Test of Beacons

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Test of Beacons

Can get at University Worship at level 17

Principles

To pass principles, perform the following:

   * Perform the Anchoring Meditation
   * Complete a single Beacon Ritual 

If the beacon ritual must be performed by the three priests that perform the anchoring ritual/meditation, then you must simply complete a single beacon ritual successfully.

The Beacon Ritual

The ritual is comprised of three parts:

1. Attract an altar
2. Perform the anchoring ritual
3. Perform the beacon ritual

Either by fortune or by deduction, an altar may be attracted to a priest, appearing by them. Once an altar is attracted, three priests must come and perform the anchoring ritual. Once anchored to this world, they will receive partial visions on how to perform the beacon ritual. Upon correctly determining the beacon ritual's steps and performing it, all three priests will receive credit for that beacon.

Complete seven beacon rituals successfully to pass the test.

Attracting an altar

If all of the following conditions are met, there is a chance that an altar will be attracted:

   * Perform the favored activity.
   * Have between 1 to 3 other Egyptians nearby.
   * Not be at home.
   * Not have attracted a beacon successfully in the past teppy week.
   * Not having succesfully completed a ritual in the past teppy day 

Note that satisfying these conditions is no guarantee that you will attract a beacon. The "not be at home" condition is based on a percentage threshold of non-public chests and buildings you have access to in the surrounding area.

If a beacon has been successfully attracted by fulfilling these conditions, the message "You have done everything you need to attract a beacon altar. If you are lucky, one will appear." will display in Main. This means the beacon has appeared somewhere in the vicinity of all the Egyptians, and requires the anchoring ritual to be performed before it disappears. Regardless of success in anchoring, this will count as successfully attracting a beacon in the teppyweek.

Favored activity

One of the more difficult aspects of the entire test is determining the favored activity, which changes once a teppy-week. Monitor E! for beacon activity announcements, and please post if you have done few activities and attract (or almost) an altar. The activities could be anything, for example:

   * Drinking from an aqueduct tower
   * Foraging a herb
   * Expedition Travel
   * Slaughtering a camel
   * Fishing
   * Gathering clay
   * Gathering wood
   * Growing flax 

A message in main will appear when you attract an altar, or when you "almost" attract a beacon by performing the favored activity but fail to satisty the other conditions on the list above. Note that it can take up to an hour between performing the activity and attracting (or almost-) an altar.

Possible messages: [please correct/update!!!!]

   * A beacon altar was almost attracted to you, because you did the favored activity in the last hour. However, there are not enough people nearby.
   * You have done everything needed to attract a beacon altar. If you are lucky, one will appear.
   * A beacon altar was almost attracted to you, because you did the favored activity in the last hour. However, you own too many of the buildings in this area. You are at home. 

In an attempt to document the favored activities, please check/update Beacon Activities. -Orashin

Anchoring Ritual

Once visible, the beacon altar will last only 3 teppy-minutes unless it is anchored. Any three people can anchor an altar, even if they have passed the test, even if they have not performed the favored activity, even if they have completed a ritual in the past week, and in fact even if they aren't even signed up for the test.

The ritual is as follows:

   * Priest One mediates.
   * Priest Two mediates.
   * Priest Three mediates. 

Upon successfully performing the ritual, the altar will be anchored and will now last 30 minutes before disappearing. Additionally, each priest receives a vision on how to sucessfully complete the ritual.

Beacon Ritual

An anchored beacon altar will stay for 30 minutes. The three priests that performed the anchoring ritual will obtain a vision on how to perform the beacon ritual. Only these three priests may perform the ritual at the given beacon altar. As a note, the priest order performed for an anchoring ritual has no effect on the order of the priests that perform a beacon ritual. Simply re-choose who will perform each part.

The beacon ritual itself will vary for each beacon. Additionally, the actual ritual will be hidden among the three vision received, as they are intentionally unclear.

The ritual will need two sets of gems from the following list:

• 2 Medium Diamonds
• 2 Medium Rubies
• 2 Medium Emeralds
• 2 Medium Sapphires

The first priest's vision will state which gems are needed (not necessarily in the correct order), the second and third priests visions will each state 4 instructions for placing gems on the altar. Because the vision does not state whether the 2nd or 3rd priest's instructions must be performed first and because the 2nd and 3rd visions refer only to the first gem and second gem, there are 4 possible rituals.

Note that the instructions in the vision refer to left/right pillar or focus. The pillar is obvious enough, and the focus is the round plate on top of the altar. Left means on the left side when facing the concave side of the altar.

If the ritual is performed successfully, a pop-up message will congratulate you. If you perform all actions correctly, it will take 4 attempts at most. All three participants will receive credit for the successful ritual; complete 7 to pass the test.