HOLYQUEST ROLE PLAYING GAME
ADVENTURE MODULE HQC1
TO SILENTLY SERVE THE EMPIRE
FOR SCOUT CHARACTER LEVELS 3 – 7
SOLO OR GROUP PLAY
INTRODUCTION
When Player Characters reach holiness level 3, their entire perspective changes. In many of ways, the Epic Fantasy genre really takes root in a Holyquest campaign at that point. The PCs become “movers and shakers”. But they must never forget they are Christians. To rule is to serve. In secular and religious hierarchies in our real world, this charge of Jesus to serve is unfortunately forgotten. But Holyquest is an Epic Fantasy Campaign immersed in Christianity. Campaigns settings, like the Holyquest Advanced Rule’s Clash of the Empires Campaign Setting, consist of a Christian utopia amidst a violent and evil pagan world.
In the Clash of the Empires Campaign Setting, His Imperial Majesty Charles III, Emperor of Anauria, comes from the Dwarfridge Dynasty, who has held the throne since the First Emperor, St. Mark Dwarfridge. Despite their human weaknesses, this line of Emperors has held tight to Jesus’ Command, “He who is to be the greatest must serve”. So the Kings and Dukes (and their vassals, Counts and Barons), have been held to the constitution of oblige noblis (The obligation that states he who leads, must serve his subjects as if they were Jesus Himself). The harshest legal penalty, exile from Anauria, is held for those nobles who oppress their subjects.
While the Church may resemble the medieval pre-reformation Church, it is not supposed to represent any particular denomination. The Titles given to ministers at the various levels simply correspond to the hierarchy of SERVICE (not authority) of the blessed primitive Church of the first eight centuries of Christendom. (Deacon, Presbyter and Bishop are from the Epistles, while Porter, Lector, Exorcist and Acolyte are from the history of the first two centuries of Christendom (first used circa 40AD)). Despite how the Epic Fantasy genre has been dominated by paganism, the great cornerstones of High Fantasy had Christian theological foundations (e.g., Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, and Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia). So the Clash of the Empires strives to present an ideal Church, one in which the holy reformers of our Church had in mind. So there is no tolerance for Ministers abusing their flock. The Minister’s duty, just like that of secular Lords, is to view the flock as the object of their compassion.
The Scouts and Prophets are a little more isolated from the world. Master Scouts are committed to training their apprentices and continuing their humble service to the Empire as a whole. The scouts pursue neither titles nor lands, but humbly stand firm against the forces of darkness and hold beck the night. Prophets in the Clash of the Empires Campaign Setting resemble the Guild Prophets of Elijah and Elisha, and the discalced Carmelites founded by those great Church reformers John of the Cross and Theresa of Avila. They live together, to silently contemplate God and then prophesize His Word through works of mercy (The Bible records Elijah and Elisha doing far more works of compassion than declaring prophesies; this is a true example of how Christian Prophets should serve the Flock of Christ).
TO SILENTLY SERVE THE EMPIRE
The best way to imagine a scout guild is to consider the various loose groups of rangers that are often present in other Epic Fantasy literature and milieus. As individuals they are loners, retreating from the world like monks, yet never actually leaving, like the rest of humanity. While not rebels or anti-authoritarian, since they are roamers and travelers, the only authority they consider is God, the Church, the Emperor and whoever is Lord of the land their passing through. They are loyal to humanity on the whole. Bribes and illegal side works are beyond them, because there is nothing they desire more than being free to travel God’s earth (or God’s Mondas, I should say; Clash of the Empires humor) and root out evil. They are the perfect example of the Fantasy Ranger, because all their great abilities are balanced by one thing: Love of God.
Eventually a Scout acquires the skills and experience (Holiness Level 3) when he must divide his time between adventuring and training the next generation of rangers to follow the path. At 3rd Level the Master Scout attracts 20 Scouts. Each month they must make a roll on the SCOUT GUILD CONDITION TABLE. If they train others in a God fearing and humble way, more will come to learn. If their pride gets in the way (and remember, they are only human), a few may leave.
SCOUTING GUILD CONDITION TABLE
|
4DF |
NUMBER OF SCOUTS/ experience points gained |
|
+4 |
+4/4ep |
|
+3 |
3/3ep |
|
+2 |
2/2ep |
|
+1 |
1/1ep |
|
0 |
0 |
|
-1 |
-1/0 |
|
-2 |
-2/0 |
|
-3 |
-3/0 |
|
-4 |
-4/0 |
ANGELUUM
The
Holyquest Advanced Rules Modules HQA4-8 introduced the
The map of Angeluum is available at:
http://www.oocities.org/holyquest2001/hqaw.JPG
The map fits due west of the Clash of the Empires Campaign Setting map found with the HOLYQUEST ADVANCED RULES:
http://www.angelfire.com/games4/doctorwhoeyespy/ahq.html
