Guild Wars 2

Guild Wars 2 Theorem Game

I will post five passages. Each will contain some form of pen and paper encryption and clues in the text as to what sort of cipher it is and the key to solving it. The cipher and keys may lead you to outside sources (wikipedia.com, the wiki for one of the games, some other source on the internet) to properly decrypt.

If you believe you have solved one of the theorems, message me your answer on the forums.

There is no cut-off date for Theorems. You can still submit answers to previous ones even if newer ones have been posted, up until I announce a winner on Dec. 25th.

For each theorem, the first correct answer will get their name in the drawing three times, the following two correct answers will get their names entered twice, and all correct answers after that will go in once. So the faster you solve it, the better your chance of winning.

As a bonus, community members that offer helpful advice or creative clues without giving away the answer will also get extra slips, so there is an incentive for public participation.

On Dec. 25th I will draw a name for the winner and message them a serial code for 1,200 gems.

Theorems

Theorem 1: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/GW2-Theorem-Game/first#post954557

Theorem 2: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/GW2-Theorem-Game/first#post968222.

Theorem 3: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/GW2-Theorem-Game/first#post990467

Theorem 4: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/GW2-Theorem-Game/first#post1037562

Theorem 5: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/GW2-Theorem-Game/first#post1061463

I like theorems. And if you’re one of the few people who watched Stargate Universe, doing theorems for a MMO can get you a job with our nation’s top secret intergalactic exploration agency.

Theorem 1

Dear Master Chronicler,

I have been commissioned to author a children’s book based on Gwen to be written in New Krytan. Mentor Keane was kind enough to allow me to study the volume of her biography that the Priory lent him; however it is written entirely in Old Ascalonian and some of the pages have become worn with age.

Chapter three begins when the Charr Seize her. But the final passage of this chapter seems to translate to gibberish. It reads “Gxnh Jdedq pdb Gzdbqd suhvhuyh brx, was etched into the bottom of her cage”.

I am sure you can understand how pivotal this part of the story could be, since here were her first steps into greatness. The dates in this chapter have, sadly, also become illegible. Such as her age when she escaped, which would be a key part of my tale.

Any clarification on these missing or mistranslated details would be much appreciated, and I will certainly note the Priory’s assistance in my acknowledgements.

Humbly,
Cimon the Scribe

Solution: 6 words.
Good luck.

24g is just not tempting enough.

Helpful hint:
“Numbers are significant, so get counting.”

More answers than I expected for the first one. The next will definitely need to be a little trickier.

A hint for anyone that might be a bit stuck: “When the Charr Seize her”… Seize her said out can sound like something else that will help decode the message.

Tsk. Not enough length for frequency analysis.

Also, you’re horribly misusing the word theorem.

No, you’re completely, wildly off on the meaning of theorem.

That said, I really hope this isn’t the cipher I’m thinking of.

Theorem 2

“Remind me again why he hasn’t been expelled…” asked Agent Rosicrucian, as the duo entered one of Lion’s Arch’s small makeshift apartments. “One does not simply get ‘expelled’ from the Order. It get’s…messy. Besides, Mason has some special talents, one of which we need for this particular assignment.” Replied Agent Wick, the older and more experienced of the pair.

“Funny, I just thought he was an insane conspiracy theorist. And speaking of messy…”

The apartment had been ransacked. Books and parchment strewn over every square inch, furniture overturned and the only window covered with an Order of Whispers tapestry depicting Turai Ossa brandishing the Order’s banner during the battle at Grand Cataract. The tapestry was embroidered with the phrase “In absence of all others, our Colors endure.”

“It looks like it’s all research on Wintersday. Was he kidnapped? Robbed?” Said Ros, thumbing through a journal full of incoherent notes and doodles. “Maybe there’s a clue as to what they were looking for in this Pig Pen somewhere.”

“No.” Wick Answered as he pulled aside the tapestry to reveal a pattern of symbols inked on to the window. “He’s taken off on his own again. This is going to be a disaster.”

Good Luck

Theorem 2 Hint:
Those aren’t proper nouns!

Hope that helps. Keep the answers coming.

Theorem 2 Hint:
Well, i’m quite empty headed about hints, because there are plenty of hints if you read carefully, and what is not in the text is in the colors

Theorem 3

Dear J,
This is it! We have finally hit the motherload. I ran across a street rat today that managed to filch the inside odds of this weeks Polymock from a Bookie. Just to warn you, I did use the money we were saving for the the Ministry’s vigorish, but we can pay them off with interest after the big games. So lay low for a few days.

10:7:15
9:9:2
13:10:4
11:4:4
190:4:1
4:9:25
189:10:9

-R

Robert, King of the Imbeciles,
Those aren’t odds you dimwit! When has Polymock ever had 189 matches in a night?! That’s it, you can deal with Caudecus’s goons yourself. I am out of Queensdale tonight and it would take Destiny’s Edge to find me.

-J

Good luck!

If only there was a book which had the answer to this one …

Theorem 4

“When all that is was of the golden sun, I walked free on the hot ashes of creation. I watched the birth of your race, the greed and destruction you created with Abaddon’s gift. I watched your people hunt, entrap, and execute my kin for their magic, and I had slain many of you for it.

The good and evil among-st us retreated to sanctuaries your corruption could not reach. To guard the still pure and undiscovered. To wait for you to destroy yourselves.

Then the dragons awoke again and while my kin have not been swayed, I understand the beasts will annihilate everything.

So my ward has delivered me here. A voluntary prison encasing my home lands magic preserves me, that I may aid the brave, or curse the unworthy, in such ways as I can.

Pay this new found alliance tribute and receive my gifts to aid you.

I may not always playfair, but since your lot first stepped from the palms of your god’s hands…neither have you.

In the primordial tongue of wind and fire hr jr ej vb kc"

Theorem 4 clues:
I’m a big fan of wordplay, but I don’t just make things up. What looks like a simple mistake might have been intentional.

Once you have nailed down the what, perhaps you should consider the who.

Hint:
You know what? Normally there’s less QQ but this was a peculiar kind of what

Theorem 5

“A true villain! That’s what we have here, running rampant throughout Divinity’s Reach. First one of our instructor’s fine clothing store, now vandalizing the children’s class room. And just earlier this week all of Madam Victoria’s windows and mirrors were smashed while she was at court. The Mesmers of this city will not sit idly by and be harassed while the Seraph zigzag about, polishing their helmets! And i’ll tell you what else…”

While the instructor went on with her tirade and finger wagging, the Seraph dispatched to the Mesmer academy surveyed the ransacked class room.

“Someone has really gone off their rails attacking this lot. If they ever get caught in the act we’ll be lucky if they aren’t driven stark mad by the time we get there.” One muttered.

“Your not kidding. Queen Jenna and Anise are taking this personally. Our backs are against the fence here. If we don’t find this guy, they will let these kids use us for practice.” another added.

“Enough about your fences and rails. Logan wants our report before the end of day. All we have so far is the same gibberish calling card that was left at the other scenes and it appears this freak strikes every four days.” Their senior scolded as he picked up a slip of paper with the silhouette of a tiny lute and the letters tstahntsrsgeirlieanmeki carefully and decoratively inked across it.

Good luck!

Theorem 5 hint: You may find two variations of this cipher. You’ll find the answer in the one that isn’t a straight path.

Since its the weekend right before the holidays and Theorem 4 took people a few days and posted hints to figure out, I decided to make the last one a softball so everyone can get their answer in.

I hope everyone enjoyed the game. These things take a bit of effort to put together, believe it or not. The winner will be drawn on the 25th.
Thanks for playing!

The Winner has been chosen

Congratulations Toobz. You win 1,200 gems. The code will be PMd to you.
Honorable mention to Mr.Nobody who had the most names in the hat with 13 slips.

Happy Holidays

Here were the Theorem solutions and clues:

1: Duke Gaban may Dwayna preserve you
Seize her phonetically sounds like Caesar, which is the type of cipher used. The writer mentions her age being “the key” to his story. She was 17. The solution was found with a Caesar cipher with a key of 17._

2: Beware Tixx
In the phrase “in this Pig Pen somewhere” is mis-capitalized to give a hint that the type of cipher is a pig-pen. The names Rosicrucian and Mason are also names of secret societies known to have used pig-pen ciphers. The name Wick is meant to point readers towards wikipedia for the cipher key. The phrase “in absence of all others, our Colors endure” again has colors mis-capitalized as a clue. The message is revealed by removing all but the order of whispers colors from each square in the image, and then decrypting with the key from wikipedia.

3: Fools and their gold are soon parted
The names used J, Robert and the mention of King in a title make up the name of the author of the GW2 book Edge of Destiny. The word bookie is used and refers to the type of cipher. Destiny’s Edge is also mentioned as another clue. The message is found by taking each set of numbers and finding the word in the book that corresponds with the page, paragraph and position. For those that didn’t have the book, all words could be found in the amazon.com “look inside” preview.

4: I miss Elona
Virtually the entire passage uses segments of the gw wiki entries for Djinn and Zomorros. The ward that delivered him refers to Milani, the phrase “aid the brave or curse the unworthy” speaks to the randomness of mystic forging. The phrase “Pay this new found alliance tribute and receive my gifts to aid you” again hints at the mystic forge. The phrase “I may not always playfair” has a mistake with the space missing between play and fair. This is a hint at the type of cipher which is the play-fair. The message is solved by using a play-fair cipher with Zommoros as the key.

5: The Minstrel strikes again
The first clue is the off use of zigzag, which is another name for the type of cipher used. The words rails and fence are also used several times to show importance. It’s mentioned that the criminal strikes every fours days. The type of cipher used is the zigzag variation of the rail-fence cipher and the message is decrypted by using a key of 4.

The minstrel was a joke profession that was on the GW2 website, hiding the real reveal of the mesmer.