A corporation known as APIS Technologies arrives in Oberlin to debut an intern program for their new connections app, Apiary. This revolutionary new technology uses a simple personality quiz to sort employees into one of several archetypes in the ‘Seven-Hex System’, allowing you to learn who your true friends are, who you should avoid, and how to be the most productive version of yourself you can be. The core of the APIS team introduces themselves as:
- Jackson Lutfonic, Director of Outreach and Engagement. A peppy, charismatic ‘Collaborator’ who believes in the corporate family.
- Harper Selsby, Project Administrator for Apiary. An enthusiastic, idealistic ‘Coordinator’ who’s looking to prove themself to the company.
- Dawn Geary, Executive Assistant. A professional, calculating ‘Coordinator’ who is the one keeping everything running smoothly.
- Charles Blackburn, founder and CEO of APIS Technologies. A stern, proud ‘Resolute’ looking to establish the company as a formidable force in the industry.
- Thea Blackburn, software engineer. A sarcastic, slightly anxious ‘Logician’ who seems mostly content to stay within the confines of her job description, and Charles’ niece.
You are sent to interview with an APIS employee to get a better understanding of what you can bring to the company. But on your way back to the main room, you get stopped by a mysterious figure hiding behind a newspaper. Meet:
- Nellie Park, investigative journalist tipped off to shady dealings happening behind the scenes at APIS. ‘Disruptor’.
After the event closes, Nellie comes in to fill you in on her investigation so far. But the coincidental return of Harper reveals that the pair know each other: they were college friends, and now Harper is upset by Nellie’s quest for “the truth”. Nothing bad is happening at APIS Technologies—why can’t Nellie just be happy her friend is making something of themself?
But Nellie’s investigation continues, with your help: as official interns (complete with newly minted ID cards), you have access to company secrets she can’t get to. By hacking cameras, obtaining classified documents, and finally bidding on a secret item at APIS’ charity gala, you learn that there is something suspicious going on behind the scenes. APIS is advertising its process of ‘Optimization,’ by which it makes people into perfect, model employees. A huge step forward in the investigation—but the charity gala is also where things start to fall apart. As Charles Blackburn gives a speech, he spots Nellie and calls her up to the platform alongside Jackson, Dawn, and an anxious Harper. Nellie’s journal full of investigation notes reveals her as a reporter, and APIS employees drag her away, but not before she grabs her notebook and throws it to Harper.
Shortly after, you get an email from Harper. They’ve realized (too late?) that Nellie was right all along and they want to finish what Nellie started. Cracking coded portions of Nellie’s notes reveals transcripts of APIS board meetings discussing the company’s “Electropsychotrophy” (EPT) machine, which they’ve been using to turn employees into perfect models of their Seven-Hex system types.
At the next open board meeting of the company, Harper confronts the rest of APIS and threatens to release the evidence you’ve helped them gather. Charles objects to their characterization of optimization as “brainwashing,” and brings Nellie onto the stage…but it’s an eerily calm Nellie who apologizes for not trusting Harper and APIS. Harper is shaken but doesn’t back down, insisting that the only way they’ll destroy their evidence is if APIS stops all optimization. Charles is about to accept the deal, but Jackson is furious. He has a vision for this company, one that needs Optimization to succeed. CEO and Director argue until fury boils over, and Jackson murders Charles. Dawn holds Thea back from helping her uncle, telling her it’s what’s best for the company. There’s a new CEO in town, one dead set on selling EPT to the highest bidder.
With Nellie alive but brainwashed, a deadline for the sale looming on the horizon, and proof of just how far the executives are willing to go to enact their vision, stakes have never been higher. Can you discover APIS’ plans in time, and stop the Optimization process for good?
Winners
Congratulations to our winning teams:
- Three Oberlin Obertones, who solved puzzles with blazing speed.
- Women in STEM, whose thoughtful emails, commitment to the bit, egg machinations, and courting of Jackson made them a credit to women in STEM everywhere.
- Feral Hog Post-Apocalypse Apocalypse, who were on the side of “whoever is evillest” for the entire game. No one is too sacred to be ratted out.
- The Beelzebubs, whose cleverness and thoroughness made them indispensable.
Game Materials
- Take the Apiary Personality Quiz (link TBA) to determine your Seven-Hex archetype.
- Match employee profiles to their versions of the quiz.
- Decipher Dawn’s shorthand to discover exactly what the executives discuss in their classified meetings (link TBA).
- Sponsored by Capybrew (link TBA)!