This is pretty much Sandy Petersen as GM. We're currently a bunch of eastern mystics stuck under Than Ulbar with the Cornucopia. We have no idea how we're getting out. Neither does Sandy. He doesn't need to know, because we have a committee of six working on that.
By way of example: previously, we were stuck near the caladera above, where the guards had the Cornucopia. We had no idea how to escape with it, since there were about 10,000 broos right outside (along with a Thanatari giant). We came up with all kinds of plans, and discarded them all as unworkable (e.g., "How do we get out if we set off the volcano?"). Finally, we hit on the right one: instead of trying to escape, just grab the thing and head down into the tunnels, because . . . we were really up for a dungeon crawl! So, the MGF rationale justified the change in the story, letting us bypass any problems like "fitting the Cornucopia through the door" or "the guards spot you."
The lesson here is just lay a bunch of stuff out for the players. HeroQuest is very flexible. If they get stuck, let them roll against some cultural or relationship skill to get another rumor (or someone to take them somewhere, etc.) and make it up on the spot. If they get really stuck, let them come up with an option that is fun, even if not perfectly explainable in world.
Best of luck,
Chris
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