As I am using Apple Lane as the setting for my game, I decided to use one of Greg's ideas, the Orlanthi Adulthood Rite. After reading it over I decided that the rite should be more than bashing one another with blunt clubs and getting laid at the Uleria temple (imagine... Apple Lane with no Orlanth Temple, but they've got an Uleria Temple by gosh!) Anyway, what follows is a brief recap of my version of the Ortlanthi adulthood rite IMG:
The rite tests the Six Virtues of Orlanth. The children are awakened late one night during the celebrations leading up to Sacred Time. They are told to "get ready", but not given any more advice. It is windy and snowing outside, so the proper attire is warm clothing and footware. This is a test of Wisdom (one of my PCs failed!).
Next the children are taken into the mountains through the driving storm. If none complain, it is taken as a sign of Piety and respect for the strength of Orlanth. All the PCs passed this one.
When they arrive at their destination (a non-descript clearing), they are given only enough food for 1/3 of them. If they share, it is taken as a sign of generousity. Again, all the PCs passed this test.
The food is drugged to make the children fall asleep, where apon the people of Apple Lane begin a ritual to transport the children to the Hero Plane. The remaining tests are components of a heroquest for adulthood (IMG adulthood is a something that must be heroquested for).
When the children awake on the Hero Plane, they find the adults missing and a package containing a note, a feather, some rope, a sealed letter, a firemaker, and enough food for one day. The note instructs that they are to venture to a nearby cave, wherein dwells the greatest enemy of their people, one which could destroy all Orlanthi everywhere. They are instructed to enter into the cave, defeat this enemy, and exit the other side. When they arrive on the other side they are to give the letter, which must not be opened under any circumstances, to the people they meet there.
My PCs created sharpened sticks and torches from dried branches and entered into the cave. There they encountered a booming voice which told them to "turn back". One of the PCs chickened out and moved from the front of the party, to the middle. After several small trials, they arrived at a room in which a griffin fought with a baboon (who had a tail; you'll see why). The baboon had stolen one of the griffin's pin-feathers and the griffin could no longer fly. The baboon had needed the feather to complete his ceremonial head-dress which would allow him to become Waha Khan of his people (IMG baboons are ancestor worshippers and believe Waha was a baboon). The feather was ruined and even if the griffin got it back, he would never fly again. The PCs convinced the baboon to give the griffin his tail, which the baboon didn't need and the griffin didn't have, and the griffin accepted the feather the PCs had as a substitute, both parties would get what they wanted. The baboon hadn't intended to harm the griffin, who had so many feathers - how was he to know this one was so important? Both creatures agreed (and this became the story of why baboons have no tails. The creatures IMG are called the Baboon Ancestor and Grandfather Griffin). This was the test of Justice. Needless to say the PCs passed with flying colors.
They proceeded deeper in to the cave, every once in a while encountering the booming voice again. But never turning back. Finally they reached a curtain of fire which barred their path. Some hesitated, but all eventually jumped through. The entire cave was the test of Courage (which despite a couple of close calls, all the PCs passed).
They landed outside the cave, exactly where they had entered. Some of the village elders were there and one of them asked for the letter. Then he asked if any of them had opened it and made sure to ask each one if the others had told the truth (the test of Honesty). The letter had remained unopened and all told the truth. They then "woke up" and returned to Apple Lane where there was much rejoicing.
:)
Brian Curley - MIS4
University of Wisconsin - Graduate School Administration
DNRC Minister of Small Round Objects That Roll Out of Reach Under the Desk
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