First, one of the significant differences between HW and HQ is the way that quest challenges work. Now, if you already have an ability called `foo,' and you win an ability called `foo,' you don't get to add their ratings, instead you write down something like `Joe's foo' with a rating equal to the size of the quest challenge. Note too that the size of a quest challenge is limited to the lesser of the two abilities used, so it will be rare to get `Joe's foo' at a rating higher than your own `foo' (exceptions when you wager your `flix' ability, with flix >foo, and Joe's original foo > your original foo.)
In other words, quest challenges will seldom jump up your rating in an ability. `Side benefits' of quests are hard to put limits on, but I would think at the least that they wouldn't do things that quest challenge couldn't, so that again, they won't add to your ability. Therefore, unlike HW, it is probably that you will have to pay for every increased point of ability with hero points.
Now, on to secrets.
To learn a secret you have to have the three required abilities at at1W2 (=123 points), and generally be a devotee, have a spirit ally, or something else that takes 3 points 9 (=+3 HP). Finally, you have to pay for the secret (3HP, total of +6 HP) You also have to have concentrated your magic, but that can be done for free at character creation, so we'll assume it doesn't add to the cost, and that further all magical abilities were bought while magic was concentrated).
Assume that you are following the basic hero generation rules, and that all three abilities needed for the secret start at 17 (total, 51 points). Further, you put all 20 character creation points into these three abilities (unlikely, but play along for a moment) (total, 71 points). Therefore you need to add 123 – 71 = 52 points.
In some cases, this isn't so bad. For Folorene, for example, all three abilities are mundane skills, so this is 58 HP. In others it is harder, for example theists need all three affinities at 1W2, and they cost 3HP each to increase. In this case we are talking about 52*3 + 6 = 162 HP! Assuming the player is pretty maniacally focused on achieving the secret, and can manage to put 6HP per session into the relevant abilities, and that all those are at the `in game use' price (neither situation is to likely, but this is best case), so this totals 27 game sessions, as opposed to potentially only 10 for the practitioner.
So, aside from showing that I can do basic arithmetic, what does this mean?
First of all, for play balance, animist secrets should not be as broad as theistic secrets.
Secondly, learning a secret is only a reasonable expectation in what is planned as a quite long running campaign, for a focused player.
Finally, giving an NPC a theistic secret, or more broadly three affinities all at very high levels, should probably be done with caution. There is a danger that doing so frequently would suggest to players that the magic rules aren't universal, that the HP costs are a game balance artifact rather than reflecting something fundamental about the way magic is in Glorantha, and that player heros are facing weighted odds in this regard. Or to put it another way, you shouldn't give too many cool toys to NPCs if the players don't have good odds of getting their hands equally shiny toys.
As a side note, the fastest way for a theist to earn a secret may be to bring one or a few mundane skills up, then find quests that allow that skill to be wagered against one of the magical affinities needed. But finding the right quests, and getting the right bets laid, shouldn't be a smooth road either.
--Bryan
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