Moon Children

This article is about the story arc. You may be looking for the cult.

Moon Children

File 30, Kelbris.jpg

Written by	Alex Hall (YSHDT and Hubris) Kayd Hendricks (Ryukaki)
Duration	September 17, 2010 to July 15, 2011
Protagonist	Alex (YSHDT) Players (Hubris)
Videos	fj6rt InvertedSongOfTime.MOV NEWWAVEBOSSANOVA.MP4 songofhealing.asf Saviour.wmv songoftime ... SAVING ALEX.MP4 continue Sonata huntyoudown.wmv Sounds.wmv Music.wmv The Orchard.wmv Orchard2.wmv theconnection.wmv lastwords.wmv 2 h b i s r ea l
Websites	youshouldnthavedonethat.net Within Hubris HubrisOST
Documents	FSZTKU.txt TheLie.txt TheTruth.txt mhftt.txt Fate.txt Newspaper Letter

Preceded by

Followed by

The Haunted Cartridge

Awakening

Moon Children is the second story arc of Ben Drowned. This arc contains two main parts, titled YSHDT and Hubris.

YSHDT (short for youshouldnthavedonethat) follows the discovery of a mysterious cult, who are revealed to sacrifice members to their deity in a ritual called ascension. Hubris follows a series of odd messages leading up to the introduction of a new forum containing many secrets.

It is preceded by The Haunted Cartridge, and followed by Awakening.

The following is a summary of Moon Children, in chronological order of the events as they happened. Out-of-character events are in gold italics. All times are in EST. To see each page exactly as described, click the icon for each update. Several links in this article no longer work due to websites being changed or shut down. Some of the pages have been saved via the Wayback Machine, and are linked instead; the links that do not work are kept here for archival purposes.

YSHDT

The First Cycle

September 17, 2010

• Multiple coded messages were posted on Jadusable's Recent Activity log on YouTube. The ciphers and their translations are as follows:

Jadusable YouTube Ciphers

Cipher #1: MBXIRMBLRH.PXTEENLDHGBZAMBPPXNTKTFTLDLHFXMBFXL.DXHNPABLIXKKX­RXLIXXEXWYHKWHGMWXK,FHMAXK,PAT

ZHHWENVD.

• Solution: WE ALL WEAR A MASK, SOMETIMES. KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED - MOTHER, I WONDER WHAT IT IS YOU WHISPER FOR DUSK TONIGHT. GOOD LUCK.

Cipher #2: .DUJ

• Solution: .NET

Cipher #3: YMNSP.

• Solution: THINK.

Cipher #4: .JAP EO UKQN KJHU YHQA

• .NET IS YOUR ONLY CLUE

Cipher #5: YKKG://NNN.JYFNVH.EVK/WFILDJ/RITYZMV/ZEUVO.GYG/K-3355.YKDC

• Solution: HTTP://WWW.SHOWEQ.NET/FORUMS/ARCHIVE/INDEX.PHP/T-3355.HTML

• The fifth code, once solved, led to an old tech support forum. Two aspects of the website stood out: The .net structure of the link and the phrase, "You shouldn't have done that," found in response to a question.
• When combined, the hints led to a new website: youshouldnthavedonethat.net.
• The website appeared to be the home of a cult called the Moon Children. It contained a simple layout with seven tabs: Home, Creed, About, Theories, Contact Us, The Truth, and Search.
  • The home page acted as a forum for various moderators of the cult, and the conversations present indicated that they were still in the process of setting up the website, whose primary use appeared to be for updates and communication.
    • A moderator called Ifrit welcomed members to the site, and describes various technical changes over several posts.
    • Another mod, Nekko, described his excitement for his upcoming ascension.
    • Duskworld23 congratulated Nekko on his successful ascension, noting he was the youngest to ever ascend without incident. However, he warned not to make a user referred to as "Mr. D" upset.
    • The administrator, DROWNED, posted a message that seemed to be directed at visitors: "You shouldn't be reading this." When mousing over his avatar, it changed to a cropped image of the Elegy of Emptiness statue.
    • Several posts in the guestbook area seemed to be from regular members of the cult. Among these messages were a reference to a "blackout" and questions as to where Alex is, two users planning to execute a mass shooting, and requests to take a look at the broken Contact page.
      • This reference to Alex calls back to Jadusable's second video, in which the protagonist of the game is called Alex after a blackout.
  • Creed explained various ceremonial chants, and revealed that masks are a part of their rituals.
  • About listed the four active moderators, including their likes and dislikes, as well as personal information.
    • In the special thanks list, a user named Rosa was mentioned. This member's name is shared with the title character in Jadusable's first video, in which she cryptically predicts the future. Tags in this video made reference to the events currently taking place.
  • Theories contained apocalypse theories. The Moon Children's goal seemed to be to bring about the end of the world.
    • Among the otherwise mundane theories was an original one involving a Moon Child named Kelbris. According to the lore on the page, Kelbris was the first Moon Child to have been spoken to by Luna herself. Kelbris was said to have been found electrocuted, but whether he was murdered or ascended was never determined.
  • Contact Us contained a form that, when filled out with the indicated information, would be sent to the moderators, who would then set up recruitment appointments.
    • The Contact Us page turned out to not be broken as was implied before; however, by attaching names to the end of the URL, users began finding hidden contact pages for individual people.
      • Ben's page was the first to be found, which contained a countdown to "The Fourth Day," which was set to end sometime the next day. The music on this page was the reversed and sped-up Happy Mask Salesman theme from BEN.wmv.
      • DROWNED's page was the next to be found. It contained an image of a large green man, along with the text, "Dead End. Go back." The title of the page was a cipher that read, "EQ WQWK... LZWQ LGGC... EQ WQWK..." This translates to, "MY EYES... THEY TOOK... MY EYES..." The image was titled Kelbris.jpg.
  • The Truth was password-protected, and contained only a login screen. The source code for the page also contained the text, "It's what they DON'T want you to know." The login information was not received in time to see what this page contained.
  • Search was simply a page that allowed you to search the website for contents, though it linked (possibly via the banner) to the Press Room page.
    • The banner on this page's image properties contained the text, "Do you honestly think you can escape me?"
    • Hidden text on the Press Room page was found: "Like little lambs. The man is smiling."
      • Clicking "Launch!" would lead to the Blastoff! page, which mostly contained lorem ipsum text. In the About Us section, the phrase "for the fold, number three" was repeated three times.
• Up to and beyond this point, references to The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask were being found.
  • The first was the most blatant: the cult was devoted to the moon. There were children residing within the moon in the game.
  • There was a small graphic of Majora's Mask on the site's favicon.
  • The banner images at the top of the different pages were references to areas in Majora's Mask: Swamp, Mountain, Sea, Canyon, City, and Moon.

September 18, 2010

• Two hours before the countdown was set to end, users found Ifrit's contact page. The text read, "Should you know what question to ask, the gate to truth will be opened." His email, ifritmoon@gmail.com, was presented in hidden text. Users began emailing him, hoping for information. The following information was obtained.
  • Ben was a member of the cult, and had ascended; however, his body was never found.
  • Rosa is Ifrit's sister.
  • Ifrit refers to Ben as his brother, though it's not clear whether it was meant literally.
  • Ifrit could not reach the contact pages found, and would receive a 404 error when attempting to.
  • Alex has been missing since the "blackout," as mentioned in the Guestbook.
  • Those asking him what Majora's Mask had to do with the situation were told, "Nothing, why?"
  • Ifrit's real name on the About page is listed as Rodney R., but the email lists it as Matt HUBRIS.
  • By attempting to reset his Gmail account's password, users found his security question: "The first person I killed to gain entrance to the Moon Children is..."
• Several attempts to communicate with Ifrit are below:

Ifrit Emails

Conversation #1 (user RedundancyKills)

• User: How did Ben drown? (Note: the portion of one of Jadusable's Cleverbot conversations where BEN refers to "another who asks" was attached to this message)
• Matt HUBRIS: Ben? You've heard from Ben? Where is he?
• User:http://www.youtube.com/user/Jadusable
  As far as I can tell, he's everywhere.
• Matt HUBRIS: No... we lost Ben during the blackout. We haven't heard from him.
• User: If you aren't aware. You're next. I'm not sure what your group is planning, but you might want to consider some alternatives...
  http://www.youshouldnthavedonethat.net/index.php/contact/ben
• Matt HUBRIS: that page redirects to a 404, are you sure you typed that in right?
• User: I'm sure you're going through a lot of email messages, but I hope you understand that I feel something dramatic will happen in an hour or so. Do you know what is in The Truth section of your website?
• Matt HUBRIS: Yes.
• User: Could you perhaps let me know?
• Matt HUBRIS: Your eyes... they aren't worthy to see it
• User: Is this a treatable ailment?
• Matt HUBRIS: Give them.

Conversation #2 (user RedundancyKills, via an alternate reply to "No... we lost Ben during the blackout.")

• User: How are you doing? Is he missing? What blackout? When was this?
  I'm sorry if I seem insensitive, I'm sure you can understand the situation I'm in. Everything is so cryptic and bizarre on Jadusable's channel and on your website.
  What information do you have?
• Matt HUBRIS: Jadusables channel?
  yes, Ben was my good friend. We're not sure, he might have ascended, but nothing was ever for sure
• User: Who is Kelbris? (Note: several emails prior to this were sent, but this is the one he answered to)
• Matt HUBRIS: hang on someone keeps knocking at my door

Conversation #3:

• User: Who is Drowned?
• Matt HUBRIS: a friend of mine

Conversation #4:

• [unknown message from a player named Alex]
• Matt HUBRIS: Alex? Is that you? Where have you been?

Conversation #5:

• User: Who must we warn, and how?
• Matt HUBRIS: What?

Conversation #6:

• User: Where has Alex gone?
• Matt HUBRIS: Alex disappeared during the blackout, haven't heard from him.
• User: What is "The Truth" ?
• Matt HUBRIS: It is the true nature of the world, of us, of the prophecy.
• User: Does the prophecy have any relation to Luna?
• Matt HUBRIS: Of course.
• User: Can you explain this "prophecy" to me?
• Matt HUBRIS: No
• User: What happens during ascension?
• Matt HUBRIS: Become one with Luna
• User: Who gives you your specific ascension times?
• Matt HUBRIS: luna
• User: When is your ascension time?
• Matt HUBRIS: when luna starts whispering to me

Conversation #7 (user BGK5):

• User: Did you kill Rosa to gain entrance to the Moon Children...
• Matt HUBRIS: Of course not. Rosa is my sister.

Conversation #8:

• User: Hello.
  I'm very interested in learning more about the Moon Children. I stumbled upon your site a few days ago, and was reading to learn more, but the site alone has not quenched my desires. I need to know more, and since you seem to be my verbal counterpart, I decided to ask you.
  What is this group's goal? How do I get in? I've believed in Luna for a long time, but I didn't know you were out there. It's nice to find people with the same beliefs.
  Shiva
• Matt HUBRIS: Where do you live? We could set up a meeting. We have members throughout the United States, although a few were called down to the midwest recently I think by now they should be heading back to their respective homes

Conversation #9:

• User: This is my Mask... Do you like it? Should I wear it? (Note: attached was a photo of the user wearing Majora's Mask)
• Matt HUBRIS: Why base your mask on a video game? It doesn't represent you
• User: Why, it represents my love for the game
• Matt HUBRIS: No, it represents unoriginality. It represents filth

Conversation #10:

• User: I've heard that Ben drowned. Is that true?
• Matt HUBRIS: I dont know, that may explain why we never found his body.

Conversation #11:

• User: What happens when the timer runs out ?
• Matt HUBRIS: What timer ?

Conversation #12:

• User: What happened to Ben?
• Matt HUBRIS: We think he ascended, we're not sure. He was a good friend of mine
• User: What about Majora?
• Matt HUBRIS: Who?
• User: Majora's Mask. What does Majora's Mask have to do with Ben?
• Matt HUBRIS: The Zelda game? Nothing... why?

Conversation #13:

• User: What you have to lose? Say to me, how did you get in the Moon Children? Who did u kill, Ifrit?
• Matt HUBRIS: I've been spammed with this question, you guys are not going to hack into my account. Forget it.
• User: Well. I can give a try.
  Seriously, how did u get in? Don't say who, just say how.
• Matt HUBRIS: Why would I tell you that?
• User: Because you are my only hope. None of the orders can talk. U understand that right?
• Matt HUBRIS: Yes and if you were chosen I'd tell you

Conversation #14:

• User: Would I kill Ben?
• Matt HUBRIS: Did you? It would lay my mind to rest knowing that my brother is gone instead of clinging to false hopes that he still may be alive.

Miscellaneous replies:

• Matt HUBRIS: Ben was a good friend of mine. He went missing a while ago and we think that he's ascended.
• Matt HUBRIS: Alex is our most powerful warrior
• Matt HUBRIS: Wait, someone is at the door
• Matt HUBRIS: Hang on, someone is knocking at my door

• One hour before the countdown was set to end, DROWNED's post disappeared from the main page, and its music changed from the usual relaxing song to an even faster version of the Happy Mask Salesman's theme than before. The source code revealed that the song is called Matt's Final Hour.mp3.
• As the countdown neared its end, those still emailing Ifrit were answered with, "Hang on someone keeps knocking at my door." Ifrit failed to respond to any queries sent afterwards.
• Jadusable's YouTube account posted an excerpt of lyrics from "Who's that Knockin'" by The Genies - "What's that calling, calling my name/Tossed a brick through my window pane/Boom boom boom, bang bang bang". This explicitly referenced the knocking on Ifrit's door.
• At 9:00pm, a video response to free.wmv, called fj6rt, was posted by a YouTube account titled TheLinkMissing. The user's real name, according to their profile, was Alex. The video featured adult Link in Ocarina of Time playing the Song of Time in front of the moon.
  • fj6rt was the title of Ifrit's contact page while it was up. The title of the page changed to the URL for the video response soon afterward.
• On /x/, Jadusable's tripcode posted the same message from three days prior: "Honesty is the best policy," and a link to TheTruth.rtf.
• Soon afterward, youshouldnthavedonethat.net went down for maintenance. The site had been sent back in time.
• Around 10:20, Jadusable's account posted two messages:
  • "What makes you think I have a Twitter? So desperate for answers... all it has done is thrown you off further from the course..."
  • "Do not mistake my kindness for sympathy. It was amusing watching you all run around aimlessly, but it is no fun if your mice are too stupid to get to the end of the maze."
  • These messages specifically refer to two unrelated Twitter accounts, @JadusableBen and @JadusableMatt, which had until this point been treated as potential leads. The former was deleted shortly after the first post was made.

The Second Cycle

September 19, 2010

• The Moon Children's site came back online. It appears in the early stages of production, as it had when users first found it. However, there was no sign of either Ifrit or DROWNED in the main page's posts. Ifrit's name did not appear on the About page. The song on the main page was changed from the original to a less relaxing one.
  • Ifrit's Contact page had changed. Instead of the message from before, it displayed three Elegy statues and the text, "Expecting to find someone else?" The Skull Kid's laugh played in the background.
  • Ifrit was likely killed before the time reset. This mirrored the in-game Majora's Mask mechanic that once a boss has been killed, they no longer exist once time resets.
  • Instead of Ifrit having posted first on the main page, he is replaced by another moderator named Insidiae, who takes the role of welcoming members in Ifrit's place.
  • As this was day one of the cycle, Nekko had not yet ascended.
• As a result of several users falling for more false leads found in the guestbook and on other sites, BEN posted the following messages on Jadusable's channel: "FB THYYVOYR. LBH'YY FIPMIZI ERCSRI ALS GPEMQW XLIC'VI ANUJCNM CX CQRB, FXW'C HXD?"
  • This translated to, "SO GULLIBLE. YOU'LL BELIEVE ANYONE WHO CLAIMS THEY'RE RELATED TO THIS, WON'T YOU?"
  • These false leads included guestbook users "childoflight", "childoffire", "childofsound", "childofrenewal", "childofwind", "childofmana", "childofrapture", "childofdark", "childofhealing", "The Moon Child", "Not A Child", and "Selunair".
• Users discovered Alex's contact page, which was hidden as a sub-page under Ifrit's. It displayed the text, "another who knows of them, chooses.... mask....sends aid.... fallen.... vehement.....diety.... he is alone against them." The last two thoughts are in hidden text.
• The Truth was changed; we had been sent far enough back in time that the page was no longer password protected. However, the text read, "Still in the progress of moving everything over, sorry for the delay. But it is imperative we find him and silence him before he can reveal our intentions. Also, I can't figure out how to make this private, we've got about two days or so before we open up this website to the world so I figure it'll be okay for now, not like anyone can stumble upon this, but can someone help out with that? - DW"
• As typos had been mentioned previously on the Creed page, it was investigated for clues. Several typos and seemingly-intentionally bolded letters were found, though these were found to be present originally.
• The About page now required a login to view.
• Wondering whether this would have the intended effect, a YouTube user called Freyadutenebres posted a video response to free.wmv, with a video of the Inverted Song of Time. This was accepted, and though it's unknown whether time was affected, it did trigger an effect:
  • BEN responded to the song with a ciphered and scrambled message on Jadusable's channel: "CSY'ZI FIKYHHMWGSZIVC XSHEC, FYX RK FIGSQIW E GYVR XS GEXGL SR. CSYFPIWWM'ZI FIKYR XS WXEPSRK YRXMVX XLMROMRK. CSY'ZI QE LSA P XLEXWI? I ER"
  • This translated to: "YOU'VE BEGUN TO START THINKING. YOU'VE BEGUN TO CATCH ON. YOU'VE MADE A DISCOVERY TODAY, BUT HOW LONG UNTIL THAT BLESSING BECOMES A CURSE?" The solution also contained an extra N.
  • This referred to our newly-discovered ability to play songs to trigger events.
• Once the song ability was discovered, users began responding with other songs.
  • The New Wave Bossa Nova was played by MFGreth. Its in-game effect of granting those without a voice the ability to speak was intended to be reflected by allowing us to email Ifrit. However, though it worked, Rosa was the one who answered; she informed us that she knew the username and password to The Truth, but was only able to send it to one person before she stopped answering.
  • The Song of Healing was played by HigurashiMGOST, against the wishes of many other users. This song, which was accepted almost immediately after the New Wave Bossa Nova, caused Rosa to disappear.
    • This was confirmed by a post from Kelbris that appeared soon afterward on the main page. The username read "WHO DO YOU THINK THIS IS," and the post read, "I AM KNOCKING AT YOUR DOOR NEXT. LET ME IN. I WANT TO SPEAK." The post was made at 6:66pm.
  • The Oath to Order was played by moonman2522. However, as the in-game requirement for this song to work is the four giants having been freed, we had not yet met the equivalent requirement for this song to have a positive effect. Instead, it is believed to have killed Alex.
• Several attempts to communicate with Rosa are below:

Rosa Emails

Conversation #1 (user ZackVee)

• User: I was just curious if you had either a link to the old site or a summary of what happened before you guys switched to the new site? Me and a few friends had been following you guys and wondered what the whole story was.
• User: Can you speak?
• Matt HUBRIS: WHY DID YOU PLAY THAT
• User: WE NEED TO KNOW HOW TO FIX THIS BEFORE WE REVERSE TIME. WHAT DO WE DO?!
• Matt HUBRIS: THE BLACKOUT, SOMETHING HAPPENED IN THE BLACKOUT
• User: MATT DON'T OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR, ROSA SAID.
• User: MATT WHAT SONG DO WE NEED TO PLAY?!
• Matt HUBRIS: -I- AM ROSA, WHO IS THIS? DO YOU KNOW WHERE MATT IS?
• User: Rosa something is going on, what happened to alex, give me as much info as possible. We may be able to save matt somehow, all I can tell you is that this is Ben's fault.
• User: Who is matt also, this is all so confusing. What is matt doing with these people?!
• Matt HUBRIS: Bens been dead, I dont see how, i dont know what happened, after the blackout i dont know where matt is i dont know where alex is, why would we want to find him anyway??? ,please call someone i can hear it counting down outside my door
• User: What happened leading up to the blackout, and why did it happen, what happened during it?! We can reverse this and fix everything if you can get me the info.
• User: Rosa do NOT OPEN THAT DOOR.
• User: ROSA I NEED THE PASSWORD AND USERNAME

Conversation #2 (user Ryukaki)

• User: What happened in the blackout!
• User: Talk to me, Matt!
• User: Rosa?! That's you?!
• Matt HUBRIS: Yes, who sist his
• Matt HUBRIS: plase if you are nearby a phone please call the police
• Matt HUBRIS: i can hear it outside my door
• Matt HUBRIS: what is going on
• User: Leave!
• User: Get out now!
• User: Rosa, where do you live?!
• User: I will call the police!
• Matt HUBRIS: OREGON
• Matt HUBRIS: ITS OUTSIDE MY DOOR
• User: They're coming for you, you need to get out!
• Matt HUBRIS: I CANT GO ANYWHERE
• User: ROSE
• User: WHAT IS THE USERNAME AND PASSWORD
• User: QUICKLY
• User: WE CAN SAVE THE OTHERS
• User: Rosa, please!
• User: Hurry! There's still time!
• Matt HUBRIS: MattHubris423/thelensoftruth (Note: these were censored in screenshots shared by Ryukaki)
• User: IF you can escape, do so! I will not waste this chanse!
• Matt HUBRIS: please
• Matt HUBRIS: call the fucking police
• Matt HUBRIS: ...
• Matt HUBRIS: it stoped
• User: Give me your address!
• User: ... It's leaving?
• User: .. Rosa? Are you still there?
• User: Please tell me you're safe!
• User: Rosa! Please! THe login isn't working!
• User: Fuck fuck fuck

The Third Cycle

September 20, 2010

• After Rosa stopped answering emails, having told one user that she had not been able to contact Ifrit, something happened during the blackout, and that someone was counting down outside her door, the user panicked. After discussing the matter with others, a user named Miya uploaded the Song of Time. This was accepted, and time was once again reset.
• After the time reset, tags on Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines - Rosa were changed to "YOU, DIDN'T, SAVE, HER," and several other videos were given the tags, "Rosa, Trapped." The tags confirm that Rosa had been doomed, possibly due to the delay in playing the Song of Time.
• At around the same time, an unknown user uploaded a video titled jf6rt.wmv, which elicited a response of, "No, it's too soon!" from Alex. This video was deleted shortly afterward, leaving its contents unknown and without an effect.
• Shortly afterward, Alex's YouTube channel uploaded a video titled ... The video showed Link being defeated in battle by Dark Link; this is believed to be caused by the Oath to Order.
  • MFGreth quickly responded to this with a video of Link using a fairy, hoping to save Alex.
  • Alex's channel responded with continue, which showed the Game Over screen, and the Yes option being selected. MFGreth's response was successful.
  • Another user, Cerxi, played the Sonata of Awakening. It is unknown what this video's intention was, but it caused Alex to disappear.
  • Shortly afterward, Jadusable's channel uploaded huntyoudown.wmv. It showed Dark Link, partially transparent, walking through and out of the Temple of Time, Navi entering view as he exits. What this video symbolized is unknown; it was removed from the channel soon afterward, but re-uploaded by MFGreth.
• At 5:30am, only a few hours into Day One of a new cycle, the ARG ended indefinitely. Alex Hall, the author, claimed that financial difficulties were preventing him from continuing. huntyoudown.wmv was subsequently removed from Jadusable's channel.
• Shortly after putting the ARG on hiatus, Alex Hall conducted a Q&A on /x/. It answered many questions that users had about certain mechanics and story points. He was reluctant to answer many plot-related questions, citing his hope to utilize them later.
• At 9:30pm, TheTruth.rtf was posted on /x/ once again. However, it now included an image of the Happy Mask Salesman titled The Father.jpg.

September 21, 2010

• Alex announced that, due to donations from some generous people, he may be able to continue the story in the near future.

The Glitch

October 4, 2010

• Around 9:00pm, recently-planted clues were discovered in the source code for certain pages of youshouldnthavedonethat.net.
  • Chapters: the text "http://" was discovered.
  • The Truth: the text "WHAT" was discovered.
  • FAQ: the text "IS" was discovered.
  • Donations: the text "not so fast" was discovered.
  • ARG Timeline: the text ".com" was discovered.
  • Many users assumed that the final word was "Ben," as the domain http://whatisben.com had recently been created. However, the page had not been publicly released.

October 5, 2010

• Users noticed that the phrase, "Probably not" contained within Alex Hall's out-of-character update had become struck through. Additionally, the music had changed from Lost In My Thoughts to Destroyed Vioiln Beat Dark Rap Instrumental.

October 6, 2010

• Between 6:00 and 7:30am, youshouldnthavedonethat.net experienced several strange changes, known collectively as The Glitch.
  • The site icon changed to an image of a small child in a gas mask, titled HKBBDIN.jpg.
  • On the front page, a picture of a gas mask appeared; when further investigated, the image was revealed to have two file names: StoleMy.jpg and Eyes.jpg. Hidden in the last part of a cipher below this image were three files: FSZTKU.txt, TheLie.txt, and TheTruth.txt. The cipher required multiple shifts and unscrambling to solve.
    • Cipher: UJQ XGJXDIYEXYGXGJZAE. UJQXKXDIYEKYOJZAE. UZAE. SGK JQ SOO ITSYGJQNJAJMNR
    • FSZTKU.txt: You didn't think I was done with you. Did you? You are done playing when I say you are done playing.
    • TheLie.txt: This is just a dream.
    • TheTruth.txt: Wake up. You have to wake up.
  • Above the gas mask, "It's not real" was typed nine times in hidden text.
  • Odd, unintelligible whispering could be heard on the main page and The Truth.
  • On The Truth and FAQ, the header was changed to "This Will Hurt You." The FAQ page contained Kelbris.jpg.
  • Over time, three messages appeared on the front page:
    • You are waking up now. 13 minutes.
    • You are waking up now. 5 minutes.
    • Pulling the plug.
• Those keeping watch over the site alerted others quickly. The URLs for the three files hidden within the cipher hinted toward the existence of more files, which readers were quick to find. In all, the numbers 1 to 63 could be substituted in the place of the numbers at the end of the URL, each corresponding to a different file. Several were password-protected, and the 31st file was missing entirely.
• Soon afterward, the site reverted to its state on September 21 and the guestbook was cleared. The music for the main page had changed back to Lost In My Thoughts; the users have "woken up."
• Shortly after the reset, the music changed back to Destroyed Vioiln Beat Dark Rap Instrumental, and the text "Probably not" had been struck through again; this time, it was underlined as well.
• The main page underwent another quick change. For a brief time, the banner was replaced with several Elegy statues and all text except for the title and guestbook disappeared, as well as the music. Minutes later, the changes were reverted.
• On Jadusable's YouTube channel, a new post containing free.wmv and a scrambled message was published. When rearranged, the message led here, to a seemingly-unrelated forum about prisons. The letter in the archive, dated April 23, 2003, contained the story of a death-row prisoner. However, a more subtle message was received by readers: get in contact with each other and organize in order to prepare for the coming events. Shortly afterward, the post was removed from the channel.
• New text was discovered on the Chapter 5 page, reading, "I hope you had more patience than he did." It was removed soon afterward.
• A message of unknown origin began its circulation via several ARG-related sites. Much of the information in this message is no longer relevant and many pages linked no longer exist, but it served to alert many players to the events of the day.:

The Call to Arms

10-6-10 CRASH COURSE SURVIVAL GUIDE (feel free to copy/paste this as needed):

Alright guys, here's the deal for those of you just tuning in: Shit went down at around 5:30am today and is developing by the hour and the site was fucked up with a lot of shit, but it only lasted for aorund 30 minutes before reverting back. We as a community need to get this ball rolling and kick this ARG's fucking ass and put BEN in his place... however right now we're scattered and scarce and we need to reunite. Here's a list of some of the jobs we need done to make this happen.

1. We need several "runners" to go spread the word that this is back on, a lot of our good theorycrafters had fallen out of touch and if we're going to have any hope of beating this we're going to need their help. This means going to Reddit, ZeldaUniverse, Digg, Kotaku, Joystiq - anywhere that this had a big following and just drop the word that shit went down and we need help. We're going to need all the big guns for this one, and we're definitely going to be seeing some old faces returning in terms of the community.

2. We need people who were online at the time (I know, there were only a handful of you, which is why this really counts) to go on to http://jadusable.wikia.com/wiki/Dump_of_the_events_of_10-6-10 and post any helpful information you might have: Stuff you noticed, things you saved, any screenshots you took... any evidence. Leave the actual page strictly for just dumping content, go to the discussion/talk portion of the page to shoot theories back and forth and try and piece this together.

3. We need theory crafters to analyze this and help out in the chat rooms - http://jadusable.chatango.com/seems to be the most popular one right now - and on the forum - http://yshdtforum.proboards.com - so we can start getting some theories going and maybe start making sense of this. We should have a team devoted to trying to find out where Alex (Link) might be, we'll probably need his help again.

4. From what I've seen there were several caeserian cipher codes that looked to be much more complex than anything we've seen so far, so we definitely need some expert cipher crackers to start solving these. If you were adept at cracking them in the first part, then we're going to need your help more than ever for some of these.

5. We also need messangers to spread this message around (just copy/paste as needed, but don't spam). Let's try and keep this post at the top of their respective pages (Youtube, Facebook, etc.) as much as possible, we're going to have a lot of influx of newbs and returning vets that have no idea whats going on and so we need to copy/paste this brief "crash course" to help them out and spread the word. If we get new recruits that have no idea what's going on, be sure to direct them to the YSHDT website and tell them to read the chapters section - that much is still the same... for now)

6. We need people to snoop around through the website's various URLs - Jadusable has been known to hide secrets in them for people clever enough to play with the URLs. Mess with them, see if you can find anything secret.

7. Lastly, if possible, we need archivers to help keep an up-to-date uh... archive of the events so people can catch up easily. I recommend making a new page on the wiki.

There's a job for everyone and everyone can help out, and hell feel free to split it up into different teams of people or even different communities of people (like the ZeldaUniverse forums would be responcible for finding Alex, the Reddit forums in charge of theorycrafting, etc). We're going to have to pull together to beat this. BEN beat us once and there is no way we're going to let him beat us again.

And HOLD OFF ON THE SONG PLAYING UNTIL WE KNOW FOR SURE WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.

Lets do work boys

• Jadusable's YouTube posted the following message to its Recent Activity, along with his first video.
  • "=====plase if you are nearby a phone please call the police i can hear it outside my door====="
• By this time, every password-protected file's password had been solved, except for the 59th, titled mhftt.txt.
  • As many rushed to figure out the password to this file, the main page updated with a brief message at the top, stating, "The answer is right in front of you. THINK." This message was removed within five minutes.
  • Shortly afterward, the password was found by a user called Lunchbox. The user began mentioning the Lens of Truth, which turned out to be close to the password, thelensoftruth.
  • The newly-unlocked file read:

mhftt.txt

If you're reading this then you've found the secret message. This is the last one i can send out. I am not dead. its sitting right in front of you. You are meant to survive this, you can't give him what he wants. I don't know how to tell you this, but there is no more link now, he was the last thing that stood between you and IT as some kind of conduit. that conduit is severed now. there is notConsider this the REALhing that is separating you from him, he will try to get to you, It will try to break you, but you have to remain strong, you cannot it. It is sadistic. It will try and give you guys a fighting chance like it's given everyone else. it wants you to try and resist to try and be fooled into thinking that you have any semblence of free will. do not buy it. do not believe it. It is always watching, and it will lead you iTruth.txtnto oblivion if you let it. do not be fooled, if something is too good to be true - be wary. you must use this overconfidence and systematic prediction against it. how? I do not know. that is something that i could not figure out before the end. even now, its allowing me to reach you, through this message.

Your first instinct may be to assume that this message has been tampered with, but then you may not really understand who It really is. It wants to play, it wants a challenge. It has led you thWhat are you talking about?is far for a reason, but now you will be given the means to fight back. I say let Its arrogance be its undoing.

There are strength in numbers. you no doubt have others who will help collaborate with you. there are those who have left behind clues subtle enough for It to not realize their significance. they may help you if you can find them. combine your brains together, starting with the recent "glitch", compile every bit of evidence you have and share it amongst yourselves, and you may gain the upperhand yet.

Do not ever let It use you. It thinks It is in control, yet despite all the omnipotence in the world, there is nothing more dangerous than the illusion of compliance.

- Ifrit,

EBOAKBBYCKWWXQGMEQNOK,RKZVOKCIVOWYJJMBKA

AQOT XUDTHYSAI OEK QHU YD TQDWUH.

• The final line of the document was decoded almost immediately. It read, "KAYD HENDRICKS YOU ARE IN DANGER." Upon searching, a DeviantArt account owned by a Kayd Hendricks was found, under the name Ryukaki.
• The first cipher in mhftt.txt was left unsolved due to the difficulty, leading some to believe it's unsolvable.
  • This cipher currently remains unsolved.
  • It was briefly thought to have been solved when, around 1:00am on August 16, 2018, CircleHunter appeared to decode it as, "I SEE YOU THREE LIVE, CAN MY DEAR ROSA PLEASE LIVE."
  • Despite confirmation from Alex Hall that this is indeed the solution, future events would cause doubt as to whether this cipher is truly solved; as a result, it is up to the reader to determine whether they accept this solution.
• Users tracked down Ryukaki's YouTube channel and began watching it for activity.

Ryukaki

Ambiguous canon warning:
This article or section contains information that may not be canon.

Any entries involving Ryukaki from this point forward have been rendered by the Jadusable Wiki as "ambiguously canon". Readers may choose whether they accept or deny the validity of these entries, though they are not officially recognized as canon.

• Further searching through Ryukaki's DeviantArt led to a role playing website, where initial contact was made via its IRC client. The following is a transcript of the first IRC conversation between players (JarSqwuid, Xerot, DarkScythe) and Ryukaki's group. Messages with no relevance have been removed:

First IRC contact with Ryukaki

• JarSqwuid: Ryukaki is online now?
• Quia: That's an odd question.
• Quia: If we aren't active, how are we supposed to let you know?
• Xerot: Oh good, someone else.
• JarSqwuid: I dunno I've never been in an IRC
• JarSqwuid: I found this place through Ryukaki's deviantart
• Quia: I see.
• Quia: Why are you looking for him?
• Xerot: None of that matters though. We need to talk to him.
• Xerot: He's in grave danger.
• JarSqwuid: There are a lot of people posting on his deviantart
• Quia: And you two are...?
• Xerot: People hoping to stop whatever is about to happen.
• JarSqwuid: Me too
• Xerot: Do you know anything about BEN?
• Quia: Oh shit.
• Xerot: Oh hell. What's happened?
• Quia: What the hell is going on?
• Xerot: I don't have time to fully explain, but we NEED to find a way to talk to Ryukaki.
• Quia: Nothing, yet, but I don't know where he is right now.
• Xerot: ...What?
• JarSqwuid: Wait
• JarSqwuid: Huh?
• JarSqwuid: Elaborate
• Quia: Wait, what are we talking about?
• JarSqwuid: Ryukaki's connection with BEN.
• Xerot: Quia... What exactly are we playing?
• Quia: Well that's a good question. Not too long ago he started going a bit weirder than usual.
• Quia: He mentioned Ben.
• Xerot: How long?
• Quia: And some crazy moon people he was talking with.
• DarkScythe: Has he mentioned knowcking at all?
• JarSqwuid: Has he mentioned ascending?
• Xerot: I'm sorry we're pestering the hell out of you, but we've got to hurry before we're too late.
• JarSqwuid: He's in serious trouble now.
• Xerot: Was it about 3 days ago this all began?
• Quia: He hasn't talked about HIM ascending.
• Quia: But there's some really weird shit going down.
• JarSqwuid: Who has he talked about that has ascended?
• Xerot: Well, yeah. We're talking to you, lol.
• JarSqwuid: Has he mentioned names, or anything?
• Quia: Uhh... shit, he did, let me try and remember.
• JarSqwuid: Thanks
• JarSqwuid: Take your time.
• Quia: Chris?
• JarSqwuid: Yeah, anyone else?
• Xerot: Any kind of online conversations, data, anything?
• JarSqwuid: And if you can, what did he say abotu Chris?
• Quia: He was a bit of a jackass about it actually, he wouldn't tell me much. Just that he was involved in something 'big.'
• Quia: And he mentioned Chris in reference to Ascending.
• alicia: whoa.
• JarSqwuid: Ahh okay, yeha they're pretty secretive. And yes we know Chris was supposed to ascend.
• DarkScythe: Did he mention Luna at all?
• JarSqwuid: Has he mentioned Kelbris?
• Quia: Luna, yes, Kelbris, I don't think so.
• Quia: I think it's some kind of moon cult?
• JarSqwuid: Yeah it is
• Xerot: for lack of a better word, yes.
• alicia: Did I miss something
• alicia: Did Ryu join a cult
• DarkScythe: Has he said anything about a guy named Matt or his sister Rosa?
• alicia: of ffs did he start his own?
• alicia: wb koko
• Komaru: thanks!
• alicia: If Ryu started a damned cult and didn't invite me I'm going to be offended.
• Xerot: Uh, ali, this is one you probably don't want to get involved in.
• alicia: Probably not
• Xerot: No offense of course, but it's just plain dangerous.
• alicia: I don't get involved i nanything
• alicia: *anything
• Xerot: say, how do you know Ryu?
• alicia: I'm not even sure why these guys let me hang around, I don't even rp
• Quia: Me?
• alicia: who?
• Xerot: Uh, anyone, actually.
• alicia: I guess not me cause I don't actually know him.
• JarSqwuid: Matt?
• Quia: We've been friends for years now.
• JarSqwuid: Do you know his real name?
• Quia: Met here, actually. This moon stuff is all new.
• Geo: ...on that note...
• Geo: If this is a cult I wanna join!
• alicia: That's what I'm sayin!
• Geo: I wanna be a cultist!
• Quia: Maybe, but I don't know about giving it out to people who want to 'help' him.
• alicia: Will there be koolaid?
• Quia: I don't know who the hell you really are.
• Geo: Ooooo koolaid!
• Komaru: Oh, THIS is Russel Brand
• Komaru: I've seen him on Mock the Week
• Xerot: I know.
• alicia: If you guys have a cult, you can hold your meetings with our late shift meetings.
• alicia: Combine our powers and such.
• DarkScythe: Quia, you've got to trust us here. We think ryu is in danger.
• Komaru: Late shift!
• Komaru: I have missed it so much
• DarkScythe: Serious danger.
• Xerot: Correction, we KNOW he's in danger.
• Quia: From what?
• Quia: Or who?
• alicia: As have I, which is why I brought snacks this time.
• JarSqwuid: Yeah, he seriously is. This Moon Cult does something to acsend, and supposedly the last one that did died.
• Xerot: This will sound far-fetched.
• Quia: ...Dieing is not good.
• JarSqwuid: Generally.
• alicia: I dunno Geo, it doesnt' sound like Ryu started the cult.
• Quia: Generally?
• Xerot: However they ascend, it's somehow related to Majora's Mask and their death. the time frame being really similar as well.
• alicia: I'm only willing to join a cult founded by Ryu or Qui.
• DarkScythe: That's why we need to talk to Ryu. To make sure he doesn't die.
• JarSqwuid: We're trying to help, we seriously are. This cult that he's joined is bad, very bad.
• alicia: Ha@ Ryu dying.
• Geo: Ryu is too mean to die
• alicia: You must not know him very well.
• Komaru: Ryu's too angry to die.
• Geo: It wouldn't spite enough people
• Komaru: EXACTLY
• alicia: I don't even know him very well and even I know that any cult Ryu joins would be in danger of him, not the other way around.
• alicia: Jussayin.
• Exactly koko!
• Geo: lmfao Ali
• Xerot: Uh, besides Quia, who else has talked to him over the past 3/4 days?
• alicia: He helped me fix my minecraft, does that count?
• alicia: Or was it some form of brain washing?
• Geo: 3 or 4, or 3 quarters of one?
• JarSqwuid: Why would anyone be afraid of Ryu?
• Xerot: 3 to 4, sorry.
• alicia: Because when people die, he throws death parties.
• Geo: ...No one, Ryu is a sweet fluffy bunny of a person >.>
• Quia: Aaahahaha
• alicia: ha.
• Quia: So, you guys want to help Ryu, right?
• Geo: ...that hurt my head to type
• Xerot: Yeah. We're hoping to.
• JarSqwuid: Yes
• alicia: I'm so tickled that I have to tinkle. brb
• Quia: But, you have no idea who he is. How does this work exactly?
• Xerot: I'll try to summarize it
• alicia: Qui I request all of this be posted to the quotes page. brb forreals
• DarkScyte: We need to talk with him. He'll know what exactly whe're talking about.
• Xerot: Recently a malicious entity called BEN was released onto the internet.
• JarSqwuid: We found information that connects him to all of this, and the fact that you know about it CONFIRMS our fears
• JarSqwuid: AQOT XUDTHYSAI OEK QHU YD TQDWUH. "KAYD HENDRICKS YOU ARE IN DANGER"
• Quia: Damnit don't go all cipher on me.
• JarSqwuid: Did he cipher to you?
• Quia: He threw those at me and I got bored after the first one.
• Komaru: YOu all realize, the fun bit of irony, about, no offense good sir, but a man (I think?) going by the name "DARKSCYTHE" trying to warn someone away from a CULT?
• JarSqwuid: What did his first one say?
• Xerot: It spreads like a virus, but the issue with that one is that after someone sees it, they're generally compelled to research it. That's probably how - wait, he sent you some ciphers?
• JarSqwuid: Did you save the ciphers?
• JarSqwuid: I will decode them if you have them
• JarSqwuid: We need all the clues we can get.
• Xerot: We need those ciphers. It's like... It's like a fun little treasure hunt, figure out the clues and potentially save whoever's in danger.
• Xerot: But we don't know the time limit, so this makes it all the more intense.
• JarSqwuid: Way more intense
• Quia: Ugh, I'd have to go looking through my logs, but it was a youtube page. And I watched the videos on it, by jad-something, and they made no sense, and when I asked him about he was a jerk and said I wouldn't understand.
• Quia: That was a while back.
• JarSqwuid: Jadusable
• Xerot: Oh no.
• JarSqwuid: Yes the videos mean a lot.
• JarSqwuid: http://jadusable.wikia.com/wiki/Jadusable_Wiki
• alicia: back
• JarSqwuid: Check that link.
• Xerot: Why did he send you the link to Jadusable?
• Quia: Also, I hate to break it to you, but he's in class right now, he should be back in the next halfhour or so, but I'm not sure exactly.
• Quia: If something happens to him on the way home I'm going to hurt you.
• JarSqwuid: Alright, I'll aim him directly.
• Xerot: Halfhour? Ok. Wait, are you guys in britain or something?
• JarSqwuid: Hun, trust me, we're trying to save him
• Geo: Ireland
• Quia: Uhhhh.. no.
• Xerot: Ok. Just, if you guys get to him before us, please tell him this. It could save his life.
• Xerot: Don't open it.
• JarSqwuid: Xerot, where did Jad say he lived before he changed it to everywhere?
• alicia: wtf are you guys talking about
• Quia: 'Don't open it'
• JarSqwuid: Just tell him not to open his door when he gets in
• JarSqwuid: Tell him to ignore the knocking
• DarkScythe: Despite my username I have good intentions. Tell him if he hear knocking to ignore it as well.
• Xerot: Just 'Don't open it' in general, please.
• Quia: Heh.
• Xerot: And Jar, I dunno.
• Quia: You do know he's going to read all this when he gets back?
• JarSqwuid: Lemme check my records
• Xerot: I hope so.
• JarSqwuid: I hope so as well
• JarSqwuid: Did he mention any songs recently?
• Quia: Songs?
• Quia: Wtf does this have to do with music?
• JarSqwuid: Yeah, like names of songs.
• JarSqwuid: It has a LOT to do with music....
• DarkScythe: What kind of music does he play?
• Xerot: Ever play majora's mask?
• Quia: I don't know, definitely not while I was around to hear it.
• DarkScythe: Wait sorry read that wrong.
• Quia: Wait.
• Quia: What does it sound like?
• JarSqwuid: Well, ever play Majora's Mask?
• DarkScythe: Hang on. I'll link you to a Youtube video.
• Xerot: Depends. Anything reversed, morbid-sounding, maybe demonic even.
• JarSqwuid: The songs from the zelda games
• JarSqwuid: The song of healing?
• DarkScythe: Here's one song from the game http://www.youtube.com/watch?v-CFOrsObR0Rc
• Quia: I don't know, I've never played the game. He did watch those videos he linked me to, rather obsessively.
• Xerot: Do you remember him even humming the tuns you may have heard from the videos?
• JarSqwuid: Did he mention why he watched them>
• Xerot: Specifically the reversed song of healing?
• Quia: No, he never mentioned why. I don't think he's been humming them, either.
• DarkScythe: Then why did you want to know what they sound like?
• JarSqwuid: Has he eer mentioned the Truth?
• JarSqwuid: Yeah, how are we supposed to explain what they sound like?
• Quia: So I could tell you if he'd been humming anything like that.
• DarkScythe: Actually you were a bit more specific saying what "IT" sounds like.
• Xerot: I thought I explained it kinda well...
• Quia: He sings and hums all the time.
• Xerot: In that case, has he stopped doing that lately?
• JarSqwuid: < > v < > v
• Xerot: Anything out of the ordinary you can think of.
• JarSqwuid: I'm guessing I shouldn't have done that....
• Quia: Well, yeah, but it doesn't help at all. Normally he tells me everything, but he's been real damned secretive lately.
• Quia: I guess this is why.
• JarSqwuid: They normally are.
• JarSqwuid: Has he ever mentioned The Truth?
• Xerot: You could say we're the closest thing to the FBI we can in this case, lol.
• JarSqwuid: "plase if you are nearby a phone please call the policei can hear it outside my door"
• JarSqwuid: That was on the Youtube Channel today.
• JarSqwuid: 2 hours ago.
• JarSqwuid: When does this class start?
• Xerot: I thought Jadusable had already...
• Xerot: Hmm.
• Quia: Just a sec, need to look something up.
• Xerot: Oh, has he given you any files, besides the links to those videos?
• Xerot: Ok.
• Xerot: Hey, Jar?
• JarSqwuid: Yeah?
• Xerot: Can you see my PMs?
• JarSqwuid: No, I dunno how to work IRC lol this is literally my first time.
• Xerot: ok. Do you see my name in red next to the arrow saying private?
• Xerot: You can change the channels you're viweing by clicking on those.
• Xerot: they light up red whenever someone says something new.
• JarSqwuid: Oh okay
• JarSqwuid: Quia, you there?
• Quia: Yeah.
• JarSqwuid: What did you find?
• JarSqwuid: What about his classes?
• Quia: Just a sec, there's someone here.
• DarkScythe: At your door? Don't open it.
• JarSqwuid: Don't open your door.
• Xerot: For the love of god, don't open it.
• Xerot: ... Oh shit, I think we're too late.
• JarSqwuid: Quia, unless you're expecting someone, do not open that god damn door.
• DarkScythe: Quia? DON'T OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!
• Geo: oh calm the hell down
• Geo: She's probably talking to her parents
• Xerot: Do you have her number?
• Geo: and pay for the long distance?
• Xerot: What's her life worth?
• Geo: ...good qestion!
• Geo: I shall ponder it!
• Xerot: You have to think about it?!
• Ryukaki: What the..
• JarSqwuid: RYU
• JarSqwuid: Thank god
• Ryukaki: What are you guys doing here?!
• Ryukaki: Who the hell told them about this place.
• Xerot: BEN did.
• Xerot: you're in grave danger.
• JarSqwuid: We know about the Children.
• alicia: Dun dun dunnnnnn.
• alicia: sorry I couldn't help myself.
• Ryukaki: Wait wait, when did Ben mention anything to anyone? Who do you think you are?
• DarkScythe: Ifrit told us you are in danger.
• Xerot: Well, we know you know BEN for certain now.
• Ryukaki: You guys know that was all just some fun, right?
• JarSqwuid: Ifrit says you're in danger Ryu
• Ryukaki: You shouldn't concern yourselves with it anymore.
• Geo: Well damn Ryu, ruin all the fun why don't you.
• JarSqwuid: Well you know what, it's not
• JarSqwuid: This happened 2 hours ago.
• Xerot: But I think we should. We came this far through all the codes to help you.
• Ryukaki: Don't presume to tell me what is and what isn't regarding Ben!
• JarSqwuid: Who is Ben?
• JarSqwuid: Why are you so intent on protecting him?
• Xerot: And... Where is Quia?
• Ryukaki: I had to sit and see Rosa die, so don't you fucking dare presume to tell me about Ben or the Children or anything. What the hell do you guys want.
• Xerot: Answers.
• JarSqwuid: You watched Rosa die?
• JarSqwuid: We want answer mate, ANSWERS.
• JarSqwuid: Is that how you ascend?
• JarSqwuid: Is dying?
• JarSqwuid: Was Rosa a child?
• Ryukaki: Then answer my questions, first.
• JarSqwuid: FIne.
• Xerot: Shoot.
• Ryukaki: For instance, who led you here?
• JarSqwuid: Ifrit did, and Ben.
• Ryukaki: We've had no real visitors here in a long time.
• Xerot: Jadusable's account.
• Ryukaki: How. Nobody knows about this place.
• JarSqwuid: File 59.
• Xerot: We're guessing BEN, since he has total control over it.
• Ryukaki: I don't tell any of my.. what?
• JarSqwuid: File 59, we cracked the password. It was thelensoftruth
• Ryukaki: What is file 59?
• JarSqwuid: File 59 is ifrit, telling us to warn you.
• JarSqwuid: AQOT XUDTHYSAI OEK QHU YD TQDWUH. "KAYD HENDRICKS YOU ARE IN DANGER"
• Xerot: Ryu, do you have Quia's phone number?
• JarSqwuid: We know about the ciphers, we know about the children, we know about Ben. But we need answers.
• Ryukaki: Hah, cute. If I was in any danger I think I would know.
• JarSqwuid: Ifrit was one of the children.
• Xerot: You might not be the only one in danger.
• Ryukaki: I guess I'll answer what I can. What do you want to know?
• JarSqwuid: What can you tell us about the Father?
• Ryukaki: I can tell you nothing about the Father. Next question.
• Xerot: Before any of us forget, I feel I should mention this - Don't open it.
• JarSqwuid: What can you tell us about the Children?
• JarSqwuid: Yeah don't open your door if you hear knocking
• JarSqwuid: And wh is Chris?
• Ryukaki: Chris.. Chris is one of the Children, by now I imagine, haha..
• Ryukaki: The Children. That is a complicated question you ask.
• JarSqwuid: Why?
• JarSqwuid: Yeah I know.
• Xerot: What is the purpose of The Children?
• JarSqwuid: Whatever you can give s will help.
• Ryukaki: The Children's purpose? To serve Luna, of course. To become one with her. To finally hear her voice.
• Ryukaki: What a thing, tha tmust be..
• DarkScythe: Your ascensions.
• JarSqwuid: Why would you want to? And you need a mask, don't you?
• Ryukaki: The masks are a symbol.
• JarSqwuid: What kind of masks?
• JarSqwuid: I understand you wear them, because you wish to disassociate yourself with humans.
• Xerot: A symbol of... What? Giving up your humanity to serve Luna?
• JarSqwuid: Because humas have a choice, and masks don't.
• Ryukaki: They are a symbol of who you are. Of what you are. And your connection to Luna. They are a symbol of .. where do you get your information from, if I ask.
• Ryukaki: *may ask.
• JarSqwuid: We get our information from your Ben, and the clues he leaves us.
• JarSqwuid: That is why we need to know who he is.
• JarSqwuid: We believe he was a failed ascension.
• DarkScythe: BEN thinks of it as a game. He plays us and you.
• Ryukaki: I'm sorry, I've only met Ben once, as far as I recall. He went missing recently, though.
• Ryukaki: You say you've spoken to him?
• Xerot: through one method or another.
• JarSqwuid: Yeah kind of...
• JarSqwuid: What of Rosa?
• JarSqwuid: Why did she die?
• JarSqwuid: COuld you explain what you saw?
• Ryukaki: I didn't see anything. I was speaking with her on the phone, and heard some noises when she went to answer her door.
• Ryukaki: Later we couldn't find her.
• JarSqwuid: Did Kelbris get her?
• Ryukaki: Maybe it was a spontanious vacation, but I presume she died.
• Xerot: Oh hell. Do you have Quia's phone number?
• Ryukaki: Kelbris?
• JarSqwuid: No, you're lying.
• Ryukaki: Why are you worried about Quia?
• JarSqwuid: You said you had to sit and see her die.
• JarSqwuid: Tell the Truth.
• Xerot: Did you scroll up a bit before you joined in?
• JarSqwuid: She went to her door too.
• Xerot: She said she needed to answer her door for a moment.
• JarSqwuid: She's not back.
• Ryukaki: I used "see" as a metaphor, forgive me. It's something I disagree with the others on.
• Ryukaki: It's a bit emotional.
• Ryukaki: I wouldn't worry about her.
• Xerot: Why?
• Ryukaki: She has a good friend named Rena who visits her from time without notice.
• Ryukaki: I'm sure it's nothing.
• Xerot: I hate to be paranoid, but could you call and check up?
• JarSqwuid: Rosa was ifrit's sister mate.
• JarSqwuid: Ifrit was a moon child, like you.
• JarSqwuid: Or like you wish to be.
• Ryukaki: I'm sorry you guys, but if there's nothing else, I have your warnings, and I need to get back to.. studying. I'm expecting a group over for this comp scie class.
• Ryukaki: Thank you for stopping by, but I'm out of time.
• Xerot: Wait.
• JarSqwuid: Wait one more question
• JarSqwuid: WHat is the truth?
• Ryukaki: The Truth is inside all of us. you will know it when you find it.
• JarSqwuid: Alright... be safe.
• Xerot: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v-Nad5AJaIcBI
• JarSqwuid: Avoid these children.
• Xerot: Just watch that real quick, before you go.
• Ryukaki: Ooh, and one more thing.
• Xerot: Mmm?
• JarSqwuid: Yeah?
• Ryukaki: "This time, beware false prophets."
• JarSqwuid: You mean, people who are pretending to be conected to the story.
• JarSqwuid: Sure....
• Ryukaki: Now I have things to attend to. I hope you'll excuse me.
• Ryukaki: And please, don't tell anyone else about this place.
• Geo: ...>.>
• Ryukaki: I don't want my friends here involved in any of this.
• JarSqwuid: We won't.
• Xerot: Yeah. Is there any chance we can talk to you again?
• JarSqwuid: But be safe.
• Xerot: Hmm.
• Xerot: hey, you guys know much about Ryu's poetry from wayyyy back when?
• Xerot: http://ryukaki.deviantart.com/gallery/#/dhgplz
• Xerot: Some of this is really awesome, but I dunno what to make of some of it.
• ceonn: Hiya
• ceonn: How goes everything?
• ceonn? Hey? ryukaki, you here?
• Xerot: You're late dude.
• ceonn? huh?
• Xerot: He left about half an hour ago.
• ceonn: Thats tooo bad. Wanted to ask him about tomorrow. Oh well.
• Xerot: tomorrow?
• Xerot: What about it?
• ceonn: huh?
• Xerot: What's so special about tomorrow?
• ceonn: Don't worry about it. It doesn't concern you. Cya!

October 7, 2010

• Sometime in the early morning, the following conversation took place between JarSqwuid and Ryukaki in his group's IRC chat:

Second IRC contact with Ryukaki

• JarSqwuid: Hey, I thought you went to bed, Ryu.
• Ryukaki: I tried. Been hearing noises outside. Can't sleep.
• JarSqwuid: Ahhh, I'm sorry...we all got you pretty spooked huh?
• JarSqwuid: And those poeple on YT probably aren't helping.
• JarSqwuid: It's annoying how they're trying to milk you for answers, really...
• JarSqwuid: Ad I'm sorry abou tthe floo dearlier.
• JarSqwuid: *flood
• JarSqwuid: Was trying to prevent that.
• Ryukaki: It's alright, I guess.
• Ryukaki: I'm more upset that people were bothering my friends. They have nothing to do with it.
• JarSqwuid: Was trying to prevent that.
• JarSqwuid: Errr, stupid IRC still getting used to it...
• JarSqwuid: Yeah we didn't mean for that to happen, we're sorry.
• JarSqwuid: But Quia was talking about you a lot.
• JarSqwuid: I dunno if she knows about the story and was just shouting BS
• JarSqwuid: Or if she was saying things about you that were true...
• JarSqwuid: I really don't know what to believe
• Ryukaki: Qui knows nothing. This place is a very private room with just us close friends who have known eachother for a long time.
• Ryukaki: They don't go around on the internet.
• Ryukaki: Much less get involved in things like Youtube/4chan.
• JarSqwuid: Well then, she mentioned you sending her ciphers, like I said earlier...
• JarSqwuid: I don't mean to bother you at all, but she seemed pretty weirded out by recent behavior.
• JarSqwuid: Said you'd been humming things as well, and really sucked into the whole Jadusable deal.
• Ryukaki: I mentioned it to her in passing, that is, I had her help me with a few of the ciphers early on.
• JarSqwuid: Ahhh, that makes sense.
• Ryukaki: After I started getting into it, I took some time away from this place to start digging.
• Ryukaki: After Rosa, I was really shaken up, and so very close to solving the puzzle.
• JarSqwuid: Oh yeah? Just rtying to figure out stuff?
• JarSqwuid: Yeah you mentioned that.
• Ryukaki: But when it was announced to be fake, interest was lost.
• Ryukaki: I wandered off and put it behind me.
• JarSqwuid: It seems to have been a little more than fake though huh....
• JarSqwuid: Everyone who's gotten close has been marked.
• JarSqwuid: You were one of them I suppose, especially getting into contact with Rosa like that.
• JarSqwuid: That would have done it huh.
• JarSqwuid: What are the noises outside like? Can you put some music on? Get some sleep that way?
• Ryukaki: I don't get what's with this "marking" thing.
• JarSqwuid: When people find out important information the get marked, sucked into the story and mentioned by BEN.
• Ryukaki: I am the only person so far outside of Rosa and the others to be mentioned by Jadusable.
• JarSqwuid: I haven't personally seen it...
• Ryukaki: Ben taunts, sometimes.
• Ryukaki: But he has never actually spoken to anyone.
• Ryukaki: Everyone who claims it was exposed as a hoax.
• JarSqwuid: Wasn't the Seraphim person also marked?
• JarSqwuid: For the Reality Theory?
• Ryukaki: He was only mentioned, very shortly, in one file, that came AFTER the 59, which said it was the last communication we'd get from Jadusable.
• JarSqwuid: Hmm, that makes sense.
• Ryukaki: Fate.txt, number 60
• Ryukaki: Fate.txt "It comes for us all Sephiriam"
• Ryukaki: that's all.
• JarSqwuid: Ahh, yeah I didn't get to that txt before it was removed, and no one will release it to me.
• JarSqwuid: I managed to get into WAAL, but they won't freely give me info.
• JarSqwuid: I've gotta earn it...
• JarSqwuid: Eh, this is all very confusing.
• JarSqwuid: Er, nevermind I got the txt file.
• JarSqwuid: Logging this site gets confusing lol.
• JarSqwuid: Ahh well, you doing alright hun?
• JarSqwuid: Ummm...and just a question...you're not Ben are you....
• JarSqwuid: Well I guess you're not but.
• JarSqwuid: Yeah...
• Ryukaki: I'm just fine, and no, I'm not Ben. At least, I hope I'm not.
• Ryukaki: Ben plays games. He leads people astray. Jadusable lead you all to me as his last will and testament.
• Ryukaki: There has to be a reason for that.
• JarSqwuid: Alright cool... I hate that the trust in everyone is getting so screwed up. And the only reason I can think of is the information you have.
• JarSqwuid: Don't worry I won't ask
• JarSqwuid: But how did you even find Rosa?
• JarSqwuid: I mean, nobody else did, nobody. Not only that, but how did you even get involved with that insane cult...
• JarSqwuid: Well besides this whole mess.
• Ryukaki: During the final day-- after the songs were played, for a brief moment Ifrit's Gmail account came online.
• Ryukaki: I had a notice set up for him.
• Ryukaki: I quickly ran over and opened up a Gmail chat with what I thought was Ifrit. It was Rosa.
• Ryukaki: She told me that she was hearing scratching and noises outside her door. That I needed to call the police. To help her.
• Ryukaki: Without thinking and in my panic, I asked for the Username and Password. I didn't clarify to what.
• Ryukaki: She gave me it, and suddenly said "the sounds have stopped"
• Ryukaki: Then the account went offline.
• JarSqwuid: Wow really.... so that was the question then? That we were told to ask? And geeeze...
• JarSqwuid: Is that quote on Jad's page what she said?
• JarSqwuid: The one in her announcements?
• Ryukaki: Yes.
• Ryukaki: And I don't know if that was the question.
• Ryukaki: I kind of had to coerce her.
• JarSqwuid: AHhh...
• Ryukaki: I promised her I wouldn't let anyone else die.
• Ryukaki: That I could still save them.
• Ryukaki: I didn't think I'd be next.
• JarSqwuid: You'll be fine hun, really.
• JarSqwuid: We're not going to let anything happen to you, i promise.
• JarSqwuid: What happened to Rosa, I dunno... but it won't happen to you or anyone else. We can solve this things...
• JarSqwuid: But I guess The Truth on the website wasn't were the password and stuff went right?
• JarSqwuid: You know, the one that was locked...
• JarSqwuid: I know you probably tried it.
• Ryukaki: No, I tried it many times, even after the site restarted, and many times every day up until about Oct 2nd.
• JarSqwuid: Hmm...
• Ryukaki: When I closed all of my Jad/YSHDT tabs on Chrome and forgot about it.
• JarSqwuid: And then all this happen eh.
• JarSqwuid: What a mess.
• JarSqwuid: And the funny thing is, it really started to pick up when songs were submitted as video responses.
• JarSqwuid: And then it stopped.
• JarSqwuid: Like it was on pause.
• JarSqwuid: And now, once it's been started again, you get the blunt end of it.
• JarSqwuid: Rosa dies, Alex dies, Ifrit supposedly died and we have no idea what to make of Chris or Ben.
• JarSqwuid: Or I don't.
• JarSqwuid: It's why I"m so determined to get the info from WAAL and leak it.
• JarSqwuid: SLowly...
• JarSqwuid: Quietly to select people so I'm not suspected.
• JarSqwuid: Hopefully keep leaking it.
• Ryukaki: I just don't want them doing what was done last time.
• Ryukaki: People died not because of the chaos of things, but because people refused to work together.
• Ryukaki: People were being excluded, and those were the people making mistakes.
• JarSqwuid: Yeah, it was really very stupid.
• Kiram: Kayd
• Kiram: I just want you to know.
• Kiram: Your death will come EITHER by heatray, or by boulder.
• Ryukaki: Can it please be Heatray?
• Kiram: Only if the tech is perfected soon.
• Ryukaki: that sounds fair.
• Kiram: and by soon I mean 3 days earlier than it otherwise would have needed to have been.
• Ryukaki: #%$@#$^
• JarSqwuid: Hahaha awwwe...
• JarSqwuid: that's what the meatray is for though, right?
• Kiram: No. The meatray sounds disgusting.
• Kiram: Also, like a sea creature
• JarSqwuid: Keeping this open, so if you need help just shout.
• Ryukaki: I think I would be more afraid if I ran into the Meatray.
• JarSqwuid: Jad said the username/password is for the truth in the archive...
• Ryukaki: It never worked. We can only assume that was a lie, or to throw us off.
• JarSqwuid: Then it was Ben in the archive?
• JarSqwuid: Errr, /x/
• Ryukaki: I don't know.
• JarSqwuid: I find it kind of hard to believe some of the responses though...
• JarSqwuid: And still not asleep then?
• JarSqwuid: And by "the" I mean your.
• Ryukaki: What responses, exactly?
• JarSqwuid: you said you watched Rosa die, then yuo said you were on the phone with her, and now chat which makes sense because "watching."
• JarSqwuid: And I saw the image yo posted on /x/ of the chat
• JarSqwuid: And the email
• Ryukaki: I don't recall saying anything about the phone.
• Ryukaki: And I never said "watched", I said I had to "see" her die, which I did, even if it was poorly worded.
• JarSqwuid: I might be mistaken, let me go over my records, I'm very tired I know you understand that lol...
• Ryukaki: I"m assuming it was all a rouse to find out who knew what.
• Ryukaki: In order to find out who to go after, next.
• Ryukaki: I know it's easier to not believe that, but I was extremely blindsided by this. I got home from class and saw my E-mail and was excited because I thought some of the job applications I'd made recently went through.
• Ryukaki: Not that I had, and then suddenly almost a hundred warnings.
• JarSqwuid: "I didn't see anything. I was speaking with her on the phone, and heard some noises when she went to answer her door."
• Ryukaki: Where did I say that?
• JarSqwuid: AFter I asked "What of Rosa?"
• Ryukaki: Wow, I see that in my logs, but do not recall ever typing it. Maybe I'm just tired.
• Ryukaki: In any case, disregard it. I never actually spoke to her.
• Ryukaki: It was all over Gmail chat.
• JarSqwuid: It seems you don't recall much actually.
• JarSqwuid: What happend after the 2nd?
• JarSqwuid: What do you remember from those days after?
• JarSqwuid: Any blanks?
• Ryukaki: Absolutely nothing important, literally. I went to school, I went job hunting, I was waking up a little bit..unusually late in the afternoon, 1-2 PM, but I figured I was just tired from all the driving around I was doing.
• Ryukaki: It was normal life.
• JarSqwuid: Unusually late? Hmmmm.
• JarSqwuid: I just don't like how the stories don't match up.
• Ryukaki: Really, don't sweat it. That's nothing more than me typing without thinking first.
• JarSqwuid: I figure, and with all the panic from all those crazy messages I don't blame you.
• JarSqwuid: But that's a pretty descriptinve thing to screw up, is all.
• Ryukaki: It's been extremely stressing. :\
• JarSqwuid: I imagine. I'm sorry.
• JarSqwuid: Wish I could help more, perhaps a hug.
• JarSqwuid: I just wonder how "really freaky chat on gmail" got changed into "phoned her, heard weird noises, she left."
• JarSqwuid: And why you never linked or mentioned the screenshot you have of it.
• Ryukaki: I thought everyone knew about the screenshot, I was very vocal about it for a while.
• JarSqwuid: Ahh.
• Ryukaki: the mix up, probably because of how into it I was. I was there, too, on Gmail, when Ifrit was taken away.
• JarSqwuid: Really?
• Ryukaki: When I was talking with Rosa, there wasn't thinking. I honestly felt like I was right there with her. I was terrified. Shaking. See how I'm always generall calm, if vulgar, and very proper with my typing?
• Ryukaki: you can see how different it was when I was speaking with Rosa.
• Ryukaki: Typing in caps? Typos like crazy?
• JarSqwuid: Yeah I can tell.
• Ryukaki: I was just freaking out. :\
• JarSqwuid: But then why would Jad say that was the password and stuff for the truth?
• JarSqwuid: Why would he give you that info if he was Ben?
• JarSqwuid: And if he was Ben, why didn't he use it already?
• Ryukaki: So that when it didn't work, I would give up with it? So that when I tried to use it, he could track it to me? I didn't show the username/pass in any screenshot.
• Ryukaki: Ben has never seen it.
• Ryukaki: I didn't think about it at the time, but if that was Ben, then I led him right to me.
• JarSqwuid: A bit.
• JarSqwuid: Why would he lead us to you though? I know he likes playing games with us, and everyone, but...
• JarSqwuid: You also left some of it visible...
• Ryukaki: Ben didn't lead anyone to me.
• Ryukaki: Jad did, with his last will and testament.
• Ryukaki: His final word to us before the Link was broken.
• Ryukaki: "Kayd Hendricks you are in danger."
• Ryukaki: That, and a long briefing on how we all need to work together to beat Ben.
• Ryukaki: That if we remain divided and refuse to work together, he wins.
• JarSqwuid: Yeah...
• JarSqwuid: I got all that.
• JarSqwuid: It's real jumbled...
• JarSqwuid: And what's the glitch?
• JarSqwuid: The 4th day?
• Ryukaki: I think that's what he means.
• Ryukaki: But I'm not sure.
• JarSqwuid: He said "recent."
• Ryukaki: Maybe it was the front page of the YSHDT site when it was all fucked up. I wasn't there for that, but I read about it.
• JarSqwuid: What was it again? I have all of my records on me
• JarSqwuid: When it was restarted? Or when Kelbris arrived?
• Ryukaki: I don't know what all of it was off hand, but I recall there being a countdown timer to the "reset" and some weird images/music being cut across the front page.
• JarSqwuid: Oh yeah....
• JarSqwuid: I have no clue....
• JarSqwuid: This is the craziest thing I've ever been a part of, and I can't imagine how insane it is for you.
• JarSqwuid: Consider this the REAL Truth.txt What are you talking about?"
• JarSqwuid: Comes out of what Ifrit said....
• JarSqwuid: And I dunno if anyone solved the top portion of the cipher.
• Ryukaki: Wish I had some answers :\
• JarSqwuid: I think we all do really.
• JarSqwuid: Could do with some real truth right now.
• JarSqwuid: AH well.... I'm gonna go to bed, too tired to function right now.
• JarSqwuid: Are you good?
• JarSqwuid: You should try and get some sleep too hun.
• JarSqwuid: Night, and I'll leave this open.
• JarSqwuid: If you need to message me or something, it'll be here when I get up, alright?
• JarSqwuid: Night, and you'll be fine, don't worry.

• Many users who submitted their phone numbers on the original Moon Children site's Contact page began reporting phone calls coming from a blocked number. Two different outcomes were reported:
  • A voicemail consisting of the Elegy of Emptiness, followed by an unintelligible murmur, the existence of which is confirmed.
  • A voicemail consisting of a short period of silence followed by the reversed Song of Healing, which faded into Destroyed Vioiln Beat Dark Rap Instrumental, the existence of which is unconfirmed.
• At 4:00pm, Jadusable's YouTube channel made two posts:
  • "No group knows anything more than anyone else. There is no private information, only different theories. You are all equals. Sephiriam has no significance, just the next lamb wandering blindly into its inevitable slaughter. This will hurt you, Sephiriam."
  • "You are now stripped of this resource as punishment for your arrogance, and yet by eliminating that website, this is the most charitable act I will ever do. Do not think that there is any place that is beyond my reach."
  • The second post coincided with reports of the We All Are Link LiveJournal being stripped of its content by a then-unknown party. BEN appeared to be taking credit for it.
• Ryukaki uploaded four videos over the course of the day:
  • Sounds.wmv, in which he searched his house for the source of odd noises that he had been hearing. Interestingly, at 3:33 in the video, two glowing lights can be seen on camera, though he claimed to have not seen them while filming.
  • Music.wmv, in which he films a call that he repeatedly received, much like other users received.
  • The Orchard.wmv, in which he claimed to have possibly captured footage of whatever is stalking him, though such an entity is never seen on-screen. Interestingly, he mispronounced "elegy" as "eulogy."
  • Orchard2.wmv, a follow-up to the previous one, in which he claimed that his phone was stolen.
• Sometime later that day, Ryukaki sent the following email to Quia:
  • Subject: thelensoftruth
    "Spread the word -- Youtube, IRC, everywhere. I've seen it. I think I got it on video. Do not trust any source other than me or the website.
    I don't have time to explain. I'll be in touch."

October 8, 2010

• An exact copy of the contact page for Ben containing Fourth Day timer was discovered. It appeared to be a remnant of the original, only existing for archival purposes.
• Sometime later that day, Ryukaki sent the following email to Quia:
  • Subject: finalhours
    "He's found me. He has my scent, or something, I don't know. I guess I never really knew?
    
    I have answers. For everyone. They're being prepared. I've got everything ready. It wont be what they want, but it should be enough to fight whatever this thing is.
    
    Tell them I'm sorry I couldn't help more.
    
    Please, spread the word. Everywhere. Tell everyone. The website is the key. Everything else is a lie. You must tell them to see clearly past the deception, to look away from the false prophets.
    
    If they let themselves be led down the wrong path by anyone, everything is lost.
    
    It's too late for me. Make my work count."

October 9, 2010

• Ryukaki's activity began with the upload of a new video to his channel, titled theconnection.wmv. It contained Kayd conversing with a friend named Thomas, and a cipher that led to his MediaFire. Users kept an eye on the account afterwards, and the following files were received.
  • quickly.txt was the first to appear.
  • must.txt was the second, along with three empty folders named "connections."
  • secret.txt was the third, along with one empty folder named "connections."
  • reveal.txt was the fourth, along with one empty folder named "connections."
  • Last.txt was the fifth and final, and there were no folders to accompany it.
• Transcribed together, the files read as follows:

Ryukaki MediaFire .txt files

This is the first.

These messages will not last long. I have set up a failsafe so that you all will get this information before Ben can tamper with it, and it will be quickly removed so that he cannot infect it. I hope you are all watching this account.

By now, I'm either long gone, or it's caught up to me. Either way, these uploads will be my last messages to you.

Wait for them.

Now that I realize what he kept saying.. that it was in front of us the whole time, I am surprised that nobody got it but me.

All of the clues were there.. haha.. a few of you even came really close.

I told you all that if things got really bad-- that I would contact everyone I could and give them what I have. Now that it can no longer protect me, I will be doing just that.

These files going up here, they're on a timer. The timer is taking them down, too. Everything will be automated, so don't worry. Despite not knowing you did, I have a feeling you all provided me protection in my more harrowing hours. Maybe it's just wishful thinking.

I can't tell you how I'll be letting it out. If Ben doesn't know, when it goes, he'll have less time to try and stop it. Just keep an eye out. I hope this reaches at least one of you, and you will spread the word.

I know there will be skepticism, I know there will be a lot of mistrust among all of you. Ben has done an amazing job at keeping you fighting over just who and what is real.

That's not going to stop.

But also know that his lies will only reach so far. He wants you all to keep playing. He wants you in the game, but only just enough that he can keep mocking you.

The file that led you to me, it contained a larger secret than you knew.

mhftt

All of the answers are right there. Think.

By now you might have noticed a pattern. I wont tell you if that pattern is useful or not. Just keep watching. Today you will get all the answers I have.

That's only the first part of things, though.

There's more to it. You have all been following this as though it were a game.

Ben, he was a part of that game, so he sees things in hues that reflect it, but it's real now. It's beyond a game.

I know it is natural for everyone to want to look deeper. To make connections where they don't exist.

The Truth has always been right there. Like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, the answers were given to you.

Few things have been recurring, but if you look, if you really look, they're there. The salvation comes in noticing what has emerged in the pattern.

There will be something more than these notes, soon. Again, I will not tell you when, just keep watching.

If you can get to it before him, it will contain all of the parts of the puzzle, but it will be up to you to put them together before he does.

Byg gzy'o jznkio omi vih.

These are my last words.

If after the file following this is recieved, you still haven't figured things out.. then I guess I've failed you all. I hope Ben does not get to things before you do, but know that over the past few days, I have not only trained you to know what the answers are, but I've spelled them out for you as well. I don't think you'll hear from me again. Thank you all. Goodbye, and goodluck.

-- Kayd.

...?

• Shortly after Last.txt was uploaded, Ryukaki uploaded lastwords.wmv. Consisting of assorted images and footage with reversed audio, it was his final video before his disappearance. The following is the reversed audio, when corrected.
  • "Something about a boy dying here some time ago. It's meaningless to me, but peoples' superstitions make for great house prices. April 23rd, just moved into the new place. It's decent; a little small for me."
• Soon afterward, the login username from the video, mhftt, was tested with various passwords. However, the emails with Rosa he shared on /x/ implied that the username was matthubris423. To further complicate matters, neither name was listed on the members list. Only one existed: admin.
• Some time later that day, JarSqwuid made one last contact via IRC, this time with Quia. The following is a transcript of that conversation:

Final IRC contact with Quia

• JarSqwuid: Quia, it's JarSqwuid.
• Quia: Come to see it all end, then.
• JarSqwuid: What's that mean, hun?
• Quia: You were there at the begining, why not be here at the end.
• JarSqwuid: No, I've come to see if you're okay
• Quia: Sure, my boyfriend's a sacrifice in your stupid game, of course I'm okay.
• JarSqwuid: It's not our fault, there was nothing we could do
• JarSqwuid: It's okay, it's just a game right?
• JarSqwuid: I'm sure he's fine
• JarSqwuid: Don't worry, we'll get this thing done and everything will be normal again
• Quia: Right, that's why I haven't heard from him at all.
• JarSqwuid: I am so so sorry
• JarSqwuid: God dammit...
• JarSqwuid: I don't even know, QUia
• JarSqwuid: I don't
• JarSqwuid: I don't know how this happened, I don't know how to fix it, all I know is we have to keep playing this fucking game.
• JarSqwuid: Maybe something we do will bring him back.
• JarSqwuid: He gave us so much
• JarSqwuid: Now all we have is to solve this fucking thing
• JarSqwuid: We'll make it right Quia
• Quia: Yeah, right.
• JarSqwuid: If you want to yell, or say anything, or do anything, or want us to do anything...
• JarSqwuid: Please tell me...
• JarSqwuid: I will relay, do, say, whatever you need
• JarSqwuid: And if you need me to leave, I will.
• Quia: Find him, damnit.
• JarSqwuid: We're working on it
• JarSqwuid: We're working on it right now, I swear
• JarSqwuid: We have the video, we're breaking it down, he's given us everything
• JarSqwuid: We even have goddamn sound engineers working on the audio
• JarSqwuid: It'll be okay...
• Quia: Just go away, please. I don't need someone saying it's okay when he's saying he's your goddamned sacrifice.
• JarSqwuid: Alright... if you need anything, or he contacts you, I beg of you
• JarSqwuid: Email me at fatedragoon@yahoo.com
• JarSqwuid: We'll figure it out
• JarSqwuid: Bye.

October 10, 2010

• At approximately 9:00pm, the guestbook was cleared. About five minutes later, the page was cleared entirely, and ads appeared on the bottom of the pages.
• At 9:20pm, the main page received a new layout and the music was replaced with Hard Epic Instrumental. Alex Hall announced the conclusion of the second arc of the story, and announced information regarding the third, particularly the interactive game.
  • Hidden text at the bottom read, "You might want to compare notes with each other, you seem to have missed a very important detail. It would be in your best interest to get that sorted out before the game releases. Good luck."
  • The detail it referred to was assumed to be either the unsolved cipher in File 59 or the inability to log into the website. However, it was possible that something else was missed entirely, as implied by Ryukaki calling it "obvious."

Ambiguously canon information ends here.

Hubris

Waiting Game

November 8, 2010

• The text on the main page was replaced with the word "updating."
• After some time, it was replaced with the long-awaited YSHDT Q&A that had been promised.

November 9, 2010

• Jadusable's YouTube channel posted a new video, titled 2. The video contains only text reading, "No one came," and the sound of underwater struggling.
  • The video was 43 seconds long. When combined with the title, it becomes a reference to 423.

Pyrrhic Prophecy

January 1, 2011

• Most of the website became password-protected for a short time. Alex Hall posted an update afterward, admitting the holiday release date was unrealistic. He also stated that there would be a sort of build-up prior to the release of the game, claiming that it would be out before April. The Q&A was still present, but the guestbook was cleared and the music was removed.
• The source code for the FAQ page was changed to "This could come in hand later" instead of "IS," breaking the "http:// WHAT IS Not so fast .com" pattern. In addition, there was a hidden line of text that read, "If you are looking for a clue, this isn't it."
• The description of the Timeline page was removed.

January 4, 2011

• Hidden text was found on the Timeline page, reading, "- Pyrrhic prophecy is hinted at"
  • Note: "Pyrrhic" means something that obtains victory, but with disastrous losses.
  • This message was added on January 1 when the description of the page was removed, having only been noticed three days later.

January 5, 2011

• "-Pyrrhic prophecy is hinted at" was removed from the Timeline page.

January 14, 2011

• Due to the amount of spam and abuse taking place in the guestbook, which in turn caused the site to load slowly or crash, Alex Hall removed the guestbook entirely.

January 20, 2011

• Alex Hall posted an announcement on his YouTube channel:
  • Update: The game is coming along smoothly, we actually may end up getting a release date early next month, but I'm not going to come out and confirm anything yet until it's certain. Rest assured there will be announcement plenty of time ahead of its release.

Not Yet Time

February 1, 2011

• Alex Hall updated the main page announcement, in which he claimed there was a hitch with Unity concerning one of the levels, but they were working on getting around it and that it would not stop production. Notably, he posted the following:
  • "Making the final phase of this story has been the most intensive project I've ever taken on and it's all starting to come to fruition in these next few weeks. The next update will be featuring some screenshots of the game and introducing the build-up event and this will probably be the last 'out of character' update you guys get."
  • The guestbook was brought back as well.

February 10, 2011

• Four new password-protected files, numbered 64 through 67, were discovered.

February 11, 2011

• It was discovered that the contact page for Alex had been cleared entirely; this happened around the time the files were discovered, but was only noticed at this time.

February 12, 2011

• The main page updated fairly quickly several times with very brief messages that were quickly removed. The messages read:

Consecutive February 12 updates

First update, 11:38pm:

• February 12, 2011

  You're beginning to slowly go insane.

Second update, 11:39pm:

• February 12, 2011

  You're beginning to slowly go insane. You begin to slowly lose your grip on reality.

Third update, 11:43pm:

• February 12, 2011

  You begin to slowly lose your grip on reality.

Fourth update, 11:49pm:

• February 12, 2011

  Not time yet Not yet time. Too soon. So

February 13, 2011

• The Majora's Mask icon for the website disappeared and was replaced with the host website's default image of a 3x3 grid. Looking into the source code showed that the icon was not intended to be replaced by anything; instead, the option of having a custom icon was removed.

February 14, 2011

• At 11:08am, the site went down for unknown reasons. It was up again by 1:22pm.

February 15, 2011

• Sheik contacted Alex Hall regarding activity on Ryukaki's YouTube channel and posted this to the Drowned forums. The screenshots no longer exist, but Alex confirmed that any future activity from the channel is non-canon.
• Kayd Hendricks later posted the following on Ryukaki's channel: "I want to stress that nothing I say is to be taken as subliminal or as a further part of the ARG. My part is done. But I'd like to answer questions for the people who have followed me and to clear the air about anything I may or may not have done on purpose or on accident. Thank you all for all of the support you've given."

February 16, 2011

• Around 8:00pm, users noticed trouble connecting to the site. The cause is unknown.
• At around 10:00pm, Alex Hall posted an announcement on YouTube:
  • "I'll be having a public Q&A with you guys at 11:00pm EST tonight (roughly an hour form now), feel free to stop by at http://jadusable.chatango.com/. I'll be under the screen name JadusableH."
• A short time later, he updated again:
  • "I'm moving the Q&A to a more moderated chat, it'll be less spamtastic this way - http://whatsyourmask.chatango.com"
• The Q&A took place for just over an hour

Wayward Horizon

February 17, 2011

• Around 3:06am, Alex Hall posted an update to Jadusable's YouTube channel, reading, "Looking for three responsible individuals to act as forum moderators. Send me a brief resume at jadusable@youshouldnthavedonethat.net if you think you would be interested."
• Around 11:00am, a countdown appeared on the main page of youshouldnthavedonethat.net. The timer counted down to an event referred to as "Another Step," and was set to end at 7:00pm. When hovered over with the cursor, the counter read, "18 Feb 2011 is when you unite."
• Alex Hall posted another update on his YouTube channel requesting Skype names for moderator applicants, hoping to secure a meeting that night.
• Guestbook entries from the 10th to 16th disappeared.
• As the counter ended, the site went down.
• Jadusable's channel posted three updates containing pieces of the following binary code:
  • 01101000 01110100 01110100 01110000 00111010 00101111 00101111 01111010 00110001 00110101 00101110 01101001 01101110 01110110 01101001 01110011 01101001 01101111 01101110 01100110 01110010 01100101 01100101 00101110 01100011 01101111 01101101 00101111 01010111 01101001 01110100 01101000 01101001 01101110 01011111 01001000 01110101 01100010 01110010 01101001 01110011 00101111
  • The message was an encoded URL for a forum: http://z15.invisionfree.com/Within_Hubris/
• YSHDT's continuous server problems prevented many users from accessing the site.
• Two of the binary codes on Jadusable's channel were removed, followed by the third shortly afterward.
• Jadusable's YouTube channel posted another update:
  • "http://z15.invisionfree.com/Within_Hubris The final piece of the puzzle is sliding into place, when the bastion is completed you will have everything you need."
  • Bastion means "a group that defends principle" or "a stronghold into which people could go for shelter during a battle." Bastion refers to this forum, based on this forum post:
    • "This is our last haven, our last bastion of defense. And yet it houses our greatest minds, and our strongest warriors."
• Soon after the forum was discovered, two forum groups appeared for around twenty seconds before disappearing.
  • Forum group "HELP ME" with subforum "PLEASE GOD HELP ME" appeared first.
  • Forum group "MY EYES" with subforum "THEY TOOK" appeared around ten minutes later.
• In the list of members, several of the first thirteen members are listed as "Tenor", with others labeled as "Admin". These accounts belong to Jadusable, Hubris, Ryukaki, Alex, Nekko, Duskworld23, Drowned, BEN, Rosa, Insidiae, Tyler, Kelbris, and Guide.

February 18, 2011

• A new, permanent forum group called "Wayward Horizon" was added to Within Hubris, which was unable to be seen without logging in. It contained one subforum called "???," which was password-protected.
  • When first noticed, there was only one topic there, created by Hubris.
  • Minutes later, the subforum was empty.
  • Then, one topic appeared, created by Guide.
  • Another topic was created by Nekko.
  • Then another topic, this time by Duskworld23.
  • The fourth and latest topic was created by a new user, ???.
  • When trying to enter the subforum, users encountered a login page.
    • The password screen read, "Please do not attempt to enter a password unless you are authorised. Failed attempts are logged and you may have your posting rights removed upon repetitive failure." However, it was soon discovered that this was not true, and failed attempts are simply logged.
• It was confirmed by one of the moderators that they have nothing to do with the strange happenings on the site and that no one group has more knowledge than any other. They are only there as custodians, keeping the place clear of problems and keeping order. In another topic they admitted to having no connections to Guide, the site's main admin, and were unaware of the password to Wayward Horizon.
  • Also confirmed were the forum groups "Announcements," "Story," and "Community" being out of character. Any activity outside of those groups were solely controlled by Guide.

February 19, 2011

• The following binary code appeared on Rosa's user profile in the location field:
  • 10011101 10011110 10001100 10001011 10010110 10010000 10010001 10010000
  • When inverted, it became 01100010 01100001 01110011 01110100 01101001 01101111 01101110 01101111, which translates to "bastiono".
• Around 6:24PM EST, YSHDT.net was updated with the following:
  • February 17, 2011
    
    The time has come to unite.
    
    Almost.
  • Interestingly, the post referred to the 17th when the counter referred to the 18th.
• YSHDT.net's title changed to "Within Hubris.
• The binary code on Rosa's profile changed to:
  • 100111011001111010001100100010111001011010010000100100011001000010011001
  • Inverted, it translated to "bastionof". Soon afterward, the connection to Guide's welcome post was made and the full phrase, "bastionofdefense", was successfully used to enter Wayward Horizon.
• In Wayward Horizon, the posts made by Nekko, Duskworld23, and ??? were present. Several hours later, a fifth topic by Kelbris appeared. The posts read:

WELCOME TO THE WAYWAR01011001110000101, ????//

Guide Helping Hand Group: Admin Member No.: 13 Joined: 17-February 11

Posted: Feb 18 2011, 12:17 PM 0101100101101111011101010010011101110010011001010010000001101110011011110111010000100000011100110111 0101011100000111000001101111011100110110010101100100001000000111010001101111001000000110001001100101 001000000110100001100101011100100110010100101110 010001110110010101110100001011100000110100001010000011010000101001001111011101010111010000101110 Note: This translates to: You're not supposed to be here.Get. Out.

THE FIRST

Nekko Tenor Group: Tenor Member No.: 5 Joined: 17-February 11

Posted: Feb 18 2011, 12:42 PM 0111011101101000011000010111010001101001011100110011111100100000011101110110100001100101011100100110 0101011101000110100001101001011100110011111100100000011010000110010101101100011100000010000001101101 0110010100100000011100000110110001100101011000010111001101100101001011000010000001101001001001110110 1101001000000111001101101111001000000111001101100011011000010111001001100101011001000010111000100000 0111011101101000011001010111001001100101001000000110100101110011001000000110010101110110011001010111 0010011110010110111101101110011001010011111100100000011010010010011101101101001000000111001101101111 0010000001101100011011110110111001100101011011000111100100101110001011100010111000100000011011010110 1111011011010110110101111001001000000110100101101101001000000111001101101111001000000111001101101111 0111001001110010011110010010111000100000011010010010000001110000011100100110111101101101011010010111 0011011001010010000001101001001001110110110001101100001000000110001001100101001000000110000100100000 0110001001100101011101000111010001100101011100100010000001110011011011110110111000101100001000000110 1001001000000111000001110010011011110110110101101001011100110110010100100000011010010010011101101100 0110110000100000011000100110010100100000011101000110100001100101001000000110110001101001011101000111 0100011011000110010100100000011000100110111101111001001000000111100101101111011101010010011101110110 0110010100100000011000010110110001110111011000010111100101110011001000000111011101100001011011100111 0100011001010110010000101100001000000110100100100000011011010110100101110011011100110010000001111001 0110111101110101001000000110100100100111011011010010000001110011011011110010000001110011011000110110 0001011100100110010101100100001011100010111000101110001000000110110101101111011011010110110101111001 0010000001101010011101010111001101110100001000000111000001101100011001010110000101110011011001010010 0000011101110110000101101011011001010010000001101101011001010010000001110101011100000010111000100000 0010000001110000011011000110010101100001011100110110010100100000010100000100110001000101010000010101 0011010001010010000001001101010011110100110101001101010110010010000001010111010010000100010101010010 010001010010000001000001010100100100010100100000010110010100111101010101 Note: This translates to: whatis? wherethis? help me please, i'm so scared. where is everyone? i'm so lonely... mommy im so sorry. i promise i'll be a better son, i promise i'll be the little boy you've always wanted, i miss you i'm so scared... mommy just please wake me up. please PLEASE MOMMY WHERE ARE YOU

THE FOURTH

Duskworld23 Tenor Group: Tenor Member No.: 6 Joined: 17-February 11

Posted: Feb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ote: This translates to: I can't stand it. I can't even have a momentI can't stand it. I can't even have a moment no think. I want to kill myself, but I don't know how. Have to find a way, before I lose myself.

THE SEVENTH

??? ??? Group: Tenor Member No.: 530 Joined: 17-February 11

Posted: Feb 18 2011, 1:00 PM 0100100100100000011000110110000101101110001000000110001001100101011000110110111101101101011001010010 0000010001110110111101100100001011100000110100001010000011010000101001001001001000000110001101100001 0110111000100000011000100110010101100011011011110110110101100101001000000110010101110110011001010111 001001111001011101000110100001101001011011100110011100101110 Note: This translates to: I can become God. I can become everything.

...

Kelbris ??? Group: Catalyst Member No.: 12 Joined: 17-February 11	Posted: Feb 18 2011, 6:20 PM GET OUT

• Soon after the password was used, it was reset and everyone was logged out of the forum.
• The new password for Wayward Horizon changed to "youshouldntbehere". Nothing in the forum has changed.

February 20, 2011

• At around 10:35pm, the copyright information on YSHDT.net changed to © 2011 Within Hubris.
• YSHDT.net went down again, this time permanently.
• The password "youshouldntbehere" stopped working for Wayward Horizon.
• The URL for youshouldnthavedonethat.net began redirecting to Within Hubris, effectively retiring the site.

February 21, 2011

• Jadusable's YouTube channel added another channel, HubrisOST, to its friends list. This new channel was used for uploading songs from the ARG.
• At 8:13pm, Alex Hall announced @WithinHubris, the official Within Hubris Updates Twitter account on Jadusable's YouTube channel.
• The first tweet from the @WithinHubris account, posted at 7:01pm, read, "Twitter created. Stay tuned for the "Hubris Reveal" trailer later this week."
• Some time later, Guide posted the entirety of The Haunted Cartridge on Within Hubris.
• Soon afterward, Guide posted this topic, which reiterated the update from the YouTube channel.

Hubris Reveal

February 25, 2011

• At 6:09pm, @WithinHubris tweeted, "'Hubris Reveal' trailer debuts on Jadusable's Youtube channel on Sunday, February 27th at 6pm EST."
• Around ten minutes later, the same message was posted on Jadusable's YouTube channel.

February 26, 2011

• Several members of Within Hubris received an envelope in the mail. Contained within were a newspaper clipping and a letter.
  • The newspaper contained two notable articles. The first details a murder-suicide that took the lives of the Lawman family, and the second is a submission by "M.H.", heavily redacted in order to read differently from the original author's intent.
  • The letter contained a cryptic and threatening message from an unknown party.
  • The recipients of the letter were soon afterward revealed to be the top fifty donators to the PayPal link on YSHDT.net.
• Hidden periods were discovered in several of Guide's posts in the "The Haunted Cartridge - The Complete Story" topic. The significance is unknown.
• At 5:51pm, a timer was discovered on Within Hubris. It counted down to an hour before the release time given by @WithinHubris for the Hubris Reveal; it contained the ominous phrase, "They have to warn you."
• Guide posted "A Comprehensive Guide to the Story" as promised. It served to help direct attention to the essential story points. In addition, it also stated that you do not have to understand the other arcs in order to enjoy the Hubris Arc.

February 27, 2011

• Jadusable's YouTube channel posted three updates:
  • what are you doing?
  • STOP THIS
  • /i
• Just before 6:00pm, h b i s r ea l, a corrupted version of the Hubris Reveal, was uploaded to the channel.
  • The binary code in the video translated to, "isn't clear yet".
  • At 5:59pm, @WithinHubris tweeted, "H b i s r ea l uploaded instead?"
• The updates on Jadusable's channel began to disappear and reappear continuously. Something appeared to be struggling for control of the account.
• Guide's post from February 21 was edited. Hidden text was added below the main message, reading, "not the real not the real not the real not the real not the real".

March 1, 2011

• At 1:13pm, Guide posted an update asking for an additional programmer and artist for the game.

April 23, 2011

• At 3:31am, @WithinHubris tweeted, "There'll be an update on 4/23, look for it around 6pm est." At 5:23pm, it was followed by, "I would also like to clarify that around 6pm est does not mean *exactly* at 6pm est :P It all depends on when my conference call finishes."
• Around 6:00pm, Guide posted an update on Within Hubris confirming May 10 as the release date for the Hubris trailer, as well as some additional information regarding the game.

May 10, 2011

• Guide posted an update on Within Hubris, explaining that the trailer has been delayed until further notice, as the person who shot the footage failed to return Alex's calls.

Early to Mid-2011

• Sometime between February 28 and June 8, youshouldnthavedonethat.net stopped redirecting users to Within Hubris. In its place, a notice that it was no longer in use (provided by GoDaddy.com) was present.
• Alex Hall assured players that, "Youshouldnthavedonethat.net will be returning, albeit in a different form."

June 8, 2011

• A Within Hubris user called MajinMew discovered a member of the Tenor group not previously listed, named Usekeb.
  • Usekeb joined on April 22, the day before 4/23, their last known date of activity.
  • The account made one unseen post since joining, as was the case with several other Tenors.

June 10, 2011

• Within Hubris user MessedUpPro messaged Alex Hall via Facebook regarding the trailer and received the reply, "I'm working with him now again finally after all this time, so we should be able to put out something in the next week or so, but I dont want to give a definitive date yet incase it falls through again." When asked how he was doing, he replied, "Hectic, haha, to say the least. As much as I want the game to take precidence over everything else I'm doing, its hard to juggle all this stuff at once, but hopefully we're getting close to the light at the end of the tunnel."

June 22, 2011

• At 5:26am, @WithinHubris announced Alex Hall's new official Twitter account, @AlexanderDHall.
• Later, Alex Hall held a Q&A in the Knights of Theet Chatango.

The Hiatus

Gamejacking Accusations

July 15, 2011

Jadusable's new avatar

• At 8:43pm, Alex Hall announced that the ARG has been paused indefinitely.
  • Presumably around this time, Jadusable's channel's avatar was changed to a frame from free.wmv.
• Shortly afterward, Kayd Hendricks began a Q&A, under the handle APseudonym, about his part in the ARG. This interview was controversial in that he claimed that most of his interaction with Alex was ignored, leaving him to handle the story on his own.

July 17, 2011

• In response to users calling him out for ignoring Kayd, Alex posted a declaration that he had no intention for Kayd's story to happen and that he had essentially gamejacked, but was left to continue because he thought Kayd meant well. He also said that he had originally intended to keep Kayd's story canon, but the bitter aftermath of the interview changed his mind.
  • In the same thread, Kayd fired back at Alex by saying that, had he known he was gamejacking, he would never have continued, but after being called out due to the File 59 cipher and the swarms of players begging for information, he did what he thought was necessary. Subsequent contact from Alex showed that he enjoyed the videos, so Kayd felt as if he did everything correctly.

October 26, 2011

• Files archived by We All Are Link during YSHDT.net's lifespan were released to the public. Some of these files allegedly revealed never-before-seen interactions with Jadusable's YouTube channel, but no new information was gathered.
  • The files no longer exist due to the Within Hubris takedown. The contents of this thread are currently unknown.

Hubris Alpha and Methods of Revolution

March 27, 2012

• Users discovered that youshouldnthavedonethat.net has been placed for sale. After contact from worried players, Alex Hall stated that he had no plans to use or re-purchase the site, and to disregard anything that happens there.

March 29, 2012

Main article: Attack on Kong

• The Attack on Kong saga begins.

Mid-April, 2012

• Sometime between April 1 and April 23, the videos 2 and h b i s r ea l were entirely removed from Jadusable's channel. Around this time, the channel's avatar was changed to the original pre-BEN avatar.
  • The videos have since been re-uploaded here and here.

April 23, 2012

• Around 6:00pm, in response to the iconic 4/23 date, Alex Hall posted an update for the future of his projects; while he had no new information on the continuation of the ARG due to his time spent working on Methods of Revolution, he gave the players a gift: the Hubris Alpha, a very basic version of the first area of the planned game.
  • The game is a stripped version of the house seen in h b i s r ea l. It provides no new ARG information, but was a nice gesture nonetheless.

April 24, 2012

• In order to generate hype for the announcement of Alex Hall's newest project, "Methods of Revolution", a countdown to 12:00pm EST on April 26 appeared just under the banner on Within Hubris. In addition, the banner itself was changed; it now featured the text, "Revolution Begins 4/26/12" and a line of white silhouettes overlapping one another as they walk.

April 26, 2012

• At 12:00pm, Alex Hall uploaded the official Methods of Revolution announcement video. Soon afterward, the timer was removed from the forum and the banner returned to normal.
  • Sometime between the appearance and removal of the timer, two other banners were featured alongside the aforementioned one. Poorly-composed and taking inspiration from the Wikipedia "personal appeal" banners, they appeared as follows:
    • The first featured a photo of Alex Hall and the text, "Please read: A personal appeal from a creepypasta writer."
    • The second featured a crop of the Elegy statue and the text, "Please read: A personal appeal from Haunted Entity BEN."
  • Only the second of these banners remains, with the first still lost.

Final Days

June 2, 2012

• Alex Hall announced that Spanosa, a moderator, has been promoted to admin in order to help keep the forum orderly while Alex works on his film. He was given permission to make any necessary changes. Alex also clarified that any spoiling content that admins could see were now saved and had been removed from the site until he felt ready to continue the ARG.

August 9, 2012

• Prior to this date, a Q&A thread for the more prominent members of the forum was posted. One member was asked "who [they] would kill on the forums and why," as a joke. Playing along, the user posted a list of players with silly reasons for why they would kill them.
  • Many users took offense to this question, which prompted an argument. Subsequently, a report was filed to the police regarding "death threats" having been posted.
  • InvisionFree removed Within Hubris from its servers soon afterward. Panicked players began contacting Alex Hall hoping he could bring it back, but he announced that it was impossible, as well as that no back-ups were available. Within Hubris, and most of its content, was lost forever.

August 10, 2012

• Around 1:00am, a new version of Within Hubris was created by Kafeite, with help from other members. The new version, created using several archived threads, had no ties to the ARG canon, but housed several topics that were able to be recovered from the original site. This new site was given the nickname "Newbris" to differentiate it from the original, now nicknamed "Oldbris".
  • Alex Hall, despite having been invited, was never known to have registered an account on Newbris.
  • Over time, Newbris evolved from a recreation of the original to a general interest forum.

Finding Your Method

April 23, 2019

• Around 12:00pm, Alex Hall uploaded an introduction video to his new podcast series The Digital Fireside, a sort of prologue to Methods of Revolution. While otherwise unrelated, it contained the following tags:
  • The Digital Fireside, Digital Fireside, Methods of Revolution, Ben Drowned, Alex Hall, Why are you reading this, Technology, career, social, education, internet, social media, talking, philosophy, games

June 19, 2019

• At 7:05pm, Alex Hall created a Discord server for his Twitch channel, BroGaming. It also served as a place to discuss his other projects, including Ben Drowned and The Digital Fireside.

March 16, 2020

• Sometime late at night, the BroGaming Twitch channel streamed the creation of several cryptic messages. These events are not currently considered a part of the story, as this stream's contents would later be uploaded to YouTube as a completed video.

Timeline
Preceded by The Haunted Cartridge	Current Arc Moon Children	Followed by Awakening