Buttonbasher
Member
In order to understand all that has gone on so far in this Halo 3 ARG the best resource is the Perceiving the Dimensions of Iris videos created by Args.Bungie.org's users DHalo and Ibeechu. They are the fastest way to get caught up. Following the videos is what has happened since the most recent video has wrapped up. As the videos address it, the info will be changed to a link to the appropriate video.
Episode One- The Age of Adjutant Reflex
Episode Two- Society of the Ancients and Forerunner Server One
Server One prizes (bottom of section)
Episode Three- Flood Containment Control and Forerunner Server Two
Server Two Prizes (bottom of section)
Forerunner Server 3- AKA Go play blindfolded in Traffic
Unlike Forerunner Servers one and two, there was no hints to when Server 3 would open. It just did. Some people believe it was an accident. Regardless, this is what Server 3 contained:
First and foremost, the key holders received this transmission in the Bounce Path Control page:
Transmission_72507.mp3
Server 3 log video (Frame by frame by theBruce)
content_overwrite.txt:
801snpow.jpg:
when inverted it looks like this:
Log3Transcript.txt (complete)
StarImage3.jpg
Forerunner Server 04- AKA This ain't your moms book club
There was much more leading up to this Server.
It all started on August 3rd when the Halo insider was updated with a post called "When we Two Parted"
It was a modified version of a poem by the same name written by Lord Byron. Bold text signifies what is new:
The strange spacing holds a secret. When you take the letter after each strange spacing and put them in order it spells: THECASTAWAYTHEORYVOLMAN
When following the new stanzas reference to Amazon, if you typed THECASTAWAYTHEORYVOLMAN in to the search bar on Amazon.com it led here:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RGSYWI/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Note that the book cover is the inverted image of 801snpow.jpg. The book is published by Golden Wing books, an obvious nod to Iris. As is the ISBN number: 2-061-62236-5 (aka 206.16.223.65).
It seemed the only comments were from someone named Thomas Sanatos, who appeared to be a friend of the Author Jonas Volman.
His comments can be seen here: http://halo.wikibruce.com/The_Castaway_Theory
It is revealed that Jonas has disappeared. Jonas was a childhood friend of Society of the Ancients founder David George.
Thomas stayed around answering some peoples questions until the final day (Aug 9, 2007) where he revealed that Jonas had contacted him over MSN Messenger under the name ProfVol49. When you enter ProfVol49@hotmail.com into MSN Messenger it adds Jonas Volman as a friend. It's a bot, but it says some pretty interesting stuff. Here's some cool things I got from my conversation:
The link takes you to what is now the Server 4 page, but was the Bounce Path Control page. After 100 people entered the keys, the server unlocked. It gave some people a Runtime Error which I imagine would make people angry...I can imagine that very clearly...
Server 4 contained:
mb_4_v6.mp3 (the new transmission as found on the Bounce Path page).
Log_4 video (Frame by Frame by theBruce)
Sample1000101.txt
Log4_Transcript.txt
Before:
After:
StarImage4.jpg
unknown.jpg
Forerunner Server 5- AKA Run the Streets, and Trample for Bounce Path
During the unlocking phase of Server 4, people were manipulating the URL of 206.16.223.65 and stumbled upon 206.16.223.76 prematurely.
After Server 4 opened we found out how it was supposed to go down. StarImage4.jpg clearly says The Artifact Location, which now when you enter TheArtifactLocation.com it takes you to the 206.16.223.76 page. The page itself asks for a password to gain entry. This is when unknown.jpg comes into play. If you search pictures of Nebulas, you find this one is called the Boomerang Nebula. When you enter "boomerang" in the password field it opens the site.
The site had a list of 3 cities: New York, Seattle, Los Angeles - followed by randomly cycling characters in sets of 10.
On August 13th the page was updated to have 081607 (August 16, 2007) between the city name and the random characters.
On the 16th the site was updated to display times. 9 PM for in Seattle and LA, and 23:59 for New York. Following this, the status was updated on Halo3.com to 0 keys, and 0/100 on the desktop app.
Nothing happened until the times indicated on the Artifact Location site. When the clock struck 12 AM est, the site changed to this:
Co-ordinates (which changed multiple times). When searched, they revealed locations in each of the 3 cities. Around this time the counter changed to 1/100 keys. Then up to 5. Then it broke loose.
Unforum user Eccramer went to the Seattle coordinates and saw what is now Server 5 playing on a projector, which had a URL leading to the Server 5 Bounce Path page.
Then he called Unforum user Giga, who secured them both key's and then posted the finding on IRC server #halo.
This spread quickly to the IRC channel I was at, and when the link was posted, people jumped on it. I was number 88/100 keys. But with 1 refresh, they were all gone.
And with that Server 05 was unlocked.
Server 5 Link
Server 5 contained:
MB 5.mp3
Transcript:
As a broken marionette,
the future is out of my hands.
Infinite answers to our present and shifted,
and you redeemer now hold the keys.
Tomorrow things may be clear,
that I will not be here to witness the clarity.
More records remain,
wells not drawn upon,
depths you are not yet ready to grasp,
but the luxury of readiness
is almost at an end.
We shall soon see,
what we shall soon see.
Walk among the foot falls of empty dust,
living where your kinds bones makes soil,
the next movement is set to begin.
As before, the battle is one sided,
as before, a failure in action may lead to the death of all.
But new to this life is the belief that we can overcome.
Cycle _response.jpg
Terminal.jpg
MB05032.txt:
Log_5_Transmission.txt
Log 5 Video (Note the ark in 042 (frames 689-691))
And with the opening of Server 5 Iris as we know it ended.
Adjutant Reflex went on to star in some Broadway shows before quietly retiring to a time share in Mombasa.
Shoteh moved on to post in some truly awesome threads, knowing that he had given the Halo community an epic meme.
Buttonbasher decided that with his Spartan helmet in hand he would travel back in time to June 10, 2007 and leave a message for the Halo community. That message read:
This is how it all begins...
Most images and links from Halo.Wikibruce.com one of the best Iris Resources
