In Media Res

Has anyone else noticed the predictable manner in which Members suggested Adventures begin.

A common feature of REH's writing is the quality of the Start of his stories. He picked predictable story hooks but began the adventure at an unpredictable point- A typical example is The God in the Bowl. Conan enters the Story halfway through his 'forced entry'. he has already done the 'Break in' stuff in 'The Tower of the Elephant so REH doesn't Bother doing it again.

- GURP CONAN Supplement was excellant and yet its suggested adventure hooks were banal. come on Guys we can do better
 
ZamorianBlade said:
Has anyone else noticed the predictable manner in which Members suggested Adventures begin.

A common feature of REH's writing is the quality of the Start of his stories. He picked predictable story hooks but began the adventure at an unpredictable point- A typical example is The God in the Bowl. Conan enters the Story halfway through his 'forced entry'. he has already done the 'Break in' stuff in 'The Tower of the Elephant so REH doesn't Bother doing it again.

- GURP CONAN Supplement was excellant and yet its suggested adventure hooks were banal. come on Guys we can do better

'In media res; works great for Conan scenarios - I started my last session with the PCs waking up, wounded and stripped of gear, on the corpse-strewn deck of a merchant ship that had been attacked and looted by pirates. Everything up to that point had occurred off-camera. I do think a lot of people tend to stoick closely to the D&D-adventure format that they know well, but Conan can offer a very different experience if you're willing to be bold.
 
And "Frost Giant's Daughter" begins at the very last 2 sword strokes of a fight as well.

And, of course "A Witch Shall be Born" is just genius.

(On the other hand Conan is the nearly sole survior of a destroyed mercenary army commanded by someone named Amalric, or Amulric or some variation, one too many times it seems to me).

I know I have been skipping the "you get word that a someone is looking to hire..." or "so you're in town, what do you do?" phase entirely.

I've started on the high seas, in the middle of a large-scale battle, and at the start of a skirmish.

In medias res is absolutely great and fits Conan perfectly.

But what you say has got me thinking that I haven't been bold enough. I should really start the next game (REMAINDER OF THIS PARAGRAPH ERASED BECAUSE I"VE REALIZED THAT TWO OF MY NINE PLAYERS ACTUALLY READ THIS FORUM FROM TIME TO TIME)

In any case, you are right Old Robert was really good at starting at an interesting place. We should be doing that too. You have given me an idea for my next adventure and I'm off to write it down.
 
DrSkull said:
(On the other hand Conan is the nearly sole survior of a destroyed mercenary army commanded by someone named Amalric, or Amulric or some variation, one too many times it seems to me).

I noticed that too. :)

Amalric/Amulric/etc has to have been the unluckiest would-be usurper EVAR.
 
Someone on rpg.net once said that Conan is the type of game where the first words out of the GM's mouth should be, "Roll for initiative."
 
Mythos said:
Someone on rpg.net once said that Conan is the type of game where the first words out of the GM's mouth should be, "Roll for initiative."

This is the second thread I've read where you made me laugh out loud Mythos....(the other was your comment about monkeys...)
 
Always happy to provide some amusement in a person's life.
The real trick is to make them laugh just after they've taken a drink. 8)
 
DrSkull said:
In medias res is absolutely great and fits Conan perfectly.

But what you say has got me thinking that I haven't been bold enough. I should really start the next game (REMAINDER OF THIS PARAGRAPH ERASED BECAUSE I"VE REALIZED THAT TWO OF MY NINE PLAYERS ACTUALLY READ THIS FORUM FROM TIME TO TIME)

Don't worry about us, doc. We already know how the next adventure starts...


(You all wake naked and defenseless from a night of debauchery. Around you are a swarm of man-apes armed with wicked, curved swords and countless smaller simians flinging flaming feces.)
 
Anonymous said:
DrSkull said:
(REMAINDER OF THIS PARAGRAPH ERASED BECAUSE I"VE REALIZED THAT TWO OF MY NINE PLAYERS ACTUALLY READ THIS FORUM FROM TIME TO TIME)

Don't worry about us, doc. We already know how the next adventure starts...


(You all wake naked and defenseless from a night of debauchery. Around you are a swarm of man-apes armed with wicked, curved swords and countless smaller simians flinging flaming feces.)


No, NOOO! I swear this time NO MONKEYS! I really mean it.


Do Lemurs count?
 
Mythos said:
Someone on rpg.net once said that Conan is the type of game where the first words out of the GM's mouth should be, "Roll for initiative."

They weren't the first words out of my mouth but they were damn close --
1. you arrive at the town you were travelling to
2. you see smoke rising from beyond the palisade and the gate is open
3. Picts charge you...
4. roll initiative

:)
 
I am planning on starting my adventure The Slithering God, in the midst of a break-in when only a handful of guards stand between the thieves (i.e. the PCs) and the city coffers. I think it will work out great.

TTFN,

Yokiboy
 
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