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Created On 23 September 2001
Last Updated On 23 September 2001

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# Ronance Quests

Ronance was the God of Movement in Genert's Garden. He travelled through the Garden and through the Forest of Prax, between the Oases and Genert's cities. He often set off on a journey and visited several places on the way. At each place, he stopped and paid homage to those that ruled there.

Many of the journeys have been forgotten, but many survive, some as fragments in local stories, some as complete HeroQuests. Some journeys visit places that no longer exist or that have changed since the Green Age, but Ronance remembers how they were and behaves accordingly.

Each of Ronance's Journeys are different, but they all share a common structure. The Stations normally consist of:

- Preparing the Chariot
- Travel From (A) to (B) (Many Stations)
- Visiting Places (Many Stations)
- Disembarkation

The Journey normally takes a day to complete, but some Stations may involve deeds that take several days to complete, so Quests that include those Stations may take longer. Some GMs may prefer to say that each Station takes a day, thus making the Journeys longer, but still faster than normal travel.

## Stations

### Preparing the Chariot

This Station involves getting Ronance's Chariot ready. Typically, the Questor harnesses his draft beasts, arms his bodyguards and dons armour. Questors may enhance each stage, perhaps by using magical beasts, arms or armour, perhaps to use other HeroQuest Stations to produce special powers.

For instance, some Questors have gained the Copper Scythes that they can attach to the Chariot Wheels, others have the Unbreakable Wheels, others have Untiring Beasts. Each variant will have an effect on the Chariot later on in the Quest. The Questor must also gain Genet's Blessing for permission to leave and to cross his lands.

### Travelling Stations

These involve travelling through the Green Age, between two places. Normally the landscape is that of the Plains of Prax, the Forest of Prax or the Gardens of Genert, depending on the start and end points of the Station and also depending on what Ronance encountered when he first performed the Journey. Sometimes, the Questors will pass through the Blasted Lands, Oakfed's Heart or Seolinthur's Sea, but these stations are quite rare.

Questors often meet others on these Travelling Stations, the people met depend on the Station being performed, so anyone travelling to or from Tada's High Tumulus will meet the Tada-Ni, those travelling to the Red Wood will meet Aldryami warriors. These encounters may be hostile and may be friendly, depending on the original tale and coloured by the HeroQuestor and his encounters. As a rule of thumb, encounters with Earth are friendly, those with Darkness, Storm or Chaos are hostile, those with Water and Fire/Sky are neutral.

The Questors may also meet personal opponents who have HeroQuested against them, and these may affect the outcome of an encounter. For instance, Ronance met Gagarth's Fury when travelling from Storm Bull's Tent to Monkey City to tell Monkey to return Storm Bull's tail otherwise Storm Bull would box his ears, and Gagarth broke his axle and made one of his beasts lame, but Orlanthi allies of the Questor may perform the Gagarth's Fury Quest and may decide not to attack, instead accepting a gift from Ronance. Similarly, Ronance met Aldryami when travelling to the Red Wood and was allowed to pass when he gave them a Golden Flower, but if the Questors had angered or made enemies of the Aldryami then they may be refused passage if their enemies had Quested to be the Red Copper Guardians.

Sometimes the Travelling Stations meet obstacles that can trap or damage the Chariot. If the Chariot is destroyed or disabled then the Quest is effectively over as the Magic Road cannot continue without a Chariot. Some Questors may be able to repair the Chariot, replace draft beasts or whatever, but this would be unusual and would normally require special abilities or the use of Stations or Quests beyond those normally known.

Where the Travelling Stations travel through strange terrain, enterprising Questors may be able to leave the Quest and enter a new Quest using the special landscape. So, a Questor crossing Seolinthur's Ford may choose to travel upstream along the Seolinthur River as part of a new Quest. Once again, this is an advanced form of HeroQuest and is not normally performed.

### Visiting Places

Ronance visited many places on his Journeys, some still exist, others have changed and still more have been destroyed. At each place, Ronance stopped, greeted the Rulers of that place and paid homage to the Rulers and Denizens of the place and to the people he met there.

The Questors must also pay homage to the ruler and denizens of each of the places that they visit. The rulers are quite well known to the cult of Ronance and certain people fulfil the ritual roles whenever Ronance Questors arrive. The Questors normally perform a ritual, make sacrifices, give gifts, perform deeds, take part in challenges, assist the denizens or perform some other well known task. Ronance sometimes met with unexpected obstacles and had to something different on those Journeys, so the actions to be performed may differ on certain Quests. For instance, when Ronance visited the Sleeping City before Tada had been killed, he took part in the Feast of Friendship and befriended the Seventeen Daughters and Three Sons, but when he visited it after Tada had been buried, he took part in the Feast of Ashes and drank from the Chalice of Pain.

Some of the places that Ronance visited no longer exist. However, they may still be visited on his Magic Road Quests. Several Journeys are made to Genert's Hall, some to Tada's Hall, at least one to Monkey's Tower and to Condor's Nest. These are very useful Quests to outsiders for they allow access to these lost places that few other cults may reach. Sometimes Ronance Quests are performed by outsiders who wish to reach these places as friends.

### Disembarkation

When Ronance arrived at his destination, he normally thanked the ruler of the destination place and asked for leave to finish his Journey. Sometimes this was a formality, others times it involved a contest or a battle. Ronance then unharnessed and groomed his draft beasts, thanked and rewarded his retainers and sacrificed to Genert to thank him for the safe Journey. The Questors must also expect to perform similar acts in order to end the Quest successfully. They will then leave and can either return to the normal plane or continue on another HeroQuest from that point.

Occasionally, Questors will try to attempt Disembarkation early, to halt the Quest at another place than was originally intended. This can be quite difficult as the process of asking the Rulers permission to leave is quite different to the process of passing through. So, passing through the Monkey King's City involves gifting him with something that he has never been given before, but Disembarking involves mating with each of his 99 daughters and 99 sons.

## Notes

1. There are very few people who belong to Ronance's Cult and even fewer who have knowledge of his HeroQuests. The majority of these reside at the Paps and occasionally hire out their services. For this reason, Ronance Magic Roads are rare.

2. Most HeroQuestors of Ronance only know a few Quests, so they are not guaranteed to know a Quest linking two particular points. However, Ronance did make many Journeys and some of his Quests are known by Demigods, Heroes or Spirits, and these may be obtained by enterprising HeroQuestors.

3. Travelling Stations may be substituted or added to in order to change the Magic Road, but these can have unforeseen consequences. For instance the Quest "Ronance and the Green Woman" has Ronance travelling from Genert's Hall to Sun Hawk's Nest where he gains a Golden Feather, then he travels to Tourney Altar where he makes an enemy, then to the Red Wood where he meets the Green Woman and exchanges the Golden Feather for a Copper Flower that contains a refreshing nectar drink. The Quest "Ronance and the Copper Soldiers" starts at the Sleeping City where Ronance awakens the Copper Warriors, travels to Tourney Altar where he wins Copper Axes for them, then travels to the Paps where he gives the Copper Warriors to the residents to guard sleeping Eiritha. These Quests may be combined to travel from the Sleeping City to Red Wood via Tourney Altar. However, when he reaches Red Wood and meets the Green Woman he has no Golden Feather to give as a gift and risks frightening her with the fearsome Copper Warriors. He must think of a way to finish the Quest without making an enemy of the Green Woman, perhaps by giving her the Copper Warriors as her bodyguard.

## Sample Quests

These are only simple sketches and have not been fleshed out, but should give an idea of the types of Quest that I have in mind for Ronance.

### Ronance and the Green Woman

Genert's Hall - Sun Hawk's Nest - Tourney Altar - Red Wood - Genert's Hall.

#### Preparing the Chariot

Standard preparations, normally prepared at Genert's Hall, situated within the Copper Sands.

Ronance is ill and seeks aid for his illness. The Earth Witch tells him that the Green Woman of the Red Wood has a drink that will cure him, but she will only give him the drink in return for a Golden Feather.

#### Leaving Genert's Hall

Ronance asks Genert for permission to go and seek a cure for his illness. Genert agrees as long as he asks the Green Woman to give Genert one of her daughters for a bride. Ronance promises that he will do this, thanks him and leaves.

#### Genert's Hall to Sun Hawk's Nest

Ronance meets the Daughters of Genert and dallies with them for a while, saying that he is going to bring back a new Sister for them. He gives them each a gift and enjoys their company.

Ronance meets the Flock of Birds who fly around him until he is dizzy and almost passes out because of his illness, but he says he is visiting the Sun Hawk and they fly ahead of him, showing him the way.

#### Sun Hawk's Nest

Ronance greets Sun Hawk and sends greetings from his master, Genert. He explains his mission and asks for a Golden Feather to give to the Green Woman. Sun Hawk gladly gives him a Golden Feather, but asks him first to travel to Tourney Altar and to pass a message to the Golden Warrior who is staying there for a while. Ronance gladly agrees and leaves.

#### Sun Hawk's Nest to Tourney Alter

Ronance meets the Bad Flock who offer to guide him to Tourney Altar and instead fly towards the Wastes, but Ronance knows the Forest here and knows that he is being misled. He reaches a thick clump of trees and evades the Bad Flock.

Ronance meets the Iron Man and travels with him to Tourney Altar. The two become friends and the Iron Man teaches Ronance's Bodyguard how to throw the Curved Dagger.

#### Tourney Altar

Ronance greets the Rulers here and finds Iron Man amongst them. He pays homage to them and asks after the Golden Warrior. He passes out from his illness before he can give the message to the Golden Warrior and finds that the Golden Warrior has left upon his awakening. The Golden Warrior will be his enemy from then onwards.

#### Tourney Altar to Red Wood

Ronance meets the Copper Guardians who guard the approaches to Red Wood and asks them for permission to pass and meet the Green Woman. They agree, for he is a friend of the Earth, and do not even charge him for they know him from before.

#### Red Wood

Ronance meets the Green Woman and explains his problem. He gives her the Golden Feather and receives the Copper Flower filled with nectar that cures him of his dizziness when he drinks it. He asks her for her daughter to be Genert's Bride and she gives him one of her daughters.

Ronance thanks the Council of Elders for their hospitality and pays homage to Aldrya and her kin, offering to take one of them on a Journey if they require it.

#### Red Wood - Genert's Hall

Ronance and the Green Daughter travel to Genert's Hall and they grow fond of each other, enjoying each other's company.

They meet the Playful Giants who challenge Ronance to a contest of Arts which he loses and agrees to take the Giants on a Journey at another time.

#### Disembarkation

Ronance greets Genert and gives thanks for his return. Genert receives the Green Daughter and smells that she has given herself to Ronance, but he is not concerned, for his wives have had many husbands. Genert allows Ronance to end his Journey at Genert's Hall.

### Ronance and the Copper Soldiers

Sleeping City - Tourney Altar - Paps

#### Preparing the Chariot

Ronance wants to travel to the Paps and to provide some assistance in guarding Eiritha, who lies sleeping beneath the Earth.

He makes his standard preparations, including anointing his Bodyguard and harnessing the Beasts.

#### Sleeping City

Ronance takes part in the Feast of Ashes and drinks from the Chalice of Pain, surviving the bitter poison. As a reward for this, he asks for three of the Copper Warriors that guard Tada's High Tumulus. He awakens the Copper Warriors and leads them down to his Chariot, but there is no room for the Warriors and his Bodyguard, so he asks the Bodyguard to remain behind, but the Bodyguard asks for the Copper Warriors' axes in compensation.

#### Sleeping City - Tourney Altar

Ronance and the Copper Warriors meet the Dust Devils who try and confuse him, blinding him to the way forward, but he perseveres and the Copper Warriors catch them and hide them under a rock.

#### Tourney Altar

Ronance pays homage to his friend Iron Man who rules Tourney Altar. He asks to engage in one of the contests to gain Copper Axes for his companions and wins the Axes in the Chariot Race, using the Copper Scythes that he has kept secretly.

#### Tourney Altar - Paps

Ronance meets one of the Chaos Bullocks and leads it into a hidden place where he can kill it without being seen. The Copper Warriors use their Copper Axes and Ronance uses the Copper Scythes to cut the Chaos Bullock into pieces.

#### Paps

Ronance greets the Priestesses of the Earth and gives the Copper Warriors to them to help guard Eiritha while she sleeps.

#### Disembarkation

Ronance asks for permission to rest here and sleeps beside the Priestesses, guarded by the Copper Warriors.

### Ronance and Storm Bull's Tail

Storm Bull's Tent - Monkey City - Condor Rocks - Storm Bull's Tent

#### Storm Bull's Tent

The Monkey King has stolen Storm Bull's Tail and the Bull is unhappy. Eiritha says to stay behind and send Ronance to tell the Monkey King to return Storm Bull's Tale. Storm Bull tells Ronance to go and tell Monkey King that Storm Bull will box his ears if he does not return the tail.

#### Preparing the Chariot

Ronance takes the normal steps, but also asks for three sacks, one containing the Testicles of the Stone Bull, one containing the Horns of the Silver Cow and one containing Storm Bull's Breath.

#### Storm Bull's Tent - Monkey City

Ronance is met by Gagarth's Fury and is attacked. His axle is broken and one of his draft beasts legs is broken before he can throw the Stone Bull's Testicles at Gagarth's head and drive him off. Ronance repairs the axle using the Silver Cow's Horns and sets off again.

#### Monkey City

Ronance relays Storm Bull's message to the Monkey King, but he answers that he only took the Tail to keep the Biting Flies away and that when the Biting Flies followed Condor, he gave the Tail to Condor to help him. He agreed to let Ronance go if he gave the Monkey King a gift that he had never seen before. Ronance opened the bag containing Storm Bull's Breath and the Monkey King was tossed around and beaten black and blue by the Breath. The Monkey King only escaped by leaving his own tail behind, which Ronance took with him.

#### Monkey City - Condor Rocks

Ronance met the Stone Bullock who was angry and hostile. Ronance told him where to find a bag with the Stone Testicles nearby and the Stone Bullock went away.

#### Condor Rocks

Ronance finds Condor trying to drive away the Biting Flies with Storm Bull's Tail, but to no avail. Ronance greets him and helps to drive away the Biting Flies with Monkey's Tail, then exchanges Storm Bull's Tail for the Monkey King's Tail.

#### Condor Rocks - Storm Bull's Tent

Ronance meets the Stone Bull who offers to help pull the Chariot as the Silver Horns have come away and the wounded draft beast can walk no further.

#### Storm Bull's Tent

Ronance thanks Storm Bull for his hospitality and return his tail to him. Storm Bull gives Ronance the Stone Bull to replace the draft beast that he has lost and the two become firm friends.

#### Disembarkation

Ronance unharnesses the Stone Bull and the other draft beasts. He thanks Genert for his help.

[End]