[CONAN] Terror of the Unknown

[Supplement Four]

Do you enforce the Terror of the Unknown rule in your Conan games?

I've been doing it in my campaing, and it's lead to some hilarious results.

First, I've only got two PCs in my campaign. One of them has made every Terror check that's been thrown at him. The other has FAILED every Terror check he's had to make.

He did it again in yesterday's session. The three of us couldn't stop laughing.

Then, later in the same game but different encounter, a 6th level NPC (ally) joined the party for a bit, and HE failed his Terror check where the two 3rd level characters didn't have to make the check because they'd seen the beastie type before.

What's been your experience with that check? Do you roll it EVERY TIME the PCs encounter a new and terrible creature?

 

[Jeffreywns]

This is one of the best examples of "We're not in Kansas anymore" defining the Conan genre and I always enforce it.
With characters fleeing animated skeletons or ghouls instead of treating them as commen encounters AND Barbarians flying into berserk rages with fright I believe not using it dilutes the atmosphere.
Remembering to use it I would think is the hardest part, judging by the reactions of my newer players. Demons they were alright with saving against,humanoids and animated bodies suprised them.
I guess the Half-Orc Dragon-Kin tavern master in their other campaigns was more frightening.

 

[Spectator]

I never used, more out of forgetting it, than anything.
But I like the concept. It makes the story more realistic, albeit a tad more challenging for the GM when 2/3 of your PCs desert the quest to change their soiled loincloths!
I also did not realize some punk-a$$ 8 hp skeleton gould make them go running to the hills, as well.

Good point about it also applying to 30 armed guardsmen chasing after you.
You should have a save to make courageous last stand.

 

[Supplement Four]

I also did not realize some punk-a$$ 8 hp skeleton gould make them go running to the hills, as well.

Yeah, it's supposed to be used for those creatures classified as monsters, not those classified as animals (two different sections in the Core rulebook and Beastiary). You'd do it for anything unnatural, from the big praying mantises we fought the other night (Giant Mantids) to demons and the like. You wouldn't do it for a wolf or bear.

The description does say, though, that if an animal is particularly rare in an area, like a grey ape or an elephant, then the GM might consider using it.

The problem I'm having with it is the running away part. I'm going to have to take some liberty with that. People react differently when they're scared. Sometimes they shut down. Sometimes they just keep their distance. Not everybody does a 180 and runs as fast as they can away from what they're scared of.