Test of Isis Bounty

Test of Isis' Bounty Draft Proposal

Abstract

The Test of Isis' Bounty challenges players to find pieces of that legendary ship in Egypt's waters. Pieces can be fished up at a low rate from the shoreline, but to find the final pieces needed to pass, players will have to learn to construct Small Sailboats. Small Sailboats are steerable but subject to prevailing winds and have a chance of breaking up at sea, depositing the player on a random shore. In order to learn to construct Small Sailboats, players will have to work together to research the Basic Shipbuilding technology. After passing the test, players will gain the ability to construct larger, sturdier, and more expensive ships, complete with cargo holds. In addition to fishing up pieces of Isis' Bounty or other ships, fishing will be changed so that other debris -- some desirable and some less so -- can be fished up. Players will also need to scour the seas for Treasure Caches, recovered with Winches, which may contain rare and plentiful booty. Players may continue to seek out even larger and rarer Treasure Caches once they have passed the test, using a Sturdy Winch installed upon their Master's Schooner.

The Story

There once was a band of 77 shipwrights in the employ of the Pharaoh. They were pious men and hard workers as well; day after day they performed the back-breaking labor necessary to construct and maintain the barges of the Pharaoh without complaint. They planed the timbers and masts without complaint, tarred leaks without complaint, and sewed vast sails without complaint. They felt neither exploited nor happy; indeed, the making of ships for the Pharaoh was no less natural nor automatic for these 77 shipwrights than the taking of breath.

The final ship that these 77 shipwrights constructed was by far the grandest; the Pharaoh Teppankhamun had ordered a great royal barge be built measuring 777 cubits in length, gilded and bejeweled from prow to stern, sails made from the finest silk, imported from China on the backs of hundreds of mules and porters. In a final touch, the Pharaoh ordered the sides to be adorned with mirrors so that the rising and setting sun would blind peasants with the brilliance of the Pharaoh as Teppankhamun plied the waters of the Nile with his retinue.

The ship was to be called Isis' Bounty. The Pharaoh Teppankhamun expected the construction to be completed in seven years; in order to meet this goal, the 77 shipwrights would have to work nearly around the clock, seven days a week. This was pious and proper, though, and the Pharaoh's doctors were kind enough to provide the shipwrights with drugs that would make two hours of sleep feel like eight. They worked on.

Twenty hours every day for three years they planed and tarred and sewed and lifted and carried and hammered and sawed. Many of the men appeared to age decades in this time. Nearly all lost their wives to their work. Some lost fingers or toes to errant lumber or dropped hammers; one lost an eye. Still, they worked without complaint.

Then, on the eve of the third anniversary of the start of their enterprise, a figure appeared in the shipyard, robed and faceless in the stark torch-shadows. This stranger watched the men work without a word for several hours, then he disappeared again. The men, absorbed as they were in their work, paid him little heed.

The next night the stranger appeared again. Again, he stood motionless for several hours, and again, he vanished without a sign or word.

This continued for seven nights. On the seventh night of the stranger's presence, the shipwrights felt a distinct sense of unease, as though something were about to happen. They deliberately avoided gazing upon the stranger, fearing that he might be an dark spirit sent by Set to undo their mighty labor. Again, the stranger disappeared without a sign.

On the eighth night, the stranger appeared to the shipwrights again. This time he was not silent. Rather he let out a cough that sounded rather like that of a tubercular old man.

"Greetings, shipwrights," the stranger said with another cough.

None answered. They kept on sawing and hammering and planing as though their survival depended upon it, which it did.

"Is this how you greet a sick old man, then?" the stranger continued. "I thought you were pious men."

Several of the men paused at this. No one had ever questioned their piety before.

"I see you hard at work, but for what if not to show your respect for your elders and betters and your devotion to our way of life?"

The youngest of the 77 blushed at this and lowered his adze. "Forgive us, father," he said. "We are on the strictest of schedules and must complete this barge for the Pharaoh in four years, else our lives will be forfeit."

The stranger stepped into the torchlight so that his face was clearly visible. It was wrinkled and weathered but kind. He wore an eyepatch over one eye. He was old enough to be the youngest's grandfather.

"In that case," the stranger said, "I have done you a grave disservice by slowing your progress. You must allow me to help you."

---

The stranger was skilled with a saw and a sewing needle and quick with a joke. He quickly became popular among the shipwrights. He worked long hours, just as the other shipwrights. And, he reasoned, with a seventy-eighth member helping the crew, the other shipwrights could each afford to have every 77th day off and still finish the barge on schedule. The crew, unfamiliar with the concept of a "day off" looked upon this philosopher-shipwright with admiration and gratitude.

For a long year the stranger worked with the shipwrights, side by side, sharing in their labors and in the ecstasy of brutal physical hardship. The others began to view this stranger as one of them; many even saw him as their leader. Before long, all considered him crucial to their success and called him "father".

"What are we doing here?" the stranger asked one day, pausing from his work.

The other shipwrights looked at him as though he had gone mad. "Why, we are building a barge for the Pharaoh, father."

"Yes, but to what end?"

The shipwrights were puzzled. "The only end there is, father. The Pharaoh's will."

The stranger thought hard about this and the men returned to their tasks.

"Why is there no other end than the Pharaoh's will?" he asked, after a time.

The men clambered over each other to answer.

"The Pharaoh brings the rains that flood the Nile and causes the sun to rise," said one.

"The Pharaoh maintains an orderly state and protects us from enemies," said another.

"The Pharaoh teaches us respect for the Gods, and they in turn bring us prosperity and health," said a third.

The stranger smiled at this and nodded.

"You, who says that the Pharaoh brings the rains and causes the sun to rise: how does he do this?"

The interrogated shipwright thought for a moment. "Well," he said, "I suppose he must perform some secret and sacred ceremony for each."

The stranger nodded again. "Then I will tell you all my own secret: for many years, I was one of the Pharaoh's closest advisors. He went nowhere without me, did nothing without consulting me."

At this, the shipwrights lowered their faces in awe and submission.

"Do not lower your eyes!" the stranger said. "I am just a man. But I am a man who has seen many things: one year, as the rains began, I was with the Pharaoh on a hunting trip. I did not leave his side the entire time. No ritual was performed. Another year, he was in the midst of debauchery with his harem when the rains started; I saw it all. Strange ceremony, that, if it causes the skies to open. The Pharaoh is a late sleeper; it is rare that he is up early enough to see the sun rise, forget about having anything to do with causing its ascent. How, then, does he do such things?"

The men's faces were slack, many mouths wide with awe. None answered.

"You say that the Pharaoh maintains an orderly state and protects us from enemies. This, indeed, is true. The state is orderly because it is an order that best suits the Pharaoh. He sleeps ten hours a day, has many wives and concubines, hunts when he wishes, rests upon finest silk and linen, and bathes in crystal-clear water scented with the finest perfumes. You work twenty hours a day, through blisters and lost limbs and domestic strife. The Pharaoh does indeed maintain order, but is this something which you should thank him for? And so he protects you from his enemies: these are his enemies, not yours. If Nubia or Eritrea were to conquer us, how would your lots be worsened? Only the Pharaoh and those closest to him would likely be gravely affected."

There were a few angry murmurs from the crowd. Some shook their heads, as though fighting off bad dreams.

"And you, who says that the Pharaoh, through some divine connection, brings us prosperity and health, would you step forward?"

The shipwright did so. He was as thin and stooped as a bent fishing pole. He was missing the pinky finger from his right hand, and his clothes were little more than rags. His face was haggard and unshaved; he looked far more like a long-neglected and starved convict than an artisan.

"Mark well this man," the stranger said to the shipwrights. "Does he seem to you to be an image of health or prosperity?"

The shipwrights stared at this, their brother in labor, as though they had never seen him before. The angry murmur became an angrier cascade of voices.

"Peace, men!" the stranger called. "Peace, please!"

They quieted reluctantly. Some turned to regard the half-finished juggernaut behind them; even ungilt, unmirrored, and unpainted, it seemed suddenly an abomination.

"This ship is by rights yours," the stranger said. "And, if you follow my advice, it will be."

---

The stranger then set to work altering the plans for the half-completed Isis' Bounty. An additional chamber would be added to the hold of the ship, accessible only by a secret door.

The next three years passed quickly, as the men worked not for the Pharaoh but rather for themselves. The ship was completed on time; indeed, it was an image of gaudy splendor, loudly proclaiming the Pharaoh's wealth and power to all who saw it. But the secret chamber, empty and inaccessible to all but the seventy-seven and one shipwrights, was invisible to all, masterfully hidden among the bowels of the ship by the shipwrights' skill.

The shipwrights were nowhere to be found at the ship's unveiling and dedication to Isis. They were not missed. The massive silk sails were unfurled, and the mirrors and gems and gold of the hull's plating made the ship shine as brightly as the morning sun.

The Pharaoh, along with seven of his most trusted advisors, seven of his most senior priests, seven of his favorite concubines, and seven eunuch bodyguards, boarded the ship. Such was the craft of the shipwrights that the ship could be steered by a single man: this man was the stranger. Now thin and bent and scraggly from his long labor, the Pharaoh could not recognize his former advisor, who took up the steerage at the ship's stern. The moorings were cut and the ship began to drift slowly down the Nile.

As Isis' Bounty journeyed, the Pharaoh and his retinue drank and debauched and laughed heartily. They beheld the farmers in their fields and the masons at work on houses and buildings of State, and all seemed as it should be.

Indeed, by the time the shipwrights emerged from the secret compartment, brandishing 77 simple but sharp knives, the Pharaoh and most of his entourage were passed out, drunk and satiated.

The only member of the retinue that was awake to behold the glinting of the knives in the moonlight was the youngest of the Pharaoh's concubines. She pleaded for mercy and was granted it. The rest were slain in their sleep.

---

After they had set the girl down on a nearby shore with a supply of food and water, the shipwrights took back to the water. Their plan was not yet finished.

The bodies of the Pharaoh and his train were dumped overboard to feed the crocodiles. The ship was turned around and pointed in the direction of the most sacred Valley of the Kings. As they sailed, peasants on the riverbanks turned away from the ship, thinking the Pharaoh to be on board; the seventy-eight were completely unhindered as they moored upon the holy dock reserved for the Pharaoh and priests come to place offerings at the tombs of dead Pharaohs.

With the stranger's help, the men opened the doors to the tombs of seven of Egypt's mightiest kings and entered boldly. In a few short days, they had managed to carry off half the wealth of ancient Egypt and load it upon Isis' Bounty. The bodies of Pharaohs were loaded as well, stacked on pallets like the carcasses of wild hogs.

---

"I must leave you now," said the stranger, once the last of the plunder had been secured. "I am old and would like to spend my last years in a quiet and domestic life. But listen to my words: this ship is yours, but the wealth of the kings rightfully belongs to the people of Egypt. Give it to them freely, or the gods will not favor you for long."

The men agreed to do so, and after many fond goodbyes, the stranger was set down upon the opposite shore. Isis' Bounty took to the Nile again, where the bodies of the ancient kings were dumped overboard.

---

The men immediately began to throw some of the plunder overboard, in the hopes that it would wash to the shore and be found by destitute laborers or be caught by poor fishermen in their nets. Stops were made at oases where camel drivers would rest, and treasure was shallowly buried to be exposed by shifting sands. Pearls and silks were buried in farmers' fields, to be upturned by plows.

For nearly seven years, the men distributed the wealth of the ancient Pharaohs in this manner, sailing up and down the Nile, into the Mediterranean, and even, some said, around Africa and along the banks of the Red Sea. And still, the trove of plunder seemed not a deben smaller. Some men believed that the gods had blessed them and their enterprise; some believed, instead, that it was a curse and that they would be doomed to sail the waters of the world for the remainder of time, sowing the waters with riches as a farmer seeds his fields.

They began to argue amongst themselves. Some said that they were on a holy mission and obliged to continue spreading wealth until the wealth was gone. Some said that they had done their duty and that they should dump the remainder of the plunder overboard and let the waters take it where they would. Others said that the remaining booty was theirs to keep, a token of the gods' appreciation for their work. These advocated taking the plunder and starting their own kingdom, a place where the good life could be enjoyed by all: a land of equality, with the shipwrights as judges, priests, and lords.

The arguments became more fierce as the weeks and months wore on. Factions began to form. Some talked openly of a split and taking control of the barge.

Finally, in the dead of night, all were awakened by the clanging of bells, rung by the shipwright who all regarded as the most pious. Isis' Bounty was on fire. The men escaped, but the ship, bellowing smoke and blazing nightmarishly in the reflections of ten thousand mirrors, sank into the cold, dark waters. Those shipwrights who carried the tale to Egypt would never say where. Some believe it was in the precise center of the Mediterranean; others claim that the ship was far from Egypt, anchored off of Sinai; most, though, believe that the treasures of the ancient world now line the bed of the Nile. As proof, they cite the appearance of the Nile in the midday sun; once, they say, the river was dull and muddy, but now, as all know, the Nile shines brilliantly when the sun is directly overhead, precisely as though its trough were lined by thousands of polished mirrors.

New Mechanics and Content - Fishing Changes

Fishing will be changed so that additional items can be fished up. These should be catchable anywhere at any time of day, and include the following:

• Silk Cloth
• Linen Cloth/Sails
• Gold Foil
• Mirrors
• Rope
• Boards

Anything else that would make sense to be part of the wreckage of Isis' Bounty or other shipwrecks is acceptable. The frequency of recovering these items should be on par with their rarity in the rest of the game -- so, for instance, boards might come up every 10th cast or so, but silk cloth might require 1000 casts. Additionally, occasionally players will fish up bits of Ship Debris (this is the item name). These should be fished at the rate of 1 per every 49 casts, on average. For more information on Ship Debris, see the section under Test Mechanics, below.

Test Mechanics - Ship Debris

Pieces of ship debris may be brought to Universities of the Human Body for indentification. The scientists there will take the piece of Debris and return either: a piece of Ordinary Ship Debris (item name), or a piece of Isis' Bounty. If it is a piece of Isis' Bounty, it will be labeled with the part of that ship that the debris came from -- so, for instance, the item returned might be named, "A Fragment of the Foredeck of Isis' Bounty". The odds of any given piece of ship debris being from the Isis' Bounty depend on where and how it was found:

• A piece of Ship Debris fished up from shore has a very low (1 in 49) chance of being from Isis' Bounty. Only fragments of the Gilded Outer Hull can be fished up from shore.
• A piece of Ship Debris fished up from offshore (at least 5 coords from shore) has a decent chance of being from Isis' Bounty (1 in 14). Only pieces of the Gilded Outer Hull, Foredeck, Aftdeck, and Mainmast can be fished up at sea.
• A piece of Ship Debris fished up along with a Small Treasure Cache is likely to be from Isis' Bounty (1 in 3 chance). Any part of the ship can be found in Small Treasure Caches, but there is a greater chance that the piece will be from either the Cabin, Inner Hull, or Cargo Hold than the other types.
• A piece of Ship Debris fished up along with an Ancient Treasure Cache is guaranteed to be from Isis' Bounty. Any part can be found in Ancient Treasure Caches, but there is a greater chance of the fragment being from either the Cabin, Inner Hull, or Cargo Hold.

The use of pieces of Isis' Bounty is detailed below. Pieces of Ordinary Ship Debris have two uses:

• 7777 pieces of Ordinary Ship Debris are needed to unlock Basic Shipbuilding at UBody. Once the tech has been unlocked, any player can learn Basic Shipbuilding 1.
• Once a player has learned Basic Shipbuilding 1, pieces of Ordinary Ship Debris can be turned in at the UBody where the tech is opened in exchange for knowledge. The scientists will examine the piece of ship debris and offer to instruct the player further on building simple ships -- each time the player does so, his/her Basic Shipbuilding skill will raise by 1, up to a maximum of 49.

Ordinary Ship Debris has no further uses.

New Mechanics and Content - Small Sailboats

Once a player has learned Basic Shipbuilding (see Ship Debris section above), they can construct Small Sailboats. Small Sailboats are built water-side from the following materials:

• 400 Boards
• 3 Linen Sails
• 30 Rope
• 10 Tar
• 100 Nails
• 50 Iron (for the anchor)

Unlike ferries, sailboats cannot be disassembled and moved: once they are placed, the only way to move them to a new location is to sail them there. Also unlike ferries, sailboats can be steered. Some points of order on how sailboats are steered and handled:

• Sailboats cannot go in reverse.
• Steerage is precise -- direction is easily specified, but like airships, sailboats are susceptible to prevailing winds. This means that the speed of the boat is highly dependent upon wind direction (the wind compass should pop up when the player is at sea). If it is possible to do so, it would be excellent to be able to adjust the sails at sea for optimum wind use by an experienced sailor.
• Sailboats can be anchored, and should automatically anchor when a player exits one or logs off aboard one.
• Sailboats should be able to be boarded from a few coords away from shore by clicking upon them -- otherwise, lining a ship precisely up along a straight bit of shoreline could become tedious.
• Waypointing/Expedition Travel/Spousewarping should not be allowed to/from ships.
• Fishing should be allowed from ships.

Small Sailboats are somewhat flimsily constructed. This means that there is a chance that a small sailboat may come apart at sea. If this happens, the ship, and winch (if installed, see Winches and Treasure Caches section below) are lost, and the player is deposited on a random shore. Additionally, to prevent Egypt becoming cluttered with thousands of derelict boats, small sailboats automatically decay after a period of time (see below).

The quality of a Small Sailboat is determined by the Basic Shipbuilding skill level of the builder. At higher quality levels:

• Ships have a significantly lower chance of coming apart at sea.
• Ships last longer. The lifespan in days should be equal to the builder's Basic Shipbuilding skill, up to a maximum of 21 days. At Basic Shipbuilding 1, a Small Sailboat will disintegrate after 1 day. At Basic Shipbuilding 21 and above, a small sailboat will live for three weeks. This lifespan can be prolonged indefinitely with maintenance: selecting "Maintain this Sailboat" from the ship's menu will refresh the ship's timer. This will also update the ship's other properties to the player's new/current level of Basic Shipbuilding.
• Ships are faster.
• Ships are less at the mercy of prevailing winds; even with unfavorable wind, a high-quality Small Sailboat should be able to move at a moderate rate.

New Mechanics and Content - The Master's Schooner and Advanced Shipbuilding

Once a player has passed the Test of Isis' Bounty, he/she will learn the skill Advanced Shipbuilding 1. This will allow said player to construct Master's Schooners. The cost of building a Master's Schooner is:

• 1000 Boards
• 1000 Glossy, Rotproof Boards
• 50 Linen Sails
• 200 Rope
• 100 Tar
• 1000 Nails
• 10 Pulleys
• 100 Gold Foil
• 50 Bronze Straps
• 500 Iron (for the Anchor)
• 5 Steel Cable (for the Anchor Chain)

Master's Schooners obey the same mechanics as Small Sailboats (above), with a few exceptions:

• Master's Schooners never come apart at sea.
• Master's Schooners do not decay.
• Master's Schooners should have speed and wind resistance comparable to that of Small Sailboats built at Basic Shipbuilding 49.
• Master's Schooners may be fitted with Sturdy Winches (see Winches and Treasure Caches section).
• Master's Schooners have cargo holds.

The base capacity of a Master's Schooner's cargo hold is 25000 deben. This can be upgraded by a player with a high level of Advanced Shipbuilding. Advanced Shipbuilding 7 is required to upgrade the Schooner's cargo hold to 50000 deben, and Advanced Shipbuilding 49 is required to upgrade the Schooner's cargo hold to 100000 deben capacity. A nominal material cost may be associated with the first upgrade (to be determined). The final cargo hold upgrade should have a substantial material cost (also to be determined).

Higher levels of Advanced Shipbuilding can be learned by turning pieces of Isis' Bounty in to Ubody after the test has been completed.

New Mechanics and Content - Winches and Treasure Caches

Both Small Sailboats and Master's Schooners can be fitted with Light Winches. Only Master's Schooners can be fitted with Sturdy Winches.

The cost to build a Light Winch is:

• 2 Pulleys
• 30 Rope
• 5 iron (for the hook)
• 1 1-output Gearbox, determined by the Sailboat

The cost to build a Sturdy Winch is:

• 5 Pulleys
• 5 Steel Cable
• 10 steel (for the hook)
• 1 3-output Gearbox, determined by the Schooner

Winches allow the recovery of Treasure Caches. Treasure caches are spotted while at sea and appear as a shimmering surrounding a dark spot; other visual representations are fine, but they should be easy to discern against the water at any time of day. They should have a relatively short visible range of around 10 coords. There are a couple of methods of finding Treasure Caches; the most straightforward is just to happen upon one. It is also possible, however, to narrow down the location of a Treasure Cache using an already-found Fragment of Isis' Bounty.

A player with a fragment of Isis' Bounty in their possession may examine it at any time. It will display one of three messages:

• "A rare artifact to be sure." In this case, there is no cache nearby.
• "The fragment shines even more gaudily than usual." In this case, there is a cache within 75 coordinates.
• "You get an uneasy feeling from this relic, as if it wanted something. Creepy." In this case, there is a cache within 25 coordinates.

There are two types of Treasure Caches. An "ordinary" Treasure Cache can be fished up with either a Light Winch or a Sturdy Winch, and consists of an assortment of the following:

• 1 Piece of Ship Debris (either Isis' Bounty or regular; see above for probabilities)
• An assortment of any of: Mirrors, Silk Cloth, Medium, Large or Huge Gems, Gold/silver (either raw, bars, foil, sheeting, or wire), very old wine (10+ vintages, rare flavors possible), spirits (rare types possible), paints, high-quality blacksmithed/glassblown items (8k hatchets, 6k distillation coils, etc), raeli tiles (rare types possible).

The other type of Treasure Cache is the Ancient Treasure Cache. These should be substantially rarer and are only salvageable using a Sturdy Winch. If a player tries to recover an Ancient Treasure Cache using a Light Winch, they will receive a message that the cache is just too heavy to haul up using their winch. Ancient Treasure Caches consist of the following:

• 1 Piece of Ship Debris (guaranteed to be from Isis' Bounty)
• Any of the treasure types found above, in greater quantities and slanted toward the rarer types (older vintages of wine, more likely to have huge gems, rarer raeli tiles, etc).
• 1 Rare Item

Some suggestions for Rare Items found in Ancient Treasure Caches: very high quality blacksmithed/glassblown items (9500+ hatchets, 9000+ wineglasses, and so on), rare flax/wheat seeds with high yields, high quality knife templates, and so on. This would also be a good spot for placement of story items.

Passing

In order to pass the Test of Isis' Bounty, players must find:

• 1 Fragment of the Foredeck of Isis' Bounty
• 1 Fragment of the Aftdeck
• 1 Fragment of the Mainmast
• 1 Fragment of the Inner Hull
• 1 Fragment of the Cargo Hold
• 1 Fragment of the Cabin
• 1 Fragment of the Gilded Outer Hull

Once a player has all these in his/her possession, they should be shown to the scientists at UBody for the zap. All seven fragments will be removed from the player's inventory when they do so.

Principles

In order to complete the Principles of Isis' Bounty, a player should:

• Find a piece of Ship Debris
• Find a second piece of Ship Debris
• Show a piece of Ship Debris to UBody Scientists
• Learn Basic Shipbuilding
• Construct a Small Sailboat
• Install a Light Winch
• Salvage any Treasure Cache
• Find 1 Piece of Isis' Bounty

A bit more involved than the principles for my other test idea, but this test is a bit more complicated. Principles should still be pretty straightforward once Basic Shipbuilding is unlocked.

Conclusion

This test idea started out as a treasure hunt on land, but the more I thought about it, the more it seemed that a Body test at sea would be a neat addition. It is pretty complex as written, but I have some more ideas for Rare Items that I'd like to add if it is feasible to do so (along the lines of the rewards from my Mountaineering Test idea).

Any suggestions are appreciated, particularly along the lines of items to be fished up or found in treasure caches. Any other ideas are welcome as well. Thanks for reading!