I'm not sure that we can sensibly do that, as most Heroquests will involve a cremonial aspect, and (at least prior to Greg suggesting that a HeroQuest had to involve physical travel) we'd use "heroquest" to describe any ceremony that involved crossing between planes.
> > No wonder you are confused. This is your reknown
> > materialistic perspective once again.
>
> Oh for goodness sake... not, it is NOT *MY*
> "materialistic perspective" at all. It's the
> perspective of the society we live in, that defines
> the language we're supposedly using to communicate.
>
Well not yours specicifally, but "ours" in the sense of 21st century rational materialists living in a secular, scientific world. Rather consider the rituals and ceremonies from the perspective of a bronze age person who has adequate proof that gods, spirts and magic are all around them and active on a day to day basis.
> And in case you hadn't noticed, on the planet the rest
> of us are living on, ceremonies generally have no
> magical component at all, they exist for reasons for
> tradition and legal requirement. Not magic.
Maybe not today, when no-one believes in magic (or "no-one" believes in "magic"), but generally they weren't invented *just* to provide for a tradition in the 21st century...
> > Think of a Mass, or a
> > healing ceremony or a Sun Dance,
> > or a May Day, or a baptism.
>
> Mass - no magical effect I know of, nor any described
> by the bods around here who do such things (I asked
> once, they were quite offended by the idea).
I assume "Mass" to indicate catholocism, which AFAIK still holds to the doctrine of transubstitution, which is a miracle, and thus divine magic.
> Baptism -
> chance to show off new baby and posh frocks, while
> gathering all relatives together and expecting
> arguments. Never heard of any effect beyond that
> expected by any participant, especially the parents.
What about those who have preamture or sickly babies thought unlikely to survive baptised in hosptial to ensure they do not die unbaptised? That is not just (or even) a chance to show off posh frocks...
> May Day - dance round maypole by little girls in
> pretty frocks, charge a few quid entry to make money
> for the village hall. May possibly have meant
> something once, no-one participating is too sure what.
>
>
> This is the real world. Ceremonies may possibly take
> place in what were once holy spots, but more likely
> not. You want a wedding ceremony, you hire a hotel,
> not a church. It's cheaper.
This surely depends on whether or not you consider the ceremony is purely a legal and civil one, or whether it has some deeper significance. Maybe my friends are richer than yours but I've only been to one wedding that wasn't in a church...
> And this is the world
> where the language we are using is defined, remember?
>
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