It has been a few years since My visible return to this plane, and I have watched you mortals with curious interest since then. You are all, rather uniformly, convinced of your prowess and would likely nominate yourselves or one of your fellow citizens as the best in any given category.

Thus, I have devised a way for you all to prove your lofty claims through a series of different methods devoid of bias - beyond My own, at least, and I care little for who wins.

The Pandoran Trials will pit each of the six great cities on this continent against the others in areas that I consider worth testing. The winning city will receive a trophy and accolade befitting their efforts, along with My favour. Individual winners will receive further rewards.

The Trials themselves will begin on the 15th of Glacian of this year and run for exactly two months. The events are as follows:

I. An essence contest

The simplest and seemingly preferred form for adventurers to prove their endurance, and thus a time-honoured classic. Each city will have one of My attendants visit it that will tally up any brutally murdered corpses brought to them. Zealots need not worry, for City Patrons will receive all the gathered essence in the end. This will run for the duration of the Trials.

II. A King of the Hill tournament

All of you consider yourselves master tacticians and warriors, and so this tournament shall test you against your peers. Each city will present a team of up to ten (though less are allowed) competitors and two alternates for absences.

III. A song-writing contest

Brute force is not all that defines the sapient mortal. Each city will receive the chance to submit a written song to be delivered in letter form to one of My attendants. So as to provide you with some guidance, I have chosen the theme of 'lullaby' for this contest.

IV. A scrapper tournament

An unorthodox way to measure worth, your raising and training of other creatures to fight for you nonetheless provides its own form of insight into your abilities. Any number of people from each city may sign up for this tournament. Battles will be one on one with three pets each, and points will be assigned to each city based on final rankings.

V. A riddle

Fond as I am of mortals gifted with wit, it would be remiss of Me to pass up an opportunity to test your cleverness. I will post a riddle at the start of the Trials to these boards. Points will be awarded based on how quickly each city manages to get their answers, in letter form, to one of My attendants.

Sign-ups are to be delivered, ahead of time, to the post box outside My temple by each city leader.

Good luck.

Penned by My hand on the 7th of Lupar, in the year 815 AF.