THE VESPER ARCHIVE
RESEARCH DOSSIER

Codex Obscura

Your predecessor vanished beyond a door beneath the Vesper Archive. They left a manuscript of glyphs and two recurring annotations: valid and invalid. You have been asked to discover what those verdicts mean, and find a way inside.

THE VESPER ARCHIVE
RESEARCH DOSSIER

Codex Obscura

Your predecessor opened a door that had been sealed for centuries. They never returned. Their notes are the only way to follow them.

A Study of Forbidden Patterns

I / THE ASSIGNMENT

Archive Brief

Beneath the Vesper Archive stands a door with no handle. Its surface bears eight panels of geometric glyphs. The last researcher assigned to it found a way through. The door closed behind them, and no one has heard from them since.

On the desk outside, they left Codex Obscura: a record of the lock’s earlier patterns, marked valid or invalid. The explanations are missing. Eight unfamiliar patterns now occupy the panels. To reopen the door, you must activate those that obey its rules and leave the others dormant.

The archive has issued you three seals. Each opens a packet of 24 additional records for a folio of your choice. Spend them where the evidence is least clear; a broken seal cannot be used again.

Reconstruct the six rules from your predecessor’s notes. Read every panel correctly, open the door, and discover what happened on the other side.

Press Begin Investigation to begin.

II / FIELD NOTES

Before You Begin

Your predecessor recorded which patterns the lock accepted. Discover six hidden rules from those records, then use them to reopen the door.

A specimen is one complete 5 × 5 grid, like those on the door’s panels. Its shapes are called glyphs; a small dot marks an empty cell. Study their counts, positions and colours. You do not need to fill in or move anything.

VALID Follows all the hidden rules.

INVALID Breaks at least one rule.

  1. Study the first folio

    A folio is a page of evidence. Begin with Folio I and its 24 labelled specimens. Compare several grids and look for a pattern that explains both Valid and Invalid verdicts.

  2. Build your theory

    Read Folios I–VI in order. Each introduces one more rule; earlier rules still apply. Check your theory against both verdicts, and revise it when an example does not fit. Keep your observations in Research Notes.

  3. Uncover more evidence

    Three Archive Seals are shared across the investigation. Each unlocks 24 more specimens in your chosen folio. You may spend several there, but each seal works only once.

  4. Open the sealed door

    Read its eight panels. Choose Valid to activate a panel, or Invalid to leave it dormant. Try the Door when all eight are set. Only a completely correct reading opens the room where your predecessor disappeared.

Return to these notes through How to Investigate. You can revisit the folios and revise your readings before trying the door; your findings and seals are kept as you move between pages.

V / THE THRESHOLD

The Sealed Door

0 of 8 answered

LOCK 011/8
Row 1, column 1: ink circleEmpty cellEmpty cellEmpty cellEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 2, column 2: ink circleRow 2, column 3: red circleEmpty cellEmpty cellEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 3, column 3: ink circleEmpty cellEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 4, column 2: ink triangleEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 4, column 5: blue circleEmpty cellEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 5, column 4: blue circleRow 5, column 5: ink circle

Should this panel be activated?

Your reading

Set all 8 panels before trying the door. Return to any panel to reconsider your choice.

Activate patterns that follow all six rules. Leave any pattern that breaks a rule dormant. Every panel must be set correctly for the door to open. before committing your readings.

IV / YOUR OBSERVATIONS

Research Notes

Keep a record of what you notice. Return to the folios whenever you need to test an idea.

Notes save automatically in this browser.

The Sealed Door

LOCKS 01–04

Should each panel be activated? Mark Valid to activate it, or Invalid to leave it dormant.

LOCK 011/8
Row 1, column 1: ink circleEmpty cellEmpty cellEmpty cellEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 2, column 2: ink circleRow 2, column 3: red circleEmpty cellEmpty cellEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 3, column 3: ink circleEmpty cellEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 4, column 2: ink triangleEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 4, column 5: blue circleEmpty cellEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 5, column 4: blue circleRow 5, column 5: ink circle

Your readingValidInvalid

LOCK 022/8
Row 1, column 1: red squareEmpty cellRow 1, column 3: red circleEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 2, column 1: blue squareEmpty cellRow 2, column 3: red triangleEmpty cellRow 2, column 5: blue circleRow 3, column 1: blue squareRow 3, column 2: red squareRow 3, column 3: yellow triangleRow 3, column 4: ink circleEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 4, column 2: ink squareRow 4, column 3: blue squareRow 4, column 4: ink circleEmpty cellRow 5, column 1: ink circleRow 5, column 2: red circleRow 5, column 3: blue triangleEmpty cellRow 5, column 5: red circle

Your readingValidInvalid

LOCK 033/8
Row 1, column 1: ink circleRow 1, column 2: yellow circleEmpty cellRow 1, column 4: yellow triangleEmpty cellRow 2, column 1: yellow circleEmpty cellRow 2, column 3: yellow circleRow 2, column 4: ink triangleRow 2, column 5: blue circleEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 3, column 3: red squareRow 3, column 4: red squareRow 3, column 5: red squareEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 4, column 3: yellow squareRow 4, column 4: ink squareRow 4, column 5: yellow squareEmpty cellRow 5, column 2: yellow circleRow 5, column 3: blue circleRow 5, column 4: yellow squareEmpty cell

Your readingValidInvalid

LOCK 044/8
Empty cellRow 1, column 2: red triangleEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 1, column 5: ink circleRow 2, column 1: yellow circleEmpty cellRow 2, column 3: blue circleEmpty cellRow 2, column 5: ink circleEmpty cellRow 3, column 2: ink triangleEmpty cellEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 4, column 1: ink circleRow 4, column 2: ink triangleEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 4, column 5: yellow circleRow 5, column 1: ink squareRow 5, column 2: red squareRow 5, column 3: ink squareRow 5, column 4: ink squareRow 5, column 5: red circle

Your readingValidInvalid

The Sealed Door

LOCKS 05–08

Should each panel be activated? Mark Valid to activate it, or Invalid to leave it dormant.

LOCK 055/8
Row 1, column 1: ink triangleRow 1, column 2: yellow triangleRow 1, column 3: red triangleEmpty cellRow 1, column 5: yellow squareEmpty cellRow 2, column 2: yellow circleRow 2, column 3: ink squareRow 2, column 4: ink squareRow 2, column 5: ink squareRow 3, column 1: red circleRow 3, column 2: blue circleEmpty cellRow 3, column 4: ink squareRow 3, column 5: ink squareEmpty cellRow 4, column 2: ink circleRow 4, column 3: blue circleRow 4, column 4: yellow squareEmpty cellRow 5, column 1: yellow circleEmpty cellRow 5, column 3: red circleRow 5, column 4: yellow squareEmpty cell

Your readingValidInvalid

LOCK 066/8
Empty cellRow 1, column 2: yellow triangleRow 1, column 3: yellow squareEmpty cellRow 1, column 5: ink squareEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 2, column 3: red squareEmpty cellRow 2, column 5: red squareEmpty cellRow 3, column 2: blue circleEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 3, column 5: red circleEmpty cellRow 4, column 2: ink circleEmpty cellRow 4, column 4: ink circleEmpty cellEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 5, column 3: yellow circleRow 5, column 4: yellow circleRow 5, column 5: ink circle

Your readingValidInvalid

LOCK 077/8
Empty cellEmpty cellRow 1, column 3: red circleEmpty cellEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 2, column 2: yellow squareRow 2, column 3: red squareEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 3, column 1: yellow circleEmpty cellEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 3, column 5: yellow circleRow 4, column 1: ink circleEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 4, column 4: yellow triangleRow 4, column 5: ink circleRow 5, column 1: blue circleRow 5, column 2: red circleEmpty cellEmpty cellEmpty cell

Your readingValidInvalid

LOCK 088/8
Row 1, column 1: yellow circleRow 1, column 2: yellow circleRow 1, column 3: red circleEmpty cellRow 1, column 5: yellow circleEmpty cellEmpty cellEmpty cellEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 3, column 1: yellow squareRow 3, column 2: red squareRow 3, column 3: ink circleEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 4, column 1: red circleRow 4, column 2: ink squareRow 4, column 3: blue squareRow 4, column 4: ink squareRow 4, column 5: yellow circleEmpty cellEmpty cellRow 5, column 3: blue squareRow 5, column 4: yellow squareRow 5, column 5: ink square

Your readingValidInvalid