Misapplied Sacrifice from Michael Schwartz on 2000-12-09 (HeroQuest RPG)

From: Michael Schwartz <mschwartz_at_...>
Date: Sat, 9 Dec 2000 04:16:54 -0500

A theist attempting to sacrifice to a spirit IMO would first have to learn its myths, either from the spirit itself (like Firshala in GRIFFIN MOUNTAIN) or from someone with a Tradition than interacts with the spirit. A season or so would likely be sufficient to learn the base mythology (1HP to cement, begins at 12) but to in order to establish a worship relationship (i.e., become an initiate) at least 3 HP are required, "simulating" the resources needed to complete a minor heroquest.

Even if the heroquest is played out in session, the cost in HP is 2-3 times the normal cost for an affinity or feat... realistic, as I imagine the heroquest itself should be extremely difficult. I am not certain I would allow a hero to use affinities linked to another god to cross over to the Other Side, so he or she would not likely be using his or her best magical abilities to pass the initial hurdle. Mythology of <Spirit> would be the best choice IMO or Worship <Pantheon> (with improvisational modifiers) if the hero belonged to a culture with some history of spirit contact (or fringe-dwelling animists) like the Orlanthi.

I consider Orlanthi ancestor worship to be misapplied sacrifice, after a fashion, and allow players to take Worship Ancestors (or Family Tradition Knowledge, if they wish to be purely animists) if they desire. Upon achieving two masteries in the family afffinity or tradition, a hero can then learn to incarnate an ancestral hero or spirit as per Narrator's Book, pages 50-52. The cost is still 2-3 times higher than for an "established hero cult", but identity challenges are much less likely to be a problem (who else besides one's family really knows about one's ancestors, after all?).

Michael Schwartz mschwartz_at_... Ann Arbor, MI USA