HeroQuesting and Myths

[Paladyn]

One of unique things about runeQuest I fell in love with was HeroQuesting and Myth reacting. I'd like to know more than short mention in MRQII and option in King of the Dragon Pass, so I'd like to ask for sources of information.

And second question, have you included HeroQuesting in your games? Did you ordered players to read myths, how did you handled it?

 

[kintire]

There are a wide variety of approaches to heroquesting: which is as it should be. Some people use them rarely if at all, some people use for everything (want to defeat a foe? Do "the Hill of Gold" and make them Chaos. Want to steal something? do "The Sandals of Darkness". Chief disagrees with you? Do "Ernalda Persuades the King" And so on!

Sources for heroquesting can be hard to find, but you could do a lot worse than"Blood of Orlanth" which culminates in one.

A heroquest can provide a whole chain of scenarios in the preparation too. The power of a heroquest is expended in bringing this world and the otherworld together, and in the resulting connection between them, ie the effect or result. The more power spent on bringing the two worlds together, the less there is in the result. Therefore, the more similar the two worlds are to start with, the more powerful the result. Hence the advantages of costumes, items and, most of all, people.

This last is the most interesting: Heroquests are most powerful when the gods (or whatever) in them are "played" by followers of those gods, and the more powerful the better. This is usually easy enough for the ones on your side, but rounding up people to represent the antagonists can be...interesting.

 

[Loz]

Cults of Glorantha has full HeroQuesting rules and mechanics. Every cult has a myth that can be used as a basis for long or short HeroQuests and dozens of ideas for impromptu ones.

At some stage I'd like to get a dedicated book of HeroQuests together, but that's a way-off, I think.

 

[soltakss]

One of unique things about runeQuest I fell in love with was HeroQuesting and Myth reacting. I'd like to know more than short mention in MRQII and option in King of the Dragon Pass, so I'd like to ask for sources of information.

I've got some rules and ideas for HeroQuests at http://www.soltakss.com/#HeroQuesting which you might find useful, but they are all unofficial.

There are good rules for HeroQuesting in one of the Godlearner supplements (Jrustela? I can't remember) with a HeroQuesting 101 class that is a good read. Also, Issaries has a supplement dedicated to HeroQuesting - Arcane Lore - which contains a lot of useful information.

And second question, have you included HeroQuesting in your games? Did you ordered players to read myths, how did you handled it?

Yes, I use HeroQuesting a lot in my games.

I give my players an outline of the myth and they can then use that to guide them on the HeroQuest. However, they don't always know what the individual stations are or what they resolutions should be, apart from what the myth says. Myths are notoriously incomplete or inaccurate, especially when getting down to the nitty-gritty detail.

 

[Vatras]

If you look for mythological sources to pilfer from, the Norse mythology is great. The gods and heroes often undertake quests and adventures, which can be shamelessly exploited.

Ancient greek mythology is also good, as is the egyptian, although the latter is harder to get hold of (in useful form).

There is the tale how and why Set murders Osiris, and what Isis does to resurrect him, the revenge of Horus, and the consequences for the pantheon (they used that one already in warped form in Glorantha for the Lightbringer Quest). There is the contest in the house of Utgarda-Loki between him and Thor, in which the giant sorcerer uses trickery to beat the god, effectively making him lose face. Odin sacrifices an eye to gain the wisdom of Mimir at his well, and himself on the tree to learn the secrets of the runes.
All of these and hundreds more can be turned into myths for one cult or the other.