re: Thumbquest

From: Guy Hoyle <ghoyle1_at_airmail.net>
Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2000 23:20:36 -0500

Here's a version of a Morocanth quest I began many months ago, then put it aside in case inspiration should strike again.

In brief, several centuries ago, a Morocanth named Younobep Thumbworthy foresaw that his tribe, already among the lesser Tribes of Prax, would one day dwindle and perish because of the overwhelming dominance of the other (human) tribes, unless something was done about it. Younobep travelled far and wide across Genertela, and eventually discovered the secrets of Heroquesting. He returned to Prax and became a witness to the great Contest, where the Two-Legs cheated the Four-Legs out of their birthright. At first, Younobep could not discern the nature of the Contest, for one of the terms of the Covenant was secrecy. However, Younobep came to understand that the only way to prevent the Two-Legs from cheating was to know how they did it. He made friends with Laughing Dog, who slinked in the shadows outside Waha's campfire. After many tasty treats and skins of rich fermented milk, Laughing Dog told Younobep that Waha's contest was in fact thumb-wrestling. (In those days, all the Four-Legs could put on thumbs, just as some Morocanth can do today). The humans cheated by stealing and hiding the thumbs of their four-legged brethren, thus dooming them to becoming herd beasts. Younobep visted the Darkest Wise Woman and told her of the perfidy of the Two-Legs. She gifted him with the Skin of Darkness, so that he could follow the Two-Legs and find out where they hid the thumbs of the Four Legs.

Younobeps made the treacherous journey to the place where the stolen treasures of the Four-Legs were secreted. He outwitted, evaded, and overcame the guardians placed over the Thumbs (some of whom became his allies), and carried them back to the Four-Legs. Before the Contest, he returned the Thumbs to the Four-Legs, so that they easily overcame the two-legs at thumb-wrestling; obviously, a human has no chance of overcoming a thumbworthy Morocanth or a Bison at thumb-wrestling!

I'm a little vague about the outcome of the completion of this Heroquest; obviously, Younobeps didn't pass on any lasting secrets to the Morocanth that drastically changed their way of life, so any abilities he gained probably died with him. Some possible outcomes might be:

1. The finding of a morocanth thumb, or one of the long-lost thumbs of the other herd beasts;
2. An easier way to alter INT of a human or herd beast; overcome them in spirit combat instead of casting the divine magic spell.
3. A way to change an entire clan of Praxians into herd men, or an entire four-legged herd into intelligent beings.
4. A way to steal the thumbs of humans.
5. The Skin of Darkness, a power or a spell.

It needs some fleshing out, but that's all I have right now. Have at it.

We Meddle in God's Domain So That You Don't Have To

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