Re: Re: What's The Story? Under the Red Moon Challenge from Douglas Seay on 2008-03-25 (HeroQuest RPG)

From: Douglas Seay <douglas-seay_at_...>
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2008 21:07:28 -0400

Jane Williams wrote:

> --- donald_at_... wrote:

>> There's an idea - she wants to change the Earth
>> Goddess in Tarsh
>> from Hon-Eel to Esrola by HQing. So she's got a load
>> of ritual
>> stuff from a temple to Hon-Eel and is going to take
>> a sacrifice
>> of grain and red wine onto the HP to prove that
>> Tarsh can be
>> fertile without human sacrifice. I get the
>> impression that the
>> Hon-Eel of Tarsh has adopted a lot of Maran Gor
>> symbols and practices.

> 
> (splutter)
> well, it's the right "size" thinking for Kallyr,
> certainly.
> 
> But why Tarsh? Why would Kallyr be interested in
> Tarsh?

Wouldn't that be like an attack behind the lines? That is a wonderful way to take pressure off of the front lines, disrupt supply lines, sap moral, etc. Even if the HQ is unsuccessful, it might be worth while for what it does to moral. Something like what the Doolittle raid of Tokyo in '42 did to Japanese moral and troop allocation.

In addition to how the common troopers would react, it could change the political balance of the Provincials. This would draw some attention from Sartar/Heortland back to Tarsh. It would be especially interesting if were related to the homes of some Tarshite heavy weights like Fazzur. How would the other provinces react if it looks like Tarsh got spanked?

It also might be part of some deal with the Tarsh Resistance. I don't mean the Exiles, but whatever you'd call the "old school" pro-Orlanth clans that are marginalized up in the hills of Tarsh. I'm not sure what they would have to offer in return.

It might even be a deal with the Grandmothers of Esrolia. Some of those factions want the Lunars to fail, and certainly have enough resources to tempt Kallyr. The payment (reciprocated gift, of course) to Kallyr would have to be big, but she does have an expensive wish list.

doug