> Well, yes, but I was assuming the benefit was so big since the
wagered
> Ability matched it... but if you end up with maybe 20 HP from an
Not if they can't get the people to support them. I'd gladly have my whole clan show up to support Kallyr gain more power. But for Torvald's Band, they are lucky to get their warband, bloodlines and associated people -- which is caps things at +10 or so... I wasn't going to let this be openended!
They had to chash in a few one-time favors to get the whole clan helping them out the first time we tried this.
> entry-level HQ (and carryover isn't dependent on the level of
> abilities used), that's quite a hike!
It depends on how you set up the quest -- but again, this is just something we use at home. And getting a decent level of success at each station can be more difficult than you might think. I've been finding it does generate 5-15 HP but since its being used to boost the impossible-to-raise-easily magicial affinities, I don't mind. If they use it to boost something regular, then 10 HP only gives a +4.
But I admit that my group has been around for a while and a few +3 to affinties doesn't hurt us or unbalance things -- at least so far. The big problem has been pursuading a bunch of folks to assist them, which takes us back into the realm of relationships and roleplaying quite nicely.
> But my real problem isn't so much with the content of the HQ as with
> the narrative flow. For years RPGs have tried desperately to avoid
> that epitome of unimaginative scenario design, the linear storyline.
> We have all this rich background, a game system so flexible and open
> the wind whistles through it, and to achieve anything important it's
> back to Roleplaying by numbers... enter room 1, fight 3 orcs, take
> treasure... enter room 2, fight gelatinous cube, take treasure... In
> some ways HQs are worse, you know in advance there's 3 orcs in room
1
> and a gelatinous cube in room 2.
>
> Wulf
That's putting it a bit harshly -- but I agree that HeroQuests do have a linearity about them. Unless you're as studly as Arkat...
However, I prefer to view the stations as directions of departure.
Station 1) Forces of Darkness -- could be trolls. Could be morocanth. Could be those no-good Black Oaks (we had no idea they would sink so low as to join Deskorgos!)
etc etc...
I draw about half of a heroquest's contents from emotional and homicidal baggage the heroes bring with them. All that stuff that they called 'disads' in Champions: Hunteds, Psycological problems and so forth. But you're right -- some of the heroquest encounters are fixed. I just can't see the Aroka HQ without a big blue dragon (even a dream one).
Of course, the players haven't still forgiven me for making them an encounter in another group's heroquest -- something about defending their tula from a nasty curse.
Jeff
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