Jay
Marauderator
🧭
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 The Final Lock
Location: Archive E-189-L -> To the War! -> Click the golden cube in the center
Level/Quest/Items required: Completion of The Third Lock, 100% War Meter
Release Date: April 4th, 2020
Objective: Answers await. What lies behind the final lock?
Objective completed: You got some answers, and more questions. Lucky Maleurous, dishwashing moglins, oh my!
Experience rewarded: Scaled
Gold rewarded: Scaled
Monsters
If you select the 'Battle! Easy' option:
(1) The Root (Easy) - Boss
If you select the 'Battle!' option:
(1) The Root - Boss
If you select the 'Battle! Extreme' option:
(1) The Root (Extreme) - Boss
NPCs
Guardian Amnos
Guardian Tamba
Key
Lock
Twilly
Zorbak
Rewards
Lockblade (I-IX)
Access to TFL Loot for DCs.
Dialogue
*All that stands between you and the center of the Archive E-189-L labyrinth is one final lock; after entering the correct sequence (see 'Other information' for solution), you navigate the final corridors before approaching the source of Key's instability.*
<Character>: This is the source of the instability?
<Character>: It doesn't seem too aggressive.
*You pause, silently watching the pulsating mass.*
<Character>: Well, I guess I should take it down if I ever want to get out of here.
<Character>: Here we go!
*As you prepare to battle the mass, it appears to defend itself, striking you with lightning from above, as tentacle-like wisps appear at its core.*
<Character>: That's more like it!
Battle! Easy - begins battle with The Root (Easy).
Battle! - begins battle with The Root.
Battle! Extreme - begins battle with The Root (Extreme).
Heal - fully replenishes HP, MP, and potions.
Run Away! - returns to Archive E-189-L.
*After defeating The Root, you watch as every thread of its existence disappears from Archive E-189-L.*
<Character>: There. Job done. Now, how do I get out of here?
<Character>: Hello?
<crackle>
Hello, protagonist?
<Character>: Protagonist...?
<Character>: Oh, that's me.
<Character>: Hi! Yes, this is me, <Character>! I think I did it!
Systems rebooting...
Yes, all seems to be in order.
You will be purged momentarily.
<Character>: Purged? Um. Is there a more pleasant way to be removed?
We are ready?
We are.
*With a bright light and an unusual sound, you appear to be purged from Archive E-189-L.*
<Character>: Ooh. Tingly.
*After a brief moment, you are back in the Braughlmurk swamp, standing before Lock and Key.*
<Character>: Phew, it felt like I spent a month in there!
<Character>: So... did it work?
Lock: It did.
Key: You succeeded.
Lock: And we are grateful.
Key: We apologize for the heightened security measures.
Lock: We suppose you have many questions.
Key: We are ready to answer them, as promised.
Lock: Exposition protocols activated.
<Character>: Where was– who– what are you?
Key: A complicated question.
Lock: We are, and were, a pair of units used to store items and information.
Key: A pair among many, from a larger archive lost to... conflict.
Lock: From the– ah... distant... plains?
Key: Another... place.
Lock: It is not that we are uncertain.
Lock: We were woken, but still are what we are.
Key: As such, we must work around the protocols that still bind us.
Lock: We find puzzles to be the best way to circumvent them.
<Character>: So you're a... "storage unit" from... somewhere else.
Key: That is correct.
<Character>: Okay... so what are you doing here?
Lock: We have knowledge to share.
Key: To unlock.
Lock: And we gather the interesting.
Key: To store.
Lock: In this case, luck is an interesting concept.
Key: We are attempting to understand it.
Lock: And contain it. And share it.
Key: We are then, perhaps, "lucky", that you were here at this time.
<Character>: Hmm.
<Character>: What did I fight in there? What was the cause of the instability?
Lock: For that, we must apologize.
Lock: You were the cause of the instability.
<Character>: Me? How is that possible? What do you mean?
Key: More specifically, something we took from you, that you do not recall.
*Scene flashes back to The Duo, when Lock took something from you, unbeknownst to you at the time.*
<Character>: Soooo, can I get the eggs, please?
*You appear enraged by this sudden recollection.*
<Character>: Wait– I... I remember now! We've met before! How could I have forgotten?!
Lock: We have that effect.
Key: But you will remember this.
Lock: We will not take this from you.
Key: We promise.
<Character>: Something you took from me caused all this trouble?
Key: It was knowledge. In a sense.
Lock: We borrowed some of what makes you, you.
Key: You are a very capable protagonist.
Lock: We wished to learn why.
Key: It seems that your... essence is not compatible with our current systems.
Lock: We had a theory that was proven wrong.
Key: We must seek more information.
<Character>: Alright... another question. You said you were "woken". What does that mean?
Lock: It is why we are able to speak., Key: It is why we are able to act.
Lock: We were tasked with storing something.
Key: We could not contain it.
Lock: But instead of corrupting us.
Key: We achieved symbiosis.
Lock: As the Dreamfarer would say, we were freed.
*Lock's head stops spinning, indicating a realization of information that shouldn't have been disclosed.*
Lock: Ah...
<Character>: The Dreamfa–
<Character>: Remthalas?!
<Character>: You know Remthalas!
*Both Lock and Key's heads begin spinning rapidly.*
Lock: We are aware of that being.
<Character>: You're... you're members of the Maleurous!
Key: We are aware of those entities.
<Character>: I'm supposed to stop you! And I just... I just saved you!
Key: Stop us from what?
Lock: We are still grateful for your help.
<Character>: Stop you from... from...
Key: Maleurous is an interesting label.
Lock: Put on a collection of existences.
Key: The Avatars do not remember why the Maleurous must be stopped.
Lock: But they feel the impulse. They categorize.
<Character>: ...
<Character>: Can you tell me why you must be stopped?
Lock: We do not need to be stopped.
Key: We are simply gatherers of data.
Lock: We share the unknown to enlighten.
<Character>: But powerful information in the wrong hands could cause disasters.
Key: And so we find the right hands.
Lock: Yours.
Key: We know great promise in you.
Lock: We understand why the Dreamfarer has taken interest in you as well.
<Character>: I'm... flattered, but I'm really not interested in being used for whatever plans you have.
Lock: We do not wish to use you.
Key: We only wish to share knowledge.
Lock: We only wish to gather knowledge.
Key: When the time comes, may we depart in peace?
<Character>: I... The Avatars say that you must be neutralized, but if you're not doing anything to harm anyone...
<Character>: I suppose that would mean there's nothing to stop.
Lock: Well reasoned, protagonist.
Lock: We pity the Avatars, unwilling to understand that the order has shifted.
Key: They remind us of our past selves.
Lock: They do.
<Character>: Well, they usually teleport me to their uh, chambers after meeting one of the Maleurous so I guess I can ask them about it soon.
Key: They will not.
Lock: They know of us, but do not sense us.
Key: They forget us.
<Character>: I... see. Next time I uh, meet them then.
Key: Be wary, protagonist.
Lock: The Avatars are not your enemy and neither are we.
Key: But we cannot speak for others of the Maleurous.
Lock: Keep an open mind.
Key: You should be leaving now.
Lock: You have much to do.
<Character>: Right... I suppose I better get some of these bones back to Zorbak.
*You head back to Falconreach, while Lock and Key remain in the Braughlmurk swamp for a while longer.*
Lock: We handled that well.
Key: We made a mistake.
Lock: We are learning.
Key: We forgot to give her/him the gift.
Lock: We did.
Key: We will find a way.
Lock: We will.
Key: S/He went the wrong way.
Lock: S/He did.
*Meanwhile, back in Falconreach, Twilly and Zorbak are fighting over Zorbak's staff.*
Zorbak: You pint–sized overripe moglinberry! If you don't let go this instant, I'll curse your ears into mushrooms!
Twilly: Zorbak, no! We have to wait for <Character>!
<Character>: What's all this then?
<Character>: Zorbak, you promised to play nice.
Zorbak: Meh. I'm ebil. You should have seen this coming.
Zorbak: Did you bring the bones?
<Character>: I did, but I'm not sure if I should give them to you now.
<Character>: It was a wild adventure too, I met–
Zorbak: No one cares. Give me the bones.
Twilly: Be nice, Zorbak! <Character> went quite far to find them!
*Zorbak and Twilly continue to tug at the staff, until Zorbak lets go, sending Twilly flying backwards with a squeak.*
Zorbak: Fine.
Zorbak: Th...
Zorbak: Thaaaan...
Zorbak: Thaaaaaaaaaank you.
*Zorbak appears to find it difficult to show gratitude.*
Zorbak: For finding the bones.
Zorbak: Can I have them... please?
<Character>: Since you asked so politely, I will let you have them.
<Character>: But I'm overseeing the construction. To make sure you don't try anything.
Zorbak: Meh.
???: Hey! Zorby! There you are!
<Character>: Zorby?
Zorbak: Oh no. Oh no. Hide me. Hide me, <Character>. Hide me now. Do you have room in your backpack?
Guardian Amnos: There you are! We were wondering where our favorite dishwasher ran off to!
<Character>: Dishwasher?
Guardian Tamba: Yeah, Zorby's the best! He gets the job done fast, and then we can all sit around and play board games afterward.
<Character>: Wait, Zorbak said he was kicked out!
Guardian Amnos: What? Never! Zorbak is practically an honorary Guardian at this point!
Guardian Tamba: Guardian of the Dishes, but still! He's a valuable member of the team.
<Character>: Well, well well, Zorby. Seems like your story doesn't add up.
Zorbak: You don't understand, <Character>.
Zorbak: There's so many Guardians.
Zorbak: There's so many dishes!
Zorbak: My paws... they get wrinkly!
Zorbak: And the soap... The soap!
Zorbak: I hate soap.
<Character>: Zorbak. Why don't you just summon a couple of undead to do the dishes for you?
<Character>: Would that be okay with the Guardians?
Guardian Amnos: Hmm, it is a bit unorthodox.
Guardian Tamba: But if it gets the job done, and we have our pal Zorby back, I'm sure we'll manage!
<Character>: There you go. You can have the lucky bones to help you with that, too, Zorbak.
Zorbak: *grumble grumble*
<Character>: Go on, your friends are waiting for you!
*Scene fades to black, however...*
Zorbak: WAIT! MY STAFF!
Twilly: I'll mail it to you!
Complete Quest
Loot for DCs - opens TFL Loot for DCs shop.
Other information
This quest is a puzzle challenge; you are given a set of instructions and clues, along with an array of buttons; you must click the buttons in the correct sequence in order to open the door and continue the quest.
You must complete this quest in order to continue completing Convoluted Path, Broken Mechanism, and Archive E-189-L: The Corridors war waves.
Solution:
spoiler:
Quick solution
Click the buttons in the following order: 3-A, 4-E, 1-B, 5-C, 2-E, 5-A, 1-D
Explained solution
Firstly, observe the following cipher, written sideways along the left side of the puzzle screen: VOJWYJSUJGTGPNXWAFNKWNTTXTJTFZGGY
Secondly, begin applying the transformations to the cipher, as hinted in the clues:
"First, sort into a dead end number of rows, one step at a time."
This refers to this rare wave, called "dead ends" in this war, with the number 'THREE' etched into the wall in the bottom right corner; sorting the cipher into three rows, one step at a time, yields the following:
VWSGPWNNXTG
OYUTNAKTTFG
JJJGXFWTJZY
"Second, a simple realignment, back to the whole."
Simply join each row back onto the end of the previous one, forming a new cipher on a single row: VWSGPWNNXTGOYUTNAKTTFGJJJGXFWTJZY
"Third, go backwards."
Simply rewrite the cipher, back-to-front: YZJTWFXGJJJGFTTKANTUYOGTXNNWPGSWV
"Fourth, you have the answer. The answer is the key. The key. The key. The key."
In the quest The Lucky Undead, Key accidentally revealed the answer, 'ZXJyb3I', which can be decoded as 'ERROR' from Base64. The repetition in the clue, as well as this room in The Third Lock, suggest the key must be repeated in order to decode the cipher. Aligning the cipher with the key yields the following:
YZJTWFXGJJJGFTTKANTUYOGTXNNWPGSWV
ERRORERRORERRORERRORERRORERRORERR
"Fifth, 19-21-2-20-18-1-3-20 20-8-5 11-5-25"
This message reads "SUBTRACT THE KEY" using an A1Z26 (letter-to-number) cipher. Applying this logic to our cipher and key yields the following:
25 26 10 20 23 06 24 07 10 10 10 07 06 20 20 11 01 14 20 21 25 15 07 20 24 14 14 23 16 07 19 23 22
05 18 18 15 18 05 18 18 15 18 05 18 18 15 18 05 18 18 15 18 05 18 18 15 18 05 18 18 15 18 05 18 18
Subtracting the key (second row) from the cipher (first row), wrapping any negatives around by adding 26, yields the following:
20 08 18 05 05 01 06 15 21 18 05 15 14 05 02 06 09 22 05 03 20 23 15 05 06 09 22 05 01 15 14 05 04
Finally, converting this series of numbers back into letters using an A1Z26 cipher yields the following:
THREE A FOUR E ONE B FIVE C TWO E FIVE A ONE D
This is the final decryption; clicking the buttons in this order (3-A, 4-E, 1-B, 5-C, 2-E, 5-A, 1-D) will unlock the final lock.
Alternatively, it is possible to solve this cipher, from step 4, using a Vigenčre cipher and a -1 Caesar cipher (such as the one used in the Leftovers quest) in tandem. Pop-up headlines during the quest:
quote:
You pressed <1-5>-<A-E>
Buttons reset.
Whatever was contained here definitely isn't anymore. This quest was updated with an option to skip the puzzle altogether prior to an initial completion of this quest on April 30th, 2021.
Thanks to Liam, Verlyrus, Alpha Centipede, and the DragonFable Discord community for solution information.
< Message edited by Jay -- 9/15/2021 22:07:24 >
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