Example of heroquest challenge in play

From: Jeff Richard <richaje_at_...>
Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2005 23:42:51 -0000

Here is a snippet from our game describing a heroquest challenge that took place between a Heortling Ernalda priestess and a Lunar Hon-Eel priestess. The challenge took place during the Honoring Day ceremonies in Fyllich Kwan when the Hon-Eel priestess presented herself on behalf of her goddess to Ernalda for recognition as part of the Earth Tribe. This ceremony has occured without a hitch or problem for generations in Fyllich Kwan and is part of the reason that the locals accept Hon-Eel as part of their pantheon of earth goddesses.

However, the 1616 Honoring Day ceremony went terribly wrong as the result of a Heortling priestess that participated in the rites and challenged the Hon-Eel priestess:

"Kaylin entered the Hoyalan Ernalda rituals as Kev [1]. It was disconcerting to have the Red Moon so visible in the Otherworld and not have Orlanth and many of the Thunder Brothers present themselves to Ernalda [2]. But she knew this ceremony was wrong - the goddesses had been deceived by a lie created by Hon-Eel and Shepelkirt.

Hon-eel was there, a red-clad woman carrying maize. When she approached Ernalda, Kev challenged her and sought to discern the truth behind her mask [3]. Hon-eel tried to deceive the goddesses with an impressive dance [4]. But Kev revealed that Hon-Eel was just a mask, not a daughter of Ernalda at all, but a thief and a whore, a daughter of the Moon. Kaylin took her dance away[5]. She learned that Hon-eel was Daughter of Moonson, Granddaughter of the Red Moon, Third Inspiration of Moonson, and Ana Gor the Cloaked Goddess who demands human sacrifice in violation of divine law.

Kaylin taught what she had learned to Ingkarthen, so the Reaching Storm could unmask Hon-eel."

[1] Kaylin Orlmarthing is a Colymar priestess and devotee of Kev.
She is the wife of Kagradorl Kallaisson and thus daughter-in-law of the great Beneva Chan.
[2] In Heortling Honoring Day ceremonies Orlanth and the Thunder
Brothers honor and gift Ernalda.
[3] Kaylin challenged the Ernalda priestess with her feat Discern
Truth.
[4] The priestess defended with her feat Dance to Impress Otherworld
Denizen.
[5] Kaylin got a Complete Victory in the challenge and as a result
took away the priestess' feat (gaining that as a Heroquest ability). She also gave her knowledge to the heroband that supported her - the Reaching Storm. She also likely gained the mythological enmity of Hon-Eel and her cult.