In which one embarks on the road of the archangel.

Solved: 2018-07-01

Details

There were two paths to the solution, using the two different emails, leading to essentially the same destination, though Feather is often considered the easier path. The two paths are presented below.

Each email consists of an (A) section, which details what the answer isn’t (Itch.io and Humble Store), and a (B) section (Steam and GOG.com), which details what it is. One must then bring their heart for the weighing in the next phase (unmarked).

Feather

The current Feather email is as follows:

[PHASE VI] 

This arrived where it needed to be! Perhaps it was in time. There was insufficient time for the Terrible Ones, or for the Carapace Cross. Each fire has its fuel, and perhaps we are all of us fuel in the end.

[Please continue only if you are prepared 

– to experience frustration

– to be courteous to everyone you might meet along the way

– for this circumstance: space in later phases may be constrained.]

TO PHASE VII:

I am Ornithelmous!

(A)

Without a hitch, without even its commencement

So high, so far above the earth

(B)

My name is known before the gatekeeper of the glass isle, candle-scathed, and beneath the invisibility of water

Bring now your heart for the weighing.

The clues can be broken down as follows:

• Without a hitch, without even its commencement: The first letter of “hitch” is “h”. A hitch without its commencement is therefore an “itch”. Therefore, “without a hitch” means it’s not an itch, which points to Itch.io.
• So high, so far above the earth: Unclear. May refer to the Moon, above Earth, which may tie into Io, a moon of Jupiter, and thus itch+Io = Itch.io. Could also be a way of describing someone who is not humble, who considers themselves above everyone else, which would make it a hint to the Humble Store.
• the gatekeeper of the glass isle, candle-scathed: The glass isle refers to Glastonbury Tor, a hill whose Celtic name translates to “Isle of Glass”. Its candle-scathed gatekeeper is a tree known as “Gog”, scarred by a candle’s fire in 2017, thus pointing to GOG.com.
• the invisibility of water: Water, when in its gaseous phase, is referred to by scientists as steam (or water vapour), which manifests as a colourless gas. Invisible water can therefore refer to steam, which points to Steam.

Scale

The current Scale email is as follows:

[PHASE VI] 

This arrived where it needed to be! Perhaps it was in time. There was insufficient time for the Terrible Ones, or for the Carapace Cross. Each fire has its fuel, and perhaps we are all of us fuel in the end.

[Please continue only if you are prepared 

– to experience frustration

– to be courteous to everyone you might meet along the way

– for this circumstance: space in later phases may be constrained.]

TO PHASE VII:

I am Helminthraxed!

(A)

Prideful as the Sun

Smooth and innocent of prickling hair

(B)

My name is known where the red dragon runs rudely north upon the Sapphire Tongue, and upon the road of the Archangel

Bring now your heart for the weighing.

The flag of Wales, a.k.a. the red dragon.

• Prideful as the Sun: One who is prideful as the Sun is not humble, thus this points to the Humble Store.
• Smooth and innocent of prickling hair: One who has no prickling hair is not itchy, thus this points to Itch.io.
• where the red dragon runs rudely north upon the Sapphire Tongue: The red dragon refers to the flag of Wales, which prominently features a red dragon. It is unclear what the Sapphire Tongue refers to; it could possibly be a river, such as the river Dyfi, or it could refer to the expression “blue mouth”, which ties it into slang. Either way, an inhabitant of North Wales is known as a “Gog”, thus this points to GOG.com.
• upon the road of the Archangel: Unclear. May refer to clouds, and thus water vapour/steam (in the layman sense of the words), or, on a more jocular note, to the Archangel Gabriel, and thus Gabe Newell, creator of Valve. Both would point towards Steam.

History

• 2018-06-21: Phase VI is discovered by the Discord. The message initially only contains the first part and the following section: “[Your assertion has been registered. An interlude will follow. Please minimise discussion of how yuo [sic] reached Phase VI.]”
• 2018-07-01: New emails go out to both Scale and Feather, with more or less the same text as is currently sent out. A few hours later, the Discord solves the phase.