A badly-wrapped package.

[eternally_aggrieved]

A brown paper package sits on Ahrotahn's desk in Relto. It shakes and wobbles, giving the general impression that it is grievously annoyed.

Comments

[all_the_worlds_have]

There are three known characters: the top-left, lower-left, and lower-right. All of them are present on the dials in the correct positions.

The fragmentary digits do not move in response to shifting the other dials: on closer inspection, some of them are actually complete. To the left of the cube hovers a numeral '5': to the right, a '7'.

The telescope is rather dim and difficult to see through, though it does pop out of its compressed state rather satisfyingly.

[calledtoventure]

She turns the left and right dials to five and seven respectively.

Perhaps the image is clearer in the telescope's extended state? If not, does placing the lens in front of the big end of the telescope help?

[all_the_worlds_have]

The dials click into position.

The image doesn't seem to be any clearer, regardless of what Ahrotahn tries.

[calledtoventure]

Perhaps it's actually a microscope. She tries holding the wick up to the end as she looks through. When that fails, she tries the same thing looking through the 'scope in the other direction, without success.

Time to read the book.

[all_the_worlds_have]

The book appears to be locked. The intricate design on the cover taunts Ahrotahn with the promise of something interesting within.

[calledtoventure]

She inspects the design, and the lock.

[all_the_worlds_have]

The lock is a half-circle: the design on the front is made up of rotating moon-shaped pieces. Once this is observed, it's a simple thing to free the latch.

The book is hollow: Inside is a key for winding up clockwork, and a single page of text in the same spidery hand.

"February 11th.

My research continues at a snail's pace. With these barbaric instruments, I can barely read anything at all, but there is something there. Between Earth and Fire, between Water and Air. I cannot see it, but I can infer its presence. Like the shadow of an object - without substance, yet betraying the shape and form of that which casts it.

It is a new element.

The Circle are petty fools, blinded by their greed and their fear of death. Alchemy is not the search for an elixir of youth or the transmutation of gold: it is the pursuit of this!"

[calledtoventure]

Iiiiinteresting.

Can the telescope be turned to look directly into the star-shaped slot?

[all_the_worlds_have]

Yes. It is a hand telescope: it is not attached to the box. This doesn't do anything, but Ahrotahn can indeed look at the star with her telescope.

[calledtoventure]

Does the clock key fit the small square hole in the gear symbol; if so, does this afford winding?

[all_the_worlds_have]

Alas, while it looks like it should fit there, it does not.

[calledtoventure]

Perhaps looking through the lens will help? (No.)

Well, she has three out of four symbols for the matrix. Perhaps she'll just cycle through the possibilities on the upper right tumbler until something happens, or she loops around, or she gets bored. (She'll get bored after about ten to thirty possibilities, depending on how easy it is to set the tumbler.)

[all_the_worlds_have]

After four symbols, the tumbler unlocks, producing an enormous cast-iron key in the shape of a hollow cross.

[calledtoventure]

The key clearly doesn't fit the small square hole, or the star-shaped slot.

She tries a few words on the letter-tumblers: FIRE, WATE, EART, WIND, EFWA, LOCK, OPEN.

[all_the_worlds_have]

Nope.

[calledtoventure]

Perhaps something interesting might happen if she puts the wick into the small square hole, or the star-shaped slot?

[all_the_worlds_have]

Neither appears to do anything.

[calledtoventure]

She examines the key more carefully. Does it have interesting inscriptions, or moving parts?

[all_the_worlds_have]

No, unfortunately.

[calledtoventure]

She gives the telescope the same treatment. Before she was mostly looking through it; now, she's inspecting the exterior.

[all_the_worlds_have]

No, once again.

[calledtoventure]

She examines the lens and its eyepiece setting; perhaps they changed, when the room did?

Then she inspects the book – front, back, spine, interior – and the key again, both through the lens.

[all_the_worlds_have]

No and no.

[calledtoventure]

Perhaps she should take a closer look at the three symbols on the front of the box. And she peers into the square hole and the star slot. She's still wearing the lens.

[all_the_worlds_have]

None of these show anything new.

Perhaps those fragments near the cube can be made sense of somehow...?