Vinga the Avenger Secret

Hi all,

Here is the canon from Stephen at Issaries!

[Rob]

There is a thread on Heroquest-Rules at Yahoo Groups that relates to Theist Cult secrets, more specifically the Vinga the Avenger secret. It seems that this secret is a one shot deal; effective against one person or very narrow group of individuals and once completed either you or your targets of vengeance will be dead, end of secret. Under the rules as they stand you have to be at 1M2 in each of your three affinities, which seems excessive and unbalanced in this instance. In fact even asking for one affinity to be at 1M2 would be too onerous in my opinion. In my game the player has taken the red vows and had the secret, and has had a blade of vengeance forged. She actually now carries two swords, as her original sword is actually a better sword.  

[Stephen Martin, Issaries]

I believe you are construing the secret too narrowly. It does not say that the sword is effective only against the original targets of vengeance -- it is effective against _any_ foe that has "personally wronged her by killing or raping a battle companion or close family member." While she might forge it originally with a specific target in mind, the secret (and the Blade of Vengeance) are just as effective in the future against those who wrong her in this way later. Thus, a Vingan with a Blade of Vengeance is one who, if she is known to her enemies, they may very well be less likely to rape her charges, you see.

The idea that she has two different swords, one used only when she is seeking vengeance, seems quite likely to me.

Hope this helps.

Stephen Martin
Issaries