Conan and the Lurking Terror of Nahab

[Bregales]

The adventure writeup is pretty good at giving the two issues in this adventure,

• A terror lurking in Nahab and (obviously) terrorizing the populace, and
• Tensions between the Corinthian noble families verses the peasants.

I just finished the adventure last ngiht but I think the writeup has particular information I don't remember seeing in the adventure anyways, like their being 13 major noble families for example. It's a very interesting adventure which can easily be adjusted for a more hack-n-slash group of adventurers (though they'll HAVE to figure some things out) or for a more investigative, stealthy, or conniving group.

As has already been pointed out, there is no map of the town at all, though there are maps of major encounter locations in the adventure. I thought before going through a second time to make notes for the adventure I'd open The Road of Kings to check the writeup of Corinthia and the region Nahab is set up in in general. There is a lot of read aloud to the group paragraphs, and stats for several (types of) NPCs, but no particulars such latitude/longitude lines, so if you're a map-heavy GM you'll want to have those figured out, although as I mentioned the major location areas are listed.

There are a couple of points I'm not sure I'd want to deal with as-is, I may modify the adventure a little, having just completed Shadizar and fresh with ideas from that (villains route, note it takes place in Corinthia not Zamora). All in all I'd say nice job. 8)

 

[toothill man]

sounds great cannot wait getting my mitts on it 8)

 

[Auggie]

Picked up my copy and will soon unleash it on my gaming group :twisted:

 

[Brass Jester]

Got my copy today from Waylands Forge in Brum. First reading: - looks very good; very different. The cover illo is a scene and can be used as such at the relevant point. There are no maps of the city, but it doesn't really need one. There are opportunities for combat; but hack-n-slashers will probably die - gruesomely. Many scenes are graphic and quite intense; given the right players and ambivalent setting to run it in, this looks to be a fantastic experience for all involved.

 

[VincentDarlage]

given the right players and ambivalent setting to run it in, this looks to be a fantastic experience for all involved.

An "ambivalent" setting? What is that? A setting that is undecided or uncertain?

 

[Brass Jester]

Sorry, I meant 'Ambient' setting. This scenario can be run using lots of props; dim lights and mood music on low are a must. And the GM has some excellent opportunities for over-acting the part of certain NPC's. At one point the smell of burning wood smoke would not go amiss. The whole scenario thrives on atmosphere and IMO this should be emphasised.

 

[VincentDarlage]

Okay. That makes more sense!

 

[Mark Dunder]

Sounds like an interesting module. Having a bit of trouble with the title though.

Lurrrking Terror. Ooooo, scary! (notice how I balanced the r's?)

 

[Bregales]

Sorry, I meant 'Ambient' setting. This scenario can be run using lots of props; dim lights and mood music on low are a must. And the GM has some excellent opportunities for over-acting the part of certain NPC's. At one point the smell of burning wood smoke would not go amiss. The whole scenario thrives on atmosphere and IMO this should be emphasised.

Okay, I'll admit that could work! When I read the adventure the first time, I imagined the screaming madman proclaiming the doom of the nobles to have a certain accent, stoop, etc. But I could actually just use Ren!

 

[Brass Jester]

Played properly, the PC's should be in genuine fear of the lurking terror, both when it is only visible by its actions and later, if and when they come face to face with it. The module being called by a ' jokey'(?) Lovecraftian-style title in some ways makes the real horror more stark when it becomes apparent to the PC's just what they are fighting.

 

[Bregales]

All kidding aside, I really don't find the title joking or ridiculous at all; I like it. And like Heretics of Messantia, it's a different, clever kind of adventure where swords don't solve every situation, but they sure can be a matter of life and death in some instances here! 8)

 

[capnzapp]

My thoughts after reading through the module (and yes, it is now the year 2011):

It is very railroaded.

It reads more like a short story than a proper adventure of the kind where the adventurers have an impact on events. To be kind, the module consists of a string of events escalating the tensions of the module, with the PC involvement being limited to inconsequential scuffles and collecting (but not acting upon!) clues.

However, the author makes no provisio for what happens if the players don't just sit meekly by, listening to the unfolding story as told by the Games Master. To go into detail would mean spoiling the storyline, but in short: if the PCs intervene, the best result they can hope for is cutting the adventure short, ending it before the climax described in the module. And then? Nothing - The End.

You will see this clearly when you realize the module contains no alternative actions for the villain(s). There is nothing the players can do that alters the villainous plans, there is no back-up plans if the players intervene (in a meaningful way).

Sure they can outsmart the plot and defeat the threat early (and my guess is that players with even a smidgen of proactivity will easily do so), but that only puts an end to the adventure as well. Otherwise they need to let the events unfold as scripted, which clearly is the outcome intended and desired by the author, since it is the NPCs (and not the PCs) that are the true stars of this show.

All this could have been excused in a roleplaying-heavy module, but honestly the modules fails even here. There are no NPCs with secrets good RPing can pry out of them. Everybody is either a black-hearted insane villain, a clueless (or dead!) victim, or an irritating thorn in the characters' side. In short: there are no layers of intrigue here.

Sadly, this is another module where the author is too much in love with his or her story to bother giving the heroes something active to do.

A weak 2 out of 5.

 

[Spectator]

I'm amazed you were able to get your hands on it!

In terms of railroads, the ultimate RR adventure is the TSR Red Sonja (relaesed in 85 or 86). Other than fighting a few soldiers in the first chapter, you can roll all the dice you want for chaps 2-6 and the outcome is the same, you win!

 

[throrII]

I actually ran this for the first time, last month, for my Castles & Crusades Conan game.

The adventure is extremely rail roady, and in my opinion, poorly written. I ended up re-writing most of it using the fragment 'Snout in the Dark' as a guide (SPOILERS):







Nahab is a small independent city in Corinthia, ruled by an oligarchy of 13 noble houses (who all contribute one member to the Senate), overseen by the wealthiest family (whose patriach is the 'Consul' and 'president of the senate).

One Senator (Senator Falcone) wishes to overthrow the Oligarchy and declare himself king. To this end, he enlists the aid of a Kothic sorcerer to summon a demon known as "The Terror".

During this, the cities high priest of Mitra leads the peasants in a peaceful demonstration against the brutality of the nobles, afterwhich he is imprisoned by Consul Tiberius. The Terror is summoned to kill the high priest, and the Senator Falcone blames the murder on Consul Tiberius. Thus Senator Falcone has enraged the peasants, placed himself as their new hero, and turned them against the Consul.

The players are introduced to all of this through the bar fight/street caller scene, and again through a mini riot in the city square, in which they rescue the beautiful daughter of Tiberius (Lady Olivia). They end up having choices of siding with the peasants, Consul Tibius and the nobles, or staying neutral.

My players chose to follow the money and join up with Consul Tiberius--being made captains of the city guard. The game progressed as tensions rose and the Terror was summoned to destroy businesses and kill peasant business managers of those senators who spoke out against Tiberius (he is slowly loosing support and power in the senate). There were clues to suggest that Consul Tiberius, Lord Falcone, and even Lady Olivia were each summoning the Terror. Peasants start killing lone nobles and getting 'uppity'.

In the endgame, the full fledged riot broke out, and the players were ordered out to the city to quell it (mass combat/horde combat). The Terror is sent to kill them, as the final blow to Tiberius. They killed the Terror, which ran back to the Senatorial district. The players follow the headless demon, just in time to see Falcone acusing Tiberius' daughter (Lady Olivia) of sorcery and summoning the Terror herself. Lady Olivia was tied to a stake and they were starting to burn her alive. The Terror fell at the sorceror's and Falcone's feet. The oligarchy families used the confusion and terror to strike out at one another in an attempt to gain control themselves.

The players killed the sorcerer and Falcone, rescued Lady Olivia, looted the palace, and then fled over the walls with their lives as Nahab burned.

 

[Spectator]

LIKE