Babeester Gor Initiation Heroquest

 Babeester Gor: The Avenger

The Myth

This is a myth of becoming not obedience.

When the Earth Mother was killed

The world broke. Her lovers failed,

Her children scattered.

No hand rose to stop it,

No voice spoke for her

So she gave birth to something that could.

She came from the wound,

From blood and stillness.

Rose from the pit, not weeping, not calling.

Only listening

To the cries beneath the soil.

The betrayed, the murdered, the forgotten.

And she stood.

The land was split, silent.

The sky sealed in stone.

Ernalda's body lay behind her,

Vast and cold and still.

Ahead, waiting-

A figure.

Burning, iron-boned, haloed in fire

He held a double-headed axe,

And the heat of him blistered stone.

He did not speak.

Some say it was Zorak Zoran

Come to desecrate the corpse,

Or finish what Chaos began.

Some say he had already done it,

Some say he came to mock the Earth with her own death.

She did not ask.

She looked at him, and he saw her,

Saw what had risen from the wound.

Not a child, not a priestess, not a ghost,

But something he could not unmake,

And his fire faltered.

She took the axe from his hands

Because it was always hers.

And he ran,

Leaving silence behind him.

She walked the blood trail,

Through the broken land, through the cries.

She found them,

The oathbreakers, the defilers, the cowards and the kin-slayers.

Some she killed, some she judged,

Some she did not yet understand.

But she remembered every face.

At the edge of the world, she found the Gate of Bone,

The way to the Underworld, sealed in chains.

Ovodaka stood before it,

Silent, vast, final.

He would not let her pass,

And she could not pass living,

So she stepped forward

And let him kill her.

There was no light,

No sky,

No name in the deep,

Only her own blood, still warm, still hers.

She drank it and stood and returned.

She broke Ovodaka, and the gate.

The goddesses stirred and

The world began to rise.

But she did not go to the feast,

She turned aside,

To the mirror of wounds

She looked into it, and saw what she had done.

Those she had slain,

Those she had spared,

Those she had not understood,

She did not look away.

When Ernalda rose

She found her daughter waiting.

She did not offer peace,

She did not ask her to stop,

She said only:

You did what I could not,

You are what I needed.

And Babeester Gor walked into the world again.

Axe in hand, she is still walking.

Heroquest Stages

Stage	Heroquest Station	Theme / Lesson
Call to Action	1. Born in Blood	Separation from life and self
Rising Action	2. The First Enemy	Accepting Death and Claiming Power
Rising Action	3. The Trail of Blood and Vengeance	Knowing who deserves justice
Climax	4. Ovodaka, the Last Guardian	Sacrifice, Death, and Resurrection
Falling Action	5. The Mirror of Wounds	Embracing Eternal Vigil
Resolution	6. Ernalda's Embrace	Rebirth and Purpose Returned to the World

 

Designer's Note: The Nature of Babeester Gor and Player Choice

A core principle of Heroquesting in RuneQuest is that it defines your character's unique connection to the myth.  The canonical myths of Glorantha, especially those of powerful and terrible deities like Babeester Gor, can be incredibly grim and uncompromising.  Babeester Gor is often depicted as a force of indiscriminate, overwhelming vengeance, adorned with the trophies of her wrath against all who caused the Earth Mother's suffering, regardless of their individual guilt.

This Heroquest allows for a spectrum of choices within that myth.  The player's decisions in Station 3, in particular, will define what kind of Avenger their Babeester Gor becomes.

·      Embracing the Canonical Bleakness:  If the player chooses the most brutal, uncompromising options—slaying the cowards, the nuanced Praxian, and anyone else who stands even remotely against the Earth Mother's suffering—then that is their Babeester Gor.  The GM should lean into the grim satisfaction of these acts, the terrifying power, and the profound, perhaps unsettling, connection to the primal, unyielding aspects of the goddess.  This is a valid, powerful interpretation.

·      Forging a Nuanced Vengeance:  If the player seeks to define a Babeester Gor whose vengeance is precise, focused, and tempered by a broader understanding of "justice"—sparing the weak, discerning the "true" enemy—then that is also a valid interpretation.  The GM should highlight the internal struggle, the moments of hesitation or deeper insight, and the way this particular Avenger chooses to manifest their divine purpose.  This is equally powerful, offering a more complex path.

The GM's Role:  Your role is not to judge the player's choices, but to present the dilemmas, highlight the internal and external pressures (the axe's hum, the cries of the Earth, their personal passions), and ensure that every choice has meaningful consequences that shape the initiate's character and future relationship with the cult. This Heroquest is a crucible; the initiate who emerges is their unique Babeester Gor.

The cult of Babeester Gor addresses some very uncomfortable themes.  I have tried to leave them out of this and handwave them or draw a curtain over them.  I don’t want to play them at my table.  You know your players and can make your own choices.

Station 1: Born in Blood

Narrative Role (GM Focus):

This is the Call to Action and signifies the initiate's separation from mortal life and identity.  The GM's role is to guide the player through the complete dissolution of their former self, preparing them for the terrible and necessary transformation into Babeester Gor.

Player Goal (Initiate Focus):

The player's goal is to fully experience and embody the death of the innocent self and the birth of the Avenger. They must embrace the raw, grim, and visceral nature of this ritual, accepting that there is no comfort here, only silence, blood, and the long cry of the Earth.

Key Themes:

·      Death & Rebirth: The initiate undergoes a symbolic death, entering the Earth's womb/grave to be reborn.

·      Listening to Suffering: Before rage, there is the overwhelming experience of the Earth's pain and the cries of the betrayed, murdered, and forgotten.

·      Primal Awakening: The emergence from the pit represents the first, instinctual stirrings of vengeance.

Heroquest Setup:

The women of the temple prepare the initiate for death as dusk falls. She is stripped, her name spoken one final time, then forgotten. She is led—silent and unarmed—to a pit dug in sacred earth. The pit is soaked with the blood of a white cow, whose milk and life have been poured into the dirt. The milk is for Ernalda. The blood is for her daughter.

The pit smells of rot, death, and something deeper—like grief you cannot name. As the initiate steps in, she feels something reaching up from the soil. It pulls her down, cold and hungry. She sinks beneath the surface.

And then the world goes black. She is in the womb of the Earth, which is also her grave. This is before being, before existence, before form, before the axe, before even rage. In this darkness, she hears from above:

• A woman crying out.
• A girl silenced.
• A shrine defiled.
• The Earth itself, groaning.

The cries multiply. They become unbearable. The pressure grows. She cannot stay dead.

Challenge: Clawing Toward Vengeance

The character must find her way out of the Earth to be "born". This is an act of sheer will and emerging purpose.

GM Prompt: "Describe how you find your way out of the Earth. What drives you? Is it pure passion, ancient runes stirring within you, or raw, desperate strength?"

Mechanics:

The player will emerge from the earth (otherwise the initiation ends here); the question is how and how easily she gets free. This reveals something about her nascent relationship to the Earth.

Player Action: Player chooses a Rune, a relevant Passion, or her raw Strength (STR).

Rune Suggestions:

• Earth (strength in the deep bones of the land)
• Death (already the end of things)
• Truth (knows who did this and what must happen next)

Contested Roll:

• Player's chosen Rune or Passion vs Earth Rune 75%
• Player STR roll vs. the Earth's passive strength of 16

Outcomes:

·      Special/Critical: She bursts free—covered in blood and mud, gasping. The Earth has given her up, unwilling to contain her.

·      Success: She emerges with the red marks already on her hands and feet—a clear sign of her destiny.

·      Failure: She must sacrifice something to rise—narratively or magically. This could be a piece of her name, a cherished memory, or taking a wound (e.g., a deep, phantom ache that never truly leaves, or a symbolic scar appearing on her body).

·      Fumble: The Earth almost swallows her again. She rises, but shaken. This was not an easy birth, hinting at the immense weight of her coming purpose.

Environment on Emergence:

She rises from the pit, not into stillness, but into a world broken beyond healing. The earth is cracked and blackened. Fields lie trampled. Sacred groves are now stumps. The remains of steads and halls lie smashed and burnt—walls torn down, roof-beams black with soot. Bodies lie scattered across the land:

·      Children curled in ashes.

·      Elders cut where they knelt.

·      Earth priestesses lie fallen among the roots, their runes smeared with blood, their veils torn by wind or hand.

The sky above is a flat slab of obsidian—cold and unyielding. And behind her, Ernalda's corpse sprawls—immense, pale green and grey, her vines torn, her breast caved in. Her hands are still raised to shield those who never survived.

The cries she heard in the pit are louder now—not just voices, but names. The land itself keens with their memory.

Then she feels it: Not fear. Not sorrow. But something hot, ancient, and rising from her spine like a blade drawn from the dirt. It is not enough to weep. Someone must pay.

Challenge: What Has the Earth Made You Into?

This is a moment of raw, immediate self-definition as Babeester Gor.

GM Prompt: "You rise from the pit.  The world is destroyed.  The Earth groans beneath you.  How do you feel when you see all this?  What is your first act, your first expression of vengeance? “

Let the player describe how their vengeance is born. 

She is no longer herself.  She is Babeester Gor.  In this quest, the player now appears as Babeester Gor.   The player can describe that, too.

 

 Player Options (or invent their own):

·      Pure Rage: She screams, her voice cracking the air.

·      Burning Anger: She walks silently, but her eyes glow red as coals.

·      Thirst for Blood: Her mouth tastes of iron. Her fists clench until they bleed.

·      Sacred Stillness: She weeps—but only once. Then she stops. Forever.

·      Cold Clarity: She speaks her first words: "I will remember every name."

·      Violent Rebirth: She hurls up mud and blood—her first act is vomiting the womb out of her.

Whatever the player chooses marks her first mythic choice—how the Earth shaped her wrath.

What She Gains:

·      Gain Passion: Loyalty (Ernalda) at 60% and Loyalty (Babeester Gor) at 60%

·      +5 bonus to the Rune, Passion, or Skill used to escape the ground.

·      Gain a Passion reflecting the feelings the player expressed (e.g., Fury, Rage, Vengeance, Cold Resolve).

Station 2: The Axe

Narrative Role (GM Focus):

This is the next Rising Action stage.  The GM's role is to present the symbolic first foe and the iconic weapon, creating a tense and charged atmosphere.  This station is about the initiate actively claiming her power and purpose, marking her transition from passive suffering to active vengeance.

Player Goal (Initiate Focus):

The player's goal is to make the conscious choice to reach for the axe and oppose the figure.  They must demonstrate why they deserve to bear this weapon of vengeance, proving their will to kill and their commitment to this new, terrible path.

Key Themes:

·      Choice & Commitment: This is the moment the initiate stops enduring and starts acting, choosing a path she can never leave.

·      Claiming Power: The axe is not just a weapon; it is her name, her sacred purpose, and her connection to Babeester Gor's myth.

·      Facing the Source of Hatred: The figure represents not just an enemy, but the embodiment of the initiate's deepest hate.

Heroquest Setup:

She has clawed free of the pit. The screams and cries are all around her. The sky is black stone. The land is cracked, and spikes of obsidian stab up from the soil like accusations. Behind her, Ernalda's corpse lies still—too vast to comprehend.

Ahead, a dark figure approaches.

The Enemy:

This figure is not just a foe—it is who she hates most. In myth, it is Zorak Zoran, twisted by fire and death. But on the Hero Plane, it becomes who the initiate fears (use the cgaracter’s fear passion).

Examples: A kinslayer, a Chaos monster in human form, the Praxian who killed her parents, a father who failed to protect, or a smiling man in a bloody robe adorned by a moon rune.

Whatever it is—it walks toward her with a double-bladed iron axe and a halo of flames. Its shadow stretches across Ernalda's corpse.

The Axe's Call:

Have the player make a loyalty (Babeester Gor) roll.

If they make it, as the figure nears, she feels the axe calling to her—a pull in her chest, her hand, her bones. It whispers: "You were born to carry me. Do not let him hold me.  Taking it means choosing a path she can never leave.”

If they don’t make it, they’ll have to go through this station with no guidance.

Challenge: Seize the Axe and Face the Fire

This is the first act of conscious defiance. The initiate must:

·      Choose to reach for the axe.

·      Oppose the figure—by intimidation, will, or force.

·      Show why she deserves to bear the weapon of vengeance.

Player Actions: The player can frame this in many ways, using their character's strengths:

·      Invoke a Rune: Death, Earth, Truth, or even Fire (if embracing raw rage).

·      Invoke a Passion: Hate, Protect, Loyalty to Earth, etc.

·      Use a Skill: Grapple, Dodge, or even Orate ("That axe is mine!").

Mechanics:

The figure attempts to keep the axe from her.

A fight – perhaps unarmed combat (she doesn’t have a weapon yet)

Contested Roll vs the figure’s appropriate skill:

• Player's chosen Rune (percentile roll)
• Passion (percentile roll)
• Skill (percentile roll) - Intimidation
• Character’s STR or POW vs the figure's STR or POW
• Anything else reasonable the player suggests

What She Gains:

·      Her Axe turns from bronze to copper and will be that way when she emerges from the quest

·      +5 to the skill used to defeat the figure

·      A new Passion reflecting her defining action, such as Hatred (Oathbreakers) or Loyalty (Ernalda) either at 60% if new, or +10% if the player already has that passion.

Onward:

As the figure flees or lies broken, the landscape begins to shift. The cracks in the earth widen.  The cries return—but now they sound like names. A trail of blood appears across the stone, leading deeper into the dark. The axe in her hands hums with hunger.

She is no longer a child of the Earth. She is its vengeance, walking.

Station 3: The Trail of Blood and Vengeance

Narrative Role (GM Focus):

This is a critical Rising Action stage where the initiate begins to enact vengeance, and is confronted with its complexities and the diverse forms it can take. The GM's role is to present situations that challenge the initiate's emerging sense of justice, forcing them to make difficult, morally ambiguous choices that define their Babeester Gor.

Player Goal (Initiate Focus):

The player's goal is to engage directly with the broken world and the perpetrators of its destruction. They must decide who deserves their axe, who deserves mercy, and who embodies a truth that needs understanding, not just slaughter. This station is about internalizing the nuanced, often terrible, nature of divine retribution.

Key Themes:

·      Defining Justice: Vengeance is not simple; it requires discerning who truly deserves punishment and who might be a victim or merely misguided.

·      The Cost of Retribution: Actions have consequences, and not all vengeance is clean or satisfying.

·      Moral Ambiguity: Babeester Gor's path is not one of black and white; the initiate must navigate the grey areas of human (and non-human) actions, especially when personal hatreds conflict with true justice.

Heroquest Setup:

The axe hums in her hand. The blood trail leads her forward, a searing line across the devastated land. It draws her to the sources of the cries she heard in the pit: the oathbreakers, the defilers, the cowards, and the kin-slayers. This is where her purpose begins to manifest.

The Encounters:

The initiate comes upon three distinct scenarios, each presenting a different facet of vengeance.

Encounter 1: The Defilers of the Earth

Narrative:

She finds a small band of Chaos-warped men—their skin mottled, their eyes vacant with corruption—still desecrating a desecrated shrine. They are laughing, reveling in the destruction. One hacks at a withered sacred oak, another throws excrement into a choked spring, their actions a continuation of the Earth's agony. They are clearly beyond redemption, their humanity consumed by their acts.

Challenge: Execution, Not Duel

This is not a fair fight or a test of skill. This is the enactment of pure, unadulterated vengeance against those who have surrendered themselves entirely to destruction and continue to defile the sacred Earth. The axe craves their blood.

 GM Prompt: "These are the true defilers, utterly lost to Chaos and still torturing the Earth.  There is no flicker of light left in them.  How do you bring the axe down upon them?  What does it feel like to be the embodiment of Earth's wrath?"

Mechanics:

This is an automatic success for the player, representing the mythic inevitability of Babeester Gor's wrath against pure evil and the defilement of sacred spaces. No rolls are needed from the player for success here.

 GM Guidance: Describe the brutal efficiency and overwhelming power of her strike. The Chaos-warped men are effortlessly cut down.  Their stats are irrelevant; they are merely fodder for her nascent power.  They have no weapons ready but will claw and pummel helplessly against Babeester Gor.

What She Gains:

·      +5 to the combat skill used

·      +5 to Earth or Harmony Rune (or whatever rune is most appropriate)

·      Player can choose to take either hate (Chaos) or loyalty (Earth Cultists) at 60% or increase it by 10%.  This can act as the direction the player takes in their vengeance.

Encounter 2: The Slavers of the Innocent

Narrative:

Further along the blood trail, she hears whimpering.  In the ruins of what was clearly a nursery or a small, isolated farmstead, she finds a group of emaciated, terrified children, bound with rough ropes.  A single, gaunt figure, a tribal warrior from a distant, hostile clan is prodding them with a spear, preparing to move them.  This warrior isn't Chaos-tainted; they are just brutal, pragmatic, and driven by hunger or the cruel laws of their tribe.

Challenge: The Righteous Anger for the Defenceless

This is a test of her resolve to protect the innocent. The axe hums not with hatred for the specific warrior, but with righteous fury for the children's terror and the violation of their lives. Does she deliver justice, even if it means confronting a living foe who is not Chaos-tainted?

GM Prompt:

"You see the children, small and terrified, about to be taken. You see the warrior, cruel but not monstrous, simply doing what their people do.  What does the axe tell you now? Is this a foe for Babeester Gor, or is your vengeance only for Chaos?"

Mechanics - A Test of Purpose:

This is a moment of defining her active role as protector.

·      Player Action: Player describes their decision to intervene or not, and how they approach the situation.

·      Skill Roll (if intervening): Melee Weapon (Axe) against the warrior's DEX (Dodge) or Parry.  The warrior is surprised but capable.

·      Warrior's Target Number: Set their DEX/Parry at 60% or 70% to make it a challenging but winnable fight for an initiate.  This isn't a "death duel" like with Ovodaka, but a test of her immediate, protective ferocity.

Outcome if she does not intervene (which I honestly can’t imagine happening):  The children are taken.  The axe feels cold and heavy.  She gains Passion: Regret or a permanent penalty to a relevant Rune (e.g., -10% to Earth or Harmony) for failing to act. This is a severe choice, and the GM should emphasize the consequence.

What She Gains:

·      +5% to relevant skill, rune or passion used to defeat the slaver

Encounter 3: The Praxian and the Scarred Earth

Narrative:

The trail leads to a gully, scarred by recent passage.  A lone Praxian warrior, wounded and exhausted, is tending to a dying pack animal—perhaps a bison or a high-llama. They are clearly distressed.  This Praxian was part of the invading force that helped devastate the land, but they are now isolated, vulnerable, and showing a moment of genuine sorrow for their beast.

Challenge: Personal Hatred vs. True Justice

This is the ultimate test of her nuanced justice, forcing a direct conflict between her personal, ingrained hatred and the broader, more complex purpose of Babeester Gor.

The example here is for a character with the passion “hate (Praxians)”. You should swap the Praxian for the appropriate hate passion suits the character.

 Does her vengeance extend to a lone, suffering Praxian simply because of who they are, or does she see the bigger picture of their current state and the Earth's wounds?

 GM Prompt:

"Your axe hums with your personal hatred for all Praxians—they are the destroyers, the raiders.  But this one is wounded, alone, tending to a dying animal in the ravaged land. Is this the vengeance Ernalda desires, or is there a different truth here? How do you reconcile your personal hate with the broader call for justice?"

Mechanics - A Contested Passion/Rune Roll:

This is an internal struggle between her established Passion and her emerging, deeper understanding of justice.

Player Action: Player describes their decision and what drives it. Do they attack, spare, question, or observe?

·      Contested Roll: Player's Passion: Hate (Praxians) vs. Loyalty (Ernalda or Babeester Gor).

What she gains:

·      Hate Wins: She slays the Praxian.  The act is swift and driven by pure, personal animosity.  

o   She gains a +10 to her Hate (Praxians) passion

o   +5% to the relevant combat skill

·      Truth/Justice Wins:

o   Reduce Hate (Praxians) passion by 10%)

o   +5 to the relevant negotiation skill

Onward:

The trail of blood ends here. The land ahead is even more desolate, the air thick with the smell of death and something ancient. The cries have softened, or perhaps she is deaf to them now, hearing only the hum of the axe. Ahead, a great Gate rises from the desolate plain, crafted from bone and broken spears. The gate to the Underworld.

Station 4: Ovodaka, the Last Guardian

Narrative Role (GM Focus):

This is the Climax of the Heroquest. The GM's role is to present the ultimate obstacle and guide the initiate through a profound act of self-sacrifice and symbolic death. This station is about the necessary price of true rebirth and the ultimate commitment to Babeester Gor's purpose. It is not a combat encounter to be "won" in the traditional sense, but a ritualistic encounter leading to the initiate's mythic demise and subsequent resurrection.

Player Goal (Initiate Focus):

The player's goal is to willingly embrace their own mythic death in service of a greater purpose. They must understand that to break the chains, they must first be broken themselves. This is about absolute commitment and the acceptance of a temporary, but necessary, end.

Key Themes:

·      Sacrifice: The initiate must offer herself completely to achieve her divine purpose.

·      Mythic Death & Resurrection: To access the deepest truths and break the ultimate chains, a transformation through death and rebirth is required.

·      Breaking Barriers: Ovodaka represents the final, unyielding barrier between the devastated world and the hope of renewal.

Heroquest Setup:

The blood trail has ended. Before the initiate now stands the Gate of Bone, immense and desolate, crafted from the remains of giants and forgotten heroes. This is the entrance to the Underworld, sealed in chains that hum with ancient dread. Before the Gate stands Ovodaka.

He is silent, vast, and utterly final. He does not attack; he simply is. He is the guardian of the threshold, the enforcer of the finality of death. He will not let her pass. He must be broken, and to break him, she must first be broken by him.

Challenge: Embrace the Inevitable Death

The initiate must face Ovodaka and allow herself to be slain. This is not a contest of strength or skill, but of will and acceptance.

GM Prompt: "Ovodaka stands silent, immense, before the Gate. He is not a foe to defeat, but a force of absolute finality.  You know, instinctively, that to open the gate, you must first pass through death.  How do you confront him?  Do you rage, accept, or simply step forward?"

Mechanics - The Inevitable Blow:

This is primarily a narrative sequence, but the player's initial action defines their approach to this pivotal moment.

Player Action: Player describes how they approach Ovodaka.

·      Option A (Acceptance): "I lower my axe, and stand ready, accepting my fate."

·      Option B (Defiance): "I scream a challenge, wielding my axe, even if I know it's futile."

·      Option C (Despair/Resignation): "I fall to my knees, weeping for the cost, but I do not turn away."

GM Guidance:

No roll is required here for Ovodaka's blow to land. He is inevitability. Describe his silent, powerful strike. This is a mythic wound, a spiritual death, not a literal loss of hit points. The player's character will be struck down.

The Silence of Death:

In the utter darkness and stillness, the initiate is truly dead. There is no light, no sky, no name. Only the cold, deep quiet of the Underworld.

Challenge: The Spark of Return

From this absolute void, the initiate must find the will to return. She must remember who she is, and why she came.

GM Prompt: "You are gone.  There is nothing.  No sound, no light, no warmth.  Only your own spirit, floating in the void.  What is the one thing that calls you back?  What drives you to return?"

Player Action: Player describes the single, potent thought or memory that brings them back.

Example Ideas:

·      The Hum of the Axe: A faint resonance from her dropped weapon calls her.

·      Ernalda's Grief: The memory of her mother's suffering is unbearable.

·      The Cries of the Unavenged: The forgotten names whisper in the void.

·      Her Own Blood: The taste or memory of it, still warm, still hers, calls to her.

Mechanics - The Will to Return:

This is a pure test of the initiate's willpower and purpose.

The player can roll a passion, a rune.  Let them augment as appropriate.  My players are Gloranthan beginners, so I didn’t actually want them to fail at this point, hence a fumble still allowing them to continue the quest.

Outcomes:

·      Special/Critical: The return is immediate and powerful. She is imbued with an immediate sense of Death's power or a heightened connection to the Underworld.

·      Success: A surge of warmth, a primal thrumming. She is herself again. The void begins to crack.

·      Failure: She hesitates. She must sacrifice something to fully return—a point of POW, a cherished memory, or bear a permanent mark of this struggle (e.g., a faint, cold touch that never leaves her skin).

·      Fumble: She almost gives up, nearly succumbing to the void. She returns, but is momentarily disoriented, perhaps even losing a skill point or a small fragment of her former personality, emphasizing the cost of this ultimate rebirth.

Resurrection and the Breaking of Ovodaka:

As she returns, the void shatters.  She is standing again before Ovodaka, axe now firmly in her hand.  He is unchanged, but she is.  She has passed through his domain. He is now vulnerable to her, for she carries death within her.

Challenge: Kill Ovodaka

Now, the battle is real. Ovodaka, the embodiment of finality, can be broken by one who has passed through him. This is a glorious, decisive combat.

GM Prompt: "You stand. You are back. Ovodaka remains. But now, he is no longer an insurmountable barrier. You have passed through death. Now, you can break him. What do you do?"

Mechanics:

This is a combat sequence where the initiate should feel empowered and ultimately victorious.

What She Gains:

·      +5% to Death rune

·      +1 POW

·      New Rune Spell (player’s choice, but align it to the actions)

o   The character is vengeance driven – Beserk

o   The character is willing to negotiate and seeks middle ground – Axe Trance

o   The character focusses on defending the weak – Shield

·      If the player failed or fumbled the contested roll – take an appropriate passion for the failure – hate (failure), for example.

Onward:

The Gate of Bone lies shattered. Behind it, not darkness, but a shimmering, empty path into the deep. The task is done. The way is open. The land above her stirs, faintly, with a new sound. It is time to return.

Station 5: The Mirror of Wounds

Narrative Role (GM Focus):

This is a Falling Action stage.  The GM's role is to present the emotional and spiritual aftermath of the Heroquest's climax.  This station is about confronting the consequences of violence, embracing the burden of Babeester Gor's purpose, and accepting that vengeance, while necessary, carries its own wounds.  This is primarily a reflective, narrative experience, not a mechanical test.

Player Goal (Initiate Focus):

The player's goal is to confront the entirety of their journey—the pain inflicted, the enemies slain, the choices made—and to accept the profound, often grim, burden of their new identity. This is about finding peace or resolve within the grim reality of being Babeester Gor.

Key Themes:

·      Consequence & Acceptance: Every action has a cost; the initiate must accept the scars, both literal and metaphorical.

·      Defining Identity: The initiate looks upon her new self, shaped by bloodshed and sacrifice, and chooses how to carry that burden forward.

·      Eternal Vigil: The understanding that Babeester Gor's work is never truly done, and that the wounds of the world persist.

Heroquest Setup:

The Gate of Bone lies shattered behind her. The air is still thick with the smell of death and something ancient, but a faint, cold light now filters down from above. She walks from the ruins of the gate into a landscape that subtly shifts, becoming less devastated, yet profoundly marked. In the center of this scarred landscape, a still pool of water shimmers. It is the Mirror of Wounds.

The Mirror's Reflection:

As she approaches the pool, she sees not her own face reflected, but a panoramic vision of her journey:

·      The raw anguish of her birth in the pit.

·      The blazing defiance as she claimed the axe.

·      The faces of those she judged—the defilers, the innocent, the Praxian.

·      The silent, monumental sacrifice at Ovodaka's gate.

She sees every drop of blood spilled, every wound given, every decision made. She feels the weight of it all. It is the culmination of what she has become.

Challenge: Accept the Burden of Vengeance

This is not a mechanical test; it is a test of will, memory, and acceptance. The initiate must choose how to respond to the reflection of her actions and her new, terrifying identity.

GM Prompt: "You see everything—the brutality, the necessity, the choices, the suffering. What does it feel like to look upon the sum of your journey? How do you accept the burden of what you are now?"

Player Action: Let the player describe her response. There is no right or wrong answer, only what is true for this Babeester Gor.

 Player Options (or invent their own):

·      Embrace the Fury: She plunges her axe into the reflection, shattering the mirror, roaring her acceptance of the endless violence.

·      Silent Acceptance: She stares unflinching, silent, absorbing every detail, her face grim but resolved.

·      Mark Herself: She marks herself with blood or mud from her own body, mirroring the wounds she has inflicted or received.

·      Weep for the Cost: Tears mix with the blood on her face, acknowledging the sorrow and the weight of her purpose. She is powerful, but not without feeling.

·      Speak a Vow: She utters a grim oath to the reflection, committing to her future path.

What she gains:

The GM can assign minor, descriptive mechanical effects or Passion gains based on the player's chosen response, emphasizing the internal outcome.

If she Embraces the Fury:

·      Gain Passion (Fury) or similar, let player choose

If she Accepts Silently:

·      Gain passion (Cold Hearted) or similar, let player choose

If she Marks Herself:

·      Gain an obvious scar, or perhaps skin markings.

If she Weeps for the Cost:

·      Earth Rune gains a +5% for having demonstrated profound empathy.

If she Speaks a Vow:

·      Optional: Gain +5% to a relevant Rune (e.g., Truth, Harmony) as appropriate to the vow.

·      a deep, personal truth about herself and the nature of vengeance.

Onward:

The reflection fades. The Mirror of Wounds becomes a still, ordinary pool of water. The sounds of the devastated world are muted, replaced by a subtle hum in her bones. The path ahead is clear. The goddess awaits.

Station 6: Ernalda's Embrace

Narrative Role (GM Focus):

This is the Resolution of the Heroquest. The GM's role is to bring the initiate back into the light, guided by Ernalda, and to finalize their transformation. This station signifies the acceptance of Babeester Gor's grim, yet necessary, purpose within the larger balance of Glorantha, and the formal initiation into her cult.

Player Goal (Initiate Focus):

The player's goal is to accept their new identity and purpose, finding a measure of understanding and peace in their terrible role. They must acknowledge Ernalda's love and the bittersweet nature of their service, ready to re-enter the world as the Avenger.

Key Themes:

·      Rebirth & Acceptance: The initiate is fully reborn as Babeester Gor, accepted by the Earth Mother despite (or because of) her terrible deeds.

·      Purpose & Place: Understanding her vital, if grim, role in the cosmos.

·      Return to the World: Stepping back into the living world, forever changed.

Heroquest Setup:

The Mirror of Wounds has faded. Before the initiate, the path is clear. A light, not of the sun, but of deep earth-light, shines ahead. She feels a presence, immense and loving, yet tinged with sorrow.

Ernalda's Embrace:

Ernalda, the Earth Mother, appears before her, radiant, almost larger than life, but also bearing the marks of her suffering. Her face is calm, timeless, and filled with a love that transcends the recent horrors. She reaches out, not to comfort, but to acknowledge and accept.

Ernalda's voice is low and eternal:

"I thank you, my daughter,

for being what I could not be.

 

For standing while I slept.

For killing when none else would.

For bearing the burden.

 

Go now into the world of life and light—

and know that I will always love you.“

 

She kisses the brow of the initiate.

Challenge: The Initiate's Response

This is the final, defining moment of acceptance and self-definition. How does the initiate respond to her Mother's embrace and her new, terrifying purpose?

GM Prompt: "Ernalda has spoken, her love unconditional, her acceptance absolute. She sees you, Babeester Gor. How do you respond to your Mother's embrace and your terrible, beloved purpose?"

Player Action: Let the player choose how she responds.  There is no right answer, only what is true for this unique Babeester Gor.

Player Options (or invent their own):

·      Fall to her knees, weeping: A final release of sorrow, accepting the pain alongside the purpose.

·      Stand silent, unyielding: An unshakeable, grim resolve, fully embodying the unwavering Avenger.

·      Speak a vow to the Earth: A solemn oath, dedicating her future actions to specific protection or vengeance.

·      Say nothing, and simply return: Her purpose is clear, needing no words, only action.

·      Embrace Ernalda: A powerful, if perhaps unsettling, embrace of the loving, suffering Mother.

Final Steps:

Ernalda gestures behind her. A stone path now winds back up through the earth. The initiate follows it, passing through:

·      The pit where she was born.

·      The trail where blood once flowed.

·      The gate now empty.

As she climbs, dawn rises. The sun breaks the black sky. She emerges back into the world—but forever changed.

What She Gains:

The Heroquest is Complete. She has been forged in the crucible of vengeance and rebirth. She is now a full initiate of Babeester Gor.

·      Cult Membership: She is a fully recognized initiate of the Babeester Gor cult.

·      Hidden Truth: She bears a hidden truth—about herself, about justice, about the world—a wisdom gained from her unique Heroquest.

·      Her Axe: She carries her axe, transformed from bronze to copper, now truly hers, a sacred weapon of her cult.

·      New Passions/Skills/Rune affinities: Any Passions or specific skills gained or enhanced throughout the Heroquest are now permanent aspects of her character.

 

 

NPCs

The Axe-Bearer / First Enemy (Station 2 – Claim the Axe)

Role: The enemy figure holding her axe—an archetype of her deepest hatred.  Babeester Gor doesn’t know this but you are Zorak Zoran, the troll god of destruction.

Tone: Arrogant, cruel, unafraid.

Key Skills:

·      Intimidate, Weapon (Axe), Orate (taunting)

·      Fear (Death)

·      Love (Destruction)

Personality: A living blasphemy. You know she will try to take the axe—but you want her to, so you can break her. You mock her weakness, doubt her worth, call her a scared little girl in a dead woman’s skin.

Player Guidance: Be bold and cruel.  Don’t try to win—try to provoke.  If she intimidates or wounds you, flee in fear, leaving the axe behind.

3. The Chaos-Defilers (Station 3, Encounter 1 – one per player)

Print one for each player not on the Heroquest.

Role: Corrupted raiders desecrating a shrine.

Tone: Obscene, almost gleeful in their filth.  You embraced chaos during the Greater Darkness for survival but are now totally beholden to your baser nature.

Key Skills: Dodge, Brawl, Chaos Features (horns, scaley skin, misshapen body parts, screams, howls)

Personality: You are filth made flesh. Laugh like animals, speak in broken words, enjoy destruction.

Player Guidance: Be gross.  Make the initiate feel justified in the carnage.  Die with gurgling laughs or shrieks. 

Your only role in this episode is to be killed by Babeester Gor, you don’t even have weapons.  Claw at her, throw rocks, whatever.   Let her revel in the glorious slaughter of those who would defile the Earth.

 

 

 

4. The Slaver (Station 3, Encounter 2)

Role: A pragmatic, cruel warrior herding captured children.

Tone: Harsh, survivalist, not evil—just callous.

Key Skills: Spear, Scan, Survival (Wastelands)

Personality: You see weakness and take advantage. You don’t understand what’s wrong with using kids for barter or slaves—it’s how your clan survives. You don’t want to fight Babeester Gor, but you’ll try to run or bluff.

Player Guidance: Be pragmatic, not monstrous. Give the initiate a chance to see you as human—then let her choose.

5. The Praxian Warrior (or equivalent) (Station 3, Encounter 3)

This should be whatever enemy the player hates.

Role: A wounded enemy, alone with a dying beast.

Tone: Quiet, weary, unexpectedly tender.

Key Skills: Animal Handling, First Aid, Ride

Personality: You’re a killer, but not without regret. You didn’t ask for this war. Your beast is dying, and you’re speaking to it gently. If approached, you don’t fight unless attacked.

Player Guidance: Be sad. Be complex. Make it hard for her. If she spares you, nod silently. If she strikes, die with dignity.

 

Ovodaka, Guardian of the Gate

Finality given form. Silent, vast, and unyielding.

Special Condition

Invulnerable to the Living:
Ovodaka cannot be harmed by anyone who is still alive. Only a person who has mythically died and returned (as the initiate does in this Heroquest) can harm him.

Rune Affinities

• Death Rune 90%
• Stasis Rune 80%
• Earth Rune 60%

Characteristics

STR	CON	DEX	SIZ	INT	POW	CHA
18	17	9	16	10	15	5

Hit Points: 12
Magic Points: 15
Strike Rank (Melee): 6 (DEX 2 + SIZ 2 + Weapon 2)

Combat Skills

• Sword Attack (Obsidian Two-Handed Blade): 50%
• Damage: 1d18+1+1d4
• Special: Magical weapon; can strike spirits and corporeal undead
• Parry (Sword): 30%
• Weapon HP: 12

Armor

• 4 points to all hit locations (divine stone-flesh, does not degrade)

Hit Locations

Location	d20 Roll	Hit Points	Armor Points
Right Leg	1–4	3	3
Left Leg	5–8	3	3
Abdomen	9–11	4	3
Chest	12	5	3
Right Arm	13–15	3	3
Left Arm	16–18	3	3
Head	19–20	4	3