how much do you use MONSTERS?

[demongg]

I'm wondering on average how much you use monsters, demons and such in your adventures?

Does every story have a monster somewhere in it?
How often is the threat of the plot simply "human"?
How often is the threat human and NOT involving sorcerors/magic?

What do you feel is "Conan-y"? in these respects?

-kev-

 

[VincentDarlage]

I'm wondering on average how much you use monsters, demons and such in your adventures?

Does a sorcerer or evil human NPC or an interesting animal count as a monster? If so, then at least one per adventure. If not, then about half the time.

Does every story have a monster somewhere in it?

Again, that depends on the definition of monster. I usually have a bad guy of some sort. If you mean a non-human, non-animal monster, then no - not every story.

How often is the threat of the plot simply "human"?

About half the time.

How often is the threat human and NOT involving sorcerors/magic?

Whenever the dictates of the plot make this sort of threat the most plausible.

What do you feel is "Conan-y"?

An interesting setting, decadent atmosphere, conflict and plot, backstory, characters and a brush with the supernatural. These should be woven around such themes as lost cities, lost races, barbarism vs. civilisation, weird menace, tragic heroism and black magic. Basically everything I discuss on pages 183-186 of ROK, pages 152-155 of Across the Thunder River, and 189-190 of Aquilonia. Also, please reference my article in Signs and Portents 18, Refusal to Submit for my idea of "Conan-y" characters (self-sufficient, intelligent, strong, fortunate, pro-action and primal).

in these respects?

You lost me with that last question. It is incomplete.

 

[strategoi_nikolai]

My campaign starts this coming Saturday, and their first couple of adventures do not have foul dark creatures as the enemy to be overcome, although as noted elsewhere in the forum, they might run into an angry bear as a bit of a side trek in the first adventure.

Humans can be monstrous enough, even if they aren't sorcerors.

I want to make the demons, black-hearted sorcerors, and twisted creatures special and memorable, so I don't forsee using them more often than half the time, as Mr. D. said.

 

[SALette]

I downplay the supernatural whenever possible.

The more vague, underplayed and misunderstood - the better at creating a certain mood in play that suits the game.

There's so much going on in the human world of Conan, that you can concern yourself there in lieu of the politics and machinations of the Outer Dark.

 

[René]

I'm wondering on average how much you use monsters, demons and such in your adventures?

Does every story have a monster somewhere in it?
How often is the threat of the plot simply "human"?
How often is the threat human and NOT involving sorcerors/magic?

What do you feel is "Conan-y"? in these respects?

-kev-

Maybe two out of three stories have one "monster" (including giant versions like the giant boar) or sorcery, but these are not always the focus resp. THE evil guy, sometimes they are just background (compare the ancient temple in Kovag-Re).

 

[Raven Blackwell]

I'm wondering on average how much you use monsters, demons and such in your adventures?

About 75%- the other 25% tends to be human orientated.

Does every story have a monster somewhere in it?

Actually it is usally the other way around. It is usually a human holding the leash of the monster.

How often is the threat of the plot simply "human"?
How often is the threat human and NOT involving sorcerors/magic?

Just Human- 25% Human using Supernatural- 50% Just Supernatural- 25%

What do you feel is "Conan-y"? in these respects?

Hmmm- things mysterious, never fully explained. A small edge of paranoia, the feeling that the PCs are verging on discovering just how corrupt humanity [u[really[/u] is and how fragile thier concept of reality is.

That and the lure and promise of gold and hidden knowledge.

Raven

 

[Bregales]

I'm wondering on average how much you use monsters, demons and such in your adventures?

I used my first "monster" in the last game (PC group lvl 4/3, previously done 5 adventures) - a shambling boar-thing, a couple zombies and an enemy sorcerer. Before that I'd used an animated statue (adapted pastiche story "The Trail of the Bloodstained God") and before that I freaked out players in Zamboula when they met darfari slaves roaming the streets at night (I NEVER say: "You see 5 men coming at you with clubs in their hands": I used the utter darkness and their movements to make the group think they were demons, so actual monsters are very new to my group. :twisted:

Does every story have a monster somewhere in it?
How often is the threat of the plot simply "human"?
How often is the threat human and NOT involving sorcerors/magic?

I guess you're asking about Howard's/others' stories. Howard used monsters fairly often, sorcerers more often (often where you see one, you see the other), but he used just man on man a couple times as well. Howard even wrote one story ("Red Nails") with dragons in it, but they were more like dinosaurs than typical pulp fantasy dragons.

I don't read stories by others, except for memory of the DeCamp/Carter/Nyborg pastiches for the Acer/Lance books done decades ago, but from what I hear other writers always have monsters in them.

What do you feel is "Conan-y"? in these respects?

Well, I'd say the feeling that the world is a very old and stark place, evil abounds and cultural politics are a quagmire for anyone not a scholar. There's no humans vs goblins, it's usually nation against nation or man against man. Usually a bit of conniving by Conan or one group of adventurers against a foe or other group of people. Their motivations are usually either politically based or simply hatred/revenge, the emergence of monsters are basically plot complications.

Monsters aren't populating dungeons, like DnD-type games. There's usually a monster which is a or the conflict the group must overcome in such stories, or maybe a couple of different monsters.

Scholars are politically motivated, not evil for evil's sake. So are enemy kings or tribes. Hope that helps (read: hope that wasn't too messy a post ) Remember, most important thing, especially if you're the GM, is do what you WANT to do, not imitate someone else. Make yourself and your group happy, that's all that matters.

 

[Hyborian Apeman]

I use some form of the supernatural 50% of the time, with human only 50% of the time.

As my players have been drifting up in levels, the percentage of sessions with supernatural nemesis and/or sorcerers has been increasing. I would imagine by the time my players hit double digits in levels, I will be looking to include a form of the supernatural in most sessions.

Lower levels its somewhat hard to use too many monsters as the "Terror" rules could cause many players to swoon, which could make for an exceedingly more difficult encounter (as if they weren't hard enough) for the rest of the group.

Lower levels are ideal for the players to cut their teeth with the new rules and in learning to play together. PCs trying to prevent a major ritual or sacrifice makes for a decent low level session, as its mostly human enemies, but there is a supernatural feel (even though nothing supernatural will occur if the PCs do well).

 

[pa11ad1n]

I think I've made my view clear on this subject in the other thread and don't want to repeat myself.

So I'm just saying not too much. I like to keep the characters guessing and using their brains (those that can at least). I also like the whole low magic idea and although the plot is based around something supernatural it won't become apparent until the later 'episodes'.

(I like making long plots...)