IMO, HQ Support can take a certain number of forms. In the case of Harrek, it seems that performing RW acts that prepare you for repeating them on the God Plane can store up a 'reserve' of support points (in the case of YAHQ) that can be used to accomplish a specific mythic end. Frex, Arkat slowly, over the course of years, performs a number of smaller quests that fortify him for the One Big Quest to kill Nysalor/Gabji. These can include Zorak Zoran's victory over Yelmalio at the Hill of Gold, Orlanth's slaying of Yelm, and Humakt's slaying of Grandfather Mortal (In regards to the fact that he was a member of many differing cults, via his Illuminant abilities.) Acquiring tools would via HQ or on the Mundane Plane to help you in the quest would also act to give you support towards a mythic end (Arkat's HQ to find the Unbreakable Sword, frex. In the act of slaying Nysalor/Gbaji, Arkat actually emulated aspects of several mythic acts from many pantheons to do it, aimed at Nysalor/Gbaji's light-based nature. This is a lesson well learned by the Lunars, as witnessed by the Pharaoh. Moral... do your research!)
Performing many "smaller" HQ's to specificially get the tools and mythic power you need to attain your ultimate end seems to be an alternative to having legions of worshippers to support you... It seems that truly epic heroquests have both, although certain types can favor one or the other. This seems to be the pattern from Myth (Orlanth gathers tools and companions to quest down into the Hell to rescue Yelm) as well as History (Arkat's journey, which started as a personal quest and evolved into a clash of nations and gods, the creation of the Red Goddess, and the journey and victory of Argrath.)
> From: "Jane Williams" <janewill_at_mail.nildram.co.uk>
> Date: Tue, 24 Jun 1997 23:28:04 +0000
> Subject: Re: More food, POW use, trusting sources.
> > From: Alex Ferguson <abf_at_interzone.ucc.ie>
> > It's always struck me
> > as a bug of the RQ rules that sacking half ones power to Ernalda also
> > halves ones chances of getting a DI from Ernalda (or anyone else). If
> > it doubled it, that would make more intuitive sense to me.
Does anyone remember the old RQ2 method of how Priests could sacrifice
for
DI? It was an actual spell on the lists! Each point of POW sacrificed
gave a
5% DI chance. While some priests would sock it away, it was always
one-use.
So, most priests in RQ2 would sacrifice for their reusable Cult Spells
instead,
and maybe sock away points of POW into DI as insurance against a rainy
(or sunny,
in the case of Trolls) day. Priests also got their standard Initiate DI
as well,
and Allied Spirits could also call for DI from the Priests God, as they
were always considered Initiates of that Priest's Cult, and could in
time qualify to become
Priests themselves!
All Praise the White Lady, whose gentle hands heal all pains.
Chris Bell
mailto:remster_at_interport.net
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