People of the Felt Walls

[Hervé]

Hi you all!
S&P54 is finally out, with an article on Hyrkanian nomads. Don't miss it!

 

[The King]

also a lot beefier.

 

[sgstyrsky]

Hey All,

I was wondering if any of you had read this yet and what you thought of it. Was is it interesting or boring? What did you think of the prestige class and the feats?

Thanks!

Stefen

 

[Krushnak]

I really liked it. I've been intending to get my players into Turan/Hyrkania and this just encourages me to get them there.

I like the prestige class in the same way i like the prestige classes from across thunder river, it is race and regionally specific and it serves a good purpose, also it isnt just there to be just there like alot of the prestige classes in normal d20.

the only feat i didnt like was spot weakness as there are already a couple of feats that do this so it was pretty pointless, however i found all of the other feats to be good and all can be taken by anyone except for the bowyer one which is cool, really helps out all mounted characters.

 

[DaveNC]

This is perfectly timed for me, as my campaign is headed in that direction!

Better lucky than good, I guess!

 

[Jeffreywns]

With a core player running a Hyrkanian nomad I found the article both interesting and very useful. The reputation bonuses will fit in great with his characters skill choices and will help me make a trip to the other side of the Vilayet Sea feel like stepping on another planet.
As for the prestige class- I'm a fan of race specific ones myself. If more start to appear in the game I hope they will follow along the line of the Gunderman Mercenary, Poitanian Knight, etc. to help with the flavour of gaming in the Hyborian Age.

 

[thulsa]

S&P54 is finally out, with an article on Hyrkanian nomads.

Looks like a nice article.

By the way, if you are interested in swashbuckling adventure among the Mongols, on the Silk Road, etc., you should check out Harold Lamb's works dealing with Khlit the Cossak, which are available from Amazon in 4 volumes:

http://www.haroldlamb.net/

Robert E. Howard was inspired by Harold Lamb's stories. I am just reading these books now. Although this is swords and sorcery without the sorcery part, there is a lot of inspiration here for adventures in Turan, Hyrkania and Khitai.

- thulsa

 

[sgstyrsky]

Thank you everyone.

Your kinds words are much appreciated.

Please let me know how the mechanics eventually work out if you use any of them in a campaign.

Thanks to Thulsa for the link to the Lamb site. I just purchased the first two books in the Cossack series.

 

[Axerules]

A wonderful writer that I discovered through REH. Lamb's Cossacks tales are simply great, IMO.

"Sgstyrsky", you might be interested to know that they are only getting better with time. HL skills did improve and if the early stories are good, they're weak compared to the incredible ones in vol.3 !

I would also like to recommend The Secret History of the Mongols. The first literary text concerning the Mongols and the best source of information about mongolian life. Not an easy read, but loaded with "barbaric" sayings attributed to Gengis Khan.

What do you think of this one ?

"Perhaps my children will live in stone houses and walled towns - Not I. "

Gengis never settled to become sedentary. He lived as a nomad, even when he ruled half of the world.

Two other quotes, later paraphrased in the movie Conan the Barbarian:

"The Greatest Happiness is to scatter your enemy and drive him before you. To see his cities reduced to ashes. To see those who love him shrouded and in tears. And to gather to your bosom his wives and daughters."

"A man's greatest work is to break his enemies, to drive them before him, to take from them all the things that have been theirs, to hear the weeping of those who cherished them."

BTW, I also own Gengis' biography written by Harold Lamb. Worth a read too.

 

[sgstyrsky]

Axerules,

I can't wait to get to volume 3. Volume 1 arrived two days ago and I must say these stories are as engrossing as the best of REH's Conan. The scenes and characters are well realized. You have to wonder if Lamb was a horse-warrior in a previous life...

I read the Secret History of the Mongols while writing the piece for S&P. I paraphrased a quote from it for the Hyrkanian saying at the article's introduction. I'd recommend the Secret History to anyone interested in Mongols or nomad warriors.

 

[Axerules]

Axerules,

I can't wait to get to volume 3. Volume 1 arrived two days ago and I must say these stories are as engrossing as the best of REH's Conan. The scenes and characters are well realized. You have to wonder if Lamb was a horse-warrior in a previous life...

Greetings !

The editor and Lamb scholar Howard A. Jones is one of the founders of Flashing Swords. He inserted a few Lamb stories in this Sword an Sorcery magazine.
Check this link.
Issue #6 includes An Edge to a Sword, the first appearance of the Cossack Ayub (he is in several adventures in vol. 3). In Issue #2, you will find Protection and in #1, The Golden Empress, two Lamb non-Cossacks yarns.
They're several pretty damn good Sword and Sorcery stories by other authors there too. Old issues are free ! Highly recommended.

I read the Secret History of the Mongols while writing the piece for S&P. I paraphrased a quote from it for the Hyrkanian saying at the article's introduction. I'd recommend the Secret History to anyone interested in Mongols or nomad warriors.

I have printed your article but did not read it yet. I will post what I think after doing so. Kuddos for using the Secret History for inspiration !

JM Roberts did researches about Mongols and Gengis Khan inspired him the Bartatua character from Conan the Marauder (which could also have been titled "Conan meets Temujin"). I recommend it too, if you didn't read it. For once, a fine pastiche.

 

[sgstyrsky]

JM Roberts did researches about Mongols and Gengis Khan inspired him the Bartatua character from Conan the Marauder (which could also have been titled "Conan meets Temujin"). I recommend it too, if you didn't read it. For once, a fine pastiche.

Yep, read it.

I completely agree, a fine pastiche. Conan is portrayed as a "thinking" fighter, brutal when needed, but also clever and intelligent. As a foil, I thought Bartatua was well-realized. I encourage anyone who hasn't read it to get used copy from Amazon or abebooks.