Yelmalio intiates

From: Pete Newallis <reaper_at_sound.net>
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1998 23:33:24 -0600


Alan:

>After lurking for a long time, I'd like some ideas for some Yelamlian quests.

  I lurk for the most part, but never think you can't contribute, if nothing else by a good question.

>One of the PCs comes from a disgraced family in Sun County. He intends to
>redeem his family honor, etc. This includes gaining the favor of Yelmalio,
>demonstrating his piety and virtue, and so forth.

  First, Why heroquests? Not that they can't be fun. All God/desses favor those
who worship/promote their beliefs. If he wants to be favored of Yelmalio, then he needs to be hard core. There are those in this world who are Sunday or High Holy day believers and those who LIVE their religion every day, every minute. The same in Glorantha, even if everyone knows the Gods and magic exist, people vary
in how much they wrap their lives in it.

 So consider does this guy dress Yelmalian? Follow the food and likes/dislikes?
Does he tithe extra? Voluteer extra time to church? Is he known as man living Yelmalio's virtues? One way this could go is to be on the path to Rune lord and or Priest? They still have family and religious status usually helps family status.
But it doesn't have to be that way, you could be just a pious initiate.

  Following Yelmalio's life in some way, be a darkness hater, in word, thought or deed. Or an elf friend, whether they be friendly to you (personally or not). All
this is fodder for game activity as his faith-based decisions bump up against other
forces in Gloranthan society.

  In general we are never going to get enough or even the right material. Certainly not from Greg and approved sources, or even web pages and the list. This is not knocking anybody, it just fact, Glorantha is a big, detailed world and you could fill a Earth library on it, if we could make it up fast enough! The answer is make up what you need!

  Look at what you can find now. Use that as your base. Then sit down and decide YOUR
version. Divide up Godtime and the eras. In between the "known" events in Yelmalio's life insert your own. Or flesh them out. Was Zorak Zoran stealing his fire powers written up? (Was it Hill of Gold?) If not, it's an event, is that the only reason he is unfriendly to darkness? Feel free to add. You, can build a range of rituals based on events from pure ritual reenactments to minor renactments, to major.

  Example: ZZ ambushes Yelmalio and steals fire powers. Ritual gets reenacted in temple on darkness season holy days maybe. Upgrade: a Yelmalio intiate seeks out a
ZZ to avenge the ambush on the proper day, you don't look for a Death Lord! maybe
the temples can go as far as arranging a "holy" contest? Up to minor heroquest, smaller risks, smaller rewards/losses. I think many heroquests are availible is various power stages, with results on the personal, local, regional or Glaranthan-wide level.

  Of course, there are things surrounding this. Do you need to gather items, or
learn certain things to do this. The priest allows only one intiate to do the heroquest, do you have rivals? Do you need to build community support to go the
route you want? You could have a game revolve around the doings of a major temple between inside the temple politics, outside politics, rituals, adventuring to
recover things or "be" Yelmalio in the real world.

  After the deeds of Yelmalio himself, there are the deeds of his noble followers.
I recall the horse archer hero cult, make up others. Fill in some great priests,
runelords, heros, or just heroquesters. You don't necessarily have to revive a hero cult or join one to bring glory to Yelmalio. Vernerate a "saint" of Yelmalio.

  Last share if you can. If you are shy about dropping your material here. Privately
ask somebody you respect to look your stuff over and comment. Maybe you can get it
added to somebody's webpage. If you can email it, they can slap in the HTML and you
gave back something for whatever you get from the list.


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