And I've done the same from time to time. The potential problem comes down to making sure everyone has something to do, which becomes a bit trickier if the quest slants towards a set of skills which some characters lack.
Over an entire campaign, such things balance out, but I wanted everyone to have the brief chance to "star," including the non-combat types. I also wanted everyone involved on the mechanics-side of things.
I've done the "shadow" role-filling as well. Part of the fun for me is watching the players plan a complex heroquest and decide whether it's more risky to slide someone into a role they don't quite fit (can Nerlo the Illusion/Trickster really play Lhankor Mhy here?) or to hope the shadow figure (or NPC who gets pulled in) will be up to the task.
For real fun, involve the players in a heroquest being run by another temple, with a non-player character in the lead. Odds are the other cult won't want to reveal all the quest details to members of other cults (especially if the primary cult is Lhankor Mhy). Works better once players are familiar with the setting and the cults, of course.
There are also some very interesting things that happen if you have one of those diverse groups. An all-Orlanthi party works beautifully in a single-role HQ, but that really can't match the sheer mayhem of having people playing less associated, or even antagonistic, roles.
The Hill of Gold can work beautifully for that, especially if there's a Yelmalian or a Troll associated with the party. (My Outsiders, with their culturally inappropriate mix of interests and associations, actually ended up with both, and were able to fill Yelmalio, Zorak Zoran, Orlanth, AND Vinga's parts in the Hill of Gold HQ...)
David
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