Heroquesting related musings

[Jeesus Kristus]

Hi

Most of my knowledge concerning Glorantha comes from Kodp so I might be totally off base here.
If I have understood correctly then during a heroquest(of the orlanthi kind) the person performing the quest is partially transferred to the Godplane? But what happens if a strong enough hero ventures directly let’s say to the Underworld or some other place beyond time? Are they then on a heroquest? And will they meet the gods themselves or other questers taking roles of those gods in this case?

[Charles]

Some HeroQuests take place entirely in the mundane world, so spectators can see the questors powered-up with their hero-light. In others, the participants disappear from the mundane world and quest entirely in the otherworlds. There are entrypoints to the otherworlds from the mundane – particularly to the Underworld. Or even travelling far enough from home into the most distant East, West, North or South can transform your voyage into a HeroQuest.

Because of Synchronicity, it is difficult to tell when a Questor meets another (often in opposition) whether they are the gods themselves or ‘merely’ fully empowered priest-heroes backed by huge and dedicated communities.

[Robin Mitra]

If you have a copy of Sartar KoH at hand, have a look a pp. 183 for a detailed description of the different types of heroquests.

Also if you already read the Colymar Campaign later in the book you will find colourful examples of heroquests, e.g. the Feast of the Beasts is a worship ceremony that turns into a heroquest almost accidentally, while descend to hell is an otherworld heroquest that needs long preparation and many supporters. In both cases the characters meet various gods and goddesses.

And will they meet the gods themselves or other questers taking roles of those gods in this case?

I would say that in most cases this question does not matter to Gloranthans. If you meet someone who looks like a god, acts like a god and has the powers of a god, he surely is that god – for better or worse. That is of course unless you can convince that bloody Branduan Hodirson, who is charging at you with his sword, that he is in fact not Orlanth, that he has not the power to run like the wind, that he is not immortal and that you will crush him like dog.

[Simon Phipp]

Have a look at for some ideas.

In my opinion, HeroQuests layer a magical/mystical template over the world, which allows you access to different realms.

So, someone performing an “Orlanth and the Sandals of Darkness” HeroQuest might take a magical item from a nearby Troll Mother, but the HeroQuest means that he has gone to the Underworld to do this, even though he has physically gone to some nearby caves.

Now, most people cannot actually reach the OtherPlaces, those areas outside the Mundane World, so the problem rarely happens. However, someone travelling through a lead door in the Sazdorf Caverns, or jumping down the Hell Crack, swimming through the TarPit or sailing down Magasta’s Pool might end up in Hell/The Underworld. Someone sailing very far east/west might end up in magical places. The Sky is quite difficult to reach, physically, but it is possible.

If you are powerful enough to reach these magical places, then you are effectively on a HeroQuest. However, you do not have the magical overlay to help you. Instead, you are in Hell, without any guides, or sorties to help you. If you reach the Blacker Than Night Stone, how do you know which way to go to reach the Hungry Man? If you see the Bloody Woman, how do you know that she likes honey and will not kill someone with red hair? (Both made-up examples). HeroQuests give you those stories and show you what you need to do.

When in Hell, or other places, they may well meet with living deities, or Heroes. They won’t, however, interact with the long-dead deities, or travel to the GodTime. So, they might go to the Basement of the Castle of Black Glass, as it is still there, but they won’t meet The Only Old One, because he is currently dead. They might, however, meet his children, or companions, or other heroes. HeroQuestors are unlikely to interact with them, as they are not in the GodTime areas, but they might meet HeroQuestors who are on a HeroQuest and have decided to physically go to Hell as part of the HeroQuest.

[Simon Phipp]

I hate the way that links work on this site.

The HeroQuesting link is http://www.soltakss.com/indexheroquesting.html

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