Test of the Messenger

Summary

In the Test of the Messenger, players across Egypt work together to assemble a message from the gods that has been split into fragments. These holy messages describe ancient and long-forgotten rituals used to pacify and please various gods. The goal of the test is to fully assemble a message and carry out the instructions therein, which describe a complex ritual that must be completed with a partner. Complete five such rituals to pass the test.

Detailed Overview

At the beginning of an Egyptian month, a new message becomes available to be deciphered by the players of Egypt. Every player signed up for the test has access to one piece of this message (the message is split into seven fragments) and may travel to any common altar and perform a simple ritual to receive their fragment. The simple ritual is as follows:

1. Place a papyrus paper on the left focus
2. Place an ink on the right focus
3. Meditate on the altar

The player will then receive a popup with their fragment of the message if this simple ritual was performed correctly. The paper and ink are consumed during a successful attempt. The fragment a player receives will be randomly chosen among one of the following seven:

1. Location of a specific common altar (region and coordinates)
2. Partner A's action
3. Partner B's action
4. Partner A's prayer
5. Partner B's prayer
6. Partner A's complex item sacrifice
7. Partner B's complex item sacrifice

The fragment a player receives is set and will not change during the Egyptian month, even if that player repeats the simple ritual. An an example of fragment a player might receive:

“... the first priest must sacrifice a Lime Green fish scale...”

Another fragment of the same message might be:

“Sobek, God of Nile products and fertility, awaits appeasement at the common altar located in Alcyone: 1683, 2299...”

Finally another example:

“...the second priest must then recite the prayer 'Guide us to your revealed wisdom'...”

When enough players across Egypt have done this, the actual complex ritual to please the god may be performed. An example of a fully assembled message by the players:

“Sobek, God of Nile products and fertility, awaits appeasement at the common altar located in Alcyone: 1683, 2299. To please Sobek, the first priest must plant a bed of flax while the second priest waters and harvests the flax bed. Then, the first priest must recite the prayer 'Bless us with the bounty of the land' and the second priest must then recite the prayer 'Guide us to your revealed wisdom'. Finally at the altar, the first priest must sacrifice a Lime Green fish scale and the second priest must then sacrifice a Dodger Blue fish scale.”

Note that while the fragments players receive are randomly given, the ritual is always performed in the same order from message to message (Find the altar, Actions, Prayers, Sacrifices). The specific altar, actions, prayers, and complex item sacrifices change from week to week but the order of the ritual as noted above remains constant (also, the complex items will always be of the same type. In the example above, fish scales were the item type, but the two scales were different colors. A different message on a different week might require for example two moss, each with a different required attribute.)

Players must partner up and complete the complex ritual by the end of the Egyptian month to receive credit for a completed ritual. The gods quickly tire of the the same ritual; only the first seven partners who successfully complete the ritual will receive credit that week, so hurry! A new message becomes available at the beginning of the next Egyptian month. Receive credit for five completed complex rituals and you will pass the Test!

Notes

The "Actions" may be any number of things, such as planting a specific crop, performing an emote, or releasing a beetle. The Sacrifices should not be too difficult as far as required attributes go. Complex items that are needed could be wine, beer, raeli tiles, paint, moss, fish scales, treated wood, treated metal, flower petals, etc. The developer obviously has discretion here (although, I would like to see fish scales put to some sort of use). This test has a cooperative element as well as a competitive one since players must share with one another to finish a message but only the first seven partners to complete the ritual receive credit each Egyptian month.