Conan Regional Sourcebooks

[The King]

So The Pict Wilderness (Across Thunder River) is out as well as Aquilonia. If I remember well, Mongoose told that a regional sourcebook on Shem and Stygia would also see the light in 2005. Would it be possible to have an approximative planning as well as to know who will be the autor(s) or is it to early?

 

[VincentDarlage]

As of right now, I am authoring them. Of course, that can always change.

 

[The King]

As of right now, I am authoring them. Of course, that can always change.

Excellent. Why should it change? You will write the whole 30 or so regional sourcebooks of the Hyborian continent, won't you?
Do you know when both are to be released?

 

[VincentDarlage]

There are a lot of reasons it could change. What I write might not meet the approval of Mongoose and/or Conan Properties. Real life could interfere (I could get hit by a bus or something). Sales figures, inability to write fast enough to keep up, the configuration of the stars in the night sky over Madagascar, etc.

Hopefully, however, it won't change. I am especially looking forward to writing Stygia and would love to get a chance to write Turan should the opportunity come up.

 

[Bjorn the Barbarian]

Vincent,

I have been very impressed with the products you have done.
I think you should be the one to write the various regional source books. I hope your fingers and gray matter hold out.

 

[Jason Durall]

I think you should be the one to write the various regional source books. I hope your fingers and gray matter hold out.

I agree with this - it would be quite nice for the regional books to share a common voice and sensibility, as well as the admirable achievement of documenting the Hyborian continent in such detail.

 

[sanseveria]

I also agree. In addition to excellent writting, it'll keep the sourcebooks consistent. I look forward to seeing the next books come down the pipe.

SS

 

[The King]

There are a lot of reasons it could change. What I write might not meet the approval of Mongoose and/or Conan Properties. Real life could interfere (I could get hit by a bus or something). Sales figures, inability to write fast enough to keep up, the configuration of the stars in the night sky over Madagascar, etc.

Hopefully, however, it won't change. I am especially looking forward to writing Stygia and would love to get a chance to write Turan should the opportunity come up.

Yes, there are a lot of things to write on Turan.
The fact is that some kingdoms will be hard to develop because Howard didn't give much info (Khitai is an example) and most pastiche works don't bring much more in lengthy novels what Howard did in short stories: Conan the avenger and Conan the Aquilonian were very disappointing IMO. In the avenger, the kingdoms of Hyperborea and Khitai are described in a few lines but there is no consistence and the power of the latter country isn't approached or felt.

I am sure you could do a very fine job too there.

 

[Paluka]

It seems to me that the regions that REH wrote the most about are the ones we would need the least help with anyway. The "european" Hyborean nations are already pretty similar to what most of us are familiar with. Almost everyone has played a game or read a novel set in a fantasy/historical european type world. The eastern nations and Stygia are the ones that are tough.

 

[Padre]

It all depends on Mongoose's scheme. Regions with strong, characteristic themes (Stygia, Khitai) may have prioryty over less distinctive ones (Brythunia, Ophir, maybe Nemedia). Also, it would be pretty odd to see Turan and/or Hyrkania right after Shem, as they share the nomadic theme. Same goes for Black Kingdoms (after the Pictland book it's good to take a break from killing barbaric savages ).

Personally, I'd like to see Vendhya after Shem and Stygia. It's exotic, it has a strong theme and lots of adventure hooks.

 

[The King]

Vendhya would be great indeed but also difficult because Howard describes only the mountainous region in the North.
I am also eagerly wainting for a Black Kingdoms sourcebook, including Darfar, Kush, Zimbabwei, etc..
Agreed that this concerns many savage tribes but these are so much different from the Pict because there are many different cultures.

 

[Strom]

Looking forward to the Stygia and Shem books. I hope The Black Ring is fully fleshed out in the Stygia book and given a large chapter on hierarchy, secret locations, annual rituals, gatherings and the like. 8)

 

[Padre]

I'd love Black Kingdoms too. Actually, I don't really care when each sourcebook is going to be released, as long as they are as good as AtTR

PS. I wonder if some regions are going to share space and be released in "one book, two/three nations" fashion. Turan & Hyrkania seem obvious, but I don't see stand-alone Border Kingdom or Brythunia books either .

 

[Jason Durall]

Personally, my must-have of the line would be a proper book of the North, covering Cimmeria, Vanaheim and Asgard. All three in one volume would be idea, perhaps with Hyperborea added to do the region in one fell swoop.

 

[The King]

The kingdom of Ophir might be difficult to describe (for me) because Howard gives some info but the excellent descriptions of R. Jordan of court intrigue and of the city of Ianthe in his Conan the triumphant could be conflicting.
I wonder what Vincent would say there.