God Of War: Ascension, out tomorrow, has a hidden message protected by a cipher. It’s found on one of the paintings in the game, and has had people scratching their head since it was highlighted.
The message is overlaid on a picture of Mount Olympus. “Of all the prophecies I have seen, this one haunts my dreams,” it says, followed by the cryptic line “QUJIKPHIUEEEKMJQUJ” and then “The full truth of this nightmare yet remains hidden. – Aletheia.”
QUJ IKPH IUEEEKMJ QUJ
Playing that part in a different language results in a different coded message.
However, once people started to see patterns in the message, the first words started to appear. QUJ was repeated, that could be SUN, because the repeated bit was six letters in the French version – SOLEIL. That opened up the word BIRD. Phoenix? There was one at the end of GoW III, right?
QUJ IKPH IUEEEKMJ QUJ SUN BIRD xxxxxxxx SUN
Then a couple of people linked what was going on to Mithras. Mithras was born from a rock, shared a banquet with the Sun God and has plenty of animals (including lions) around him when depicted. Iconic scenes show him “slaughtering a bull,” too. And what do you know, it all fits.
QUJ IKPH IUEE EKMJ QUJ SUN BIRD BULL LION SUN
Of course, this might not be right. There’re other possibilities with regards to fitting the letters in, but there’s a pattern here that at least suggests those invested in cracking the cypher might be onto something. The letters do fit with other languages, too, so this might well be the right path.
Kratos, perhaps, might not be the main lead for the next game. Either that, or Mithras could resurrect anyone he finds worthy, which could include Kratos. From there it’s anyone’s guess, but it would be great to start a new generation with a new lead character. Let’s hope we find out soon.
Via GAF.
Airiaen
A new lead would be good for the series…
Taylor Made
God of war 4 will happen fact & kratos will return, everyone knows this, the ending of 3 said it all, Athena is gathering the left Gods, Demi Gods to create a new world order to prevent chaos, being unable too, they ask one Demi God for help, kratos. She offers him redemption, to forgive all he has done.
God of war 4: Redemption :)
Tuffcub
Erm, spoilers? some of us havent finished 3 yet!
Taylor Made
No spoiler
Tuffcub
What aaprt from Kartos being killed at the end? Thanks!
Taylor Made
But but there is more
psychobudgie
To be quite fair, he never said Kratos was dead. He simply said he would return. So in some weird twisted point of irony you have in fact, potentially, posted a spoiler for yourself which in itself is almost god like.
As for Kratos dying, it wouldn’t be the first time.
Peter Chapman
Mithras was the Persian God of War (Mitra, I think but this is the Greek version of his name). There was an ancient Roman cult that followed him, I think that had something to do with the Roman legions but can’t remember properly.
Mithras is also considered the basis for much of the dogma around the Jesus story – the “Sun God” became the “Son of God”. Mithra was known as “The light of the world” and “the truth” and he was born of a virgin on December 25th. I think it’s also Mithra that’s carrying a lamb in a lot of carvings and things, much like Jesus.
kjkg
You really like your mythology don’t you.
I used to be really into it but seem to have forgotten 90% of the details that once were second nature to me. Sad times.
Peter Chapman
I went to a fairly strict grammar school (at least, it was at the time) and their compulsory religious education classes (about 2 hours a week) didn’t actually teach anything about religion, just about Protestantism and mostly Catholicism – both very similar branches of Christianity that everyone at the school had grown up most closely to.
So I got really frustrated and decided to go to the library and learn for myself about other world religions, living and dead. It was a way of rebelling, I guess. Much of what I learned is forgotten now but some things still surface when I want them ;)
jbni
Peter, to be honest, I don’t think you’d find many places were Mithras is seriously considered as a basis of the Jesus story.
There’s no actual proof he was ever called the ‘Sun of God’. He was a sun-god, and associated with Leo (the lion). But the documents that describe all of that are post-New Testament, so can’t be considered as an influence.
The only term applied to Mithras was ‘mediator’, but that was as mediator between the good and evil gods of Zoroaster.
The same goes for the virgin birth claim. There are no ancient sources to support it. In fact, he was meant to have been born as an adult from solid rock.
There are reports of Mithras followers re-enacting resurrection scenes, but those reports are after New Testament times and its very possible that Christianity influenced it.
I’m just providing a flipside.
Tuffcub
My first thought is that SUN BIRD BULL LION SUN sounds an awful lot like a list of hieroglyphs, which would tie in with all those rumours about the series moving to Egyptian mythology.
Peter Chapman
sounds like the lyrics to Born Slippy
SpikeyMikey23
SUN BIRD BULL LION SUN….dirty numb angel boy
Kennykazey
I love in-game secrets, but I think it’s going to be some time before Santa Monica will reveal the truth with the next game.
FoxHoundGabe
E3 I would guess.
Foxhound_Solid
Mithras. Heard his name on QI…
maneorix
If Kratos does return and they manage to create a create story to along with it, I’ll be happy. That being said I’ll be equally happy for a new main character as long as it at the same narrative level.
CR8ZYH0RSE
What like little big planet “create a create”.8)
cchum
From Article:
QUJ IKPH IUEE EKMJ QUJ
SUN BIRD BULL LION SUN
Sun Ra head of falcon and sun disk
Music Hathor horns of cow and sun disk
Destruction Sekhmet head of lion
Sky Nut blue with golden stars
Egyptian mythology it is! ( http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/egypt/index.htm )
KeRaSh
That’s what I thought! I’m getting my hopes up…
Polygon posted a comment from someone from Santa Monica Studio (lead designer Mark Simon) which basically said that they didn’t know what their next project would be.
budyed
Egyptian mythology? could this mean kratos or the guy from rise of the warrior with the sun tattoo on his shoulder is going after the Egyption gods now?