Resources - Papyrus
 | Papyrus (often abbreviated to 'Papy') is a plant that is grown along the shores of the Nile. It can be pressed into Papyrus Paper, or dried in a drying rack or flax hammock in order to produce dried papyrus. Dried papyrus can be woven into baskets on a loom, or added to a firepit to produce ash. Papyrus seeds are produced by drying papyrus at a high altitude. The higher the altitude at which the papyrus is dried, the more seeds are produced - At sea level, dried papyrus will usually produce no seeds; on the peaks of very tall mountains, an average of 40+ seeds per bundle of 20 papyrus is normal, but the per bundle yield ranges from 0 to 80 seeds. If you're concerned with getting lots of seeds, dry full bundles so rounding doesn't cost you so many fractions. Only take a third of what you can carry up to the drying area. People are always astonished when they dry 500 Papyrus and then end up with 500 Dried Papyrus plus 1000 Handfuls of Seed that they can't carry. Previously, there was a note that drying bundles of fewer than 14 Papy would never produce seeds, but both Anguz and Jzalae report dissenting experience (with bundles as low as 4) so something probably changed. If you also get seeds with small bundles please remove this note. |
At the beginning of the telling, the first papyrus plants were found growing wild by the Nile. However, wild papyrus now no longer occurs. As such, any papyrus that you encounter has been planted by another player, and it's considered poor manners to pick it without checking to see if the person who planted them is still in the area. (And remember that - due to the way that papyrus grows (see below) - they may be a couple hundred coordinates upstream, so ask in regional chat.)
In order to gain seeds now, you'll need to trade for them. Most established players will be happy to give you seeds for a share of the Papyrus.
Planting Papyrus
Plant approximately 20 papyrus seeds by the Nile. Approximately 10 minutes later, plants will appear on both banks of the river approximately 150 coordinates north from where the seeds were planted.
Papyrus may be planted in any body of water, but the Nile is the only place that will produce a good (if any) harvest. Harvests are generally better on straight North-South stretches. (The bodies of water need not be connected: It is possible to plant papyrus in a pond and find the plants growing in an unconnected pond to the north.)
You have to be in a muddy area to plant Papyrus, and grassy riverbanks (downstream) are the most fertile. Ask around or try a few hf's first for good growing spots.
I've just tested 5 times (planting 15 seeds per test, 5 times in day, and 5 times at night). Yield was bigger during the day then at night. Also, if you dry papy during the day you will get more seeds then at night (tested that 3 times with drying 80 papy).
Need to make more exploration of this. -Tokeiito
More Detail On Planting Strategies
If you only have a few seeds, plant a dozen 'hf' (handfuls) of seeds, ten coordinates apart. This will produce enough papyrus to dry a bundle of 20 Papyrus and, as both growing Papyrus and drying Papyrus doubles what you have, you'll soon have enough seeds to spare some Papyrus to make paper. Hint: Don't use Dried Papyrus in a Fire Pit. Dried Flax is much cheaper (but yields far less). Also, when making Paper you need wet Papyrus and dry Linen.
If you dry your papyrus on a suitably high mountain, you will soon have far more seed than you need. At this point, you can stop worrying about yield per handful of seed. Run north along the Nile, planting one handful of seeds about every 5-15 coordinates. Stop when you have travelled about 300 coordinates. Using this technique, you should harvest several hundred papyrus.
Always try to plant so the papyrus will appear near a bridge, so you can collect plants from both banks of the river (unless you can swim).
Regional Growing Zones, And Area-Specific Guides
Lower Egypt
Starting on either side of the Nile at 6300, plant 1 Papyrus Seeds(hf) every 10 coordinates while running north, stopping at 6400. Wait 10 minutes and scour the Nile up to the nearest bridge and down the other side. Don't forget the ponds on the east bank, either, including the ones in the valley, which many overlook. Typical yield is 8-11 papyrus per seed (88-100+ papyrus per planting).Kush
From N-S -4000 to -4800, along the Nile.Karnak
Start at the bridge at approximately 698, -176 and plant three handfuls every five coordinates north. You'll see the papyrus about 150 coordinates north.Khartoum
Start at the bridge at approximately 919, -5940 (road from sArt to sLead). Then head 150 coordinates north and collect it.
"Power Papy"
Power Papy is a method for growing papyrus, involving three people and very little running.
One person stands in a spot and throws a handful of seeds into the river every 20 or so seconds. The other two people man both sides of the river, approximately 150 coords north of the first person, and continually harvest the papyrus as it grows. This was the preferred method for growing mass loads of papyrus in Tale 2, as it requires very little running around.
Public High-Altitude Drying Facilities
- Keyhole Lake in Kush (1203, -4603) - several public drying buildings.
- Papy mountain, about a 10 minute run west of UThought in 7 Lakes. Keep climbing even after you reach the plateau to the very top of the mountain.
Uses
- 1 required for ecology 1 tuition
- 300 required for an Essence of Harmony
- 4 can be pressed on a Paper Press to produce 2 Papyrus Paper
- Dried on a Drying Rack and Flax Hammock to produce Dried Papyrus and Papyrus Seeds(hf)
