Ideas wanted - mysteries of Zamora

D

Doc Martin

Mongoose
In the campaign I am currently running my PCs are in a Corinthian city-state on the borders of Zamora and I'm looking for inspiration should they stray into the latter kingdom. Obviously there are thieves and harlots but I'm alos thinking of something more horrific. Howard's writings emphasise that the Zamorans are an exotic race descended from the ancient Zhemri. Various dark and evil secrets are hinted at - albeit largely from the viewpoint of a certain visiting barbarian and the captive Yogah of Yag. Aside from a propensity to thievery, kidnapping and debauchery (hardly secrets) and the spider-cult of Yezud/Zath - what ideas do we have for dreadful horrors, possibly of a pre-cataclysmic age, that unfortunate PCs might uncover in Zamora?
 
I intend to send my group to Zamora within the next couple of weeks. I'm going to explore the cult of Zath over in the city of Yezud. In my campaign, I consider the story "Conan and the Spider God" to have happened and I want to introduce another 'living' representation of the spider-god itself, allowing for another spider to be grown within the seventeen or so years that have passed since that story and the adventure I wish to run.

My group seems to like giant spiders, so I don't have to dig too deep for something for them to uncover/discover. I can't offer you any suggestions at this time concerning other horrors in that land... Maybe let your group go on a mission to Yezud to locate a kidnapped relative/associate. There, they discover the 're-birth' of Zath in the tunnels beneth Yezud's temple... Maybe even stock the tunnels with failed experiments, like 'spider-people', that were cast down there after the priests sorcerous attempts to create another Zath failed before they achieved their ultimate success...
 
I just read most of the Shadizar book and I think something with a new Lotus Lord would be cool. What if he was a Stygian trying to take the Shadizar merchant district for himself and set up a powerful following of Set in the Temple District.

There's also the Haunted Pass, Dagoth Hill, and the ruins on the Sargasso Lake. Also, maybe there was a mystic backlash from Yag's tower coming done in Tower of the Elephant. Maybe more Yaggites came down to Arenjun and started an underground cult.

I do like the Zath thing too. Anything with weird spider cults is awesome.
 
Thanks for these - I like the failed-experiment spider mutants (note to self: avoid Dryders at all costs :wink: ). I'm still into the idea that some fragment of Zhemri influence might survive - could this also be spider-based? Perhaps 'Old Zhemrites' with spider-like features (another note to self: avoid spider man at all costs)? Any further ideas down this route?

I don't have Shadizar - who is the Lotus Lord?

PS: Dagoth Hill - in Koth surely?
 
Doh! Damn my lotus-addled memory of the 'Scarlet Citadel' - I could argue if she was daft enough to take a nap in pre-human ruins she might have wandered to another country to do so but it seems unlikely.

As you've looked here Mr Darlage - any ideas for dreadful Zhemrite secrets?
 
If you like spiders I suggest Michael Shea's "The A'Rak". This story is rather Conan-like (it may need some toning down, perhaps) and is like a ready adventure - it must just be statted-up.

http://www.michaelsheaauthor.com/books.htm#the%20a%27rak
 
The Theft of 39 Girdles? (That is, chastity belts?)

http://eldritchdark.com/articles/criticism/67/cycles-of-clark-ashton-smith
http://eldritchdark.com/writings/short-stories/215
 
Doc Martin said:
what ideas do we have for dreadful horrors, possibly of a pre-cataclysmic age, that unfortunate PCs might uncover in Zamora?
Click to expand...

One of my favorites is the cult of the bat-god in "Devil-Wings over Shadizar":

http://www.niziphaber.com/conan/ashwken/gscomic/gs03004.html


- thulsa
 
Thanks for these, I will chase up some Clark Ashton Smith - '39 girdles' had a good feel to it (good for me, not necessarily the PCs!)
 
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