Here's my first attempt at a Conan adventure... asking for feedback.
Premise: The daughter of a Zuagir hetman has been taken by what one shaken guard called “men without faces”. Fearing for his daughter’s safety, but unable to count on his own extremely superstitious men to retrieve her, the desperate father turns to outsiders – would-be slaves that his men had just encountered on a caravan raid. He gives them their freedom and weapons, and promises them “fabulous wealth” if they succeed in returning his heart’s treasure to him…
Outline: The PCs start out in chains, and are being taken to the slave markets in Zamboula when blood-curdling warcrys split the desert air. Zuagir hillmen descend on the caravan and, with the PCs help, make short work of the guards. After the brief-but-bloody battle the desert nomads make off with the treasure of the caravan. Their leader, younger than many of the others and more richly dressed, invites them back with him to his camp to honor their courage.
Upon their return, there is a party. The Hetman, obviously the father of the young Zuagir leader, speaks with the PCs to get to know them. His beautiful daughter Yasmina catches their eyes as well. This will cause a bit of an argument that one of the PCs overhears. The argument is between Yasmina and the hetman’s advisor, a hawk-faced old man with an air of menace around him.
Later that night, after everyone has gone to sleep, screams ring out in the encampment – the camp is under attack! A brief, bloody struggle ensues before the attackers withdraw. In the aftermath, a father’s nightmare is realized - the hetman’s daughter, Yasmina, has been taken!
A guard describes “faceless men” of immense strength and apparently immune to their weapons! Also, a large black shape flew off – the guards (and PCs) were unable to get a good look at it, but it flew north. Whispers of “the evil ones have awakened!” echo throughout the camp and the hetman makes a decision. He enlists the aid of the PCs, promising “fabulous wealth” if they return his daughter to him.
Tracking the thieves and with the hetman’s son as a guide, they come to a hidden box canyon. Inside are incredible buildings carved from the living rock face! (Think Petra, only in grey granite instead of red sandstone). In carved arches can be seen figures matching the description of the kidnappers, but they are motionless statues. Several arches look like they should have the statues but they are missing. Drums can be heard echoing thru the canyon, but the source is difficult to determine.
They finally locate the source of the drums in a large darkened chamber. Many of the Faceless Ones are in a circle beating on drums. On an alter is the squirming form of Yasmina and standing over her with knife-in-hand is the Hetman’s Advisor!
If the PCs defeat the Advisor and his minions (who stop moving if the Advisor is killed ), they return to the Zuagir camp with a grateful Yasmina in tow to receive their promised reward… “Fabulous wealth” means many things to many people. In the Zuagir’s eyes, “wealth” takes the form of livestock – the PCs are rewarded with goats from the hetman’s own herd…
One cannot say which is crueler – the beating of the merciless sun, or the pitiless smirk of the slaver upon his camel. Hours fade into painful, seemingly-unending days on the march to Zamboula. Hot sands bake feet, legs tremble and water, more precious than gold, is doled out in meager, miserly portions – barely sufficient to sustain life. Iron shackles cook the limbs they are meant to restrain, but there is a burden that is heavier still… the memory of freedom, at once so recent and yet a lifetime ago. Overhead, eager vultures circle, awaiting the bounty of the dead or dying. They will feast this day, but it will be cold steel, not hot sun, which will provide their larder…
A blood-curdling warcry splits the calm as a horde of horsemen spring over a dune and fall upon the slaver caravan. Silver scimitars flash crimson as the butcher’s work commences. Those in shackles, ignited by the flame of hope, fall upon their captors in the confusion, using the chains of their imprisonment as weapons to win their freedom. After a brief, bloody struggle, it is all over except for the dispatching of the defeated.
A group of slaves, the last survivors, stand encircled by horsemen with inscrutible expressions. A young man in rich but now blood-stained garments trots his horse towards them, and the other horsemen bow their heads in deference to him. Brief, whispered words are exchanged with one of the grizzled veterans as the young noble looks over the “prizes”. Finally, he reaches a decision and tosses them treasure beyond belief… a ring of keys!
“You have fought well this day, and brave men do not belong in shackles”, he says, watching as the former slaves-to-be remove their chains. Once they are done, the young noble continues. “Now that you are free men, you have a choice. You may accompany us back to our encampment, sharing our bread and regaling us with your tales… or you may take your chances with the burning desert. I will warn you, tho… it is many days march before the next water. So! What is your choice?” he asks, knowing full well the answer…
Premise: The daughter of a Zuagir hetman has been taken by what one shaken guard called “men without faces”. Fearing for his daughter’s safety, but unable to count on his own extremely superstitious men to retrieve her, the desperate father turns to outsiders – would-be slaves that his men had just encountered on a caravan raid. He gives them their freedom and weapons, and promises them “fabulous wealth” if they succeed in returning his heart’s treasure to him…
Outline: The PCs start out in chains, and are being taken to the slave markets in Zamboula when blood-curdling warcrys split the desert air. Zuagir hillmen descend on the caravan and, with the PCs help, make short work of the guards. After the brief-but-bloody battle the desert nomads make off with the treasure of the caravan. Their leader, younger than many of the others and more richly dressed, invites them back with him to his camp to honor their courage.
Upon their return, there is a party. The Hetman, obviously the father of the young Zuagir leader, speaks with the PCs to get to know them. His beautiful daughter Yasmina catches their eyes as well. This will cause a bit of an argument that one of the PCs overhears. The argument is between Yasmina and the hetman’s advisor, a hawk-faced old man with an air of menace around him.
Later that night, after everyone has gone to sleep, screams ring out in the encampment – the camp is under attack! A brief, bloody struggle ensues before the attackers withdraw. In the aftermath, a father’s nightmare is realized - the hetman’s daughter, Yasmina, has been taken!
A guard describes “faceless men” of immense strength and apparently immune to their weapons! Also, a large black shape flew off – the guards (and PCs) were unable to get a good look at it, but it flew north. Whispers of “the evil ones have awakened!” echo throughout the camp and the hetman makes a decision. He enlists the aid of the PCs, promising “fabulous wealth” if they return his daughter to him.
Tracking the thieves and with the hetman’s son as a guide, they come to a hidden box canyon. Inside are incredible buildings carved from the living rock face! (Think Petra, only in grey granite instead of red sandstone). In carved arches can be seen figures matching the description of the kidnappers, but they are motionless statues. Several arches look like they should have the statues but they are missing. Drums can be heard echoing thru the canyon, but the source is difficult to determine.
They finally locate the source of the drums in a large darkened chamber. Many of the Faceless Ones are in a circle beating on drums. On an alter is the squirming form of Yasmina and standing over her with knife-in-hand is the Hetman’s Advisor!
If the PCs defeat the Advisor and his minions (who stop moving if the Advisor is killed ), they return to the Zuagir camp with a grateful Yasmina in tow to receive their promised reward… “Fabulous wealth” means many things to many people. In the Zuagir’s eyes, “wealth” takes the form of livestock – the PCs are rewarded with goats from the hetman’s own herd…