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File 140552471110.png - (48.08KB , 500x500 , Title Screen Discussion.png )
83626 No. 83626 ID: 4d30e8

Eternity is in love with the productions of time.
~William Blake

This is the discussion page for Ouroboros Parable, which can be found here.
http://tgchan.org/kusaba/quest/res/584329.html

What is an Ouroboros? It is a snake which coils around itself, eating its own tail. Some link it to the cyclical nature of time. And as such, our protagonist will be subject to those cycles - literally. But for now, forget about this talk about time, and discuss why, exactly, did our protagonist wake up in a morgue.
Expand all images
>>
No. 83627 ID: 2fd516

Maybe it's because he's stuck in a time loop and every time he dies he ends up waking up in that same morgue?
>>
No. 83628 ID: 74f028

>>83627
But does that mean doesn't remember the past iterations or is this just the first one.

AND what killed him? he had to be dead for awhile if his body got taken to a morgue.
>>
No. 83631 ID: b519f1

Maybe he's a really hard sleeper?
>>
No. 83648 ID: e4bf9c

>>83628
>he had to be dead for awhile if his body got taken to a morgue.

This is most certainly true, at least for James Baxter.
>>
No. 83731 ID: 90861a

>>>/quest/584528
this guy gets where I got the inspiration of Dr. Wu from! Well, he is based on Ducky, but with a little bit of difference in behavior.
>>
No. 84002 ID: 39022a

Rubaiyyat quote courtesy to MIT's online library.
http://classics.mit.edu/Khayyam/rubaiyat.html
>>
No. 84003 ID: 53548a

And those who husbanded the Golden grain,
And those who flung it to the winds like Rain,
Alike to no such aureate Earth are turn'd
As, buried once, Men want dug up again.
>>
No. 84075 ID: be744c

the thing in the ouroborous reminds me of kolams and sona art! (i think it IS sona art? the dots in the things remind me of it a lot)
will they feature more prominently?
*this is a second post bc i messed up the name, i said tchokwe instead of sona
>>
No. 84091 ID: e73507

>>84075
Well, it's a variation of the Endless Knot.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endless_knot
The dots themselves are something I used to doodle back in highschool, a kind of peculiar pattern.
>>
No. 85228 ID: 5851e1

Allright guys, I know I said I'd update Ouroboros this midweek, but some events happened that made me have to do a week's hiatus for both Ouroboros and Tharsia. Expect the hiatus to be continued and intermittent, as I'm doing some tests to apply for a job I enjoy.
Sorry for the readers of both quests, I know you're all eagerly anticipating the next update, but I hope you guys understand.
>>
No. 85234 ID: 2fd516

Good luck!
>>
No. 85572 ID: c62034
File 141144322742.png - (43.31KB , 500x500 , Soundtrack Screen.png )
85572

Seems like other quests have a playlist, so why doesn't Ouroboros? disclaimer: may contain spoilers and/or red herrings. Do not dry clean. Side effects include paranoia and memetic earworm infestation.

1. Radiohead - Jigsaw Falling Into Place
2. Keane - Crystal Ball (James Baxter's theme?)
3. NWA - Straight Outta Compton
4. Infected Mushroom - Project 100
5. Muse - Sunburn
6. Coldplay - The Scientist
7. Vangelis - Memories of Green (OST Blade Runner)
8. Boa - Duvet (OST Serial Experiments Lain) (Millie's theme?)
9. Gnarls Barkley - Going On
10. Incubus - Love Hurts
11. Radiohead - Backdrifts
12. Kanye West - Streetlights (McDowd's theme?)
13. Thom Yorke - Black Swan
14. Blur - Out of Time
15. Edith Piaf - Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien
16. Kenji Ootsuki - Ringo Mogire Beam (OST Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei)

http://www.mediafire.com/download/3fvkrqkvn7hyf4e/Ouroboros.zip
>>
No. 85746 ID: 528b2e

There will be a short delay in updates this midweek due to a job interview. The update will probably be up by either Thursday or Friday my time, else there will be a double update this weekend.
Thank you for your understanding! :D
>>
No. 85751 ID: 2fd516

>>85746
Good luck with your interview!
>>
No. 86513 ID: 879a42

I know we established already that this quest is a loop, but I just saw the 'cycle one' at the top next to the title. How many cycles will there be? Considering we just found our corpse, shouldn't this be a later cycle, or is this just the first cycle we have had to change something?
>>
No. 86516 ID: 5d3bab

>>86513
No, this is the first cycle you know of. That corpse is actually [REDACTED] so yeah, it makes sense. And we haven't died or reached one of the [REDACTED] checkpoints for this loop, so we're not cycling back... yet.
Hint: the soundtrack might offer a clue. It's listed that way for a reason.
>>
No. 86539 ID: 879a42

Figured this might not be the first actual cycle.

>>86516
Now I HAVE to check out the soundtrack.
>>
No. 86541 ID: f73c29

Huh. The top three graffiti are runes, for Aurochs, water, and wealth. Converted to English it can spell out ulf, witch can be a name meaning "Wolf" or Ultra Low Frequency.
>>
No. 86542 ID: b9dc4d

>>86541
You are correct! It is supposed to spell ULF. But it still remains to be seen if it's linked to 'wolf' or science, though.

For finding this out, I shall point it out for free next update. Yay! Note that this might be official; As in things pointed out in the discussion thread will be pointed out to Baxter in-story. So keep on the lookout for clues, red herrings and conspiracies, because James Baxter might get lucky with his memories...
>>
No. 86614 ID: f26a45

So yeah, got me a job, expect delays as I juggle my free time around. Update in the works. Worst case scenario is a double event of LoT and Ouroboros at the weekend, or an alternating weekend update.
>>
No. 86681 ID: 677643
File 141552762893.png - (204.92KB , 833x500 , merlon evidences A.png )
86681

So yeah, turns out I can only work on an update at a time each weekend, so alternating weekends it is. Which means that this weekend I'll update Ouroboros, and next week Legends of Tharsia, and the next week Ouroboros again, so on so forth.

------------------------

Here is a (slightly) better view of what the evidences are in the apartment. Here is the stuff on the table.
>>
No. 86682 ID: 677643
File 141552767042.png - (83.37KB , 615x374 , merlon evidences B.png )
86682

>>86681
And here is the board on the wall.
>>
No. 86684 ID: 2f2fc2

>>86681

thats totally not three characters we know
>>
No. 86695 ID: dd8e0b

>>86681
Okay, the tarot cards are the fool inverted, justice, and strength. Interestingly, justice and strength are related in that they swap numbers depending on the deck. And strength usually shows a woman over a lion, not feeding a snake it's own tail.

...not sure if this is meant to be three separate reading on the characters depicted, or one reading using three cards. So I'm going to hold off on bullshitting about possible meanings for now.


The middle-left diagram is in Russian, and appears to be plans or a map for some kind of facility. The numbers on the left are some kind of watch rotation, that's an elevator in the upper right, and I haven't copy-pasted the rest of the Cyrillic letters into google translate, yet.
>>
No. 86708 ID: dd8e0b

>>86681
Alright, here's the translation for the map, assuming I didn't misread any letters and google was on the ball.

ЧАСОВОЙ ЗАМЕНА - watch replacement

ЛИФТ - elevator

АРСЕНАЛ - arsenal

ЛАБОРАТОРИЯ - laboratory

ПАТРУЛИРОВАТЬ КАЖДЫЙ ЧАС!! - patrol each hour!!

ЛОББУ - lobby
>>
No. 86710 ID: f99558

>>86708

More correct translation
Lobby - ЛОББИ or ВЕСТИБЮЛЬ or ФОЙЕ
Watch replacement - СМЕНА ЧАСОВЫХ (if by watch you mean guards.)

Google ofter derps like that...
>>
No. 86719 ID: f73c29

...why would they make custom tarot cards for people we know? Who would even do that?

The bottom left diagram is the Sephirot of the Tree of Life in Kabbalah. It represents ten creative forces that are aspects of God. The circled sphere is Keter, the Supreme Crown, the highest aspect of the Sephirot. It represents the origin of the will of God, Nothingness, the negation of Thought, absolute compassion, the Hidden Light. It is above human comprehension.

Some say that there is a relationship between Kabbalah and Tarot.

For the board, the upper middle symbol is also the flower in the Fool card. Is it supposed to be a clock?
What is that scrap under it? Is it in Arabic?
>>
No. 86720 ID: f73c29

A note: Keter is also associated with unity and timelessness.
>>
No. 86722 ID: f73c29

The design next to the Sephirot is probably from the Key of Soloman, or something similar. Not sure what the exact design is, but it bears some similarities to the seal of Gamigin. Gamigin initially appears as a small horse, but can take the form of a man.He teaches the Liberal Sciences and can give account of all souls who have died in sin.
>>
No. 86743 ID: 87956d

>>86695
>tarot identification
Correct!
>...not sure if this is meant to be three separate reading on the characters depicted, or one reading using three cards
Maybe both...
>center blueprint identification
Correct!

>>86708
>>86710
>Cyrillic translation
Correct! Though yeah, I used Google Translate.

>>86719
>tree of life and Keter identification
Correct!
>finding out a connection between Kaballah and Tarot
Even I haven't seen that connection, but correct!
>For the board, the upper middle symbol is also the flower in the Fool card. Is it supposed to be a clock?
Correct, but not a clock.
>What is that scrap under it? Is it in Arabic?
Hint: Parsi.

>>86722
>Sigil identification
Incorrect! Wrong mystic tradition!

Some hints and red herrings:
Fool's flower is a symbol, but for who, or what?
The translucent string connects more than it seems.
Where is the energy input for the Tachyon Engine? What does it use for fuel, anyways?
What is Millie's significance?
>>
No. 86913 ID: d73df7

>>86743
>What is Millie's significance?
Well, it seems she'll invent, or at least be key to the development of, the Tachyon Engine, a device which seems as though it allows for cyclical time travel. Thus, the Strength card - Millie is subjugating infinity, symbolized by Ouroboros. The Strength card, upright, represents inner strength - specifically, the strength to control one's impulses and desires for the greater good. This may represent Millie using her psychic abilities (if she really has them and wasn't just messing with us) for scientific advancement.
>>
No. 86984 ID: 95fb3b

Also, two possibly important divergences from traditional Tarot:

1. The fool is traditionally shown accompanied by a (non-anthropomorphized) dog. Its absence may be important, considering our officer friend, or it may have been simply omitted because this is an anthro quest.

2. The justice card is shown here weighing a heart and a feather. This is a reference to the judgement of the dead in Egyptian mythology, in which Anubis, jackal-headed god of the dead, would weigh the deceased's heart against the Feather of Truth. If the heart was lighter than the feather, the soul was allowed to pass into the afterlife, but if it was weighed down by sin, the heart was fed to a crocodilian beast known as Ammut.
>>
No. 87004 ID: 3ef2c6

>>86984
Spot on on both of these.
The dog omitted may be because of a dog is already near Baxter. While the scales also hint to Baxter's dilemma or problem - look at the position of the heart and feather, and the implications of it.
>>
No. 87009 ID: 95fb3b

>>87004
Well, the scales seem evenly balanced, but the heart is possibly just a little bit lower than the feather. It may be possible that McDowd knows more about Baxter's reincarnation than he lets on, and is currently "judging" him because of something he did in a past incarnation.
>>
No. 87033 ID: f73c29

Does the script in Parsi mean origin point/end or something?
>>
No. 87041 ID: d01a56

>>87033
Nope, something else entirely.
Unless you're talking about the first Parsi word we encountered in the quest.
>>
No. 88355 ID: 3c17ca
File 141990046039.png - (191.14KB , 1808x490 , 141976449478.png )
88355

Figured I would leave this here. Also, That rabbit, we should really strategize how to deal with him. Might have really good info if we can play it off right. Tie him up in a closet and pretend to be a ghost.
>>
No. 88714 ID: 4cae69

http://strawpoll.me/3423206
Who is your most favourite Ouroboros character? Vote in the strawpoll above!
If you want, you can tell the reasons why here.
>>
No. 89014 ID: f56301
File 142280476901.png - (24.58KB , 160x395 , runes.png )
89014

A more detailed view on the bloody runes. Speculate away!
>>
No. 89017 ID: 640534

>>89014

Its J.R.R Tolkien's angerthas but not really.
it could also read DM HFRSM IS MFRI FTM???
>>
No. 89018 ID: 7d265e

>>89017
That's because Tolkien based his runes off the Norse stuff.
>>
No. 89020 ID: f73c29

THE HORSE IS MARK ONE
Oh dear. Someone is definitely gunning for your head, and maybe some other people too.
>>
No. 89025 ID: 01745f

>>89020
It occurs to me that maybe the scar message might serve a practical purpose: it might be a reminder to himself made to get around the same time travel memory loss effect the protagonist has.
>>
No. 89026 ID: f73c29

You would think a note would be sufficient.
I mean, physical objects apparently carry through, and would be less noticeable than bloody scars.
>>
No. 89166 ID: 829a87

Sorry about this, but this weekend's update will be a little late. A power outage on Saturday and a sudden parent-sponsored movie outing on Sunday meant that Ouroboros' update will be drawn Sunday night and Monday, and posted either Monday or Tuesday, and at the very late, Wednesday. Apologies to the followers of this quest.
>>
No. 89176 ID: 7bbea2
File 142401632789.png - (69.37KB , 500x500 , Orville.png )
89176

Have a quickly drawn killer rabbit. Practice to get the art flowing into my arms again.
>>
No. 89246 ID: 491ef3
File 142427328211.png - (23.40KB , 160x395 , on the other hand.png )
89246

Better alignment, on the other hand... speculate away.
>>
No. 89295 ID: 82efdc

>>89246
Find chosen one.

These are probably harder to crack in-universe, since looking up the symbols isn't as trivial in 1984.
>>
No. 89298 ID: 01745f

>>89295
Though being able to read them ourselves might be explicable in-universe as a skill from before losing our memory.
>>
No. 89361 ID: 3c17ca

>>89246
while we are the MC of the quest, what if the rabbit was not totally in the wrong?
>>
No. 89370 ID: 8358f3

>>89361
Ooh, interesting! Do tell me more of this theory!
>>
No. 92026 ID: ca5668

Welp, this week's delays brought to you by writer's block, American Gods and homesitting.
Ouroboros will return when I get the updates ready.
Sorry for the wait!
>>
No. 93183 ID: 5e9dcc

So yeah, happy holidays to you guys who celebrate Eid/Idul Fitri! And since that means visits to and by family, next update's going to be delayed either next weekend at worst, or wednesday at best!
>>
No. 93499 ID: 3c17ca

that new outfit is fly as hell. You turned my little doodle into something alive.
>>
No. 93950 ID: a76ba4

So yeah, I'll be in a local game jam in the 14th to the 16th of August, so I can't update my quests then. Expect something new the following weekend.
>>
No. 94273 ID: 07d7c6

So, did anyone figure out any clues, red herrings, or cameos from the last update(s)?
>>
No. 94278 ID: ab7529

>>94273
Well, there's a Katherine cameo here. >>/quest/661472

Useful clues? None that I notice off hand. Red herrings? Basically everything else, unless they're confirmed to be useful clues.

I kind of suspect there might be a relevant message on the back of the sandwich-board, but I really haven't wanted to fight with a blind translation from what looks like Arabic.
>>
No. 94281 ID: 8855eb

>>94278
Hint: we've seen the same language back earlier in the quest.
And I'm using Google Translate, so there's that.

There might also be symbolism in what people wear. If you can catch them, you might gain an insight on the nature of things. Like maybe the 'ambient data', the evidence back in the 'dream', or the sigil the rabbit drew - they all have meanings, and could hook together in surprising ways, depending on how the quest progresses.

By the way, there's been a small mistake. The hobo should be encountered near a crossroad, not a straight stretch of road. That's because it's something significant that I forgot.
>>
No. 95400 ID: 4b760a

Welp, looks like my old nemesis that is called the Flu caught me, in my weak moment after the drudgery life gave me. High chance that there will be no updates until this mucous drizzle had run its course, which is kinda annoying since I've already finished 2/3 of the update pictures. Sorry about that, and thank you for keeping up with Ouroboros.
Like they say, the Ouroboros symbolizes continuous rebirth and self-discovery; then so will this quest will reinvent itself, piece by piece, like the ship of Theseus.

A little glimpse of the future: a new kind of New Motive Power, strings of fate and loops of time, and the importance of red herrings.
>>
No. 98681 ID: b1963c
File 145879990475.png - (5.16KB , 177x76 , Titor logo.png )
98681

TITOR LABS

Tachyon-Induced Temporal Observation Research Labs
>>
No. 98773 ID: e40ee7

>>98681
Yes that's the only reason why they named it that and not so they could inform poeple that they work for/at TITs. Time Travel TITs! FOR SCIENCE!
>>
No. 99525 ID: 3da779
File 146194336476.png - (6.78KB , 132x168 , ULF logo.png )
99525

The logo of the Vereinigte Befreiungsfront, otherwise known as the United Liberation Front. At one time, the country of Teutonia rallied under their banner when they were invaded by the Rus People's Republic - but their counter-expansion to neighboring countries was unjustified, and prompted the Aquila Union, the Kingdom of Avalon, the Republic of Acadia, and the Gaul Confederacy to ally themselves to eradicate the ULF and keep Teutonia in check. It is rumored that nearing the end of that war, the ULF turned into more exotic and esoteric means to turn the war in their favor. From 'mundane' accusations of using child soldiers and genocide towards supposed 'traitor populations', to the more unbelievable ones like harnessing Vril energy gained from looted ancient relics, rituals using blood magic and human sacrifice, mind control systems...
and time travel.
>>
No. 99584 ID: ec28df

So yeah, I'll be on vacation for the rest of the week, no updates then. Hope you guys will have a fun time, and thanks for following the swirling trail of the Ouroboros so far.

Also some questions, if you want to answer: How do you like Ouroboros' story so far? What do you like? What could be improved? Which part still confuses you?
>>
No. 99835 ID: acebf9

It turns out the metaphorical blocker is real. After returning from the holidays I got the flu, and while that's largely over now, a new threat rises. My one of three external drives decided to have a cyclic redundancy error just last evening, which contained the WIP updates for Ouroboros. Until I can get that drive working again or data recovered - no updates.

Also it's kinda weird when you think about it. Cyclic redundancy error. Ouroboros, the worm that eats itself in a cycle. Something that blocks the update just as we're about to discover what's up with Twelvetrees. The quantum snake is resisting, hard. Maybe I've hit a real Akashic nerve or something?

By the way, if you turn the letters in James Baxter's name into numbers, and then add them...

JAMES = 10 + 1 + 13 + 5 + 19 = 48
BAXTER = 2 + 1 + 24 + 20 + 5 + 18 = 70

That 48 comes up again. And 70? Ten times the luck. Now we just need a 3 somewhere in there to make a full connection.

Maybe James C. Baxter?
>>
No. 101343 ID: 378f7d

just letting you guys know I'm still alive. Finding new experiences and broadening horizons. How'd you think of the latest update - despite technical adversity?
>>
No. 102663 ID: ded3b0


find her

find her in the space between void and time i love her so much

why did she have to disappear why why why

ill find a way i must find a way to bring her back from the brink

for our daughter for our family i must succeed

>>
No. 102669 ID: 398fe1

>>102663
FYI that only works in Futaba.
>>
No. 102671 ID: 595d54

>>102669
Not even then, the negative space makes it obvious that there's something to highlight.
>>
No. 102707 ID: cc398e

>>102671
Well allright, I guess that is too obvious.
but do find her please
Maybe I'll try something similar but different to hide more messages?
find the love of my life
Anyone have any ideas on how to hide messages/steganography on a message board?
between the void of time and space
>>
No. 105746 ID: 398fe1

Time to translate parsi!

>>86682
I fiddled around with a Persian keyboard until I got what looks like this, and google translates it as:
"A Selection,"
I translated english to persian and "A Choice" or "one choice" works to reproduce the Farsi sample. I'm guessing context is important.

As for the sign on the guy's back, this is gonna take longer.
>>
No. 105747 ID: 398fe1

>>102707
Oh, you could abuse icons. With enough of them you can put any image you want in the text field.
>>
No. 105748 ID: 398fe1

Oh jeez that sign. Well, first off, I'm pretty sure part of it wasn't written properly. The squiggle in the upper right is possible, the similar one in the upper left that's shorter is not. However, it's probably supposed to be the one that's possible, so I just used that one in the transcription.

First go through google translate gets me:
"Watch for SAR instrument arriving at Lille 5" Which is... wrong, obviously. SAR stands for Search And Rescue and I think I at least have THAT correct. This is probably telling Baxter that he's going to be extracted at a specific time or place. I think he needs to find Aida and go there to extract her.
>>
No. 105751 ID: f8a6b8

>>105746
>>105748
Er whoops, seems like manual text submitting is kinda wonky. I'll try to put the digital versions of any non-latin script here:

- شروع
- یکی از انتخاب
- سازمان دیده بان برای مار
- སྤྲུལ་པ
- श्री
- ЧАСОВОЙ ЗАМЕНА
- ЛИФТ
- АРСЕНАЛ
- ЛАБОРАТОРИЯ
- ПАТРУЛИРОВАТЬ КАЖДЫЙ ЧАС!!
- ЛОББУ
- отвлекающий маневр
- شاه ماهی سرخ
- रेड हेरिंग
- почему вы до сих пор читаете это?
- может быть два Тульпа
- кто на самом деле является Джеймс Бакстер?

Some of these has been decoded, and I use Google Translate.
>>
No. 105755 ID: 398fe1

>>105751
So the sign reads "Watch out for snakes". I got that translation totally wrong haha.

I thought the billboard might have read "The Chosen One" but that didn't work in google translate. It appears that the problem was in the capitalization.

Also the most important thing here appears to be "There might be two Tulpas"
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