Re: A Little heroquest

From: madamx_at_mikka.net.au
Date: Thu, 06 Aug 1998 17:08:49 +1000


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I wrote this in an attempt to bring the local spirits more into the daily life of the stead. I've called it a heroquest for want of a better name.

Fish Tickling. This quest came with the Far Walkers & has been adapted to suit the various locales. Those who wish to learn this skill must follow th= e
path of Vatar the Gut.
Vatar was Eurmali, not particularly obnoxious or vicious but simple of mind & lacking in respect. He was a likable man & so protected by the clan. His jests likewise were simple & lacking in respect but rarely painful except to those of over large self esteem. He was given to wandering in the quiet places where the lesser spirits lived & so was often hungry for he was no hunter & wandering grew no crops. While wandering, mostly to avoid the shearing, Vatar found a path he did not know. This seemed strange to him as he had been traips
ing those hills since he could walk. None the less he took the path, being slow of mind he did not consider danger. The track ended at a small fall in a low gorge & there he saw a camp for one man. Sitting by the fire was an old, old man whose head was that of a trout.

Old Trout Head gave the greeting & Vatar felt it polite to reply. Old Trout Head offerred Vatar food & was in return gifted with Vatar=B9s pig=B9s bladder. Old Trout Head was very impressed, the pig, being an Ernalda beast, was unknown to him. They sat for a while in silence then it seemed to Vatar tha= t
Old Trout Head was not as happy as he might be. =B3What ails the fish face?=B2 he thought. =B3P=B9raps it likes a jig=B2 thought he. So Vatar lept to his feet & comence to jig with great vigour & no style. Old Trout Head sprang back in alarm. =B3What=B9s this?=B2 he demanded of Vatar. =B3T=B9is a jig.=B2 said the fool. =B3And what=B9s it for?=B2 asked the fishman. =B3Heart=B9s ease & joy.=B2 he was told. =B3And a fine thing it is.=B2 said Old Trout Head =B3But not a thing to share wit= h
the legless.=B2 Vatar was puzzled, of course trout can=B9t jig & so his dance was of little use beneath the water. Then it came to him, riddles. Not the sort used by Gbaji to snare the unwary, nor yet the lofty contest between wind & sun, but the simple riddles & puns of the shearing shed & stickpicking fires. So Vatar started asking his riddles & with each jest Ol= d
Trout Head laughed harder & harder. At last Old Trout Head begged him to stop for his ribs hurt from laughing. He thought it a fine new thing to tak= e
back to his wet home & in return gifted Vatar with the talent to tickle two fish from the water each day. So they parted, Vatar with his fish gift & Ol= d
Trout Head with his new laughter.
This is obviously not a major Heroquest. But then the return is not enormou= s
either. The questor/s must set out on the morning of Waterday Harmony week Fire season armed with a decorated pig=B9s bladder on a stick & a sense of humility. All participants with pride above 9 must check against proud. A successful roll indicates that they will not undertake the quest. Successfu= l
questors get a humble check. They must find the nearest small stream containing trout & follow it upstream. At some point it will transfer onto the god plane. They then have to make Old Trout Head laugh. Failure to reply correctly to the greeting, threats to Old Trout Head or rude & arrogant behaviour will result in a sudden exit from the quest & a long walk home.
The nature of this quest means that it is rarely taken seriously by older folk although children often try it & it frequently is their first heroques= t
not dependant on the rituals imposed by their elders. As such it is a bit scary & possibly dangerous as it is still a heroquest. There may also be retribution for shirking work during the shearing. Darvall.
Madamx_at_mikka.net.au      

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I wrote this in an attempt to bring the local spirits more into the daily l= ife of the stead. I've called it a heroquest for want of a better name. <BR>
<BR>
<B>Fish Tickling</B>. This quest came with the Far Walkers & has been adap=
ted to suit the various locales. Those who wish to learn this skill must fol= low the path of Vatar the Gut.<BR>
Vatar was Eurmali, not particularly obnoxious or vicious but simple of mind= 

 & lacking in respect. He was a likable man & so protected by the clan. His =
jests likewise were simple & lacking in respect  but rarely painful except t=
o those of over large self esteem. He was given to wandering in the quiet pl=
aces where the lesser spirits lived & so was often hungry for he was no hunt=
er & wandering grew no crops. While wandering, mostly to avoid the shearing,=
 Vatar found a path he did not know. This seemed strange to him as he had be=
en traips<BR>
ing those hills since he could walk. None the less he took the path, being = slow of mind he did not consider danger. The track ended at a small fall in = a low gorge & there he saw a camp for one man. Sitting by the fire was an ol= d, old man whose head was that of a trout. <BR>
<BR>

Old Trout Head gave the greeting & Vatar felt it polite to reply. Old Trout=  Head offerred Vatar food & was in return gifted with Vatar=B9s pig=B9s bladder.=  Old Trout Head was very impressed, the pig, being an Ernalda beast, was unk= nown to him. They sat for a while in silence then it seemed to Vatar that Ol= d Trout Head was not as happy as he might be. =B3What ails the fish face?=B2 he = thought. =B3P=B9raps it likes a jig=B2 thought he. So Vatar lept to his feet & com= ence to jig with great vigour & no style. Old Trout Head sprang back in alar= m. =B3What=B9s this?=B2 he demanded of Vatar. =B3T=B9is a jig.=B2 said the fool. =B3And wh= at=B9s it for?=B2 asked the fishman. =B3Heart=B9s ease & joy.=B2 he was told. =B3And a f= ine thing it is.=B2 said Old Trout Head =B3But not a thing to share with the leg= less.=B2 Vatar was puzzled, of course trout can=B9t jig & so his dance was of li= 
ttle use beneath the water. Then it came to him, riddles. Not the sort used =
by Gbaji to snare the unwary, nor yet the lofty contest between wind & sun, =
but the simple riddles & puns of the shearing shed & stickpicking fires. So =
Vatar started asking his riddles & with each jest Old Trout Head laughed har=
der & harder. At last Old Trout Head begged him to stop for his ribs hurt fr=
om laughing. He thought it a fine new thing to take back to his wet home & i=
n return gifted Vatar with the talent to tickle two fish from the water each=
 day. So they parted, Vatar with his fish gift & Old Trout Head with his new=
 laughter.<BR>
This is obviously not a major Heroquest. But then the return is not enormou= s either. The questor/s must set out on the morning of Waterday Harmony week=  Fire season armed with a decorated pig=B9s bladder on a stick & a sense of hu= 
mility.  All participants with pride above 9 must check against proud. A suc=
cessful roll indicates that they will not undertake the quest. Successful qu=
estors get a humble check. They must find the nearest small stream containin=
g trout & follow it upstream. At some point it will transfer onto the god pl=
ane. They then have to make Old Trout Head laugh.<BR> Failure to reply correctly to the greeting, threats to Old Trout Head or ru= de & arrogant behaviour will result in a sudden exit from the quest & a long=  walk home.<BR>
The nature of this quest means that it is rarely taken seriously by older f= 
olk although children often try it & it frequently is their first heroquest =
not dependant on the rituals imposed by their elders. As such it is a bit sc=
ary & possibly dangerous as it is still a heroquest. There may also be retri=
bution for shirking work during the shearing.<BR> Darvall. <BR>
Madamx_at_mikka.net.au<BR>

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