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…
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…
