Re: running little heroquests

From: Alex Ferguson <abf_at_...>
Date: Mon, 01 Mar 2004 03:47:39 -0000

> HQ makes the distinction between practice quest, otherworld journey,
> and true heroquesting, and also between communal, hero, and god
> level. None of this quite fits with the older scheme (which might be
> a misunderstanding, but Greg seemed to agree with it 5 years ago).

I'm not sure why it's different, aside from some additional terminology. What exactly do you think HQ is missing?

> The reason I'm asking is that my players have decided to use a myth
> in order to get a cooler guardian for their new hero band. I figure
> this can get them something more powerful than the standard 48
> points, and also something the rules don't specify (they want an
> animated statue).
>
> This isn't really a major use of the myth, so a true heroquest at
> hero level is probably too challenging. On the other hand, I'm not
> sure it's really a practice quest.

Sounds to me like you're saying it's either a 'weak HeroPlane quest' (not _all_ HP denizens have 10W3+ abilities, after all), or a "practice" HQ with ritualised elements with a specific end in mind. (i.e., you're not literally 'practicising' for anything: I think that's fairly commonly the case. Some 'local' HQs might not really even _have_ a strictly HP version, at least that's currently known/ performed.) The two might not even be completely distinguished, or distinguishable. The main difference is that the PQ necessarily takes place (or at least starts...) in the present day, and 'here', regardless of what mythic events it's patterned on, whereas the "HPHQ" are explicitly in another 'time', but even that might be as much a difference in perception as much as a crisp distinction.

In either case, it's IMO as much a matter of, what's the exact story?  Often 'minor' myths follow the pattern of major ones, and if one has some specific basis, it should be possible the customise the HQ accordingly.

For example, my PCs did such a HQ for a wyter for a new tribal cult-cum-warband, and had a specific(ish!) myth in mind relating to some minor figure in the Sword and Helm Saga. He's effectively a 'companion' in the terms of the S&H quest per se (if there is such a quest, usual caveats about lack of info on this, and apparent folly of doing so...), but his story obviously has its own details, and is going to naturally be at a somewhat 'lower level' than a quest featuring say, a son of Vingkot.

Cheers,
Alex.