dailyadventureprompts:Deity: The Walker of the Wheel“ Traveler! Why don’t you pull up a
dailyadventureprompts:Deity: The Walker of the Wheel“ Traveler! Why don’t you pull up a stone and rest your weary self, Come share a tale, join me in a song. Between us there are as many miles to go as there are stars uncounted, but maybe we can number a few of them before we’re through”. Setup: There are some gods that demand the worship of all, who seek to spread their gospals to the four corners of the earth. Then there are the small gods, the humble guardians who preside over their little corner of reality and ensure those who journey through it are well taken care of. The Walker of the Wheel is one of the latter, a guardian god of roads, travelers, and the infinite horizon who protects those who venture far from home. Appearing as a broken down tramp, a traveling mapmaker, or an adventurous youth, the Walker eschews a concrete identity or even a name, preferring to intercede in the guise of a fellow wanderer rather than act through miracles or celestial agents. Holding no temples save for the small roadside shrines erected by fellow travelers, the existence of the Walker is lore held only by those who live their lives on the road, cobbled together out of scraps of road-lore and tales of secondhand encounters. Astral travelers are also known to draw the attention of the Walker, who holds stewardship over forgotten gateways between the realms. Adventure Hooks: Exhausted and woefully lost with darkness closing in, the party hears the plucking of an old guitar drifting across the landscape, leading them to a small campsite and the hermit who presides over it. The old codger offers them hospitality and a drag off his jug of barleywine, in exchange for their tales of adventure and woe. When the party awakes in the morning, they’ll find the Walker gone and themselves a stonesthrow from their destination, having crossed valleys and rivers in the span of a single night. Those that impress the Walker are likely to be rewarded with good luck charms touched by a bit of his divine grace. Dented compasses that point the way home, guitar picks that conjure visions of the past when used to strum a nostalgic song, well worn walking sticks that allow for tireless travel over harsh terrain. These items all show evidence of having many owners in the past, as well as handetched patterns of stars and constellations. While generally a god of good spirits, the Walker cannot stand those who prey upon travelers, and woe to any robber or highwayman who draw his attention. The party bears witness to this wrath when bandits attack their inn, hoping to kidnap and ransom a merchant who also happens to be staying there for the night. The Walker appears partway through this standoff, and with a strike of his stick dissolves the bandit’s leader into a pile of road dust. Titles: Our Old friend, Master Dust, The Starry Hermit, Wornboot Bill, The RoadwardenSigns: Whirling Stars and Nebulas, music on the edge of exhaustion, dreamlike landscapes. Symbols: Hobo Marks, Migratory birds, A long road beyond a gateway. -- source link