Days past, and Orlanth awoke one morning to discover his right leg from the knee down was missing! Again the thanes were sent out to capture the perpetrator. This time they were led to a mountain. Herein was the executed criminal! His head attached clearly to his neck. Again, eleven thanes were slain, and the last one overcame him. The court again found him guilty, and executed him. Orlanth's leg was returned.
Weeks passed before Orlanth awoke to discover his entire body had been stolen! After roaring loud enough to awake his wife, it became known she, too, had lost her body! Humakt himself, seeing the work of the executed criminal, came forth to hunt the villain. With the powers of Truth he found the beastly individual hiding at the bottom of a lake. Humakt caught him and judged him, exercising his Justice and executing him. He returned his brother's body and the body of his wife. Orlanth, however, mistrusted Death's inability to succeed and was muchly dismayed.
A Season passed. The criminal had been forgotten. Orlanth received a message from the Mummy King, who claimed to be Ruler of All Lands. It demanded that all the lands of Umath and his sons and his sons sons be given to him to rule himself, as rightful Overlord and Tyrant. Orlanth raged in anger and demanded to know how such a message had come to him! The Elmali who had received it said that it was brought by a half dead being, that walked even though a sword was in his heart, and talked even though a knife had cut his throat. He said that the undead abomination had known the Greeting and so he was obliged to bring forth the message. Orlanth raged again that such a horror knew the Secrets of his people, and demanded to know why. No-one knew, for the Mummy King was a horror of Undeath and Hunger that raided the farms and ate the children. Orlanth, seeing the failure of Death to render permanent it's blessing, was muchly dismayed.
A year passed. The Orlanthi were fighting with the Big-Men-Of-The-West, who had fled from their ruler, the Lord of Red Sands. The Big-Men-Of-The-West wielded wicked, evil magics. Orlanth himself led a force of 483 thanes to the West of his lands and battled with them. Three times he went forth and three times he was repelled. Each time he went, he was faced by 483 shambling dead, formed as bodies constructed of bone, sinew and gristle of fallen foes their only souls were the unholy powers of the sorcerors. Souless, dead, they were unbeatable. Orlanth, seeing how Death could be challenged and overcome by the mere will of man, was muchly dismayed.
At this point, Humakt came forth. "Hail thee brother, and hail thee to those of the Iron Ring." He proclaimed in the Silver Stead, "I am Master of Death, and all these are affronts to what I stand for. If Death is not all powerful, we are threatened - I shall solve the flaws that have appeared. I vow to travel to the Lead Cross, that most holy spot of the War Master Himself, the last remnant of his Diamond Chamber, which spoke of Death before Death. Here shall I find my answers. Here shall I find our salvation and solve our bane."
Humakt took his blade and travelled down past the Dark Stream and over the Bridge of Swords and towards the blasted plateau of basalt where the Lead Cross, mystical legacy of Kargan Tor, stood. For thirteen starless nights Humakt prayed and fasted until finally he heard the Whispers of the Cross. They told him of the causes of the troubles that had plagued his lands.
He heard of Healer valley. Here Healers, without discrimination, healed any of the Dead that passed by. They even summoned the Dead purely for the reasons of bringing them back to Life! Even though they knew they healed the executed criminals, murderers, trolls, rapists, broo, hellspawn, chaos, thieves and malignant stickpickers, they continued to do so.
He heard of the Mummy King. He had been a nephew of Orlanth until Humakt himself cast him out using the powers of Death. The Nephew had wandered long and hard with rage in his heart. He befriended the people of Chaos who taught him how to avoid Death and so he joined the ranks of Undeath. As a rotting corpse he ruled and - unafraid of the swords that his kin wielded against him - challenged Great Orlanth's rulership. He hid in a pyramid, built to the Unholy Trio amongst the foot mountains of the area known as the Tombs.
The Souless Sorcerors of the Western Tribes used evil magics with no regard to life. They learnt their magics from the Zzaburail, the Book of Undeath. It was chained in iron to their fortress and was the focus of their dweomers.
After the secrets were told, the Cross fell Silent. Seeing how the pure power he had taken for his personal use had now been perverted and put to such evil and dishonourable use, Humakt took his sword and vowed - to himself and to the rightful people of the World - to end such corruptions of noble Death.
First Humakt returned to the stead land - here he summoned alynx spirits in ranks of twelve. He then went to the Court and took the remains of the criminal who had been resurrected so often by the Evil Healers. With the scent of the Healing Magic on the body, Humakt travelled north towards the Valley where they hid. He arrived at a river that encircled the Valley and whose waterfall fell into the Healer's home.
Humakt went to cross the river, for his armour did not hinder him since he swam the Styx, nor did water scare him for he feared nothing, but his mailed fist struck the water a fish reared from the depths. The Fish was the son of Abugaile, and had sought the company of Healers for protection.
When the Great Fish asked why the Lord of Death had come to the peaceful valley Humakt, truthful as ever, told him he had come to purge the Valley People. After a prolonged conversation, the Fish acknowledged Humakt's Quest and took him across the river and down the waterfall. In the valley Humakt came to the steads and huts of the Healers. While they pleaded for their lives, Humakt knew them for what they were and slew them all., taking their hearts out so none might brought back to life. With a brief respite to cleanse his weapons, he left to fight in the Tombs, that land ruled by the Mummy King.
The Mummy King was accessible by travelling South. On the way he encountered various tribulations which he dispatched with ease.
Humakt, knowing that the Mummy King was the nephew of Orlanth Rex, went forth into the Tombs and rightfully challenged the Mummy King. He passed freely through the lands, no undead willing to challenge him, no spirit daring to feel his wrath. Past the Tombs, Necropoli and Pyramids of the kingdom, Humakt came to the Great Pyramid. He stood bold with his sword in the ground and demanded honourable combat with the Mummy King and his companions.
The Mummy King came to meet the challenge, his hyrthgar behind him, all armed with swords and crooked weapons, and battled the Lord of Severance. For everytime they swung, he ducked, for every time they thrust, he side stepped, and everytime they dodged, he struck.
When the Mummy King lay on the floor, Humakt used his mastery of Death to ensure the fiend would never return. With another brief respite, he departed to the Big-Men-Of-The-West.
He gathered around himself his allies and his kin, a horde - an army! - to vanquish the evil foe. At the borders of the Big-Men-Of-The-West's lands they were met by the animated Dead and the assorted sorcerers. The battle was prolonged, but eventually Humakt and several followers broke through the battle line. At the bronze gates that protected the Sorcerers they breached them with might and sword blades. Ignoring the myriad of sorcerous magics cast at him, Humakt entered the Sorcerer's Stead and destroyed the Book that empowered them. As he did so their magics failed, the Dead collapsed. Humakt called for a surrender. His voice was so full of power and eminence that after a few sorcerers tried his wrath, they submitted.
Humakt tried them, found them guilty of consorting with the Devil through their evil magics and were promptly put to Death A celebration and victory dance was held, and everyone grew merry in their success.
Upon returning to the Halls, Humakt returned to Orlanth. "Brother, Death unbridled will no longer strike your realm - all the evils are dead and gone, banished far away." Orlanth remained, unimpressed, unmoved. He called Humakt "cowardly" for slaying the Healers, "kinslayer" for killing his own nephew and "murderer" for slaying the surrendered.
To each Humakt answered firmly and fairly with his honour. Still, orlanth remained unimpressed, "Brother, to my left stands my brother Vadrus. He has asked for the right of Death. A more worthy man would never have allowed such flaws, such mistakes, to be made in the first place. If you wish to carry Death, prove to me - King of All Gods, First Among Equals -that you are worthy of such a power." Humakt, being deft of tongue as he was of sword, managed to dismiss his brother's fears, for he was Humakt, God of Death. Orlanth, hearing his brother's wisdom, acknowledged his right as Lord of Death and allowed him to keep his power.
With his Vow complete, Humakt returned to the Lead Cross. Here he showed the skulls of the Healers, the Mummy King's Head and the ashes of the sorcerers. Ever since, Humakt's unerring devotion to Death has been seen throughout his worshipper's lives - for once they expire, the never return.
The Lead Cross HeroQuest
4 points
HeroQuest Spell
This spell, as can all HeroQuest spells, can be used as a ritual to transport the Questers to the Godplane for the Lead Cross HeroQuest (which is what the rest of this document is dedicated to describing), allow the character to participate in a "practice run" Quest or can be Invoked as a normal rune spell (see below for details of what invocations can be cast). If the character is casting it as a ritual then it can only be cast on a Humakti Holy Day. The number of Questers it can affect is limited by the caster's POW/5 rounded up.
All prospective Questers must prepare a small lead cross, which must be hung from their neck during the Quest. This must be tied to the fingerbone of a dead relative to show their dedication to Death surpasses even blood bonds. If the Quester is not doing the full Godplane version then it is this cross that becomes magical at the end.
The Questers assemble their Supporters in a temple to Humakt and various chants and prayers are made, rituals are held and items are blessed.
The end of the rite transports the Questers to the HeroPlane. They stand in front of an enormous bridge that spans over a river. The world about them is dark and foreboding. Across the bridge, at some distance, is a large Lead Cross, unadorned except for a single Death Rune on its centre. It is on a raised stone platform. The Humakti must prove themselves in a dedicated ritual in front of the Cross. The form of the rite depends upon the character's culture - Humathi dance in blood rites, dressed in woad, whereas most Humakti pray silently, while a Pentan shaman may roar and sing Pentan chants.
The rite usually lasts for a few days, no longer than two weeks. At the end of this time the Questers must succeed in a Piety (Humakt) +20 roll on a 1d100 (if you are using other HQ systems then rolling under 3 of the 5 Humakti virtues will mean success, if you are using YAHQS, improvise). If the characters fail they return in shame (lose 2 Piety (Humakt) or gain ticks in the opposing traits of the virtues that were tested depending on which system you use). They may try again once the spell is reprayed for. If multiple Questers participate then only one needs to succeed for the Quest to continue, but failure still results in loss of Piety.
If the praying succeeds then the Lead Cross answers - the answers are the same as given in the Myth. All Questers who hear the Cross also get a POWx2 chance of some mystic insight into Humakt and gain 2d6 Ceremony (or cult lore if you use it). The Quester must vow to kill Death's enemies. If the Quester should fail, or if the Quester chooses to stop the HeroQuest, then they have offended Death and lose 3 points off of both Death Rune and Piety (Humakt). In addition to this, all who fail the Quest lose access to Sever Spirit, retaining the Sever Spirit's they have sacrificed for as one-use spells. This applies to those who Support the Questers as well, although they do not lose Passions or Rune Ratings.
The Questers may then proceed to the first station. On this HeroQuest all skills are divided by 5 for the purpose of resolution. This has already been accounted for in the given statistics.
If the Alynx Spirits are summoned they appear as ghostly half seen alynxes. There are five of them, but they work as a group. If the character wishes to retain the spirits after the Quest, they must make a deal with them at this point. The Alynx Spirits have a combined POW of 27, the character can choose to sacrifice 3 POW to them to create a bargain whereby the spirits will allow themselves to be summoned back on the Mundane Plane to serve for one season, and one season only. Of course, the Quester could engage them in spirit combat, but doing so may arose the wrath of either Yinkin or Orlanth....
From here the Questers travel to the Prison Pens where the executed criminal lies. The Alynx Sprits take the scent and tracking can begin.
The characters chance to track is increased by 30 if they have the alynxes (that is 150% back on the Mundane Plane!) and is also increased by their Piety Passions as they are following the path of Humakt. Failure in this roll results in the failure of the Quest. The Questers return to the Mundane Plane without having got anywhere. Most Questers prepare for this part by using additional magics to enhance their chance. (In YAHQS match Perception against a difficulty of 4, stacking the Alynxes Perception of 2+ if the Quester has the spirits).
The Alynxes lead the Quester to Healer Valley, where they then depart (but may be resummoned if a spirit pact has been made with them). The Questers are left at the river edge. The river circles the entire valley, and trickles down from a nearby mountain, while a waterfall has formed that falls into the valley on one end. The valley is fertile and moist, as is the surronding forest area. Small huts and piles of dead bodies ready to be ressurected can be seen. A hole exists in the ground - this stretches to the Underworld and is where the Healers summon the souls from to make Ressurections easier. The river is fast flowing and deep, as well as very wide. As soon as some attempt is made to cross, an enormous fish erupts forth from the banks, it is a metallic red colour with a mouth full of razor sharp teeth, it glints somewhat and it's eyes are full of passion and emotion. This is Zona Tal, an ancestral Fish spirit (this is sometimes a HeroQuester, fish or otherwise, of Zola Fel or another local river god, on a Quest seeking aid and protection).
Th spirits caws "Who dares to cross into Healer Valley?" Of course, the Quester could lie, but that would not be very Humakti. the Fish, if it hears that the Quester seeks to kill the Healers, will not be very happy, and threaten the Quester, saying that the Healers are it's protectors.
The FIsh can be convinced to let the players across if the Humakti bribes it with powerful magic, or agrees to be it's protector instead of the Healers (in doing so the Quester is agreeing to guard the local River God cult - and is also making it possible to be pulled onto involuntary HeroQuests to protect the Fish against enemy Questers).
Or the Quester can choose to fight. If the Quester should be swalloed by the Fish they will be bound as prisoner until saved (which would take another, more difficult HeroQuest). If they should kill the Fish they must, to get into Healer Valley, make a Swim roll (modified by being divided by 5 of course) and then two climb rolls to descend the 100m waterfall. If they should fail they will most likely fall to their doom. (In YAHQS abstract this all as an Agility contest against a Difficulty of 4 with 3 Body damage resulting in case of a failure). If the Fish is befriended. it transports the Quester across the river and down the waterfall into the Valley by carrying Questers within it's mouth.
STR 114 Move 12 swim location d20 pts CON 60 Hit Points 70 Tail 01-03 20/24 SIZ 80 Fatigue 174 H Body 04-08 20/29 INT 17 Magic Points 28 F Body 09-13 20/29 POW 28 Runes: Water 40 R Flipper 14 20/18 DEX 12 Beast 30, Spirit 25 L Flipper 15 20/18 DEX SR 3 Head 16-20 20/24 Weapon SR att dmg Bite 6 50 1d6+6d6+spcl Tail Smash 9 45 1d6+11d6
Notes: Bite attack, if it strikes with a special (10 or less), means that the victim is swallowed and takes 20 point acid damage from the Fish's stomach acids to every location every round unless the Quester manages to cut their way out using force. All damage should be applied to the hind body, although the internal body only has 6 armour points only slashing SR 3 weapons may be used.
Zona Tal YAHQS description
Body 4, Mind 1, Spirit 2+
Skills: Agility 2 (in water), Combat 2+, Knowledge 2, Perception 4, Social 2, Stealth 3 (in water)
Low Magic: Control, Elemental Water
High Magic: Elemental Water 4.
Runes: Water 2, Beast 2, Spirit 1.
Magic Points: 28
Once the Questers get into the Valley they may slay all the Evil Healers with impunity. As they are Healers they have no way to defend themselves and this should basically be assumed to be automatic. If you use Personality Traits then you may call for a few trait rolls, and if you use SAN now may be a time to put it to good effect.
Usually the Healers beg for their lives, which is worth roleplaying to see how callous the Quester can be. Sometimes the Healers being killed are themselves Chalana Arroy HeroQuesters on their own religious HeroQuest to prove their Piety. Perhaps even Chalana Arroy Healers that the Questers know.
If the Quester does slay all of them then they receive a permanent HeroQuest geas, they may never again be healed or effected by Chalana Arroy (and Errisa and other Healing deities like Chalana Arroy, although not Xiola Umbar) healing magic. The magic is simply ineffective. This is not a curse by Chalana Arroy.
The Quester then has to leave Healer Valley, this is easy with the aid of Zona Tal, otherwise the Quester must repeat the climbing and swimming.
The actual pyramid of the Mummy King is a large stone pyramid. Far from being seamless, it is covered in portals, archways and undead creatures that stand guard. A cool, deathly wind blows through, and the smell of Urain is in the air.
Before the pyramid is a raised block of stone with a circle of ash trailed out across it. The stone block must be at least 1000ft on every side. Here is where the Questers stand and an appropriate challenge issued at which point the Mummy King, accompanied by his hyrthgar of undead warriors (two per Quester), all step out of one of the smaller archways after a few minutes wait. They come to the edge of the archway and the King cries "Hail Stormkin - have you come to claim the right to my kingdom? Shall we fight the good fight, wage battle, spill each other's blood?"
The Mummy King will then advance towards the Questers. Point out to pious Humakti that the undead are not using missile fire or other such long distance attacks and the honour should be reciprocated.
The Mummy King is a tall, well built rotting cadaver. Flies and worms crawl in and around his body, but he still wears well kept regal clothing of an Orlanthi Thane. His eyes burn as a cold, blue flicker and in his hands he grips an enormous iron sword ornated with Uraini images and images of cults long gone. He wears thick iron armour. The warriors accompanying him also wear armour, but instead of weapons they have long claw-like fingernails, and they burn all over, their skin long peeled away.
Mummy King
STR 156 Move 4 R Leg 30/16 CON 80 Hit Points 51 L Leg 30/16 SIZ 21 Fatigue 236 Abdomen 30/16 INT 16 Magic Points 25 Chest 30/21 POW -- Dodge 30 R Arm 30/13 DEX 40 L Arm 30/13 APP 1 DEX SR 1 Head 30/16 Weapon SR att/par dmg pts/ENC 2H Sword 1 75/75 5d8+5+8d6+sp 30/7.0 Glare 1 auto/-- special --/-- Fist 2 60/-- 1d3+8d6 --/--
Notes: Will only use Fist Attack is disarmed. Glare attack is automatic to all in melee with the King who do not fight blind. If the King overcomes the Questers magic points with his own hen they lose 2d6 Fatigue Points. The Sword, if it causes damage, will Tap 1d8 CON automatically from the Quester (no chance to resist) and add a number of magic points to the King equal to the lost CON. The King fights until thoroughly dismembered and does not suffer detrimental effects from locational hit point loss i.e. while a limb may stop working, he does not bleed or require CON rolls to remain functional, and can continue to fight without a head.
Hyrthgar Warriors
STR 40 Move 4 R Leg 20/9 CON 30 Hit Points 26 L Leg 20/9 SIZ 21 Fatigue 70 Abdomen 20/9 INT 14 MP 6d6+12 Chest 20/11 POW -- Dodge 35 R Arm 20/7 DEX 25 L Arm 20/7 APP 2 DEX SR 1 Head 20/9 Weapon SR att/par dmg pts/ENC L Claw 2 45/-- 3d10+3d6 --/-- R Claw 3 45/-- 3d10+3d6 --/-- Flame 1 auto/-- special --/--
Notes: Flame damage is a cumulative 1d6/rnd. Armour protects until overcome at which point the Quester takes 1d6 damage per round to general hit points. Damage applies to all within melee.
Mummy King, YAHQS statistics
Body 4, Mind 1, Spirit 1+
Skills: Agility 2, Combat 6, Knowledge 1+, Perception 2, Social 1+, Stealth 1+.
Runes: Undead 5, Death 2.
Magic Points: 25
Hyrthgar Warriors, YAHQS statistics (treat as one whole group, not as individual beings)
Body 3, Mind 1, Spirit 1+
Skills: Agility 1, Combat 4, Knowledge 1, Perception 3, Social 1, Stealth +
Runes: Undead 6
Magic Points: 66 multiplied by the number of Questers.
If a player decides to take the Mummy King's Sword, then they have a distinct uneasiness holding it. It detects as chaotic, and is an extension of an undead god (now dispelled from the mundane plane) forged into a blade. Those who continue to use it slowly go mad, having dreams of haunting violence. Every week of owning the sword means excessive nightmares - and at the end of the week the character must resist their POW against a value of 18 (or WILL if you prefer). If it succeeds, the Quester fails they go mad, and become a mad Humakti, usually attracted to chaos cults. The sword requires STR 17 and DEX 18 to wield.
The warband now march across the HeroPlane, towards a row of towering red mountains. As they get closer the retching smell of the rotten dead reaches their nostrils, a pungent odour even to the most stout stomach. The group soon find themselves walking through a barren land, even the hills and hillocks are gone, obliterated by some unknown force. As they get closer to the mountains, dead bodies, severed limbs, scattered torso's and other corpses litter the area. Each person now on the HeroQuest are exposed to one random disease. At this point the land now seems to be entirely composed to dead bodies, the ground completely covered. The army scouts then spot a fort mid-way up one hill and atop it's barracks, surronded by shimmering circles of power, stand the sorcerors. As they spot the army, the dead bodies - or some at least, rise to their feet.
This Station should be played out using either Warhamster or YAHQS For Battles. Unforunately the latter is undergoing major revision to solve various flaws and so I shall post statistics for it's use at a later date. The army should face 100 Shambling Dead. The Gamesmaster should create statisics fitting to the army that the PC's have raised. If you have no wish to resolve a battle, merely give a quick description of the ongoing melee and concentrate more on the PC's activities.
Obviously, you do not actually even need figures, there is no terrain and so it is an out-and-out pitch battle. Of course, if you do have the time, inclination and figures then terrain could be added and a pitched battle held. The Questers should play out a fight of their own against about 10 if the Dead between them before they get a chance to breach the gates. The Dead appear as large, blundering abominations, pieces of skin and tatters of flesh hang off, limbs are sewn on at odd angles, organs held inside the body by rope, limbs and body parts from inhuman animals have been added to give them tentacles and tails, contorted faces composed of a myriad of corpses' features, all in all a hideous thing to look at. Here are the RuneQuest stats for the Shambling Dead:
The Shambling Dead
STR 30 Move 4 location d20 pts CON -- Hit Points -- R Leg 01-03 10/7 SIZ 20 Fatigue -- M Leg 04-06 10/7 INT 3(fixed) Magic Points10 L Leg 07-09 10/7 POW -- Dodge 30 Abdomen 10-13 10/7 DEX 19 Tail 14 10/5 APP -- DEX SR 2 Chest 15 10/8 R Arm 16-17 10/5 L Tentacle 18-19 10/5 Head 20 10/7 Weapon SR att dmg Tentacle 1 30 1d8+2d6 Sword 2 20 2d8+2d6(+10) Tail 5 15 1d6+2d6+POT 10
Notes: Can use a dodge, a tail attack and either a sword or tentacle attack a turn. All Swords have Boost Damage 10 cast upon them by the Evil sorcerors. The Dead continue to fight until their heads are destroyed. Any severed location can no longer be used. General hit point loss does not effect them.
Shambling Dead, YAHQS statistics
Body 3+, Mind 0, Spirit +
Skills: Combat 3, all others 0.
Magic Points: 10
Only the Questers can breach the gates. Any attempt by others will result in the HeroQuest diverging, if anyone other than the Quester should breach the gates and destroy the book, then the Questers have failed, therefore everyone on the Quest has failed - including the Supporters and therefore suffer the penalties described above (loss of Sever Spirit etc...). To breach the gates requires either a method to ascend the 150m tall gate (fly or 3 climb rolls required), or to break down the gate doors (28 ap's) which have a Resist Damage 20 cast upon them. Obviously other methods exist (tunnel under, teleport in etc...). While they attempt this they are attacked by the sorceror's magic, roll once/round on the table below to see what spell affects the Questers. In YAHQS the Questers must succeed in a contest of Agility against a value of 4, each round they fail they take 1 point of Spirit damage from the sorcerous attacks.
Once inside the compound the Questers find themselves standing inside a large fort, lots of Western style shacks and huts are around them and a large stead hall are is in the far corner, standing on parapets are the sorcerors hurling their magics down. The stead hall is what they must reach. Trying to kill the sorcerors is futile, there are too many of them and the Questers will be taken down by their magics, allow them to slaughter as many as they like, but just keep hurling magic spells at them.
The stead hall is about 300m away, or 10 rounds at normal running speed. Haste and mobility etc... will speed this up, as will mounts if the Questers have summoned them. They cannot use mounts brought by their supporters as the supporters cannot bring mounts (of course an awakened horse of Humakt who was a Supporter is a possiblity but unlikely). The Questers are, during this mad dash, attacked three times per round on random SR's by random magical spells. Roll on the table below. In the event of a mp's vs. mp's contest, the sorcerors have random magic points of 2d6+12.
Using YAHQS, they must succeed in an unresisted contest of Body against a value of 4, each round they fail taking 1 point of Spirit damage from the sorcerer's spells.
Once the players arrive at the door to the great stead they may enter. Inside is a large, unguarded (apparently) stead hall with wooden walls, torches and at the far end a large stone tablet with an enormoqs book upon it. The place is devoid of all things an Orlanthi would expect in a Stead Hall, a feasting table, weapons, trophys, Orlanthi symbols and religious artifacts (even the broo have religious artifacts!) and other such things.
Unless the GM wishes to place a campaign specific encounter within the Hall, such as an ambush etc... then this part is quite easy - the book needs merely to be destroyed. If the book is taken then it will give excellent training in Necromancy, giving the character the chance to learn Animate Dead upto 500% and any other assorted rituals the GM wishes to place in. However, taking the book is unlikely as no self respecting Humakti would do such a thing. Once the book is destroyed, the Shambling Dead instantly collapse. All the Questers need to do now is to convince the Sorcerers to give up and surrender.
The Gm should allow the Questers to make a speech to stop the sorcerer's from carrying on the attack. Then, judging by their speech, give them an Orate roll. Modifier the speech from between -15 and 15% depending on how scary and awe inspiring the speech was, add 5% for every magical form used to enhance the speech (a booming thunderous voice for instance, or lightning for effect) and 10% if they bring the tattered book out with them. They may add their Piety (Humakt) to this.
If they fail they must try again, with exactly the same modifiers, except for every round they try 1d20 incoming spells are hurled at them. It is upto the GM to decide whether, if they continuely fail, the Questers and their army can just slay the sorcerors in battle, it is feasible that there are almost limitless amounts of HeroPlane sorcerors waiting to come forward. Once (if) the sorcerors surrender, the Questers should judge them and have them executed (Virtue rolls should be called for if you use Personality Traits, slaughtering unarmed men is quite difficult). With the enemy dead the Humakti can return back to meet Orlanth.
In YAHQS this requires an unresisted contest between Social and a value of 4. Each round it fails, the Questers take 1 point of Spirit Damage from sorcerer's spells.
At this point Orlanth glares at a particular Quester. This Quester will wither be chosen by the group before the Quest or randomly determined at this point. Orlanth speaks, accusing the Quester of being a coward for killing the Healers, a kinslayer for killing the Mummy King and murderer for killing the sorcerors. After each one the Quester must qualify their actions. No other Quester may speak.
If the Quester should, at any point, fail to satisfy Orlanth, they are cast out of the Hall along with the other Questers. The result of this is banishment from their people. This takes place as an excommunication with no spirit of reprisal if they are in Orlanth, all mundane bonds with the people of that area are severed and 5 points are lost from Love and Loyalty (family/clan etc...). The Quester can qualify it anyway they wish, some set out to fail this part of the Quest, for failure at this station stil means success in the Quest as a whole.
After this Orlanth brings forth Vadrus, a hairy, wild man with fiery eyes, and an axe at his side. Orlanth then says that he feels that Vadrus deserves Death just as much as Humakt does. The Quester must now make a speech determining that they have more right to Death. The fact that Humakt found it, took it, won it and gave it to his brother as a gift are all good points, as is the fact that Vadrus wields an axe not a sword, and never trained in Kargan Tor's service. The Quester may also wish to point out his servitude, and his poweress. The GM can either do this wholly by roleplaying or call for an Orate roll modified by upto 30% for the nature of the speech. They may add their Piety (Humakt) to this. Again, failure means explusion.
Success means that Orlanth apologises for doubting his brother and heartily welcomes them all back into the Stead where they eat and drink and be merry. Add 3 to Love and Loyalty (family) or (clan) as appropiate. They sleep comfortably for a night and then may travel to the Lead Cross in the morning.
All Supporters gain the ability to inflict permanent wounds at the expense of one POW, which must be spent as the attack is declared and before it is known whether the attack is known to be successful or not. For instance, a Demorlize permanently demoralizes, an arm will never regrow etc.... This ability lasts one year, although the HeroQuest may then again be repeated.