A mask for Issaries or Donandar

[Mark Mohrfield]

I'm preparing to send my players into the HeroQuest presented in Pavis: Gateway to Adventure scenario Red Moon Rising. I've managed a pretty good match for all the characters except the Issaries/Donandar worshiper. Does anyone have any ideas for what the appearance, Lunar names, Goals, and Secrets of such a mask would be?

[metcalph]

Hyraos the Harper (Gods Wall II-18 shown on Guide p674 and description p675) is probably the best for Donandar.

Issaries would be best represented by Lokarnos who is one of the Ten Planets on the wall but known by a different name then.

[JonL]

Issaries wasn't a rebel god as such, but he does have movement in common with several of the masks. Lokarnos is mentioned among the other gods present. It would be neat to have your PC come in with with the horse mask and somehow use movement to take trade from Lokarnos somehow.

[Mark Mohrfield]

57 minutes ago, JonL said:

Issaries wasn't a rebel god as such, but he does have movement in common with several of the masks. Lokarnos is mentioned among the other gods present. It would be neat to have your PC come in with with the horse mask and somehow use movement to take trade from Lokarnos somehow.

Unfortunately, the character lacks the movement Rune. He has Water, Communication and Harmony.

[Charles]

7 hours ago, Mark Mohrfield said:

Unfortunately, the character lacks the movement Rune.

One indirect rune should be enough. If I remember, the masks were created to strait-jacket Orlanthi worshippers by trying to impose the Lunar/Darra Happan understanding of their rebel gods on the roles of the Orlanthi gods. The Lunars explicitly want them to be adopted by Orlanthi and this allows the maks to be subverted by the powerful/smart/daring/lucky/PCs (strike as appropriate 😉 ),

regards,
Charles

 

[soltakss]

The beauty of HeroQuests is that you don't have to match exactly. In fact, sometimes you barely have to match at all. Bituran varosh was forced to play Orlanth in the Three Strikes of Anger HeroQuest in Cults of Prax, but he was an Issaries worshipper, so just being a Lightbringer was enough to step in.

HeroQuesting, in my opinion, is far more about what you do than what you should be.

I know that people say that you are emulating your deity and that you need to follow the HeroQuest exactly, otherwise bad things will happen, but I've been running and playing HeroQuesting for over 30 years and nothing bad has happened to me.

Lacking the Movement Rune is not great for a Carting deity, but fine for a Trading deity. use another rune instead, look at what runes the PC has and use them in creative ways.

HeroQuests should be dynamic, flexible things, not robotic railroads.

[jajagappa]

19 hours ago, Mark Mohrfield said:

He has Water, Communication and Harmony.

Sounds like the Oslira mask to me.  The Oslir is the great waterway of Dara Happa and serves to connect the cities together (including the passage of trade).  Another plus with Oslira is that she is in Row 4 of the Gods Wall, so naturally gets thrown into the Pit with the Rebel Gods.  And the mask for her already exists.

IV-1. Oslira: Goddess of the River. She is one of the Four Great Nurturers of Dara Happa.

Another option is Entekos.  As a god of calm air, she has Harmony.  As a bringer of clouds, she provides gentle rains.  You could say that as an air goddess she provides communication between Sky and Earth.  

II-1. Entekos: The Goddess of the Right Air. Her clothing is the winds and clouds. She is also called Goddess of Calm, Lady of the Summer Air, Mother of Moons, Queen of the Air, and Star 64.

Regarding the appearance, Lunar names, Goals, and Secrets of such a mask for Entekos:  a calm face, clouds for hair, perhaps rain/tears streaming from eyes or mouth.  Lunar names noted above.  The Entekosiad also notes High Goddess of Virtue.  Goals:  to marry Yelm; to be proclaimed Mistress of All Air; to receive the treasures of Orlanth; to bring everlasting calm to the Air.  Secrets:  satisfied if the Emperor grants her power over some of the Air and takes her as a love.

Possibly you could cast the Issaries initiate as the Handsome Grinner. 

Lokarnos was noted, but Lokarnos is much more bound to the Solar ways.  However, maybe its an opportunity to prove Lokarnos is simply the Wagon of Issaries!

 

22 hours ago, Mark Mohrfield said:

Donandar worshiper

The easiest fit of existing Masks is the Hare God since Donandar has the Illusion Rune.    

Hyraos is kin to Donandar, so probably the best fit from the Gods Wall.

II-18. Hyraos: God of Harpers. He holds a harp. When the harmony of the universe was being learned, Hyraos brought music to us.  

Regarding appearance, etc.: a beautiful, clean-shaven face probably gilded and an open mouth for singing.  God of Harpers, Truevoice, Son of Dance, Child of Song, Voice of the Celestial Choir, the Stately Dancer.  Goals: to lead the Celestial Choir, to orchestrate the Dance of the Heavens, to win the Golden Lyre.  Secrets:  satisfied if acknowledged as a Son of the Heavens and a gift from Yelm.