[Wayback @ Perplex City Stories] Perplex City Story So Far

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	Podcast 10 - Equilibrium The end is here Three Years ONCE UPON A TIME... Iona Interviews... Violet Kiteway Q&A Academy Plans to Bring Receda Cube Home HOMEWARD BOUND Pair to Receive Award for Foiling Third Power SHINY SHINY Reversioned I'M BOTH SORRY Violet Kiteway: "I Was Wrong" PRISONER Of CONSCIENCE The Sum of Good Intentions a changed man Violet Kiteway: "I Stole the Cube" hands up Council Speaks on Cube, Third Power happily ever after?

Episodes
	E1: The Theft E2: The Hunt Begins E3: The Journalist E4: The Advisor E5: The Third Power E6: The Vanishing E7: The Mother E8: The Murder E9: The Librarian E10: The Chase E11: The Conclave E12: The Lighthouse E13: The Thunderclap Episode Summaries » View all Categories »

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The Receda Cube

Stolen from the Academy

The Receda Cube is a powerful and enigmatic object. Worshipped and feared in equal measure, it has been at the heart of Perplex City's culture for centuries - even if nobody quite understands where it came from or what it can do.

And now, the Cube is lost - buried somewhere on Earth. Who will find it first? Will they be lured by the reward, or by the Cube's formidable power?

Three Years

19 Feb 07

Kurt's magnum opus, a 4,000-word blog post covering: how he was persuaded to 'save' the Cube; what happened on The Night; an encounter with Caine; doctoring the puzzle cards; getting friends killed; and whether it was all worth it.

Iona Interviews... Violet Kiteway

19 Feb 07

In the third and final installment of the Violet interviews, Vi faces some tough questions - from the Cube Hunters on Earth.

And in case you were wondering... no, you'll never see her naked.

Academy Plans to Bring Receda Cube Home

19 Feb 07

Sente is to open a small temporary portal between Earth and Perplex City, to take the Cube back to its rightful home.

Pair to Receive Award for Foiling Third Power

19 Feb 07

Violet and Kurt are granted the prestigious 'Silver Solve' for their work on saving the Cube. That's all right then.

Reversioned

13 Feb 07

Violet struggles to cope with her identity crisis. After three years of lying - of having a public face and a rather pained, private one - she can finally relax and be herself. Whoever that is.

Violet Kiteway: "I Was Wrong"

13 Feb 07

In Part II of her interview, Violet tries to explain what happened on the night she took the Cube, how Kurt was involved, and why the two of them planned to use the puzzle cards as a way of getting the Cube back safely.

She also admits to having made some serious and fatal errors of judgement. No kidding.

The Sum of Good Intentions

9 Feb 07

Kurt goes retrospective, looking back over the past couple of years and realising what's changed. His friends, himself, even the city. But they will all carry on, absorbing the changes, because that is what civilisations do.

Violet Kiteway: "I Stole the Cube"

9 Feb 07

In a Sentinel exclusive, Violet finally reveals that it was she who stole the Cube. With a little help from Kurt. It all started with a poker game at the Five of Cups, when the landlord (Bernardo Holyoke) mistook her for another member of the crew hired to steal the Cube for the Third Power.

This is just part one of a three-part interview. More will be revealed...

Council Speaks on Cube, Third Power

9 Feb 07

The Council delivers a report on the Third Power ('soundly dismantled'), Helena Frye ('immense contributions') and Violet & Kurt ('took the Cube'). Looks like our blogging friends are going to be cleared of any charges, though.

Receda Cube Found on Earth

8 Feb 07

GOT IT! Intrepid amateur archeologist Andy Darley (aka 'Astro Random') comes over all Indiana Jones and finds the long-lost Cube. Perplex City is overjoyed and Mind Candy is delighted, while Darley keeps his cool and offers some sage advice: "Take more care of it next time."

Rolling the Hard Six

29 Jan 07

After a huge amount of preparation, one of Helena's agents gets caught by security guards while trying to plant sensors in Ascendancy Point. It looks like the Third Power are none the wiser, but it does mean that the team is forced to try Plan B. Which means Kurt.

He strongly advises any Cube Hunters to read up on the plan for tomorrow night's assault by checking out the full police briefing.

Peripatetic

25 Jan 07

A restless Violet tries to make herself useful. She's desperate to get in on the rescue attempt, but how can she convince Helena to take her along to Ascendancy Point?

I want to break free

24 Jan 07

Caine, over-worked and burning the candle at both ends, is starting to worry about Scarlett too. His laid-back veneer is beginning to crack... but at least the gig went well.

The Tallest Tower

23 Jan 07

Result! The clever Cube Hunters work out where the Third Power's signals have been coming from - and it's something of a surprise. Kurt and Helena plan to narrow down the target area while her team works out how best to assault the location and rescue Scarlett. The assault is planned for Tuesday Jan 30th.

Relay Race

22 Jan 07

Helena agrees to help, and fills Kurt in on what she knows about the Third Power's communications. It centres around a defunct network called Relaynet, which is laid alongside the city's underground rail lines. Kurt is sure the Cube Hunters on Earth can help to track down where the Third Power's messages are being sent from. Helena offers him (and us) access to her case notes.

A Break

20 Jan 07

Kurt calls Helena Frye and asks for help in saving Scarlett. Helena is a little sceptical about the whole Earth-object-in-Sente's-house story, but she agrees to look into it. She even offers Kurt a job.

Making the Call

19 Jan 07

Violet calls back, and plays Kurt a message left by Scarlett. Violet, for one, doesn't buy it. Kurt is suspicious too and suggests enlisting Helena Frye's help in tracking Scarlett down. He's back in the game.

Taken

19 Jan 07

The all-new slacker Kurt is disturbed by another call from Violet. Scarlett has vanished. And the Third Power have been sending messages about a 'genuine, non-repro Earth artefact' and securing a 'package'. Could this all be related?

Saddle Up

18 Jan 07

Vi is furious that somebody has turned over her dad's (and therefore her old) home. Fortunately, Scarlett was safely out of the way at Caine's place. It's all another annoying distraction from the important business of looking for the Cube.

Freak scene

18 Jan 07

Caine struggles to hold things down at the CRT while those around him (Violet and Scarlett) flip out over the break-in at their parental home.

When everything's right...

17 Jan 07

Kurt reports on the Academy Ball - he did go after all - and tries to work out how he ended up in Drowsington wearing a novelty hat.

Novocaine for the soul

16 Jan 07

Caine drags everyone along to the Ball - only for them to witness Sente's arrest. Kurt goes on a bender, Violet screams at the police, and Caine takes Scarlett back home and looks after her... and has a romantic near-miss.

Kiteway Arrested at PCAG Victor's Ball

16 Jan 07

Sente suffers some serious public embarrassment as the police haul him away for helping Ryan Cahill cheat in a PCAG tournament. Violet is furious, Scarlett is guilt-ridden - but is Sente guilty?

Enjoy the silence?

15 Jan 07

Caine returns to the fray. He gives a full round-up of the past couple of months' events, including the state of his relationship with Violet, Scarlett's mental health, the Third Power's hunt for the Cube, politics at the Academy, the PCAG final, and The Ooze's rising profile.

Resumption of service

15 Jan 07

She's back.

Violet gives us an update on what's been going on during the lockdown: Scarlett's been a mess; Caine has been a rock (and about as active); Sente still has his job (just); the CRT are decimated; and Violet herself is exhausted by it all.

The Beginning of the End

15 Jan 07

Kurt returns! But he's hardly returning in triumph - it looks like he's about to get fired for the apparent flimsiness of the data link's firewall and the infiltration of the Library of Babel site.

With all that, he doesn't feel much like going to the Academy Ball tonight.

Earlywine Reversal: Earth Data Link Opened by City Council

15 Jan 07

Oops. Nathan Earlywine decides he might not have been right to close the data link after all - especially as it looks like the Third Power has been circumventing the firewall all along.

Earth Link Infiltrated, Academy Says

5 Jan 07

Henrik Tanner and the CRT's very own Garnet Reed reveal that secret communications have continued between Earth and Perplex City, despite the recent lockdown. The sources of these messages are not known, and the content has not been made public - except for one enigmatic message reading, "Phase 3 complete. Happy birthday."

Could this development offer a glimmer of hope to those Cube Hunters on Earth hoping for the comms link to be fully re-opened again? The Council will decide.

Flying

3 Jan 07

More animated action from the secretive Combed Thunderclap. This chapter talks about the wonders of commercial flight - but there are all sorts of strange symbols and emphases around the text. The transcript here doesn't quite give you the full story.

Brotherhood Reports Record Participation Going into Restitution

15 Dec 06

Faith in the Cube reaches an unexpected peak as the festive season (pick any religion) approaches.

Pathways

7 Dec 06

A brief entry in the Library of Babel this time, with only a few words... but will this entry prove to be the key to the Cube?

Ticks

22 Nov 06

More clues and tales from Combed Thunderclap. A hotel room and a dream leave a trail of numbers... what does it all mean?

Brotherhood Maintains Plan for Restitution

3 Nov 06

Cube-based religion the Brotherhood of the Six say it's business as usual - despite the recent revelations that the Cube is a man-made device, perhaps used as a weapon. Now that's faith.

Earth Answers Often Stunningly Wrong

3 Nov 06

The Sentinel's patience is running out. Looks like the new Council regime has a less tolerant approach to the Cube Hunters' puzzle-solving efforts.

Letters

30 Oct 06

'Combed Thunderclap' speaks again, this time with a more literary message... will the code here help to reveal the secret location of the Cube?

There's a transcript below, but for the full effect of the animation, see the site for yourself.

Receda's Revenge 2: The Revenge

25 Oct 06

Following a hint from Combed Thunderclap's latest Library of Babel entry, the Cube Hunters take part in a live text adventure - the sequel to Receda's Revenge.

But this time, there's more than just text. The players are given an online sketch pad to solve visual puzzles and fight evil sock puppets, and there are extra audio features to keep them entertained ("Squeeeee!"). There are some good gags too.

At the end of it all, they are given a hint to the Cube's location: it is hidden in an 'arboreal' area. Read the logs and see screenshots here.

Many Cube Hunters died for this information. Use it well.

The end

20 Oct 06

Violet despairs over the lockdown, Scarlett's unhappiness, and her whole family's implosion. A black day indeed.

Severed

20 Oct 06

Kurt is in charge of locking down the data link, in accordance with Earlywine's orders. That means no more blog posts, no more uncensored communication... is this goodbye? Or just au revoir?

A song for the deaf

20 Oct 06

Grrr. Caine reacts angrily to news of the lockdown.

Earth Link Locked Down by Executive Order

20 Oct 06

New Council Leader Nathan Earlywine limits the data link between Earth and Perplex City, insisting on a screening system to block 'potentially dangerous or subversive' material. Even the Sentinel may be censored. The order is put into effect today.

Earlywine Wins Leader Post, Scott Retains Seat on Council

19 Oct 06

Anti-Earth politician Nathan Earlywine takes control of the Council. Big changes are sure to follow.

Economy Shaken by Sentinel Revelations

18 Oct 06

The scandal and subsequent political upheaval have caused panic buying and a drop in investment.

Statement from the Academy

18 Oct 06

Sente is forced to defend himself in light of the Viendenbourg revelations. He did what he thought was best...

Scott Fails Vote of Confidence, Election Moved Up

17 Oct 06

The Viendenbourg scandal looks like it will put a premature end to Scott's leadership of the Council. A new leadership election will now take place on Wednesday 18 October.

Academy, Scott Implicated in Human Trials of Wartime Tech

16 Oct 06

Violet and Scarlett spill the beans to the Sentinel, handing over all the material they found at Lancewood and Viendenbourg, implicating Sente and Council Leader Camryn Scott. Nathan Earlywine capitalises on the political situation and makes a decisive move for power.

Decisions

14 Oct 06

The Cube Hunters help to piece together the information hidden in the 'scrambled' files. Looks like there have been some fairly unsavoury experiments taking place at Viendenbourg - including the one that zapped Major Jake Maine over to Lancewood - and Sente authorised them all.

Now Scarlett and Violet have to decide what to do with this newfound intelligence. Who can they tell?

Arrangements

11 Oct 06

Another message from Combed Thunderclap, continuing their story. Things seemed to have been prepared in advance, somehow.

(In the background is an image - the logo of Receda's Revenge, a text adventure which the Cube Hunters first encountered last year. What could it mean...?)

Back on the road again

6 Oct 06

Violet and Scarlett set off for Viendenbourg, to find out what's been going on. There are many questions to be answered: who was Major Jake Maine? Who was experimenting on him, and why? What (if anything) does it have to do with the Cube?

With luck, this week should make things a little clearer.

The shock of the new

29 Sep 06

Exciting times. Violet gets irradiated, breaks her arm and smashes her watch into the bargain. Meanwhile, Scarlett shoots someone and the possible origin of the Cube is discovered. Yes, it's the all-new transcripts from Lancewood, and they make VERY interesting reading. Start with Wednesday, then see Thursday.

Dissolution

18 Sep 06

Combed Thunderclap describes the moment they arrived on Earth, transported by the Cube. And then they get a phone call.

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