Re: Physical locations and heroquests

From: Roderick and Ellen Robertson <rjremr_at_...>
Date: Fri, 18 Aug 2000 12:07:21 -0700

> This may be a rules question but...
>
> Would there be any advantages to travelling to a physical location to
> perform a heroquest. For example the Jarani stones are at Arrowmound
> whish is in the Skyreach Mountains (around edge of Esrolia Grazelnds
> by the look of it) and seem to be the location of the Lawstaff path
> quest performed by Heort. If a quester physically travels to Mt.
> Arrowmound does he gain advantages - for example breaking through the
> barrier to the other side.

Note that, whether you travel to the location in the Physical world or not, you *will* travel to it during the quest. Some locations can't be reached on the physical plane (for many reasons - destruction, hostile tribes in the way, across the sea, etc), and some require that you pass certain locations on your quest, not "shortcutting" through the quest by going straight to the objective. If you do so you may miss important locations or meetings that provide you with clues, equipment or friends. Think of trying to *start* your Lightbringer's quest at the gates of dawn - you won't have any friends with you! All Orlanth's companions were encountered before the Gates of Dawn.

Remember that Heroquests are (for theists) re-enactments of the God's journey/deeds. If you skip everything and just go to the final encounter, you won't be emulating the god at all, and you had *better* be darned sure of what you're doing (and your own personal prowess).

> On a related note HW implies (perhaps I have misread it) that trips
> to the other side cannot be used for physical world travel; but in
> Dragons Past in WF I seem to remember people using trips to the other
> side as travel short cuts (to reach the Holy country I think). Does
> a quester always snap back to the location they started the quest
> from, or can they somehow break out. In other words could you travel
> from Sartar to Esrolia by performing the Lawstaff Path and then
> crossing the barrier at ArrowMound back into the physical world.

There are ways to go along magic roads that skim through the Otherworld (compressing time and/or distance), but they aren't quite the same as a full-fledges "HeroQuest" - but there may be mythic obstacles to overcome (not to mention enemy magicians who know where and how you're going and have set up ambushes along the way...)

RR

Powered by hypermail