– Use the menu items below to navigate to the relevant section –

+ Logging On Hint

Check Sylvia’s letter for the specific task Sylvia assigns you: identify the password to Celestine’s VuMail Drive folder. Navigate in your web browser to royalstreetcase.com and log in to Michelle Gray’s website with the password BEIGNETS.

+ VuMail Drive Hint #1

Looking at the three drawings, is there any writing that will tell you which one is Celestine’s latest subject?

+ VuMail Drive Hint #2

In the Artist Statement, Celestine talks about how her art changed forever and how she looked at her life in a different way. Could this be a clue?

+ VuMail Drive Hint #3

Is there an object in the box that might help you look at Celestine’s latest subject in a different way?

+ VuMail Drive Hint #4

Once you’ve looked at Celestine’s latest subject with this object, think about the Storybook from episode 1. Is there a story that relates to what you’ve uncovered?

+ VuMail Drive Hint #5

Read the Artist Statement. Does Celestine reference any of the stories from the Storybook?

+ Hidden NOLA Blog Riddles Hint #1

For the first riddle, can you find a circular shape and a butterfly shape on the Parade Map from episode 1?

+ Hidden NOLA Blog Riddles Hint #2

For the second riddle, is there a street name on the Parade Map that is related to turning pages?

+ Hidden NOLA Blog Riddles Hint #3

Check the Parade Map from episode 1 for any color-related street names!

+ Hidden NOLA Blog Riddles Hint #4

Is there a street name on the Parade Map that has the same name as a kind of liquor?

+ Hidden NOLA Blog Riddles Hint #5

Is there a street in NOLA that has another name for heaven? Does it have any large square shapes on it?

+ Emporium Hint #1

Have you looked at the Untitled Text File in Celestine’s VuMail Drive?

+ Emporium Hint #2

The top portion of the Untitled Text File uses a very simple type of cipher. You won’t need any other documents or tools to decode it.

+ Emporium Hint #3

Once you uncover this message, it should ask you to use other documents in the box. Look for something with dates!

+ Emporium Hint #4

Have you used the numbers (I, II, III) in the Untitled Text File? They will help you get started.

+ Emporium Hint #5

Did you figure out the riddles in the Hidden NOLA Blog? One of them will be very helpful.

+ VuMail Drive Reveal #1

There are dates on the back of the three pieces of art. The latest one, 2/6, is on the piece that portrays young Celestine making gumbo.

+ VuMail Drive Reveal #2

In the Artist Statement, Celestine says that she started looking at her life with a different lens, a clue that refers to an item in the box.

+ VuMail Drive Reveal #3

When the gumbo pot on the piece dated 2/6 is viewed with the red film in the Suncatcher, something hidden is revealed in the art.

+ VuMail Drive Reveal #4

This hidden image is a man transforming into a wolf.

+ VuMail Drive Reveal #5

The Storybook describes a kind of Louisiana werewolf, known as a rougarou. This is also the title of the story that Celestine references in her Artist Statement. After you’ve used this password to unlock the VuMail Drive folder, open the Contact shortcut and send Sylvia an email with the word “rougarou” in the body of the message to continue in the episode.

+ Hidden NOLA Blog Riddles Reveal #1

The location of the hidden place mentioned in the first riddle is between Lee Circle (the circle) and Lafayette Square (the butterfly).

+ Hidden NOLA Blog Riddles Reveal #2

The location of the second riddle is at the intersection of Lafayette Street (named after the Marquis de Lafayette) and Magazine Street (turning pages).

+ Hidden NOLA Blog Riddles Reveal #3

The location of the third riddle is at the intersection of Burgundy Street (red) and Azure Lane (blue).

+ Hidden NOLA Blog Riddles Reveal #4

The location of the fourth riddle is at the intersection of Bourbon Street and King Street (where the crown takes a drink).

+ Hidden NOLA Blog Riddles Reveal #5

The location of the fifth riddle is at Washington Square (the four corners) on Elysian Fields Avenue (heaven).

+ Emporium Reveal #1

If you unscramble the top section of the Untitled Text File, it will tell you how to uncover Celestine’s secret message in the rest of the text.

+ Emporium Reveal #2

The unscrambled text reads: “My protector’s emporium can be found below. Use the dates of creation.”

+ Emporium Reveal #3

The dates of creation are the dates in the three art pieces: 1/9, 1/12, and 2/6.

+ Emporium Reveal #4

The first word is found in the first paragraph, ninth word (1/9): “Bourbon.” The second word is found in the first paragraph, twelfth word (1/12): “and.” The third word is found in the second paragraph, sixth word (2/6): “King.” The emporium is at Bourbon and King.

+ Emporium Reveal #5

Bourbon and King is the location of one of the secret businesses mentioned in the Hidden NOLA Blog.

+ Emporium Reveal #6

The “emporium” Celestine visited is a conjure shop. Send Sylvia an email with the phrase “conjure shop” in the body of the message to complete this episode.

+ Photo Reveal #1

In her final email, Sylvia sends you a photo of the conjure shop. If you zoom in on this photo, you might find a phone number you’ll want to call.

+ Photo Reveal #2

The phone number is 504-264-1697.

+ Bonus Content Access Hint

Bonus Content is exclusive, in-world content delivered via email between episodes. While it is not necessary for completing each episode’s objective, it will give you the chance to learn more about New Orleans and keep up with characters between episodes while you wait for your next box. If you are not yet receiving this content, update your email permissions using the same address you use when completing your box.

+ Physical Documents and Items

• Letter from Sylvia
• Celestine’s Art (3)
• Float Sketches
• Artist Statement
• Newspaper Article
• Police Report
• Suncatcher

+ Digital Documents

• Crime Blotter

+ Hidden Items/Documents (WARNING! Spoilers!)

• Untitled Text File (contained in the VuMail Drive folder)
• Hidden NOLA Blog (contained in the VuMail Drive folder)
• Email from Officer Blake (contained in the VuMail Drive folder)
• Texts from Athalie (contained in the VuMail Drive folder)
• Texts from Jay (contained in the VuMail Drive folder)
• Texts from Nonah (contained in the VuMail Drive folder)
• Texts from Ines (contained in the VuMail Drive folder)
• Texts from Zee (contained in the VuMail Drive folder)
• Photo of the Emporium (unlocked upon completion of the episode)
• Zee’s Voicemail (unlocked upon completion of the episode)

+ Hidden Text (WARNING! Spoilers!)

• Celestine’s Art
  The image of Celestine making gumbo contains the hidden image of a man transforming into a wolf.
  

+ Letter from Sylvia Handwriting Transcript

Don’t forget to send me the password once you figure it out!

+ Celestine’s Art Handwriting Transcript

1/9, 1/12, and 2/6

+ Float Sketches Handwriting Transcript

[Page 1]

Option A: Guédé Royalty
She’ll hate it. Why does everything have to be an issue with her? Control. I have no time for my art because she makes everything for MKML take twice as long. Need to make space for my own work or I’ll never finish my latest subject.

[Page 2]

Option B: Femme Fatale
We Run the World
Cleopatra, the last pharaoh of Egypt
Sekhmet, Egyptian goddess of war
Nzinga, Queen of Ndongo & Matamba that held off Portuguese slave traders
Year XIV

+ Artist Statement Handwriting Transcript

Celestine Broussard
Bywater, New Orleans, LA
While my sources of inspiration vary widely, the majority of them hail from my home city of New Orleans. From the vibrant colors of Ida Kohlmeyer to the folk art of Sister Gertrude Morgan, I have found inspiration throughout I once heard that an artist never feels at peace. If that’s true, then I have always been an artist.
I’ve had the hunger since my first breath. It was big, too big for Beau Marais. I had to feed it, so I ran away—like an old story I read about a man who came back from war a beast. Gnashing his teeth, he tore away from his house and was never seen again. Just like him, I couldn’t tell you how or why I had to run. I just did it.
I’ll never forget the look on my mother’s face when I grabbed my suitcase and stormed off the front porch. I didn’t understand why she didn’t understand. “Watch yourself, baby,” she said. “God don’t like ugly, and you reap what you sow.”
Back then, I thought it would be easy. I’d go far away and start over. But now I know you can never start over. The roots might hide in the soil, but they stretch for miles and miles. Once I found this truth, my art changed forever. I started layering my past into my work, looking at my life under a different lens. Then I finally

+ Zee’s Voicemail Audio Transcript (WARNING! Contains spoilers!)

Zee: Hey, this is Zee. If you’re calling to get some rootwork
done, or you want to schedule time for a consultation,
please leave your name and a brief message, and I’ll get
back to you as soon as I can. And if it’s an emergency, you
always know where to find me, cher.

+ Sylvia’s Video Update Audio Transcript

Sylvia: Good “morning” or whenever you’re watching this. It’s my day off, and I thought I’d check in. Plus, my boss down at the shop says I need to practice doing video reels if I wanna get more clients, so… yeah. Sorry. I’m not used to staring at myself like this. Uh, so anyway, I'm at Celestine's studio, looking through all her things. And there's soooo much here... Yeah, I’m going to take a break. Let me give you a quick tour... And that’s basically the tour. Um, I’m just stressing right now because I can’t find her lease to this place, and I’m worried that her landlord is going to come in at any moment and just start tossing out all of her work. Would I be terrible for changing the locks? Is that legal?
Back to the investigation, though: I haven't found much in the clue department so far, just… things hitting me in the feels. Like, she did some of these… two summers ago I think? The Bywater was literally steaming, our AC was broken, and the three of us went down to Bayou St. John just to cool off, which folks said was a bad idea. But Cel just ignored them… jumped in, fearless. Always… fearless. Back home, Ines found all these links to all these articles about-- and I’m not making this up-- “flesh-eating bacteria” in the water. Ines and I started bugging out, convinced we were going to die these horrible deaths. But Cel got that far-off look in her eyes, jumped up and started painting. Obviously, we were all spared from the flesh-eating bacteria. Welp, I think that's it. I've got to get back to… all this. Keep an eye out for a new package soon. Hope you’re good.

+ Click to Reveal Solution

Sylvia feels certain that the secret to logging in to Celestine’s VuMail Drive folder, which has the password hint “latest subject,” is contained somewhere within Celestine’s Art. She sends you several pieces of Celestine’s work, as well as some other items from the studio that reveal the complexity of Celestine’s life. Among these, you receive a Police Report detailing the trashing of the krewe den by two unknown suspects and a Newspaper Article about the disbanding of the krewe run by Cyril, who Celestine once looked to as a mentor. You receive Celestine’s Artist Statement that recounts conflict with her mother, along with art that shows her conflicting feelings about her childhood. When the most recent piece of work (Celestine’s “latest subject”) is viewed using the red film on the Suncatcher, it reveals the shape of a human-like wolf in the midst of transformation. The previous episode’s Storybook references this creature by its Louisiana name: the rougarou, and Celestine’s Artist Statement also refers to this legend. This is Celestine’s password.

Open the Contact shortcut and send Sylvia an email with the word “rougarou” in the body of the message. Wait for her response to continue.

When opened, the VuMail Drive folder reveals files that Celestine uploaded to document the conflicts around her. The Email from Officer Blake shows that Celestine reported some sort of incident that wasn’t the den trashing to the police; the exact crime is not specified. The Texts from Ines reveal Celestine and Ines’s conflict over the documentary, while the Texts from Nonah show that Celestine failed to keep an unnamed secret. The Texts from Athalie, Celestine’s sister, expand upon Cel’s family conflict and show that the family had received omens of Celestine’s impending death (an alligator under the porch), and the Texts from Jay show his unrequited love for her. The last of these text screenshot files, the Texts from Zee, reveal that Celestine stopped on the night of the murder at a place called “the emporium.” Sylvia is confused by this nickname and asks you to discover what this “emporium” truly is.

The Untitled Text File in the VuMail Drive provides your first clue. The first sentence is a scramble, which, when placed back in order, reveals the following words: “My protector’s emporium can be found below. Use the dates of creation.”

The dates of creation are the dates on the back of Celestine’s Art: 1/9, 1/12, and 2/6. This cipher is a variation on the Sticky Note cipher you completed in the previous episode. Using these numbers to guide you, you’ll find the first clue is found in the ninth word of the first paragraph of the Untitled Text File (1/9): “Bourbon.” The second clue is found in the twelfth word of the first paragraph (1/12): “and.” The third clue is found in the sixth word of the second paragraph (2/6): “King.” Therefore, the emporium can be found at Bourbon and King.

Bourbon and King is specifically mentioned in the Hidden NOLA Blog, where the blogger calls it the place “where the crown takes a drink” and explains that it is the location of a hidden conjure shop. This conjure shop is what Celestine and Zee call the emporium.

To complete the episode, open the Contact shortcut and send Sylvia an email with the words “conjure shop” in the body of the message. Her response will give you details for the next episode.

After hearing from you, Sylvia contacts the shop’s proprietor, Zee, by zooming in on a street view photo of the shop and finding their phone number. Once she has spoken to Zee, she sends you the Conjure Shop Photo, allowing you to find the phone number and call Zee yourself if you wish.

Zee offers to help Sylvia with the case — and not only that, they’ve got an in at the coroner’s office! Could there finally be some official documentation on the way?

Sylvia promises to send you everything from Zee’s shop in your next box. Until then, Detective!