Mystery [Mega Thread]

they do look similar to some of the marks on the paintings

However there is no dot in the top right on any of them and the H looking symbol is also not represented

“Swear your HEARTS to my CLUB….Ready your SPADES to uncover your DIAMOND”

What if we determine whose portrait represents which suit, and then combine the symbols in HEARTS and CLUBS and then again for SPADES and DIAMONDS for the Chinese Code? I know usually hearts and spades are paired, but that’s what’s in the letter.

@sixsigmabb some of the symbols are paired too

@sixsigmabb
There are seven pictures given to us by Mike, Joe, and some of the game's social channels. Along with that, there are seven Gold Hoarders. Moreover, as you pointed out earlier, the symbols look a lot like the Chinese Code, and seven is a lucky number in China.

"Lucky 7" is a card game, and while I don't know the rules of that particular card game, I'm wondering if there's a way to play to get the information we need to move on. (like what you suggested and pairing the suits to a certain portrait)

There are too many connections to the number "7" for this all to be a coincidence.

Has anybody thought of using the names of the marked hoarders in any way?

PSA
Remember, This be the "final" puzzle to work together. The fourth can be solved together but first come first serve. (If your goal is the grand prize)

Question about the mystery: I'm away from my Xbox for the next week. If I solve the riddle for chapter 3, can I still claim the quest from Larinna after chapter 4 has started, or am I out of luck?

The line "Don’t SPY huge tornado, but smallest cloud up in the sky" could be a reference to the Ace of Spades, which is often depicted as a small cloud. The line "The devil and answers lie in detail – and so do I…" could be a reference to the Reaper, which is often depicted as a devil or imp. The line "Swear your HEARTS to my CLUB and so you can find my hoard!" could be a reference to the Heart and Club suits, which are often associated with love and loyalty. The line "Ready your SPADES to uncover your DIAMOND like reward." could be a reference to the Spade and Diamond suits, which are often associated with power and wealth.

Source: Asking Googles 'Bard'

Don't know if this is helpful but found this on Google
"It is said that each of the suits on a deck of cards in a card game represents the four major pillars of the economy in the Middle Ages: Hearts represented the Church, Spades represented the military, Clubs represented agriculture, and Diamonds represented the merchant class."

With the pictures added today, there are twenty-four different symbols across the thirteen images.

We may not know the decipher code to use, but maybe we can work backward here? I'm trying to figure out a twenty-four-letter word or a twenty-four-character number that we could theoretically plug in elsewhere as some kind of code.

I have a weird theory that I wanted to share with you guys:

Maybe the pictures are related to the game Dots and Boxes?

I was struggling to find a cipher that fits with the symbols when I noticed that some of the shapes could be joined together in a box if rotated properly. The different "Xs" could be the initials of the players of the game. Maybe the winner of the game is the clue to the next part of the mystery?

I am perfectly willing to say I'm grasping at straws, but Rare telling us that "Perhaps we need to look at the scratches differently?" felt like a hint toward the pictures not being some kind of word cipher.

I feel like I've seen those scratches somewhere before, but I can't remember where

Nope not yet??? Amazing how community getting nowhere in 30hrs , until pushed in right direction. After 2hrs i gave up on all parts so far.. Too much time wasted on something an average sot player will never reach get i.e. Place 1-100 This is why this mystery will have bad back lash... Shoulda kept it all in game

You can't enter the Sea of Thieves without first branding yourself with a questionable insignia.
ref.: Sailor Tattoo Sets with clubs, diamonds, spades and hearts

Tattoos | The Sea of Thieves Wiki

Tattoos are Vanity Items in Sea of Thieves, which can be equipped at the Vanity Chest. Players already start with a selection of 16 Sailor Set Tattoos in their Vanity Chest, however further Tattoo...

Holding it close to heart, means used on body/breast?

@admiral-oom yes

Looks like gold hoarders in the portrait

Hmm.. try to merge the scratches on them or something?

RARE we're stuck, give us another clue