Conan RPG and a Lankhmar Campaign?

[Remus Lupin]

Inspired by another thread on the ENWorld boards, I've been re-reading the Fafhrd and Gray Mouser stories again, and imagining what it woudl take to do a Lankhmar-based campaign. But as I've thought about it, I've had trouble imagining how to capture the feel of Fritz Leiber's world with the standard D&D rules.

Then, this morning, I read the review of the Conan RPG on the front page, and the lightbulb went off. Of course! Lankhmar has always been more like Hyboria than like Middle Earth. If I used the Conan game I could make a terrific Lankhmar campaign.

I wonder if Mongoose would consider trying to put out supplements for other Conan-like settings, like Lankhmar. That would be an intriguing project.

What do others think? Conan for a Lankhmar campaign? Or something else?

 

[Desdichado]

Someone on rpg.net suggested the exact same thing. Although, to nit-pick, I'd say D&D is more like Lankhmar and Hyboria than it is like Middle-earth too...

 

[francisca]

Inspired by another thread on the ENWorld boards, I've been re-reading the Fafhrd and Gray Mouser stories again, and imagining what it woudl take to do a Lankhmar-based campaign. But as I've thought about it, I've had trouble imagining how to capture the feel of Fritz Leiber's world with the standard D&D rules.

Then, this morning, I read the review of the Conan RPG on the front page, and the lightbulb went off. Of course! Lankhmar has always been more like Hyboria than like Middle Earth. If I used the Conan game I could make a terrific Lankhmar campaign.

I wonder if Mongoose would consider trying to put out supplements for other Conan-like settings, like Lankhmar. That would be an intriguing project.

What do others think? Conan for a Lankhmar campaign? Or something else?

I've been waiting for the Conan RPG just for this reason, though I am sure I will have fun with it as is. Reading the review, it sure sounds like it will be a good fit.

Going to see if I can find it tonight. At some point in the next six months, you can bet I'll be running a Lankhmar/Newhon campaign based largley on these rules.

I am sure there are licensing issues with Lankhmar, but who knows, maybe mongoose or necromancer could pull something off like an official Lankhmar d20.

 

[francisca]

Someone on rpg.net suggested the exact same thing. Although, to nit-pick, I'd say D&D is more like Lankhmar and Hyboria than it is like Middle-earth too...

Tell it brother! And that is how I try to run my homebrew. Looks like it might get easier with this book.

 

[Remus Lupin]

Well, until somebody does us a favor and licences it, maybe we could use conan to put together a community-based Lankhmar campaign. I'd be eager to be involved in such a project.

 

[francisca]

Well, until somebody does us a favor and licences it, maybe we could use conan to put together a community-based Lankhmar campaign. I'd be eager to be involved in such a project.

It's one of those things I've been meaning to do.

One of my players also suggested that elements of the Conan RPG might be suitable for other novel inspired campaigns, such as thieve's world.

 

[Desdichado]

And the Black Company. I'm really curious to see how that differs from Conan, with the obvious exception of the setting specific info.

 

[AFGNCAAP]

I thought that the Conan RPG would hold possibilities for a Lankhmar-based game as well. Then again, I've been considering a few other options for such a game:

• d20 Modern. It seemed to provide the best source for the mix-n-match characters within Leiber's works. Also, the Alliegiances system would work great, & magic tops off at 5th level.
• Unearthed Arcana (Idea 1): the core class variants would help modify the game for a more low-magic setting.
• Unearthed Arcana (Idea 2): The generic classes (Warrior, Expert, Spellcaster) would work great. Modify/jot down spell list selections for the Spellcaster class, in order to replicate white wizards, black wizards, ice wizards, fire wizards, etc.

Action points would help with the heroic feel of the game. Defense Bonuses per class would improve ACs in the low-magic world. Reserve points would alleviate any worries about finding healing magics, but VP/WP would grant the possibility for more dangerous combats & possible 1-hit kills common in Leiber's stories (how many times has Mouser slain a foe by a single skewer with Scalpel?).

 

[Desdichado]

Reserve points would alleviate any worries about finding healing magics, but VP/WP would grant the possibility for more dangerous combats & possible 1-hit kills common in Leiber's stories (how many times has Mouser slain a foe by a single skewer with Scalpel?).

After having fought for a while, though, right? (been a while since I read any Leiber.) I still think hit points works fine, especially if you have a massive damage thresh hold reduced al a d20 Modern.

I don't know if the Conan rules for magic would work; magic, if anything, seems even more mysterious in Newhon. I have no idea how it works, and the only practitioners seem to be really weird, unearthly creatures (Ningauble of the Seven Eyes, Whatshisname of the Eyeless Face, etc.)

 

[Shadowdancer]

You guys have been reading my thoughts again! (Note to self: wear tin-foil hat AT ALL TIMES, even in the shower and in bed).

Last night, after reading the thread about Unearthed Arcana, I started thinking of the possibilities of running a campaign in Lankhmar with my old boxed set material, but using the new Conan d20 rules combined with some of the UA stuff for a low-magic, urban campaign.

This has so many possibilities.