D&D General GM's Closet for the CONAN RPG
-- FEMALE CHARACTERS --
The Hyborian Age is dominated by men. Rarely will you see a woman, armored-up, swinging a heavy sword in battle, keeping their own, right next to the men. It happens, sure. But, it is rare. Valeria comes to mind--both incarnations of her (from Howard's story Red Nails and the more battle oriented thief from the 1982 movie). Even then, it can be argued that Valeria (either version) is more of a finesse fighter than she is a strength fighter. And, Red Sonja may be thought of. But, I'll remind you that Sonja's power is imbued in her by her goddess. Sonja's power is not natural.
I don't advocate using any type of modifiers for female characters. The same 4D6, drop the lowest, total, and arrange to taste process should be used for female and male characters in this game. What I will say, though, is this: Once you've rolled your six stats, consider putting the lowest roll in STR if playing a female. This thinking will keep the gritty reality edge on your game that is a common part of the atmosphere of the Hyborian Age.
For example, in my newest Conan campaign, I've just had a player get extremely lucky with the dice and roll some very high stats: 16, 16, 15, 15, 14, 9. He considered playing a female thief along the lines of Valeria from the 1982 movie. Looking at those stats, we both agreed that the 9 or the 14 should be assigned to STR, but DEX and INT should definitely get the two 16's.
The player kept debating about going with the below or swapping out STR and CON.
STR 9
DEX 16
CON 14
INT 16
WIS 15
CHA 15
The interesting thing about the Conan RPG is that there is an entire character class devoted to the strength of females. Since the fairer race is typically less physical than their male counterparts, some women have learned to overcome this obstacle by focusing on other powers at their command--with the power of their sex not the least of these. In the Conan RPG, the Temptress class was added to the first edition as a secondary character class in a support book but then was made an official core class in the second edition.
If you are currently watching or reading the Game of Thrones saga, then the Red Witch, companion to Stannis Baratheon, is certainly a Temptress class. Cersei Lannister, too, would probably be classed as a Noble/Temptress multi-classed character.
Temptresses are manipulators. They play games behind the scenes, toying with people's loyalty to them, often imprisoning a strong male with their sex.
It takes a strong role player to play a Temptress character well, but in the hands of a competent player, the experience can be like few others in any other role playing game. It can be quite rewarding.
Are there physically strong women in the Conan RPG? Sure. Their can be. And, if what I've said above sticks in your craw, then ignore it and play your game any way you think best. Besides, this is a fantasy based roleplaying game. Really, anything goes as long as you and your players accept it.
If you want to have a Brienne type character from Game of Thrones--a warrior woman capable of defeating most other men, then so be it! In the 2011 movie, the background shots of Khalar Zym's army featured what some speculate to be one-eyed Amazon warriors--all females (though they were archers). If it's cool, and you like it, then put it in your game.
The Hyborian Age is dominated by men. Rarely will you see a woman, armored-up, swinging a heavy sword in battle, keeping their own, right next to the men. It happens, sure. But, it is rare. Valeria comes to mind--both incarnations of her (from Howard's story Red Nails and the more battle oriented thief from the 1982 movie). Even then, it can be argued that Valeria (either version) is more of a finesse fighter than she is a strength fighter. And, Red Sonja may be thought of. But, I'll remind you that Sonja's power is imbued in her by her goddess. Sonja's power is not natural.
I don't advocate using any type of modifiers for female characters. The same 4D6, drop the lowest, total, and arrange to taste process should be used for female and male characters in this game. What I will say, though, is this: Once you've rolled your six stats, consider putting the lowest roll in STR if playing a female. This thinking will keep the gritty reality edge on your game that is a common part of the atmosphere of the Hyborian Age.
For example, in my newest Conan campaign, I've just had a player get extremely lucky with the dice and roll some very high stats: 16, 16, 15, 15, 14, 9. He considered playing a female thief along the lines of Valeria from the 1982 movie. Looking at those stats, we both agreed that the 9 or the 14 should be assigned to STR, but DEX and INT should definitely get the two 16's.
The player kept debating about going with the below or swapping out STR and CON.
STR 9
DEX 16
CON 14
INT 16
WIS 15
CHA 15
The interesting thing about the Conan RPG is that there is an entire character class devoted to the strength of females. Since the fairer race is typically less physical than their male counterparts, some women have learned to overcome this obstacle by focusing on other powers at their command--with the power of their sex not the least of these. In the Conan RPG, the Temptress class was added to the first edition as a secondary character class in a support book but then was made an official core class in the second edition.
If you are currently watching or reading the Game of Thrones saga, then the Red Witch, companion to Stannis Baratheon, is certainly a Temptress class. Cersei Lannister, too, would probably be classed as a Noble/Temptress multi-classed character.
Temptresses are manipulators. They play games behind the scenes, toying with people's loyalty to them, often imprisoning a strong male with their sex.
It takes a strong role player to play a Temptress character well, but in the hands of a competent player, the experience can be like few others in any other role playing game. It can be quite rewarding.
Are there physically strong women in the Conan RPG? Sure. Their can be. And, if what I've said above sticks in your craw, then ignore it and play your game any way you think best. Besides, this is a fantasy based roleplaying game. Really, anything goes as long as you and your players accept it.
If you want to have a Brienne type character from Game of Thrones--a warrior woman capable of defeating most other men, then so be it! In the 2011 movie, the background shots of Khalar Zym's army featured what some speculate to be one-eyed Amazon warriors--all females (though they were archers). If it's cool, and you like it, then put it in your game.
-- VALERIA --
Check out this clip from 1982's Conan The Barbarian. [video=youtube;Z3kBWP231hI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3kBWP231hI[/video].
At 2:32, Valeria uses the feat Cleave that allows her a second attack on the second foe as she downs the first foe. Notice that she doesn't take a five foot step. The second foe comes to her. On a grid, these two would have just approached Valeria using a double move, putting them in base-to-base contact with the thief. The shifting you see Valeria do is her re-positioning she does to attack the second foe at the new angle. She doesn't move from her square on these attacks.
At 2:46, Valeria uses her standard action to taunt the two new foes. In game terms, she's using the Demoralize Other function of the Intimidate skill. The GM gives her a +2 bonus because the two foes have just seen her quickly dispatch two of their comrades. The GM gives her an additional +2 bonus on the demoralize check due to the black woad she wears, making her a fearsome, intimidating opponent, indeed. That's a total +4 modifier to her check. And, from her one of her foe's hesitation, it looks like her check succeeded on the one, but not both foes. The foe that hesitates and allows his companion to attack is -2 to all attacks and checks due to the intimidation (in spite of the fact that the GM also gave the foes a +2 on their check to resist the demoralizing attempt since they outnumber Valeria). The other foe--the one that moves to attack Valeria--made his check to resist the attempt.
At 2:51, Valeria uses the combat maneuver called Use The Battlefield (see page 212 of the Core rulebook). She makes DC 20 Tumble check, and with its success, she gains a +2 attack bonus on her target. In the video, you see her take a couple of steps, jump, and push off the wall to come down on her enemy, just gaining the bonus. As a woman, Valeria's STR is mostly likely around STR 13 or so. I'd put her at STR 14. To increase her attack bonus, she relies on maneuvers like this in order to put her full weight behind the thrust of her sword.
Examples of....
CLEAVE
INTIMIDATE, DEMORALIZE OTHER
USE THE BATTLEFIELD, TUMBLE
Check out this clip from 1982's Conan The Barbarian. [video=youtube;Z3kBWP231hI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3kBWP231hI[/video].
At 2:32, Valeria uses the feat Cleave that allows her a second attack on the second foe as she downs the first foe. Notice that she doesn't take a five foot step. The second foe comes to her. On a grid, these two would have just approached Valeria using a double move, putting them in base-to-base contact with the thief. The shifting you see Valeria do is her re-positioning she does to attack the second foe at the new angle. She doesn't move from her square on these attacks.
At 2:46, Valeria uses her standard action to taunt the two new foes. In game terms, she's using the Demoralize Other function of the Intimidate skill. The GM gives her a +2 bonus because the two foes have just seen her quickly dispatch two of their comrades. The GM gives her an additional +2 bonus on the demoralize check due to the black woad she wears, making her a fearsome, intimidating opponent, indeed. That's a total +4 modifier to her check. And, from her one of her foe's hesitation, it looks like her check succeeded on the one, but not both foes. The foe that hesitates and allows his companion to attack is -2 to all attacks and checks due to the intimidation (in spite of the fact that the GM also gave the foes a +2 on their check to resist the demoralizing attempt since they outnumber Valeria). The other foe--the one that moves to attack Valeria--made his check to resist the attempt.
At 2:51, Valeria uses the combat maneuver called Use The Battlefield (see page 212 of the Core rulebook). She makes DC 20 Tumble check, and with its success, she gains a +2 attack bonus on her target. In the video, you see her take a couple of steps, jump, and push off the wall to come down on her enemy, just gaining the bonus. As a woman, Valeria's STR is mostly likely around STR 13 or so. I'd put her at STR 14. To increase her attack bonus, she relies on maneuvers like this in order to put her full weight behind the thrust of her sword.
Examples of....
CLEAVE
INTIMIDATE, DEMORALIZE OTHER
USE THE BATTLEFIELD, TUMBLE
-- BY THE HILT! --
An oath, taken quite seriously by men who live by their sword, is made by taking or accepting an oath by the hilt. If a mercenary, brigand, pirate, or other such man of war swears by his hilt, it is very likely that oath will never be broken.
An oath, taken quite seriously by men who live by their sword, is made by taking or accepting an oath by the hilt. If a mercenary, brigand, pirate, or other such man of war swears by his hilt, it is very likely that oath will never be broken.
"Aye, by Mitra! Conan is right, lads," said Ivanos, "he's our lawful captain."
"Then swear it," the barbarian answered, "swear it by the hilt."
- Iron Shadows in the Moon, adapted in the Savage Sword of Conan The Barbarian
"Then swear it," the barbarian answered, "swear it by the hilt."
- Iron Shadows in the Moon, adapted in the Savage Sword of Conan The Barbarian
-- Hyborian Age Details --
GM's, I encourage you to create! Add-on and grow your version of the Hyborian Age. Don't just rely on what you see in the game supplements or have read in Conan books and comics. Make the world your own. Robert E. Howard gave use a fairly good look at the Hyborian Age, but there is a lot of room for your own creations. For example, during my first Conan campaign, I had a picture in my head of these large, inter-twined trees that grew close together so that their large limbs would grow into each other. I called these Thicket Trees, and I wanted to eventually develop (though I never did) a clan of Cimmerians who lived among these trees. They would live in tree houses, in these thicket groves that would wind around Cimmeria's rugged terrain, filling in some valleys. I thought about going a step further and giving these Cimmerians a reason for living in the tops of these trees by putting some beastie way down at the bottom in the valley. I did use the Thicket Trees in my game, but I never did develop the idea fully. Some Conan purists might balk at this idea, but who cares! It's my game (mine and my players'), and wanted to put a tad bit of fantasy into my dark and grim Hyborian Age. Why do all Cimmerians clans have to be like Conan, anyway? Can't there be a bit of variation--something different about a different clan? I thought so.
Now, with my new game, I'm setting it in Argos. I keyed in on the word "Shaipur" that was used in the 2011 film a couple of times (the Shaipur Monastery, the Shaipur Outpost, and the Shaipur Ravine). Using nothing but my own creative juices, I've decided that, in my campaign world, Shaipur is a region in southeastern Argos on its border with Shem. This area has been conquered in the past by the Shemites, but Argos has since reclaimed the land. This, in my game, is the reason the abandoned Shaipur Outpost exists.
I also noticed, in that movie, that both Khalar Zym and his daughter, Marique, have very high foreheads. And, this made me consider the different ethnic groups of Argos.
In a game set during the Hyborian Age, you don't have various flavors of elves and dwarves and halflings to interest your players. What you can do, though, is create some different flavors of human for your game. And, you can get quite creative with this. Robert E. Howard has set a precedent for this. There isn't just one flavor of Aquilonian. There are several different peoples from that expansive kingdom. There's Gundermen and Bossonians and those from the southern region of Pointain. And, this isn't the only example that you'll find in Howard's works and the pastiches. In Howard's story, The Devil In Iron, a Yuetshi fisherman is featured. The Zuagir are a Shemitish Nomadic tribe roaming the Great Desert. The Asshuri are another Shemitish tribe of people. There are more examples if you dig deep into the various Conan stories.
So, instead of just going with the macro races in your game, why not invent some separate ethnic groups for your players to discover as they get to know a location?
In my Shaipur region of Argos, I've think back to the high foreheads of Khalar Zym and Marique in the picture above, and I've decided that these people are called the Laden. Not all ethnic groups are discernible physically, but the Laden certainly are (just look at those pics!) Today, the Laden are a gypsy like folk inhabiting the Shaipur region. They're a mixed-race lot, combining both native Argossean and Shemitish blood. They are the result of Shem's control over the region. This makes Khalar Zym a man who rose up from one of the poorer Argossean peoples to become a powerful warlord.
The interior of Argos is really a union of Dukes and Barons who have banded together under for mutual protection. Technically, the King is lord over all, but practically, the nobles of the kingdom's interior are quite powerful. In some respects, each Duchy or Barony is ruled as if it were its own small kingdom within the larger agreed upon kingdom of Argos. One of these lands that meshes against the Shaipur (the Shaipur is not like the rest of the Argossean interior--it's not a region ruled over by one lord) is the Falcon Barony (whose nobles were sympathetic to Khalar Zym after his rise to power in Shaipur). The serfs in the Falcon Barony are hard working, honest people called Croats.
The nobility in Argos is generally of another race (the smallest in population) called the Wailser. This bloodline is usually jealousy guarded against mixed-breeding, and the trueblood Wailsers are dying out.
The Griko are a people of poor fishermen of the coasts, but they are regarded as a step above the Croats. And, then, there are the Mojh. These are a Shemitish people who conquered Shaipur.
If you are at a loss for names or ideas for different peoples, you can always use the net. That's what I did to come up with some of these names. Though my versions have nothing in common with the real ethnic groups, many of the names I used above are real Italian ethnic peoples. I just went and found a wiki on this.
I was thinking, too, that adding touches like this to the part of the world where my campaign will be set not only makes the place more believeable as a real region of a kingdom for my players, but it also helps when converting standard D&D adventures for use in my Conan game. I can make every bugbear I find, for example, a Mojh. When I see goblins, I'll make them Croats.
And so on.
To anybody else, a Croat or a Griko or a Wailser are all Argosseans, but to an Argossean, a Croat is a Croat. A Griko is a Grikio. And a Wailser is a Wailser.
GM's, I encourage you to create! Add-on and grow your version of the Hyborian Age. Don't just rely on what you see in the game supplements or have read in Conan books and comics. Make the world your own. Robert E. Howard gave use a fairly good look at the Hyborian Age, but there is a lot of room for your own creations. For example, during my first Conan campaign, I had a picture in my head of these large, inter-twined trees that grew close together so that their large limbs would grow into each other. I called these Thicket Trees, and I wanted to eventually develop (though I never did) a clan of Cimmerians who lived among these trees. They would live in tree houses, in these thicket groves that would wind around Cimmeria's rugged terrain, filling in some valleys. I thought about going a step further and giving these Cimmerians a reason for living in the tops of these trees by putting some beastie way down at the bottom in the valley. I did use the Thicket Trees in my game, but I never did develop the idea fully. Some Conan purists might balk at this idea, but who cares! It's my game (mine and my players'), and wanted to put a tad bit of fantasy into my dark and grim Hyborian Age. Why do all Cimmerians clans have to be like Conan, anyway? Can't there be a bit of variation--something different about a different clan? I thought so.
Now, with my new game, I'm setting it in Argos. I keyed in on the word "Shaipur" that was used in the 2011 film a couple of times (the Shaipur Monastery, the Shaipur Outpost, and the Shaipur Ravine). Using nothing but my own creative juices, I've decided that, in my campaign world, Shaipur is a region in southeastern Argos on its border with Shem. This area has been conquered in the past by the Shemites, but Argos has since reclaimed the land. This, in my game, is the reason the abandoned Shaipur Outpost exists.
I also noticed, in that movie, that both Khalar Zym and his daughter, Marique, have very high foreheads. And, this made me consider the different ethnic groups of Argos.
In a game set during the Hyborian Age, you don't have various flavors of elves and dwarves and halflings to interest your players. What you can do, though, is create some different flavors of human for your game. And, you can get quite creative with this. Robert E. Howard has set a precedent for this. There isn't just one flavor of Aquilonian. There are several different peoples from that expansive kingdom. There's Gundermen and Bossonians and those from the southern region of Pointain. And, this isn't the only example that you'll find in Howard's works and the pastiches. In Howard's story, The Devil In Iron, a Yuetshi fisherman is featured. The Zuagir are a Shemitish Nomadic tribe roaming the Great Desert. The Asshuri are another Shemitish tribe of people. There are more examples if you dig deep into the various Conan stories.
So, instead of just going with the macro races in your game, why not invent some separate ethnic groups for your players to discover as they get to know a location?
In my Shaipur region of Argos, I've think back to the high foreheads of Khalar Zym and Marique in the picture above, and I've decided that these people are called the Laden. Not all ethnic groups are discernible physically, but the Laden certainly are (just look at those pics!) Today, the Laden are a gypsy like folk inhabiting the Shaipur region. They're a mixed-race lot, combining both native Argossean and Shemitish blood. They are the result of Shem's control over the region. This makes Khalar Zym a man who rose up from one of the poorer Argossean peoples to become a powerful warlord.
The interior of Argos is really a union of Dukes and Barons who have banded together under for mutual protection. Technically, the King is lord over all, but practically, the nobles of the kingdom's interior are quite powerful. In some respects, each Duchy or Barony is ruled as if it were its own small kingdom within the larger agreed upon kingdom of Argos. One of these lands that meshes against the Shaipur (the Shaipur is not like the rest of the Argossean interior--it's not a region ruled over by one lord) is the Falcon Barony (whose nobles were sympathetic to Khalar Zym after his rise to power in Shaipur). The serfs in the Falcon Barony are hard working, honest people called Croats.
The nobility in Argos is generally of another race (the smallest in population) called the Wailser. This bloodline is usually jealousy guarded against mixed-breeding, and the trueblood Wailsers are dying out.
The Griko are a people of poor fishermen of the coasts, but they are regarded as a step above the Croats. And, then, there are the Mojh. These are a Shemitish people who conquered Shaipur.
If you are at a loss for names or ideas for different peoples, you can always use the net. That's what I did to come up with some of these names. Though my versions have nothing in common with the real ethnic groups, many of the names I used above are real Italian ethnic peoples. I just went and found a wiki on this.
I was thinking, too, that adding touches like this to the part of the world where my campaign will be set not only makes the place more believeable as a real region of a kingdom for my players, but it also helps when converting standard D&D adventures for use in my Conan game. I can make every bugbear I find, for example, a Mojh. When I see goblins, I'll make them Croats.
And so on.
To anybody else, a Croat or a Griko or a Wailser are all Argosseans, but to an Argossean, a Croat is a Croat. A Griko is a Grikio. And a Wailser is a Wailser.
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-- ADVENTURE IN ARGOS --
I am starting a new game set in Argos. This is a short blurb I wrote (actually, sent it over text so that they can be thinking of the game while they're at work!) in order to orient the characters to the first scene that we will play. My last campaign centered around a clan of Cimmerians and their village. The PCs had a lot of support in the way of relatives, villagers, and clansmen warriors. This game, I want to change the opening direction. The PCs will start with nothing but what they have on their backs. And, I have no grand story in mind. I'm going to run this one old school. I'm just going to plop the players into the game world and see where they go.
You can see in the note I sent them below that I've shut off all support that any of the characters might have. Later, as the game progresses, I might add in NPCs from a character's past, but if that happens, it will happen organically. The players will follow their nose. I will try to accommodate their whims. Soon, I believe a story will emerge--just like it did in the old days of playing D&D.
Here's how I'm setting up the first game session. Each player has already created his character and background. Yuri of Raeve is one of the PCs. You can read about him up thread a bit. I'm going to start the game with the PCs, none of them knowing each other, a mile or two outside of town. They will be with a large group of refugees that have just left Raeve. The thinking is that there's safety in numbers.
I'll have a number of NPCs to play with--the other refugees. This first part will be a bit tricky, because I can't predict what the players will do. But, my first goal will be to get the PCs to encounter each other and somehow decide to travel together. Sometimes, the players will help you do this, and sometimes they won't. I've got some real roleplayers in this group, so I can definitely see them not joining the others unless they have a real reason.
Of course, I've got a couple of "real reasons" in my back pocket. I'll have all the PC camp close to each other--and walk close to each other in the refugee group. I've got a pack of desperate people who have all that they own on their backs. One thought I have is to put some NPC ruffians together and have them attack whichever PC has not found a reason to join the other PCs. The other PCs, hopefully, seeing the lone PC get his butt kicked, will try to help him. If not, the ruffians will beat the heck out of the lone PC and strip him of everything he's got. Pretty soon, the lone PC will have his reason to team up with somebody. He'll need food and weapons and somebody to protect his back when he sleeps. The NPCs that he encounters will either not have anything to do with him or will be so weak as to not be of any help (like an old farmer, his wife, mother, and kids). I'll just have to play all this by ear, but I think, eventually, the PCs will all find each other.
With that accomplished, I'm going to let the players "drive". I'm going to set up encounters for any direction that they go. If they stay with the refugees, then I've got a surprise for them--a neat encounter after a couple of days. They'll travel north, up through the Shaipur Ravine.
Raeze is in a small valley. To the south is the coast, which is not suitable for large ships. There are no ports in this area of Argos. They can take the coast road towards Messantia, if they wish. They'll have to travel over high hills (almost low mountains), and what they will run into this way, besides a few wandering monsters that I'm going to create, is King Milo's army. Milo does not want the plague in Messantia, and Messantia has no walls. Thus, he's got a buffer zone established between Messantia and Raeze along the coast road. Depending on the mood of the guards, refugees will be turned back or just simply slaughtered and burned (if the soldiers suspect the refugees are plague carriers).
If the PC move across the Plain of Bone and Marrow, I'm going to make this rough, not only with my random encounter chart, but with some undead. This plain is where King Milo's army engaged the remnant forces of Khalar Zym. The bodies still rot out of the plain, and now, some of them walk. Making it through the plain takes the PCs into the high hills mentioned ealier--and more adventure.
The other direction takes the PCs into the hills that separate Argos and Shem. I'm going to put cannibal hillman tribes in those hills. So, that will be a fun trip. And, on the Shem side of the border, Assuri mercenaries will be on patrol keeping the plague refugees from staggering into Shem.
The last viable route for the PCs is to go into the pass that leads to Khalar Zym's fortress, Khor Kalba. The fortress is still occupied by what's left of Zym's organization, but King Milo has left troops to guard the pass. No one gets in or out. It's been 18 months now, but Milo is hoping to starve them out.
I won't need many encounters--just enough to take us through the first game session. After we've played, I'll have an idea of where the PCs are going, and then I'll develop that direction. This way, the players have total freedom in whatever direction they go, and I won't spend a lot of time creating encounters and story that will go to waste.
I'm am setting the game about two years after the events you saw in the recent Conan movie. Khalar Zym was an Argossean warlord that ruled this part of the Kingdom. King Milo is glad to see him go, as Zym had gotten too powerful. What you see below is what I sent the players....
I am starting a new game set in Argos. This is a short blurb I wrote (actually, sent it over text so that they can be thinking of the game while they're at work!) in order to orient the characters to the first scene that we will play. My last campaign centered around a clan of Cimmerians and their village. The PCs had a lot of support in the way of relatives, villagers, and clansmen warriors. This game, I want to change the opening direction. The PCs will start with nothing but what they have on their backs. And, I have no grand story in mind. I'm going to run this one old school. I'm just going to plop the players into the game world and see where they go.
You can see in the note I sent them below that I've shut off all support that any of the characters might have. Later, as the game progresses, I might add in NPCs from a character's past, but if that happens, it will happen organically. The players will follow their nose. I will try to accommodate their whims. Soon, I believe a story will emerge--just like it did in the old days of playing D&D.
Here's how I'm setting up the first game session. Each player has already created his character and background. Yuri of Raeve is one of the PCs. You can read about him up thread a bit. I'm going to start the game with the PCs, none of them knowing each other, a mile or two outside of town. They will be with a large group of refugees that have just left Raeve. The thinking is that there's safety in numbers.
I'll have a number of NPCs to play with--the other refugees. This first part will be a bit tricky, because I can't predict what the players will do. But, my first goal will be to get the PCs to encounter each other and somehow decide to travel together. Sometimes, the players will help you do this, and sometimes they won't. I've got some real roleplayers in this group, so I can definitely see them not joining the others unless they have a real reason.
Of course, I've got a couple of "real reasons" in my back pocket. I'll have all the PC camp close to each other--and walk close to each other in the refugee group. I've got a pack of desperate people who have all that they own on their backs. One thought I have is to put some NPC ruffians together and have them attack whichever PC has not found a reason to join the other PCs. The other PCs, hopefully, seeing the lone PC get his butt kicked, will try to help him. If not, the ruffians will beat the heck out of the lone PC and strip him of everything he's got. Pretty soon, the lone PC will have his reason to team up with somebody. He'll need food and weapons and somebody to protect his back when he sleeps. The NPCs that he encounters will either not have anything to do with him or will be so weak as to not be of any help (like an old farmer, his wife, mother, and kids). I'll just have to play all this by ear, but I think, eventually, the PCs will all find each other.
With that accomplished, I'm going to let the players "drive". I'm going to set up encounters for any direction that they go. If they stay with the refugees, then I've got a surprise for them--a neat encounter after a couple of days. They'll travel north, up through the Shaipur Ravine.
Raeze is in a small valley. To the south is the coast, which is not suitable for large ships. There are no ports in this area of Argos. They can take the coast road towards Messantia, if they wish. They'll have to travel over high hills (almost low mountains), and what they will run into this way, besides a few wandering monsters that I'm going to create, is King Milo's army. Milo does not want the plague in Messantia, and Messantia has no walls. Thus, he's got a buffer zone established between Messantia and Raeze along the coast road. Depending on the mood of the guards, refugees will be turned back or just simply slaughtered and burned (if the soldiers suspect the refugees are plague carriers).
If the PC move across the Plain of Bone and Marrow, I'm going to make this rough, not only with my random encounter chart, but with some undead. This plain is where King Milo's army engaged the remnant forces of Khalar Zym. The bodies still rot out of the plain, and now, some of them walk. Making it through the plain takes the PCs into the high hills mentioned ealier--and more adventure.
The other direction takes the PCs into the hills that separate Argos and Shem. I'm going to put cannibal hillman tribes in those hills. So, that will be a fun trip. And, on the Shem side of the border, Assuri mercenaries will be on patrol keeping the plague refugees from staggering into Shem.
The last viable route for the PCs is to go into the pass that leads to Khalar Zym's fortress, Khor Kalba. The fortress is still occupied by what's left of Zym's organization, but King Milo has left troops to guard the pass. No one gets in or out. It's been 18 months now, but Milo is hoping to starve them out.
I won't need many encounters--just enough to take us through the first game session. After we've played, I'll have an idea of where the PCs are going, and then I'll develop that direction. This way, the players have total freedom in whatever direction they go, and I won't spend a lot of time creating encounters and story that will go to waste.
I'm am setting the game about two years after the events you saw in the recent Conan movie. Khalar Zym was an Argossean warlord that ruled this part of the Kingdom. King Milo is glad to see him go, as Zym had gotten too powerful. What you see below is what I sent the players....
Emirikol
Adventurer
My last campaign in Hyboria was set in Vanaheim/Argos/Cimmeria. We used a lot of the Frostburn supplement for 3.5. My players comment that it was one of their favorite campaigns.
Our previous campaigns were primarily set in Shem and the deserts towards the Vilayet.
There is simply so much material you can find by simply looking at comics and any given pastiche, that it is my favorite world above Warhammer world.
jh
Our previous campaigns were primarily set in Shem and the deserts towards the Vilayet.
There is simply so much material you can find by simply looking at comics and any given pastiche, that it is my favorite world above Warhammer world.
jh
Oh, I agree. My Cimmerian campaign allowed only Barbarian classed PCs, and we had a great time. At the very start, I was at a loss for continuing adventures in the wilderness of Cimmeria. There aren't a lot of ruins to explore, and the typical enemies are other Cimmerian tribes plus the border peoples: The Picts, Vanir, Hyperboreans, slavers out of the Border Kingdom, and wayward Aquilonians who have traveled too far north.
After I thought about it a while, though, I realized that there was tons for the PCs to do--I just had to think differently than your standard "D&D adventure" mindset.
It was a fun campaign.
I'm really looking forward to this new one, too--sandboxing it. No real plan. Let's just see where the players take us.
-- BATTLEFIELD ARMOR --
Because the Hyborian Age can be hell on armor, your PCs may, from time to time, want to search the battlefield for better or replaced equipment. Assume that most warriors keep their armor in good shape. But, a dead warrior obviously took a killing blow, so for any armor taken from a downed foe, reduce the armor's DR by 1d4 points as if the armor had taken a 20 point blow per the rule on page 179 of the Second Edition Conan core rulebook.
BATTLEFIELD ARMOR = REDUCE DR BY 1d4
You may want to take some liberties with this rule if you have good reason that the armor is in poor repair (ancient armor taken from undead, for example) or has really taken a lot of damage on the battlefield (as with snow giants clobbering Vanir warriors). These types of circumstances are unique, and you must make a custom decision.
Remember that a character must be trained to use the armor that he wears (the character must have the appropriate Feat). Otherwise, penalties for not having the correct Feat will be used.
DOES IT FIT?
Plate Armor has its own special rules for sizing, listed in its description on page 156 of Conan 2E. The other types of armor should be fairly easy to be used by most other people. But, there may be some slight sizing issues. Some armor will be easily adjusted. With chain, it can be a matter of the arms being too long, interfering with the use of a weapon, or the chain is too tight across the chest, not allowing the freedom of movement needed in a fight. Chain or quilted armor that needs adjustment must be done with an armorsmith. Most other types of armor can be adjusted easily by just loosening buckles or making tighter tied leather straps, and this can be done easily by anybody with some time on their hands.
A character's size is measured by adding the modifiers for his Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution attributes. Thus, a character with STR 15, DEX 12, CON 18, would have armor size +7.
SIZE = STR MOD + DEX MOD + CON MOD
To find out how well armor not fitted for a character will wear, simply subtract the higher Size from the lower Size. If the character's Size is greater than that of the armor he is about to try, the new armor will be tight and will be restrictive. If the character's Size is smaller than that of the new armor, then the armor will be loose, making it a bit awkward to wear. If the result of subtracting the two Size ratings is exactly zero, then the fit is perfect, as if it had been fitted for the character.
FIT = Larger SIZE - Smaller SIZE
FIT is always an absolute value (so drop any positive or negative signs).
For example, if the character above (that wears Size +7 armor) were to find a chain shirt on a dead body, the GM will determine the Size of the chain based on the previous wearer's stats. If the dead body had stats of STR 12, DEX 16, CON 12, then the chain would be Size +4. Since the character's size (+7) is larger than that of the chain shirt (+4), we know that the chain shirt is going to be tight on the character. And, the Fit is 3.
In order to gauge the fit of new armor, make a Fit Check. Roll 1d20 against a target number created by the Fit x 5. In this case, the Fit Check will be d20 for 15 or better. If the check succeeds, the armor is a Near Fit. If the check fails, then the armor does not fit.
ARMOR FIT = d20 for (Fit x 5) or Better
Success means Near Fit.
Failure means Does Not Fit.
NEAR FIT
Where armor is a Near Fit, reduce the maximum DEX bonus allowed by the armor by the Fit number to a maximum of +0 (as is done with Plate Armor on page 156 of Conan 2E). Once the armor is fitted, the maximum DEX bonus for that armor is returned to its normal number.
For example: Using the character above who is attempting to wear the chain shirt, where the Fit is 3, the maximum DEX bonus will be +1 (usually it's +4) until the mail is fitted for the character.
DOES NOT FIT
Armor that does not fit comes with some fairly severe penalties. First off, the character wearing such ill fitting armor is considered as if he did not have the Feat for that particular armor. For example, if the character above attempting to wear the mail shirt that does not fit him, then the character is not considered to have the Light Armor Feat when regarding this particular piece of armor. The character is subject to the normal penalties for not having the Feat (must use the Armor Check penalty on most throws).
Second, the maximum DEX bonus for the armor is reduced to +0.
Third, the character's actual DEX modifier is reduced by the Fit number with regards to defense. For example, the character in our continuing example has DEX 12. He normally has a +1 to Dodge. But with the Fit 3 penalty, his DEX modifier is considered to be -2, and as stated on page 171, a DEX penalty is applied to both Dodge and Parry AC. Thus, the character, wearing a chain shirt that does not fit, must use the -3 Armor Check penalty on most throws, and he has a -2 penalty to his defense AC.
FITTING ARMOR
When Fit = 0, the armor is considered to be fitted, and no penalty applies. With most armors, the fit penalty can be avoided by adjusting the armor's straps and catches. This just takes some time trying on the armor, adjusting, then trying the armor on again to see if the adjustments are correct. Some armors, like chain and the quilted jerkin, require alteration to the armor itself, and therefore cannot be made on the spot normally.
Armors that are easily fitted include: Leather Jerkin, Brigandine Coat, Scale Corselet, or Scale Hauberk.
Armors that require alteration to fit properly include: Breastplate, Great Helm, Mail Shirt, Mail Hauberk, Quilted Jerkin, Steel Cap, Visored Helm.
GORE
One other thing to remember is that human beings are not pleasant sights after big holes have been ripped into them. Chain mail may be easy to clean, but armors like Leather and Quilted Jerkins will soak up blood and gore and probably be made useless just from that (and most armors use at least some leather). Employ appropriate smell and CHR penalties if a player insists his character wear armor where the gore cannot be cleaned appropriately. You may even want to consider disease.
As an arbitrary measure, consider that there is a 5% or 10% chance that the armor on a dead body will not be fouled completely with gore. Be a lot more lenient with helmets. Also, consider allowing a character to use the piecemeal armor rules from the Barbaric supplements in order to piece together armor from different sources.
Because the Hyborian Age can be hell on armor, your PCs may, from time to time, want to search the battlefield for better or replaced equipment. Assume that most warriors keep their armor in good shape. But, a dead warrior obviously took a killing blow, so for any armor taken from a downed foe, reduce the armor's DR by 1d4 points as if the armor had taken a 20 point blow per the rule on page 179 of the Second Edition Conan core rulebook.
BATTLEFIELD ARMOR = REDUCE DR BY 1d4
You may want to take some liberties with this rule if you have good reason that the armor is in poor repair (ancient armor taken from undead, for example) or has really taken a lot of damage on the battlefield (as with snow giants clobbering Vanir warriors). These types of circumstances are unique, and you must make a custom decision.
Remember that a character must be trained to use the armor that he wears (the character must have the appropriate Feat). Otherwise, penalties for not having the correct Feat will be used.
DOES IT FIT?
Plate Armor has its own special rules for sizing, listed in its description on page 156 of Conan 2E. The other types of armor should be fairly easy to be used by most other people. But, there may be some slight sizing issues. Some armor will be easily adjusted. With chain, it can be a matter of the arms being too long, interfering with the use of a weapon, or the chain is too tight across the chest, not allowing the freedom of movement needed in a fight. Chain or quilted armor that needs adjustment must be done with an armorsmith. Most other types of armor can be adjusted easily by just loosening buckles or making tighter tied leather straps, and this can be done easily by anybody with some time on their hands.
A character's size is measured by adding the modifiers for his Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution attributes. Thus, a character with STR 15, DEX 12, CON 18, would have armor size +7.
SIZE = STR MOD + DEX MOD + CON MOD
To find out how well armor not fitted for a character will wear, simply subtract the higher Size from the lower Size. If the character's Size is greater than that of the armor he is about to try, the new armor will be tight and will be restrictive. If the character's Size is smaller than that of the new armor, then the armor will be loose, making it a bit awkward to wear. If the result of subtracting the two Size ratings is exactly zero, then the fit is perfect, as if it had been fitted for the character.
FIT = Larger SIZE - Smaller SIZE
FIT is always an absolute value (so drop any positive or negative signs).
For example, if the character above (that wears Size +7 armor) were to find a chain shirt on a dead body, the GM will determine the Size of the chain based on the previous wearer's stats. If the dead body had stats of STR 12, DEX 16, CON 12, then the chain would be Size +4. Since the character's size (+7) is larger than that of the chain shirt (+4), we know that the chain shirt is going to be tight on the character. And, the Fit is 3.
In order to gauge the fit of new armor, make a Fit Check. Roll 1d20 against a target number created by the Fit x 5. In this case, the Fit Check will be d20 for 15 or better. If the check succeeds, the armor is a Near Fit. If the check fails, then the armor does not fit.
ARMOR FIT = d20 for (Fit x 5) or Better
Success means Near Fit.
Failure means Does Not Fit.
NEAR FIT
Where armor is a Near Fit, reduce the maximum DEX bonus allowed by the armor by the Fit number to a maximum of +0 (as is done with Plate Armor on page 156 of Conan 2E). Once the armor is fitted, the maximum DEX bonus for that armor is returned to its normal number.
For example: Using the character above who is attempting to wear the chain shirt, where the Fit is 3, the maximum DEX bonus will be +1 (usually it's +4) until the mail is fitted for the character.
DOES NOT FIT
Armor that does not fit comes with some fairly severe penalties. First off, the character wearing such ill fitting armor is considered as if he did not have the Feat for that particular armor. For example, if the character above attempting to wear the mail shirt that does not fit him, then the character is not considered to have the Light Armor Feat when regarding this particular piece of armor. The character is subject to the normal penalties for not having the Feat (must use the Armor Check penalty on most throws).
Second, the maximum DEX bonus for the armor is reduced to +0.
Third, the character's actual DEX modifier is reduced by the Fit number with regards to defense. For example, the character in our continuing example has DEX 12. He normally has a +1 to Dodge. But with the Fit 3 penalty, his DEX modifier is considered to be -2, and as stated on page 171, a DEX penalty is applied to both Dodge and Parry AC. Thus, the character, wearing a chain shirt that does not fit, must use the -3 Armor Check penalty on most throws, and he has a -2 penalty to his defense AC.
FITTING ARMOR
When Fit = 0, the armor is considered to be fitted, and no penalty applies. With most armors, the fit penalty can be avoided by adjusting the armor's straps and catches. This just takes some time trying on the armor, adjusting, then trying the armor on again to see if the adjustments are correct. Some armors, like chain and the quilted jerkin, require alteration to the armor itself, and therefore cannot be made on the spot normally.
Armors that are easily fitted include: Leather Jerkin, Brigandine Coat, Scale Corselet, or Scale Hauberk.
Armors that require alteration to fit properly include: Breastplate, Great Helm, Mail Shirt, Mail Hauberk, Quilted Jerkin, Steel Cap, Visored Helm.
GORE
One other thing to remember is that human beings are not pleasant sights after big holes have been ripped into them. Chain mail may be easy to clean, but armors like Leather and Quilted Jerkins will soak up blood and gore and probably be made useless just from that (and most armors use at least some leather). Employ appropriate smell and CHR penalties if a player insists his character wear armor where the gore cannot be cleaned appropriately. You may even want to consider disease.
As an arbitrary measure, consider that there is a 5% or 10% chance that the armor on a dead body will not be fouled completely with gore. Be a lot more lenient with helmets. Also, consider allowing a character to use the piecemeal armor rules from the Barbaric supplements in order to piece together armor from different sources.
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