Heroquest Larp/Lrp Character larping background information

On the Vocation of Healing: The Larping Hospitaller

No one in the towers doubts the need for healers, however, many are reluctant to take up the Hospitaller vocation for fear that its demands will prove beyond their abilities. Others are understandably wary of divesting themselves of any means of inflicting harm and believe that this means that the Hospitaller is rendered undefended. Still others believe it a limited vocation, restricting one's own development as a full member of the Valley Alliance.

I wish to deal with each of these points separately.

First of all the demands placed on Hospitallers are great. They are required to offer healing to all that demand it, without favour or restriction. They must put aside their own inclinations and distaste for the actions of others, and seek to preserve life wherever they can.

Hospitallers must be able to place the preservation of life above all else. There is no other route to the fulfilment of your duties other than this. Our role is to preserve the lives of our companions, not their morals, and that is the end of it. This does not, by any means, imply that you are to remain silent when your opinion could be given, rather that - perhaps - whilst you are advising a companion that their actions will revisit them, you making sure that they are alive to suffer whatever punishment comes their way.

Secondly, the Hospitaller is required to forever renounce all means of attack. This does not mean that they are unable to defend themselves, as the use of the shield and certain non-aggressive invocations and spells can be extremely useful to the Hospitaller under attack. Indeed, as a Hospitaller, you will be attacked, even targeted - you may be regarded as the 'weak link' in any group. But doubt not; you are vital to any group that you undertake a mission with, and they will know that. You will be very well protected from harm by the warriors, as that is their task. One of the most demanding aspects of the vocation is the obligation to trust others with your life, as they trust you with theirs.

But there will be situations where you will come under attack, and the best efforts of your companions will not be enough to protect you. Surely in this situation, many ask, the Hospitaller may take up arms to defend themselves? This is the hardest test of the vocation. Each Hospitaller must find their own path in this, but must ultimately learn to accept that the Good Sphere will welcome you, and its rewards are far superior to any that may be found during life.

Thirdly, the art of healing and bringing ease to others is the most wide-ranging of all the vocations that may be found in the towers. There are many forms of healing - the Good sphere is the most obvious, but the Neutral sphere also provides effective healing invocations for those who are unable or unwilling to let the Good Sphere into their lives or bodies. There are also many forms of healing that do not use Power; the skill of field surgery for example, currently little known but useful for Hospitallers to seek out and learn, and there is much to be gleaned from the practitioners of herbal and alchemical treatments.

Aside from these known remedies, there are many conditions for which we do not have treatments. The Hospitaller must take every opportunity to learn new ways of healing and preserving life, however little known or esoteric.

The vocation of Hospitaller is only to be taken up by those who are strongest of spirit, and have the deepest respect for life. There are difficult choices to be made, and sometimes the way may appear impossible. Hospitallers have made the most difficult choice of all, but when their duties are carried out properly, they demand the respect of the whole of the Alliance.

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