This Quest also demonstrates the way that two HeroQuest paths interact - this a description of two HeroPaths in one, one Quest for the Orlanthi, one Quest for the Humakti.
It's written with YAHQS in mind, aswell as most other HeroQuest systems that are based on the basic RuneQuest rules. It makes specific reference to my HeroQuest rules but conversion to other HeroQuest systems should be quick and easy.
In the Stormy Days, the Good Time before the Sun fell from the Sky and the World was plunged into chaos, and the chaos beasts swarmed the Earth, Orlanth and his brother Humakt spent much of their time in each others company. The pair had decided to visit the Underworld to spy on the trolls and see if they could have some sport fighting them, but they wandered for hours and found no trolls to test their mettle.
"Never mind," said Orlanth, "At least now you don't have to be shown up by my greatness."
Humakt, never one to rise to the bait, stayed silent, but Orlanth was a bored God that day and his fantasies of heroically defeating a band of the best Uz the Underworld could muster would not leave his head. Unfortunately, Humakt did not play a large part in the fantasy, and Orlanth could not stop telling his brother how good he would have been in the fight, and how Humakt would have been useless.
It was as they came to the banks of the Styx that Orlanth ws explaining how, when approached by Nuktheg Talki, a Black Lord who had a personal grudge against the Storm God, he would have thrown his sword a clear twenty metres into the Black Lords chest, slaying him instantly. "But brother," said Humakt, "Only I may attempt such a feat and suceed. One day I may teach you, but you would only end up making a fool of yourself if you had attempted that trick with Nuktheg." While this was true, Orlanth was not that day concerned with facts. He began to argue with his brother, until the two of them were nearly at each others throats over who was the worthiest and finest son of Umath. Orlanth eventually issued a challenge to Humakt, and it was decided by Humakt that the worthiness of each would be decided by a swimming contest.
Fully armoured, fully armed, the two decided that the first to swim to the other shore of the Styx, the dark, black Styx, would be the winner. Diving in, the two swam and swam and swam. The dark, cold waters seeped lethargy into their muscles, the waters drained the strength of their resolves, and if either had taken a mouthful they would have surely died. But, trained and hardy as he was, Orlanth failed to beat his brother, who arrived at the shore only moments before the Storm Lord, perhaps no more than a heartbeat.
While many challenges were issued after that day, some won by Humakt and some won by Orlanth, this one is particulary remembered for teaching great Orlanth at least some humility.
The Quest
This is a two point HeroQuest spell that can be sacrificed for by any Orlanthi worshipper and any Humakti worshipper at any time. Like all HeroQuest spells, it can be cast either to begin a practice run version of the Quest taking place on the mundane plan, a full HeroQuest that transports the Quester to the HeroPlane, or it can be Invoked for an immediate magical effect (see Simon Phipps' rules):
Competition of Wildday Quest
2 points
HeroQuest spell
To cast this to begin the "practice run" version of the Quest requires the Orlanth/Humakti to find another Orlanth/Humakti who also knows this HeroQuest. It can only be cast on Wildday. The two then go to the banks of a river and begin the rite, they re-enact the argument and challenge that Humakt and Orlanth had between them. The Quest then begins.
To cast this spell to transport the Quester to the HeroPlane, it can only be cast on Willday of Movement Week of Dark Season, the day that the original Quest happened. The Quester need not find another person willing to do the Quest, they appear on the HeroPlane and meet their foe.
Invoking the Quest is described below. It is just like casting a normal spell, with the effects described below.
The Quest
As stated above the Quest is only one station long.
The practice Run version of the Quest basically uses the RuneQuest rules as they are. The Questers can decide whether the river must be swum in their armour or without, but usually - to make it a fair contest - they either both wear their armour or both do not. The contest is then handled as normal, whoever swims the river first suceeds, and the other fails.
Under my HeroQuest rules the Humakti Quester adds his Piety Humakt to his swim skill, while the Orlanthi minuses his Piety Orlanth Passion from his swim skill (as Orlanth failed in Godtime, it is harder for Orlanthi to suceed).
The Godplane version is more or less exactly the same. The Quester appears on the HeroPlane at the banks of the Styx with Orlanth/Humakt standing next to them, as appropiate. The river must always be swum in full armour. Because of the Powers gained from the Quest, it is a waste of time to swim the river in no armour at all (see below). Apply the appropriate penalties for the encumberance, and then divide the result by five, for as the Quester is on the HeroPlane all skills are divided by five (of course, as normal, experience rolls gained from the Quest are multiplied by five). If you are using my HeroQuest rules, then add or subtract the appropriate Piety Passion as described above.
For Example: Korak-Zahn is a Humakti with a swim skill of 90%, but is wearing 20 ENC of armour. This takes his skill down to -10%, as five times the ENC worn is applied as a negative to the swim skill (see Deluxe RuneQuest p. 75). Divided by five this is a skill of -2%, still not very good. But, he has a Piety Humakt score of 14, giving him an overall chance of 12%. Of course, he could prepare before hand to ensure that his success in the Quest is increased, such as by convincing a Water Spirit to give him a Swimming charm to give him an extra 10% to succeed, or using powerful magics to increase his swim skill.
To succeed in the Quest the Quester must roll underneath their adjusted swim skill. Success means just that, failure means the Quester goes under the waters of the Styx, swalloing the dark waters and taking 1d8 dmg direct to their chest. This must be left to heal naturally. A fumble means they keep taking this damage per round until they succeed on their Swim skill. The damage is unhealable by magic. Any Quester who fails appears in the temple they started in, safe other than the minor damage they have taken - however, they lose 1d20 percentiles off of their swim skill.
Under YAHQS, the Quester must succeed in a resisted contest against of Agility versus the Agility of Orlanth/Humakt which is 4+/5, respectively. Minus one + for every 10 ENC the Quester is wearing. They may use Runes and Magic to increase their chances. Failure results in damage as above, a failed gamble results in 1 point of Body damage per turn until the Quester can make an unresisted contest of agility versus a value or 2+.
Rewards
Those who play the part of Orlanth on the Quest always gain one point of Piety (Orlanth) whether they suceed or not.
Those who succeed in the practice run version of the Quest gain a bonus equal to their POW to their Swim skill.
Those who succeed in the Godplane version of the Quest gain the ability to ignore ENC penalties to swim skill. However, they can only ignore an amount of ENC penalties equal to the ENC they were wearing when they took part in the Quest. So a Quester who did the Quest with 5 ENC or equipment, and then tries swimming with 10 ENC of equipment, only suffers penalties for the remaining 5 ENC.
The Invoked Powers on this Quest depend upon whether the spell sacrificed for was the Orlanthi version or the Humakti version.