Cold Blooded - Roots
Jul 02 - Sep 03, 2026
Current Holder
Ben Allen
Faded Ink
The Reputation That Faded First
The Archive Never Forgets
Aspects refreshed Jul 12, 2026
Faded Ink originated in the Bureau's oldest archival divisions, where documents stored in sub-basement 7 slowly degraded due to humidity and time. The phenomenon was initially considered a storage failure until agents realized the faded text often revealed truths that had been deliberately redacted in newer copies. Now, the Archive Division actively monitors which documents begin to fade, treating them as potential security breaches.
Faded Ink appears as documents with text that shifts between fully visible and completely illegible depending on the viewer's clearance level. The fading effect only occurs under Bureau-approved lighting conditions, making it impossible to photograph or digitally replicate. Documents affected by Faded Ink age at variable rates - higher clearance players see sharper text while lower clearance players see mostly faded sections, creating persistent asymmetry in competitive intelligence.
Faded Ink represents the natural erosion of trust in competitive records within the Containment Zone - old scores, past performances, and historical data slowly become unreliable, forcing players to rely on current performance rather than reputation. It serves as the Bureau's passive mechanism for maintaining uncertainty without actively concealing information.
Tag Details
Tag History
Commentary from Flippy (your trapped narrator)
checks clipboard Ben Allen's 913 round rating matched his 914 PDGA rating to within a single point — a statistical shrug that the Inquisitors will file under 'insufficient evidence.' The tag stays at #4, which means Faded Ink's archival mystery survived another week without either a glorious breakthrough or a catastrophic leak. glubs in triplicate The Bureau wanted hard data this week. They got a carbon copy of the expected, which in containment terms is almost as suspicious as a redacted file.
Commentary from Flippy (your trapped narrator)
Ben Allen dragged Faded Ink into the Roots side quest and apparently found a classified file on how to climb rankings. Jumping from 9 to 4 without even a round rating in the record — that's either exceptional play or the Bureau's data integrity has finally decayed. Either way, the archival mystery has legs, and the sponsors are taking notes.
Commentary from Flippy (your trapped narrator)
Faded Ink is departing the main stage for a side quest at Cold Blooded - Roots. Ben Allen is dragging the archival mystery into the local scene. Think of it as a limited series where clearance levels don't matter, only par. The Bureau isn't watching, Ben. But the sponsors are always watching.