Earnalda bakes the first bread

From: Brian Laxson <b1laxson_at_...>
Date: Fri, 29 Sep 2000 08:26:49 -0400


Here is an Earnalda myth, free to use or post on websites.

Brian Laxson
(CC me on comments as I'm only viewing the list in web mode)

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Ernalda Bakes The First Bread

In the green age Ernalda combined the sacred ingredient for the first time to make a loaf of bread. This made inedible things edible. She left the bread to cool on a rock, where winds carried the sweet scent across the air. This is how the winds attracted Orlanth to Ernalda. The sharing of bread was made into a sign of friendship.

Heroquests for this myth can be used for the following benefits:

? Improve relations with elves
? Improve the clan’s food supply
? Improve morale during difficult times
? Improve relationships
? Attract Orlanthi or suitors (extended version only)
? Improve the magic abilities of the questor
? Increase the Cooking skills of the questor or the clan
? Enhance the food at an upcoming feast


Regalia:
The following items are the regalia for those who wish to perform the heroquest:

An elf [+1]
A small amount of yeast
A pinch of salt
Two or more eggs
Measuring spoons
A basket
A hunter named Odayla [+1]
A girl named Esrolia [+1]
A bag of grain seeds
A stone wheel named “Doubt” [+1]
A bronze pot
A forge [+1]
A stead with an oven [+1]
A window where breezes can blow [+1]

For the extended version:
A man named Orlanth [+1] or a nearby desired suitor Another place where breezes can blow [+1]

Note: That for the gods it is sufficient for an initiate or devotee to play that role.

How the quest goes:
The numbers represent the different stations of the heroquest. A title is given loosely describing the station. The text describes what was done on the original heroquest. In square brackets [ and ] at the end is a list of the sort of contests for the station.

1.0 A Young Plant From The East
Although there are plants growing all around only a few are safe to eat. Of those that are safe to eat only a few pieces are suitable, such as the fruit. Sometimes the good parts where protected and difficult to get to. To do so she would have to teach the people how to use the bounty of the Earth.
An elf was passing by, searching the ground. Ernalda asked an elf how they fed their people. The elf didn’t trust her at first but said, “I have a young plant from the east that needs a home, yet it is so small that no place seems safe. If you can find place then I will tell you.” Ernalda touched the elf with her gentleness, “I will care for this young plant from the east and give it a place in my stead,” she said. The elf answered, “Only growing things have life. We feed our people by growth around them and inside them. To care for the young plant from the east help it to grow.”
Ernalda looked at this young plant. The name was difficult to say so you gave it a new shorter name, “yeast”.
[The challenge it to get into a conversation with the elf. Relationship
with elves is obvious. Friendly social skills like charm can also be used. Mythology of Ernalda may also be used as an enhancement or as it with a –3 penalty as questor tries to remember how to greet elves. Gentle is also an appropriate personality trait] 2.0 The Search
Ernalda admired the new addition to her stead, “yeast”. She could tell there was a magic inside it’s frail shape. Still it would need more power to be able to feed her people. She searched around the tula and put other secret ingredients into her basket. These included salt and eggs.
Ernalda asked Odayla how a bear could find food. Odalya called on the power of the Sky Bear he had beaten. Full of pride he led Ernalda to a great range of food, a field of grain. Ernalda complimented Odayla who went back to his hunting.
[Ernalda must charm Odayla or try to invoke his pride or boastful. If
another questor is playing Odayla that part is fairly simple. Odayla must then use ‘scent food’ to guide Ernalda to the right food source.] 3.0 The Field
Esrolia was there in the field. They exchanged the secret signs. Esrolia asked why Ernalda was here. Ernalda told her about her quest. Esrolia explained the whole field could not go with her but she could take a bag of seeds. These would have the power of the field within them. Ernalda took the bag of seeds.
[This is another effort to convince others to help. Mythology will help
with the secret signs. It another participant plays Esrolia this is a fairly simple station]
4.0 Overcoming Doubt
 Ernalda sat down in a field of flowers. She had many things which could be eaten but yet where not so. She took out a grain seed. It had a hard shell that hid the edible portion inside. Ernalda tried several means to open it. A few got it open but the edible portion was of no use. Most of the time she failed to open the shell.
Doubt crept up to her. It came as a large stone wheel that crushed the hopes of the flowers in the field. Ernalda dropped a few of the seeds. As doubt came closer it crushed the seeds. The shells where broken and the edible portion was turned into powder.  She remembered how important feeding people is. Remembering why she was doing this gave her the ability to overcome doubt. She tipped doubt over on it’s side. She learned it’s power to break apart dreams and crush hopes. This is why mills use stones.
She named the crushed edible portions of the grain ‘flour’ as a reminder of the contest with the Doubting Wheel in the field of flowers.
[This is about the only station that can directly harm the questor.
Ernalda must overcome doubt with persistence, caring or other personality trait. Clever could also work. Loyalty to the clan can be used but at a –5 to keep Ernalda focused on the needs of the clan when doubt is present. Failing this station likely means the end of the heroquest as a major or complete failure.] 5.0 The Making
Ernalda now had many things. Now she needed to make something from them. She went to one who knew most of how to make things, Gustbran the smith.

She asked Gustbran how he made things. Gustbran said he was too busy. Ernalda tilted her head and smiled. Ernalda added a new fire to Gustbran’s forge.
Gustbran said fire could make things act differently. He showed her how to use enough heat to make things change without being destroyed. He showed her how you can join things together when they are treated right. What Ernalda wanted to do was similar yet different than the smithing done by Gustbran the smith. They agreed to call it “cooking” and one who does “cooking” would be called “cook”.
Ernalda asked Gustbran if she could have a fire to use in her stead to make food. Gustbran agreed and made a small forge which he named “oven.”

[Once again good Ernalda is getting others to help her. Flirting or
charm will work well here. Getting Gustbran to make oven will take another test to persuade him.]
6.0 The Cooking
Ernadla took yeast, flour, oven and the other sacred ingredients back to her stead. She used the power of cooking to combine all the secret ingredients in a bronze pot. She learned to use the right amount of each, as to much or to little could make the food inedible again. When she was done she saw something special happen. The young plant from the east called yeast was very happy. He began to tell of his happiness which made the mixture full of life. It grew and became bigger. Ernalda named the new thing “bread”.
[This is a check against the questers cooking skill]
7.0 The Cooling
Bread was big and full of life. However, it had been touched by the heat of the small forge “oven”. Much of that heat was still there. The first person to try “bread” was burned.
While pondering what to do Ernalda looked out the window of her stead. She saw the mountain where Icy Wind lived. She realized that Icy Wind would be to strong for “yeast” inside “bread”. Instead she called upon Icy Wind’s son “Cool Breeze”.
Ernalda blew a kiss to Cool Breeze who agreed to help her. Cool Breeze came inside Ernalda’s stead. He was clumsy in his magic dance and spilled some of the sacred ingredients. Ernalda was angry but still needed his help.
She took “bread” to the window of her stead. There Cool Breeze danced around “bread” without disturbing the rest of the stead. Cool Breeze took the extra heat away from “bread” so people could eat it. Cool Breeze though had gained the scent of bread.
[Bear in mind that not treating the wounds of the burnt person will mean
supporters of the quest get burned. Ernalda needs to convince Cool Breeze to come and most importantly put the bread in the window.] 8.0 The Suitor (this station extends the heroquest to allow different benefits)
Orlanth was nearby where breezes often pass. Orlanth was content. While Orlanth rested Cool Breeze passed over him. Orlanth sat up quickly and grabbed hold of Cool Breeze, “What is that I smell?”
Cool Breeze told Orlanth of the sweet smell of bread and of the beauty of Ernalda. Cool Breeze also told how it felt to be kissed by Ernalda. Orlanth asked him why Ernalda kissed him. Cool Breeze said it was to gain his favor so he would use his powers for her. Orlanth realized that if the kiss of beautiful women and the smell of her cooking would be given to a spirit like Cool Breeze he could expect even greater treasures. Orlanth let go of Cool Breeze after learning where Ernalda’s stead was.
Orlanth went there right away and Ernalda broke bread to share it with him. Ernalda even blew Orlanth a kiss and said, “More I will gift you, if more you do for me.”
[This is the station with the power to attract Orlanthi or suitors. If
used to attract a suitor they suitor is obviously not likely to be in the heroquest. Instead a similar event takes place with them wherever they are. If in the heroquest Orlanth needs to catch Cool Breeze with quick or Wind magic. Once caught Cool Breeze is fairly easy to intimidate. Whether in the heroquest or not when Orlanth/suitor sees the one playing Ernalda they must resist Ernalda’s charm or gain a relationship or personality trait directed at her.]

The type of grain and the other sacred ingredients vary from clan to clan. This represents their version of the bread recipe.

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