Pict in a party

[Mayhem]

One of my players wishes to play a pict.

Since I don't plan on running a pictish campaign, this means he will be adventuring in civilised lands, with a bunch of non-picts.

How does this sound as a justification?

*****

The Ghost Eagles were a tribe of Picts who formed a truce with a small Tauran settlement.

Each would respect the others borders, and the Taurans traded metal weapons for furs and game. Whilst the Ghost Eagles got more benefit from this trade, the Taurans benefited greatly by having a buffer zone of non-hostile picts between them and the wilderness.

The improved weaponry that the Ghost Eagles then had access to gave them an advantage over their neighbours, and their tribe began to expand.

Unfortunately, their trade with the outlanders was abhored by the other tribes which made it very easy for a pictish chieftain to unite many tribes behind him in an attack on the "traitors" and then onwards into the Tauran settlement.

The slaughter was great, and the survivors few. Surviving Taurans were able to return to other tauran settlements, but surving Ghost Eagleswere not so lucky.

Reviled and made outcast by their own kind, and yet distrusted as murderous savages by civilised folk, the survivors of the Ghost Eagle tribe was scattered to the four winds, shifting from place to place in order to survive, never able to stay in one place for too long.

Ghost Eagles share the characteristics of picts, but are more likely to weild metal versions of traditional pictish weapons, and they tend to wear more civilised clothing. They are still obvious picts, but by dressing in normal clothing they can at least mingle with "civilised" folks, whilst a near-naked savage wouldn't get through the city gates.

 

[The King]

One of my players wishes to play a pict.

Since I don't plan on running a pictish campaign, this means he will be adventuring in civilised lands, with a bunch of non-picts.

How does this sound as a justification?

The answer is quite easy:
1) You can wait until the soon to be released "Across Thunder River".
2) You read Kull (by Howard). Though Atlanteans and Picts don't get along well (and this is an euphemism), Brule, a Pict, fights on the side of Kull (I suggest you "The Shadow Kingdom", an exceptional story).
Even if it is unusual it could be acceptable as an exception.

 

[The King]

Ghost Eagles share the characteristics of picts, but are more likely to weild metal versions of traditional pictish weapons, and they tend to wear more civilised clothing. They are still obvious picts, but by dressing in normal clothing they can at least mingle with "civilised" folks, whilst a near-naked savage wouldn't get through the city gates.

In the Hyborian Age, Howard described the evolution of the Picts into a form of (warlike) civilization with a growing smith industry wich enables them to create steel weapons. This will be the major factor of victory when the Picts will overrun the whole Western continent and stop near the Turanian Empire.
This event was due to a Pict chief who was smarter than the others and welcomed a civilized scholar instead of beheading him, thus learning the knowledge of the civilized nations.
So you can tolerate that some Picts are more open to the outside of the Pictish Wilderness.

 

[The Warlord]

You could also go the 'side-kick' route a la Brotherhood Of the Wolf.

 

[XcomSquaddie]

What justification?

Conan Core Rules (pg. 271)

"Some of the tribes also trade with merchants from the Hyborian lands or Zingara, swapping mahogany, animal hides, walrus tusks and whale teeth for the products of civilization."

and

Conan Core Rules (pg. 30)

"They are also feared by the Aquilonians, but occasionally trade with the Zingarans."

Picts would be reviled, abused and most likely killed on sight in Aquilonia, especially in Bossonia. And of course, A Pict traveling through Cimmeria wouldn't make it very far at all.

However if a Pict went south into Zingara, he or she could then move east into the "civilized" world. Beyond Aquilonia, a Pict would be treated as any other savage.

Now if your campaign takes place during the time of Gorm and Arus:

Conan Core Rules (pg. 243)

"Picts now came and went freely into Aquilonia, under safe conduct, and they returned with more informat... More, they entered Aquilonia's mercenary armies..."

Picts can be found anywhere, even in the hearths and homes of their greatest enemies. Well, not in Cimmeria, but you get the idea.

Now all that quoted and said, I see nothing wrong with the character background you posted. Moderate leaders on both sides are entirely plausible, though most likely uncommon. The Pictish response is also plausible and even predictable.

For a twist, you could have the Aquilonians be the ones that attacked the "collaborators" and their allies...

 

[Sutek]

The more Conan traveled, people were constantly amazed to see a Cimerian. Additionally, his perspective was broadened with each new adventure.

Why not a Pict travelling the same metaphorical road?