Briefing
Greetings, Special Agent.
Recently an expedition in Brazil has found a strange tablet. It seems to be cursed, which is something obviously ridiculous to the untrained eye. However, we know better about the forces that may be.
The researchers went mad after too much contact with the tablet. A cleanup team from the CIA has intervened and taken them out of commission. They are now asking us to translate the tablet. Given the expertise in your team regarding… strange things, this would be the perfect job for you.
As always, Special Agent, the contract is yours, if you choose to accept.
Materials
Answer Instruction
Use the answer to unlock the flagfile, this will reward you with your badge.
Decipher the text to find the answer.
You will know when you see the flag.
Flagfile
Be advised, the flagfile is an encrypted ZIP. Make sure your OS supports the ZIP format. Ensure the password contains no hidden characters or formatting, paste in Notepad first if the password doesn’t seem to work.
PS: Don’t forget to claim your Coins and XP, by posting your card in the #card-brag channel in Discord.
Official Write-up
Provided here is the official write-up, it does contain the answer. Use this if you’re stuck, or want to verify if you got the answer correct.
⚠️ SPOILER: Official Write-up
A Message From Hell
This contract involves an expedition team in the jungles of Brazil who have discovered a mysterious and ominous stone tablet. The tablet appears to have a psychological effect on the team, leading to strange visions and paranoia. Eventually, the team is forced to call in SERPENT, an elite group of private investigators, to assist in translating the tablet.
Challenge Objectives
- Decipher the text inscribed on the mysterious stone tablet
Solution Steps
Step 1: Examine the Tablet
The briefing provides some background information on the expedition team’s discovery of the stone tablet in the Brazilian jungle. The tablet is described as being carved with “indecipherable symbols that defy all known languages” and exuding an “aura of malevolence”.
The team, led by Jack Turner, has experienced disturbing visions and psychological effects upon nearing the tablet, leading them to believe it may be a “psychological weapon” created by a long-lost civilization.
Step 2: Decipher the Tablet Text
The player is tasked with deciphering the text inscribed on the mysterious tablet. This will require some creative problem-solving, as the text is in an ancient, unknown script.
Based on the player-provided writeup, a few key steps emerge:
- Perform a reverse image search to determine the script is in Old Persian, an ancient language from around 300 BCE.
- Since most modern OCR (Optical Character Recognition) tools do not support Old Persian, the player will need to manually transcribe the text.
- Find a font that closely resembles the Old Persian script, such as the “Behistun” font available on Fontspace.
- Use the Behistun font to manually type out the text from the image.
- Translate the resulting text, which turns out to be a Portuguese poem.
- Carefully examine the final two verses of the poem, reading the last sentence backwards to reveal the flag: “thisistheflag”.
Final Answer
The flag revealed by deciphering the text on the stone tablet is:
thisistheflagTips for Players
- Be prepared to think outside the box and use creative problem-solving techniques to decipher the ancient script
- Research available tools and resources that may assist in transcribing and translating the text
- Pay close attention to any unusual or out-of-place elements in the final translated text
- Don’t get discouraged if the deciphering process seems challenging at first
Creator(s): Frank Diepmaat