What is the significance? This never shows up again.
Dead end, but maybe it doesn’t matter

Alex Bale explains this was to make a typo look intentional

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July 18, 2014

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“Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'” (15): Audio

1:00 OLDROOT morse code

Several loud noises:

0:38
0:56
1:57

2:03 Four raven calls
Song: Tiptoe thru the tulips with me

Pitch shifts distinctly - is there a code hidden in this? For example, up 2 half-steps, down 1, etc.?

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“Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'” (15): Video

Several additional rolls of footage (in order of first appearance)

Hallway: 4 cuts
Melon Temple: 2 cuts
Mineshaft: 3 cuts
Dark Place: 2 cuts

Text

He stole my face: Mineshaft, 01:11:25
The Raven is Watching: Dark Place, 01:53:25

Dead end

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2014-08-04

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ARVougC (16)

/u/SporeTheSaiyan contacted
Sent a new Imgur link
whom the angels name
JSH ALWE PROIR ELR DRWE FRIFVP XUS WYEYES

YOU MUST LEARN THE PAST BEFORE THE FUTURE
Vigenere, key = LENORE

Lenore:

Poem by Edgar Allen Poe

Dead end

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2014-12-04

ThatPurplePlant receives a message on his SoundCloud

Watching from the shadows, waiting.

With such name as "Nevermore."

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2014-12-12

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UsZlm1l (17)

Message containing another image (17) https://i.imgur.com/UsZlm1l.jpg
ThatPurplePlant posts it on twitter [removed]
OldRoot replies, username WeAreTheAnswer_

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5ImcAkG (18)

AVHYJ JPMCTUDK ZG QZVH KNYT

HFSWWDZVJDFBX TQ ZGFS TWXTSWD

QKJLP ZGFSIWQQ PX JPKJ KWFKS

6174 down below

Kaprekar’s Constant

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5ImcAkG (18), continued

KRAPEKAR +25 = LBQSFLBS
Viginere cipher: Key = LBQSFLBS

PURGE YOURSELF OF YOUR SINS

PURGEYOURSELF OF YOUR DESIRES

PURGE YOURSELF OF YOUR FLESH

Dead end

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2014-12-18

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cvqlWO5 (19)

OldRoot tweets again
1540s Italian, translated by reddit user

For many years since I've began to work on my studies and talk with important people who are viewed with high esteem, and of the same importance as the beautiful profession of secret writing by way of those who are universally called Codes(?), I, with the inclination given to me by the nature of having no greater delight than learning, have come to continue to practice that profession; and have found in it many methods that to someone of great skill won't not like, it occurs to me that this last empty seat to find myself Lieutenant General of the illustrious and most reverend Cardinal Durante, in the state of Camerino

From a book written Giovan Battista Bellaso, a cryptologist

Called La Cifra (The Cipher)
Probably first inventor of the Vigenere cipher

Dead end

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2014-12-23

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H8wM353 (19b)

User MrKireko Receives DM
Decimal to ASCII:

MDEwMDEwMDAgMDAxMTEwMDAgMDExMTAxMTEgMDEwMDExMDEgMDAxMTAwMTEgMDAxMTAxMDEgMDAxMTAwMTEg

Base64 Decoder:

01001000 00111000 01110111 01001101 00110011 00110101 00110011

Binary Decoder:

H8wM353

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2015-01-19

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OldRootBlog (20)

WeAreTheAnswer tweets again:

Link to his blog: https://oldrootblog.tumblr.com/
Archive link

Shifts from PERCEPTION to DECEPTION for one frame
Source code.

“We are the Divine Answer”
arNdJoH
> XYTPMFQRIVKNHBZAEUCOLSGWJD<br></br>
V TXRNSPUDEAVQCJMHWBZLOGIFYK

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OldRootBlog (20), continued