how it works

The scoring system, effort rating, leveling, and streaks.

The Eos Index

The Eos Index breaks into three components. The sky is the dominant factor, but where you stood to watch it, and how hard it was to get there, matter too.

Sky · 50 points maximum

Color intensity/ 20 pts

Cloud engagement/ 15 pts

Horizon definition/ 15 pts

Setting · 30 points maximum

Foreground composition/ 15 pts

Location uniqueness/ 15 pts

Conditions · 20 points maximum

Access difficulty/ 10 pts

Weather / environmental challenge/ 10 pts

A perfect sky witnessed from a parking lot will always score lower than a modest sky earned at the top of a difficult pre-dawn ascent. The Eos Index measures the sky. The Zora Score measures the player.

Effort rating

A single post-expedition assessment of the total difficulty of the journey. One honest judgment call, 0–40 points.

Roadside

0 pts

Trail

5 pts

Summit

15 pts

Remote

25 pts

Expedition

40 pts

Discovery points

Every expedition is a chance to unlock a new species, plant, geographic feature, or historical site. Points scale non-linearly by rarity — a single exceptional find can rival a full effort rating.

A discovery's first unlockacross the series earns the full tier value. Common and uncommon finds score zero on repeat. Rare and above earn a single token point on later outings — presence is still worth noting, even when it isn't new.

Rarity	First unlock	Subsequent
Common	5–10 pts	0
Uncommon	15–20 pts	0
Rare	25–35 pts	1 pt
Very rare	40–50 pts	1 pt
Exceptional	60–75 pts	1 pt

What counts as a discovery

Wildlife — birds, mammals, reptiles, insectstiered

Plant — notable or rare speciestiered

Geographic — formations, water bodies, elevation recordstiered

Cultural / historical — petroglyphs, ruins, landmarkssee below

Human history subcategory

Minor historical marker5 pts

Notable site (ruins, mining camp)10 pts

Significant site (petroglyphs, ceremonial)15–20 pts

Discovery points roll into the Zora Score, never the Eos Index. A modest sky at a discovery-rich location still earns a respectable Zora Score. The sunrise is one story. What you found on the way up is another.

The Zora Score

the master formula

Zora Score = Eos Index + Effort + Discovery

No fixed ceiling. The Eos Index caps at 100. Everything else is earned.

Leveling up

Every player begins as Scout. Each completed expedition places one gem on the next medallion in your sequence. After 6 gems, that medallion awakens and the next one begins. Your first expedition advances you from Scout to Trailhead with 1 gem set.

Score has no effect on leveling. It drives leaderboard position instead. Show up, do the work, level up.

Level	Title	Expeditions
0	Scout	0
1	Trailhead	6
2	Desert Fox	12
3	Dawnchaser	18
4	First Light	24
5	Horizon Hunter	30
6	Zora Seeker	36
7	Dawn Keeper	42
8	Eos Adept	48
9	Zora Master	54
10	Finding Zora	60

Streaks

Complete all 6 outings for a level within 6 calendar weeks to earn a streak. The medallion gains a sunburst crown and the expedition card shows a gold bar. Visual honor only, no bonus points.