Overview
Tale 1, or the First Telling, was the first full game of A Tale in the Desert. It ran from February 15, 2003 to September 2, 2004, and ended successfully, with Egypt's citizens victorious over the Stranger's challenge. The events of Tale 1 represent a previous generation of Egyptian history, with the citizens of that time being the grandparents of our Tale 2 characters.
For historical reasons, it is important to remember the events and struggles of Tale 1. This article is intended to highlight some of the aspects of those times.
Differences in Tale 1
We of the Second Telling have surpassed our grandparents' generation in many ways. But at the same time, technologies were known to our ancestors which we have yet to master, and perhaps never shall again. And in other aspects -- perhaps due to the whim of the gods -- the world simply works differently than it did years ago.
Some of the more fundamental differences in Egyptian life from Tale 1 are recounted here.
- Petroleum. Our ancestors relied heavily on wood and charcoal to power their industries, just as we do. But they also made use of another fuel, petroleum -- a black oily substance buried far underground, and raised to the surface using enormous screwgear-driven Deep Well Mines. Petroleum proved a highly efficient fuel source, and was used to run buildings from alembics to Raeli ovens to clinker vats. But it was most often used for smelting ore: records tell of enormous smoke-belching Ore Infernos upon which the entire Egyptian metal industry once relied. What has become of petroleum nowadays? Have we simply forgotten the means of extracting it, or did our ancestors draw every last drop of it from the earth, leaving none for us? We do not know.
- Herbs. The identification and cultivation of herbs is one skill which is wholly new to our generation. Our ancestors, who took a simpler view of the plants around them, never guessed at the variety of flavors and spices that grew beneath their very feet. Although history records limited purchasing of exotic spices from foreign traders, it apparently never occurred to our grandparents to discover similar herbs in their own country. As a result, cooking in Tale 1 was a much simpler, less refined affair. Needless to say, the art of smoking was also entirely unknown to them.
- Compounds. For all their architectural skill, it never occurred to our ancestors to organize their buildings into groups under a single roof. Forges, looms, chests, ovens -- they were all scattered willy-nilly in camps under the open air. The use of compounds is a tidy lifestyle innovation unique to our generation.
- Travel. We of the Second Telling enjoy the benefits of chariot stops and expedition sites on a daily basis. But in Tale 1, fewer choices for travel existed. Waypoints were the only alternative to journeying by foot. The limitations of waypoint travel being similar then to now, cross-country travel was initially quite difficult for our ancestors. Fortunately, they were able to employ their Megalopolis buildings as universal waypoints, and this helped to centralize travel and commerce. Our ancestors' Megalopolis network was probably the forerunner of the chariot network we use today.
Tests of the First Telling
Tests from Tale 1 that have not been implemented in the current Telling (at least not at the present time) are listed with a brief description.
Architecture Tests
- Test of the Obelisk
- [Test of Octec's Ghost]?
- Test of the People's Pyramid. In Tale 1, consecrating a new Pyramid of the People was an Architecture test in itself.
- Test of Towers
- Test of the Megalopolis. One important difference in this test was that in Tale 1, a Megalopolis served as a free waypoint available to all citizens. In our ancestors' time, these structures eventually served as hubs of trade and travel in much the same way that Chariot Stops do today.
- Test of the Funerary Temple. This test heavily involved Raeli tiles. Funerary Temples earned points based on the number of tiles used in them, as well as the variety of different colors used, with the highest-scoring Temples passing.
- The Test of Seven Phoenix
Art and Music Tests
Body Tests
- The Test of the Bedouin. Players would visit the various common altars around Egypt and anoint them with cactus sap. A player who anointed an altar would earn points based on how long the altar remained unanointed by other players. The Test of the Singing Cicada, introduced later in the Telling, was in many ways a refinement of this test.
- The Test of the Acrobat
- [Feast for the Senses]?
- The Test of Darkest Night
- The Test of Takeskot. Takeskot was a competitive game played by teams on courts found around Egypt. Success in Takeskot also yielded permanent increases to Endurance.
- [The Test of Reason]?
- The Test of the Singing Cicada
Conflict Tests
- Test of Telepathy
- The Rite of Command. Rite of Command was an unusual quasi-card game between two players. As with many games of Conflict, it was loved by some and loathed by others.
- Test of Hekets Rake
- The Test of Witagog. In Witagog, players moved beetles around a gameboard, attempting to fight or block their opponent's beetles.
- The Test of King's Convoy. This was a board game where players moved ships around a board. The defending player had a convoy of ships to protect, while the attacking player tried to capture it; in a match, players would alternate playing attacker and defender.
- Test of Zhadu
- The Test of Reflection. The game of Reflection was unchanged from today, except that it was originally a full-fledged test, whereas it now serves as the initiation into Conflict. Conversely, the Tale 1 Conflict initiation was Sevenblade, which in the current Telling has been promoted to a full test.
Leadership Tests
Thought Tests
- The Test of the Bijou
- The Test of the Pulse of the People
- The Test of Set's Ladder. As in the current Telling, the initiation into Thought in Tale 1 was a Set's Ladder puzzle built on a Pyramid of the People. However, it later became possible to build larger versions of the puzzle on a Pyramid of the Fertile Land, and this became a Thought test in its own right.
- The Riddle of the Sphinx. Sphinxes were large, expensive statues which dispensed riddles designed by test-takers about Egyptian society. Passing the test required the player to craft "noble" riddles, defined as riddles which were well-written, enjoyable, and neither too easy nor too hard.
Worship Tests
- The Test of Marriage
- The Test of Astrological Alignment. A simple ritual at a common altar ascertained whether two people were "aligned". To pass, it was necessary to assemble a group of five players, each of whom were aligned with the other four.
- The Path of the Pilgrim
- The Test of Festivals
- The Test of Beacons. Performing a specific activity (the nature of which changed regularly) would cause temporary "beacon altars" to appear. Before the altar disappeared, a group of three players would have to coordinate a ritual on it.
- The Test of Visions. Scattered around Egypt, hidden in various objects, were the faces of various gods. By brewing and ingesting "Face of God serum", a player could receive a vision of the location of one of these faces. Visions were partially inaccurate, so players were obliged to compare their notes with others in order to separate the false information from the truth.
- The Test of the Vigil