Gladiator Campaign
- Thread starter Hervé
- Start date
Gavinwulf said:
The hindrance states you will do ANYTHING to complete your goal. The way I interpret it, no matter what's going on in the game, the character is going to drop everything and concentrate on his goal. Having said that, it seems to me that it's either me forcing a quest on the party, the player forcing a quest on the party (by choosing his own death wish), or the party rejecting the quest of the character with the death wish causing the party to split. That party rejecting the quest can happen whether the DM sets the death wish goal or the player does. If it came to that, I'd probably ask the player if he wanted to toss that hindrance out the window (replacing it with another) or create a new character.
Style said:
I was thinking about it, and the key to not railroading is choices. I'm going to talk to the player, and give him his options:
A) picking new hindrances
B) revising his existing hindrances so that they do not apply to the same person
C) Allowing me to revise his hindrances
For B, I will have to work with him on the death wish goal. He can't just select whatever for his goal, b/c it will definitely impact the story and the other PCs. It's not like you selected a hindrance like obesity that will only effect your PC. Death wish creates a quest for your PC, which either forces the PCs to also go on the quest or it forces a parting of ways.
For C, I will tell him that he's putting his character's fate into my hands, for better or worse, and just make sure that's clear. If he still wants to go this way, then I implement what I discussed previously.
For either A or B, I will have Hadramas hypnotize Crucio instead, giving him the goal I would have given Olexander. I could even still use Crucio as his secret enemy, if he leaves the enemy hindrance in my hands but not the death wish.
As long as I've given him options, then he really can't complain, right?
I emailed the player about his hindrances:
Notes before continuing:
* Jynonamous, or Jyn, is the noble argossean, a member of the cult of Mata'Cima. (I didn't name him, don't blame me!
)
* I originally sent Oleksandr dreams of power from the scrolls. He didn't act on them, so then the scrolls moved on to someone else, and sent dreams of power to Jyn. He did act on them, and began studying/translating them with intensity. To date, Oleksandr, the Zamorian thief, has not tried to read the scrolls.
* A phobia is (among other things) one of the hindrances available in SW.
The player replied back:
Your thoughts?
I see no reason not to allow this. The player has put some thought into his character background, and any time I see that happen I always like to work with the player, and bring the background into the story. Basically, rewarding his work by making his character a bigger part of the story.
I'm thinking a trip to Zamora has got to be in the cards. Maybe I can run HD3, City of the Spider God? I could even have the church of Zath have a part of the book they seek. I haven't read the module though. Does that sound reasonable?
Funny, this also more or less ties him to the quest of retrieving the scrolls too. After all, Jyn was sent visions of becoming a high priest of mata'cima and forming a large, strong church, by gathering and translating the "Holy Book". So if Oleksandr wants to see him rise as a priest, then he should help him retrieve the scrolls. The player ended up accomplishing the goal I wanted anyway, while coming up with an interesting back story that I can expand on, and with out me having to railroad.
By the way, I've got an interesting twist going on with Cleb. As I mentioned before, Cleb has lost it, and is a crazy homeless guy on the streets in Dockside. He spends his time preaching of Mata'Cima, mostly in hard to follow ramblings of having seen her beauty, and of her coming. He's known now only as "the Prophet." He's going to start developing a fanatical following. First, it will be other beggars, and then it will expand into the next rung up, thieves, whores, and the like. Then will be fisherman, sailors, dock workers. Eventually he might even gain a few followers from lesser business men and other respectable types, but by the time it gets to this point, he will have attracted the attention of the church of Mitra, and bad things will quickly follow for him if the PCs don't help him out.
Notes before continuing:
* Jynonamous, or Jyn, is the noble argossean, a member of the cult of Mata'Cima. (I didn't name him, don't blame me!
)* I originally sent Oleksandr dreams of power from the scrolls. He didn't act on them, so then the scrolls moved on to someone else, and sent dreams of power to Jyn. He did act on them, and began studying/translating them with intensity. To date, Oleksandr, the Zamorian thief, has not tried to read the scrolls.
* A phobia is (among other things) one of the hindrances available in SW.
The player replied back:
Your thoughts?
I see no reason not to allow this. The player has put some thought into his character background, and any time I see that happen I always like to work with the player, and bring the background into the story. Basically, rewarding his work by making his character a bigger part of the story.
I'm thinking a trip to Zamora has got to be in the cards. Maybe I can run HD3, City of the Spider God? I could even have the church of Zath have a part of the book they seek. I haven't read the module though. Does that sound reasonable?
Funny, this also more or less ties him to the quest of retrieving the scrolls too. After all, Jyn was sent visions of becoming a high priest of mata'cima and forming a large, strong church, by gathering and translating the "Holy Book". So if Oleksandr wants to see him rise as a priest, then he should help him retrieve the scrolls. The player ended up accomplishing the goal I wanted anyway, while coming up with an interesting back story that I can expand on, and with out me having to railroad.
By the way, I've got an interesting twist going on with Cleb. As I mentioned before, Cleb has lost it, and is a crazy homeless guy on the streets in Dockside. He spends his time preaching of Mata'Cima, mostly in hard to follow ramblings of having seen her beauty, and of her coming. He's known now only as "the Prophet." He's going to start developing a fanatical following. First, it will be other beggars, and then it will expand into the next rung up, thieves, whores, and the like. Then will be fisherman, sailors, dock workers. Eventually he might even gain a few followers from lesser business men and other respectable types, but by the time it gets to this point, he will have attracted the attention of the church of Mitra, and bad things will quickly follow for him if the PCs don't help him out.
Sound good to me except you might want to ask your character to explain why the Prophet of Zath let him leave with out trying to kill him if Zath wanted his bloodline wiped from the face of the planet.
I like the plot about Cleb it reminds me of the character from the Wheel of Times books the Prophet of the Dragon, a minor character who comes to worship the Dragon then thinks he is greater then the Dragon. You have a lot of potential going here good luck with integrating these in the campaign.
I like the plot about Cleb it reminds me of the character from the Wheel of Times books the Prophet of the Dragon, a minor character who comes to worship the Dragon then thinks he is greater then the Dragon. You have a lot of potential going here good luck with integrating these in the campaign.
Sting52jb said:
Yeah, I'm not 100% on that whole Zath prophecy thing myself. I guess the prophecy was that Zath was wiping out his family, not Zath's followers?
Sting52jb said:
Yeah, if left unchecked I could see Cleb becoming an independent power in his own right, not unlike what's his name in the Wheel of Time. There are so many directions I could go with that...
We played last night. There was not a lot of action, most of the session consisted of the PCs investigating, but more of the story lines were revealed and things are coming together nicely. I think I'll be able to bring this part of the story to head next session. More on next session in a bit.
The session picked up where it left off last time. The gladiator PCs are celebrity guests on a couple barges owned by Lord Florens which have been converted into pleasure boats to watch the Seabreaker boat races. They're attacked by masked men, who they discover are Vendhyans. Just as they thwart them, a dark form rises in the water, tentacles explode out of the water, grab the vendhyans, and pull them under, as the creature returns to the murky depths.
At this time, the PCs helped on to the boat any of Lord Florens aristocrat guests who'd been knocked off. Soon patrol men arrived in row boats to ask questions. The PCs were taken to a court house, where they were questioned by no less than High Constable Patrius Hannor. (I'm laying some ground work for the future, when I hope to run Vengeance of the Golden Skull, introducing this character now.) They told how Vendhyans attacked the pleasure boat "Going after the Lord and his noble guests", how they defended them, and about the strange sea beast. The questioning was cordial, and the high constable thanked them for their time, commending them for their valor defending citizens of the state. "I will make note of this in the public records!"
Later in the session, while on the way to visit Gilzan at the temple of Ishtar, they noticed they were being followed, and presumed (correctly) that their tale was the Vendhyans. They told Gilzan of their tale, and he led them into the catacombs, showing them a secret entrance into the sewers. He gave them a torch and some directions on where to find an exit from the sewers a few blocks away. He warned them not to daly, for "Strange things haunt the sewers."
This is a good time to mention that I handed Jyn, the argossean noble, the following hand out early in the session:
"You’ve been spending your free time studying and translating the scrolls. Though you’ve not completed your translation, it’s becoming clear this is just part of a larger book, a holy bible of Mata’Cima. What little sleep you do have is troubled by dreams.
Some are quite vivid, where you are a great cat, hunting in the night. You feel exuberant in these dreams, relishing in the cat’s perfect form. In other dreams, you are walking through a strange, dark temple. You approach the black alter, surrounded by pale skinned men in antiquated vestments. On the altar lies a virgin beauty. You plunge your dagger deep into her chest. Still other dreams are cloudy, full of strange symbolism: snakes, spiders, shooting stars. From one of these, you awoke and had a moment of clarity. You’re not sure how you know, but you are certain that Hadramas is one key to finding more chapters of the holy book."
The party was trying to decide what to do next, when Jyn mentioned that it could be a good idea to investigate their old friend Hadramas. They went off to find Argentio, always a good place to start when seeking information. They found him celebrating his wedding reception at a tavern at Dockside. Argentio had been a big winner betting at Seabreaker, and in the excitement of the moment, his new sweetheart agreed to marry him that day. Argentio, already well in his cups by the time the PCs arrived, introduced them to his new wife, Dulcetia the singer. (More ground work for the Vengeance of the Golden Skull.)
While mingling at the reception and discreetly looking for information, I could see some of my player looking fondly at their dice. I rolled randomly to see which PC would be the "lucky" one, and the cimmerian came up. So I had some Gundermen borderers pick a fight with him. A round or two into the action, and with the ruffians within, the whole place broke out into a bar fight. (This was a tavern in Dockside, after all.) It was a classic bar room brawl, with people swinging stools, pitchers of ale busted over heads, guys getting tossed down the bar, and so on. I even had a tavern wench bust one of the PCs who got too close over the head with her tray.
Some more investigation later, they found that Hadramas had been dealing with a questionable smuggler named Audder, I guy who even dealt goods from the hated Black Corsairs. Then, they sought Tommy the fist, a henchman of house Gabrio. In the past he claimed to have evidence against Hadramas that would clear their names. They didn't believe him at the time, but recently found out that House Gabrio had it in for Hadramas and had been digging up dirt on him. Abaddon, the shemite, talked to Tommy, and did a good job of smoothing the waters and negotiating, considering the history of the two.
Speaking of their history, when Tommy took his payment from Abaddon out of his hide a few sessions back, he knocked some of his teeth out. well, during their conversation, Tommy kept calling him "Smiley."
At any rate, Tommy told him that he no longer had that evidence for sale, but he would take his information and see what he could do, since they had a common enemy.
At one point, Jyn's noble Uncle Zenities Gilroy came to visit. (Mentioned previously to the PCs, but his first appearance in the campaign.) He'd been on his death bed and unable to come see Jyn before, but he made a recovery, and could now get around with a cane and limp. They exchanged pleasantries, and he told his favorite nephew just to ask if he needed anything.
It came time again for battles at the arena. Most of the PCs, including Jyn, are owned by Lord Calchas Idaeus, with House Idaeus being a rival merchant house to Jyn's house gilroy. At any rate, if you remember a couple sessions back, Lord Idaeus had an imposter fight as Jyn in the arena wearing a visored helm. He showed cowardliness, ran away, and was really shown up. Well, Jyn got word that another one of these matches was on the card, and he managed to replace the poster with himself in that visored helm. So the match begins, and his opponent, Rodderick, the champion gladiator of house Idaeus, is openly mocking him. Thinking the guy in the visor is a stooge, he's only paying attention to him half the time, as he plays it up to the crowd, who's laughing and jeering at Jyn. Jyn stands there and takes this for a minute, then tosses off the helmet, pulls out his sword, and challenges the champion gladiator. Rodderick jaw drops and stares in shock for a few seconds, but quickly recovers. His gaze hardens, and all of his focus is on Jyn. He pulls out his bolas, and begins twirling them, as he slowly circles in on Jyn.
And that's where I called the session. (I really love cliff hangers.)
So now what? I feel I'm finally at a spot to bring a strong ending to this opening chapter of the Adventure of the Scrolls. I have a really good idea of how I want next session to run. I'm sure the PCs will throw a monkey wrench into the works some how, but I'm thinking something like this:
Next session will of course pick up with the match between Jyn and Rodderick, but after that, I'm going to have Tommy return ready to make a deal. House Gabrio does have it in for Hadramas, but they do not wish to be the ones to openly take him down. Tommy will give them the evidence they've gathered, but only under three conditions. They must agree to get solid legal counsel. "None of that representing yourself stuff. I saw how well that worked for you last time." (I'm thinking this is a good spot for Jyn to call on Uncle Zenities Gilroy and his money.) They must agree to make no mention of Tommy or house gabrio. And third? **in my best Marlon Brando** "Someday, and that day may never come, I'll call upon you to do a service for me..."
Presumably the PCs will accept this offer, and the case verses Hadramas will be reopened. Of course, Hadramas will be nowhere to be found, but seeing that he must have gotten word and fled the city, they go on without him. The PCs will testify again, telling their part of the tale again. Evidence will be submitted showing Hadramas's dealings in smuggled good, in illegal sorcerous items. (Some of the items only known use will be to summon demons. A clue that it may not have been the Vendhyan sending demons after them.) They will even have some merchants testify to being charmed by Hadramas. While these are all serious charges and they do confirm the PCs claims from the beginning that Hadramas is a sorcerer, they are not enough to clear the PCs.
The next phase of the trial will have people testifying on behalf of the PCs. The lead trainer of the gladiators will testify to their valor as slave gladiators defending the city from the threat below many times. High Constable Patrius Hannor will testify about their valor at seabreak, saving the lives of respected citizens of the state. This says good things about their character and courage, but it's still not enough to earn them a pardon. Even with putting Hadramas in a bad light, he's fled the city, and things look bleak.
On the way home one night, they will be attacked in the streets by Vendhyan assassins. A round or two in, and regressed from below will come pouring out of the sewers, to make a nice three way battle. The odds will not be good for the PCs escaping, but then I will have Gilzan's shemite followers show up in hooded robes, rush them into a nearby building, and quickly lead them away from the area going from building to building, Hour of the Dragon style, only it's followers of Bel, not followers of Asura.
There will be one last court session, this time with witnesses testifying to the illegal slave ring that Hadramas had going for sometime. This will confirm the PCs stories, earning them a pardon and their freedom. They will be brought before King Milo, who will apologize for their disgrace, and praise them for their valor and service to Argos. He will then ask them to swear loyalty to him and become members of the King's Hand, Law men with special skills and heightened privileges, that can be given jobs not suited for the patrol. Their first task will be to hunt down Hadramas, and bring him to justice.
Assuming they accept, the session will end with them looking to the horizon, down the Road of Kings, prepared to pursue Hadramas (and the scrolls) as agents of the King.
The session picked up where it left off last time. The gladiator PCs are celebrity guests on a couple barges owned by Lord Florens which have been converted into pleasure boats to watch the Seabreaker boat races. They're attacked by masked men, who they discover are Vendhyans. Just as they thwart them, a dark form rises in the water, tentacles explode out of the water, grab the vendhyans, and pull them under, as the creature returns to the murky depths.
At this time, the PCs helped on to the boat any of Lord Florens aristocrat guests who'd been knocked off. Soon patrol men arrived in row boats to ask questions. The PCs were taken to a court house, where they were questioned by no less than High Constable Patrius Hannor. (I'm laying some ground work for the future, when I hope to run Vengeance of the Golden Skull, introducing this character now.) They told how Vendhyans attacked the pleasure boat "Going after the Lord and his noble guests", how they defended them, and about the strange sea beast. The questioning was cordial, and the high constable thanked them for their time, commending them for their valor defending citizens of the state. "I will make note of this in the public records!"
Later in the session, while on the way to visit Gilzan at the temple of Ishtar, they noticed they were being followed, and presumed (correctly) that their tale was the Vendhyans. They told Gilzan of their tale, and he led them into the catacombs, showing them a secret entrance into the sewers. He gave them a torch and some directions on where to find an exit from the sewers a few blocks away. He warned them not to daly, for "Strange things haunt the sewers."
This is a good time to mention that I handed Jyn, the argossean noble, the following hand out early in the session:
"You’ve been spending your free time studying and translating the scrolls. Though you’ve not completed your translation, it’s becoming clear this is just part of a larger book, a holy bible of Mata’Cima. What little sleep you do have is troubled by dreams.
Some are quite vivid, where you are a great cat, hunting in the night. You feel exuberant in these dreams, relishing in the cat’s perfect form. In other dreams, you are walking through a strange, dark temple. You approach the black alter, surrounded by pale skinned men in antiquated vestments. On the altar lies a virgin beauty. You plunge your dagger deep into her chest. Still other dreams are cloudy, full of strange symbolism: snakes, spiders, shooting stars. From one of these, you awoke and had a moment of clarity. You’re not sure how you know, but you are certain that Hadramas is one key to finding more chapters of the holy book."
The party was trying to decide what to do next, when Jyn mentioned that it could be a good idea to investigate their old friend Hadramas. They went off to find Argentio, always a good place to start when seeking information. They found him celebrating his wedding reception at a tavern at Dockside. Argentio had been a big winner betting at Seabreaker, and in the excitement of the moment, his new sweetheart agreed to marry him that day. Argentio, already well in his cups by the time the PCs arrived, introduced them to his new wife, Dulcetia the singer. (More ground work for the Vengeance of the Golden Skull.)
While mingling at the reception and discreetly looking for information, I could see some of my player looking fondly at their dice. I rolled randomly to see which PC would be the "lucky" one, and the cimmerian came up. So I had some Gundermen borderers pick a fight with him. A round or two into the action, and with the ruffians within, the whole place broke out into a bar fight. (This was a tavern in Dockside, after all.) It was a classic bar room brawl, with people swinging stools, pitchers of ale busted over heads, guys getting tossed down the bar, and so on. I even had a tavern wench bust one of the PCs who got too close over the head with her tray.
Some more investigation later, they found that Hadramas had been dealing with a questionable smuggler named Audder, I guy who even dealt goods from the hated Black Corsairs. Then, they sought Tommy the fist, a henchman of house Gabrio. In the past he claimed to have evidence against Hadramas that would clear their names. They didn't believe him at the time, but recently found out that House Gabrio had it in for Hadramas and had been digging up dirt on him. Abaddon, the shemite, talked to Tommy, and did a good job of smoothing the waters and negotiating, considering the history of the two.
Speaking of their history, when Tommy took his payment from Abaddon out of his hide a few sessions back, he knocked some of his teeth out. well, during their conversation, Tommy kept calling him "Smiley."
At any rate, Tommy told him that he no longer had that evidence for sale, but he would take his information and see what he could do, since they had a common enemy.
At one point, Jyn's noble Uncle Zenities Gilroy came to visit. (Mentioned previously to the PCs, but his first appearance in the campaign.) He'd been on his death bed and unable to come see Jyn before, but he made a recovery, and could now get around with a cane and limp. They exchanged pleasantries, and he told his favorite nephew just to ask if he needed anything.
It came time again for battles at the arena. Most of the PCs, including Jyn, are owned by Lord Calchas Idaeus, with House Idaeus being a rival merchant house to Jyn's house gilroy. At any rate, if you remember a couple sessions back, Lord Idaeus had an imposter fight as Jyn in the arena wearing a visored helm. He showed cowardliness, ran away, and was really shown up. Well, Jyn got word that another one of these matches was on the card, and he managed to replace the poster with himself in that visored helm. So the match begins, and his opponent, Rodderick, the champion gladiator of house Idaeus, is openly mocking him. Thinking the guy in the visor is a stooge, he's only paying attention to him half the time, as he plays it up to the crowd, who's laughing and jeering at Jyn. Jyn stands there and takes this for a minute, then tosses off the helmet, pulls out his sword, and challenges the champion gladiator. Rodderick jaw drops and stares in shock for a few seconds, but quickly recovers. His gaze hardens, and all of his focus is on Jyn. He pulls out his bolas, and begins twirling them, as he slowly circles in on Jyn.
And that's where I called the session. (I really love cliff hangers.)
So now what? I feel I'm finally at a spot to bring a strong ending to this opening chapter of the Adventure of the Scrolls. I have a really good idea of how I want next session to run. I'm sure the PCs will throw a monkey wrench into the works some how, but I'm thinking something like this:
Next session will of course pick up with the match between Jyn and Rodderick, but after that, I'm going to have Tommy return ready to make a deal. House Gabrio does have it in for Hadramas, but they do not wish to be the ones to openly take him down. Tommy will give them the evidence they've gathered, but only under three conditions. They must agree to get solid legal counsel. "None of that representing yourself stuff. I saw how well that worked for you last time." (I'm thinking this is a good spot for Jyn to call on Uncle Zenities Gilroy and his money.) They must agree to make no mention of Tommy or house gabrio. And third? **in my best Marlon Brando** "Someday, and that day may never come, I'll call upon you to do a service for me..."
Presumably the PCs will accept this offer, and the case verses Hadramas will be reopened. Of course, Hadramas will be nowhere to be found, but seeing that he must have gotten word and fled the city, they go on without him. The PCs will testify again, telling their part of the tale again. Evidence will be submitted showing Hadramas's dealings in smuggled good, in illegal sorcerous items. (Some of the items only known use will be to summon demons. A clue that it may not have been the Vendhyan sending demons after them.) They will even have some merchants testify to being charmed by Hadramas. While these are all serious charges and they do confirm the PCs claims from the beginning that Hadramas is a sorcerer, they are not enough to clear the PCs.
The next phase of the trial will have people testifying on behalf of the PCs. The lead trainer of the gladiators will testify to their valor as slave gladiators defending the city from the threat below many times. High Constable Patrius Hannor will testify about their valor at seabreak, saving the lives of respected citizens of the state. This says good things about their character and courage, but it's still not enough to earn them a pardon. Even with putting Hadramas in a bad light, he's fled the city, and things look bleak.
On the way home one night, they will be attacked in the streets by Vendhyan assassins. A round or two in, and regressed from below will come pouring out of the sewers, to make a nice three way battle. The odds will not be good for the PCs escaping, but then I will have Gilzan's shemite followers show up in hooded robes, rush them into a nearby building, and quickly lead them away from the area going from building to building, Hour of the Dragon style, only it's followers of Bel, not followers of Asura.
There will be one last court session, this time with witnesses testifying to the illegal slave ring that Hadramas had going for sometime. This will confirm the PCs stories, earning them a pardon and their freedom. They will be brought before King Milo, who will apologize for their disgrace, and praise them for their valor and service to Argos. He will then ask them to swear loyalty to him and become members of the King's Hand, Law men with special skills and heightened privileges, that can be given jobs not suited for the patrol. Their first task will be to hunt down Hadramas, and bring him to justice.
Assuming they accept, the session will end with them looking to the horizon, down the Road of Kings, prepared to pursue Hadramas (and the scrolls) as agents of the King.
Style said:Next session will of course pick up with the match between Jyn and Rodderick, but after that, I'm going to have Tommy return ready to make a deal. House Gabrio does have it in for Hadramas, but they do not wish to be the ones to openly take him down. Tommy will give them the evidence they've gathered, but only under three conditions. They must agree to get solid legal counsel. "None of that representing yourself stuff. I saw how well that worked for you last time." (I'm thinking this is a good spot for Jyn to call on Uncle Zenities Gilroy and his money.) They must agree to make no mention of Tommy or house gabrio. And third? **in my best Marlon Brando** "Someday, and that day may never come, I'll call upon you to do a service for me..."
Presumably the PCs will accept this offer, and the case verses Hadramas will be reopened. Of course, Hadramas will be nowhere to be found, but seeing that he must have gotten word and fled the city, they go on without him. The PCs will testify again, telling their part of the tale again. Evidence will be submitted showing Hadramas's dealings in smuggled good, in illegal sorcerous items. (Some of the items only known use will be to summon demons. A clue that it may not have been the Vendhyan sending demons after them.) They will even have some merchants testify to being charmed by Hadramas. While these are all serious charges and they do confirm the PCs claims from the beginning that Hadramas is a sorcerer, they are not enough to clear the PCs.
The next phase of the trial will have people testifying on behalf of the PCs. The lead trainer of the gladiators will testify to their valor as slave gladiators defending the city from the threat below many times. High Constable Patrius Hannor will testify about their valor at seabreak, saving the lives of respected citizens of the state. This says good things about their character and courage, but it's still not enough to earn them a pardon. Even with putting Hadramas in a bad light, he's fled the city, and things look bleak.
On the way home one night, they will be attacked in the streets by Vendhyan assassins. A round or two in, and regressed from below will come pouring out of the sewers, to make a nice three way battle. The odds will not be good for the PCs escaping, but then I will have Gilzan's shemite followers show up in hooded robes, rush them into a nearby building, and quickly lead them away from the area going from building to building, Hour of the Dragon style, only it's followers of Bel, not followers of Asura.
There will be one last court session, this time with witnesses testifying to the illegal slave ring that Hadramas had going for sometime. This will confirm the PCs stories, earning them a pardon and their freedom. They will be brought before King Milo, who will apologize for their disgrace, and praise them for their valor and service to Argos. He will then ask them to swear loyalty to him and become members of the King's Hand, Law men with special skills and heightened privileges, that can be given jobs not suited for the patrol. Their first task will be to hunt down Hadramas, and bring him to justice.
Assuming they accept, the session will end with them looking to the horizon, down the Road of Kings, prepared to pursue Hadramas (and the scrolls) as agents of the King.
We played monday night, and it went more or less exactly like the above. Jyn very nearly died in his match with Rodderick to open the session. He lost the match, but did manage to save some face. After all, it was against the champion of House Idaeus, a skilled veteran of the arena, and he faced him courageously in open combat. This showed to everyone that it must not have been Jyn behind the visored helm in the last match, where the impostor ran away and made an ass of himself.
During the three way battle between the PCs, the Vhendyan assassins, and the regressed from below, the PCs didn't get the memo that they were suppose to run, and tried to fight everyone. When they finally realized they were not in a winnable situation, half the party was on death's door, and they were fairly hemmed in. One of the players asked if he could use a benny (think fate point) for there to be a doorway they could slip into in the alley. I said "For a benny, I'll do you one better." And that's when the acolytes of Bel appeared in the alley, to guide them to an escape route, Hour of the Dragon/priests of Asura style. This was nice, because it made it seem more like the players got themselves out of the situation, rather than the GM baled them out. After all, bennys are a limited resource like fate points, hit points, power points, etc, and they expended one to save their bacon.
When they were offered an opportunity to join the King's hand and pursue Hadramas as agents of the King, Oleksandr, the Zamorian thief, turned it down. He was told "You have your freedom." and was dismissed from the room. Out of game, he assured the other players he would still travel with them. Abaddon, the shemite mercenary then said something along the lines of "Fair King, you offer is a good one, and I am very thankful to receive it, but I have just this hour been given my freedom. I'm hesitant to intern myself in your service after just being released from my bonds..." King Milo replied "I see. You may enter in my service, perform your first task of retrieving the outlaw Hadramas, and then take leave to do as you will. When one year is complete, return to Messantia and your duty. Do you accept this offer?" They all did (besides Oleksandr).
They were given the intelligence that Hadramas was seen leaving Messantia with a group of men on horseback a week earlier, heading east on the Road of Kings. They were given access to the armory, where they could choose their equipment, as well as fine horses. The session ended with them sitting on their mounts, looking to the horizon, down the Road of Kings, prepared to start their journey as agents of the King.
As I closed this chapter of their story, I'm taking a few weeks off to play other games (giving my players a chance to GM) and ramp up for the next chapter: Zamora! The month off out of game will help to simulate the long travel in game, as I plan on starting them off in Zamora and box texting the travel.
Speaking of which, how long does it take to travel on horse back down the Road of Kings from Messantia to Zamora? That's one end of the road to the other, right?
I'm thinking I'll start with them in the Kezankians, on Hadramas' trail, and run Conan the Invincible. Hadramas will be Amanar's understudy, leading them right to his master's lair. Amanar has one set of scrolls, and of course he wants the full set.
From there, I'm thinking HD3, City of the Spider God. Perhaps Oleksandr learns that his sister is still alive, but not for long. She's to be a sacrifice to Zath. It will only be once they've broken into the temple to rescue her that they learn she's not a sacrifice, but rather a (willing?) bride of zath.
Next, I'm thinking the quest for the scrolls will lead them to Arenjun, for Tower of the Elephant. They will have the opportunity to get more of the scrolls from Yara, and learn from Yag-kosha the tale of the ancient empires feuding, giving them the back story for the scrolls. (Keep in mind the scrolls original purpose was as a weapon to aim at Archeron.)
After this, I'm not sure. It seems like as good a time as any to run Kovag-Re. I haven't yet read the adventure, but briefly glancing at it, it's in Arenjun, where they will already be, and they will have some reputation for taking down Yara's tower, so there would be reason for the governor to think they could help him. I'll have to read it, and see if I like it.
After that, I could do Shadizar. I have the box, which I'm just now cracking open. Ig would be good to use it. Or I could send them off somewhere else scroll chasing. Endless possibilities there.
One thing I will need to keep in mind is that their first task in service to King Milo was to bring back Hadramas. What happens if they manage to apprehend him alive? It might be interesting gaming if they're dragging a sorcerer prisoner along while trying to infiltrate the temple of zath to save Oleksandr's sister. It would be a neat twist if they had to temporarily ally against a common enemy.
Supplement Four
Mongoose
Style said:
I wish more Conan gamers would post re-caps like this. Makes for some interesting reading.
Sound like the story is moving right along. Sounds like you have quiet a few good ideas. I have yet to read Kovag-Re, as the only Conan Adventure i have is the Shadizar box set, which I've only glimpsed over, and so far am not totally impressed with.
Good luck, keep up the good work and if you need any help let me know.
Good luck, keep up the good work and if you need any help let me know.
Supplement Four said:
Agreed. Please post yours.
Another thing you can do is search for old campaign report threads. There are some great ones that are now dead campaigns, but no less fun to read.
Sting52jb said:
If a good idea comes to mind, by all means toss it out there. Your help has been tremendous. Same goes for anyone else reading this thread.
I'm rereading Conan the Invincible right now, and I'll probably need some help integrating it with my campaign. Stay tuned.
Here's what I have so far for the quest for the scrolls:
* Conan the Invincible: The PCs follow Hadramas to Amanar's mountain layer, where they're to defeat Amanar, take the scrolls he has, and leave with an imprisoned Hadramas, to be returned to Messantia and brought to justice.
* HD3: City of the Spider God: While still in Zamora, the PCs get word that Oleksandr's sister is to be a sacrifice to Zath. They go to save her, and only find out once penetrating the temple that she's a bride of Zath, not a sacrifice. It would be an interesting twist if the PCs end up needing help from Hadramas. I plan to create opportunities for that.
* Tower of the Elephant: The PCs learn that Yara has more scrolls, and go to take them. While there, they learn some back story from Yag-kosha the tale of the ancient empires feuding, giving them the back story for the scrolls.
I'm pretty settled on the above. But what to do from there? I also have the following adventures for Zamora:
* Kovag-Re: They will already be in Arenjun for Tower of the elephant. This wouldn't be part of the quest for the scrolls, just a side bar, but that's ok. If every adventure that falls into their lap is part of the quest for the scrolls, then that would be a little hokie. The adventure is designed for low levels, so I'm not so sure how well it will work.
* Dark Dens of Iniquity: I've only read the overview so far, so I'm not positive on this one, but a demon bursting out of an altar with an ancient tome of power seems like something that could work. I could even start here, with the PCs tracking Hadramas to Shadizar on the way to the Kezankians.
* Dagoth Hill. Extremely ancient demon haunted ruins also seem like something that could be used.
They could very well have Hadramas with them. Their mission was to bring him back. Of course, it's not hard to envision scenarios where he's killed or even gets away again, but let's assume they take him alive. Their mission will then be to return with him to Messantia. But I'm really liking the idea of making them drag him along with them as they get into adventures, and I'm liking the idea of them becoming temporary allies on some of these adventures. How to make this work?
First, I need to stop them from simply returning to Messantia. Clearly the scrolls are the best tools for this. They will be "calling" to the PCs, and revealing that they're (relatively) not that far out of the way. To make added pressure, and to ensure they're not content to return Hadramas to Messantia and come back for the scrolls later, they should learn that some one else is also be searching for the scrolls, and it's a race to see who gets them first. Clearly the Vendhyan priest makes the best candidate for this role.
That still leaves the question where are the scrolls? The PCs will have followed Hadramas down the Road of Kings to Zamora, but I'm thinking the race for the scrolls will have the return trip making a southerly turn. Ruins of Hyboria places Dagoth Hill in Zamora or Koth. Maybe they're in Koth?
Stygia, being an ancient civilization, makes a lot of sense for a scroll location, but between Koth and Stygia is Shem. Shem seems like a good opportunity for some non-scroll related side bars. One of the players is a (meadow) shemite, so there could be a return to his home town, or at a minimum some familiar faces from his past. Seems like as good of a place as any for the Vhendyans to steal the scrolls and take off with them, causing the PCs to have to chase them and steal them back. I don't know, any other ideas for Shem?
Then there is Stygia. I'm thinking pyramids, giant serpents, and mummies have got to be in the mix, but that's pretty much a given. Any good dungeons I could use for this?
Since Mata'Cima is really Jhebbal Sag, I think it makes a lot of sense to put the final set of scrolls deep in the wilds, either the jungles of the Black Kingdom's or the forests of Pictland. If I go with the former, they will have already come this far south to go to Stygia, they may as well keep going south and finish up. (This would give me an opportunity to use an N'Longa inspired NPC to help them out, which could be cool.) If the scrolls were in Pictland, and Hadramas was still traveling with them, they'd likely want to stop in Messantia to unload their prisoner. Which would be fine, just something to keep in mind.
Any ideas for scroll chasing in Pictland or the Black Kingdoms?
After that, the sorcerer in the scrolls will take full possession of Jyn, and the story will climax with him summoning Shub-Niggurath to destroy Tartarus/Messantia. I will want to provide some method for the PCs to stop it and save the city, or perhaps have a clash of the titans with Mordiggian the great worm awaking from his slumber and bursting out of ground to do battle with Shub-Niggurath.
Any help you could provide would be great. Thanks!
* Conan the Invincible: The PCs follow Hadramas to Amanar's mountain layer, where they're to defeat Amanar, take the scrolls he has, and leave with an imprisoned Hadramas, to be returned to Messantia and brought to justice.
* HD3: City of the Spider God: While still in Zamora, the PCs get word that Oleksandr's sister is to be a sacrifice to Zath. They go to save her, and only find out once penetrating the temple that she's a bride of Zath, not a sacrifice. It would be an interesting twist if the PCs end up needing help from Hadramas. I plan to create opportunities for that.
* Tower of the Elephant: The PCs learn that Yara has more scrolls, and go to take them. While there, they learn some back story from Yag-kosha the tale of the ancient empires feuding, giving them the back story for the scrolls.
I'm pretty settled on the above. But what to do from there? I also have the following adventures for Zamora:
* Kovag-Re: They will already be in Arenjun for Tower of the elephant. This wouldn't be part of the quest for the scrolls, just a side bar, but that's ok. If every adventure that falls into their lap is part of the quest for the scrolls, then that would be a little hokie. The adventure is designed for low levels, so I'm not so sure how well it will work.
* Dark Dens of Iniquity: I've only read the overview so far, so I'm not positive on this one, but a demon bursting out of an altar with an ancient tome of power seems like something that could work. I could even start here, with the PCs tracking Hadramas to Shadizar on the way to the Kezankians.
* Dagoth Hill. Extremely ancient demon haunted ruins also seem like something that could be used.
They could very well have Hadramas with them. Their mission was to bring him back. Of course, it's not hard to envision scenarios where he's killed or even gets away again, but let's assume they take him alive. Their mission will then be to return with him to Messantia. But I'm really liking the idea of making them drag him along with them as they get into adventures, and I'm liking the idea of them becoming temporary allies on some of these adventures. How to make this work?
First, I need to stop them from simply returning to Messantia. Clearly the scrolls are the best tools for this. They will be "calling" to the PCs, and revealing that they're (relatively) not that far out of the way. To make added pressure, and to ensure they're not content to return Hadramas to Messantia and come back for the scrolls later, they should learn that some one else is also be searching for the scrolls, and it's a race to see who gets them first. Clearly the Vendhyan priest makes the best candidate for this role.
That still leaves the question where are the scrolls? The PCs will have followed Hadramas down the Road of Kings to Zamora, but I'm thinking the race for the scrolls will have the return trip making a southerly turn. Ruins of Hyboria places Dagoth Hill in Zamora or Koth. Maybe they're in Koth?
Stygia, being an ancient civilization, makes a lot of sense for a scroll location, but between Koth and Stygia is Shem. Shem seems like a good opportunity for some non-scroll related side bars. One of the players is a (meadow) shemite, so there could be a return to his home town, or at a minimum some familiar faces from his past. Seems like as good of a place as any for the Vhendyans to steal the scrolls and take off with them, causing the PCs to have to chase them and steal them back. I don't know, any other ideas for Shem?
Then there is Stygia. I'm thinking pyramids, giant serpents, and mummies have got to be in the mix, but that's pretty much a given. Any good dungeons I could use for this?
Since Mata'Cima is really Jhebbal Sag, I think it makes a lot of sense to put the final set of scrolls deep in the wilds, either the jungles of the Black Kingdom's or the forests of Pictland. If I go with the former, they will have already come this far south to go to Stygia, they may as well keep going south and finish up. (This would give me an opportunity to use an N'Longa inspired NPC to help them out, which could be cool.) If the scrolls were in Pictland, and Hadramas was still traveling with them, they'd likely want to stop in Messantia to unload their prisoner. Which would be fine, just something to keep in mind.
Any ideas for scroll chasing in Pictland or the Black Kingdoms?
After that, the sorcerer in the scrolls will take full possession of Jyn, and the story will climax with him summoning Shub-Niggurath to destroy Tartarus/Messantia. I will want to provide some method for the PCs to stop it and save the city, or perhaps have a clash of the titans with Mordiggian the great worm awaking from his slumber and bursting out of ground to do battle with Shub-Niggurath.
Any help you could provide would be great. Thanks!
Something else I need to come up with is the story of the scrolls. Who was this enemy of Tartarus who made them? The Zhemri? Stygia? Perhaps a rebel faction of Archeronian wizards? How did the scrolls get to be separated and scattered? What legends are associated with them?
I could really use some help. Your thoughts?
I could really use some help. Your thoughts?
Ok here are a few ideas, sorry i didn't get every thing i wanted done but i'll try and get some more done soon.
A way to prevent them from returning to Messantia is simply to allow Hadramas to escape when they are rescuing Oleksandr's sister. An easy way to do this is to ally him with them for the Temple of Zath adventrue when they PC let their guard down enough Hadramas can make his escape. From there they can track him to Arenjun where they can complete both the Tower of the Elephant and Kovag-Re adventures. I would Run Kovag-Re before Tower of the Elephant and during that adventure give a hint about a scroll in the Tower of the Elephant.
During their adventure in the Tower Yag-kosha can give the PC a few hints on where to find Hadramas as he has yet again slipped through their grasp.
I don't known anything about the Dark Dens of Iniquity so do not know how to work this into the campaign.
I really like the idea of not returning to Messantia and instead heading south, down to Stygia.
I would put the Dagoth Hill's on the border of Koth/Zamora I though i use to have a story that revolved around it but i cant seem to find it.
In Koth you could incorporate elements from the story "The Mirrors of Kharam Akkad" it takes place in Makkalet but I'm not exactly sure where Makkalet is as i can not find it on any of the maps i have. I have this story if you do not and it can be found in Conan Saga 8 along with the Song of Red Sonja and Curse of the Golden Skull.
Unfortunately i have no ideas for Shem itself but I'll do some more research as i do have the source book. I don't have the book anymore but Thusla's Ancient Kingdoms:Mesopotamia might be a good book to check out. I also have the Stygia Source book I'll look it over might find some useful info in it.
As for the Vhendyans after they capture the scrolls you could have them head east and cross the Vendhyan sea, this is a good opportunity to use the Red Brotherhood, forcing the PC to land on an island in the the Vendhyan Sea for a side adventure. I have an old Savage Sword of Conan comic where Conan and his shipmates are captured by Serpent Men who are attempting to resurrect Thulsa Doom. The title of the Story is Skulls on the Seas. if you would like to use any of the info from it let me know an I will gladly post anything you need. It could be a good side adventure and perhaps expand on the back story of the scrolls themselves.
Following the Vhendayans they could possibly catch them around Afghulistn, Ghulistan. Here you could have the size adventures involving the Afghulis and Kozaki. After retrieving the stolen scrolls from the Vhendayans the PC will probably be edger to get back to hunting for Hadramas, but you could possibly alowe them the opertunity to retrieve a portion of the scrolls from the Black Seers of Yimsha, these scrolls seem like an item they might just possibly have any you are in their neck of the woods.
after heading back south west for Stygia and possibly Hadramas you could have the PC run in to a very interesting character that i wish would get more fleshed out Kalanthes, Priest of Ibis. Now you could use Kalanthes in a couple of different ways. First he has immence knowledge at his disposal and could guide the PC not only to Hadramas but possibly to another scroll. But Kalanthes usueally request a boon for this help, as a priest of Ibis he is constantly at odds with the Cult of Set and Thoth-amon himself. But my idea is that Kalanthes has discovered that another member of the Black Ring is trying to overthrow Thoth-amon and this new comer is an unknown element that Kalanthes is not sure he wish to go against.
Kalanthes ask the PC's to remove this upstart from the equation for the requested aid. Now you can have this upstart actually possess a few of the Scrolls and that is how he has archived his power, and this is who Hadramas ran to after escaping. Or you could have this as a side quest.
now if you deiced to use the Black Kingdom's for the final resting place of the final scroll i have an excellent dungeon for you but it will need a lot of work to make it compatible for Conan as it was a D&D adventure but the temples descriptions itself is excellent and could easily be one of the fabled Green Cities. It is in the Dungeon Magazine Issue # 136 adventure the Rising Storm.
I kind of am leaning towards the serpent men being behind the creation of the scrolls themselves I've always saw the serpent men as despising both the Acheronian Empire and Stygian Empires and they make excellent enemies. As during it's reign Achron was vastly more powerful than Stygia the Serpent Men saw them as a greater threat. You could use a rebel faction of Archeronian and Stygian wizards as the group that stoled the scrolls when they discovered the true purpose of the scrolls, and that is how they got spread across the world.
I'm still trying to figure out why they would be associated with Jhebbal Sag
It could be that Jhebbal Sag and Set being two of the oldest known gods have a long forgotten feud and the serpent men knew this full well when they originally built the scrolls. Anyways that took longer then i though but these are just some ideas. Hope they help you out and good luck incorporating any of these ideas.
A way to prevent them from returning to Messantia is simply to allow Hadramas to escape when they are rescuing Oleksandr's sister. An easy way to do this is to ally him with them for the Temple of Zath adventrue when they PC let their guard down enough Hadramas can make his escape. From there they can track him to Arenjun where they can complete both the Tower of the Elephant and Kovag-Re adventures. I would Run Kovag-Re before Tower of the Elephant and during that adventure give a hint about a scroll in the Tower of the Elephant.
During their adventure in the Tower Yag-kosha can give the PC a few hints on where to find Hadramas as he has yet again slipped through their grasp.
I don't known anything about the Dark Dens of Iniquity so do not know how to work this into the campaign.
I really like the idea of not returning to Messantia and instead heading south, down to Stygia.
I would put the Dagoth Hill's on the border of Koth/Zamora I though i use to have a story that revolved around it but i cant seem to find it.
In Koth you could incorporate elements from the story "The Mirrors of Kharam Akkad" it takes place in Makkalet but I'm not exactly sure where Makkalet is as i can not find it on any of the maps i have. I have this story if you do not and it can be found in Conan Saga 8 along with the Song of Red Sonja and Curse of the Golden Skull.
Unfortunately i have no ideas for Shem itself but I'll do some more research as i do have the source book. I don't have the book anymore but Thusla's Ancient Kingdoms:Mesopotamia might be a good book to check out. I also have the Stygia Source book I'll look it over might find some useful info in it.
As for the Vhendyans after they capture the scrolls you could have them head east and cross the Vendhyan sea, this is a good opportunity to use the Red Brotherhood, forcing the PC to land on an island in the the Vendhyan Sea for a side adventure. I have an old Savage Sword of Conan comic where Conan and his shipmates are captured by Serpent Men who are attempting to resurrect Thulsa Doom. The title of the Story is Skulls on the Seas. if you would like to use any of the info from it let me know an I will gladly post anything you need. It could be a good side adventure and perhaps expand on the back story of the scrolls themselves.
Following the Vhendayans they could possibly catch them around Afghulistn, Ghulistan. Here you could have the size adventures involving the Afghulis and Kozaki. After retrieving the stolen scrolls from the Vhendayans the PC will probably be edger to get back to hunting for Hadramas, but you could possibly alowe them the opertunity to retrieve a portion of the scrolls from the Black Seers of Yimsha, these scrolls seem like an item they might just possibly have any you are in their neck of the woods.
after heading back south west for Stygia and possibly Hadramas you could have the PC run in to a very interesting character that i wish would get more fleshed out Kalanthes, Priest of Ibis. Now you could use Kalanthes in a couple of different ways. First he has immence knowledge at his disposal and could guide the PC not only to Hadramas but possibly to another scroll. But Kalanthes usueally request a boon for this help, as a priest of Ibis he is constantly at odds with the Cult of Set and Thoth-amon himself. But my idea is that Kalanthes has discovered that another member of the Black Ring is trying to overthrow Thoth-amon and this new comer is an unknown element that Kalanthes is not sure he wish to go against.
Kalanthes ask the PC's to remove this upstart from the equation for the requested aid. Now you can have this upstart actually possess a few of the Scrolls and that is how he has archived his power, and this is who Hadramas ran to after escaping. Or you could have this as a side quest.
now if you deiced to use the Black Kingdom's for the final resting place of the final scroll i have an excellent dungeon for you but it will need a lot of work to make it compatible for Conan as it was a D&D adventure but the temples descriptions itself is excellent and could easily be one of the fabled Green Cities. It is in the Dungeon Magazine Issue # 136 adventure the Rising Storm.
I kind of am leaning towards the serpent men being behind the creation of the scrolls themselves I've always saw the serpent men as despising both the Acheronian Empire and Stygian Empires and they make excellent enemies. As during it's reign Achron was vastly more powerful than Stygia the Serpent Men saw them as a greater threat. You could use a rebel faction of Archeronian and Stygian wizards as the group that stoled the scrolls when they discovered the true purpose of the scrolls, and that is how they got spread across the world.
I'm still trying to figure out why they would be associated with Jhebbal Sag
It could be that Jhebbal Sag and Set being two of the oldest known gods have a long forgotten feud and the serpent men knew this full well when they originally built the scrolls. Anyways that took longer then i though but these are just some ideas. Hope they help you out and good luck incorporating any of these ideas.
No worries. I couldn't possibly complain even if there were only the effort you've put forth already! This is great stuff. Thanks a bunch!
That's a good idea. It's certainly another tool I can keep in the story building tool box. I plan to let the dice fall where they may, and see where this goes. I could see the PC's killing Hadramas out right. I could see him getting away, never even being captured. I could see him being captured, but maimed, kept drugged, or otherwise incapacitated to the point where escape is not going to be likely without an outside agency. (Of course, he has Crucio in his pocket, so finding an outside agency shouldn't be difficult.)
I think one of the best scenarios story wise would be the PCs and Hadramas become temporary allies and work together against a common enemy, but I don't know how likely that scenario will be. I'll just provide the opportunity and see what happens.
Yeah, that's a good idea. The more I think about Kovag-Re, the more I'm warming to it. The only thing I dislike about it is the hook is somewhat railroady, and I don't want my players to feel like they're not having any say in what they're doing.
Of course, it was their choice to accept the task of bringing Hadramas back to Messantia, so they've had options (which by definition makes it not a railroad), but still.
I just started reading Dark Dens of Iniquity, but my early thinking is I won't be running it. Reading the Shadizar box hasn't been a waste though, as it's given me great advice on running a game in Zamora, and I may even start off Conan the Invincible in Shadizar (which is where Jordan started it).
Let me know if you find that other story on Koth. I don't know much about Koth. I'll of course read the section in Road of Kings on Koth before we go there, but as it stands, I'll probably box text them to Dagoth Hill, run Dagoth Hill, and box text them to Shem. At this point, I just don't have much else for them in Koth.
Thanks, I'll have to check that out. If I can't get my hands on Conan Saga 8, could I just read "The Mirrors of Tuzun Thune", which "The Mirrors of Kharam Akkad" is based on, or is all the Kothian flavor missing in the Kull story? (I imagine it probably is.)
I have the Shem, Mesopotamia, and Stygia books. I'm just about done with Shadizar, and while I'm only 50 pages into Sprague's Conan and the Spider God, it seems like a really quick read. After that, I'll begin my research for the next region.
Yeah, that could be fun. I've already ran Iron Shadows in the Moon, which they loved, and I've been wanting to eventually get them back on the Vilayet to run the Devil in Iron. I have an idea for linking the two "Iron" tales together, actually.
Wow, that sounds like a really good idea, for a few reasons. One, like most of the world, my players are Conan fans only b/c of the movie, so tying in Thulsa Doom would have a certain charm. Two, serpent men, saurians, play a major role in Conan the Invincible, so it would follow that nicely. Three, I'm a sucker for serpent men.
I really like that idea. I'll have to check that out. What issue of SSoC is it in?
Hmm, just had a thought. Are saurians and snake men the same thing?
I'm not familiar with Kalanthes. Is he your own creation? This idea has potential. The PCs are going to have plenty of adversaries along the way. I need to make sure I give them at least a few allies. For their own good, and mine!
I'll have to check that out. Thanks for the heads up!
Is Tales of the Black Kingdoms a good candidate for my campaign? I don't have it, but that can be easily remedied.
The thought had never occurred to me to make the snake men the creators, but now that you mention it, I really like it! Man, that's beautiful. So the argossean noble is actually being possessed by a snake man sorcerer? :twisted:
Course, the scrolls don't have to have the soul of a snake man in them. That could have happened later, and the trapped soul could be archeron, stygian, or whatever. The beauty of it is I don't have to decide for some time. I can keep thinking about it, and then play whatever cards make the best hand.
To me, this is the easy part. Jhebbal Sag is just a weapon. There is no religious agenda, this is just summoning the biggest demon you can to do the most damage possible. Some how the ancients stumbled on the method for summoning Jhebbal Sag to this end, so they created the scrolls. Problem solved.
Now, Jyn believes the scrolls are religious texts, an ancient bible of Mata'Cima/Jhebbal Sag, but that can be easily explained. Perhaps parts of the summoning ceremony pay homage to Jhebbal Sag, and are very much like worship. That could be the piece he's translating now. Perhaps he's just mistranslating. Perhaps this is just a case of the scrolls manipulating him, appearing to Jyn as what he wants them to be. Any of these, or even a combination of these works.
I greatly appreciate your time. Your ideas are very good and very creative, and many of them will be used, for sure. I owe you a beer.
While I still have many fine details to iron out, there is a skeleton there for a long term campaign, and plenty to run with in the short term. I have just one remaining concern. What we're laying out above is a long campaign, spanning a large part of the known world. This will take a long time to play out, both in game and out of game. I want to keep my players happy as we're going through this, and to give them a sense that they're accomplishing something.
This quest for the scrolls doesn't offer a lot of reward as you go, or at least not for the whole party. Jyn will be highly motivated, as he's having visions of being a high priest over a great church, united under the bible of Mata'Cima. I also plan on having powers manifest in Jyn the more of the scrolls they recover. (He's already had low light vision manifest itself as "cat eyes": http://www.happynews.com/columns/wonderquest/8162007/mirrors-cats-eyes-shine-dark.htm Keep in mind Mata'Cima is a cat god.)
Oleksandr is tied to the quest for the scrolls. Remember the player's email in regards to his death wish? "First, making sure Jynanomous' friend rises as a Priest sounds legendary, so that is why Oleks is sticking around. But after the dream of the scrolls, he believes that they may be the key to protection from Zath." I need to make sure I keep him coming back for more, hooked on the scrolls and helping Jyn rise to a high priest.
Now the shemite, Abaddon, is another matter. His current motivation is revenge on Hadramas. (He has a hindrance of vengeful.) But if he gets that revenge quickly, or if Hadramas keeps ducking him for a long, long time, I don't want him to feel like he's not really accomplishing any thing. Conan isn't a game based on treasure like D&D, so it's not like they'll be accumulating magical trinkets and the like along the way. I'm seeing two answers to this problem.
One obvious answer is to have the scrolls "reach out" to the Shemite as well. I don't want the whole party to turn into super heroes from their association with the scrolls though, so I don't want to start giving all of them powers. I'm not sure how exactly to do this, maybe just useful premonitions?
Another less obvious way to give a sense of accomplishment is to have the results of their adventures be more than just the accumulation of more scrolls. Like Conan, I'd like to give ample opportunities for them to save people at each step along the way: be it from monsters, dark magic, oppression, and so on. If I can have them gaining very heroic reputations along the way, for more than just acquiring scrolls, for being champions, and of course acquiring many allies and contacts, I think that would provide a pretty good reward for their troubles. Hopefully that would keep them feeling like they're accomplishing things as the story slowly advances. So I need to keep that in mind as they're adventuring: give them ample opportunities to be heroes, not just greedy adventurers.
The Skull on the Seas story starts in Savage Sword of Conan #190 and concludes in Savage Sword of Conan #193. It is an excellent story but I've unfortunately lost most of the magazines but still have #193 which has most of the info that i have given you.
The Mirrors of Kharram Akkad contains the story of the mirrors of Tuzun Thune included in it as a kind of back story for Kharam Akkad it is a great story. I envision Kharam Akkad as another antagonist to the PC's.
if you want i can scan both of these magazines and e-mail them to you.
Kalanthes is an actual Conan character but I'm not sure who created him the first time i found anything about him was in the Dark Horse Conan Comic The God in the Bowl another great character in those comics are Janissa. I use the following book for a lot of information.
Conan - the ultimate guide to the world's most Savage Barbarian. Written by Roy Thomas.
I also have the Dungeon magazine i could scan for you if you want.
Looked through the Shem and Stygia books last night and didn't see much to inspire me.
The Mirrors of Kharram Akkad contains the story of the mirrors of Tuzun Thune included in it as a kind of back story for Kharam Akkad it is a great story. I envision Kharam Akkad as another antagonist to the PC's.
if you want i can scan both of these magazines and e-mail them to you.
Kalanthes is an actual Conan character but I'm not sure who created him the first time i found anything about him was in the Dark Horse Conan Comic The God in the Bowl another great character in those comics are Janissa. I use the following book for a lot of information.
Conan - the ultimate guide to the world's most Savage Barbarian. Written by Roy Thomas.
I also have the Dungeon magazine i could scan for you if you want.
Looked through the Shem and Stygia books last night and didn't see much to inspire me.
