28 Jun 2021 15:30
Setting
Include brief summing-up.
Did I get the plot from somewhere? If so, where?
IC Play
The group had settled into the Guest house in the Shaker Temple. Androus had told them that he was going to be doing the Hill of Gold. The Earth temple had been very interested in Zorak Zoran's encounters with the party after Androus' brush with the Dark Troll.
The group was summoned in to see the Priestess Amara once more. The room was dark, lit only by a brazier, and it seemed to be the same room, but it took longer to get there this time. Amara said that they would all be taking part in the Hill of Gold Heroquest, in some way, but that it would have more parts than they knew. The brazier flared, and there was a singer there, who told them of the quest.
At the court of Yelm, Yelmaleo competed with Orlanth because Orlanth wanted attention of Yelm. Yelmaleo decided to see if Orlath was worthwhile, and beat him in a horse race across skies. Yelm was pleased and gave him gifts, including a bow, a spear, and a shield. He lost all of this on the Hill of Gold, and was about to die when his friends found him. Yelmaleo looked in the darkness for his father. Ernalda sent Orlanth away, and told Yelmalio there was a way to get his father’s gift back while Orlanth was gone. Yelmalio traveled as Ernalda sents him to where earthquakes were constant1. He survived, getting to see Asrelia's treasure room, and taking the gift from where it had been stored.
This HeroQuest had apparently not been performed in full since the Silver Age. This might have been before Time began or the sun was killed; things were unclear. However, it should be understood the gift from his father was some part of Yelm's power.
Amara spoketo Kosa privately. She was given instructions to prevent Orlanth from winning the horse race through cheating, and told to make a note of everything that happened, and come back to Tarsh or Sartar and tell Maran Gor. There was a heavy implication that Androus was expected to die.
Everyone went to their Temple to prepare, and then back to the Guest House. After a while, that evening, they smelled smoke. It grew quickly, and Aria passed out. The rest found that their house was surrounded by flame. After a while, they worked out that with the addition of a roof fire, they were in a giant Fire/Sky Rune. Shortly after that, Androus re-entered the burning house and was in his father's Sky Place. They found themselves on the Hero Plane, with Aria most connected to both of the worlds, and able to see the Middle World as well.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Androus: Yelmalio
Kerentha: Zephyr, a light wind
Kosa: an unnamed Doorkeeper
Aria: Aria ("Air")
Saronil: Humakt, the North Wind
Orlanth, half drunk, decided to visit the realm of the Sky, and change things where Yelm was. His brothers came with him, but Humakt refused to play unfair. On reaching the house they were challenged by the doorkeeper, but invited in by Yelmalio, who feasted Orlanth and challenged him to ride across the sky on horses. Orlanth was sure he could do this, and sent his brother Zephyr off to find some - Zephyr also tried to find out what horses WERE. As it turned out, they were hippogryphs. Orlanth could not persuade his brothers to cheat for him, and was not as good a rider as Yelmalio, who left a golden arrow by a star as proof he had been there, and beat Orlanth back. His father was pleased with the victory, and gave him gifts, but less pleased that Change had been invited into the hall. Orlanth went home to be drunk and disorderly.
They came briefly back to the Middle World, where Androus noted that his breastplate was now a round chest piece of gold, and studded leather abdominal pieces. His horse was unhappy.
Then he found himself at the Hill of Gold. He managed to slip away from Orlanth after losing all of his gifts, but was accosted by a Troll, who broke him in half with a mighty blow. The HeroQuest ended, and the others saw Androus' battered body fall. They had been elves, strange creatures grown to interact with humans. (Kerentha was a black elf.)
They mourned him, with Saronil singing his grief, and set off to take his equipment back to the Sun Dome Temple in Boldhome.
Other Things
I asked Androus player how much risk he wanted to take, so this was not a total surprise - he wanted to do as much good as he could for Yelmalio.
Androus: fumbled Scan.
"Everyone else: the roof is on fire." - GM
Kerentha is stuck inside a recurring nightmare regarding loyalties, earthquakes and Judas goats.
"I say we trust the gods." - Kosa
"I say we trust the Shaker Temple." - Kerentha
Kerentha: "Don't win, Androus. Once is understandable, but twice? Near the Shaker Temple? Bad idea."