CD-SWTC07 (Dec 13, 2021)
Puzzle
“[III 16] [VIII 9] [XIV 4] [XIV I 3] [XV 9] [XIX 2] (Y5)”
Research | 1 Word
Clue
Hover over the clues if you require!
Clue 1: Why is there both Roman numerals and normal numbers?
Clue 2: You reckon we can do a little number-letter action?
Clue 3: Y for Yellow, perhaps?
Answer and Explanation
Answer: Tartrazine
Explanation: Yellow 5, known under the name Tartrazine, has the formula C16H9N4Na3O9S2. The Roman numerals, when translate to letters, are the elements.
Summary of Receipt
Manager 5 aids Manager 6 in explaining about the Wicked, or more specifically its Wicked Blight. The Blight occurs in a person once they read the Wicked’s literature (the King in Yellow?), and can be thought of as a counter to the Mantle of 8. Reading the Wicked’s literature results in madness or even death, but the more you can tolerate it, the stronger the Blight’s gifts for you. More specifically, its gifts are designed to break rules. Jean was able to obtain Second Vision, Manager 5 developed resistance to going further insane, and Miss. Masoch could start warping reality with her funk. And that links the Blight to Bartlett in a sense. Manager 5 mentions that he - and something that the Palm Beach branch has been investigating - might be the only way to sort out their issue.
Transcript
[BRANCH] PALM BEACH
[SERVER] MANAGER NO. 5
[DATE] 12/13/21
[INDEX ID] SWTC07
[SECURITY] AND & ARCHIVES
No. 6 did a good job covering the main points of the Wicked. Not much more I could add that would matter, other than I’ve read the Wicked’s literature, and I thought it was pretty trite, choice? Speaking of the Wicked’s literature… the Blight. No. 6 only briefly mentioned the Wicked’s greatest strength, the Blight, so I figured I could fill in the gaps a bit, yeah? If there was a proper counter to the Mantle of Eight, it’d be the damn Blight. Heaven and Hell, even Jean was nearly consumed by it more than once. It’s ruthless, restless, and remorseless.
I suppose it’s worth mentioning that I myself am inflicted by the Blight, you know, in case it wasn’t obvious. No. 4 and No. 6 are still clear as far as I know. Probably a benefit of them growing up around the Wicked’s ideologies is that they knew well enough to steer clear of them. To become Blighted, well, it’s actually quite easy. You just have to read the Wicked’s words. For the sake of everyone reading this, I won’t name the work in question, nor where you can find it, nor what is contained within it. I will say that there is a reason the Wicked is called the Yellow Flame. Point is, once you’ve read it, any of it, you’ve marked yourself for madness in the best case—death in the worst.
However, the more you can stomach the bloody thing, the more power you are granted. What power specifically? Rule-breaking power. Rules that break the fundamental laws of the universe. Jean got far enough to let him peer into the Ouroboros, giving him glimpses of the Otherside while in the Flipside. I only got far enough to prevent myself from slipping further into madness. Miss. Masoch evidently got far enough to start bending reality with her “funk.” And that brings me to my main concern, choice?
Dover.
Well. Dover, and another issue that the Palm Beach location has been looking into. Another twit who got a little too cocky and read a little more than they should have. Can’t say more here… especially with the Indigo brats breathing down our necks more than ever now. No offense to the kids, of course. But you lot are brats. Anyway, the only way I can see our issue resolving itself is if we get Dover’s help. But Dover’s not here at the moment. Not sure if the bloke is still trapped in the Phantom Lane or if he convinced Ed to let him screw with his cycle. But, we have No. 71 looking into it, and hopefully, No. 323 can check the House for us.