                     The Quest of the White Horses

                     Copyright 1997 by Peter Maranci

     The White Horse HeroQuest is based on wild conjecture about 
elements of the excerpt of "A History of My Black Horse Troop" which 
was published many years ago in Chaosium's RuneQuest Companion.  
It's not necessary to have read that article to run or play the 
scenario, but it would probably enhance the adventure.  

     This Quest focuses on social interaction, imagination, and 
negotiation. As such, the GM must make on-the-fly responses to 
unexpected PC actions. In some cases potential actions are suggested, 
but it is both likely and desirable that the PCs will not follow a 
rigid path of action. The playtest party's actions are noted in 
[brackets] to show possible results.

Starting Hook

     Players may be inspired to attempt this quest by finding a 
section of "A History of My Black Horse Troop", written by the Hero 
known as Sir Ethilrist. Note that this information is not part of the 
fragment published in the RuneQuest Companion, and is entirely my own 
invention.  If players have a truly desperate need for speed, they may 
choose to attempt the White Horse Quest.  

     [In play, the party was in pursuit of a woman who they believed 
had been kidnapped. Her captors had a long lead on the PCs, and were 
making good time; at best, the party could catch up only slowly. On 
the advice of a Lankhor Mhy party member, the group therefore decided 
to attempt the White Horse Quest.] 

History

     Long before he led the Black Horse Troop, the man who became Sir 
Ethilrist was a warrior and soldier. At one point he led a patrol to 
scout a hostile approaching force. His patrol encountered an enemy 
patrol, and in the resulting skirmish all but two men were killed: Sir 
Ethilrist and an opposing horseman.  Rather than fight the foe turned 
tail and galloped in the direction of his army, which was roughly a 
day's ride away.  Sir Ethilrist took chase, but was quickly unhorsed 
when his mount stumbled and broke two legs. Ethilrist knew that if the 
surviving foe contacted his army, the enemy would have a tactical 
advantage against his troops. Ethilrist himself faced the strong 
likelihood of capture, dishonor, and even death if the enemy messenger 
wasn't stopped.  

     According to Ethilrist's after-the-fact diary, it was at this 
point that his "great need and iron will" enabled him to break through 
to the God Time. Finding himself in a high place, he made his way down 
toward the Horse Plain, on the way meeting several strange creatures, 
an unusual bush, and a lake. On the Horse Plain he met and bargained 
with the Solar Equus for swift transportation. Being a spirit of great 
power the Equus would not bear Ethilrist itself, but in exchange for 
some gifts it gave him permission to travel to the High White Plateau 
and request the service of its subjects, the White Horses.  

     Making his way to the plateau, Ethilrist persuaded the White 
Horses of his Heroic virtue and obtained a steed. With his new mount, 
he was able to swiftly ride out of the Hero Plane. Once back in 
Glorantha it was a simple matter to run down the enemy messenger and 
slay him.  

     When Ethilrist returned to his army, however, he found it 
preparing to disband. A dishonorable peace had been made in his 
absence. In disgust, he spent the next several years as a mercenary.  
Over that time he recruited warriors to his band, and developed the 
White Horse HeroQuest to allow his men to gain their own magical 
steeds. The hard training and discipline of the cadre, and the superior 
qualities of the White Horses, made the White Horse Troop the most 
mobile and effective small unit in the region.  

     Completion of the White Horse HeroQuest was a requirement to join 
Ethilrist's White Horse Troop. The eventual version involved prayer 
circles to support the quester, jeweled saddles which could have 
significance for later HeroQuests, and special gifts for the entities 
of the God Time. One gift that is specifically mentioned is blessed 
grain.  

     A short footnote late in the work mentions that years later 
Ethilrist found it necessary to sacrifice the White Horses in order to 
gain the more powerful Black Horses for which he was best known.  

Opening Move

     Once the party has decided to attempt the White Horse Quest, they 
must determine how they will gain access to the Hero Plane. The 
individual GM's vision of HeroQuesting determines what methods are 
available. If the GM prefers that access be limited, a material 
component may be necessary: a rare powder or liquid that is consumed 
upon use.  Alternatively the quest may be possible only at certain 
times of the year. If more flexibility is needed but some limitation 
is desired (which I highly recommend, since it's a bad idea to allow 
indiscriminate HeroQuesting), the support of a minimum number of 
initiates and rune level NPCs as a prayer circle may be necessary.  

     The details of the group's entry into the God Time is up to the 
individual GM, of course.  

     [In play, the group gained the support of a large number of rune-
level supporters. Loading their horses with custom-made jeweled 
saddles and a variety of odd objects that they hoped would be useful, 
they started the quest at an auspicious hour in a sacred grove. As the 
chanting rose and fell, the PCs felt strength and power flowing into 
them. The world seemed the same, but different -- and in the distance 
they saw a grove of huge trees that had not been there before. Riding 
swiftly towards the grove, they passed under the massive outlying 
branches. Soon low brush began to grow higher and higher, impeding 
their passage and requiring successful Ride rolls to continue. The 
group penetrated further and further into the seemingly endless grove, 
until suddenly they burst forth into open air. Although they were 
clearly no longer in the mundane world, the chanting of their prayer 
circle continued to sound faintly in their ears throughout the 
adventure.]

     The characters emerge onto the Hero Plane in a small valley on a 
high mountain top. Before them the valley slopes downward, opening at 
the end to reveal far-off, low-lying vistas. Behind them even taller 
mountains rise upward, the furthest ones apparently touching the sky.  

     The valley is pleasant and quiet. A babbling stream runs from one 
end to the other, downhill. Tall grasses wave in the breeze. Colors 
seem brighter here, more vivid. Even the air has an electrifying 
quality.  

     Bathing in the stream is a small pudgy humanoid figure, less than 
a meter tall. If it becomes aware of the PCs, it tries to run and hide 
in the grass. If caught, it weeps, bemoaning its fate, and unceasingly 
attempts to appear pathetic. It claims to have no name.  

     This creature is an avatar of the Flesh Man, the pathos of mortal 
humanity made manifest. It knows little, but feels a great deal. It 
will do anything it can to escape and survive, if necessary trying to 
lull the party into relaxing their guard before dashing off into the 
grass. It has a nearly perfect ability to hide, if given the chance.  
It has a dull, defeated voice and sounds stupider than it is. "I don't 
know" and "please don't hurt me" are the most common phrases in its 
vocabulary.  
    
     Before very long, a successful Listen roll detects sounds coming 
from upstream. They are irregular hoofbeats moving at a slow pace (if 
the party is distracted at this point, Flesh Man attempts to escape).  
As they come closer the party sees Donkey, an equine spirit.  In 
appearance, it is a large, handsome donkey.  

     Donkey is a friendly spirit, and talks with the party if they are 
polite. Successful use of Animal Lore helps the PCs to befriend this 
spirit. Beast Speech is also helpful. The PCs should not be asked to 
check their skills -- they should come up with the idea on their own.  

     Donkey is a relative of the Solar Equus, and gives directions to 
the Horse Plain if he is persuaded that the party means no harm. To 
reach the Horse Plain the group must travel downward, along the 
stream, until they reach a large lake. Circling to the left, they head 
away from the mountains until they see a golden glow on the horizon.  
That light shines on the Horse Plain.  

     A successful Scan allows a PC to notice that Donkey's left hind 
leg is injured. If the party heals the Donkey, it gives them an 
additional gift. It instructs them to bury gold (the more the better) 
in the dirt nearby. It passes water over the buried gold, and within 
minutes stalks of magical golden grain sprout and grow: a gift for the 
Solar Equus.  

     The Donkey is unlikely to travel with the party, although it is 
possible.  

     The party travels down the mountainside, along the stream. When 
they reach level ground, they are confronted by a large, shimmering 
blue lake.  

     The lake contains powerful spell spirits in the form of weird-
looking fish. The shape and color of the fish generally show their 
nature; the Bludgeon fish looks something like a swimming mace, the 
Fireblade fish resembles a burning blade, etc. These fish are 
essentially mindless, casting their spells somewhat at random. Each 
can cast its spell as often as it wishes. Fishes with variable spells 
cast them at a random strength of 2D6, which is re-rolled each time 
the spell is cast. The fish have a POW of 2D6+12, a SIZ of 2D6, and 
CON of 3D6+6. Their MOV is 10 in water, 1 on land. In the water they 
are difficult to see; all visually-targeted attacks are at -30%.  
Underwater combat rules apply (i.e., blunt weapons do minimum damage).  
If a fish is attacked with a spell, it returns attack if it possesses 
an attack spell. Otherwise it moves away from the attacker at full 
speed.  

     If a party member walks within five meters of the water, there is 
a chance equal to their POW x 3 each round that they will be targeted 
by one or more fish. Any spellcasting within that five-meter boundary 
increases the chance of a fish attack to the PC's POW x 5.  

     If a fish is killed and eaten, the consumer(s) must make a POW 
vs.  POW roll against the POW of the fish. If the PC is successful, 
they gain knowledge of that spell (in the case of variable spells, at 
2D4 strength). There is also a chance equal to the Hero Lore of the 
consumer(s) that they will gain the permanent Heroic ability to cast 
that spell without using magic points. If they do gain this gift, they 
are able to manifest the spell at any time in the future by making a 
successful roll against their Hero Lore. Characters are unlikely to 
realize that they have gained this ability, and must discover it at 
some appropriate crisis point in the future.  

     If the bones and scales of the fish are retained and brought back 
to mundane Glorantha, they turn into runic metal of an appropriate 
type. If used to make a matrix of the spell, they add 20% to the 
chance of the enchanter to craft and enchant the matrix, and subtract 
1 from the strike ranks needed to cast when using the finished matrix 
(the minimum SR is still 1). Each fish provides enough metal to make 
one matrix.  

     A successful Scan reveals two burned spots on the nearby bank of 
the lake. These are the result of random Ignite spells by the Ignite 
fish. On the left bank of the lake is large rose bush. It stands ten 
meters from the lake and bears seventeen huge and beautiful roses.  

     The bush is intelligent, and is neutral toward the party unless 
it is threatened or its flowers are picked. It is friendly to elves 
and plant/earth worshipers. If questioned, the bush remembers Sir 
Ethilrist (though not by name). He took a rose in exchange for a 
"gift" which the bush will not describe.  

     If the party manages to gain the favor of the bush it may deign 
to give them a flower or two. The gift would have to be munificent, 
though.  

     If a flower is picked without the bush's permission, the picker 
must make a POW x 5 roll or be rooted to the ground and unable to 
move. If the resistance roll is made, the character is still cursed.  
The Plant Lore of the character drops to base, and can never be 
increased unless the curse is lifted. The character's Hide and Sneak 
are always at base when passing though vegetation. The character can 
never handle a rose without being painfully scratched by thorns.  

     The curse may be lifted by a successful Plant Lore by some other 
character, plus the immediate gift of ten magic points per rose picked 
and the return of the rose (a Heal 2 spell is necessary to re-attach 
it).  

     [In play the party questioned the bush, and found that it had 
occasionally been threatened by bush fires set by the Ignite fish.  In 
exchange for killing the fish, the bush allowed the group to take a 
flower.]

     Proceeding down through the foothills, the party sees the golden 
glow of the Horse Plain. Those who successfully Scan also notice 
lesser flashes of different-colored light.  

     The Horse Plain is under siege by the spirit personifications of 
enemy beasts. These massive forms stand motionless around the 
perimeter of the plain, with their worshipers -- including a number 
of shamans -- chanting and making magic underneath them. These enemy 
magics are the source of the strange flashes of light.  

     If they are on horseback every member of the party must make a 
successful Ride roll to elude surrounding enemy patrols and reach the 
Horse Plain. PCs on foot may attempt to Hide and Sneak, or otherwise 
avoid confrontation. In any case, if the party is caught by horse-
enemies they are treated with suspicion. If the party is seen riding 
horses, the opposing shamans and initiates are quite hostile and 
contemptuous.  At the least, they demand that every horse be 
immediately slain without the benefit of a Peaceful Cut. This is a 
difficult encounter.  If it comes to combat it is likely to end in 
bloodshed, and even a few deaths.  

     [In play a Chalana Arroy Healer PC quickly cast her Sleep spell 
on the party's horses, thereby placing them under her protection.  
Rather than be cursed by striking a Healer, the shamans reluctantly 
let the party pass unmolested.] 

     A beam of bright sunlight marks the center of the Horse Plain. In 
that beam stands a high, broad golden roof supported by slender beams.  
The space beneath the roof is open, without walls. In the center of 
the building floats the Solar Equus, something like a ball of light 
and something like the mightiest horse the PCs have ever imagined.  

     It's now up to the PCs to convince him to allow them to travel to 
the High White Plateau. The Equus is proud, but not unreasonable; good 
roleplaying by the PCs can persuade him.  However, he will not give 
his permission lightly. Magical grain and flowers from the rose bush 
please him, but gifts alone will not suffice.  Possible points of 
persuasion might include oaths to never harm a horse, promises to 
support one or more horses for a year, freeing the horses the party 
has brought with them (if they have) to stay with the Equus, proof 
that the PC as fought and killed enemy riding beasts, promises to do 
so in the future...it's up to the imagination of the PCs.  

     In any case the Equus will not simply *give* white horses to the 
PCs. At most he gives them permission and directions to travel to the 
High White Plateau and bargain with the horses themselves. He advises 
them to leave their own horses with him -- the path is not an easy 
one.  

     If the bargain is made, the PCs proceed up the mountains to the 
High White Plateau. Passage back through the besieging horse-enemies 
may be uneventful or not, depending on the stealth skills of the PCs 
and the wishes of the GM.  

     The High White Plateau is located far up in mountains even 
steeper than the ones that the PCs descended. As they climb the narrow 
path, they must make a Climb roll. If the PCs are mounted, they must 
each make a Ride at -40% *and* their horses must make a DEX x 3 roll. 
If either roll fails the horse slips and falls, taking 1D6 x 1D4 
damage.  The rider must then make a Jump roll to avoid damage.  

     As the narrow path winds upward, rock walls climb higher and 
higher to each side. The light is cold and bluish. Near the top of the 
mountain is a large niche in the right wall. In that niche are many 
fresh large cut flowers.  

     The walls suddenly open out to reveal the plateau. Much of the 
ground is grassy, but banks to each side are of bright white rock.  
But the light of the plateau is dimmed. Covering the grass are many 
bones, large ones -- horse bones. There is no living thing to be seen 
as the wind blows across the plateau. At the far end of the plateau 
clouds move slowly past a sheer drop.  

     A careful inspection of the bones reveals that all of the horses 
seem to have been killed with a single cut to the throat. A dark and 
jagged pit stands against the right bank of the plateau; any character 
who approaches it to within their POW in meters feel a bitter chill.  
If they approach to 1/2 their POW in meters, they feel themselves 
being drawn toward the pit. The edge of the pit looks cracked and 
broken.  

     The pit leads directly to the Underworld. There the spirits of 
the White Horses reside in darkness, sacrificial victims used by Sir 
Ethilrist to gain the service of the Black Horses. The PCs may choose 
to use this means to travel to the Underworld and attempt to free the 
white horses, but should be aware that this would be an incredibly 
dangerous choice.  

     At this point the PCs have a chance to use creativity and 
imagination to bring the horses back. If they manage to restore life 
to even one horse, all the spirits will return to life.  Possibilities 
include casting Healing spells on the bones sufficient to restore 100 
hit points; PCs shedding their own blood over the bones to restore 
them; casting a Resurrect spell on a set of bones; Divine 
Intervention; or anything else that seems plausible and makes sense in 
the context of the myth.  

     [In play one of the PCs was a Chalana Arroy Healer who had just 
obtained a Resurrection spell. The group assembled a complete 
skeleton, after which she Resurrected the horse. The entire group was 
surprised at the result.]

     If the PCs manage to restore the horses without travelling to the 
Underworld, they hear a great sound of galloping as the spirits of the 
horses thunder upward, bursting out of the pit like an explosion. The 
force of their exit collapses the pit behind them. The valley is 
brightened by the pure white of their coats. All bones vanish.  

     The horses are naturally well-inclined to their rescuers. If the 
PCs offer them grain or care, they make fast friends. Only the most 
foolish behavior could prevent any PC from gaining a powerful mount 
and ally.  

     Once the PCs are ready to depart, the horses line up facing the 
opening at the far end of the plateau. Galloping towards the clouds, 
they leap off the precipice into the air. Clouds surround them, and 
there is no sensation of falling. The horses gallop through the 
blinding white mist, travelling tirelessly until they burst into 
mundane Glorantha again. The quest is over.  

White Horses:

STR: 4D6+24
CON: 3D6+6
SIZ: 3D6+28
INT: 1D6+6
POW: 3D6+6
DEX: 3D6+4

Move: 16
Armor: 4-point hide
Attacks: As RQIII horse +30
Skills: As RQIII horse +50

Special: Do not suffer fatigue. If rider successfully rolls Ride and 
Hero Lore, may travel at 4x normal speed for up to one day, after 
which a week of rest is necessary. Other Heroic effects are possible.

The White Horses understand speech, but are not able to speak.

                               -- end --

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Peter Maranci             peter@maranci.net              Woonsocket, RI
Pete's RuneQuest Page! Adventures & more: http://www.maranci.net/rq.htm
