>NB: my main problem with the idea that "real" heroes do dummy-run after
>dummy-run of their intended HQ paths (whether as temple 'dry-runs' or as
>low-intensity practices) before going for the Big One for real is that it
>doesn't make for very interesting heroes, or very interesting play value.
>The difference between the rehearsal and the real thing is like the
>difference between playing Poker with friends betting paper money, as
>against playing with enemies betting your fingers, limbs and lives
>(including, of course, those of your loved ones): a different intensity
>altogether, agreed that the rules are (notionally) the same -- though you
>*know* that your enemies might be cheating...
Isn't it (at least among the Orlanthi) the usual procedure to do lots of preparatory quests - not quite practice runs, some might be harsher than the final quest involved, but affect only the quester, not the entire support community - and then go to the heavy hitter for the community, arrive at a station and boast of the success at the preparation, and take the easier way?
Like having the Lightbringer quester have undergone the Baths of Nelat: This gives an almost guaranteed success at the Flames of Ehilm, when the entire community's fate depends on the proof, whereas the Baths are more of a solitary quest, extremly lethal, but not dramatically so to the quester's community.
This approach also means that questing for personal powers may well be within the interest of one's community. Argrath's quest for the Giants' Drinking Cauldron sounds very meaningless for his followers (except that it grants rousing headachse after their liege lord's feasts), but after his disastrous defeat at Yoran this very achievement helps him get the attention of Gonn Orta. (His alliance is a result of both this quest - where did he get the Falangian Wine if not from the cauldron? - and the Cradle incident... another preparatory quest.)
This is getting similar to advanced Mythos adventures, which have other adventures as prerequisites...
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