August 24, 2023

Totems: Bringing Life to Upland. The Adventure Begins.

The time has come for the reveal of Totems in Upland! But not without a story, not without an adventure, and never without Miles. Over the course of five chapters, we’ll reveal 11 Life Forms, each contributing to a total of 5,555 Totems. To stay up to date about each chapter’s release, visit the Totem landing page!

Chapter 1: The Jungle’s Call to Adventure

In the heart of the Peruvian jungle, Miles and Gaia embarked on a daring expedition, their spirits ignited by a shared mission to unveil Life in Upland. As they ventured deeper into the uncharted depths of the dense foliage, their eyes shimmered with anticipation, guided by a Mystical Totem Map and Mystery Totem Passes. The treacherous terrain and sweltering heat challenged their resolve, yet their determination remained unyielding. And then, amidst the ancient wilderness, an extraordinary sight greeted them: rock statues, seemingly frozen in time. A magnificent dragonfly, its delicate wings immortalized in stone, and a majestic palm tree, standing tall and proud. Evidently, remnants of an enigmatic civilization long forgotten. Days turned into nights as they continued to push forward, driven not only by the allure of untold treasures but also by the inexplicable connection they felt to these ancient guardians of the jungle. 

Get ready, Uplanders, for an extraordinary journey that stands apart from anything you've encountered in Upland before.

‍What are Totems?

Totems are a captivating collection of map assets embodied by unique life forms. As Uplanders, you'll embark on a mission to nurture and maintain your Totems' health, requiring Protem spending. Skillful nurturing will yield additional Protem as rewarding outcomes. This thrilling experience provides a sneak peek into how Life will eventually work in Upland, giving you a taste of the fascinating mechanics to come.

The objective is to earn as much Protem rewards as possible in this exciting mini-game, serving as a simulation of the interaction between Stem and Life on an exaggerated scale. It’s like Life on steroids. 

But first, how do you get Totems? How many are there? When are we getting them?

Note: We are utilizing Totems as a test and a way to prepare for Life in Upland. We will make changes in the future based on the outcomes of Totems. 

How to Acquire Totems

Totems will be available for purchase through a series of Mystery Pass sales designed exclusively for an exchange to any of several rarities of Life Forms in each drop. The rarities of each Totem will be defined by five unique traits that influence your Totem's behavior, rewards, and more. 

Prior to each sale, the Upland Team will begin manufacturing the specific Totems designated for the upcoming sale, which is when the type (animal or plant) of Life Form will be revealed to you. While these Totems are being manufactured, we will hold a Totem Mystery Pass sale, which is the only way to acquire them in the Upland Store. As always, registration will be required 24 hours in advance, and then you must log in on the day of the sale to complete your purchase. The Exchange to reveal your Totem will not take place until all the Passes in the first Chapter have been distributed and all the Totems from the sale have been fully manufactured. 

The Upland Team will notify you and the entire community when each Totem Pass exchange is enabled. This same process will apply to all the upcoming Totem releases. We'll provide an official announcement for every Totem Release, and as soon as manufacturing for these items begins, we'll unveil the newly added Life Forms that will be up for purchase via the Mystery Pass exchange. 

And so… back to Miles and Gaia in Chapter 1 of their adventure in the jungle. Totems and the Life Form reveal of each chapter will represent a story.  In the coming days, you will have the opportunity to step into the realm of the first Totem release introducing two captivating Life Forms, the graceful Palm Tree and the enchanting Dragonfly. 


What are Stem and Protem?

In the expansive Upland metaverse, Stem, a new currency for powering life in Upland, will hold the vital role of sustaining all living things, such as trees, animals, and plants. Life's design will closely mirror the real world, where living assets will require nourishment in the form of Stem.

To facilitate the transition, Protem, a substitute currency, will be utilized until the full release of Stem takes place. Protem will be redeemable 1:1 with Stem upon its eventual launch. Before the totem first totem cycle begins, players will receive a fixed amount of Protem for each Totem they hold.

Note: The first Life Cycle will not begin until after all Totems have been revealed. We’ll provide dates and details later. 

Totems Traits

Totem traits are the unique characteristics of each Life Form. Each Totem possesses 5 visual traits, and each trait represents an attribute that determines the nature of the Totem. These traits — Life Form, Style, Color, Scale, and Totem Base — have multiple variations, resulting in each Totem being truly unique in its combination of traits. These traits influence the Totem's appearance, characteristics, and Protem rewards.

For a better understanding of each visual trait and its corresponding mapped attribute, please refer to the Totems Trait section available on the Totem Wiki

Chapter 1: Palm Tree and Dragonfly

We will soon be making an official announcement about the first Totem release, which will include the Palm Tree and Dragonfly Life Forms. Here’s a preview, however, the Palm Tree or Dragonfly that you acquire with your Mystery Pass in the upcoming sale will be unique based on the aforementioned characteristics and traits. It will be your mission to feed and take care of your Totem during the Cycle, but not until all Life Forms in this first story have been manufactured.  

Totem Guide

For a more complete and comprehensive understanding of Totems, we invite you to explore our Totem Wiki. Here, you'll discover in-depth insights into how you will eventually power the lifecycle of your Totems and grasp the intricacies of Totem Traits. It’s important to acknowledge that the Totem Wiki is not finalized, and we’ll unveil additional details as more Totems are revealed.

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