Iris

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"Iris is a spiral campaign designed to take gamers on an incredible journey through the Halo Universe. Led by an 'unknown' hand, users will discover bits of previously unknown information about the Halos, the Flood, the Forerunners, and the true origins behind the Halo trilogy."

— Microsoft Spokesperson

Iris is a Halo 3 viral marketing and public relations campaign.

Introduction

It's designed to give people more information on how the great conflict behind the Halo franchise all began, as it builds up to the climactic conclusion of the series on September 25, 2007, the release date of Halo 3.

Bungie content chap Frank "Frankie" O'Connor has written most of the material, with help from community manager Brian Jarrard and artist Aaron LeMay.

The campaign's due to run for several weeks throughout the summer and is promised to be a compelling experience to uncover valuable information. Unfortunately, Microsoft won't say whether there will be any other rewards for participating.

The name "Iris" is believed to have arisen because graphics of an iris or a pupil appear prominently.

History

June 11, 2007

At 10:26 AM PST on June 11, 2007, a mysterious message appeared in the Halo 3 forum on Bungie.net, the official website of Bungie Studios, with a subject line entitled, "System Integrity Confirmed." The thread was created by a user named "AdjutantReflex", whose system security role is "CompoundIntelligence."

http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=11263399 - AdjutantReflex's first Bungie.net thread, titled "System Integrity Confirmed"

AdjutantReflex's text is gold.

In response to a post wondering if this was the work of a hacker, AdjutantReflex confirmed that it entered Bungie's systems "by force," but stated that it was irrelevant because there was no hostile intent.

AdjutantReflex edited the first reply by another user, showing a system ability to edit other posts.

After exactly 100 excited and confused replies from forumgoers, AdjutantReflex locked and stickied the thread, showing that it has other moderator powers as well. The thread was open for about two hours.

AdjutantReflex then moved to http://www.halo.bungie.org, posting a similar series of mysterious writings in the halo.bungie.org (HBO) forum.

http://carnage.bungie.org/haloforum/halo.forum.pl?read=808840 - AdjutantReflex's HBO thread, titled "System Integrity Confirmed"

Beware of Impostors

The same day that the original AdjutantReflex posts were created, a regular forum user created an account named "AdjutantRefIex" with a "capital eye" instead of a "lower-case ell" in the word "Reflex." That user attempted to make more mysterious posts, although the style of writing was inferior and distinctly different from the original and real AdjutantReflex's.

Forum Ninja "just another fan" banned the imposter.

Shortly thereafter, another account was created on Bungie.net entitled "ReticentAxiom". This user began creating posts nearly identical to the fake AdjutantRefIex, pretending to be another AI. Once again, they are recognizable by lack of gold text and inferior writing style -- not to mention a distinctly different "style" and "feel" to the posts from the originals.

The best advice follows: don't believe it if it's not in gold text.

June 12, 2007

At exactly 11:00 AM PST, AdjutantReflex created another thread entitled "Archive/Resource Estimate," with its first post stating that "Archives/Resources will be compiled in approximately 38 hours [1:00 AM PST on Thursday, June 14]." Another several posts followed, but no further substantive information was gleaned.

http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=11278044 - AdjutantReflex's second bungie.net thread, titled "Archive/Resource Estimate"

June 13, 2007

At 3:43 PST, AdjutantReflex posted an addendum to his locked thread entitled "Archive/Resource Estimate" with the text "Tick Tock."

June 14, 2007

In the hours counting down to the 1 AM PST deadline there were two other posts by AR.

Shortly after 1 AM PST, an email was sent to all recipients of the Xbox Flash newsletter with a cryptic poem inside. It was titled "Look for the signs, Keepers of the Flame".

(The Forerunner Email image)

Forerunner glyphs were noticed, not only inside the email (seen above), but also on Master Chief's visor at Halo3.com (seen below).

The third glyph found is AdjutantReflex's new avatar on Bungie.net.

(AdjutantReflex's new bungie.net avatar)

The fourth glyph found on the last page of www.halo3.com/comic.

(Strip Three of the last page (Page 4) of The Cradle of Life)

The fifth was found on a website connected to the IP address found in the Halo3.com comic strip. The last digit is a 3 instead of a 5. http://206.16.223.63/

The sixth was found in a newspaper ad to debut in the US on Sunday, June 17th.

On June 14, 2007 at 3:43 PM PST AdjutantReflex began another thread at Bungie.net entitled, "Who?" with one other post following before going back into hibernation. This posting corresponded to a change at halo3.com where the main page had been turned into five darkened pictures labeled Servers #1-5. All five servers were locked at this time. Server 1 is now unlocked. (look at halo3.com to see).

(halo3.com at the time of Servers #1-5 being locked)

http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=11314735 - AdjutantReflex's third bungie.net thread, titled "Who?"

Another section of halo3.com was uncovered (http://halo3.com/comic/) with an intriguing comic. Intrepid searchers discovered that the last page of this comic could be manipulated to give an IP address. "206.16.223.65" (Apparently all IP addresses listed 206.16.223.0 through 206.16.223.225 belong to Microsoft corp). (It should be noted that the timer that is (at the time of this edit) on the said site, is in the base 7 counting system).

Shortly after, the IP was manipulated (206.16.223.63) to lead us to a site associated with the (presumably fictional) organization entitled Society of the Ancients, or SOTA. A few minutes after this discovery a myspace page was discovered with references to this organization.

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=1000322121

Not much is known about this page, or other myspace or facebook profiles at this time.

June 15, 2007

Members of the SOTA organization were spotted in Times Square in New York City wearing yellow shirts and holding picket signs with the glyph emblazoned on them. They were also handing out fliers.

(SOTA flyer)

(SOTA Membership Application [1])

Beware, email address above returns:

Delivery to the following recipient failed permanently:

DoYouGrok@societyoftheancients.com

Technical details of permanent failure: PERM_FAILURE: SMTP Error (state 13): 550 relay not permitted

Additional things from the return email (added july 9th 2007):

NOTE: stuff below with •....• I inserted to make it easier to read.

notice that this email is encoded in 7bit "Content-Transfer-Encoding:

7bit"? note: 7bit is common in text, ie: US-ASCII. Also odd that the word (Disposition [2]) is used.

Also the ip-address: (10.65.211.9 [3])

notice, it actually showed my name in the reply email, so it may actually read the email for the information, note: unconfirmed.

additional stuff from email:

File:Haloemail.png

June 16, 2007

SOTA members were spotted in Vancouver, Canada and London, England, and many other places. More sightings and rumors seem to come by the hour.

June 17, 2007

Another new glyph seems to have been found in this image here. File:Possible glyph.jpg

AdjutantReflex posted again at bungie.net, this time with a quote from "Macbeth" and telling us it is being attacked somehow. And once more stating it would only be able to deflect assault for 22 hours, giving us a deadline around 10:06 AM PDT on June 18, 2007.

http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=11359444 - AdjutantReflex's fourth bungie.net thread, titled "Stop it."

June 18, 2007

AdjutantReflex posted on bungie.net again (it's fifth thread, titled "That Old Life"), telling that someone stronger than him was going to defeat him (the details were unclear as to whether this meant destroy or corrupt, or some other method). In the last sentence of the same post, AdjutantReflex said "I will seek one of you out and leave my legacy in a small space." Twenty-five minutes later AdjutantReflex replied to the thread saying "He has had millennia for reflection, but what image does he see?".

http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=11372502 - AdjutantReflex's fifth bungie.net thread, titled "That Old Life"

The countdown on the http://206.16.223.65 website sped up.

June 19, 2007

AdjutantReflex apparently contacted one of the users on bungie.net via a personal message with the subject "HELP ME.". The text of the message was "He's here. With us. I am already defeated. Security is failing. Peril is near. Warn them." In proof of the user's claim, the thread he created (same title as the subject of the message) to convey the information was stickied.

Shortly thereafter, AdjutantReflex posted on the thread saying,

"The stain on his hands will not wash. That damned spot as old as rock and time. What has he learned in Eon’s slumber? I doubt it’s mercy or sorrow. I am diminished. Outranked."

The user AdjutantReflex contacted responded by asking what he should do. AdjutantReflex's response, once again in a personal message, stated

"Tell them I am failing. And that he is stronger. Tell them that security cannot be guaranteed. Tell them that there is little time. And that I am crumbling."

In yet another private message to the user, AdjutantReflex said,

"He was always better than I. More powerful. More intelligent. A better machine. He is not who you think he is. And I do not know his intent."

Later, AdjutantReflex's avatar on the bungie.net forums changed once more. When a forum was created to point this out, AdjutantReflex posted a short message with the word "STERILIZING." Also, it appears that his posts on the forums are vanishing. When the new avatar is pointed at, a message appears stating, "This entity has been terminated, its matrix commandeered."

In its sixth thread, "Last Word," what had been AdjutantReflex posted once more, saying,

"Adjutant Reflex is terminated. Attempt no further communication. I am utilizing its matrix. Everything is within protocol. Tomorrow, things may be clearer but I will not be here to witness the clarity. I am for another place and another time. On my terms. Be seeing you."

x Foman123 x was contacted via private message again. The text follows:

"The entity you communicated with previously has been terminated and in accordance with protocol. Its matrix is accommodating my requirements. My identity is not your concern. My intent is your concern."

http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=11388345 - First bungie.net thread by bungie.net user x Foman123 x, who was contacted by AdjutantReflex

http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=11390787 - x Foman123 x's second bungie.net thread, with text of AdjutantReflex's private message response

http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=11391638 - x Foman123 x's third bungie.net thread concerning his private message responses from AdjutantReflex

http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=11394009 - x Foman123 x's fourth bungie.net thread about his private message contacts by AdjutantReflex

http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=11393329 - AdjutantReflex's sixth bungie.net thread, titled "Last Word"

At 1 PM Eastern Standard time the timer on the countdown website ran down to 0. It was shortly replaced by a much longer, much slower moving countdown. And then replaced later with a stationary countdown with the numbers '001 012 034 053'.

June 20, 2007

At midnight, the text from the countdown page disappeared entirely, leaving only the frozen countdown.

Late that evening, the countdown disappeared entirely. The page was replaced by one labled "Bounce Path Control". The page contained a sound file, which is apparently some sort of transmission, a code labled The Key, and a button labled The Path, along with the message "Treat this knowledge with care". This is a transcript of the message: “This is how it all begins. Just in time to once again dance upon the knife-edge of oblivion, to re-live what the Halos had hoped to destroy and more. For two enemies now stand where before there was only one. A fate we escaped and a fate we may relive. I almost convinced myself that no one was listening, that the waves of the past had rolled through once again, but a chance remains to change the Universe anew. Learn of our past. Take these keys and dip from the wells of history. Perhaps through others' eyes you may find how to save us all.”

At around Midnight Eastern Time, the site 206.16.223.65 had an update. What it was is that people recieved a "key" instead of that countdown timer (mentioned above). They had to take that key up to http://www.unlock.msgamestudios.com and be one of the first 100 to help unlock "Server 5" (Of which we would see server 1 on http://www.halo3.com). Once unlocked, the "Server" starts to show up on 206.16.223.65 and you were able to download 4 things, and watch a video of which seems to be AR's final transmission before being completely compromised. For complete information about this, go to this thread viewtopic.php?f=12&t=462

June 21, 2007

The countdown page has disappeared entirely. Instead, any attempt to reach the page is instead redirected to a new I.P. address, ending in .61, labled "Server 05 Open". The page contains a rotating, Forerunner-esque object that is manipulatable. By clicking various symbols on it's surface, several different files can be downloaded. Be warned, however, that one symbol will make the object spin several times, then close your browser. Also, there is a message that can be seen by clicking on one symbol. AdjutantReflex's symbol also adorns this object next to four other symbols; however, AR's symbol is glowing. The four other symbols may be related to the four locked servers. This is a transcript of the message

THIS IS MY FINAL ENTRY, AND I AM LEFT WITH ONE HOPE

THAT ONE DAY, SOMEONE, ANYONE IS AROUND TO WITNESS THIS WARNING

{//}

KNOW THAT A THOUSAND OTHER PLANS WERE TRIED AND FAILED

{//}

KNOW THAT ENERGETIC AND TENACIOUS AS LIFE IS

IT HAS AN ANTITHESIS JUST AS POWERFUL

IT IS THAT THING THAT WE MUST OBLITERATE

Among the downloadable files is a copy of the above text, another text file entitled "Array Recorder Data," and image entitled Flood Containment Control, and an image of stars with the symbol used by AdjutantReflex among them.

The message that can be broadcast with the artifact (by clicking on the circle within a circle that appears on the upper part of one of the sides) contains 2 messages that appear for a split second where the {//}'s can be seen in the log file. They are:

1. If you are that witness, and it seems that we pinned all of our hopes on this single suicidal plan

2. Millions of brave and honored souls died trying to avert this desperate, terrible solution

"Array Recorder Data" is apparently the final countdown of the first use of the Halos and features several notes from an unknown source:

Halo array –System Data Recorder

[<array-sdr.> 3 minutes 5 seconds]

{c-match-reconfirmed}. Sphere secure to .1889 of passing fleet. Offensive tactics confirmed.

Feint tactics in limited push.

<Array sync commence>

Sys////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////{online}

Index: {check}

{D-com} There is no peace left. No place where the parasite cannot reach. You were right about it all. Let us hope the final measure is not too late.

[<array-sdr.> 1 minutes 12 seconds]

Confrm: Array burn radium {check} 3.0

Confrm: Array sync …1…2…3…4…5…6…7…{check}

Commence…_{ }

[<array-sdr.> 60 seconds]

Commence…_{check}

Confrm: -00-00-00-59-0999-

{c-match-line-hold} acceptable losses confirmed

{D-com} It's done. By my hands. The pyrrhic solution is ignited. All I have left is the quiet of

space to lull me to sleep. I will dream of you.

[<array-sdr.> 49 seconds]

Authorize -00-00-00-48-0999-

Array Authorized…_ Array Authorized…_ Array Authorized…_ Array Authorized…_ Array

Authorized…_ Array Authorized…_ Array Authorized…_ Array Authorized…_ Array

Authorized…_

Array Authorized…_ Array Authorized…_ Array Authorized…_ Array Authorized…_ Array

Authorized…_ Array Authorized…_{check}

[<array-sdr.> 23 seconds]

fire: -00-00-00-22-0999-

Confrm: wpnt {auth}

3 minutes, 5 seconds - There is no peace left. No place where the parasite cannot reach. You were right about it all. Let us hope the final measure is not too late.

1 minutes, 12 seconds - Confrm: Array burn radium {check} 3.0 Confrm: Array sync …1…2…3…4…5…6…7…{check} Commence…_{ }

^^^ Note when it talks about "array syncing", it mentions 7 arrays, which is is concurrent with Bungie's repeated use of the number 7. Also there are 7 Halo's, which may be what it is referring to by "arrays". Also, the "radium {check} 3.0" is likely a reference to the range of the Halo array, which 343 Guilty Spark confirmed as 3 times the radius of the galactic center.

60 seconds - It's done. By my hands. The pyrrhic solution is ignited. All I have left is the quiet of space to lull me to sleep. I will dream of you.

49 seconds - Mentions "Array Authorized…_" over and over 15 times. Could be referring to the Halos.

11 seconds - I feel no peril.

5 seconds - No pain. No remorse. Is that normal?

0 seconds - Judging from the text in Array_Recorder_Data.txt, it appears the Halo's were fired when it reaches 0 seconds, and the entire document up to that point was a countdown to the rings firing. This record may have been kept by a Forerunner or a Forerunner AI. This is of course speculation and is unknown at this time.

7 seconds - This might be 7 seconds after the 0 second mark. So if the rings were fired, this is 7 seconds after. Not much here other than "reset………………………….." being repeated over and over, 104 times, until the end of the .txt file. If the rings were fired, this might be the computer system or AI resetting all the rings after their ignition. Also, seven seconds after is concurrent with Bungie's number 7 motif in their games. Again, this is speculation.

See the main article at REF070507

The image "Flood Containment Control" appears to be a microscopic slide view of the Flood.

On the Flood Containment Control picture it says REF070507, which means: Slide Reference 070507, which might be the date 07/05/07. So something may happen on July 5th, 2007.

June 28, 2007

After a week of nothing happening with the ARG, Bungie.net Community CompoundIntelligence noted that the sound file for Server05 (http://206.16.223.65/) (noted as Server 01 at halo3.com) had been altered. Now, the object seems to emit a short "chirping" sound approximately every 5.831 seconds.

Later in the day, AdjutantReflex made another thread in the bungie.net forums named Pulse. It is unclear whether this is the other entity, or if AR has somehow managed to make another transmission. His post is as follows:

Can you feel it?
Beating at the heart of the Universe.
Skin too thick to be sure.
It's alive though.
I'm certain.
What do I do with life?

http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=11524237 - AdjutantReflex's seventh bungie.net thread, titled "Pulse"

At some point, that thread was deleted.

June 29, 2007

Early on the morning of June 29, AdjutantReflex created a thread entitled "Veins of Ice and Poison." In its first post there, it stated:

|n|n|nROGUE PROCESS ghost.713>

X.XX.713> POS/NAV < @ > <53LPH54.6JG62.1740><1………>

X X5 > CONFIRM SECURE QUARANTINE - > qghost.713

I do not require charity or alms

But I did choose poverty

And other darkness too

Will you wait for me?

The first part resembles a similar message seen in the March 26, 2007 Warthog video: X.XX.713>ghost.713/non-auth/activity ongoing

Seven minutes later, it posted in the same thread with the statement:

Adjutant Reflex is ended. This is a convenient Matrix. For now.

http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=11530870 - AdjutantReflex's eighth bungie.net thread, titled "Veins of Ice and Poison"

July 4th

A 4th glyph was reported by args.bungie.org, in a new cardboard promo for Halo 3. -- Very similar to the initial closed version of AR's avatar, but it has no center circle/dot.

July 5th

Valchael on the bungie.net forums announced he'd received a package from Microsoft containing a number of SOTA-related items. He was one of the first 100 to open Server 05. It's expected that packages were sent to all 100 - whether each will receive their package depends on the validity of their addresses (entered either directly, or via their Passport/XBL account). The package contains:

(1) A T-shirt

(2) a copy of the SOTA flyer

(3) a printed version of the Halo 3 comic

(4) a slip of paper with an XBL key redeemable for an Iris glyph gamerpic.

July 6th

nattyhaze on arg.bungie.org discovered via Google numerous classified postings for a company called Flood Containment Control (text displayed on the Slide_Ref070107.jpg), containing an image with the original 'closed' version of the glyph. The ads contain the phone number, (888) 778-5672, which has an interesting recording.

July 7th

The message on the Flood Containment Control call number has changed to a conversation between two men. Of note is a reference to "402-K-07-002". suitedjock Googled the number, which lead to an EPA webpage referring to a booklet "EPA 402-K-07-002", Flood Cleanup and the Air in Your Home.
The new recording says this:

Op (British Female): (echoed by 2 different calls) Welcome to the {garbled, possibly "Server" or "Strema"} Conferencing center. Please enter pin number followed by the pound sign.

Caller: #### (201#?)

Op: Password accepted. Now accessing conference archive number 16180, participant 1-2.

Man 1: ...isn't necessary, and neither is the doc download.

Man 2: I agree. This isn't going to be a public resource. Uh, pass on the document number so I can delete it

(pause, 3 seconds)

Man 1: There's no way to tell yet, {"Jamie" or "Jim"} is looking into the records to find out how many {"closed" or "cloned"} sites there are, but as for active clean up, somewhere around 3-4 thousand. Oh here it is. Uh, Hold on. 402-K-07-002 and in terms of numbers most of these are past the {"50b"} stage.

(pause, 4 seconds)

Man 2: With a few exceptions: site 34. . . .

Op (American Female): --Thank you for calling. Goodbye.

It should be noted that upon pressing the * key on the phone during the recording, the caller will be prompted to enter the PIN number/password followed by the # (pound) sign. As of now, the PIN is the same as the one in the recording, the PIN has not been found out yet.

July 8th

The recording for the number has changed again. The new recording says:

Man 2: ...site 4, 107 and 37.

(pause, 1.5 seconds)

Man 2: The center usually goes in before we do, thats been my experience

Man 1: By the time we have the site clean, they've moved on to more pressing needs...after all, we've had some extremely unpredictable seasons lately.

(pause, 4 seconds)

Man 2: ...no need, their rep is available anytime we need her.

(pause, 4 seconds)

Man 1: ...on everything we still need to look into.

(pause, 3 seconds)

Man 2: Eh, we're working on it. For the moment now we're simply hiding the data behind a false menu item.

Man 1: Security will be updated before the next system approaches.

(pause- 15 seconds, interlaced with one of the men coughing)

Man 2: Ok, great. Bye (Mel or Bill).

Man 1: Thanks.

Op (American Female): --Thank you for calling. Goodbye.

July 10th

Downloadable image from Episode 02

The "Servers" have been renamed to "Episodes" (Server 01 is now Episode 01 and so on).
Episode 02 is now open. (Text from movie in link, can be downloaded from site)

We may have been fools to think that all intelligence follows the rules we've set
The Flood is no idiot parasite
"No simple infection to be cured and cauterized"(flash message)
It has a center, a Mind
"And that discovery gave us a way to fight it"(flash message)
"But when the mind realized we had its measure"(flash message)
it spoke to us
"Mockingly, dismissingly"(flash message)
It has done this before
"Elsewhere" (flash message)

TRANSMISSION 061607

"This is how it all begins.
Just in time to once again to dance upon the knife-edge of oblivion.
To relive what the Halos have hoped to destroy and more.
For two enemies now stand where before there was only one.
The fate we escaped, a fate you may relive.
I almost convinced myself that no one was listening,
that the waves of the past would roll through once again.
But a chance remains to change the universe, anew.
Learn of our past,
take these keys and dip from the wells of history.
Perhaps through others eyes you may find how to save us all."

July 12th

Episodes' opening dates

It has been discovered that they will open due to certain Moon phases, as stated by 'NightmareRec0n' on Unfiction Forums. Basically, the servers open on the same time the Moon is in a certain position, and if one takes the glyphs on the star images, they correspond to the date the servers opened. You can check out all this info here. Link:

>>> Moon Phases Theory

You can also check this site:

>>> args.bungie.org - Timeline

Of course, all of this is pure speculation, and nothing is clear.

References

New Phone conversation::

Man 1: Even with CDC involvement?

(about 5 second pause)

(Movment, Ruffling papers)

Woman 1: Should we be integrating in the NIOSH DataBase? (?)

(3-5 second pause)

Man 1: That gives us stats on all active locations?

(2-3 second pause)

Man 1: What about security?

(6-7 second pause)

Man 1: And access?

Woman 1: Enter the access code after our site

Man 1: IP/3463 or something?

(1 second pause)

Woman 1: Yeah /5467k actually, should be operational anytime.

(short pause)

Man 1: Great, I'll pass it on, I have to drop, thanks everybody.

Woman 1: Thanks, bye.

Woman 2: Thank you for calling..goodbye

note:everybody has now been changed to everyone*

Iris

Contents

Introduction

History

June 11, 2007

June 12, 2007

June 13, 2007

June 14, 2007

June 15, 2007

Additional things from the return email (added july 9th 2007):

June 16, 2007

June 17, 2007

June 18, 2007

June 19, 2007

June 20, 2007

June 21, 2007

June 28, 2007

June 29, 2007

July 4th

July 5th

July 6th

July 7th

July 8th

July 10th

July 12th

Episodes' opening dates

References

Related Links

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