CMDRs found some encoded messages in some recent promotional video clips, it was eventually decoded as:
"We've found something, something incredible. Something the whole galaxy will want to see. The truth. We could show it to you. that wouldn't be much fun so instead we're going to play a little game. To find us, look for a bounty hunter." - "to find more clues, you'll need pre-logistics support in a system with one star, two belts, three rings, and enough radiation to turn you green. The hunt begins on the 28th."
Q: So... who is the bounty hunter?
CMDR's found out that this was at PRE Logistics Gamma, at Pleiades IH-V c2-5
Everyone in the community immediately thought "OMG THARGOIDS" and other such mega-hype, which is fair because there has been a TON of rumors lately, and what with a lot of videos posted showing glowing green stuff, and also what people think is some crashed alien ship! Strange noises heard, the whole UA/UP mystery which is ongoing... However, many did say that we should temper our expectations because this might be quite a long "hunt" and probably not directly related to Thargoids.
EDIT sidenote:
/u/Astrovenator mentions The faction which controls the PRE logistics support stations is the "Pleiades Resource Enterprise"
Upon arrival to PRE Logistics Gamma, CMDR's found a trail messages in the local station herald news, something to note is that this was even before the 28th... On the 28th though more clues have been coming in and there seems to be some kind of hunt ongoing. Here is the clue trail:
PRE Logics Support Gamma (Q. Why this station to start with, anyway?):
"One of seven, mother of the messenger and pursued by the giant huntsman, you will find more at the black glass."
DECODED MESSAGE: THE RED TRADER WAS CARRYING FISH DURING THE INCIDENT
Riddle Answer: Maia (Seven sisters, Maia is the mother, huntsman is Orion, black glass is Obsidian)
Q. Why does it mention Orion?
This lead to the next station... and so forth:
Obsidian Orbital (Black Glass): "This Earth-like world with a single moon has a centre for investigating the trade of drums, casks and barrels, You will learn more there."
Decoded message: The Asp is Yellow
Answer: HIP 19072 (Cooper Research Centre… we were lucky ilo was just there, coopers make drums, casks and barrels)
Cooper Research Centre (Barrel Trade Investigations, Q. What exactly is researched here?): "The first of three water worlds is Z place to research the next clue. The last of my name is sixth but worth seven."
Decoded message: A Cobra is due to arrive at 21.00
Answer: Pleiades Sector HR-W d1-57 (Zeta … Z - zeta is sixth in the Greek alphabet but worth seven, because there used to be a different sixth letter called vau, i.e. zeta used to be the seventh letter worth seven)
Pre Logistics Support Zeta: "The fifth letter should point you to the pre-logistics support you need."
DECODED MESSAGE: THE T9 PILOTS ROUTE TAKES THEM TO SYSTEM CAIL
Answer: Pleiades Sector JC-V d2-62 (Epsilon is the fifth greek letter)
Pre Logistics Support Epsilon: "The top dog sits by a purple giant with three children in a sky with two bright stars. But I guess that's just the beginning."
DECODED MESSAGE: DILLON NEVER CARRIES CARGO
Answer: 42 n Persei (Alpha is “top dog”, the system has a purple gas giant with three moons, and two stars.)
Pre Logistics Support Alpha: "The legal defendant sits by 14 lumps of ice. They might be able to provide the answers in shorthand."
DECODED MESSAGE: SOMEONE WHO WASN’T CARRYING CARGO WILL ARRIVE IN APADEMAK AT
Answer: Hyades Sector AB-W b2-2 (14 icy moons, the Delta symbol (Δ) is used as a shorthand for defendant in legal symbology)
Pre Logistics Support Delta: "The wearer of the royal seal from Hatshepsut's court. he of Nubia, invites you to his landing at the third of nine."
Decoded message: A trader called Kohl will arrive in CAIL at 10.00
Answer: HIP 17655 (Nehsi was the wearer, Nehsi Landing is on the third of nine planets)
Q. what is Nubia?
Nehsi Landing:
"Let's get Sirius - it's not tail or green but after setting sail 1.804 years ago this portuguese explorer's settlement sits in a small sedimentary basin, maybe once part of the centralian superbasin."
DECODED: GRANGER DOESN’T CARRY CARGO — HE HANGS AROUND APADEMAK
Answer: Ngalia (Centralian superbasin, Serrao is the explorer, Serrao settlement sits on the planet below Kippax, the only other stations are the Green Enterprise and the Tall Enterprise).
Q. Why is Sirius mentioned here? Green Enterprise? Tail/Tall Enterprise?
Kippax Dock: "You should have everything you need to find us".
Community Goal: "You should have everything you need to find us".
DECODED: THE EXPLORER WAS LAST SEEN IN SYSTEM PIC TOK HE RETURNS EACH DAY AT THREE PM GMT
Source for above information:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZyHq50LWm0RVXO5yuNkx_gUAzZun-rOPduO91Hgw0yo/edit
Recent Galnet Story: (could be related)
https://community.elitedangerous.com/galnet/uid/57c0194f9657bad619e88562
Meanwhile, Military activity around Merope regions have been ramping up dramatically as there is an escalation between major powers over meta-alloys. Meta alloys are found on Barnacles, the strange alien objects found on Merope 5C and other places in the area. Meta-alloys have been found to repair damaged stations caused by the harmful effects of Unknown Artifacts smuggled outside of that region.
LATEST SUMMARY:
1) Logan Kohl (Red Trader), found in Cail at 10:00, told us "One of my friends always lies. The system has a single M-class star." He also offered a second clue in exchange for narcotics.
2) Mahina Dillon, found in Apademak at 15:00, (last seen in Pic Tok, from the decoded CG text...), told us "I visited a rocky planet at latitude 34 near binary pulsars." He also offered a second clue in exchange for tobacco.
3) CMDR Otto Granger found in Apademak at 21:00, saying"I visited a system with 10 bodies and one sun. after the incident I woke up in a system far away." He asked to bring him Lavian Brandy in Scott Orbital, to give us some other clues.
Q. Are all these different locations? -> Kohl: "The system has a single M-class star." Dillon: "I visited a rocky planet at latitude 34 near binary pulsars." Granger: "I visited a system with 10 bodies and one sun."
LATEST Granger:
"I suppose you're wondering what its all about The clues. The messages. Well i'll tell you. We found something, me and my associates. Something the whole galaxy will want to see. You want to know what it is, right? Well i'd love to tell you... but with information this valuable, I'd be a fool to give it away for free. So here's what I'm going to do. Im going to give you a clue, right now. Are you ready? Here it is: I visited a system with ten bodies and one sun. After the incident I woke up in a system far away. It isn't much to go on, I know, but if you do something for me, you'll get a second clue. See, Ive always had a weakness for the sauce. Lavian Brandy being a particular favourite. So Im going to ask folks to deliver it to me at Scott Orbital one of these days. If I get enough, Ill give you all another hint."
