>
> At the same time it isn't a large proportion because they are well
> practiced HeroQuests, performed regularly by many people and the
> community is used to rescuing those who stray from the path - failure
> but not lethal failure.
>
I'd think too that the proportion that fail is small because the community invests a lot in the success of their children. I seem to recall from Thunder Rebels that first initiation of boys only occurs every four years or so in most clans. The reason would be that to make these events have such a high success level requires a very large commitment.
Very nearly the entire community is generally giving total support, and I would not be surprised if often there is some level of support sought from other groups (and that will have its own price). The most holy place available will be used (which probably also has a price), objects of power are brought out (and hence put at risk), costly sacrifices are made, and a lot of the community overall magic is channeled into it.
So yah, heroquests where the 'story' is known in great detail, where the entire resources of the community are backing it to the degree that you get when it is the survival of your children at stake, where there are appropriate holy place and items known, where the right sacrifices and rituals are well understood, they are not so dangerous.
Or to put it another way, the 'education budget' of the Heortling village is largely invested in initiations.
Powered by hypermail