A Hunter Initiation 
Cult heroquests, where the quester follows in the path of a
previous god/saint/hero, are tests. A god who is unable to influence the
mundane world must do so through their worshippers. When a worshipper
follows a heroquest path they must behave like their exemplar in order
to benefit. Cult heroquests encourage cultists to behave like their god
acting as a form of natural selection in favour of those followers
who do the will of their deity in the Middle World.
By way of an example here's a thumbnail sketch of a Hunter initiation
quest. Each station of the quest tests one of the Hunter virtues (cf
PenDragon Pass, TotRM #6.) These tests can be resolved with dice or
role-playing according to taste. This relates to Wrothela, the Brolian hunter god/cultural hero, but hunter gods have similar quests in other parts of Glorantha.
- Daga tries to slow the quester to a stand-still with magic. [Energetic]
- Lokaymadon attempts to browbeat the quester into performing a
humiliating task. [Proud] (Lokaymadon gets to humilate the would-be hunters because he's a serious local
bogey man in Brolia. Traditionally he's blamed for the region's infertility.
Someone else would more appropriate elsewhere.)
- The quester is now ravenous, thanks to Daga's magic. The quester
catches the deer-spirit Damal and tries to butcher it. As the quester is
not yet an initiate he cannot perform the Peaceful Cut. Damal begs them
to steal this magic from Rathor and use it to separate his body and soul.
[Merciful]
- The quester attempts to steal the Peaceful Cut from the terrifying
Bear God. [Valorous]
- After the quester has performed the Peaceful Cut, The Lady of the Wild
asks him to return it to her. If he acquiesces she gives it back to him
with her blessing. [Generous]
A quester who proves his virtue in three of the five stations is
successful. He is transformed (he is now a hunter) and possesses a
"powerful" magic item (his bear-claw Peaceful Cut focus).
Last updated 17 Jul 00 drd
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