`yarn deploy` failing with `the method has been deprecated: eth_accounts` (Ephemery)

[chrishobcroft]

I am trying to use the instructions here to deploy the protocol to the Ethereum Ephemery testnet.

Steps to reproduce:

1. clone the protocol repo with:

   git clone https://github.com/livepeer/protocol.git

2. copy the .env.sample file to .env
3. add a private key, corresponding to an address with funds on Ephemery, to PRIVATE_KEY=
4. Add the following in hardhat.config.ts under networks:

       ethereumEphemeryDevnet: {
           url: `https://otter.bordel.wtf/erigon`,
           accounts: PRIVATE_KEY ? [`0x${PRIVATE_KEY}`] : undefined
       },

5. Set the defaultNetwork in hardhat.config.ts to ethereumEphemeryDevnet.
6. Run the following:

   yarn
   export LPT_DEPLOYMENT_EXPORT_PATH=~/Development/lpt_contracts.json
   yarn deploy

7. See error:

   
   An unexpected error occurred:

ProviderError: the method has been deprecated: eth_accounts at HttpProvider.request (/home/ubuntu/protocol/node_modules/hardhat/src/internal/core/providers/http.ts:49:19) at GanacheGasMultiplierProvider.request (/home/ubuntu/protocol/node_modules/hardhat/src/internal/core/providers/gas-providers.ts:312:34) at processTicksAndRejections (internal/process/task_queues.js:97:5) error Command failed with exit code 1.

[chrishobcroft]

Closing. It appears to be the case that the RPC endpoint being used did not support this method.