I didn't say that great acts of magic couldn't occur through heroquests - in fact I think that most of the great acts of Gloranthan magic are heroquests (which is why it is so annoying that there are no good rules for it).
What I did say is that mundane history does not change. A corollary is that the mundane world changes only in specific ways. Contrast this with John's description of an 'emic' campaign, where reality can change wholesale at any time, and various people allegations that when things like the Yelmalio/ Elmal unification happens the historical records must change too, all of which I consider to be rubbish.
The Trollkin Curse is an excellent example to illustrate what I mean. The Trollkin Curse is a result of Nysalor going to the Godtime and wounding Korasting. Allegedly the Godtime is before the Year 1. It is not. It is myth, and myth is now. Nysalor changed the myth in historical time (around the year 400?). Troll records before that time record that Korasting was well, and trolls mothers bore trolls. Historical records from after that time record that once she was well, but D'Wargon the Womb-biter attacked her, and they probably record the year that this disaster occurred. When you go back and change a mythic even in Godtime, the changes take effect from that point in time, they have not always been true.
As an addition, note that only a being as powerful as Nysalor would be able to actually face Korasting herself (and he needed a lot of magical tools and weapons). Most other people would have to be content with taking on a minor manifestation of Korasting, such as a clan ancestress, and so cursing a smaller number. Similarly, a Yelmalion who decides to beat Zorak Zoran at the Hill of Gold (I know its not the right path, but for the sake of argument) probably only faces a minor manifestation of Zorak Zoran, and so might regain fire powers for him or his tribe. If there was a Yelmalion tough enough to take on ZZ, he could regain the fire powers for the whole cult, but he would need to be tougher than the god himself ( and such heroquesters are rare to say the least!).
Cheers
David Cake
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