Project Blackstone – Winlaleah Martine from StarCraft: Ghost Academy

I have a feeling Project Blackstone and the StarCraft 15th Anniversary are tied somehow. Out of the blue, I have seen Project Blackstone characters tweet several times throughout the day on the 25th, 26th, and today 27th.

A few days ago, Cameron Dayton was upgraded to Senior Story Developer. On March 22, 2013, Blizzard Entertainment celebrated the 15th Anniversary early, last week, toasting and showering each other with dozens of bottles of champagne.

Something curious is there was a toast to Project Blackstone at the 15th Anniversary celebration. Are there signs of something in the horizon? Will Blizzard announce something related to Project Blackstone on March 31? Or … during the South Korea big eSports Announcement (April 3)? (i.e. major game announcements have been done at Tokyo Game Show, Blizzard Worldwide Invitationals in Seoul & France, and at GamesCom)

Today, in Project Blackstone, protoss tools — acquired by the Terran Dominion and delivered to Project Blackstone — have gone missing. Strange things are happening lately at the top-secret research center. Somehow there is always the lingering hint that Jacob Ramsey is involved in these mysterious incidents.

Recently Redell Quinton was framed for the disappearance of supplies that technically could be associated as materials for a alcohol distillery. Curiously, the same night Jacob Ramsey was found light-headed on the floor, and he was escorted to his quarters.

Now it is Protoss tools missing. The flavor dialogue seems to hint at Jacob Ramsey being involved. He did never reply Leah’s question if he knew where the tools were — unless Jake’s insinuated involvement in the incidents have been a deliberate red herring all along, and instead there is more than meets the eye going on.

Recently, I theorized two ways how Redell could have been framed: mind-control, or computer log hacking. Ramsey seems to have developed telepathy, but new story entries indicate he’s not fully aware of it. So far, Dr. Jacob Ramsey mainly listens to mental distress-related thoughts from the protoss captive within Project Blackstone, or from fellow workers.

That leaves the computer hacking and the mysterious incidents open to a potential character involved: Lio Travski. That hasn’t been proven correct nor wrong. The mystery continues.

Today’s Project Blackstone Twitter entries reveal more exciting things. The true identity of @LeahAMartine — right under our very noses these past month and a half.

In this story, you will see Dr. Jake Ramsey, Xenobiologist Dr. Leah A. Martine, and Xenobiologist Senior Protoss Specialist Dr. Warren Held.

As read, Jacob Ramsey’s brain seems to be slowly developing into telepathy after his brief experience with the protoss preserver Zamara. Her mind merged with his, granting him access to the memories of every protoss who ever lived, and access to the Khala.

I recommend to those who havent yet read the StarCraft: Dark Templar trilogy by Christie Golden to do so.

Dr. Jake Ramsey debuted in that trilogy. This is why StarCraft lore fans are excited to see him again in Project Blackstone, and why we think there is more to this story than just a real-time transmedia novela. We can’t yet figure out what it is. It was not a Heart of the Swarm promotional, it was not a PAX East promotional, and it likely isn’t a 15th Anniversary promotional.

Cameron Dayton said on Twitter this story took two years in the making.

I am seriously considering Project Blackstone is leading to an announcement at BlizzCon 2013 (November 8-9).

Two years of development is too long a time for a free recreational story that is not tied to a upcoming video game.

If you haven’t played Heart of the Swarm yet, there is no mention of Project Blackstone, and none of the characters make a cameo.

If StarCraft: Ghost returned sooner than later, we have to agree it won’t have the same Terrazine plot as the Nihilistic iteration, but a more up-to-date plot based on the StarCraft II trilogy episodes.

UPDATE

As Eroldren mentioned below in the comments, there was yet another awesome discovery in this Project Blackstone entry. Dr. Leah A. Martine is actually Winlaleah Martine. She was member of Team Red in the Tokyopop manga titled StarCraft: Ghost Academy by Keith R.A. DeCandido.

The digital version of Volume 1 can be downloaded from Cryptozoic Entertainment.

Team Red and Team Blue were among the best ghost trainees. Nova Terra (StarCraft: Ghost) was on Team Blue.

Team Red: (Wiki)

• Dylanna Okyl (Team Red leader)
• Andie Dessai
• Dori Koogler (egressed)
• Winlaleah Martine
• Obi Minaya
• Aal Cistler

Team Blue: (Wiki)

• November Annabella “Nova” Terra, a.k.a. Agent X41822N, a.k.a. Nova (StarCraft: Ghost)
• Kath Toom
• Gabriel Tosh
• Lio Travski
• Delta Emblock
• Aal Cistler (former teammate)

You can read more about Winlaleah at StarCraft.Wikia.

Go to twitter, and create a new LIST. Title it as “Project Blackstone Crew”. Add all of the Project Blackstone characters to the LIST by visiting their page and clicking the arrow (located left of the “Follow” button) and choosing “Add or Remove from List”. Then check mark “Project Blackstone Crew”.

Project Blackstone Characters on Twitter

• Jake Ramsey (Xenoarchaeologist/Protoss Specialist): https://twitter.com/JakeJRamsey
• Adjuntant 33-27: https://twitter.com/Adjutant3327
• Dr. Helek Branamoor (Chief of Research, Project Director): https://twitter.com/HelekBranamoor
• Major Lee Treicher (Head of Security): https://twitter.com/LeeTreicher
• Dr. Daniel Rothfuss (Astrophysicist): https://twitter.com/DanielRothfuss
• Dr. Talise Cogan (Xenobiologist): https://twitter.com/TaliseCogan
• Dr. Warren G. Held (Xenobiologist, Senior Protoss Specialist): https://twitter.com/WarrenGHeld
• Redell “Red” Quinton (Chief Engineer): https://twitter.com/RedellQuinton
• Dr. Talen Ayers (Xenobiologist, Senior Zerg Specialist): https://twitter.com/TalenAyers
• Dr. Leah A. Martine (Xenobiologist): https://twitter.com/LeahAMartine
• Dr. Pamela G. Foster (Chemical Engineer, Explosives Expert): https://twitter.com/PamelaGFoster
• Dr. Vera Langridge (Xenobotanist): https://twitter.com/VeraLangridge