Nemedia vs Aquilonia pre-Hour of the Dragon

[Hexaphim]

Just before The Hour of the Dragon, what was the relationship between Aquilonia and Nemedia? I know they've been at each others' throats for a long time, but did this change once Conan became king?

See, in our next session, my Nemedian PCs need to go to Tarantia to steal the Heart of Ahriman, and I'm trying to figure out how Aquilonians will react to seeing Nemedians on their land.

Of course, Baron Amalric has led the PCs to believe that the countries are at brink of war, so they're prepared for the worst. However, that is not necessarily true... yet.

 

[GrimJesta]

I could be wrong, but I believe that they were at odds with each other and often fought small border raids and skirmishes (usually with Aquilonia raiding into Nemedia and Nemedia having to fight a defensive war).

-=Grim=-

 

[Hexaphim]

Oooh, that is perfect. I really want my PCs to hate Aquilonia, this should give them plenty of reasons to do that.

Thanks!

 

[Scorpion13]

They definatley wouldnt like them, but they wouldnt freak out about it.

 

[Trodax]

See, in our next session, my Nemedian PCs need to go to Tarantia to steal the Heart of Ahriman....

Thats a pretty cool adventure idea, might have to steal it.
I'm guessing you'll continue on with the Hour of the Dragon plotline after the theft?

 

[Hexaphim]

I'm guessing you'll continue on with the Hour of the Dragon plotline after the theft?

Yep, that's the plan! I'm very curious as to how the PCs will react to fighting for the "bad guys" in a Conan story, and what they will think when Xaltotun starts unleashing the wrath of Acheron.

 

[Mark Dunder]

Regular Nemedian people are not the bad guys, just like regular Iraqians are not the bad guys. It's who they may from time to time fight for, that might be considered the bad guys. Aquilonians aren't the only good guys in the Hyborian Age. They could be bad guys depending on the situation. Besides, I thought the idea behind playing in the Hyborian Age was that you did not have to make a big deal on who was bad or who was good. No alignments. Just be you, the character that is.

 

[Scorpion13]

Regular Nemedian people are not the bad guys, just like regular Iraqians are not the bad guys. It's who they may from time to time fight for, that might be considered the bad guys. Aquilonians aren't the only good guys in the Hyborian Age. They could be bad guys depending on the situation. Besides, I thought the idea behind playing in the Hyborian Age was that you did not have to make a big deal on who was bad or who was good. No alignments. Just be you, the character that is.

No, not all Nemedians are bad guys, but if they come to a village of people who have been on the recieving end of a few Nemedian raids, they wont care that your not enemy combatants. Theyll hate you anyway.

Remember what age this is. Theres no political correctness, nobody reminding people that not all of the people in country theyre fighting are thier enemies.

A perfect example would be the propaganda you see in old stuff from World War 2. Offensive to people in this day and age, right? But back then, it was widely accepted.

Thats not to say thats its all gonna be like that, there are more then likely villages and such where there are several Nemedians that have crossed over the border, or even settlements that are so removed from the king's power and the wars with Nemedia that they dont really cvare one way or the other.

But whatever it is that you do, remember: in Conan, racism and predjudice are an accepted way of life, and it rare that hatred makes sense. If the inhabitants of a village hate the Nemedians for what they did in thier wars, it probably wont make any difference to them whehter the characters are parts of the formal army, or even fighters at all.

Only a special few are able to look past such things, Conan being one of them.

 

[Hexaphim]

Regular Nemedian people are not the bad guys, just like regular Iraqians are not the bad guys.

Notice that I said "fighting FOR the bad guys". The bad guys I was referring to were Xaltotun, Baron Amalric and their little band of merry men.

Have no fear, my players have really embraced the whole racism thing, and they have certainly caught on to not having an alignment.

They stole some green lotus poison for an old, drunken man in their previous session. They decided against giving him half of it, as they promised. Instead, they decided to test its potency on him "by accident". Hilarity ensued.

 

[Trodax]

The bad guys I was referring to were Xaltotun, Baron Amalric and their little band of merry men.

Those happy campers are indead bad with a capital B in my book. Maybe not Chaotic/Lawful Evil, but they be bad boys allright.

I think this sounds like a cool adventure idea Hexaphim. Will you leave it totally up to them as to what to do when they realise what they've done, or do you have anything in particular planned for future adventures (helping King Conan out etc.)?

 

[Hexaphim]

Traditionally, I'm guilty of leading the players by the hand a little too much (it's a GM flaw I'm well aware of, and I'm trying to improve), but I'm going to leave it up to them whether they want to turn against their own people to save some savage brute they don't know who overthrew the rightful King of their traditional arch nemesis of Aquilonia or not.

From what I've seen of the player characters so far, they're not going to go out of their way to do anything that doesn't further their own selfish desires... which sounds like true Hyborian characters to me!

 

[Scorpion13]

From what Im reading, it sounds like a Hyborian Age version of The Wild Bunch.

Tres' cool.

You should keep us updated on what happens in this game.