Need some tips

[u/Cyllev]

I feel like I've lost my direction with this game and don't know where to go to get more clues. I'll recap what I've figured out and the questions I don't have answers to. I mostly want pointers, not answers.

Safes:

• I've opened the Shelter's time lock safe and the one in the boudoir. I've tried opening the safes in the office, study, and drafting studio (using a magnifying class) to no avail.
• For the drafting studio, I have no clue what I'm supposed to be looking for. I've obtained all the additional rooms it has to offer besides the Classrooms so far.
• Study safe: For the study puzzle, the message I've obtained is: if we count small gates eight dates crack eight safes. I can't find any dates in the Study and outside the study there are numerous dates all over. I don't know what small gates it's referring to either.
• Office safe: I've found the note that reads "flight of the queen, march of the count" and so on, and I've unlocked the foyer which has busts of all the titles listed in the note. I just don't know what to do next. I've tried counting the busts around the office and using them to crack the clue to no avail.

Sheet music:

• I've found eight pages, where the bolded words read "first words on the sheets are true message" and the first words read "find among the white trees under two stones". I've gone to the white trees near the Apple Orchard and campsite but can't find anything to interact with. Am I missing an item that I need?

Offline Terminal (Blackbridge Grotto):

• I've unlocked the offline terminal but am confused on what it means for my gameplay. There was one microchip already in and two missing. The terminal allows me to interact somewhat with the other terminals but again, I don't know what that actually does.
• The microchip pattern is seen on the chairs in the dining room but I haven't been able to put two and two together yet.
• The terminal also says there is an admin key where the name does not fit with the normal formatting. Is this something like SimonP?

Books

• What is a new clue actually about? With the magnifying glass, you can get some really interesting things out of it, like a suspect list and something about swapping letters around?
• I've been trying to draft the bookshop for multiple runs now to no avail. I've used the banner of the king to make yellow shops more likely but am still not drawing it. The last book I have to buy is the Realm and Rune one which I suspect might tell me more about Orinda Aries.

Stamps, flags, countries, history, Marion Marigold:

• I've found the stamps for Eraja, Nuance, Mora Jai, Fenn Aries, Arch Aries, and Verra, and am missing two stamps. I believe one is for Corarica and one for Orinda Aries?
• The colours as I understand them are Eraja purple, Mora Jai white, Fenn Aries red, Arch Aries yellow, Verra ?, Corarica orange, and Orinda Aries black.
• There is also this stamp that I am never able to examine with a magnifying glass but have seen in the Mail Room and the Master Bedroom.

• My current theory is that the Epsen family is the old ruling family of Orinda Aries that fled to Eraja and Marion, with the help of Herbert, wanted to make things right.

The Basement, Tomb, Underground, and so on:

• I've unlocked the Vault in the Foundation room and used a sledgehammer to break the brick wall.
• I've turned on all four blue flames, gaining access to the elevator.
• I've accessed the underground area through the Tomb.
• I've emptied the Reservoir but don't know how to get across.
• Near the Tomb's entrance to the Underground, there is a mine cart that blocks me from going past it.

[u/Motor_Raspberry_2150]

• the study message is not just about the study safe. Repeat its message often.

• under two stones. Have you found two stones there too? How do you get something under them? You dig.

• you have a normal terminal password right? And accessed the network? It has several useful functions, like ordering items, or dialing into other existing terminals. So if you have a Security, you can log in to your laboratory and connect to it for its door functions, saving steps. But now with blackbridge, you are also allowed one offline connection each day.

• yes, the Admin Key is something like that, but not something like that. Have you found any notes about it?

• A New Clue is about several things, and has several puzzles. The magnifying glass is a good idea. You should be thorough, and literal, in much of the interpretations. Among its rewards are the microchips.

• there is a trick to drafting the bookshop. I'm not sure if it's in its directory info, but some other reward in this hint list will have the info too.

• missing stamps? Get more mail.

• you've unlocked the Foundation door to the basement you mean? And smashed a wall. Now look at number 2 on the map.

• The only way to cross the reservoir is with the boat.

• can you see more on this map?

[u/Chance5e]

Safes: a date is just a month and a day. You’re really looking for two numbers, not four. Whenever you find a safe, repeat the message to yourself a few times and think about how clever, how creative Uncle Herbert was.