A Tale in the Desert IV : Disciplines and Tests

This is the first part of a series of articles covering the seven test disciplines. The seven disciplines are; Architect, Art & Music, Body, Harmony, Leadership, Thought, and Worship. It is believed that if a citizen of Egypt could reach Oracle rank in all seven disciplines, mastering all seven disciplines, then they would achieve immortality. If the civilization should achieve this goal, the world would become a Utopia. Each discipline has seven ranks and seven related tests. The seven ranks in each discipline are: Student, Prentice, Journeyman, Scribe, Master, Sage, and Pharaoh's Oracle. In every discipline, there is one test that must be completed to achieve Initiation, and unlocks the seven tests for that discipline. One of the most enjoyable features of passing a test, for many an Egyptian citizen, is the lightning strike. Each time you pass any of the forty nine tests or seven initiates you are awarded with a lightning strike that hits your character and lifts him up off the ground before dropping you back down to the ground, à la Highlander. This signals your passing of the test for all within sight. In a unique feature, each telling tries to build a monument in each discipline before the end of the telling. Each completed monument is inscribed with a test idea. The test idea is then developed, and is implemented for the next Tale, replacing one of the last Tale's tests. This way, each telling always has several new tests that no player has ever seen. So each Tale is unique and unlike any other.