Bad guys need myths too!
My game's heroes are about to intrude into a Thanatari ritual quest designed to consume
the mind of Kira Sun Kian, the Shining Knife of Judgement of Somash Endi Varo. (He's
essentially the chief justice of the Teshnan Supreme Court. In my game, anyway.)
He also happens to be the Main Hero's first nemesis.
So I can frame the action, I've written up the following quest and, being quite pleased with
its depraved and evil take on the Heroic Cycle, thought I would share it with you all.
Atyar and the Captive's Trust
- FIRST THRESHOLD Separation
Working through intermediaries, Atyar arranges the kidnapping of
a great magician.
- Call to Adventure & Helper
Faced with a treasure trove of knowledge inside the head of
someone capable of resisting his magic, Atyar decides to
convert his captive into someone who trusts him, enlisting
the captive in his own destruction.
- The Road of Trials
Atyar suffers many insults while attempting to get his
captive to trust him, often requiring self-restraint of a
type the mind-eater is unfamiliar with.
- Approach the Cave
Atyar secures and prepares a powerful ritual spot, gaining
the blessing of dark powers.
- Ordeal and Ultimate Boon
Ever hungry for knowledge and rushed by threats of
intervention, Atyar must resist attempts to end his captive's
chance escape by consuming the victim's mind too soon. or
just killing him. Distractions threaten to draw Atyar's attention away.
- After an exhausting trial, the captive gives his trust to
Atyar.
Atyar prepares the ritual to consume the captive's mind,
while maintaining the captive's trust with lies.
- SECOND THRESHOLD New Rules
Atyar, his followers and victims gather together for the great
consumption. The captives are unaware of their role in the
process.
- Rescue from Without
A dangerous outsider attempts to rescue the captive or kill
Atyar or both.
- Black Moment
When Atyar is downed by the intruding warrior, the captive is
freed.
- THIRD THRESHOLD Action and sacrifice.
- Resurrection
Nearly dead, caught by the warrior, the captive comes to
Atyar's rescue.
- Incorporation
Fully trusted by the captive, Atyar uses that trust to avoid
resistance to the captive's magic.
- FOURTH THRESHOLD Freedom to Live **as the captive**
Having completely consumed the mind of the captive, Atyar is able
to move in the captive's society as a member of it, paviing the
way for great harvests of knowledge in the future and the ability
to hide from his enemies even while among them.
**This is the only twist I gave to the standard heroic cycle notation.
I hope you like it,
We'll see what happens tonight when Garusharp Banaru, Edge Walker of the Zanozar
Temple to Vaneesha Kan Sa, faces Ro Rogach the Horned Ogre Priest, Sess the Four (as in
Four bound heads) and the mysterious Dass, identified as Chsa Glut's chief agent in
Teshnos as Dass attempts to complete the ritual in order to ultimately replace Kira Sun
Kian on the Wheel of Governance.
The fact that Garusharp Banaru himself handed Kira Sun Kian over to Dass makes this all
the more exciting.
Mike Dawson