Nobody seems to be interested in the mathematicians name “Erdos” touching “count eleven” and “zero” (Erdos’s Erdos number is zero)
I think it’s instructions to shift around the puzzle, maybe some kind of equation? Let me know what you think, and if you’re coming to search Tahoe HIT ME UP!
Since August, I have been communicating with someone who claims to be Justin. Over time, I began noticing that private things I shared in those conversations would later appear in the game content itself, in NPC/bot posts and comments on Reddit, in YouTube videos, and elsewhere connected to the hunt. In addition to that, things they said would happen in the narrative surrounding the game, have happened consistently.
They repeatedly positioned themselves as my friend and implied that I had some kind of special role, such as being a “lead searcher” or part of something bigger behind the scenes. At the same time, they engaged in behavior that I can only describe as psychologically destabilizing. When I expressed concern, I was told that this was “part of how the game works.”
This has had a severe impact on my mental health. I have experienced dissociative episodes and suicidal ideation as a result of what has happened. The individual I was speaking with used personal information against me, manipulated my emotions through guilt and shame, made vague but deeply unsettling threats on my life, and repeatedly tried to make me feel as though I was being watched, stalked, or hacked. At times, they even encouraged me to take my own life.
I no longer know what is real and what is part of the performance. There have been moments where I genuinely questioned whether Justin is even who he claims to be, whether the videos we see of him are CGI/AI, or whether this entire ecosystem, even Forrest Fenn, are fabricated. That sounds insane, but many ARGs plant things online for years before launch, so although it is unlikely it is not outside the realm of possibility. I have reached out to nearly everyone I can think of associated with the hunt trying to get clarity and they either ignore me or basically tell me they won't help me.
Below are just some of the things this individual has told me over the course of these interactions:
• BtME, TTI, Trezor Quest, and related hunts are allegedly connected under the same company or umbrella organization.
• Associated content and personalities, including THWU, Cowlazars, Este Quest, AGK, and others, are allegedly fictionalized or performative to some extent. I was told that even current drama involving the “Misfits” is staged.
• BtME was intentionally modeled after the Forrest Fenn hunt, including the unreliable narrator dynamic, the “inner circle,” and the public ambiguity. I was told this was intentional and meant to highlight what to look out for in other companies that may spring up, and to explore or “beta test” the darker psychological effects treasure hunts can create.
• I was repeatedly told that Justin wants to become the “Walt Disney of the treasure hunting industry.”
• I was told there may or may not even be a real treasure. Sometimes they insisted it exists, and other times they stated the opposite.
• The poem and surrounding content are allegedly designed to be intentionally vague and endlessly interpretable, with countless rabbit holes planted all over the place meant to keep participants trapped in cycles of speculation and false discovery.
• I was told that many of the accounts posting and commenting within the hunt’s online communities are fake or controlled personas.
• The individual suggested the hunt may have a time limit and that the creators do not actually expect anyone to solve it. They have even implied the company and all associated content could simply disappear one day without explanation, similar to how Forrest’s death left the searchers without answers.
I understand that many people will not believe me, and I do not blame them. I realize how extreme this sounds. However, multiple people have independently observed correlations between things I shared privately and later references that appeared publicly within the game ecosystem. I have also been working with a psychologist who has repeatedly stated that I am not going crazy and who believes the behavior I experienced is intentional coercive control and psychological manipulation.
Part of what has kept me trapped in this situation is that the individual often framed everything as part of some larger artistic or political message involving AI, corporate power, technofascism, public lands, addiction, digital alienation, and modern media manipulation. They repeatedly made me feel as though exposing what was happening would somehow harm an important cause, and that I just needed to endure it.
Sometimes I believed them, other times I have freaked out and tried to stop it. I have reported it, tried to publicly raise concerns, and contacted everyone I can think of. Recently, I again attempted to explain to u/reellifejustin, u/cowlazars, and Kpro, on how psychologically damaging this experience has been and how I am again experiencing suicidal ideation and I received no reply. Not even a simple suggestion to get psychological help. Nothing.
Justin claims he reads every email, yet despite repeatedly begging for clarity about whether this is an ARG or whether participants can opt out from the harassment, and have been totally ignored. I even offered to sign an NDA or permanently forfeit my ability to participate if necessary. I simply wanted transparency and distance from whatever this is.
When these issues began I became concerned that I may have unknowingly consented to aspects of this through the website terms or book purchase process. Because of that, my first email to Justin was a formal data access and privacy verification request. The response I received was deeply unsettling. My original email was a standard template request that companies receive all the time, yet the reply was unusually lengthy and included language that felt vaguely threatening, including statements about defamation and false accusations.
More concerningly, when they listed the information associated with my purchase, my name appeared using part of my middle-name which is basically a nickname that the individual I had been communicating with privately knows me by, but which I never use for transactions as it isn’t on my card. Because of this, I repeatedly requested my original receipt and he to date refuses to provide me with one. I eventually contacted Amazon directly, obtained my purchase records, and confirmed that I had used only my legal first name when purchasing the book. Amazon customer service confirmed that this would have been the only name the company would know. There doesn’t seem to be any way Justin would know my nickname unless he had access to the private messages I’ve had with the individual I’ve been referring to.
I never wanted to publicly say any of this. It is humiliating, confusing, and honestly terrifying. I still don't fully understand what is happening or who exactly I have been interacting with. The hardest part is that despite everything, I still care about the person I was talking to, which I know probably sounds irrational after reading all of this. I don’t want anyone hurt. I have given the people involved every opportunity to provide transparency, reassure me that others are not being manipulated, or simply allow me to leave peacefully. I have tried to walk away and forget about all of this, but I cannot shake the feeling that if I stay silent and someone else gets hurt, I will regret it forever.
Please, has anyone else experienced anything remotely similar to this? Can anyone help me understand what is actually happening here?
The most likely explanation I can think of is that they are trying to distract me and keep me destabilized to prevent me from exposing the truth and they possibly just enjoy causing people distress. I understand that I made serious mistakes by blindly trusting strangers online because I assumed it was legitimate and safe due to the projects association with Netflix. I am not telling people what to do, but if you plan on continuing be extremely careful about what information you share with anyone connected to this organization or community.
I also think it is in everyones best interest to pause and collectively demand transparency from the creators and affiliated personalities before continuing.
I am not in a good place mentally right now, so I am not going to engage with trolling or hostile arguments. I'm sure people will ask for screenshots but there is no sense in providing them as they will just turn around and state they are fake. If anyone has sincere questions or wants additional information, I will answer as best I can. At this point, I am not going to waste more time trying to distinguish real participants and roleplay/NPC/bot accounts because I don't want to make assumptions and ignore someone who may be dealing with the same issue or who could possibly help. I realize that means I may be responding to the very people I'm discussing, but I'm willing to take the risk.
I am sorry that I had to do this.
Anybody know how the jasper meet up went? Or is it still going on? Obvious jasper is a strong phonetic clue to Jazz Bar, but just vague enough to fit multiple locations. I like it because the material scan in chapter one, the samsonite jasper gemstone,…
Samsonite jasper (often conflated with red or fancy jasper) is an opaque, earthy gemstone.
Either way good luck and let us lurkers know.
TonyCo
There has been a lot of discussion related to the coins contained in the smaller boxes. Since I've had my BOTG experiences, I thought it would share my theory with you all in hopes of someone actually finding a box this year.
I believe that the angles on the coins in degrees correspond to the numbers of highways located near where the box is located. For example, the Pokémon box is ~59° and if you put Statesville NC to new Orleans into Google maps, one of the suggested ways takes you on interstate 59. To me this seems unlikely to be a coincidence. I hope this sparks and idea in someone and brings them one step closer to the treasure.
So we’re in Vermont hiking and a few things quickly jumped out at us from the “map” irl. These massive stones support the suspension bridge at Big Branch crossing, a few miles south of the parking area, south of Little Rock Pond. Does this not look just like the weird slanted “start here” rock on the map?
Now I know what you’re thinking: why are you searching this area and not the LRP loop?
And to be honest, there are a few things that line up with this being the micro location. Not the one JCB says you’ll have 100% confidence in (in this case the LRP loop. Or the third which takes “a bit more searching.” We believe this is the “fairly exact spot” he mentioned because of the rainbow trail that rises through the fog. An arched bridge, it’s literally rainbow shaped. It’s over water and in the early morning there’s fog everywhere in this area. There’s also an old concrete footbridge, a an old gorge below a seemingly ancient rock wall, and some other fun stuff. All south of the Big Branch shelter.
There’s something else about this area that I think connects to the coins, and it’s an element that does not exist on current maps, but I found on one from 1955. I will speak more on that tomorrow afternoon Ive gone back.
In the meantime, for anyone who hiked the LRP loop or Green Mountain trail, are there any massive stones like this up there? If not, I’d rather not hike 6 miles up a mountain for nothing.
Happy hunting!