 HeroQuest
 Copyright © 2006 |
Yinkin & MahomeA heroquest
created by Rob
Helm
OutlineYinkin seduces Mahome, goddess of the hearth, and fathers the race of herding alynxes. Yinkin is the Heortling god of alynxes, the felines that most Heortlings use instead of dogs for hunting, herding, and war. Worshipers recall this myth in rituals and heroquests to gain blessings for herding, warmth, or seduction. (See Storm Tribe page 181.) Note that the contests here are examples only. The narrator can vary station order, opponents, resistances, and contest abilities as desired. Narrators should note that in this version the critical station is station 4, not the final station. Quest Requirements Main Character
Companions
Opponents
Myth Yinkin was hunting in the cold, lonely Tumbledown Wood when he saw the maiden Mahome running, leaping gracefully on the logs and stumps. When Yinkin asked what she was doing, she said that she was trying to catch all the Golden Horned Hinds, which had escaped from the Emperor's garden. Yinkin helped her hunt them down, and she gathered them carefully to take them back. "What are you doing in this wood?" she asked. "Being cold and lonely," said Yinkin sadly. "Then come to the palace where it is warm and there are many people," said Mahome. So Mahome helped Yinkin slip into the palace, though new things were forbidden there. They enjoyed themselves briefly in secret, but Yinkin soon went on a spree among the flowers, angering Mahome and enraging the Emperor's gardener.Yinkin escaped, thanks to Orlanth's help. Yinkin left Mahome with a son, and she was overjoyed to see that the boy not only ran after errant things, but helped her bring them back to their appointed places. She named him Hevren, the Chaser. Preparations Rituals or heroquests based on this myth can bless a clan's herding alynxes, gain warmth to get through a hard winter, or have other benefits related to warmth, herding, or seduction. Clans might be willing to provide Extraordinary Support to gain these benefits. Clans would only provide Total Support only in the most dire of circumstances. Heroquesters would typically use the rituals of a prior Lover's Day or Wooing Day to gain a blessing on Mahome's seduction (see station 4 below). Ritual Elements: +10 for holding at a Yinkin holy site. In Dragon Pass these include the Broken Neck Hills, Catnip Hill, Hendarstead, Whistling Caves, Wild Mountain, Yinkin Hills, and Yinkin's Rest. (See Dragon Pass: Land of Thunder.) +10 for holding the ritual on a Holy Day of Yinkin, +15 if held on either Lover's Day (Fire Day, Harmony Week, Storm Season) or Wooing Day (Wild Day, Harmony Week, Earth Season). Ritual role bonuses for Yinkin and Orlanth. StationsStation 1: Entering the God PlaneContest: Entering the Forest of Winds Appropriate Abilities: Mythology of Yinkin. Typical Modifiers and Augments: Ritual bonuses described above, other ritual magic abilities (e.g. Prepare Sacrifice). Resistance: 10W3 Any Victory: Enter the God Plane. Tie or any Defeat: Fail to enter the God Plane. The ritual or heroquest fails with consequences proportional to the level of defeat. Results: If successful, the quester appears in the Forest of Winds in the Storm Realm. Station 2: Capturing the Golden Horned HindsYinkin was hunting in the cold, lonely Tumbledown Wood when he saw the maiden Mahome running, leaping gracefully on the logs and stumps. When Yinkin asked what she was doing, she said that she was trying to catch all the Golden Horned Hinds, which had escaped from the Emperor's garden. Yinkin helped her hunt them down, and she gathered them carefully to take them back. Contest: Capture the Golden Horned Hinds Appropriate Abilities: Herding, hunting abilities (-5) Typical Modifiers and Augments: Appropriate Yinkin abilities and virtues, excepting combat abilities. Resistance: 15W Any Victory: Yinkin and Mahome gather all the animals without serious problems. Yinkin receives a bonus at station 4 proportional to the level of victory (see HeroQuest page 202). Tie: Yinkin and Mahome gather all the animals with some difficulty. No bonuses or penalties to subsequent stations. Any Defeat: Yinkin and Mahome gather some of the animals but others are lost or killed by fright. Yinkin suffers a penalty at station 4 proportional to the level of defeat (see HeroQuest page 202). Results: Yinkin and Mahome leave the Tumbledown Wood with some or all of the Golden Horned Hinds. Station 3: Entering the Emperor's Palace"What are you doing in this wood?" Mahome asked. "Being cold and lonely," said Yinkin sadly. "Then come to the palace where it is warm and there are many people," said Mahome. So Mahome helped Yinkin slip into the palace, though new things were forbidden there. Contest: Slip Into the Emperor's Palace Appropriate Abilities: Move Without Sound feat, other stealth abilities. Typical Modifiers and Augments: Feel No Guilt feat, other Yinkin abilities and virtues. Resistance: 1W2 Any Victory: Yinkin enters the Emperor's palace with Mahome, and gains a bonus on station 5. Tie: Yinkin enters the Emperor's palace with Mahome, but suffers a -5 penalty on station 5. Any Defeat: Yinkin is unable to enter the Emperor's Palace. The quester proceeds immediately to station 5 at a penalty. Results: If successful, the quester enters the Emperor's Palace and can proceed to the next station. Station 4: Seducing MahomeThey enjoyed themselves briefly in secret. Contest: Seduce Mahome (Heroquest Challenge, Critical Station) Appropriate Abilities: Seduce feat, other seduction ability (-10). Typical Modifiers and Augments: Flirt ability, other Yinkin abilities and virtues. Resistance: Based on the abilities wagered (see HeroQuest page 203), but resistances of 10W3 (counting augments) are not out of line. Any Victory: Yinkin gains the points wagered by Mahome to the main ability used in the contest. Tie: Yinkin fails to seduce Mahome, and proceeds to station 5 with no bonus or penalty. Any Defeat: Yinkin loses the points wagered and proceeds to station 5 with a penalty. Results: If successful, Mahome conceives Hevren, god of herding alynxes. Yinkin also retains the points gained on as a narrator-determined new ability (side benefit). Station 5: Escaping the PalaceYinkin soon went on a spree among the flowers, angering Mahome and enraging the Emperor's gardener. Yinkin escaped, thanks to Orlanth's help. Contest: Escape the Palace with Orlanth's Help Appropriate Abilities: Orlanth: Combat skill or magic Typical Modifiers and Augments: Orlanth: Any combat augments; Yinkin: Loyal virtue. Resistance: 10W2 Any Victory: The gardener is driven off and Yinkin and Orlanth escape into the Forest of Winds together. Tie: The gardener is driven off, but the community gains no benefit from the quest. Any Defeat: The quest ends in failure, and Yinkin and Orlanth suffer wounds proportional to the level of defeat. Side benefits: Orlanth can receive directed increase to the main ability used at this station, or a new Yinkin-related ability (e.g. Mythology of Yinkin, a relationship to Yinkin) at the narrator's option. Orlanth can also learn a named feat relating to combat at this station by paying one Hero Point. Results: The quest is over. The questers return with the quest's main benefit or penalty for the community, and any side benefits gained. Quest Success The community receives a benefit with a rating determined by the resistance and victory level of station 4. If the questers suffered a tie at station 5, the community receives no benefit or penalty, but the questers retain any side benefits gained. Quest Failure The community receives a penalty with a rating determined by the resistance and victory level of station 4. Yinkin also receives a flaw Hated by Mahome at a similar level. If the quester does not reach station 4 but completes the quest with no further defeats, the penalties might be reduced or eliminated at the narrator's option.
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