I haven’t been here in awhile...

Anyway the last time I tried to run HeroQuest it was an interesting experience, but it ultimately did not work between my mismanagement, and some active dislike coming from a few players in the group. Since then the group composition has changed, and we have played Exalted (for the Fall semester) and then D&D Eberron (up until now). I ran a small experiment with HeroQuest Planescape for a local university professor and a few people in my Exalted group, but otherwise haven’t touched it. That changed a few weeks ago when while running D&D Eberron I became slightly frustrated with D&D lack of ability to mechanically emulate a contest between the PCs and a villain, a warforged named Herald, for the hearts and minds of the warforged of an Undercity called the Cogs. This reinspired my interest in HeroQuest and, after some discussion with my players, we decided to try it out again with a monthly campaign (they did not really want to drop the D&D Eberron campaign, for understandable reasons.)

With the general idea that this would be a HeroQuest game using the Eberron world (what can I say, I am a fan), I started to spend time going through the book looking at the various races, homelands, and magic/religious systems and began to write up keywords. I skipped a few (the most notable being lizard men) with the expectation that it would be unlikely that the players would pick them. I had a few vague campaign ideas (pirates shipwrecked in some inhospitable place, goblinoids trying to restore the glory of their old empire, agents of the king of Breland) but I was going to mostly let the players decide what THEY wanted to, rather than dictating it myself.

So last Sunday we sat down and discussed it. They went through a variety of campaign ideas, and finally settled on one that they all liked: playing lizard men in the jungle/swamp/settled region of Q’barra. You can imagine my sense of ironic surprise.

So anyway, the five of them (the two players who are familiar with HeroQuest and the three who are less familiar) went through a period of discussion about what sort of campaign they wanted to run, discussing details of tribe and religion while thinking up character ideas. In the end they decided to have a tribe that is part of a large tribal alliance, dwells in the swamps rather than the jungle that the majority of the lizard men dwell in, and follows a religion that varies from the mainstream religious traditions of the other lizard men. They also discuss the tribes overall goals, all of which had a mythic-religious bent, and I gave them suggestions on what they could do with their characters and guidelines for writing their 100 words (with helpful additions from the two more experienced players).

I am getting there 100 words tomorrow but here is the general concept each presented to me.

Sam: A hunter of the Spirit Mother’s eggs (They see themselves as needing to collect these eggs in order to be able to perform the resurrection of the Spirit Mother. Outsiders, such as the settlers, see them as a great resource to serve as the basis of construction of magical objects and technology). He actually submitted a rough draft of a paragraph in the form of:

Ur’slan, a Burning Sky Lizardman, follows the Spirit Mother tradition. Though keen-eyed, agile and deft with bow and spear, Ur’slan, to his shame, was never successful at hunting big creatures. He instead takes pride in hunting dragonshards with help from the spirit She’hen. Despite staining his teeth blue, he enjoys the mild high from chewing the Ka’anovis leaf. Said to be faster in water than on land, Ur’slan easily navigates the swamps. He has friendships with many women due to his association with dragonshards.

Scott: Wants to play a warrior-berserker of some type. One of the practices I created for the religion is centered around rage as a result of this.

CJ: Wanted to play the lizard man shaman.

Loius: Wanted to play a hunter-type with shapechanging abilities. I created a practice with appropriate abilities, but I am not sure its going to be satisfactory to him. I am sure we will talk about it a bit tomorrow.

Chris: Wanted to play a tribal leader with telepathic powers. I am not quite sure how I want to handle these, but I am thinking of modeling psionic abilities in the form of affinities as that is the easiest default assumption.

I am basically going to use this thread to chronicle the results of this game and material I produce for it.

The Betrayal of the Spirit Mother
When the world was old there were three Great Dragons, the Spirit Mother, the Dream Warrior, and the Dark Hunter. The Spirit Mother ruled over all, as they were her family and that was her right, until the day that the Dark Hunter grew jealous of his mother and thought that males should rule. So he went to his father and demanded that the Dream Warrior take over and rule over everything as the Spirit Mother did now. The Dream Warrior refused, realizing that the rule of the Spirit Mother was the way of the world and that going against it would result in unrestrained disaster. He advised the Dark Hunter of this, but the Dark Hunter refused to listen, having already decided that the way of the world was wrong, and that he would change it. So one day while the Spirit Mother was sunning herself and dreaming up the original lizard men, the Dark Hunter ambushed her, using his sharp knives to cut her into many little pieces, and scattered them throughout the world.

When the Dream Warrior discovered this he was angered and fought the Dark Hunter, driving him off far away to a land of ash and soot, where there was little game and less water. He took a great stake and drove it through the Dark Hunter’s tail binding him there for eternity, because he knew that even though the death of the Spirit Mother had made things wrong in the world that the ancient laws remained, and you did not kill those who hatched from the same clutch.

With the Dark Hunter bound, the Dream Warrior was saddened by the death of the Spirit Mother and fell asleep. As he slept his dreams combined with the scattered pieces of the spirit mother came to life becoming streams, hills, mountains, rivers, lakes, plants, animals, and even lizard men. Many of these lizard men turned away from the Spirit Mother, worshipping the Dark Hunter even other lesser spirits that arose from the dreams of the Dream Hunter. Some dreams became more than the things they combined with becoming the greatest of the spirits. Others were corrupted by the influence of the Dark Hunter and became spirits of monsters, diseases, or demons. A few rare ones even became little eggs which house the scattered bits and pieces of the Spirit Mother’s true essence, eggs that will someday hatch a new Spirit Mother, once they are brought together and her name is found once again.

The Spirit Mother Tradition
The Lizard Men of the Spirit Mother Tradition believe that the world is as it is due to the Spirits Mother’s betrayal by the Dark Hunter. They seek to venerate the Spirit Mother’s memory and bring about the rituals needed to bring her back, restoring the world to the way it once was, and should be again. By following the example of the Spirit Mother, worshippers can catch a glimpse of the world how it once was, how it should have been; by following her example they can pave the way for the Old World coming again.

Abilities: Identify Spirit Mother Eggs, Spirit Mother Tradition Knowledge, Worship Spirit Mother
Virtues: Revere Females, Secretive
Relationships: Relationship to [Intercessor]
Core Practices: The Dream Warrior is seen as the father of the lizard men, and is thus the core practice.
Tradition Spirits:
Mother Spirits: Look out for Young 15 to 3w, Notice Weak Hatchling 8 to 14, Find Spirit Mother Eggs 10 to 20
Healing Spirits: Fight off Sickness 20 to 5w, Lick Away Wound 10 to 14, Recover from Hurt 12 to 18

The Dream Warrior (Core Practice)
The Dream Warrior is the spiritual center of the Lizard Men in the absence of the Spirit Mother. When one dreams, the lizard man enters into the lands of the Dream Warrior, and here one can acquire some glimpses into the world that once was. Some dream spirits have turned away from the Dream Warrior, hearing the call of the Dark Hunter, though and can bring nightmares and even death to those who explore his realm.

To master the Dream Warrior’s secret, one must reconcile the contradiction found in being Vengeful and Contemplative at the same time, only then can a lizard man attain the form of one of the Dream Warrior’s sacred guides. Advanced practitioners may also seek out the Dream Warrior’s unique, powerful sacred guides such as Strength Through Diligence or Faceless Mastery.

Entry Requirements: Membership of the Spirit Mother Tradition, Spirit Mother Tradition Knowledge 17;
Abilities: Dream Warrior Practice Knowledge, Follower of the Dream Warrior, Interpret Dreams, Spirit Face
Virtues: Contemplative, Vengeful
Practice Spirits:
Creative Dream Spirits: Dream Up Food 18 to 4w, Dream Away Hurt 12 to 19
Dream Ward Spirits: Fight off Bad Dream 16 to 2w, Protect Camp While Dreaming 18 to 20
Helpful Dream Spirits: Dream of the Future 10 to 14, Dream of the Past 2w to 5w, Dream Hidden Meaning 18 to 60w
Vengeance Spirits: Enflame Hurt 10 to 16, Find Those Who Hurt You 20 to10w, Hurt Those Who Hurt You 15 to 12w

Practice Secret Requirements: Follower of the Dream Warrior, Contemplative, Vengeful
Practice Secret: Heroform (see page 109 of the core book)
Fetishes: Dream Warrior practitioner fetishes are simple clay or wooden ritual dolls designed to represent the spirit that inhabits them or the type of being the spirit helps to fight off.

Dark Hunter (Enemy Practice)
The Dark Hunter is the spirit who destroyed the world, dismembering the Spirit Mother and making it into the bad place it is now. When the Dream Warrior discovered that this had happened he took his spear and drove the Dark Hunter from one end of the earth to the other before pushing him into the place of ash and fire and driving his spear into the Dark Hunter’s tail. The Dark Hunter has been trapped there ever since but even now attempts to free himself from the Dream Warrior’s spear. His attempts to escape result in nightmares, evil spirits, and monsters all of which attempt to prey upon the lizard men who revere his old enemy.

Members of the Dark Hunter Practice seek to reinforce the bindings that keep the Dark Hunter trapped in the place of ash and fire. They learn magic needed to fight off and, if they are too powerful, hide from his evil spirits. Only those who have proven their devotion to the females, and thus their aversion to the Dark Hunter, are allowed to join this practice.

Entry Requirements: Membership of the Spirit Mother Tradition, Revere Females 5w;
Abilities: Dark Hunter Practice Knowledge, Follower of the Dark Hunter Practice, Lead Spirit Fighting Ritual, Spirit Face
Virtues: Wary, Resolute
Practice Spirits:
Fight Evil Spirits: Eat Evil Spirit 12w to 1w2, Hide From Evil Spirit 18 to 2w, Notice Spirit’s Weakness 12 to 20, Ward Away Evil Spirits 1w to 8w
Fetishes Dark Hunter Practice fetishes are usually gourds filled with a noxious fluid mixed from swamp water and various different vegetables. This fluid can be toxic if ingested.

She’hen Practice (Spirit Mother Egg Hunter Practice)
One of the first spirits to come into being from the dreams of the Dream Warrior, She’hen is the spirit of a hunting lizard, specifically one who hunts eggs. Being a spirit-hunter, she does not hunt just any eggs though, but she hunts for the eggs of the Spirit Mother for the purpose of bringing the Spirit Mother back.
Practitioners of the She’hen practice tend to be among the most aquatic of lizard men, with a constant focus on swimming that most lizard men are unconcerned with. Many of the beds that hold Spirit Mother eggs are found at the bottom of lakes or pools in the middle of the swamp and thus require the lizard man to be able to navigate the waters.

Entry Requirements: Membership of the Spirit Mother Tradition, Identify Spirit Mother Eggs 17
Abilities: She’hen Practice Knowledge, Follower of She’hen, Recognize Item By Touch, Spirit Face, Swim Away From Trouble, Swim to Bottom of Swamp, Wilderness Survival
Virtues: Attentive, Curious
Practice Spirits:
Distraction Spirits: Dangerous Looking Animal 16 to 2w, Look Over There! 15 to 18, Rustle of Bushes 14 to 19, Seem to Be Something Else 18 to 10w
Finding Spirits: Find Lost Object 15 to 5w, Find Path Home 16 to 2w, Search While Not Looking 17 to 3w

Practice Secret Requirements: Follower of She’hen, Identify Spirit Mother Eggs, Spirit Face
Practice Secret: Find Spirit Mother Egg ritual (This ritual imbues the practitioner with knowledge of the location of a cache of Spirit Mother Egg’s. After performing this ritual the practitioner is charged with finding the eggs or, if a shaman, can charge another ritual participant with finding them).
Fetishes: She’hen fetishes are usually bits and pieces of feathers and bright baubles used to keep the attention of the often excitable distraction and finding spirits.


Old Shaman Bones (Shamanic/Ancestor Practice)
Old Shaman Bones is a majestic spirit made of bits and pieces of the bones of the Spirit Mother mixed with the rocks of the earth and various insects that sleep below it. He keeps bits and pieces of the Spirit Mother’s spirit that he has gathered over time to give to practitioners who prove themselves worthy, making them shamans. Old Shaman Bones knows many things hidden to others, but keeps most of the information to himself. His knowledge has given him a dark outlook on life, and he largely gives bleak pronouncements to those around with them,
He teaches practitioners how to recognize the spirits of the dead, how to deal with them and how to send them to their proper places, or eat them if they get too uppity. Members are known to walk around with big bags filled with the bones of a variety creatures, which they use to ask questions of the dead. Great shamans find spirits of particularly powerful ancestors and bind them.

Entry Requirements: Membership of the Spirit Mother Tradition, Be a practitioner of the Dream Warrior Practice and have the capacity to become a shaman.
Abilities: Follower of Old Shaman Bones, Inscribe Ritual Tattoos, Mysterious Pronouncements, Old Shaman Bones Practice Knowledge, Open Spirit World, Play Drum, Read Future From Bones, Spirit Face
Virtues: Bleak, Mysterious
Practice Spirits:
Spirits of the Dead: Ancestor Spirits 13 to 1w2, Drive off Hostile Dead 18 to 12w, Eat Spirit of the Dead 20 to 10w, Impersonate Spirit of Dead 8 to 15
Bleak Knowledge spirits: Accept Futility 14 to 18, Know Doom 19 to 4w, Painful Secret 12 to 2w
Bones of the Earth spirits: Friendly Insects 9 to 17, Sleepy Earth 18 to 2w, Swim Through Earth 14 to 4w, Tough as Stone 15 to 18
Secret: Spirit Mother Bone Fetch (The shaman’s fetch appears as a carved bone representation of the shaman.
Shamanic Abilities: Secret Paths of the Dead, Shamanic Escape, Spirit World Travel
Fetishes: Old Shaman Bones fetishes are usually bones carved to represent the spirit that inhabits them.

Beyond the core practices of the Spirit Mother Tradition and the Great Mountain Dragon Tradition are a number of independent practices that represent spirits that, while not considered to be part of the general cosmology of the individual Traditions, are accepted by them. These include both regional spirits, such as Longneck, Spirit of Basura Swamp and Deathtooth, spirit of the Q’barran Jungle, spirits of the dinosaurs of the jungle such as Uzu’garak, the Scaleshifter, and Maha Garab, the Rage Lizard. In addition among scattered bands of lizard men centered around the Tower of Mrak’tabar, are a group of Lizard Men Sorcerers who study magic considered to be vile and profane by the other lizard men. They continue to exist largely due to the fear that other lizard men tribes have for them and the fact that they are far more concerned about the settlers defiling holy sites than lizard men who largely keep to themselves.

Deathtooth (Independent Practice; Jungle Spirit Practice)
Deathtooth is a great carnivorous spirit of the jungle, long of neck and sharp of teeth. He was defeated long ago by the spirit of Uzu’garak, and now he serves as a patron of the lizard men of the jungle, teaching them its secret ways and inhabitants.
Practitioners must ritually reenact the same hunt the ancient hero performed, finding a dinosaur of the jungle, killing it, and eating it to prove their personal craftiness. A number of jungle spirits serve him, particularly those of hunting beasts, insects, and the trees and jungle itself. Despite this, there are dark places and creatures whose spirits serve darker majestic spirits. These beings are dangerous even to the shamans, and can swallow the spirit of those who dare to come too near.

Entry Requirements: Must ritually hunt, kill, and eat a jungle beast; Wilderness Survival 17;
Abilities: Build Shelter From Jungle Foliage, Climb Tree, Deathtooth Practice Knowledge, Follower of Deathtooth, Spirit Face, Wilderness Survival
Virtues: Merciless, Primal, Predatory
Practice Spirits:
Hunting Spirits: Jungle Ambush 16 to 5w, Leap From Tree 13 to 18, Stalk Prey 18 to 10w, Use Trees as Camouflage 15 to 16
Insect Spirits: Distract Hungry Insect, Sleep Inside Tree, Swarm of Beetles, Tame Giant Insect
Jungle Spirits: Find Jungle Settlement 12 to 20, Fury of the Jungle 18 to 1w2, Notice Jungle Disturbance 15 to 5w, Travel Through Treetops 19 to 2w
Practice Secret Requirements: Predatory 1w2, Follower of Deathtooth 1w2, Wilderness Survival 1w2
Practice Secret: Survive in Jungle (Gives an augment equal to ¼ the Secret’s rating as a bonus for a community the practitioner is leading to survive in the jungle)

Longneck (Independent Practice; Swamp Spirit Practice)
Longneck is the aquatic spirit of the Basura Swamp, a great finned beast who moves, or crawls through the hidden places of the swamp, occasionally sticking its neck out to gaze upon the extent of the swamp itself. Longneck prizes knowledge and mysticism above all else, but only in thing related to the swamp. He knows the secret places of the swamp and how to travel them, the words that master the spirits of the birds and snakes, and how to convince the fish to come to, rather than flee, him. He teaches these secrets to those who follow him, to those who show they value knowledge as much as he does.

Entry Requirements: Must find one of the secret sites of the swamp, and inhale the fumes that escape from there; Tradition Knowledge 17
Abilities: Clarity Through Inhalants, Find Safe Path, Follower of Longneck, Hide in Marsh Pool, Longneck Practice Knowledge, Spirit Face, Wilderness Survival
Virtues: Flexible, Inquisitive, Thoughtful
Practice Spirits:
Bird Spirits: Bird’s Eye View 12 to 16, Bird Wings 15 to 17, Flee Predator 20, Fly in Flock 20 to 4w, Float to the Ground 19 to 1w
Snake Spirits: Hiss Menacingly 16 to 19, Poison Bite 19 to 6w, Swim Swiftly Through Water 18 to 4w
Swamp Spirits: Find Drinkable Water 17 to 20, Release Swamp Fumes 13 to 1w, Safe Place to Walk 19 to 4w
Practice Secret Requirements: Find Safe Path, Follower of Longneck, Longneck Practice Knowledge
Practice Secret: Secret Paths Through Swamp (The practitioner may use this secret to cut down his travel time through the swamp greatly, following the secret paths through the spirit of the swamp rather than across its surface.)

Maha Garab (Independent Practice, Rage Spirit Practice)
Lizard Man rage runs deep in Q’barra, awakening a spirit just as old and powerful as the spirits of the jungle and swamp. Maha Garab is a spirit of rage, of vengeance, a spirit of getting back at those who have wronged you in the most bloodthirsty and hurtful way possible. Practitioners are often considered to be mildly insane, and some tribes tend to socially ostracize those who become members. Others view them as sacred warriors, bringers of vengeance upon those who dare to wrong the tribe.

Entry Requirements: Open to anyone who has the strength and weapon skill needed to channel a rage spirit; 17
Abilities: Follower of Maha Garab, Maha Garab Practice Knowledge, Spirit Face, Strong
Virtues: Angry, Bloodthirsty, Vengeful
Practice Spirits:
Rage Spirits: Furious Blow 20, Ignore Hurt 13 to 19, Maddening Bellow 18 to 1w, Strength in Anger 1w to 6w
Practice Secret Requirements: Angry, Maha Garab Practice Knowledge, Strong

Uzu’garak (Independent Practice, Dinosaur Practice)
Uzu’garak is the great trickster of Q’barra, a lizard man spirit renowned for his many forms and exploits. He is known to be a master of dinosaurs, taming and tricking Clawfoots, Fastieth, and Glidewings alike, all for the benefit of himself (and to a lesser extent, other lizard men). He conquered Deathtooth, by tricking him into a trap and then killing and eating him. He learned the secrets of Longneck, and learned how to avoid the constraints of Maha Garab while proving his ways to be better then theirs.
Uzu’garak is willing to teach some of his secrets to his followers, mostly those involve capturing and taming other spirits, but keeps most of his knowledge to himself. He would rather not risk some crafty lizard men turning his own tricks against him one day. After all, he likes his skin right where it is.

Entry Requirements: Must hunt down, kill, and skin a dinosaur, taking the skin as a cloak;
Abilities: Emulate Dinosaur Noises, Follower of Uzu’garak, Lie, Uzu’garak Practice Knowledge, Spirit Face, Unexpected Attack
Virtues: Crafty, Mysterious, Witty
Practice Spirits:
Clawfoot Spirits: Claw Strike 1w to 7w, Hide in Underbrush 13 to 19, Hunt in Pack 16 to 18, Jumping Attack 16 to 2w
Fastieth Spirits: Flee Danger 19 to 1w, Leap Gap 18 to 20, Run Quickly 2w to 8w, Scent Danger 13 to 17
Glidewing Spirits: Avoid Melee 12 to 15, Land Safely 14 to 19, Fly 5w to 12w, Swooping Attack 19 to 2w
Practice Secret Requirements: Crafty, Follower of Uzu’garak, Lie
Practice Secret: Scaleshift (Can transform into a dinosaur, using the secret rating as his default ability to perform “dinosaur” actions.)

That's some awesome stuff you have there. I mean really well designed. I've been working on religions a lot lately, and I don't think my stuff is up to par with what you have here. Neat.

I think you may be wielding the term "core practice" about improperly, however; or perhaps I have been. As I understand it the idea is that each tradition has a core practice, that has no practice spirits in it, but which the tradition spirits belong. That is, the base religion keyword, with which you get the tradition spirits, and your relationship to the great spirits, which above you have listed as "The Spirit Mother Tradition" keyword, represents the core practice. The other practices of the tradition are "non-core" essentially, in that you don't have to be in them to be in the religion. "Independent" means, IIRC, completely outside of the tradition, but potentially joinable, depending on how your spirits feel about the independent spirits.

They went through a variety of campaign ideas, and finally settled on one that they all liked: playing lizard men in the jungle/swamp/settled region of Q’barra. You can imagine my sense of ironic surprise.

Hi,

Mike Holmes wrote: I think you may be wielding the term "core practice" about improperly, however; or perhaps I have been.

Hmm, I still think I'm right. See, yes, the core traditions are always the ones with the Great Spirits in them, as you have listed below. These have no practice spirits, just tradition spirits associated with them. If they did have practice spirits, then the worshippers would have to be practitioners, and you couldn't then have spiritists.

I don't have the book with me, but I don't believe that there are any practice spirits listed, for example, in the Core Practice of the SurEnslib Tradition, AKA the SurEnslib Core Practice, just the associated tradition spirits (I have my Darjiini character with me). Or any other core practice.

I think it's merely confusing. But I've done some substantial research on this, and yes, what I'm saying is that the Tradition Keyword, which is the Specialized Religion Keyword for places like Prax, is also the Core Practice. It's basically redundant, saying that you have to have the religion keyword in order to be in the religion. Rather that being in the religion is first comprised of being in a core practice.

It's like saying that a Communal Worshipper has to be in a worship community to be in the religion.

Take for example the Waha Core practice - what would one get for taking that separate from the tradition keyword? Worhship Waha? One gets that in the religion keyword, no? All that one gets for being in the core practice are the tradition charms. Which are also listed in the religion keyword.

Now, there might be exceptions - I do recall somebody saying that they weren't all treated the same even in the MRB (in fact that the tradition spirits had not been listed under the Core Practices either or somesuch). In these cases, too, it might have to do with the male/female dichotomy. But I think this is what the section on Animism says if you read it closely.

I may still be wrong, but if I am, that's a very big problem. Because I've gone to great pains to understand how animism works, and if I still don't have it at this point, I think that it's so hard to understand that most people will never get it. Actually, if I'm right, then that's a big problem, too, because it means that others aren't getting it.

Mike