Episode 1

Physical Contents

Cooper's Rock Keychain

  • According to the Cooper Heritage Center director's welcome letter, the keychain is equipped with a blacklight.

Letter from Museum Curator

  • The curator, June Novak, states she spoke with Grace, who had a "vision" that we could help.

    • This is the Grace from The Woods (Season 1 of Empty Faces).

  • She points out different occurrences that only she has experienced. None of her coworkers have been affected.

  • She also reveals that she is the one who signed us up for the program.

Letter from Museum Director

  • This is a welcome letter from the Cooper Heritage Center director, Cecilia Dandridge. She explains we are new volunteers for an apprenticeship program.
  • She gives us the website to access our first assignment.
  • The assignments can also be reached by navigating to the "Volunteers" section from the menu.

Meeting Minutes

  • These minutes are for the meeting that held the deciding vote to commence the strike.
  • There are coded messages within these pages.
  • The key is "Correctronic 340". Googling this is a little tricky. It comes up as Brother typewriter ribbon, but what we actually want is the typewriter model itself.
  • Looking at an image of the keyboard of the typewriter, you will notice all of the symbols on the number keys are similar to those on our current computers, with the exception of the 6. This has the cent symbol on it.
  • The number that corresponds to the preceding symbol of a message is the number of times each letter gets shifted back.

  • The decoded messages read:

    • "Delivered by D.G."
    • "Distribute re: strike action."
      • *I do not see this one myself, but HaK has it in the recaps section.
    • "Work in Hades must continue despite strike. Seek outside labor."
    • "Ensure confidentiality".
    • "Schedule J.Y. exit interview."

Museum Brochure

  • This pamphlet basically regurgitates and informs what is offered on the website.

Museum Tote Bag

  • This is a nifty bag in which to keep all case documents and materials for convenient carrying.

Profile of Miner

  • The note from David to E. at the bottom of the profile has some words coded by symbols.
  • We do not yet have the means to decipher this new alphabet.

Regional Folklore Booklet

  • There is a compilation of ghost stories, with heavy tie-ins to The Woods (Empty Faces Season 1).

Digital Contents

Cooper Heritage Center Website

Volunteers → Click Here (Live Quiz) → MATCH THE MINER'S ARGOT TO CORRECT PRONUNCIATION

  • Question 1: Foxfire

    • Correct Answer: C - fɑkˌsfaɪr

  • Question 2: Luster

    • Correct Answer: B - lʌstər

  • Question 3: Stinkdamp

    • Correct Answer: D - stɪŋkdæmp

  • Question 4: Working

    • Correct Answer: A - wɜrkɪŋ

 

Volunteers → Apprentice Curator Assignment #1

  • Password: COOPERSROCKROCKS

 

Volunteers → Apprentice Curator Assignment #1 → HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW TRADITIONAL MINER SLANG?

  • Question 1: What were strikebearers known as?

    • Correct Answer: B - Blacklegs

  • Question 2: What was the usual nickname for a new miner?

    • Correct Answer: C - Johnny Newcome

  • Question 3: What did it mean if you were slabbed?

    • Correct Answer: D - You were hit with a falling rock

  • Question 4: Who was Quinine Jimmy?

    • Correct Answer: A - The mining camp doctor on duty

  • Question 5: What was the term for the spot where mine cars are emptied of their coal?

    • Correct Answer: B - Tipple

  • Question 6: What would miners call the layers of soil and rock covering a coal seam?

    • Correct Answer: C - Overburden

  • Question 7: If another miner runs out yelling "Roof fall!", what does he mean?

    • Correct Answer: D - The tunnel collapsed

  • Upon completion of the quiz, you will be given a password for this episode's archives.

 

Volunteers → Apprentice Curator Assignment #1 → Archive

  • Password: PICKAXE

 

  • This archive consists of an interview audio clip of Silas Kemp.
  • Silas clues into security protocols and zone names. He reveals the zone names and partial number string, plus a word.
  • A shift cipher is used to reveal the full password. The zone name is the base. The number string is the shift key (forward).

  • Cairo

    • Zone: C - A - I - R - O
    • Authorization Code: 9 - 4 - 11 - 16 - 16
    • Password: L - E - T - H - E

  • At three points of the interview, the voice of what I will refer to from here on out as The Divine (the running-theme evil entity in Empty Faces) can be heard but is indecipherable once again.

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