DD-NDP05 (Nov 27, 2017)
Puzzle
“November for Nom de Plume.”
See: NDP04 | 5 Words
Clue
Hover over the clues if you require!
Clue 1: Might want to read ANTR04 real careful alongside NDP04.
Clue 2: So who is the leader of Nom de Plume?
Clue 3: You can backsolve this. Quite literally.
Answer and Explanation
Answer: Novem
Explanation: In NDP04, the italics say leader and backwards. Additionally, CD-ANTR04 mentions a visit from the leader of Nom De Plume, whose name is supposedly Mevon; spelled backwards, it’s Novem, Latin for “Nine.”
Summary of Receipt
John Doe, or Mevon/Nine, shows up as promised. Essentially, he’s not mad that they lost the Mechanism, as he expected that to happen. The message he previously sent was apparently the wrong letter, but whatever. Anyway, Nine’s from another cycle (timeline), in which something like this happened. However, one very big difference is that Zeh, or Zehhurozzm, the Primordial Ape (an Elder), has managed to join forces with the Dark in this cycle. And with the completed Mechanism, he’d be a massive threat. Nine therefore requests that they secure the Mechanism.
Transcript
NUMBER: NDP05
PRIORITY: AND
DATE: 27-11-17
CUSTOMER & ORDER: THE SOCIETY
SERVER: BIG GUY
As promised, “John Doe,” also known as Mevon or Nine, paid us a visit in person. Due to the unpredictable nature of time travel, it seems that his message to us earlier was unintentional. Though, now he is certain to write that message, so how unintentional is it, or was it? It’s all confusing. The good news is we still managed to do exactly what Nine expected of us. We also know that Umbra will potentially add an Elder to his ranks. Additionally, it would seem that Nine knows us from his youth though he did not elaborate on that much. Still, despite his age, he does have a somewhat familiar face.
That’s all for now.
Big Guy
- S.O.T.**
Nine: Julius, Jericho, Joy, good to see you three again.
H.R.: Again?
Manager: Time travel.
Nine: Yes. And no. I suppose this is my first time meeting you three specifically.
Big Guy: So, you knew us in another Cycle.
Nine: Exactly. So, forgive my familiarity and allow me to properly introduce myself. My name is Nine, and I am the leader and founder of the Society of Nom de Plume.
H.R.: I thought your “nom de plume” was John Doe?
Nine: And sometimes Mevon. I go by many names, as do you 4, 5, and 6.
H.R.: Huh?
Nine: I assume you’ll see later. Anyway, I wanted to thank you for your work so far regarding the Mechanism.
Manager: Really? Based on what Will said to me, I would have thought you were peeved off.
Nine: Ah, sorry about him. If you want, I can have a word with him about professionalism.
Manager: That’s alright, nothing I’m not used to. Though, wait- you knew we purposefully lost the Mechanism?
Nine: Wait. You didn’t know that I knew? I thought my earlier letter was pretty clear-
Big Guy: You told us to stop working on the Mechanism. You were worried that an “Ape” was using it to grow his collection.
Nine: Huh. Wait… Ape… Collection… Zeh? Ah, my letters must have gotten mixed up again. Well, I guess it all still worked out.
H.R. Zeh?
Nine: You’ll see.
Manager: Are you being coy to prevent some sort of paradox or do you just like being vague?
Nine: The latter. I’m not from YOUR future. I can’t necessarily cause a paradox just by telling you what happened in MY Cycle. That being said, Zeh never joined the Dark in my Cycle.
Big Guy: Hang on… if you’re not from our future and this “Zeh” never joined your version of the Dark, how did your letter-
Nine: Oh, I cheat. All the time. You can’t go backward in time. Not easily. But the written word doesn’t seem to count. You definitely got a letter from the future.
Big Guy: And that doesn’t create paradoxes?
Nine: Who knows? I assume my letters only ever get mixed up because it was fated to happen. When you start temporally tampering, things tend to quickly get out of your control.
Big Guy: So, someone wanted us to stop working on the Mechanism prematurely.
Nine: That could be the case, yes.
Manager: And in the future, you want us to stop working on the Mechanism.
Nine: I suppose that will be the case, yes.
H.R.: …So should we?
Nine: If you had asked me a few minutes ago, I would have said no. Now that Zeh is involved, or will be involved, maybe?
Big Guy: Who is Zeh?
Nine: Zehhurozzm. The Great Dilly-Dally Ape. An elder. He’s known throughout time and space. Not a pleasant fellow.
Manager: Bloody hell… an Elder? Umbra’s getting his hands on Elders now?
Nine: Sure seems like it. And if Zeh gets the Mechanism, that would make him a much larger threat than he already is. Of course, now Drosselmeyer has the majority of the Mechanism, so you’ll need to get it back either way.
Manager: Right. Suppose it should just be business as usual, then. While we’ve got you here, do you know what this Nutcracker weapon is?
Nine: Mm, sorry, I don’t. I never worked with your Cafe in my Cycle. I know the general details, but it’s been almost 50 years. Can’t expect an old man to remember everything.
E.O.T.