Slaine Elements in Conan

[Yogah of Yag]

I have looked around the Slaine threads a bit, to learn something about it. I know virtually nothing about this RPG, but it does sound very interesting.

I was reading in particular about something perhaps called a "Taunt Check" made somehow with the BAB and Charisma modifier (?). This feature sounds very promising, but I first must consider whether or not it goes against the grain or flavour of the Conan RPG, before incorporating it--or importing it--as a concept into our House Rules.

The Slaine threads listing taunts and insults are marvelous and quite creative. Some, I suspect, I have heard in other places...? I feel that a taunt or such verbal assault would have come easily from the Cimmerian's throat, on those occasions where he stood eye-to-eye with a foe (before he tore them a new one, of course). 8)

If any Slaine-expert can offer suggestions as to what can safely be included in the Conan-universe without upsetting the balance of things (whether in terms of flavour or mechanics), I would be thankful.

 

[The King]

I am no Slaine scholar but many of the Celtic myths can be included in the Cimmerian kingdom; druids excepted.
I don't know though if taunting is very Cimmerian. I guess these warriors attacks without using insults. Conan would considere this a waste of time.
However I can imagine Nordheimers using it for duel.

The best taunting scene I ever saw can be found in the movie "Braveheart" where the Scots tried to disrupt the British line.

 

[Oly]

Wouldn't taunts be covered under the intimidation rules? I've always thought of intimidation as more than just standing there looking mean, screaming abuse at your enemy would certainly be one tactic. IIRC Conan also uses quieter means of intimidation in the "God in the bowl" to keep the guards at bay so that's another approach. I'd encourage a player to be creative in describing what they're up to, if they were to come up with some staggeringly impressive piece of vitriol I'd probably give them a circumstance bonus.

Slightly off topic but the Scots are British, it was the English they were fighting (who are also British).

 

[Furie]

I don't think the taunt would work as well in Conan. In Slaine, the taunt attack has almost a mystical property in that it greatly reduces the effect of the enemy. If it fails, it also leaves the would be taunter to a follow-up taunt attack.

All in all, I view it as a very Celtic motif, where words can have as much power as swords, which IMHO runs rather counter to Conan. Chalk it up to stylistic differences.

Now if you want nasty, unstoppable villain in Conan, just import the warp-spasm rule. Guaranteed to give the PCs pause when they think that its just another Pict.

 

[Raven Blackwell]

Everyone keeps mentioning Slaine. I am going to have pick this series up......

 

[The King]

Everyone keeps mentioning Slaine. I am going to have pick this series up......

There is an excellent class, the Witch, which you would probably appreciate. It is quite near to the Wicca concept.

Slightly off topic but the Scots are British, it was the English they were fighting (who are also British)

You are right of course. I had the Britons in mind but they existed during the Roman area.

 

[Raven Blackwell]

There is an excellent class, the Witch, which you would probably appreciate. It is quite near to the Wicca concept.

I am not actually Wiccan though, nor a witch- way too pacifistic for me. My magic runs more along the line of shamanism- the real blood and guts stuff not the fluff on New Age shelves- and RL sorcery. In truth the figure in Celtic myth I most resemble is the Morrigan actually- that would be why I bear her totem animal as a netname after all. 8)

 

[Foxworthy]

I am no Slaine scholar but many of the Celtic myths can be included in the Cimmerian kingdom; druids excepted.

I thought the Ligureans in Conan had a Druidic belief system.

 

[VincentDarlage]

I am no Slaine scholar but many of the Celtic myths can be included in the Cimmerian kingdom; druids excepted.

I thought the Ligureans in Conan had a Druidic belief system.

Ligureans are not Cimmerian and do not live in Cimmeria (the Cimmerian kingdom?)

 

[Foxworthy]

I am no Slaine scholar but many of the Celtic myths can be included in the Cimmerian kingdom; druids excepted.

I thought the Ligureans in Conan had a Druidic belief system.

Ligureans are not Cimmerian and do not live in Cimmeria (the Cimmerian kingdom?)

Doh! I so missed the Cimmerian kingdom part.... And that's why I should be fully awake before I post.

 

[Turim]

This has little to do with Slaine, but I was wondering if stats for Ligureans have been published somewhere?

 

[Foxworthy]

This has little to do with Slaine, but I was wondering if stats for Ligureans have been published somewhere?

They're in Across the Thunder River

 

[The King]

There is an excellent class, the Witch, which you would probably appreciate. It is quite near to the Wicca concept.

I am not actually Wiccan though, nor a witch- way too pacifistic for me. My magic runs more along the line of shamanism- the real blood and guts stuff not the fluff on New Age shelves- and RL sorcery. In truth the figure in Celtic myth I most resemble is the Morrigan actually- that would be why I bear her totem animal as a netname after all. 8)

This witch class isn't pacifist at all. Magic-users in Slaine RPG (i.e. druids and witch) aren't the same as DD with alignement. They do sacrifice (human or animal) to feed the earth but the concept I was refering to was the overwhelming power of nature be it good be it bad for people.

 

[The King]

I am no Slaine scholar but many of the Celtic myths can be included in the Cimmerian kingdom; druids excepted.

I thought the Ligureans in Conan had a Druidic belief system.

Ligureans are not Cimmerian and do not live in Cimmeria (the Cimmerian kingdom?)

LOL. pleae substitute kingdom with nation or territory.

And yes Ligureans live in the Pict Wilderness and have a druid-like worship though they are no Celt-like (no warrior or conquering tribes). I would say they are something like Green Peace :wink: :lol:

 

[Yogah of Yag]

Oly: Wouldn't taunts be covered under the intimidation rules?
You're correct. And, for some bizarre reason, I interpret the word intimidation to be by force of presence, or a silent, imposing gait/"strut"/"swagger", or puffing out the chest, and the like, but not necessarily overt pejoratives. It's always interesting to learn how oneself and others interpret various words...
I was thinking (albeit very casually) about making Taunt an extra skill and allowing a synergy bonus if a PC had a certain no. of ranks in INTIM as well....Hmm, just a wandering thought.

Raven: My magic runs more along the line of shamanism
I assume you're familiar with Mircea Eliade's Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy? A Classic, although now probably painfully out-of-date. I tend to shy away from the new-age, Llewellyn titles that flood (=pollute) the market these days. I've been fascinated by shamanism for decades.

Furie: In Slaine, the taunt attack has almost a mystical property in that it greatly reduces the effect of the enemy.
Taunts, insults obviously would have a non-magical demoralizing effect in Conan. (See above).
---------------------
Cimmerian Kingdom: As Caesar might have said: apud Cimmerianos, in terris Cimmerianorum, ager Cimmerianus....(among the Cimmerians, in the lands of the Cimmerians, Cimmerian domain)

 

[toothill man]

love slaine and belive it is good better than good and well worth a buy and a play 8)

 

[Furie]

Yogath- Taunt as a skill in Conan makes perfect sense, but then that doesn't make it much like Slaine. Why? In Slaine, taunting and insulting is as much a part of combat as striking blows. By making it a skill, its an add-on, sort of like using Bluff to feint. It becomes something extra.

I am not suggesting that your approach is a bad one by any means, just that at their bases Conan and Slaine are very different games when you get down to it (even though both are very much about barbaric people going around and slaughtering prodigious amounts of enemies).

I still think that if you want a decent sense of what a Slaine game feels like, check out toothy's game down at the bottom of the main forum page.

 

[Yogah of Yag]

love slaine and belive it is good better than good and well worth a buy and a play 8)

Since I know nothing about Slaine, toothill man, what should I start with? Follow up with?

 

[toothill man]

well :? mongoose do the game so follow the links on the main board too see more that way 8) also it is based on the long running 2000AD comic strip and looking up their main site is a mine of information.We also have a thread on this board under the conan one which we share with judge dredd and have alot of resources and information on their :twisted: hope that helps old boy 8) also always happy too answer questions 8)

 

[High Lord Dee]

Not familiar with Slaine. Is there any other elements that would be valuable to a Conan campaign other than Taunt? Not sure I would pick it up just for that. If I did, I assume I would just need the core rulebook?