From: DevinC@aol.com
Date: Sat 06 Aug 1994 - 13:53:41 EEST
Devin Cutler here:
Some tidbits from the heroquest I ran for my campaign in which I used those Riddles that I had posted some time ago. The campaign, briefly, involved the Party ascending Stormwalk Mountain in order to acces the Makastos centre of power thereon and, via that place, gain acces to a magic road which runs from Stormwalk Mountain to the top of Kero Finn. At the top of Kero Finn is a sacred temple complex to Orlanth, Kero Finn, and Inora. Therein was hidden the Windsword, left there in secret when the Lunars overran Sartar.
A VERSE KNOWN BY THE INSANE ADHERENTS OF FLESHMAN:
The mortal hand knows
that that which was brought
into the world by gids
and spread by Time
is duty bound to visit
all such.
But it is the manner
more than the timing
that secures one's place
in the heavens.
These are the ways
of honour and respect:
Sharpened blade or point or crush
endured in the battle's sweep and rush
or a peaceful fall from some high place assures and end of wind and grace
Some a leather cord prefer
too tight to breathe, but not sever
Others know their mortal role
and give the divine their very soul
Forget not the beastly means to an end
with teeth that bite and claws that rend
And still indeed this list's not through when one can savour the secret brew
Indeed be welcome if it please
to sample any exotic disease
The faint of heart can merely sleep
and drift away in dreamy deep
But int he end though life should rage
it'll find you yet, in your old age!
THE EVERGONE The Evergone is a strange creature reportedly encountered by some who have wandered the heroplane.
It stands on three stumpy legs placed evenly around a greyish, wrinkly, cylindrical body. Two thick arms sprout from the upper sides of the cylinder, and in place of its head it has a long tentacle-like appendage with a single white eye at its end. The Evergone is a being that "feeds" off of the memories of anything it encounters. This feeding is not noticeable by those from which it feeds, but since its feeding has no lasting detrimental effects, it doesn't matter. What is noticeable is the fact that the being has a psychic link to the collective memory of all of Glorantha. This means that, in a sense, the Evergone knows everything that ever was.
However, the entity is unintelligent or unconcerned with the affairs of Glorantha. When it feeds upon the memories of those it encounters, it also excretes, as waste product, images of the stronger memories upon which it has fed. Usually, these are hte memories associated most with loss or regret and mainly involve dead or missed loved ones or companions. Memories consumed by the Evergone are not erased from the victim's mind, since he simply replaces them with memories of the memories.
So strong is the beiong's effects that, like a True Dragon, these memories take on a life of their own. Thus, a person encountering the Evergone will also meet any lost companions or loved ones. These will simply step out of an orifice in the lower part of its body and will likely converse with those nearby. These simulacrum will exhibit all of the same personality traits as in their former lives, and will smell and feel and sound the same as well. These manifestations will also have all knowledge that the real perosn had, up to the point of its death. Calling out for someone to appear will likely have that effect, since that will be a new memory for the Evergone to feed upon.
The Evergone will certainly sit around feeding off of memories for at least D6 minutes per person. After that, allow a 5% per MR that it leaves. Leaving involves crouching down for 5MR, building up a palpable amount of potential energy, and then leaping quickly into the sky, out of sight. If it is feeding and its food moves, the Evergone will follow as best it can, although it will likely give up if its food keeps leaving the area.
The Evergone is not chaos.
THE EVERGONE - AN ENIGMA OF GLORANTHA
Strength 1000
Constituion 3500
Size 30
Intelligence ??
Power 1000 Dexterity 16 Appearance 2
Hit Points 1765
Eye 20 75 / 283 Tentacle 18-19 275 / 442 R Arm 16-17 275 / 442 L Arm 14-15 275 / 442 Body 7-13 340 / 883 R Leg 5-6 275 / 442 C Leg 3-4 275 / 442 L Leg 1-2 275 / 442
No Attacks
Regenerates D20 HP per location per MR
It is not known if this entity can be slain
Note: This creature was created to be an enigma, much like those presented in Elder Secrets (e.g. the Giant Egg of Kostomobor [spelling?]). It's practical use is that it might allow the characters to question a dead comrade or loved one about something that that dead one knew but the characters do not. For example, if Sunray the Yelmalian met the Evergone and wanted to know who slew his beloved Dorgea, he could think upon Dorgea's memory and ask her simulacrum who slew her).
I created stats only because Terrors in Elder Secrets have stats, and I wanted to let myself and other know that this thing is truly unslayable.
I have found that it makes for an interesting encounter. Stormbull think it is chaos. The reappearance of dead people precious to the party causes much consternation. Just when the party has learned to like this creature and its abilities, and start to use it to gain info, it finishes feeding and leaps away.
For those of you who hate enigmas as cheap creations without backgrounds....the Evergone was a construct given to Lhankor Mhy by Mostal during godtime. This was essentially a recording device for Lhankor Mhy. Whenever he encountered new knowledge, this device would absorb the knowledge and, at any time requested by Lhankor Mhy, spit the knowledge out. In its original form, the Evergone was definitely a non-living thing.
Unfortunately, while Lhankor Mhy was away, searching for his long lost love, Eurmal stole the device, for purposes unknown. The Trickster never got a chance to use the device though, for he was approached by Porcharngo and his hordes. Seeking to flee, he dropped the device and ran away to hide. Porcharngo passed near the device, not sensing it, but his malign powers warped it, and it became the living thing it is today.
More later.
Regards,
Devin Cutler
devinc@aol.com
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