jajagappa

They all follow the path of the Dead. See SKoH p.346: Trolls, broo, beast men, and every other mortal race join the Dead. All are united in death and silence, for none speak or quarrel. They all parade with a common purpose and goal: to reach Havan Vor, the Court of Silence. Undoubtedly some fail to cross the River of Swords or the Ferryman's Boat for they lack the coin of passage and are doomed to be ghosts forever congregating by the shores of the River Styx. Any who have broken oaths will be shredded, devoured, forgotten, etc. and never reach the Court of Silence. Those who reach the Court of Silence are judged. Their gods (including the Chaos Gods presumably) may speak for them. The afterlife varies. Some of this originally noted in Cults of Terror and reprinted in Cults Compendium (and presumably will see updated versions in Gods of Glorantha). Undoubtedly many are just reabsorbed into the primordial muck of the Font of Chaos. And some are obliterated, like the souls of vampires (or those devoured by the Crimson Bat). Mallia’s faithful know there will be no reincarnation for their spirits, and that all they can hope for is a safe eternity in Hell. Dead Initiates in the cult may be kept for a time as a spirit of disease before they, too, gain the final rest. Thed’s worshippers become demons of chaos after they die, and spend their time hunting the souls of those unprotected by their own deities. The demons will be scouts for the forces of chaos in the Final Battle. When a Thanatari lies dying, the Gatherer of Souls (one of many subservient cult spirits) appears to the stricken cultist and guides his or her soul to the Place of Waiting-reputedly that part of Hell where Hrothmir separated the head and body of Tien. After completing a term of service as a guardian, the spirit returns to the Place of Waiting once gain to bide till the day when the forces of chaos engage the gods in the final battle.

Yes. A good example in SKoH p.180 is Dorasa the Cat-witch: Dorasa is a notorious thief and bandit, but is as famed for her dark beauty as for her crimes. She is said to have many lovers including at least one Sartarite king and a senior Lunar general who has been tasked with capturing her! Dorasa is a devotee of Yinkin and often takes the form of a large black shadowcat. I don't know that it would be 'left-handed'. It's more their ability to utilize the natural surroundings to blend in, hide, transform their self, etc. Also the ability to cheat death (aka nine lives).

Nothing like an elf arm to get the fire really blazing!

Probably better to say you can turn any story into a Heroquest. Yes, there are a lot of stories/myths that connect to the descent into the Underworld and return from. That is what Spring/New Year is about - the rebirth of the world from the Dead - so quests to return with a New Seed (the great elf quest of the Hero Wars), a new light, fire, a new form of Death, etc. all work as Underworld quests. Myths are stories that interact with the fabric and archetypes of the world. They have obstacles, some of which you are supposed to win, some fail. Following the story leads you to the potential of the story/myth. Winning where you are supposed to lose alters the story and the myth - likely the real benefit of the myth is lost. Whether what you get instead, if anything, is of the same value or not is something that will ripple through you, your supporters, your clan.

Well, certainly could be an ogre witch!... But other options with variants on the story: Ty Kora Tek priestess - scary old hag, her cottage borders upon the urnfield (or barrows, or mausoleum, or necropolis); there are restless ghosts of children that won't stay silent - they long for playmates; Hansel and Gretel arrive at a convenient time; and if Ty Kora Tek has decreed that their Fated time is up... Asrelia priestess - the Earth was robbed, robbed by greedy Lunars, treacherous Sartarites, etc.; two special blessings were stolen by someone from a nearby clan, blessings bestowed upon Hansel and Gretel by their ambitious father/mother; now Asrelia wants her treasures back; Asrelia has instructed her priestess well - bake a pair of gingerbread loaves in the likeness of the children, let the children breathe their essence into the loaves, and send the loaves back to the clan as a warning; Asrelia will take the children into her Hut where they will spend their days until Fate cuts their threads, and Asrelia can keep the blessings once more.

As @Joerg noted, any quest into the Underworld is a HeroQuest. To go there, you must enter the Land of the Dead. Returning from Death is heroic and not to be taken lightly. It's different than going underground, say into the Caves of Chaos in Snakepipe Hollow. To go into Snakepipe Hollow, you simply need to travel there, enter the caves, reach your goal, and come back out (hopefully alive and not hideously transformed by Chaos). To enter the Underworld usually requires a ritual crossing from a sacred/holy starting point (there are some exceptions - if you fall into the Hell Crack in Pent or sail down Magasta's Whirlpool you will eventually land in the Underworld). Orlanthi use either the myth of the Lightbringer's Quest (or pieces of it), travelling west to the Gates of Dusk, getting Rausa the goddess of Dusk to open the gates for you, and then descending the spiral stairs; or the myth of Orlanth's Ring where Storm Home disappears from the Sky and appears in the Underworld. Ernalda/Earth worshippers use the myth of Ernalda's Sleep where she falls into endless sleep (think Sleeping Beauty), but is carried down through the Earth Temple to the Neverending Stairs and then past Nontraya until you variously reach the Caverns of Silence, Asrelia's Hut, or some similar border between Earth and Darkness. Humakti of the Lismelder tribe can use the Six Stones HeroQuest to enter the Underworld. Other cults have other myths. To enter the Underworld means that you effectively die. You and your soul have left the world of the living. The myths give you ways to move through the Underworld, even if it is the world of nightmare and the unconscious. To rescue Hofstaring, you must reach the Court of Judgment. And there you must make the demand to enter the Deeper Hell beyond the Adamant Gates. These rather proscribed actions, "stations" or "steps" of the myth, are key parts to making them a HeroQuest, part of the mythic cycle. The HeroQuest challenge is an opportunity to enforce or reinforce a specific step in the story and gain a greater boon or benefit. Perhaps your Orlanthi Heroquester gains an extra power against the Sun worshippers (which then is available in both the real world and in subsequent HeroQuests). Lots of possibilities here. Maybe he gains the blessing of Resurrection! (or Self-Resurrection). But it's still part of the greater quest which is to bring a great treasure for the benefit of the world out of the Underworld (Orlanth brought back the Sun, Yelm brought back Justice, etc.).

Priestesses of Ty Kora Tek or Asrelia, either one works fine! Or a Witch of Jakaleel if you prefer a Lunar version.

Across 40 years time, there's a lot of stuff. A challenge in responding can be trying to ascertain whether the question is: 1) simply a desire for ideas; 2) looking to get as close to canon as possible so that the next published stuff won't contradict what you're doing in your game; 3) understand different or diverging threads about a concept, culture, place, etc. All benefit from including a reference (source and page), though it has the downside of looking a bit "footnoted", particularly those sources that we know Jeff et al are actively using (generally starting with the Guide). I think Ellie put it well: Keep deep lore out of newbie threads. And a corollary to that is: Assume it's not looking for deep lore unless the poster indicates so. 

Agree. Irrelevant for a one-shot, or getting any campaign underway. Yep. Definitely agree. Agree, keep it focused on a bit of Glorantha summary, and getting going in the adventure. Definitely!

To keep it simpler at the start, particularly running the Apple Lane scenario, I'd suggest using: Harmast (leader, good mix of skills), Vasana (Orlanthi warrior), Yanioth (healer and earth magics, good counter to spirits), Vostor (muscle), and Nathem (scouting, tracking). If you want Sorola (knowledge/lore, some combat), I'd suggest using the Quickstart version with spirit magic rather than the GM Screen pack version with sorcery, simply to focus on the two types of magic rather than three. Introduce Glorantha - basics of the world. Basics of skills (d100, basic rolls, resistance rolls, opposed rolls). Everything whether normal skills, magical skills, combat uses those basics. Runes & passions, inspirations & augments. Their individual personalities and the ability to boost your basic skills with these. Spirit magic and Rune magic. Everyone knows some magic. Spirit magic is quick, short, but gives some basic boosts. Rune magic is stronger, more powerful, more dramatic. Review their character choices in light of these. Introduce the setting, and get underway.

Yes. Mythic quests are typically at one of two levels (possibly both): the communal, which is what you're noting; or the individual (you, acting as your god, seek to follow his/her footsteps and gain the benefits they did, and likely take on their flaws as a consequence).

Slightly out of order. Sequence is: Full Moon - Wildday Full Half - Godsday Crescent Going - Freezeday Dying - Waterday Black Moon - Clayday Crescent Coming - Windsday Empty Half - Fireday

Because Glorantha is a world where myths are real and it is important to reinforce the myths, sometimes in This World, sometimes in the Other World, in order to keep Chaos at bay (as well as other things). Consider Christmas. Every year, millions of people reenact/retell the same story. We put lights on trees to keep the Darkness at bay. We celebrate a rebirth within the world. We see gifts brought to honor the birth. We call for the Sun to return and fight back winter and the ice. Most years that is enough. But some years the omens are bad. Some years, more is necessary. Some years, you must cross over and enter the myth. The omens say the Hell Mother is coming this year to devour the lights, to eat the newborn/reborn one. You must be there to drive her off, or to ensure that the three wise women arrive with the gifts and blessings, etc. And if you fail, your community is in for a very, very bad year. This is more than just going to Jonstown to the market, or going to Snakepipe Hollow to kill some Chaos and maybe return with a treasure. This is interacting with the myths that define you, your community, your relationships with the gods, and reinforce your belief in how the world does or ought to work. The HQG core book has one: the quest to restore Orane, the Earth Goddess, who fled from the world in the midst of your holy day rituals when enemies attacked. It's a quest into the Underworld to convince the goddess to return and bring life/fertility/harmony back to your community (for without her, the fabric of your community is unraveling). The Eleven Lights has another which is to go into the Underworld, find three dead stars, then bring them all the way to the Crown of Heaven to resurrect/relight them. The heroquest in SKoH is the rescue of a soul trapped in another goddess' Hell. Most of the Underworld quests have common elements: descent into Hell via some path; crossing Hell through a world of nightmare and trials to reach the place where the dead soul/spirit is; rescuing/recovering the soul/spirit; then returning. This is very much along the lines of Joseph Campbell's basic mythic outline in a Hero With a Thousand Faces. The Eleven Lights also has the myth to Gain the Red Cows. In this one, the heroes cross over to the Otherworld and follow the mythic path to reach the Giant's Stead, outwit the Giant, and Steal the Cows to bring back to your clan. Pavis Gateway to Adventure has the myth of the Emperor Naming the Gods. The heroes are thrust into this somewhat against their will as among the foes who will be named. If they fail, they are effectively thrust into a Lunar Hell and the powers of their gods are diminished. If they succeed, their gods are strengthened. There are varied places where other myths are described, though not necessarily in scenario form: the Slaying of the Sun by the Storm God; the End of the Green Age (aka Innocence); the Coming of Death; the Birth and the Banishment of Drought; the Survival of Light through the Great Darkness; etc.

Let them pass through Greydog territory to go to or from Runegate, or the Upland Marsh. Vouch for them at some point in the future. Of course, that's assuming they don't accuse the Colymar of having killed the victims.

My campaign does. And I haven't seen anything yet of the Heroquesting of the GM Sourcebook.

A GM can fairly readily follow the story and add in or around it without much difficulty - it really depends on if you want to pursue it or not, but it's a solid outline if you want to use it (or connect it/characters as passing events in your own). I've already used the Battle of the Queens story to frame that as a short interim piece in my game.

Yeah, you definitely don't want to be in that situation. It's exactly like the "Tough" example in HQG.

Not without hitting Nearly Impossible as the default resistance for many activities. It will not be good for all challenges. Yes, that's their focus. Beast and Storm. A bull's fertility powers definitely fit. But if someone is sick and needs healing, call the CA healer. (Of course the Storm Bull can intimidate the healer into helping. Or can be the one sent through the battle to bring the healer back. Etc.) Don't put that out of the question, though. He might Intimidate the rivals to accept a peace. Maybe refuses to aid either side against Chaos until they achieve peace. Maybe challenges all to a Drinking Bout - the loser has to accept peace. These might be Very High Difficulty - unusual but possible.

I would not be surprised if this turns out to be the method by which the Loskalmi defeat the KoW. Sounds like something we've heard before... where could that be... oh, Dorastor! What better Man-of-All than a Nysaloran!

It was printed by Unspoken Word (as were a few other publications). Effectively a fanzine, though of good quality. Those ceased publication by 2005 and are not available through any site/store. eBay likely the only source.

Yes, and their focus is the Janube Valley, perhaps with a goal to unite with Carmania vs. the Lunar Empire.

No, I believe Loskalm and Seshnela are on two distinct tracks. The Serpent Crown is clearly associated with the Seshnelan expansion. The three kingdoms might be Seshnela (probably Tanisor specifically), Arolanit, and some part of Ralios (Naskorion most likely). The Black Dragon Pictoglyphs all suggest this action is going on in the Seshnela/Ralios area, not Fronela. 13. An Uzko and four Men, each marked as Arkat, fight against a King of Men wearing a Serpent Crown, his Blue Sorcerers, and Stone Men. This is Seshnelan king vs. Ralios backed by his zzaburi + the dwarfs. This should tie into Guilmarn's campaigns as noted in GtG p.424: Once Seshnela is unified, Guilmarn turns his attention to Ralios and Fronela. The king launches an even greater invasion of Ralios with the goal to exterminate all Arkati. The Arkati strike back, with unexpected magic and new Heroquesting secrets. 14. The Serpent Crown is on the ground, fought over by Men. The Arkats wear a collective crown but fight amongst themselves. Presumably the Seshnelan king dies, and now it is fought over. 15. A Man carrying a sword, a woodsman’s axe, and casting sorcery couples with the Snake Goddess and receives the Serpent Crown from three kingdoms. Stone Men guard the scene. New figure receives the Serpent Crown. Sword, axe, and sorcery could be the symbols of the three kingdoms. The dwarfs are allies here. Snake goddess should be Seshna Lakita. 16. The Arkats flee from the Serpent Crown king and his Stone Men who shoot fire from sticks. They flee to a Storm King who breathes fire. Arkats go and join Ardinyar Kocholangsson in Otkorion. [He is noted in KoS p.27: In the third direction, Argrath got the help of Ardinyar Kocholangsson, Lord of the Seven Storms and King of Ralios. He had been sent by Orlanth and brought the Storm Dragon.]

Well, that does force them into some interesting roleplaying situations!

Based on what's available, that is correct. Somewhere there was a note that Loskalm basically must become as warlike ("evil") as the Kingdom of War to defeat it. In 1628, Charg is freed from the ban. Likely Loskalm attempts to conquer the Janube valley cities (including the Arrolian Properties) and then confront Charg. The King of the West at this point should be the King of Loskalm. The King of Seshnela is busy conquering Ralios and fighting the Arkats. There may be Elf Reforestation across Fronela during the late 1630s or early 1640s. Around 1644, the Red Emperor retakes Carmania, then marches west to regain the Arrolian Properties, defeats (and probably kills) the King of the West, and sacks Sog City. And then by end of the 1640s & early 1650's things get really bad. The Great Winter comes, and then the Flood comes (and what Prince Snodal tried to stop comes true after all). Should be defeated by Loskalm, but perhaps Loskalm effectively becomes the Kingdom of War in defeating it. Tribute. Someone's got to pay for the War against War. Should be Fronelan at this point. Seshnelans are busy with their own war. And also remember that there is the opening the gate of Banir. I.e. Chaos emerges/returns in various forms.

Although if it is one that reflects a conditional restriction, I'd impose the next higher-level restriction. E.g. Never eat the meat of birds; I'd now make it: Never eat any meat.