A Scholar, Thief, Noble and Nomad walk into a bar...

[Anonymous]

We are just about to start a Conan Chronicle called "The Hand that Rules the World". The PCs so far are a Scholar (herbalist), a thief (harem girl assassin), Noble (conniver) and a Nomad (Shah's ex-bodyguard). I am both blessed by such interesting PCs but I find it interesting to be playing Conan without any warriors, though the Nomad is pretty close.

Does anyone have stories of Conan games that they played/ran that involved more sneaking, back stabbing and politicking than combat?

 

[thulsa]

There has been some recent changes, but the party in our game started out with a Noble, a Scholar, a Thief, and a Soldier.

There is plenty of opportunity for intrigue and sneaking as long as you place the adventures in a big city. I'd suggest somewhere in the Shem-Zamora-Turan area for a high "intrigue factor".

- thulsa

 

[Anonymous]

I am going along with mostly intrigue and horror to start off with. Starting in Zamora, they will likely go to Brythunia, Hyperborea then (the ever moving) Yaralet.

 

[Sutek]

Does anyone have stories of Conan games that they played/ran that involved more sneaking, back stabbing and politicking than combat?

Well, I've got thousands of hours of that sorty of thing in role playing in general...what exactly are you asking? Do you want generalized plots or Conan/Hyborea specific stuff? Frankly, I know nothing about Conan apart from the comics and the movie, but what I recommend is close your eyes, pick up a book at random and open it to a page. Read that page and I bet you'll find something to further reseach and develop into a campaign with the flavor you're looking for.

As a final note, I gotta say that all role playing ought to be politicking and intrigue, but Conan has the nasty combat system on top of it all to deter players from too much mayhem.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, I've got thousands of hours of that sorty of thing in role playing in general...what exactly are you asking?

I am asking people to share stories they have in running/playing Conan that involved lots of horror, intrigue and mystery and not so much the combat of which Conan was so capable.

Frankly, I know nothing about Conan apart from the comics and the movie, but what I recommend is close your eyes, pick up a book at random and open it to a page. Read that page and I bet you'll find something to further reseach and develop into a campaign with the flavor you're looking for.

I have read a lot (almost all) of Robert E Howard's Conan works. They do contain a number of plots that do seem to cater for "non-barbarian" protagonists, at least for the most part. However, there is always the presence of Conan's might in all of the stories.

I guess to refine my initial query, I am wondering whether, without this presence, the stories may take on quite a different feel. A change that might not be so readily apparent from the POV of a GM writing an adventure. For example, would the Tower of the Elephant end the same if a sorcerous PC went into the tower? What would have A Witch shall be Born, have been like if Salome and Constantius had been assasinated by the use of poison?

 

[The King]

We are just about to start a Conan Chronicle called "The Hand that Rules the World". The PCs so far are a Scholar (herbalist), a thief (harem girl assassin), Noble (conniver) and a Nomad (Shah's ex-bodyguard). I am both blessed by such interesting PCs but I find it interesting to be playing Conan without any warriors, though the Nomad is pretty close.

Does anyone have stories of Conan games that they played/ran that involved more sneaking, back stabbing and politicking than combat?

You can use some "Call of Cthulhu" threads and scenarios where investigation is more important than combat. Adaptation to the Hyborian World shouldn't be too complicated. Ypu can try with the "Masks of Nyarlathotep" or the "Funggi from Yuggoth" because the players have to deal with secret organizations but can't fight them openly until they gather enough cues and evidences.

 

[Anonymous]

...and a Pirate. No Soldiers, Barbarians or Borderers (probably the more warrior type classes). Anyway, the group is looking very good and should go through their first paces with a Black Stones variant next week