[CONAN] GM's Closet

[Supplement Four]

Restrictive Armor

- Optional Rule -



Conan tends to favor combat unencumbered, where he is light on his feet, able to side-step a thrust and quickly follow up with a counter move. Thick types of armor tend to impede Conan's actions, though the mighty barbarian has learned the value of armor. In the story Beyond The Black River, Balthus asks Conan how he escaped a hoard of howling Picts. The Cimmerian replies, "'If more borderers would wear harness there'd be fewer skulls hanging on the altar-huts."

But, in the story Black Colossus, Conan is presented with full plate armor.

Yasmela disappeared again through the curtains and clapped her hands for her slaves.

At her command they brought harness to replace Conan's chain-mail – gorget, sollerets, cuirass, pauldrons, jambes, cuisses and sallet. When Yasmela again drew the curtains, a Conan in burnished steel stood before his audience. Clad in the platearmor, vizor lifted and dark face shadowed by the black plumes that nodded above his helmet, there was a grim impressiveness about him that even Thespides grudgingly noted. A jest died suddenly on Amalric's lips.

"By Mitra," said he slowly, "I never expected to see you cased in coat-armor, but you do not put it to shame. By my fingerbones, Conan, I have seen kings who wore their harness less regally than you!"

But, before the battle with Natohk's army, Conan swings off his horse and...

There Conan halted, swinging off his horse. He had discarded the plate-armor for the more familiar chain-mail.

There is little in the Conan RPG to represent this preference mechanically. This optional rule will bring that Conan flavor to your game.





- CRITICAL FUMBLE -

On page 169 of the 2E Conan rules, it is stated that a natural one rolled on an attack throw is an automatic miss. This Critical Fumble rule adds to the Automatic Miss rule by also indicating that a natural one on the attack throw may also be a Critical Fumble.

The GUSTUD rule is discussed earlier in this thread, and here, with this optional rule, the GUSTUD rule is slightly modified.

When a Critical Fumble is thrown, the attacker has opened himself up to a particular type of free attack by his enemy. This only applies to melee. The Restrictive Armor rule is not incurred by thrown weapon or missile weapon combat.

Critical Fumbles are akin to Critical Threats. Armor dictates a Critical Fumble number in the same way that weapons dictate Critical Threat ranges. Critical Fumbles can be scored on a natural roll of one, two, or three (or more), depending on the amount of restrictive armor worn.

Characters wearing no armor are not subject to Critical Fumbles. A natural one thrown on the attack die is regarded as an automatic miss, per the rule on page 169. As a character wears more restrictive armor, the character will gain higher Critical Fumble numbers, making it easier and easier for him to stumble and give his enemy a free attack.

Any Critical Fumble attack is made as an Immediate Action as defined on page 181 and does not count against an opponent's number of attacks for the combat round.





- GUSTUD -
When a Critical Fumble is thrown, one of six randomly chosen outcomes can happen. This is the GUSTUD rule. "GUSTUD" is an acronym for the six possible types of Critical Fumble attacks.

Attacks of Opportunity: Normally, with most of the attacks described below, the character is given an Attack of Opportunity first before his opponent is allowed to attempt the attack. With Critical Fumbles, characters do not benefit from the usual appropriate AoOs (as is the case with the optional Weapon Breakage rule described on page 174). Thus, if a character rolls a natural one, giving his opponent a free grapple attempt against the character, the character does not get the usual Attack of Opportunity before the grapple attack is made.

1. Grapple - The character opens himself up to a grapple attempt by his enemy.

2. Unarmed Attack - The character opens himself up to a punch or a kick by his opponent. The normal Unarmed Attack rules aplly. Any damage delivered will be non-lethal unless a -4 attack penalty is used.

3. Sunder - The character defends himself in such a way that his opponent gains a sunder attack against him. If the character is usuing a shield, then the Sunder attempt must be against the shield. Otherwise, the Sunder attempt is made against the weapon the character is using.

4. Trip - The character moves in such a way that his opponent can easily trip him. If the opponent is not using a weapon capable of trip attacks, then the trip is made using an Unarmed Attack, as described on page 212.

5. Unarmed Attack - The same as described in result #2 above.

6. Disarm - The character's opponent is given a free attempt to disarm the character using the rules on page 206.





- A GOOD IDEA? -

It is not always in the best interests of an opponent to take advantage of the free attack offered by the Critical Fumble rule. An opponent may not find it advantageous to change the nature of a fight by attempting a grapple with a strong character while losing the potential damage delivered by his weapon (only light weapons can be used while grappling, and thus a broadsword, doing 1d10 damage, is reduced to the 1d4 damage of its pommel while the wielder is striking with it during a grapple situation). If the opponent's trip attempt fails, then the character is given a chance to trip the opponent in turn, per the rule on page 212. When opponent's disarm attempts fail, the character can try, in turn, to disarm his opponent.

Rolling a Critical Fumble does not automatically indicated a hindrance to the character. Opponent's Unarmed Attacks fail to hit. Sunder attempts fail to damage the targeted item. And, sometimes, a Critical Fumble can become a benefit to the character, as when an opponent's trip or disarm attempts fail, and the character is successful in turning those attacks around, instead tripping or disarming the opponent.





- CRITICAL FUMBLE NUMBER -

A Critical Fumble number is created for a character in a like manner to the character's Critical Threat Range. Where the threat range is determined by the weapon the character uses, the fumble number is determined by the restrictiveness of his armor.

Restrictiveness is determined by the total Armor Check Penalty (including any helm) suffered by the character. Where the Armor Check Penalty applies to Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Slight of Hand, and Tumble tests (and where double the penalty is applied to Swimming checks, while helmet-only penalties are applied to Spot and Listen checks), a third of the total Armor Check Penalty creates the character's Critical Fumble number (drop any fractions).

For example, Cimmerians are sometimes seen wearing a helm, loin cloth, boots, and shield. This result in no restrictiveness at all. The Cimmerian's total ACP is 0 for the steel cap plus 2 for the targe. Divide by 3 and drop fractions results in zero restrictiveness. If the Cimmerian rolls a natural one on an attack, then it is an automatic miss only. The Critical Fumble Rule does not apply.

But, if that same Cimmerian adds a Leather Jerkin, then his total ACP becomes 3 (Steel Cap is 0, Targe is 2, Leather Jerkin is 1), meaning the character now has a Critical Fumble number of one. Whenever the character rolls a natural one, the attack is an automatic miss, and the Cimmerian moved in such a way that he opened himself up to one of the GUSTUD attacks (determined randomly) by his opponent.

If the Cimmerian encounters a Vanir warrior wearing a scale corselet and great horned helm, using targe and axe, the Vanir's Critical Fumble number is 2 (+4 Scale Corselet, +2 Great Helm, +2 Targe = 8. 8/3 = 2). If the Vanir throws a natural one or natural two on his attack, then the Cimmerian will gain a free GUSTUD attack upon him.

When the Nemedian knights take the field, they are in full plate armor, visor down, using lance and large shield. These knights, as encumbered as they are, have Critical Fumble numbers of 4 (+6 Plate, +2 Visor Down, +4 Large Shield). They are so encumbered that, each attack, they have a 20% chance of giving their opponent a GUSTUD free attack against them (but, the GUSTUD attack is likely to do little damage because the DR rating for these nights is DR 12 plus the +4 Parry AC they get from the shield!).





- CONAN'S PREFERENCE -

Yes, it's quite a bit of text I wrote to explain this optional rule. But, I endeavored to be complete. Once you read it and understand it, though, you'll see that the rule is as easy to implement in a game as the usual Critical Threat rule that you use every time an attack throw is made.

Plus, the rule gives characters something to think about when choosing armor. Like Conan, character will balance the protection armor brings them to the disadvantage of the GUSTUD rule, which simulates a penalty to restrive movement on the battlefield.

 

[Supplement Four]

Locking Weapons and the Optional Rule


So, on page 209 of the 2E Core Rulebook, you'll see a special rule about locking weapons. Whenever a character's attack roll exactly equals his opponent's Parry AC, the attack is not successful (as it normally would be). Instead, the two characters are considered to have locked weapons. Both characters makes opposed grapple checks. The winner may choose (doesn't have to) to knock the loser back five feet. If the winner's check is 10 or more points higher than his opponent, then the loser is knocked back five feet and is also knocked prone!

That's a pretty cut and dry rule.

This makes Parrying a bit more effective (than Dodging), since an attack that would normally hit is not considered a hit, but the hit is traded for the opposed grapple check.

Where it gets a bit confusing is on page 174, under the optional Weapon Breakage rule. There, it says when a character's attack throw is exactly equal to his opponent's Parry AC, the attack is not considered a successful hit against the character's enemy. But, the attack is considered a successful Sunder attack against the character's weapon. Damage that would normally be placed upon the opponent is transferred to the opponent's weapon.

How do you reconcile these two rules?

I spoke about this earlier in the thread, but after several combats, I've simplified things. This is how I do it.



WHENEVER ATTACK = PARRY AC

1. If defender is using a shield, use the optional rule from page 174. The attack becomes a successful Sunder attack against the character's shield.

2. If the defender is not using a shield, then he is parrying with his weapon. Here, two things happen. First, use the optional rule from page 174 and consider that attack a successful Sunder attempt against the defender's weapon. If the weapon withstands the sunder blow and is still intact, then proceed to use the rule from page 209 and roll the opposed grapple checks.

In short: Attack = Parry AC means a sunder against opponent's shield. If the defender does not have a shield, then assume a sunder against the opponent's weapon and then lock weapons if the defender's weapon did not break.

 

[Supplement Four]

DAMAGING ARMOR & DAMAGE CHARACTERS



I'm adding nothing new here--just making a clarification from several different parts of the book. First, look at page 179. Any single attack that does 20 points or more damage, before armor is taken into account, will also damage the defender's armor. Roll 1d4 and reduce the Damage Resistance rating of the defender's armor by that amount. If the armor is reduced to DR 0 or less, then the armor is completely destroyed.

From page 157, we are directed to always apply damage to armor first before applying any damage to the defender's helmet. The helmet is always last to receive damage unless the GM's description of the combat dictates something different.

Page 179 provides us with an optional rule. If armor absorbs all of the damage from a blow, then apply one point of non-lethal damage on the defender to account for the bumps, bruises, and minor concussions that the defender did take.

The Massive Damage rule on page 189 is the main reason I wrote this post. With armor, above, 20 points of damage from a single blow leads to automatic damage on the defender's armor (as well as the hit points of damage applied to the character). This happens any time 20+ points of damage are scored from a single blow, regardless of damage reduction from armor.

The Massive Damage rule considers armor. Any single blow that scores 20+ points of damage after reduction from armor indicates that the Massive Damage rule should be enforced. The character must make a Fortitude Saving Throw at DC 10 + half damage.

It's important to distinguish that armor is damaged from a 20+ blow before armor is considered, and the Massive Damage rule is used when 20+ points of damage is scored from a single hit after armor is considered.

 

[Supplement Four]

Restrictive Armor

- Optional Rule -

In the post above, I suggest a new way to use the GUSTUD rule so that the game provides a mechanical preference for lighter armors as Conan is seen to prefer in the stories. Instead of using the Armor Check Penalty, divided by three, to find the GUSTUD number, a more simple way is change the GUSTUD number is to set it by armor type.

No Armor = No Critical Fumble Number.

Light Armor = CFN 1

Medium Armor = CFN 2

Heavy Armor = CFN 3




This is easier to apply to a game, but note that this option is not the same as I suggest in the original post. With the first suggestion, a character can actually wear some armor (up to ACP -3) and still not have a CFN. This gives the character some room for some sparse protection, especially if using the partial armor rules in the Barbaric supplements.

Also, with the original suggestion, CFNs higher than 3 are possible, if a character is heavily armored with high ACP of -12 or more.

 

[Supplement Four]

- ARMORED SLEEVE -



This is described in the Argos And Zingara hardback, in the gladiator section (see page 15). They are primarily used to parry blows, providing a +1 bonus to Parry AC as well as +1 Damage Reduction.

Alternatively, the Barbaric third party supplements provide partial armor rules.

 

[Supplement Four]

Geographic Index of S&P Conan Articles





AQUILONIA

What's In A Name? (Aquilonian Names)

Gambling (Hyborian gambling games and rules useable anywhere)

Noble Followers (useable with any nobles of any land)

Alternative Borderer Combat Styles (Aquilonian Arbalester; Gunderland Pike Fighter)

Hyborian Age Monsters (Ankou; Korrigan)





ARGOS

Bitter Oranges (back and forth across Argos/Zingaran border)

Hunting The Falcon (Messantia and surrounding area)

The Dagger (Argossean dagger)

Healers and Gladiators (new classes: Healer, Gladiator)

Gladiators of Messantia (look at gladitorial combat)

Alternative Borderer Combat Styles (Argossean Ghoul Hunter)





BLACK KINGDOMS

Alternative Borderer Combat Styles (Northern Tribesman Spear Fighter; Southern Black Kingdom Bare Handed Fighter)

Wildlife & Monsters in Atlaia

Pygmies of the Hyborian Age (new races: Mzatu, Mbesi, B'Akkah)





BORDER KINGDOM

Cimmerian Moons (into Border Kingdom and possibly beyond)

Hyborian Age Monsters (Leanan Sidhe; Mulo)





BRYTHUNIA

Hyborian Age Monsters (Baobhan Sith; Bitang; Liderc; Foldi Ordog; Pricolici; Rusalka; Strigoi Mort)

Man's Best Friend (in depth on dogs and training, useable anywhere)





CIMMERIA

Cimmerian Moons (into Border Kingdom and possibly beyond)

The Dagger (Cimmerian dirk)

A Field Guide to Creatures of the Hyborian Age (Grey Man-Apes)

Ten Reasons to Leave Cimmeria

Hyborian Age Monsters (Baobhan Sith; Leanan Sidhe)





CORINTHIA

Gambling (Corinthian Flop)

Hyborian Age Monsters (Bitang; Callicantzaros; Vrykolaka)





DARFAR

Alternative Borderer Combat Styles (Defari Meat Hunter)





EASTERN DESERT

Hyborian Age Monsters (Al Basti)





HYRKANIA

The Dagger (Hyrkanian dagger)

A Field Guide to Creatures of the Hyborian Age (Grey Man-Apes)

Monsters of Legend (Ur, First Among Apes, jungles of the east)

Mount Yimsha (Himelian Mountains)

Hyborian Age Monsters (Erestuny)

Manly Games & Festivals (Hyrkanian style)

Body & Spirit (Hyrkanian medicine and religion)

The People of the Felt Walls (focus on: Hyrkanian Steppe Nomads)





HYPERBOREA

The Dagger (Hyperborean dagger)

A Field Guide to Creatures of the Hyborian Age (Grey Man-Apes)

Dead Eyes (Graaskal Mountains and beyond)

The Saami (new race)

Alternative Borderer Combat Styles (Saami Lassoer)

Hyborian Age Monsters (Gjenganger)





IRANISTAN

A Field Guide to Creatures of the Hyborian Age (Grey Man-Apes)

Sons of Anshan (new race: Iranistani)





KHAURAN

Hyborian Age Monsters (Okostnik)

Wine of the Gods (Kyros to Korshemish)





KHITAI

The Dagger (Khitan tarrant)

A Field Guide to Creatures of the Hyborian Age (Grey Man-Apes)

The Bloodling (creature useable elsewhere)

The Martial Disciple (new class useable in other areas)

Monsters of Legend (Ku-ir Shah, The Dream Tiger)

Alternative Borderer Combat Styles (Khitan Staff Fighter)





KOTH

The Dagger (Kothic dagger)

The Scarlet Citadel (Khorshemish)

Hyborian Age Monsters (Obour; Okostnik; Ustrel; Vrykolaka)

Wine of the Gods (Kyros to Korshemish)





KUSH

The Dagger (Aphaki dagger)

Xuthal (in depth look)

Alternative Borderer Combat Styles (Kushite Spear Fighter)

Wildlife & Monsters in Atlaia (wildlife in Kush)





NEMEDIA

The Pits Where Mad Things Drum (Darkwood)

Of Chariots and Acheronians (new race: Acheronian)

The Vault of Thedipides (Numalia)

Hyborian Age Monsters (Nemedian Vampire; Nachzehrer)

Horror in Numalia (Numalia)





NORDHEIM

A Field Guide to Creatures of the Hyborian Age (Grey Man-Apes)

Gambling (Asgardian Gambit)

The Saami (new race)

The Temple of Tears (Aesir village of Ansuz and surroundings)

Monsters of Legend (Helbjorn, The Ice Bear)

Alternative Borderer Combat Styles (Nordheimr War Sword Wielder; Saami Lassoer)

Hyborian Age Monsters (Draugr; Leanan Sidhe; Gast; Gjenganger)





PICT WILDERNESS

Piercing Magic (sorcery type useable in many areas)

The Dagger (Pictish copper dagger)

Monsters of Legend (The Ghost of Pict-Land)





SHEM

The Dagger (Shemite dagger)

Gambling (Seven Shemite Nights)

The Staff of Ibis (Shem to Stygia)

Wine of the Gods (Kyros to Korshemish)





STYGIA

The Houses of Set (anywhere where there's a temple to Set)

The Dagger (Stygian Charioteer dagger)

Of Chariots and Acheronians (Chariot Rules; Stygian and Acheronian chariots plus new race: Acheronian)

The Palace of Cetriss (Dragon's Spine)

Stygian Spells (useable anywhere)

The Ark of Delight (travels coast)

The Staff of Ibis (Shem to Stygia)

Hyborian Age Monsters (Balaur useable anywhere)





TURAN

To Save A Kingdom (Samara; Misty Mountains; Vendhya; Khawarizm)

Aghrapur (in depth look)

Mount Yimsha (Himelian Mountains)

Alternative Borderer Combat Styles (Turanian Calvary Man)

Hyborian Age Monsters (Al Basti; Chesme)





VENDHYA

The Dagger (Vendhyan dagger)

A Field Guide to Creatures of the Hyborian Age (Grey Man-Apes)

New Armour (thief focussed armor, such as the Vendhyan Sash)

To Save A Kingdom (Samara; Misty Mountains; Vendhya; Khawarizm)

Mount Yimsha (Himelian Mountains)





VILAYET SEA

Gambling (Islander Bones)

Hyborian Age Monsters (Al Basti)





WESTERN OCEAN

The Dagger (Barachan Dagger)

Barachan Isles (Tortage and surroundings)

Gambling (Islander Bones)

Ghost of the Deep (Zingaran ship, adventure at sea, and shipwrecked on island)

The Ark of Delight (travels coast)

Alternative Borderer Combat Styles (Southern Islander Swimmer)





ZAMORA

The Dagger (Lower Zamorian dagger; Noble Zamorian dagger)

The Underhanded Side of Sorcery (new sorcery styles useable elsewhere)

A Field Guide to Creatures of the Hyborian Age (Zamorian Black Man-Apes)

New Armour (thief focussed armor, such as the Zamorian Shadow Robe)

Sneak Attack! (new sneak attack styles)

Scenarios for Shadizar (adventure ideas)

The Book of the Elephant (desert to Shadizar)





ZINGARA

Bitter Oranges (back and forth across Argos/Zingaran border)

The Dagger (Zingaran Boatman dagger)

Gambling (Zingaran Aces)

Ghost of the Deep (Zingaran ship, adventure at sea, and shipwrecked on island)

Alternative Borderer Combat Styles (Zingaran Ghoul Hunter; Zingaran Serpent Hunter)

 

[Supplement Four]

-- Intimidate From Iron Heroes --

I have comments about the Intimidate skill posted earlier in the thread. Looking over the D&D variant Iron Heroes, I see another method for using Demoralize Other in the Conan game (as well as other ideas).

This is quoted from the Iron Heroes Players Handbook

INTIMIDATE

Check: You instill fear into your target, forcing him to take actions against his will or turning him into a nervous, clumsy wreck. You can use the Intimidate skill in one of two ways to
intimidate one target at a time.


Browbeat Target: You can change another’s behavior with a successful check. The result of your Intimidate check is the Difficulty Class that your target must achieve using his choice
of a Will save, a base attack check, or an Intimidate check of his own. Before your target acts, he must make a check.

If he fails, he does as you order him to do. You cannot compel a person to take a dangerous, self-destructive, or plainly foolish action. For example, you could browbeat a town guard into standing back while you carry off the crown jewels, but you could not force him to attack his allies or help you with your burden. In most cases, Intimidate can force a target to take no action or to stop interfering with you. The target makes a new save or check each round and continues to do so until 1d6 minutes after you have left his presence.

If the target succeeds in his check or saves against your intimidation attempt, he may act as normal, but you can try to intimidate him again. If he beats the DC by 5 points or more, you may not make another Intimidate check against him for the rest of the encounter.

Demoralize Opponent: You can also use Intimidate to weaken an opponent’s resolve in combat. The result of your Intimidate check is the Difficulty Class that your target must
achieve using his choice of a Will save, a base attack check, or an Intimidate check of his own.

If you win, the target becomes shaken for a number of rounds equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier. A shaken character takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws. You can intimidate only an opponent that you threaten in melee combat and that can see you.

Action: Intimidating an opponent is a standard action.

Special: You gain a +4 bonus on your Intimidate check for every size category that you are larger than your target. Conversely, you take a –4 penalty on your Intimidate check
for every size category that you are smaller than your target. A character immune to fear can’t be intimidated, nor can nonintelligent creatures.

Synergy: If you have 5 or more ranks in Bluff, you get a +2 bonus to Intimidate checks.

Take 10/20: Trying to intimidate someone is an inherently stressful situation. You cannot take 10 or 20 with this skill.

Extended Skill Checks: You can use an extended Intimidate check to force someone slowly into subservience. You must achieve a given number of Intimidate check successes before hitting a certain number of failures. Make one check each day on consecutive days; if you miss one or more days, you suffer one automatic failure for each day missed. You must reach a number of successes equal to 5 + your target’s Charisma modifier, while getting five failures means that you cannot force him into service. You can intimidate only one person per day in this manner, spending at least four hours each day browbeating your unwilling servant. The target of this use of Intimidate can have no more than half your Hit Dice. You can have a number of unwilling servants equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier. (If this total is 0 or less, you cannot have any.) A person forced into service in this manner obeys any nondangerous commands you give
him. He never risks his life or property for you.

Mass Intimidation: You can attempt to intimidate more than one person at a time. In this case, one opponent of the DM’s choice makes a single check to resist you. This result stands
for everyone in the group. However, you suffer a –2 penalty to your check for each opponent beyond the first. Your DM may allow more than one person to make a check to resist
you, with each checker representing a different subgroup of those you wish to intimidate. For example, while you attempt to steal the Rendergest Emerald, the town guard and a small
group of thieves burst into Duke Rendergest’s vault. You use Intimidate to freeze them in place and escape up a rope leading to the roof. The DM judges that the captain of the guard will resist your check on behalf of his men, while the outlaw Tyra Redblade resists on behalf of her cronies.
You can use mass intimidation with either use of Intimidate (demoralizing or browbeating a foe).
Power Intimidate: You make a spectacular claim of power, call out your opponent’s courage, or take a risky gambit to find a foe’s secret fear. A tough or determined enemy can see
through your ploy, but a weak one quakes before your power.

In return for a –5 penalty to your Intimidate check, you can increase the morale penalty you inflict by –1 or force an opponent to take an action that is against his interests (but
not life threatening). For example, you could force a guard to help you carry the treasure he was supposed to protect. You can take this challenge multiple times to increase the morale penalty. In the case of compelling others to obey you, your DM may increase the penalty for particularly demanding commands. However, you can never use Intimidate to force someone to obey a life-threatening order.

 

[Supplement Four]

-- Demoralize Other Variant --

This is a third variant on using Demoralize Other in your Conan game. The first variant came from the Pathfinder game, and the second method was taken from the Iron Heroes game. Both are excellent rule enhancements for a Conan game.

This third variant is a House Rule I devised.

When Demoralize Other is used, follow the rules in the Conan RPG as written. This variant only changes the length of time an opponent is demoralized.

In the Conan RPG, an opponent is demoralized for one round only. With this variant, the opponent remains demoralized for as long as it takes the opponent to roll higher than the demoralizer's Intimidate check.

There are two ways to do this. When the Demoralize Other action is performed, record the attacker's Intimidate check if the Demoralize Other attempt is successful. Like breaking a grapple, each round, the demoralized opponent may attempt to roll against that number as a Free Action.

For example, Arn makes a successful Demoralize Other attempt against Zhan. Until Arn's next turn, Zhan will be demoralized. Arn rolled a 17 on his check.

The next round Zhan may try to shake off the effect. He rolls against DC 17. If he's successful, Zhan has successfully shaken off the effect. If not, Zhan remains demoralized but may try again to shake off the effect on the following round.



The second method is for GM's (like me) who do not like to track numbers over multiple rounds. I wouldn't want to keep up with that DC 17 for several combat rounds, especially if I had several different combatants fighting at the same time.

Instead of recording the original Intimidate score, just roll the Demoralize Other attempt every round as a free action (for both sides--the attacker trying to keep the effect while the defender is trying to shake it off). When the defender wins the toss, the effect is broken, and the defender is no longer demoralized.



The next question is: Can a Demoralize Other attempt be made on the same opponent later in the combat after the defender has shaken the effect? Or, more simply: Can Demoralize Other be used more than once on the same defender in the same combat?

The answer is really up to the GM, but I will refer you to the line on page 107 of 2E Conan where it says that retries usually don't work as characters can only be intimidated so far.

I offer two choices:

1. Only allow the Demoralize Other attempt once per defender, and be done with it. Simple. Easy. Clean.

2. Or, allow the Demoralize Other attempts to be made as many times as a player wants to use the tactic but allow the defender a +5 circumstance bonus for each attempt after the first. This way, the first use of Demoralize Other will be rolled normally. If used again on the same defender, the defender gets an additional +5 to his roll to resist. If used a third time on the same defender, the defender gets a +10 to his roll to resist. And so on. This method allows attempts to be made but keeps the spirit of the line in the rules that says: Trying again is optional but not recommended because retries usually do not work.

 

[Supplement Four]

Restrictive Armor

- Optional Rule -

Here's a third idea for implementing Restrictive Armor rules into your Conan game (if you do not like the previous two options I've suggested earlier in the thread).

Simply apply half of a character's total Armor Check Penalty (including helmet and shield) as a penalty to the character's attack throw, making him less effective in combat (in effect, allowing those who can move easier a bit of an advantage in attack but not in defense).

If half seems too big a penalty to you, then use a third or some other fraction you think appropriate.

For example, a Nemedian Knight, wearing Plate Armor (-6 ACP) and visored helm (-1/-2 ACP) with a large kite shield (-4 ACP), has a total Armor Check Penalty of -11/-12, depending on if his visor is up or down. He won't be doing much climbing in that gear. This means that he's -5/-6 on his attacks (visor up/visor down). But, the character does benefit from Damage Reduction 11/12 and +4 AC to Parry Defense due to his armor, helm, and shield.

This may be a good House Rule to represent Conan's preference for lighter, more maneuverable armors.

 

[Supplement Four]

Game Example of New Armor Variant Rule


A few posts above this one, I suggest a rule where the Armor Check Penalty is used to determine an attack penalty for the character to reflect mechanically passages in Howard's text like the quotes below from Black Colossus. I think a third of the ACP is more appropriate than half as I originally suggested above.

Yasmela disappeared again through the curtains and clapped her hands for her slaves.

At her command they brought harness to replace Conan's chain-mail – gorget, sollerets, cuirass, pauldrons, jambes, cuisses and sallet. When Yasmela again drew the curtains, a Conan in burnished steel stood before his audience. Clad in the platearmor, vizor lifted and dark face shadowed by the black plumes that nodded above his helmet, there was a grim impressiveness about him that even Thespides grudgingly noted. A jest died suddenly on Amalric's lips.

"By Mitra," said he slowly, "I never expected to see you cased in coat-armor, but you do not put it to shame. By my fingerbones, Conan, I have seen kings who wore their harness less regally than you!"

(Later in the story, this next line appears....)

There Conan halted, swinging off his horse. He had discarded the plate-armor for the more familiar chain-mail.

Why would Conan do this in mechanical game terms? Why would he give up total damage reduction of 11 (Plate Armor DR 10, Visored Helm DR +1/+2) with visor lifted for total damage reduction of 7 (Mail Hauberk DR 6, Visored Helm DR +1/+2) with visor lifted? Just for a 1 point difference in Max DEX Bonus (Max DEX with Plate is +2, with the Mail Hauberk, it's +3)? Speed is the same at 25 ft. Nothing else, in the Conan game, affects melee combat. So, it doesn't really make real sense for Conan to want to switch to the less protective armor.

But, if we throw in the optional rule where a character takes a penalty on his attack throws equal to a third of his total armor check penalty, we now have a mechanical reason to back up Conan's choice.

With the Plate, Conan is -3 or -4 to hit, depending on if his visor is up or down. With the mail, Conan's penalty to hit becomes -2 with visor either up or down.

Conan must have decided that he prefers a -2 attack penalty with total DR 8 (visor down) and Max DEX at +3 rather than have a -4 attack penalty with total DR 12 (visor down) and Max DEX +2.

It's a trade off.

 

[Supplement Four]

Game Example of New Armor Variant Rule


A few posts above this one, I suggest a rule where the Armor Check Penalty is used to determine an attack penalty for the character to reflect mechanically passages in Howard's text like the quotes below from Black Colossus. I think a third of the ACP is more appropriate than half as I originally suggested above.

Yasmela disappeared again through the curtains and clapped her hands for her slaves.

At her command they brought harness to replace Conan's chain-mail – gorget, sollerets, cuirass, pauldrons, jambes, cuisses and sallet. When Yasmela again drew the curtains, a Conan in burnished steel stood before his audience. Clad in the platearmor, vizor lifted and dark face shadowed by the black plumes that nodded above his helmet, there was a grim impressiveness about him that even Thespides grudgingly noted. A jest died suddenly on Amalric's lips.

"By Mitra," said he slowly, "I never expected to see you cased in coat-armor, but you do not put it to shame. By my fingerbones, Conan, I have seen kings who wore their harness less regally than you!"

(Later in the story, this next line appears....)

There Conan halted, swinging off his horse. He had discarded the plate-armor for the more familiar chain-mail.

Within the game, without house rules, it can be argued that Conan made the choice he did above because he was not proficient in Heavy Armor. The Mail Hauberk is Medium Armor, which Barbarians get as a free Feat at 1st level. Without proficiency with Heavy Armor (without having the Heavy Armor Feat), Conan would be subject to using the full Armor Check Penalty for Plate Armor on his attack rolls. That's a -6 penalty for the armor alone. Include the helm, and the penalty grows to -8 if the visor is down. That would clearly be enough for Conan to prefer the armor for which he has been trained to use, which is the Medium Armor Mail Hauberk.

The arguable question is if Conan has multi-classed with Soldier before the events of Black Colossus.

If you follow the traditional L. Sprague de Camp timeline (that is used with almost all pastiches and early Marvel comics, then Conan certainly has served as an irregular with the army of Turan (and, therefore, has probably multi-classed into Soldier). According to the stats for King Conan, listed in the back of The Road of Kings, Conan does gain two levels in Soldier (Barbarian 15/Soldier 2/ Thief 1).

Other timelines dispute whether Conan actually served as a Turanian Soldier. Stories of the mighty barbarian as part of Turan's host are all pastiche. None are written by Howard. And even if Conan were a part of Turan's force, it is clear that he was an irregular. Conan could have served time in the army but not taken levels in Soldier. The two Soldier levels he gains by the time he is king can easily be said were acquired during his time with Black Colossus--just shortly afterwards. Or, at sometime after the events of that story. Because, at the end of Black Colossus, Conan is still the general of Khoraja's forces. We don't really know how long Conan stayed in that kingdom, in that position, after the encounter with Natohk. Maybe he stayed there long enough to gain two levels in Soldier and learn Heavy Armor.

 

[Supplement Four]

EMPIRES OF THE HYBORIAN AGE



Click on the title above to download the book.

Empires of the Hyborian Age was to be an official Mongoose sourcebook for the Conan RPG. When the news came out that Mongoose would no longer publish the game, Empires was released by the company for free to Conan fans. By clicking on the title above, you will download the pre-published manuscript for Mongoose's Conan RPG supplement, Empires of the Hyborian Age.

 

[Supplement Four]

TERROR OF THE UNKNOWN


I've struggled a bit with this rule,listed on page 376 of the 2E Core Rulebook. On the one hand, the Conan GM is encouraged to keep his game gritty and low level. On the other hand, this rule, although well intended, has our heroes running from creatures like little girls. How often did Conan run from things that made his hair crawl? Never. But, there are several instances where his hair does crawl.

I suggest using the Terror of the Unknown rule as-is for NPCs. If all of a hero's henchmen run out on him, the brighter the light shown on the hero to save the day. But, for PCs, I suggest treating the rule a bit like the old morale rule in the D&D game (not the AD&D game). Morale checks in that game were for NPCs only. Players decided on their own how to play their characters given certain circumstances.

If a PC fails a Terror of the Unknown check, I suggest applying the mechanical effects on the character, but stop shy of making the character run from the creature.

The easy House Rule on this is to make PCs who fail the check, 3rd level and under, frightened for 3d6 rounds. If you want to put a bit more penalty on PCs who are 1st or 2nd level, then remove the time limit. Those characters will be in the frightened state for as long as they are around the creature that frightened them (or in the spooky place where the creature is encountered).

What we're doing is removing the flee and fall unconscious aspects of the rule for PCs only.

Another idea (or, you can use both) for frightened characters of 1st or 2nd level is to increase the frightened penalties to -4 (basically doubling them). The most detailed House Rule could be something like this:




TERROR OF THE UNKNOWN FOR PCs

1. Characters of 4th level or higher are immune to the effects.

2. 3rd level PCs who fail the check become frightened (-2 to attacks, saves, skill and ability checks) for as long as they are in the presence of the creature and 3d6 rounds afterwards.

3. 2nd level PCs who fail the check become frightened for as long as they are in the area of the creature that frightened them (even after the creature is dead), but their level of fright brings their penalty higher, to -3 to attacks, saves, skill and ability checks.

4. 1st level PCs who fail the check become frightened for as long as they are in the area of the creature that frightened them (even after the creature is dead), but their level of fright brings their penalty higher, to -4 to attacks, saves, skill and ability checks.




I believe going with some version of this rule will still bring in the Conan flavor to the game (of Conan's hair standing on end at the sight of undead or mystical) but will keep the heroes from running away every time the GM exposes them to some new devilish monster that they've never fought before. Players will still dread the outcome, even without being forced to fall unconscious or run away, because of the duration suggested above. If a 2nd level character fails the check, then he is -3 to attacks, saves, skill and ability checks for as long as he's in the area of the creature that made him frightened. This could be for the entire length of a dungeon being explored!

Nothing needs to be written in stone here. The GM can use a version of the rule that suits his tastes and play style. The idea is to keep the spirit of the rule (and what it is attempting to bring to the game) without making PCs run and fall unconscious all the time (that's boring). If a 1st level character becomes frightened, but it's been a long while. And, the GM thinks the character should not feel those effects anymore (maybe give him a second check), then, by all means, forget the House Rule and keep the game going, fun for all.

 

[Supplement Four]

-- ZAMORIAN SALUTE --


Of course we can make up our own, but it's sometimes fun to use details from Conan sources to make our games seem more real and consistent.

In Robert Jordan's novel, Conan The Invincible, Zamorian army regulars are shown to salute the officers by "knuckling their foreheads". The subordinate bows slightly and quickly touches above his brow with the first two fingers of his right hand.

 

[Supplement Four]

-- THE RIDDLE OF STEEL --


This is a fan made document by Silas DeBoer that focuses on weapon and armor crafting in the game. A character could run a smithy using these extended rules.

THE RIDDLE OF STEEL

 

[Supplement Four]

-- VARIANT DIPLOMACY MODIFIERS --


In the post above, where I discuss the fluidity of the Charisma check, I suggest some CHA check modifiers based on the character's relationship with the target of the check.

If you look on page 50 of Hyboria's Fallen, you'll see some Diplomacy skill check modifiers based on relationship.

The below modifies the DC of the Diplomacy check.

-10 for Intimates or those with Implicit Trust

-7/-9 for Friends and Siblings
-5/-6 for Allies or those which share an Allegiance
-2/-4 for Aquaintances with no particular history

+0 for those who have Just Met

+2/+4 for Aquaintances with negative history
+5/+6 for Outright Enemies
+7/+9 for Personal Foes

+10 for Sworn Enemy or Nemesis


The section goes on to discuss circumstantial modifiers that may also apply to the Diplomacy check.

 

[Supplement Four]

-- Yuri of Raeze --



You might see him on the road to Messantia. To look at him, you'd never know that there was anything special about him. At 5' 8", he looks to be just another refugee fleeing the hell of Raeze--one of hundreds looking for a better future in King Milo's city. Doggedly, he walks on, one foot after another, his head slightly bent, watching his footing in front of him. He tramples through the mud in heavy leathern boots, common among the dock workers on the coast. Road grime travels up each leg to his knees, darkening the earthen color of his thick wool pants.

It's a hot day today, even though it rained earlier, and there is more sun than cloud in the sky now. Sweat soaks through Yuri's thin cloth shirt at the open collar, under his pits, and at the center of his back. He's got a lithe torso, but he's not as squatty as most of his countrymen. No, Yuri is muscled like a swimmer.

The man must be carrying everything he owns. He walks like a human pack-mule with gear sticking out away from him at odd angles. On his back is a full quiver. Attached to that is an unstrung hunting bow, tied by a long slip of leather to the exterior. The ends of the bow bounce, reminding you of a bug's antenna from some over-sized beast you've heard tale of in the roadside inns. A large canvas bag, packed so tight that its laces are stretched closed, hangs from one shoulder. A cheap cloth travel cloak is wrapped tight around the cylinder of the bag. Today, it's too hot to have it around the shoulders. At night, when Yuri sleeps in the forest, he will sometimes roll the cloak for use as a pillow, or he'll hang it among branches or rocks to produce some shade.

Under the opposite shoulder swings a bedroll. A fourth strap belongs to Yuri's waterskin, which is what he grabs as he stops for a moment for respite from the heat. Brown eyes close and brown hair falls backward as he tips his head to swallow fully.

Is he a fighting man? Can he take care of himself? Besides the bow, the only weapons you see are the two worn, wire and bone handle daggers that swing on each hip and the large stick in his hand--straight enough to be a staff, but Yuri is using it as a walking stick.

When he is through drinking, he straightens and opens his eyes again, looking right at you. Looking as if to see into your soul. It's as if the deep brown eyes never blink.

You can see that he's not young, but he's not past his prime, either. And, that face...you know in your heart that this man Yuri has seen sorrow in his life.

No, he may be nothing special, but he has the look of the desperate. Of one who has nothing else to lose.

In those eyes--in that stare--you know that he will kill you without hesitation if he needed to.

And, what does the man have to take, anyway? Unless that canvas bag is packed with gold or silver...but you already know that's not true by the bag's weight. The bag is stretched full, sure, but Yuri is probably carrying spare clothes or maybe a cooking pot.

This man has nothing of value that you need. And, you shouldn't pay the price it would take to test your thoughts against him.

No, let him go. Let him go on with his journey.

And you...you go on with yours.







Yuri of Raeze (also known as Yuri the Knife)
1st level Argossean Thief

Sex: Male
Age: 26
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 165 lbs.
Handedness: Right

STR: 12 (+1)
DEX: 16 (+3)
CON: 13 (+1)
INT: 15 (+2)
WIS: 12 (+1)
CHA: 11

HP: 9
Fate: 4 (if used as a player character)
XP: 0

Parry: AC 11
Dodge: AC 13

Initiative: +5
Fort: +1
Ref: +5
Will: +1

BAB: +0
Melee: +1
Finesse: +3
Ranged: +3

Code of Honor: None

LANGUAGES: Argossean (native), Aquilonian, Kothic, Ophirean, Shemitish, Stygian, Zingaran.

PROFECIENCY FEATS: Simple Weapon Proficiency (All), Martial Weapon Proficiency (All Light and One Handed Only), Light Armor Proficiency.

1st LEVEL FEAT: Point Blank Range.

ABILITIES: Sneak Attack Style (Dagger), Trap Disarming.

HYBORIAN ADAPTABILITY: Heal, Survival

HYBORIAN BACKGROUND SKILLS: Swim, Ride, Disable Device, Open Lock

40 class skill points: 4 - Craft (Herbalism), 4 - Climb, 1 - Disable Device, 3 - Search, 4 - Heal, 2 - Survival, 1 - Slight of Hand, 4 - Hide, 3 - Jump, 4 - Move Silently, 2 - Open Lock, 4 - Spot, 4 - Tumble

CLASS SKILLS

+2 Appraise
+7 Balance
+0 Bluff

+5 Climb
+6 Craft (Herbalism)
+2 Decipher Script

+0 Diplomacy
+5 Disable Device
+0 Disguise

+3 Escape Artist
+2 Forgery
+4 Gather Information

+7 Heal
+7 Hide
+0 Intimidate

+4 Jump
+2 Knowledge (Arcana)
+2 Knowledge (Nobility)

+2 Knowledge (Rumors)
+4 Knowledge (Local - Raeze)
+1 Listen

+7 Move Silently
+7 Open Lock
+5 Profession (Sailor)

+5 Search
+1 Sense Motive
+4 Slight of Hand

+5 Spot
+5 Survival
+7 Tumble

+7 Use Rope



CROSS-CLASS SKILLS

+1 Concentration
+2 Craft (Alchemy)
+0 Handle Animal

+2 Knowledge (Geography)
+2 Knowledge (Religion)
+5 Ride

+3 Swim



CLOTHING: Cloth Shirt and Braes (undergarments, though Yuri will wear the shirt as outerwear as mentioned in the description at the top). Heavy wool Pants and thick leather Dock Boots (the boots are fur lined as Yuri prefers to not wear stockings). Leather Belt.

Yuri also owns a thin Hooded Cloak made of cheap cloth. When in towns, he will don his Doublet and Tebenna (Argossean cape). These items he will fold and keep in his kit bag when traveling. The cloak, when he is not wearing it, is tied around the cylindrical bag. On his left forearm, Yuri wears a leather archer's Bracer.

CLOTHING

Shirt and Braes (--)
Wool Pants  (1.5)
Belt  (0.5)
Fur Lined Dock Boots  (2)
Hooded Cloak  (1)
Doublet  (0.5)
Tebenna  (0.5)  
Left Arm Archer's Bracer  (--)

Total Weight:  6 lbs.

KIT BAG: Yuri carries a canvas kit bag to tote his worldly items. The strap allows him to carry it over one shoulder or across his torso. Inside, you will find a Fishhook and Cat-gut Line, Whetstone, Flint & Steel, and an iron Cooking Pot. The majority of the bag is filled with the tools of his trade: Thieves Tools, Healer's Kit, and a Herbalist Kit. This bag is stuffed so tight that it is difficult to tie the leather laces, especially when Yuri's tebenna and doublet are added to the rest.

CANVAS KIT BAG

Kit Bag  (0.5)
Fishhook & Cat-gut  (--)
Whetstone  (1)
Flint & Steel  (--)
Iron Cooking Pot  (2)
Thieves Tools  (1)
Healer's Kit  (1)
Herbalist Kit  (4)

Total Weight:  9.5 lbs.

OTHER EQUIPMENT: A tightly bound Bedroll he carries over the opposite shoulder. Along with it hangs a Waterskin. On his weapon belt hangs a stiff leather Pouch that he uses to carry his coin (currently, Yuri has 5 silver Argossean drachmas).

Note: Yuri carries four main items on his torso and back: Quiver/Bow, Kit Bag, Bedroll, and Waterskin.

OTHER EQUIPMENT

Bedroll  (5)
Waterskin  (4)
Belt Pouch  (0.5)
Weapon Belt  (0.5)

Total Weight:  10 lbs.

QUIVER AND BOW: Yuri owns a Quiver similar to the one shown in the pic below. A pocket on the outside of the quiver holds extra bow strings. As you can see in the picture, the Hunting Bow can also be held in the quiver, whether strung or unstrung. Note how it stick out both ends. This proves to be a bit awkward sometimes when moving cross-country (not easy climbing over rocks with the tips of the bow sticking out like that), but for traveling down the road, it's perfect.

The quiver holds a maximum of 20 arrows. Note the leather is flexible, and the two straps allow the quiver to be worn on the back or at the hip attached by the waist belt (though it's not easy at all to carry the bow with the quiver on the hip).

It takes a standard action to pull the bow from the quiver. It's a move action to string the bow. Both can be done in a single combat round (making the bow ready to fire the following round).

When hunting, of course, Yuri will hold the bow with both hands and one arrow knocked so that quickly he can aim, pull, and fire (as a normal attack).

Note that Yuri has the Point Blank Shot Feat.

CLICK HERE TO SEE QUIVER

QUIVER & BOW

Quiver and Arrows  (3)
Hunting Bow  (1)

Total Weight:  4 lbs.

WEAPONS: Besides the bow, Yuri carries a Staff that he uses as a walking stick. If Yuri has range on his opponent, he'll use the bow. If he's trying to keep a foe at length, he will use the staff as a Reach weapon.

But, Yuri's favorite combat style is to use two daggers, one in each hand. He carries two worn bone and wire hilt Daggers on his Weapon Belt, one on each hip. Yuri is an experienced knife-man having learned the secrets of the sneak attack style with daggers, whether thrown or in melee.

WEAPONS

Staff  (3)
Bone and Wire Hilt Dagger  (1)
Bone and Wire Hilt Dagger  (1)

Total Weight:  5 lbs.

ARMOR: When it is not too hot, Yuri will don his cheap Leather Jerkin. This helps to keep the straps from his kit bag, quiver, bedroll, and waterskin from biting into his flesh as he moves down the road.

ARMOR

Leather Jerkin  (5)

Total Weight:  5 lbs.

 

[Supplement Four]

-- A TALE OF WOE - YURI OF RAEZE --



Background Notes. Player's eyes only.



-- Khor Kalba is the most intact ruin from the time of Acheron known to exist. It sits atop a rock on the Argossean coast, in the Shaipur region, near the border of Shem. The fortress is impregnable, and scholars today argue that Khor Kalba must have fallen from treachery within. The warlord Khalar Zym has laid claim to the place, using it as the hub for his massive, multi-national army.



-- Raeze is a small town near Khor Kalba that began as refuge for Acheronian grave robbers, explorers, and scholar adventurers who frequented trips into labyrinthine Khor Kalba. When Khalar Zym planted his flag, Raeze grew as the closest point of civilization, servicing Zym's enormous army.



-- Yuri's father, Nicolas, is a native of Messantia, born in Cranetown. A fisherman by trade, Nicolas left heavy Messantian competition for the smaller town of Raeze. Though Raeze does not sit on the shore, Nicolas never-the-less made a good living by fishing all day and hauling his catch back to the town each evening. In his success, Nicolas married above his station to Saphirra, the daughter of salt and spices merchant.



-- Nicolas and Saphirra had three children. Yuri is the oldest. The middle child was their daughter, Agatha. And, the youngest was Simon, who died while still an infant.



-- As Khalar Zym and his witch daughter, Marique, came to power, it became an open secret that Zym was holding ancient blood ceremonies with Marique that involved human sacrifice. Raeze, at one time rife with beggars and homeless, became a tomb at night with no knowing soul venturing out after the sun set. Yuri does not know all the facts, but what he has gathered is that his father fell on hard times in the face of increased competition. Nicolas' secret had found its way through the years to other fishermen. Whether by misfortune and happenstance or someone's dogged plan, both Nicolas and Saphirra went missing on the same night. At this time, Yuri had entered his teens and was an apprentice to his father. Yuri's questions eventually led him to believe that both his parents had been taken by Zym's men and used in one of Marique's dark rites. Whether that be truth or not, Nicolas and Saphirra have never been seen again.



-- Yuri took care of his sister Agatha from that night forward. He became an apprentice to his maternal grandfather, Erco Columbo, who by now had graduated from trading in salt and spices to a long list of herbal items. These were dire years for Yuri and his sister for the two of them learned that there was no love for them among their grandparents. Erco always stated that Saphirra had slighted the family name by marrying below her status--something that just was not done in Argossean culture.



-- At age 16, Yuri left his tutelage at Erco's hands to serve his mandatory time in the service of Argos. But, it was not the sea to which Yuri was sent. He became an archer, serving the kingdom among the interior baronies. He spent much of his time chasing bandits in the hills between Argos and Shem.



-- Three years later, Yuri returned to Raeze to resume his place with Erco as an apprentice herbalist. Erco was hard on him, and in an attempt to rectify the family name, forced an arranged marriage on Yuri. There was never any love between Yuri and Flamina, and the two argued on many nights. Erco seemed to more and more enraged at the further beating the Columbo name was taking.



-- Erco's rage came to a head one night five years later. Yuri and his sister were banished from the Colombo family. Kicked out on the street, Yuri did what he had to in order to feed himself and his sister. These were the first steps he took in becoming a thief, age 23.



-- Eventually, Yuri and Agatha (he had left Flamina with no regrets, though he is still officially married) found a shack near the water to get them off the street. It was about this time that Yuri began about leaving Raeze for a better life in Messantia--the exact opposite of what his father had done. But, an opportunity came his way. Yuri signed on as a deckhand on a merchant vessel--a vocation that would take Yuri away from Agatha for close to two years. It was during this time that Yuri acquired the nickname, Yuri The Knife.



-- While Yuri was away at sea, Khalar Zym and his daughter, Marique, found their deaths in the Skull Cave, not far from Khor Kalba. King Milo wasted no time raising an army to fight against the remnant of Zym's army. The Messantian king made sure none of Zym's lieutenants would assume the power that had become a real concern for the Argossean monarch.



-- Yuri returned from the sea to find Raeze a smoking ruin. In the aftermath of Milo's attack, Raeze has become a place of pestilence and death. Tragedy raised it's ugly head again as Yuri could not find Agatha. Their home by the shore had been destroyed. Agatha was nowhere to be found. Yuri has been told conflicting reports on his sister's fate. Some say that she fell sick. Some say that she died in the fighting (and that Erco Columbo would not take her in during the siege). Some say that soldiers--he's been told from both sides--raped and killed her. Others say that her body was burned along with many others. Whatever the truth, Agatha cannot be found, and Yuri believes that she is dead.



-- Today, Yuri has packed every item he owns on his back, and he has left Raeze on foot, heading for Messantia.

Yuri of Raeze - Family

Father:  Nicolas (Fisherman, native Messantian, presumed deceased)
Mother:  Saphirra Columbo (native of Raeze, presumed deceased)

Maternal Grandfather:  Erco Columbo (Salt, Spice, and Herbal Merchant in Raeze)
Yuri's Wife:  Flamina (estranged wife)

Sister:  Agatha (missing and presumed deceased)
Brother:  Simon (died as an infant)

Yuri of Raeze - Professional History

Fisherman Apprentice
Herbalist Apprentice
Archer
Thief
Seaman

Yuri of Raeze - Life Events

Age 5 - Father Nicolas teaches Yuri about the sea.

Age 13 - Father Nicolas and mother Saphirra go missing.  Yuri and Agatha live with Saphirra's father, Erco Columbo.  Yuri becomes an apprentice to Erco as an herbalist.

Age 16 - All freemen of Argos are called to serve the kingdom for a number of years.  Yuri becomes an archer in service to his king.  His service lasts almost three years.

Age 19 - Yuri returns to his birthtown of Raeze and resumes living under Erco Columbo's roof as an apprentice herbalist.

Age 20 - Erco arranges a marriage for Yuri.  Famina becomes his wife.

Age 23 - With Yuri's marriage in shambles, Erco kicks Yuri and Agatha out on the street to fend for themselves.  Yuri becomes a thief.  Yuri and Agatha make a home near the coast.

Age 24 - Yuri becomes a deckhand and leaves Raeze for close to two years.

Age 26 - Yuri return to Raeze to find Agatha missing and now presumed dead.  Yuri leaves Raeze for Messantia.

 

[Supplement Four]

-- PRIESTS --



Hyborian Age Priests is a sampling of Priest characters from around the world. This document is written by prolific Conan RPG writer Vincent N. Darlarge, and it is meant to be used with the Faith & Fervour hardback.

 

[Supplement Four]

-- SORCERY TALES AND THE GAME RULES --



I love the sorcery system in the Conan RPG. It so perfectly fits how sorcery is portrayed in the Conan stories. A good example is highlighted on page 124 of The Scrolls of Skelos. The last chapter of that book should be considered required reading for any GM using sorcery in his game.

The example to which I am referring discusses the event in Queen of the Black Coast where the winged devil transforms an entire Stygian war party into were-beasts in one night.

How the heck was that accomplished in terms of the game's rules?

The Rules of Sorcery were obeyed. In this case, it's The Rule of Success. Each time the winged devil cast the spell, Awful Rite of the Were-Beast, successfully, the next casting cost half the power points. The spell's description dictates that the sorcerer regains Power Points at each successful casting, too, as though the sorcerer had sacrificed the victim.

Combined, the two rules allow the winged devil to cast the powerful spell 50 times during the night while his victims slumber.

Sorcery should be approached creatively. Imagine the PCs leaving their NPC load carriers outside of the tomb while the PCs explore, and when the PCs return, they find all of the NPCs dead, or, worse, transformed into some sort of horrible foes.

Another example given in the text uses the fact that Yara's tower fell not long after Yogah dies, in the story, The Tower of the Elephant. Why? Because Yogah's maser builder spell ceased to function upon the death of the sorcerer who cast it, as described in The Rule of Impermanence.

As I said above, the last chapter of The Scrolls of Skelos, starting on page 120, should be read and properly digested before a GM allows sorcery in his game.