What are the top 10 elements of a Conan adventure?

[Prince of Happiness]

I think his stories had less treasure and magic than they did scantily-clad beauties.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, about the same, really.

Nothing said that Conan adventures say you get to keep the treasure!

 

[loki44]

A temporary alliance with a foe, born out of the immediate necessity of banding together to defeat a more threatening common foe. The allied foe usually gets wasted in the process.

 

[Deadguy]

I would also point out that along with the scantily clad women, Conan seems to lose his own clothes pretty often in the fighting and running, often being reduced to belt and loincloth. Read into it what you will...

 

[bento]

From what I recall from reading the comic book series (Thomas & BW Smith) - succeeding by the skin of your teeth. There's plenty of narrow escapes and snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.

In the middle of the action Conan always seems to have the deck stacked against him because he underestimates the challenge, but somehow his strength and a good amount of luck pulls him through.

I think it's all part of this "you have a greater destiny" that always is on the periphery of the story.

 

[Cthulhudrew]

Snakes, serpents, and all related scaly beings are evil and slaver for the destruction of mankind, thus should be eliminated with all due haste.

Excess clothing is unnecessary and distasteful.

Might makes right, and the sword is actually mightier than the pen.

 

[sckeener]

Usually there isn't any gray in the world. Everything is black and white or not dealt with...

Now an Elric version would have gray all over and quibble about every moral issue as he slices through them.

 

[shilsen]

I'm absolutely horrified that nobody mentions apes. A Conan adventure always needs an ape. I don't know what it was with Howard, but he really, really enjoyed having Conan fight an ape.

 

[Heathansson]

1 Don't trust anyone from the city.
2 Don't trust anyone from the wilderness.
3 Cursed Magic Item is an aforegone conclusion.
4 Evil wizard is an aforegone conclusion
5 Spend all your money; you can't take it with you.
6 Trust a guy with an elephant head you meet in a wizard's tower before you trust anyone who is a human.
7 If you beat enough of an antagonists' flunkies, they will either throw you in chains or give you a job.
8 Crom!

 

[Templetroll]

If there is one huge monster then Conan gets beat up and eventually kills the thing.

If there are a bunch of normal mooks eventually one will clobber Conan on the back of the head and knock him out.

 

[Templetroll]

I'm absolutely horrified that nobody mentions apes. A Conan adventure always needs an ape. I don't know what it was with Howard, but he really, really enjoyed having Conan fight an ape.

Howard must have read Burroughs and that was his way to best the Ape-Man.