Orane Regained!

[jajagappa]

After a long, arduous, often despairing trek that began upon Clayday, Deathweek, Darkseason 1617, our Orlmarth clan heroes have found their way across the Underworld and at last convinced Orane to leave the Caves of Silence and return to the land of the living! 🙂

They descended far beneath the earth following the Downward Stairs, encountered and passed Nontraya, and then Dyrrkind Deathhand opened the Door to the Underworld. It still took a sacrifice by Gavran the Yinkini of several of his nine lives for Humakt to let them pass.  Down into a great chasm of titanic monoliths, the Tombs of the Forgotten; past the Gorge of Darkness where they lost each other and faced dread fears before finding each other anew; through hellish fog and the dread Whispering Spirits that caused Dyrrkind to lose his purpose and leave his companions; across the Plains of Black Ash where they found the strange Tree of the Unborn and Garnath gained a new shadow; ever onward across the barren plains of Hell that go on and on, endlessly so, always empty, and still go on until they encountered their defeated selves; and when they came to the Fork in the Path, they took the Fork itself which turned out to have a mind of its own.

At the Blue Tower they were confronted by two doors: doors of Fate and Luck. While most passed the Door of Fate, Garnath and the faithful hunter Dargor took the Door of Luck for the former had broken an oath and the Door of Fate would certainly bring them to Babeester Gor. Those who took the Door of Fate were drawn to the court of the Maggot-Liege where they were Named, and called to stand Duty, and conduct the Trial of Rebellus Terminus. And at the end of the Trial, Rebellus Terminus knelt before the Maggot-Liege and ate of the ashes and gave the crown to the Maggot-Liege in atonement for his deeds. The heroes were charged to bring the spirit of Rebellus Terminus on to the Caves of Silence. Past the sleeping dog they crept and at last came to the gates of the Earth Queen's Hall. They passed Babeester Gor and came to the place where Orane dwelt with her grandmothers.

Meanwhile, Garnath and Dargor made their way through another pair of doors and came to the Chamber of the Bells, the Hold of JA'NEBBUM. There they chose the golden bell and awoke the Guardian of Fire even as the Chamber collapsed about them. Still they found the other gate, and opened it with blood, to free themselves and the Guardian of Fire. While the Guardian went one way, they took the dark path and came to the Room of Chance. Garnath wagered his Movement and died, yet his companion, a demon of darkness, took Garnath's body for his own and wagered to save Garnath's spirit and give it a new body, so that Garnath became someone new: !Garnath, a fluid figure now with the power of Water. Not content, !Garnath wagered to save his long-lost companion Dyrrkind, and succeeded! And with Dyrrkind returned they, too, passed into the Caves of Silence and rejoined their companions.

There before Ty Kora Tek and Asrelia, the heroes at last convinced Orane to return to the Orlmarth. And Dyrrkind wagered his Dead Hand for a reach into the Dancing Jar, and caught the Dancing Jar not once but twice! He gained the Pot of Plentiful Porridge and the Sheaf of Seeds for his clan, and for his efforts gained a boon from blessed Orane granting his other hand the power of Vitality. With Orane regained, they at last begin the climb out of the Underworld to return home.

And for anyone interested in the whole tale, the HQG PbF adventure is here: The Orlmarth Campaign: the Quest for Orane

 

Edited December 19, 2019 by jajagappa

[jajagappa]

This was, of course, the conclusion of the scenario outlined in the HQG book. 

All the characters were changed in some way by the quest, or the powers of the Underworld, but that seemed very fitting. One died, but was restored to life. One was lost, but returned through the wager of his companion. One was marked (physically) by Darkness - multiple times!  

And we have yet to see/learn what the consequences of their quest will be, though Orane has returned and they gained a pair of bountiful gifts for the clan (though no guardians!). But having Rebellus Terminus knell and atone before the Maggot-Liege will definitely have some reflection in the mortal world.

[Oracle]

And what a ride it was!

It all started more than five years ago (real time, not game time 😉) with the Harvest Games ... (Earth Season 1617)

After going through the Harvest Games (several adventures included) at the end of the festival the Orlmarth were attacked, which led to Orane fleeing into the Underworld - that happened more than four year ago (again real time).

While searching for a solution of how to find and return Orane I entered the fray, taking over an already existing character nearly three years ago ...

Since then we've fought Lunars, visited the Otherworld as well as the Underworld and in the end solved our task ... but certainly not unchanged.

This was so much more than just the introductory scenario from Heroquest Glorantha.

Thanks, Harald (aka @jajagappa), for this extraordinary experience!

Edited December 19, 2019 by Oracle