Test of the Messenger

Message fragments (current and historical)

The Test of the Messenger
(Test - Worship)
Prerequisites
100 Paper (Papyrus) 100 Ink

Collect message fragments and interpret the will of the gods.

Test Description

Players across Egypt must work together to assemble messages from the gods. These holy messages describe ancient and long-forgotten rituals used to pacify and please various gods. The goal of this 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. Beware, the gods will quickly become bored with each ritual and will only honor the first seven pairs that complete it.

Principles

Properly interpret the will of the gods.

• Make Papyrus Paper
• Make ink
• Meditate on an altar
• Collect your first message fragment (one TP)
• Complete a Ritual (two TPs for the first one)

Additional Information

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.

Passing the Principle

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 same ritual; only the first seven pairs who successfully complete the ritual will receive credit that month, so hurry!

A new message becomes available at the beginning of each Egyptian month.

Detailed Overview

Position of Ink and Paper

The simple ritual to receive your monthly message at any Common Altar is as follows:

0. The ritual for generating a message fragment is completed by one player at a time. No partner is needed.

1. Place a Papyrus Paper on the left focus (hand)
2. Place an Ink on the right focus (hand)
3. Meditate on the altar

If done correctly, both the papyrus paper and ink will glow, burn up, then be replaced with a Message Fragment on the right focus. Take the fragment. To read it, select Self > Tests > Test of the Messenger > Read Fragment - you will be given one of seven messages:

Whilst it is possible to do this with anything else on the pillars, this is not recommended, as the items on the pillars will also burn up when the fragment is delivered.

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 month to month 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 in a different month might require for example two moss, each with a different required attribute.)

Messages this tale

Passing the Test

Receive credit for five completed complex rituals and you will pass the Test!

Notes

To start the ritual, first click on your partner>Tests>Test of the Messenger>Ask person to perform the ritual with you.

While completing the ritual, you will receive a notification after completing each pair of requests. If you do not receive this notification, do not continue on with the ritual.

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).

• If the action is to "dig a hole with others" there is no flyaway until a stone is produced.

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. You do NOT need to complete the rituals with the same partner each time; you only need to participate in five different successful rituals yourself to pass.