Conan's Reign

[Flecha]

Since the furthest adventure (in time) ever written by Howard was Hour of the Dragon, and we just have a few comments about what could be after that -in the line of visiting the far east and exploring a "mysterious" western continent-, all we have seen of Conan's Reign is pastiche. And in my humble opinion, not a very good one -yet I prefer what the current comics of Dark Horse are hinting that the classic Marvel ones. I found King Conan funny in, perhaps, the first docen issues.

So, I wonder, how do you all represent Conan's Reign if it show up in your game? In the Aquilonia sourcebook we have plenty of characters out of the pastiches, but I myself prefer to use some of them and/or change them completelly, depending of what my idea of Conan's Reign is.

I consider the King Conan novel by Carter and De Camp as very, very silly, and the pretended antagonism between Conan and Toth-Amon even silli-er, so the four stories in it are out of consideration. On the other hand, I keep the character of Conan's first son (don't know how to call him yet; maybe Conan, but never Conn), with some different traits.

So, what about you?

 

[kintire]

It seems fairly clear to me that Conan does indeed head for a final confrontation with the great nemesis of his career. That being, of course, Yezdigerd of Turan not some southern finger-wiggler. We do also have one other hint as to events of his reign from Queen of the Black Coast, where it refers to his plundering of Stygia as having bloody consequences later.

The rise of Conan to power occurs at a time when the Hyborians are facing the first serious challenge to their racial domination since the defeat of Stygia: Turan. By Conan's early career Turanians are threatening Corinthia, exacting tribute from Koth and raiding as far west as the border of Nemedia. It must have become obvious to everyone that the Hyborians needed to unite, and it seems clear that the events of the Scarlet Citadel and Hour of the Dragon were the efforts to determine under which of the three leading kingdoms they would unite. This general mood towards Hyborian unity explains Conan's remarks to Trocero about the impossibility of once viable small states.

Of course, the defeat of Nemedia and Koth puts Aquilonia as top nation, and changes the west from a collection of kingdoms into a more or less united Hyboria led by Aquilonia, its empire (Ophir, Koth, perhaps Corinthia and Brythunia), its subdued client states (Nemedia, perhaps Corinthia and Brythunia, and probably Hyperborea) and its allies (Argos, and again perhaps one or both of Corinthia and Brythunia). Confronted by a united state of such power led by his oldest and most hated foe, Yezdigerd will go to war, and the two greatest warlords of the age will have at it (in epic battles, mighty strategies and devious diplomacy and politics in Zamora and Shem, not a pathetic unlikely scuffle on a galley). Conan will rally his old Zuagir, Kozak, Red Brotherhood and Afghuli followers to beset Turan on all sides, and will ally with his old flame the Devi of Vendhya, promising Secunderam and the East Vilayet at last. On the other side, Yezdigerd will reveal to the Stygians that Conan of Aquilonia and Amra of the Black Coast are one and the same, and the ancient empire will stir from its slumber and fling its black arts and disciplined armies onto a bloody quest for revenge. Blood will fertilise the fields of Shem, corpses will litter the plains of Zamora, Phoenix will meet Serpent in furious battle in the temples of nighted Khemi, screaming warriors will be hurled from the pylons of Luxur, and at last the greatest feud of the age will be decided in furious battle on the pinnacle of the royal compound of Aghrapur while the agonies of the richest city in the world turns the sky red around the champions as the tyrant kingdom of the east goes down in fire, blood and sack!

IT WILL BE GLORIOUS!

 

[urdinaran]

I like where you're going with this one.

IMO, I don't think that the rulers of Stygia would care about Conan; they are more concerned with the continuation of their religion, and less with world domination (see Stygia - Serpent of the South). What they might care about is the power imbalance created by a united Hyboria, and that they might be next. The Turanian ambassadors might make concessions to the Stygians, such as carving up Shem betwen the two nations.

Some other sticking points for King Conan would be the Picts (?) and also the ongoing Zingaran/Argossean problem.

My campaign is on hold right now due to lack of attendance, but I began it 7 years after Conan took the throne.

 

[Trodax]

Great stuff kintire!

In an actual game I'd be careful to not make things revolve to much around Conan himself. So probably not make it so much a personal showdown between Conan and Yezdigerd - it is not right for Hyborian Age PC's to stand in someone else's shadow!
Perhaps Conan is slain and new heroes must grab the throne and rally the Hyborian nations...

 

[kintire]

I don't think that the rulers of Stygia would care about Conan; they are more concerned with the continuation of their religion, and less with world domination

But an important part of their religion is hatred of your enemies: and they hate Amra of the Black Coast. And we do have Howard mentioning in QotBC that his plundering of Stygia would lead to trouble down the line!

And anyway, Stygia is a cool place to have adventures in. Whats the point of having an entire sourcebook on them and then not having them get involved?

In an actual game I'd be careful to not make things revolve to much around Conan himself. So probably not make it so much a personal showdown between Conan and Yezdigerd

You're quite right, of course. Nothing is more annoying than the Dominant NPC. However, the Conan vs Yezdigerd thing has developed throughout their respective careers and I think it would be a shame to abort it. After all, dramatic as it is it is only a small part of the overall picture. Two men, however mighty, cannot dominate a clash of civilisations to that degree. There will be plenty of other confrontations of equal importance across the world for the PCs to win... or lose. And after all, is Yezdigerd really the main threat? Whence his sudden and dramatic success? While Conan is fighting the open threat, might not an equally important battle be being fought against the real master of Turan? the dark truth behind the "living Tarim"? Will not the real battle be fought amid the eternal snows of Yimsha?

We can fit the PCs in, I reckon :twisted:

 

[Mark Dunder]

I started a similar story on the Conan Fan Fiction forum, but few people on this forum had much to comment on it. I'm now writing it for myself off line.

I had mentioned in my notes, that Conan would eventually confront Turan, but after he defeated the Overlord and united the Hyborian Kingdoms.

Anyway, all this is old history to me now.

 

[Willowhugger]

In general, Conan is an adequate King rather than an outstanding one. This is simply due to the fact that...

A. He's a Usurper.

B. He's surrounded by enemies.

C. He preaches unpopular views like religious tolerance.

D. He's not interested in conquest of other lands.

Thus, frankly speaking, historians would view Conan's time as King as a mostly unstable period that preceeded a lengthy dynasty. Conan also lacks any of those Napoleonic urges that most of the world's historians laud as greatness while the Cimmerian derides as effectively just slavery and bullying.

In the end, he always returns to his throne but it's clear that he's rarely very popular with the people either. In my games, Conan is a troubled King who tries to do right by his people but mostly is known for the fact that he's an extremely good warlord. Despite the losses inflicted by magic, Conan always "wins' his wars with astounding speed.

So, while Conan is the greatest Adventurer of All Time, He's mostly just put down for anything BUT his administration save as a sort of afterthought.

I do note in my games that there's an "Age of Conan" influence. He employs large numbers of foreign mercenaries, assassins, spies, saboteurs, and pirates (though we'd call them privateers today) which many hold as dishonorable but shoot down a lot of threats before they become major ones and keep the coin flowing.

I also stated that he fortifies the Pictish Border and effectively cows the Picts for about 500 years.

To keep the Barbarian feel, King Conan also keeps a massive harem of about two hundred adoring women.

 

[kintire]

A. He's a Usurper.

That is almost certainly of no interest to the common people at all. They will be more interested in the fact that "no Aquilonian noble dares maltreat the humblest of my subjects, and the taxes of the people are lighter than anywhere else in the world."

B. He's surrounded by enemies.

Not after Valkia he isn't. His enemies show their hand during the Hour of the Dragon, and utterly discredit themselves. The misrule under Valerius shatters the support of his domestic rivals, and his victory at Valkia shatters their foreign support. Resistance is over.

C. He preaches unpopular views like religious tolerance.

Every king has their foibles. He has been blessed by the greatest prophet of the Mitraean religion, and has defeated two of the greatest servants of Set. And the High Priest of Mitra knows this.

D. He's not interested in conquest of other lands.

But he conquers them anyway out of self defence

 

[Willowhugger]

That is almost certainly of no interest to the common people at all. They will be more interested in the fact that "no Aquilonian noble dares maltreat the humblest of my subjects, and the taxes of the people are lighter than anywhere else in the world."

With all due respect, the common people don't determine whose a great King. Because while they put Conan in Power, they can't really defend him against the horde of enemies his illegitimacy brings down on him.

Not after Valkia he isn't. His enemies show their hand during the Hour of the Dragon, and utterly discredit themselves. The misrule under Valerius shatters the support of his domestic rivals, and his victory at Valkia shatters their foreign support. Resistance is over.

Hour of the Dragon, Phoenix on the Sword, and the Scarlet Citadel are more than enough to qualify his reign as tumultuous. One doesn't dismiss being overthrown twice.

Every king has their foibles. He has been blessed by the greatest prophet of the Mitraean religion, and has defeated two of the greatest servants of Set. And the High Priest of Mitra knows this.

Maybe.

But he conquers them anyway out of self defence

When did that happen? I thought he released the Nemedian King at the end of Hour of the Dragon.

 

[kintire]

With all due respect, the common people don't determine whose a great King.

The welfare of 90% of the population may not be important to you, but its certainly an important part my basis for assessing greatness.

Also, of course, the common people make up the bulk of the army, and certainly can protect him from his enemies.

Hour of the Dragon, Phoenix on the Sword, and the Scarlet Citadel are more than enough to qualify his reign as tumultuous. One doesn't dismiss being overthrown twice.

A reply, but not an answer. Of course his reign is tumultuous, but it isn't insecure after Valkia.

When did that happen? I thought he released the Nemedian King at the end of Hour of the Dragon.

Its a comment from a letter which is often quoted. It can be found, amoung other places, here http://www.rehupa.com/vanhise_conan.htm

 

[Da Boss]

To keep the Barbarian feel, King Conan also keeps a massive harem of about two hundred adoring women.

I seem to recall he puts these aside (or is at least more discrete :wink: ) when Zenobia is his Queen?

 

[Axerules]

Hey Kintire, in the famous letter sent by Two-Gun Bob to P. Schuyler Miller, March 10, 1936, REH NEVER stated that "Resistance is over" after Valkia.

He was, I think, king of Aquilonia for many years, in a turbulent and unquiet reign, when the Hyborian civilization had reached its most magnificent high-tide, and every king had imperial ambitions. At first he fought on the defensive, but I am of the opinion that at last he was forced into wars of aggression as a matter of self-preservation. Whether he succeeded in conquering a world-wide empire, or perished in the attempt, I do not know.

In the pastiches, LSDC/L. Carter made of Aquilonia a peaceful and united country who easily conquered the West.
Even if THotD clearly shows that Conan is not exactly an "Usurper" (not a good title IMO), since he is "one with the country", his neighbours DID resist after Valkia according to REH. He wrote that Conan could have DIED during the conquests. If inner resistance seems to be over it is certainly not the same for the surrounding countries who will force Conan into "wars of agression as a matter of self-preservation."

 

[Willowhugger]

To keep the Barbarian feel, King Conan also keeps a massive harem of about two hundred adoring women.

I seem to recall he puts these aside (or is at least more discrete :wink: ) when Zenobia is his Queen?

Well certainly not in Howard. ;-)

 

[Da Boss]

Ah perhaps :wink: Is Zenobia as Queen a Howard creation? Hope so - I really like her

Most go back and read the books again - really enjoying the new comics - plenty of good conesque sex and violence.

and a I really enjoyed the short "Conans idea of a joke"

 

[Willowhugger]

Ah perhaps :wink: Is Zenobia as Queen a Howard creation? Hope so - I really like her

Most go back and read the books again - really enjoying the new comics - plenty of good conesque sex and violence.

and a I really enjoyed the short "Conans idea of a joke"

She first appeared in Hour of the Dragon and Conan promised to make her "Queen of Aquilonia."

So she's definitely likely Conan's wife.

 

[kintire]

Hey Kintire, in the famous letter sent by Two-Gun Bob to P. Schuyler Miller, March 10, 1936, REH NEVER stated that "Resistance is over" after Valkia.

I never said he did.