Gauntlet

# About

Gauntlet takes place in Spatiotemporal Technology Streams GMPESH2-REVEN

# Introduction

This took place on 15 November 2021.

This was the first day of Gauntlet. We mostly introduced ourselves and got things situated.

> **Sam**REVEN**Gauntlet**Hello?**Scots**Hello!**Ryson**Hi**Gauntlet**You know John?**We do, we're Taskforce Earth. I don't know if he would have mentioned that, but he told us how to reach out to you**Gauntlet**We are the Gauntlet. Unfortunately due to the delay, we've lost one of our members. There are 3 of us, which will go by the codenames A, B, and C. A is good at knowledge, B is good at tight spaces, C is good at punching and talking their way through problems.**Scots**A pleasure to meet you all.**Gauntlet**There appears to be a substantial spatiotemporal skew, so communication may be a bit difficult once we get to the other side. We have 48 charges, so queue up everything you want to transmit and send "ENACT" once you are ready to transmit, we'll respond once we've enacted your orders or are unable to proceed (or otherwise if you have other orders on how to proceed).**Scots**Ok prior to that. John is (as I'm sure you are aware) never up front or clear about anything. Could you give us a little background as to what you are heading into exactly?**Gauntlet**No idea. We were just hired to follow your orders in interfering with the "ascension of The Entity", communicating via this communicator.**Scots**Alright, par for the course. Can we get a current status, what removed D from you lot, any other pertinent information before moving forward. Do you all have any equipment with you etc.**Gauntlet**We're currently in ST7890789, next to the rift that John says should send us to ST1636367, the target reality. Unfortunately this reality is collapsing, and we lost D, the longer we stay here, the more likely we'll lose further equipment and supplies. We each have basic exploration gear, headlamps, ropes, knife, rations, and a bag with the following note:**
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> "Contained within are 4 items critical to your success, those who instruct you will know what they are and when to remove them. Do not remove them until they are necessary"
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> For a total of 12 items.

After introductions were underway, we began the actual game.

## Introduction Summary

Taskforce Earth was introduced to Gauntlet, comprising of three separate characters, A, B, and C. These characters were actually created by members of Taskforce Earth via a character sheet, several months ago.

The stats of each character are as follows. A Plus sign means the character has an advantage in that stat, while a minus means they have a disadvantage. Blank cells mean these stats have no change. WPR is Willpower.

Spatiotemporal Skew is understood to mean time passes differently in each reality.

We have 48 charges, meaning 48 groups of actions in total. To progress, players must queue up a series of actions, then send ENACT, which will trigger each action.

A, B, and C each have basic exploration gear and rations, alongside a bag containing 4 mystery items each. This allows players to react to situations by pulling out a mystery item of any description. This can include specific currencies.

# Beginning, 1-3

This took place over 15 and 16 November 2021.

This marks the beginning of Gauntlet running. This section contains the first 3 actions.

> **Scots**Alright Gauntlet, lets start running the gauntlet. Please enter the rift and describe what you see in your surroundings on the other side in reasonable detail, also make sure you are safe of course. Make sure you are safe first though, if that wasn't clear.**Scots**ENACT**Gauntlet**Stepping through the gateway, we find ourselves in the ruins of some sort of building, only the foundation seems to remain. There’s a large pole which has been put up through the center of the foundation, and a sign nearby that indicates this used to be some sort of observatory. Sensing the morphic fields in this area, we move out of range.
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> It appears to be early morning, and the sun is barely rising. Looking around, we see trees and forest surrounding us on all sides, though far to the south (assuming standard earth rotation), we can make out some sort of city in the distance. There’s indications that others have been in the area in the past few weeks, though no obvious indications of anything more recent. Birds are chirping in the distance.
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> **47 charges remaining.****Ryson**Look around the building for markings of any kind, search for items that may be of use, avoiding any obvious dangers (morphic fields and the like), stay clear of the morphic fields, start keeping track of where you are going, mapping if possible. Make your way through the forest towards the city, perform recon and try to stay out of sight and secret.
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> Read the sign nearby about the observatory and relay the information.**Ryson**ENACT**Gauntlet**Reading the nearby sign, it appears the observatory was built in the late 1800s as part of one of the local universities to perform measurements and research into the shape of the planet. As larger observatories were built nearby, it fell into disrepair and eventually was abandoned. Over time, only the stone foundations remain.
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> Other than rocks and sticks, there aren’t any items of use out here. Heading towards the city through the forest, we eventually find our way to the edge of the forest next to the suburbs.
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> Setting up at a small secluded corner overlooking the nearby road, we watch and recon, seeing people are beginning to get up, school buses wandering the street picking up kids, some people walking dogs, and general morning commutes. There are a few joggers who have started entering the forest to jog.
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> So far it appears that the population is acting as normal, the technology seems to be normal 21st century Earth. Nothing sticks out as being odd and out of the ordinary.
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> We’ll continue to stay out of sight, though we may have to move deeper into the forest, away from the road, if joggers keep heading in.
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> **46 charges remaining.****Starling**Overarching current goals: confirm location, find a safe space/camp, scout potential objective, blend in if possible, and collect information passively.
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> **Confirm location/date/time/etc**: Please proceed to make your way into town. Doing so will allow us the opportunity to figure out time, date, and location, as well as confirm if your location is what we've managed to interpret. Theoretically there should be some signs or an abandoned local newspaper or even a board announcing time/transit lines that might prevent us from having to go out of our way looking for additional information. We believe heading south/southwest would lead you towards areas of importance.
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> **Potential Objectives**: an address that keeps appearing is 1953 Massachusetts Ave #400359, Cambridge, MA 02140, and part of us wonder if the location of The Door\* near 1 Ames Street, Cambridge, MA 02142 would be worth checking out. In addition, we need to find somewhere as a potential base of operations to return to. If you are in the greater Boston location as we guess, there are numerous locations within walking and transit distance that might be of use. However if you do not feel comfortable staying closer to town, we recommend you leave yourself enough time and energy to return to the current camp you have set up.
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> **Blend in**: Depending on the time of year, we might be able to pass off as tourists or college students or similar, wouldn't be difficult to do so if need be.
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> **Status**: We request an necessities/inventory check to get an idea on rations/number of days you have before we need to worry about procuring food and water.**Starling**ENACT**Gauntlet**Heading into town, we’re able to keep a low profile and eventually find an abandoned newspaper from 10/6/2030 and that the city is called Warren Springs, MA. It appears to be a small city out in the middle of Massachusetts, known for the yearly Red Row Corn Maze, Fishing competition at the nearby reservoir, the multiple collegiate world cups the Quidditch team at Bessemer University has won, the haunted abandoned mill, and the ruins rumored to once have been a witch’s cabin. Otherwise, Warren Springs seems to be a fairly boring location.
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> There are some trains to Boston, MA, though without a form of payment (they seem to mostly use credit cards and some thin metallic bills) we’d need to sneak on to the train, find a way to acquire money, or walk to Boston, MA (would take about 2 days to get there).
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> We have about two weeks of rations, and just basic exploration essentials and the 12 items John procured.
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> **45 charges remaining.**

This allowed us to begin getting situated.

## Beginning Summary

A, B, and C go through the rift at sunrise, and land in the ruins of the MIT Geodetic Observatory in Massachussetts. There are morphic fields present. They are surrounded by forest with a city to the south, and after finding no other useful information, they move towards the suburbs. Here, they report generally normal activity and 21st century Earth technology.

Moving closer into town, we found that the current date is 6 October 2030 and the town is Warren Springs, MA. This told us they were definitely in an alternate earth-like reality. We also learned that their currency is largely credit card based, with thin metallic bills as cash.

# Next Steps, 4-6

These steps take place over 17-18 November 2021.

> **Zygote**Okay, here are your next tasks.
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> Covertly make your way to Bessemer University, and look around for information relating to any recent or upcoming scientific breakthroughs. If the University has open access computer labs, attempt to (without compromising your cover or health) research some of the following things:
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> News headlines. Notable scientific breakthroughs in the last 10 years. How the local currency system works.
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> At the same time, keep an eye out for these terms: Morphic, Alchemical Engine, Spatiotemporal, Alchemy Also, keep monitoring for morphic fields like at the rift, maybe high concentrations will help us. Find out more about Boston and what may be of interest there (science-y things particularly)
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> The following tasks are aimed at some of you in particular, but we reiterate that you should NOT split up – stay as a group or at least close to each other. Do not take unnecessary risks.
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> **Tasks for A**: - Search for information related to The Entity, try your best, perhaps something alchemical or artificial intelligence in nature.
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> **Tasks for C**: - Speak to locals/ University students and try to gather what information you can about what major breakthroughs may be recent or upcoming. Attempt to ascertain what the political system is present as well as a little about the economy. E.g. Are there any mega-corporations that dominate the economy?**Zygote**ENACT**Gauntlet**Access to the Bessemer University campus seems to require some sort of credential to get into the building or having an appointment with someone on-campus to be allowed in. Without campus access, we’re unable to do any research in the computer labs, but pick up some tidbits of information from having C talk to a variety of students.
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> The currency system seems to be based on credit and accounts with the major banks, along with ephemeral “wallets” stored on the metallic bills that generally are issued by banks with a set amount of money that is spent as the bills are used.
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> Mr. Voris goes into a long rant about the government, which seems to be a split between a meritocracy and democracy, where some positions are filled via achievements and others are voted in. It's mostly worked, though there’s rumors about certain officials getting their positions through cheating and other nefarious means. There’s also occasional rumors of a secret cabal that actually controls a lot of power in the government, some names associated with this group include the Wizard, the Leader, the Ruler, Mr. Voris vaguely says that “entity” sounds familiar, but can’t place it.
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> C learns from some other students that there’s a chronophysics department responsible for developing techniques to measure the passage of time more effectively, developing devices able to be used as part of relativistic experiments. We get strange looks at questions about Alchemy and “morphic”.
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> Eventually after some time camping out in front of the chronophysics departments, C is able to talk to a Dr. Trax who reveals something about the projects the department is working on, of particular note is a satellite/antenna setup intended to calculate how long it takes from a signal to reach one from the other, as a means of ascertaining whether any large time dilations occur, another experiment is one involving trying to measure the effects of instantaneous changes in mass and the relativistic effects on the passage of time.
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> Dr. Trax also mentions that there’s a major conference happening in Boston at MIT tomorrow, involving a bunch of physicists and experimentalists, sponsored by some government agency. They might attend, though you need to be on the invite list and have a badge to attend. Dr. Trax seems to be haphazardly carrying a badge in their lab coat.
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> Later in the day, C is directed towards Martha Shia, who mentions that there’s been rumors of an entity haunting the ruins of the witch’s cabin, and there are stories of university students who have tried to investigate the area, and disappear for days and weeks, though seem to only recall a few hours passing. Martha doesn’t know too much, though apparently the property the cabin is on is owned by some sort of mysterious government agency, and after any disappearances the whole area is locked down, until eventually the lost students are found.
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> We don’t have a way of detecting morphic fields beyond the minute effects of nausea and static when within a morphic field, it would probably take too long to wander the area looking for places where the nausea and static charge acts up again, without scientific equipment intended for that purpose.
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> **44 charges remaining**.**Anonymouse**Based on the information provided, please remove the first item in your bag, a pocketbook. It should contain several credit cards, generic ID cards, a few precious gems, as well as a small number of currencies including at least one of the metallic bill "wallets". This should provide enough funds to cover the duration of operations. It may be possible to also exchange the gems at a pawnshop without raising too many questions. Use the credit cards and funds inconspicuously at a local coffee or donut shop to verify they work first.**just\_speculating**```Primary Goals in Bessemer```: First will be to acquire a badge or other access to the conference. C should attempt to sweet talk Dr. Trax or someone else who is going into being invited or added as a +1 (if possible). If that is not possible, have B acquire the badge off of Dr. Trax or another associate while distracted by C, maybe while convincing the person they don't actually want to attend the conference. BE VERY CAREFUL as to not be caught or have the person realizing they are missing their badge.
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> **Secondary Goals near Bessemer**: Ask about the experiments regarding Time Dilation and relativistic effects. See if their research so far has indicated anything interesting, and if there is a way to see/track data from their experiments.
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> Do what you need to maintain your anonymity and low profile. If something goes wrong, cease operations and contact us. Afterwards, acquire transportation to Boston. Train or other public transport seems perfectly acceptable but use your best judgment.
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> **Primary Goals in Boston**: Prepare to gain entrance to the conference. Find the location of the conference, gain information, and scout the location. Same procedure as at Bessemer, have C perform inquiries regarding things we are interested, and A listen in as well and investigate. Acquire lodging nearby, preferably a place that seems unlikely to ask questions.
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> **Secondary Goals**: Investigate potential locations in previous message if they exist in this reality.**just\_speculating**ENACT**Gauntlet**Pulling out the first item, it appears to be a small pocketbook containing a few gems and small gold coins. It doesn’t seem to contain the other items you say are in there. Which to be honest isn’t too surprising, since there isn’t a realistic way to have gotten those things without having already been here. C makes some trades at a few different pawnshops to exchange the gems and gold coins for a small stash of cards (about $1000 by 2020 standards).
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> Dr. Trax is the only person we’ve encountered that has credentials for the conference, so C attempts to try to convince Dr. Trax to take them along, but unfortunately the invitation does not include +1s. B is able to successfully steal Dr. Trax’s badge and isn’t caught. Luckily the badge only has “Nagisa Trax”, “Chronophysics, Bessemer University”, and a barcode, no picture or other identifying images, so one of us should be able to sneak in. We decide to leave the area since if Nagisa discovers the badge has been stolen, the person asking about tagging along is likely one of the first suspects.
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> Without a way into the university, there isn’t any way to get further information about the experiments being conducted by the chronophysics departments. Talking with other students, Nagisa seems to be the best point of contact, but given the recent theft of their badge, we decide to leave Bessemer for now.
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> Using our ill-gotten gains, we head onto a train into Boston. The journey is uneventful and quick, the train system seems to be using some sort of electromagnetic system to allow them to move at much higher speeds than back home.
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> The conference is being held at MIT, and there’s a lot of setup happening around the campus. Getting into the buildings will be tricky until the conference tomorrow. We are able to secure a hotel near the campus (we’re down to ~$800). Asking students at the periphery of campus, none of the terms Morphic, Alchemy, Spatiotemporal mean anything to them. There are some rumors that the keynote speaker, a Dr. Devali from San Francisco ended up having to cancel, and that the organizers of the conference are trying to find a replacement.
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> Investigating the locations, 1 Ames Street doesn’t seem to have anything of interest, there’s not even a building and just appears to be a futuristic looking tennis court. 1953 Massachusetts Ave seems to be a split building, on the left is what appears to be an abandoned retail shop, the center door seems to just be an unlabeled sealed metal door, and on the right is some sort of post office.
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> **43 charges remaining**.**Maebact Timnh****Information goals for today**: Acquire a local newspaper and/or MIT student paper and check for information about anything else major happening, and anything that we may want to be aware of. See if there is a public library nearby to perform some additional information gathering. Specifically looking for any more information regarding the power structure of the government, and the "secret cabal" mentioned before. The Wizard, the Leader, the Ruler, The Entity, etc…
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> **Logistical goals for today**: acquire a pair of communication devices such as walkie talkies or cellphones to be able to communicate while 1 person is inside the conference. A recording function is a plus. We also suggest that A acquire clothes appropriate for the conference if he does not already have them, and that C change their appearance in some way in case Dr. Trax finds out his badge is missing. Then call it a night.
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> **Goals for A Tomorrow**: Have A attend the conference (Have B & C on standby in case anything goes wrong entering the conference). A's goals should be to attend relevant discussions and find out information about the Government Agency involved, key breakthroughs, discoveries, and initiatives. Information gathering by A should be generally passive unless there is information of note they believe they can find out by asking. Maintain inconspicuous contact with B & C when able.
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> **Goals for B & C Tomorrow**: Once A has successfully made it into the conference, maintain proximity to the Conference but gather information nearby. Suggest C ask questions of the attendees nearby while B listens in on other conversations and keeps an eye out. If Dr. Trax, or other people from Bessemer University are spotted, move out of the area and maintain cover. Report back if there are any problems or major information revealed.**Maebact Timnh**ENACT**Gauntlet**Acquiring a local newspaper, the only article of note is about the upcoming science conference being held at MIT, and the rumors of breakthroughs in FTL communication and potentially the theoretical foundations for a FTL engine. Back in the financial section, a bunch of analysts bull-ish about “The Eternal Company” and rumors of a major announcement soon at their California office.
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> Spending some time at the library, it seems like only gossip rags and 4chan actually mentions anything about this secret cabal, and most major news outlets dismiss such rumors and childish gossip. From the gossip rags, there’s rumors of a meeting between members of the secret cabal at a church in Washington DC in a couple days time.
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> Most shops are closing, but we’re able to acquire some walkie talkies and appropriate clothing, unfortunately due to government regulations, we’re unable to acquire cell phones without some proof of identity (down to around $600). C gets a haircut to try to change their appearance.
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> Unfortunately we ran into problems the next day. As A was checking into the event and their badge was scanned, there was some issue, and A wasn’t able to talk their way out of it, some of the government spooks sponsoring the event ended up taking A away to some room and we haven’t had contact since.
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> **42 charges remaining**.

Summary below.

## Next Steps Summary

Their currency is credit card and metallic bill-wallet based. We pull out our first item, gems and coins, which we exchange for around $1000 equivalent.

Their system of government seems similar to ours. They seem to have an illuminati-like conspiracy as well, with a Wizard, Leader, and Ruler. “Gossip rags and 4chan” seem to be the only ones discussing this “secret cabal”, and there are rumours that they will soon meet at a church in Washington DC in a few days.

Student Martha Shia mentions an Entity near the Witch’s Cabin. Students who investigate have been said to disappear for weeks, but only feel a few hours passed. The Witch’s Cabin is on land owned by a government agency.

Morphic fields are currently detected by physical effects, namely nausea and static.

At the university, they have a Chronophysics department, concerned with time. Nobody seems to understand key terms like Morphic, Spatiotemporal, or Alchemy. The university is also setting up a satellite, as part of chronophysics experiments.

We learn of a major physics conference happening at MIT the next day, sponsored by a government agency, and involving experimental physics. Cal Devali is the keynote speaker, and may have cancelled. There are rumours of breakthroughs in FTL technology, including an FTL engine. There are mentions of The Eternal Company, and them having a major announcement soon.

A badge is required to get in to the conference, which Dr Nagisa Trax seems to be in possession of. We steal his badge, and A uses this to access the conference.

We leave the university and head via train to Boston. We find a hotel near MIT, leaving us with around $800.