Cathedris Themesong

Torn-Edges of Spiral Bound Paper

Coded messages hidden in plain sight.

Let me guess... the Legion isn't what you thought it'd be when you joined? Too many politics, too much brutality, and too much arrogance among the higher ranks? Well then... follow me if you're serious, I've got some people and some secrets to introduce you to.
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— Internal resistance within the Legion.
  Internal resistance from within the Legion comes from members unhappy with the direction the organization is going lately. Using standard issue spiral bound notebooks, these members have created a code with which they can plan meetings, post warnings, or decree plans.   The code is used all across the Legion, in every base, installation, and outpost. It's seen on documents handed from member to member, postings on communal message board, or on scrap pages left lying around. The Torn-edge code is known and shared among the internal resisters, and read by removing certain left-over tabs on pages torn out of the spiral bound notebooks they all carry. There are 23 "tabs" left over on any page torn out of the standard issue notebook, and the code relies on tearing off specific tabs in order to tell a secret message.

Try the buttons in the sidebar for examples

Intended Outcome

This internal resistance is pushing for a few main goals -- goals that they are extremely dedicated to. For the most part, what they want to see is accountability brought to the Legion, for the organization has gone on too long without having their power checked. Secondly, the resistance wants fewer secrets kept within the Legion, as there is much that goes on behind closed and locked doors that they feel the public should know about. These goals are pushed towards by having members of the resistance leak documents, share secrets, and attempt to convince high ranking members that the Legion is rotten.

The Legion

The Legion is a neutral fighting force that is spread across the entire planet. It is made up of elite soldiers, taken in equal amounts from every country, so as to remain unbiased to any particular country. The Legion's purpose is to fight Rendlings, horrific monsters that all Cathedrans fear.   Public scrutiny has increased regarding the Legion as of late, as the organization's pride in protecting the world has begun to sour into arrogance. In some places of the world the Legion acts more as a bully than a protector.

Legion
Organization | Sep 14, 2024

The Legion is a multinational neutral fighting force built to protect all Cathedrans from the threat of the Rendlings, but the organization harbors a dark secret.


Examples


Hover above a button to see the translated code, click the button to view the torn paper code!

This Week's Cipher
papercode0.png

This Week's Cipher

  • Top Tab
  • Tab 1
  • Tab 2
  • Tab 3
  • -- Tab 4 --
  • Tab 5
  • Tab 6
  • Tab 7
  • Tab 8
  • Tab 9
  • -- Tab 10 --
  • Tab 11
  • Tab 12
  • Tab 13
  • Tab 14
  • Tab 15
  • -- Tab 16 --
  • Tab 17
  • Tab 18
  • Tab 19
  • Tab 20
  • Tab 21
  • Bottom Tab
  • Indicates either high or regular importance.
  • Announcement, refer to tabs 5-9
  • Call to Meeting, refer to tabs 11-15
  • Call to Action, refer to tabs 17-21
  • ----Blank----
  • Legion suspicions have increased.
  • Legion suspicions have decreased.
  • We've recruited new members.
  • We are shifting the code.
  • Cover blown, go into hiding.
  • ----Blank----
  • Weekly meeting, same time and place.
  • New time, indicated within memo.
  • New place, indicated within memo.
  • Meeting to be potluck, bring tasty food.
  • Cancel previously planned meeting.
  • ----Blank----
  • Attempt to sabotage documents.
  • Leak Legion secrets.
  • Push for promotion, gain more access to secrets.
  • Try to recruit other Legionnaires.
  • Sacrifice is needed to throw the Legion off our trail.
  • Indicates more instruction hidden within document/memo.
    • Example: Important Announcement

    An Important Announcement



    IMPORTANT

    Announcement

    Meeting

    Legion suspicions have increased

    We are shifting the code

    New time, indicated within memo

    More instructions hidden within this document

    Example: Upcoming Changes

    Changes to Plans and the Upcoming Meeting



    Announcement

    Meeting

    Legion suspicions have increased

    New time, indicated within memo

    New place, indicated within memo

    More instructions hidden within this document

    Example: Call to Action

    Call to an All Out Attack



    Announcement

    Call to Action

    Legion suspicions have decreased

    Attempt to sabotage documents

    Leak Legion secrets

    Try to recruit more to the resistance

    More instructions hidden within this document

    Example: Proceed with Caution

    Proceed with Caution and Prepare



    Announcement

    Meeting

    Legion suspicions have increased

    Weekly meeting, same time and place

    Meeting to be a potluck, bring tasty food

    Example: Imminent Danger

    We Are In Danger



    IMPORTANT

    Announcement

    Meeting

    Call to Action

    Legion Suspicions have increased

    Cover blown, go into hiding

    Cancel the previously planned meeting

    A sacrifice is needed to throw the legion off our trail


    We've got to be really, really careful with this. We can't let the higher ups know about this code as it's our main way of planning meetings and attacks. It's one of our greatest tools, and it's helping us to bring some accountability to the Legion.
    — Internal Resistor

    Entry for Worldbuilding Summer Camp 2020

    Answering: "Write about a secret code or cypher in your world: who uses it, and for what purpose?"
    Visit Stormbril's Competition Page Check all other answers to this prompt Competition Homepage
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    This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
    All content, unless stated otherwise, copyright ©2010 - 2023 Devon Ruscheinski. All Rights Reserved. All images are made by Stormbril, unless otherwise specifically stated. World Default Header Image (Interior roof of a Cathedral) originally by Derek Story, edited by Stormbril.
    Background image composited of a Cathedral Photo by Odin Lee, with mountains behind by Sorin Sîrbu, combined and edited by Stormbril.
    Developed by Stormbril.    
     

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    Ash Barklow

    Procurement Officer of Barklow's Books
      Listen, you need to be careful. The Legion have eyes and ears everywhere -- there's always a chance we're being watched. But we have to do something. We can't just sit by and let them destroy the world.   If you want to know more, find out what abhorrent things they've been getting up to in their secret labs, then follow me.   Click here to join The Regiment for Humanity and learn the truth of what the Legion is up to.  
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    Dr. Anabelle Evingston

    Leader of the ACSA
      Humanity is wasting its potential -- for too long have we toiled in the shadows of oppressive God-husks that do naught but push us down. Great and terrible secrets have remained hidden within the depths of the planet for ages, and it's time they make themselves known to us.   It's time humanity takes its proper place as the truly divine of this world.   It's time we usher in a new future.   Click here to make the right choice and join The Altruistic Concilium of Sacred Architecture  

    You've found yourself a tasty tidbit of information, a morsel of facts -- a Snippet. This is quick form content to consume at your leisure without needing to buckle down and read a whole article.   Hungry for more? Check out the catalogue HERE   Let me know below if you'd like to see this article expanded upon and turned into a complete experience.
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    Language
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    Cathedris
    Category
    Legion
    Author
    Stormbril
    Publication Date
    22 Jul, 2020
    Creation Date
    21 Jul, 2020
    Last Update Date
    8 Sep, 2024
    Visibility
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    Views
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    Comments

    Please Login in order to comment!
    BrokenJac
    Jul 23, 2020 01:36 by Jacob Billings

    Your CSS here is stunning, I love all of the features you were able to include. Great work!

    Eternal Sage Stormbril
    Jul 23, 2020 05:06 by Stormbril

    Thank you Jac! The CSS idea came first here, then I had to build an article around it, haha.


    Cathedris, the world of God-husks and New Magic, welcomes you.

    You have been invited to apply to the Veiled Academy...
    Councilor of the Inner Sanctum shyredfox
    Jul 23, 2020 01:53 by Amy Winters-Voss

    Great job! I love that those that want fewer secrets are using secrets to do so. :D

    Author of the Liminal Chronicles urban fantasy series | Author Website
    Eternal Sage Stormbril
    Jul 23, 2020 05:07 by Stormbril

    I guess it's a sort of "fight fire with fire" situation they're in! :D Thanks Fox! :)


    Cathedris, the world of God-husks and New Magic, welcomes you.

    You have been invited to apply to the Veiled Academy...
    Councilor of the Inner Sanctum Serukis
    Jul 24, 2020 14:11 by Dr Emily Vair-Turnbull

    This is such a clever idea for a cipher, and I really love how you've used CSS to add to the article. It's so well done. :)   I did have a giggle at imagining one of the resistors finding a piece of paper that isn't actually a code but they think it is. Do they have a failsafe to prevent that from happening?

    Emy x
    Explore Etrea
    Eternal Sage Stormbril
    Jul 24, 2020 16:11 by Stormbril

    Thanks as always Emy! This article was really fun to make :)   And oh yeah, that could definitely happen xD They try to prevent it from happening by allowing for the "blank" tabs, and the "section" tabs (1, 2, and 3) -- but its still possible for accidental codes to be sent, and then everyone is confused and bad things can happen :D


    Cathedris, the world of God-husks and New Magic, welcomes you.

    You have been invited to apply to the Veiled Academy...
    Master R. R. LoreCastle
    Jul 19, 2023 16:28 by Reanna R

    This is such a cool idea! And the CSS was amazing. Easily one of the coolest articles I've read. Though it must take a lot to memorize the codes, especially if they keep changing.

    May your worldbuilding hammer always fall true! Also, check out the world of the Skydwellers for lots of aerial adventures.
    Eternal Sage Stormbril
    Jul 19, 2023 19:26 by Stormbril

    Thank you so much!   And oh yeah, definitely -- it takes a lot of work to be as safe as possible, and it definitely opens up the possibility of misreading the code D:


    Cathedris, the world of God-husks and New Magic, welcomes you.

    You have been invited to apply to the Veiled Academy...
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