Re: Rokari Heroquests

From: bethexton_at_...
Date: Tue, 09 Mar 2004 15:05:23 -0000

• In HeroQuest-rules_at_yahoogroups.com, "yinkin_the_cat" <wquadros_at_c...> wrote:
  > Howdy,
  >
  > I'm wanting to run a short heroquest as part of a high holy day for
  a
  > group of Orderlies.
  >
  > What I can't figure out is do the Monotheist churches do that?
  >
  > The heroquesting chapter in HQ mentions that Adepts enter the hero
  > planes through circles of power. Do Orderlies go to the heroplanes
  > on quests? If so, how? Do they need an adept to open the way or
  can
  > a liturgist do it?
  

According to the HQ rules, an orderly learns his spells in a worship ceremony. For certain all worship ceremonies in HQ have some otherworld elements, but I think that the orderlies fundamentally stay in the mixed world, or at least don't leave the worship site (somewhat like practioners bringing the spirit world to them more than entering it themselves). So I don't think they routinely enter the other worlds the way that theists do.

It would seem to me that with orderlies already having a link to their saints node, they should be able to cross to it with just the help of an order liturgist. From there they could follow the myth to any of the described deeds. However, note that per page 176, they must pass directly to their saint's node, which is a 10W6 (!) barrier, so crossing it will not be remotely easy.

What adepts circles of power do is allow them to cross to the spell plane (10W3 barrier) and link directly to spells (so they can use them repeatedly), and also go from the spell plane to the saint plane (10W3 again). Again, this is per page 176.

Now, a formulary will let you learn certain spells, and the scripture lets you invoke certain blessings and curses. But it seems to me that they are probably big books, and not all parts of them would be directly related to spells and blessings. What is the rest of it? Why "myths" to guide you on hero quests! I think it is not even too big of a stretch to suggest that some of these quests would be quite common (while others would be known to be particularly harrowing and rarely attempted). These quests may even be a requirement for attaining seniority in certain orders.

Aside from the fact that the 'myths' described in their scriptures are well understood (and no other myths are), the other advantage of going on such a prescribed quest is that there are probably well known and powerful rituals available to give you at least a mastery of bonus to help and cross that brutal 10W6 barrier. Combined with very holy sites and days you have W3 in bonusses taken care of, which still leaves a long way to go, but it beats trying to cross that barrier any other way.

--Bryan