Ritual Bonuses

• For Crossing the temple location provides a +20 (it's the original site of the event). The celestial conjunction for the day provides an additional +20 - it occurs only once every 3500 years.
• For most of the stations, the celestial +20 will apply to every task as the omens say that the event must occur again. That said, mechanically this is just an excuse to have every resistance be one mastery higher, and seem a lot more impressive.
• For the tasks at the temple, the +20 for the edifice will apply, representing the original effort of the city builders of the temple. In some way, they've done most of the real work up front. You're just finishing it right for them.
• For the tasks of Neorut, Okhfels has the White Metal Crown that Neorut wore that day, which gives the wearer +10 to all of Neorut's tasks. Turns out that Neorut was a visiting king, see...
• Okhfels has a White Metal Blade that will provide a +5 at the Heroquest Moment of befriending the spirits.
• Sounds like Okhfels found something in the ruins with Beliria. Not sure what at this point, however.
• Isadora still has the spirit gems after Session 56, right? (I assume so. Unique items, the actual objects from the original attempt, they're worth another +10 for the binding station).
• Remember for items that they'll be worth more if they're cemented with a rating. That is, they can be augmented with.

Note that this needs a lot of work. For crossing and any station, stuff can be obtained that gives bonuses. Make up items, or other requirements, and we'll play obtaining them.

Community Support

Already Approached

Crossing Moon Tribe Warriors: In Session 75, Isadora scored a minor victory to get provisional support from the Rhiani warriors. This will take the form of a couple of them coming along and augmenting directly, and a +2 for the crossing (no community support once inside).

Tethite Refugees In Session 77, Okhfels scored a major victory to get complete support from the Tethite refugees (+6). This bonus applies to not only the crossing, but to all stations inside as the Tethians have staked their own well-being on the outcome of the heroquest.

Crossing Moons Tribe In Session 80, Isadora scored a minor victory to get total support from the Rhiani. This is a +20 to all stations.

Ikaiti Colony Garrison In PBEM, Okhfels, with Isadora's support, convinced the soldiery to give total support with a major victory. +10

Lucian co-opted. Isadora plans to drag him along, no ritual duties decided yet.

Note that at the moment, the total bonus for the really hard station (bindng the spirits) is at +91. Which is good, since the spirits are in the 6 Mastery range. Given a score of 1W2 or so for our heroes, that gives us a decent chance.

Unapproached Individuals and Groups

There are more groups than these, and some of these are unlikely. But the following list gives an idea of who might be approached to help. Note that one of the only groups already approached is the warriors who were initially against the entire affair.

• Rhiani Shamans - other than Fahd and Belnif, there are a couple of other shamans both inside the tribe and outside that could be approached for support.
  • Josh's potential character
  • At least one other in the tribe, perhaps some from the refugees - to say nothing of the Blue Bear tribe shamans (including, in theory, the troll that Okhfels injured). The refugees have a shaman of the river tradition which could be important (and we can give them a hero band around a river spirit if anyone wants to work that in - remember that Green Lake is the origin of this spirit's river). When heroquesting to the Spirit World, the more shamans, the merrier.
• Suteh - the waterfinder mystic might have unique abilities here. He also represents a familiy that could give support.
• The Hunters - Dhazari has a vested interest in staying at Green Lake - he's probably coming along on the heroquest, in fact. Actually all the hunters have some motive to stay, they like the hunting where they are. Really the only question is one of how much they're willing to support the quest. But it may be that they're being taken for granted. Rather, sans a contest to determine their committment, it's probably going to be less than expected. The hunters are represented as a group by their hero band with the Desert Spirit Fox guardian (Okhfels and Isadora(?) are members). I've been leaving this one to Isadora. Okhfels still doesn't want to forge strong ties with the Riani, not as long as he feels they're trying to make him into one of them.
• The Crones - the old women of the Rhiani tribe. These women have their own ways with spirits, and subtle effects on the tribe. The crones have their own hero band. They're represented by the character Ahlnsa.
• The Refugees - one would think that the displaced of Sherezak would be very interested in investing in this, as they need a way to mark some place as their permenant home. Of course they could always head back out into the desert, but these are city folk who are not accustomed to the nomadic lifestyle. These folks have no hero band, and are keen to join ones if it means a home. I imagine that some of Okhfels' men come from this group. That might be a road for him to involve them.(Makes sense to me. Fred and I are working this one right now by email. If you want in on that in some way, anyone, let me know soon! --MH 5/26 1:15PM)
• Rhosiar - In some ways Rhosiar is the one person most familiar with the twin spirits of the lake - she's been listening to them for decades and was the first to hear them awaken. (Egani's already been working on healing the rift between Rhosiar and her people, this opportunity might be a tool for motivating either (or both) side. --cw)(Good point. Is Egani going to put his newfound acceptance on the line to get Rhosiar back in? --MH)(Yeah, maybe. If the right circumstances are engineered.)
• Gaurombadaurr Hero Band - Fred controls "Okhfel's Oaks" but if there are members of the band that do not belong (if they're not 100% synonymous), they can be approached twice.(Fred, Okhfels isn't going to secure the support of this group? Or are you assuming that they'll help?)
• Brotherhood of Knowledge Hero Band - recently expanded in membership, this group could be approached. Egani would, of course, have lots of influence here (though doesn't control the group automatically, there'd still need to be contests).
• Two-Tree Hero Band - the people who are part of this hero band centered aroud the two-tree shrine don't like leaving the lake as much, because it means being away from the protection of these two massive spirits for a large part of the year. Further, if the band were inclined, the Two-Tree Shaman could get these spirits to aid in the quest which could be quite powerful. This one sounds important, but who could approach them? It sounds like a group that Fahd would introduce to Isadora.
• The Horsehearted - these few scouts of the Tribe have their own hero band. They are very much against settling down, however, and may represent the most staunch opponents, currently, of the heroquest, and the overall plan to settld. (Of course if Bob Mcnamee's chararacter Rharohi were to show and have a good motive, he might be instrumental in convincing them).
• Stranded Skyship Sailors - most probably intend to leave at some point, but perhaps some are becoming accustomed to this place? (Mike, when we were talking about Egani's quest, you suggested providing Sebastian with magical travel to wherever he wanted to go as incentive to help out -- what about these guys? --cw)(Another excellent point. I'm sure that they'll be in if they can be convinced of the potential for travel back to some civilized port - Sel-kai, or even just Kaitaine. Who's going to approach them, however. Sebastian was the one who usually dealt with them. There's also the question of the priceless salvaged Xenium from the hull. -- MH)(Oh, the Xenium is no problem, Egani will take care of it until they can get back out this way.)
• The Lurid Eye Tribe - I was thinking if Chris Edwards or Kirt want to play it out that the entire displaced Lurid Eye Tribe could show up looking for a home. Last we saw them Fahja had left them in the caves outside of Sherezak. You all may remember that when last seen, the Sorcerer was headed in the direction of Sherezak after rescuing his daugher (the Black Armored Lady Who Sings).
• There are several groups that are potential enemies that might theoretically be co-opted:
  • First the Andarans, now that Zhoora is gone, might be made allies. Andaras is not neccessarily the bloodthirsty god that one would think after meeting Zhoora. In fact in Sel-Kai, Andaras is worshipped by many as a god of wisdom.
  • If the goblins are behaving oddly, it's because, unbeknownst to the colony, there are some breakaway factions within them that don't follow the giant-earth-demon lord that controls the majority of them. There are some groups that could be approached. Orca may recal something about this from her time with the goblins, and/or Nurek or Rahkleth could know something about it.
  • There may be more break-away Vajaari on the way. In fact, there's at least one.
  • There may be elements of the Blue Bears that might want to take part in this. What's not well known is that their nomadic range has been squeezed terribly (they're supposed to range north and east of Green Lake), and that they're looking at war with somebody if they don't settle down. On the other hand, they could theoretically take the lands claimed by this group if the quest works, and they become sedentary.How about some games with time? What if Okhfels had been captured by them for a time, and learned what they're about?(Are you sure we need to play such games? That is, how about he has to convince them last second to make it to the quest in time to participate? A little last second tension?)

Again, there may well be other groups, and if we want to make more up, players should feel free to do so.

Wacky shit by Chris:

• The flowers. The flowers harvested by the colony want to be propogated. Their essence-beings want more successful cultivation to take place.
• Marvars. Is he useful in any way? What would he trade for his help? (Isadora actually has a plan for him, which in typically helpful fashion she's only discussed with Fahd unless someone else asked. She wants to bring him along and pass judgment (hint: it won't involve cookies), probably during the purification stage. --AT)
• Navigator's guild. They might help in exchange for a subdued Egani as captive.
• The White Woods birds. They're owned by the Void King Dude, but the head tells me that they'd like to rebel.

Chris, great stuff. Thoughts:

• For the flowers, I like where you're going with that. It also helps bring things full circle. Whether or not they participate as beings, it should be said, they can be used in the ritual for certain. They'll probably give a rather large bonus to any user. That said, they're also horribly, horribly addictive, and so any use will have follow up contests about that as a consequence. (I guess that is a more obvious use :-)(I like both. --MH)
• I thought about Marvars; he would definitely trade his help for his freedom, but I'm not sure of what use he'd be. He has resources back in Kaitaine, but getting a hold of them might be problematic. On the other hand...
• The navigators could get stuff to and from Kaitaine in short order. Thing is they charge ridiculous prices for such activities. Yeah, they want Egani, but that's just one person that they probably feel owed. Still, something might be worked out. A contract for flower production delivery, perhaps??? (Also transport for the skyship sailors could be organized via navigator, if their help is sought. --MH)
• Neat idea about the Birds. Some dissention in the Sorcerer's ranks. Given their alien attitude, it probably shouldn't surprise. So you're thinking that they'd simply join in order to break away? Or might there be some other cost for them risking exposing themselves right here and now? (Well, assuming that the destruction of the head means the destruction of the Sorcer's daughter's soul, and assuming that the head is angling for said destruction, the rebelious birds might see an opportunity. Whether they try to squeeze for some other kind of payment is up in the air, I suppose.)(Sounds like we're playing before we play. Is Egani making an overture, then? Or is he still holding out? --MH)(Egani doesn't have anything to offer or ask for. We'll see what happens.)

Chris, if you want to play any of this out by email before Thursday, please contact me.

Mike

Upwards link: Lake Heroquest