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So has anyone compiled some Conan RQ conversion stuff?
- Thread starter Troll66
- Start date
Lord High Munchkin
Mongoose
Have you written any?
No...but I found this ancient text onsome long forgotten stygian website... :wink:
CONAN, THE ROLE-PLAYING GAME
“Conan, Adventures in the Hyborian Age” is a role playing game inspired by the stories of Robert E Howard, using as background his Hyborian Age: an imaginary world which Howard places some twelve thousand years before the modern era, between the sinking of Atlantis and the beginning of “official” history. The Hyborian Age is a time of epic adventures, of magic and combat. Large kingdoms battle in fratricidal wars. Legends are born by the sword. The magic of old times and wizards, agents of forbidden knowlege, are at work.
It is within this fantastic maelstrom, born from the imagination of one of the finest authors of Sword and Sorcery fiction, that this handbook proposes to immerse you.
GAME SYSTEM
The game rules used by “Conan, Adventures in the Hyborian Age” are the BaSIC RolePlaying System as presented in the June 1997 issue (#19) of the magazine Casus Belli (Special Series).
This game system, originated by Chaosium and translated into French by Oriflam and Multisim, has been adapted to various settings: medieval fantasy like Elric! (Aka Stormbringer), more futuristic such as Hawkmoon, and to contemporary fantasy in Nephilim and Call of Cthulhu.
Why this particular game system you may well ask. The BaSIC ruleset has the advantage of being simple to understand and use. Moreover, the system is familiar to a great number of role players and is sufficiently intuitive to make it possible for neophytes to start playing a character with a minimaum of preliminary explanation.
The BaSIC RolePlaying System is herein adapted to the barbarian universe of the Hyborian age and the world of Conan.
The purpose of this handbook is not to reiterate the rules of the BaSIC system. You can download them for free from BaSICRPS community site (for the BaSIC RolePlaying System) at
http://www.basicrps.com
or from my personal site
http://users.swing.be/jeepee/basicrps
Very briefly, then, let’s review the principles of the BaSIC system.
Each character is defined by 6 primary characteristics: STRength, CONstitution, SIZe, DEXterity, APPearence, INTelligence and POWer. These characteristics range from 3 to 18.
Added to these characteristics are Luck and Idea rolls, which are equal to 5 times POW and 5 times INT respectively, treated as percentages.
Characters also possess skills which are expressed as percentages which are meant to indicate the likelihood of success with the skill in question.
During character creation, each characteristic is calculated by a roll of three 6-sided dice (3d6).
After this the player distributes points among skills: initially this consists of 300 points to be distributed among skills deriving from the character’s profession, and then 150 points are divided among all other skills (which can include those already taken).
During character creation racial and professional modifiers (as explained in the following pages) should also be applied.
In the course of play, each player will be required to determine the success or the failure of his character’s actions.
To determine success or failure use two 10-sided dice (2d10), and treat one as the units, the other for tens. This gives a range of 1-100 (a roll of 00 is considered to be 100). This is called a “100-sided die” or d100.
For an action to be regarded as succeessful, the player must roll less than or equal to the skill percentage for the action concerned. If the result of the dice is higher than the skill percentage, the action is consideredto have failed.
If the character possesses no skill appropriate to the action being attempted, a roll against one of the primary characteristics may be used, multiplying the characteristic score by some value (usually in the range of 1 to 5) according to the difficulty of the attempted action, a multiplier of 3x being considered about average.
Example: to break open a door will require a test of STRx3 if the door is of solid construction, STRx4 for an ordinary door, and STRx5 for a simple wooden panel. Conversely a test of STRx1 or STRx2 makes sense if it is against a thick door, reinforced, and built to resist a battering ram.
The health of the character is defined by a score of Hit Points (HP) and his magic potential by a score of Magic Points (MP).
You can determine if a character has been lucky by asking for a Luck roll (POWx5). A character’s general smarts and quick-wittedness can be simulated by his Idea roll score (INTx5, although the intelligence of the “player” prevails over the character’s characteristics).
The character will be equipped with supplies, weapons, perhaps a shield and armor.
It’s also desirable to come up with a history for your character, in order to give him more depth. A character in an RPG of is not simply a sheet of characteristics and skills; he is also an imaginary person who can and should have his own history: a name, a background; which you get to make up.
As previously mentioned, the purpose of this handbook is not to reiterate the rules of the BaSIC system. We will thus stop here in the explanations of the rules.
The pages that follow present the universe of Conan and offer descriptions (non-exhausitive) of the possible character races and professions in the world created by Robert E. Howard.
You will also find a simple and fast combat system, as well as a proposal regarding magic in the Conan universe.
After that are summaries of several of Conan’s adventures (which can be used for inspiration, if needed), a summary history of the Hyborian world, a list of the Hyborian kingdoms, a list of Hyborian gods, and a glossary of terms from the stories.
At the end of this handbook, you will find an introductory scenario for the world of Conan. This history, entitled “Eyes of Jade” is freely adapted from “The Hall of the Dead” by Robert E. Howard.
Have fun in the Hyborian Age…
JeePee
Translated into English by Stephen Posey [slposey@concentric.net] (2003).
PEOPLE OF THE HYBORIAN WORLD
The world of the Hyborian age contains a great variety peoples and cultures. Here is a non-exhaustive list with associated adjustments to characteristics and skills.
The Northmen
The countries of the Northmen (Vanaheim, Asgard, Hyperboria, and Cimmeria) produce fearsome warriors, robust and proud men handling the axe and the lance; they are also hunters able to survive in the vast wastes of the North, frozen and inhospitable.
Characterisitc adjustments: STR +1, CON +1, SIZ +2
Skill adjustments: Search +5%, Nature Lore +10%, Climb +10%, Swim +10%, Jump +10%, Melee Weapons (sword or axe) +10%
The Hyborians
Heirs to the great invasions following the Cataclysm, the Hyborians built large prosperous kingdoms: Aquilonia, Nemedia, Brythunnia, Ophir, Corinth, Argos. Their civilization has at this point marked the period which bears their name: the Hyborian Age.
Characterisitc adjustments: INT +1, POW +1, STR +1
Skill adjustments: Art/Craft +10%, Martial Arts +5%, Religious Lore +5%, Scholarship [Erudition] +5%, Bargaining [Marchandage] +5%, Weapon of Choice +5%
The Desert Peoples
The lands which extend to the east belong to the peoples of the desert: Hyrkanians, Turanians, Zammorians. These are arid and inhospitable places, subject to perpetual tribal wars. Nevertheless it’s possible to distinguish some dominant nations such as the Turanian empire, the kingdom of Zamora, or the small kingdoms which developed in the oases which rise from the sand (Khauran, Khoraja, etc.)
Characterisitc adjustments: INT +1, DEX +1
Skill adjustments: Animal Handling +10%, Horsemanship +10%, Bargaining [Marchandage] +5%, Orientation +10%, Bow +10%, Spear +5%
The Stygians and Koth
Warlike nobles and dark magicians and those corrupted by the influence of Set, the snake god of Stygia. The inhabitants of Stygia are bathed from birth in the magic and the evil power of the god Set.
Formerly, Stygia was a powerful and respected kingdom. Today, its desert landscape and its dark tombs evoke nothing but fear and repulsion. In the shade of the temples of Set, the Stygian priests pursue a degenerate worship of that ancient god with a snakes face. Although the power of the kingdom of Stygia has been waning for centuries, the Stygian nobility maintains a military tradition, an inheritance of past glories.
Characterisitc adjustments: INT +1, DEX +1, POW +1 (Koth) +2 (Stygian)
Skill adjustments: Alchemy +5% (Koth) +10% (Stygian), Martial Arts +5%, Religious Lore +10%, Foreign Language +5%, Myths and Legends +10% (Stygian), Potions and Herbs +5%, Scholarship [Erudition] +10% (Stygian), Wagon Handling +5% (Stygian), Bow +5%
The Shemites
Avid mercenaries for gold and conquest, the endless wars in which the kingdoms of the east (Hyrkania, Turan, etc.) engage, result in the clashing of immense armies which are mostly composed of mercenaries.
The military might of many kingdoms of the Hyborian Age often rests on a significant percentage of foreign mercenaries and on Shemites in particular. They are famous for their skill with weapons and their thirst for gold.
Characterisitc adjustments: STR +1, DEX +1, INT -1
Skill adjustments: Martial Arts +5%, Horsemanship +10%, Two Weapons of Choice +10%
The Black Peoples
Tribal and warlike. Far in the south, beyond the lands of Stygia and the meadows of Kush extends a land of forests and jungles, marshes and rivers.
These wild regions are populated by a race of men having black skin; these tribes ceaselessly clash in bloody tribal feuds, carried out by kings and war chieftains thirsty for blood and conquest. The black peoples are untameable. In fact these savage warriors know no fear; they worship a multitude of strange divinities, even more bloodthirsty than the gods of other men.
Characterisitc adjustments: STR +1, CON +1, SIZ+1
Skill adjustments: Search +10%, Orientation +5%, Survival +10%, Swim +10%, Climb +10%, Jump +10%, Weapon of Choice (spear or club) +10%
The People of Khitai
Far to the east, beyond Turan and Hyrkania, across the great desert lies the mysterious empire of Khitai. Little is known about this remote land. It maintains only minimal relations with the of Hyborian kingdoms.
It sometimes happens that one of these warriors to the yellow skin is encountered, armed with a strange sword and arc of finely sciselé wood, or a sorcerer with the hands griffues and mocking glance. Khitai is as unknown to the Hyborians as was China to the Europeans at the time of Marco Polo.
Characterisitc adjustments: SIZ –2, DEX +1, INT +1, POW +1
Skill adjustments: Alchemy +5%, Erudition +5%, Legends +5%, Sword +10%, Arc +5%
PROFESSIONS OF THE HYBORIAN WORLD
Players can choose a profession from among those in the list below. Each profession provides a list of associated skills; the player distributes 300 points among these skills at character creation time.
Mercenary
Description:
Career soldier, weapons expert, veteran of many conflicts, accustomed to the field of battle, the
mercenary sells his sword to the highest bidder;
sometimes engaging in the armies of the kings, other times in the rebel hordes, so long that the pay is good, the women easy, the wine abundant.
During the Hyborian Age, many armies are comprised largely of of mercenaries.
Skills:
Matial Arts, Command [Commandement], Wagon Handling, Horsemanship, Shield, + 3 other combat skills.
Thief
Description:
A shadow in the shadows, furtive and fast, the robber traverses the dark alleys of the large cities, preying upon the imprudent traveller or the unaware bergher. But this cheap and cheating urban predator is not the only sort of thief. There are also wild hordes of plundering brigands which traverse the Turanian plains and the territories bordering the larger Hyborian kingdoms.
Skills:
Pickpocket [Crocheter], Disguise, Move Quietly, Climb, Set/Disarm Traps [Pièges], Jump, Alertness, + 2 combat skills
Sorcerer
Description:
Magic is a mysterious and fearful thing to the uninitiated.
To be a Sorcerer is to devote one’s life to long and exhausting study of old manuscripts such as the Tablets of Skelos or ancient Atlantean tomes, in the hope of extracting some occult and forbidden knowledge.
Skills:
Alchemy, Nature Lore, Religious Lore, Scholarship [Erudition], Languages, Persuasion, Potions and Herbs.
Priest
Description:
The are many gods the Hyborian world. It is the lot of the priests to serve the gods, to maintain the temples, and to officiate at ceremonies.
Priests also seek to increase the number of faithful, traversing the world and preaching the sacred words of their scriptures.
Skills:
Alchemy, Nature Lore, Religious Lore, Scholarship [Erudition], Persuasion, Potions and Herbs, First Aid, Intuition.
Hunter
Description:
A wild man of the north or a warlike tribesman of the black lands beyond Kush, the hunter is a man of rough and cold temperament, reflecting the harshness of the natural world in which he lives.
On occasion, a hunter will sell his services as a guide or scout into the unknown and inhospitable regions he calls home.
Skills:
Search, Nature Lore, Move Quietly, Climb, Orientation, Set/Disarm Traps [Pièges], First Aid, Survival, + 2 combat skills
Sage/Scholar
Description:
A bearer of specialized knowledge and useful sciences, the sage is a man (or woman) of wisdom. He has traversed kingdoms, observed people, their customs and habits, acquiring a significant knowledge.
Skills:
Alchemy, Culture Lore, Religious Lore, Administration and Customs, Myths and Legends, Persuasion
Noble
Description:
Nobles rule (or at least derive some power from their birth and their family’s wealth). Nobles form the aristocracy, having greater or lesser significance and influence according to location and the ruling regime.
For example, the nobility of Stygia is steeped in the arts of war and the spirit of conquest; they dream only of controlling the natives and crushing their enemies under the wheels of their war machcines.
Nobles also constitue the most refined and most educated class of the population (excepting perhaps the rulers of the northmen and the black kingdoms).
Skills:
Art/Craft, Martial Arts, Command [Commandement], Wagon Handling (Chariot) [
Conduite d’attelage (char de combat)], Administration and Customs, Horsemanship, + 2 combat skills
Merchant
Description:
The true wealth of the Hyborian kingdoms lies in trade and commerce. It is by the trade routes that Hyborian influence is transferred to the less civilized nearby tribes.
The merchant is generally relatively wealthy, a pleasant and manipulative person. He follows the trade routes, leading rich caravans, pitching his tent and his goods in the marketplaces of the larger Hyborian cities.
Skills:
Art/Craft, Wagon Handling, Culture Lore, Administration and Customs, Languages, Bargaining [Marchandage], Persuasion, Intuition
Other professions…
The list of professions above is not exhaustive.
You’re free to imagine other character types and to assign skills appropriate to their activities.
COMBAT
The rules for combat described in the system of play BaSIC (Casus Special Edition #19, June ‘97) are still valid but are herein enriched by several suggestions and options in order to recapture the spirit of the world of Conan.
In the writings of Robert E. Howard, we encounter Conan fighting more than once.
Each one of his battles is the occasion of parries, dodges, glancing blows [de coups d’éclats], and fatal kicks [bottes meurtrières].
The basic game system presents no problems if you do not attach too much importance to the sequence of combats in your adventures. Below are a whole of simple rules, illustrated with examples, intended to bring your combats more to live, make them more dangerous, faster, and more heroic.
Combat is divided into rounds; a round a very short period of time during which adversaries will use their weapons, dodge, parry, and other maneuvers in order to put their opponents out of combat.
Initiative
The order in which the combatants attack is called Initiative. This simulates the reflexes and speed of execution of an adversary compared to the other combatants.
Initiative is determined by DEXterity score.
The combatant with the highest DEX score starts the hostilities, and so on in descending order. Two adversaries having the same DEX score will act simultaneously.
Example:
Conan (DEX 18) will have initiative over a Hyrkanian guard (DEX 13).
Success and Critical Failure
During combat, an attack made with a critical success always causes increased damage, generally twice the normal damage of the weapon.
A critical failure is equivalent to a complete failure. The consequences of this failure are left at the discretion of the Game Master but can easily be conceived according to the circumstances (a weapon breaks, loss of balance, out of breath, a fall, a moment of distraction, etc.)
Attack
An attempt to strike an adversary with a weapon is an attack.
Use the character’s weapon skill score to simulate an attack.
Example:
Conan has the two-handed sword skill at 85%.
He will use this score to make an attack.
Parry/Dodge
A parry is an attempt to block an attack using a weapon. Parry chance starts at the skill score of the weapon used.
Example:
Conan has the two-handed sword skill at 85%.
He will be able to make a parry with a score of 85%.
It is also possible to parry an attack using a shield. The chance of using a shield is represented by a separate Shield skill.
Example:
Conan has Shield skill at 60%. He will thus be able to attempt a shield parry at this percentage.
Dodging is quickly moving out of the range of attack of one’s adversary.
Dodge is a separate skill, equal by default to DEXterity x 2.
Example:
Monbatta, the Kushite warrior, has a DEX of 15. His Dodge score starts at only 30%, unless he allocates additional points to the skill during character creation.
Attack vs. Dodge/Parry
After determination of initiative, combat proper begins.
Against an attack, an adversary can parry, dodge or simply do nothing and rely on the thickness of his armour to stop the blows.
Dodging puts a combatant out of direct reach his adversary. In the event of a critical success on Dodge skill, the successful combatant can attempt an immediate riposte.
Example:
Conan has a Dodge score of 60%. He attempts to dodge an attack and rolls 55. Dodging is successful. Later during the battle, a soldier tries to spit Conan with a lance. The Cimmerian jumps aside [fait un écart] (dodging) and rolls a 10. This is a critical success (1/5 or less of his Dodge skill). The barbarian raises his sword and cuts down the soldier who is overcome by hismastery [entraîné par son élan].
There are two distinct types of parry: with a weapon and with a shield.
Parrying with a weapon allows blocking an attack. Although it is possible to parry several attacks, any single attack can be parried only once during a round. If the parry fails, the attack gets through.
A critical success on a parry with a weapon gives the combatant the possibility of a riposte.
Example::
Another soldier advances on Conan, with a scimitar in his hand.
He lunges, but the barbarian blocks the attack with a quick sweep of his Northerner’s blade (here, Conan, 85% with Sword, rolled a 60 on the dice) the combat continues.
The soldier tries again to hit Conan, who again parrys the attack of a boot fulgurating [d’une botte fulgurante] and taking advantage of his opponent’s surprise, chops off his head with a quick stroke.
(here, Conan parried and rolled a 5 on the dice, which is a critical success. Conan’s amazing skill stunned the soldier who had to step back due to the northern warrior’s parry. Taking advantage this breach in his adversary’s defenses, Conan riposted without delay...)
The other method to parry an attack involves use of a shield.
A successful parry with a shield (whether or not it’s a critical success) always gives a chance to riposte.
Example:
During a battle between two armies, Conan is in the front lines (as usual). Two enemies advance on him.
Being useful themselves skilfully of its shield [Se servant habilement de son bouclier], he parries the first one’s attack, shoving aside the deadly blade of his adversary
His reposte causes the enemy to fall under a violent blow.
(here, Conan, with 50%in Shield, made a successful parry and reposte derechef[et riposte derechef])
Leaving its failing enemy, Conan goes on the second adversary
Leaving his failing enemy, Conan moves on the second adversary.
It makes a fulgurating [fulgurante] attack (85% in Sword, rolling a 6 on the dice) but the other succeeds in parrying the killing blow (a successful parry by the enemy). The clash of the two swords throws bluish sparks around the two combatants (and the enemy’s sword loses a structure point).
Conan, moving even faster, presses his attack and makes a success of a new blow (another critical success). His adversary takes full damage [reçoit le coup de plein fouet]and dies in an infamous gargouillis[gargouillis infâme] .
Note the unquestionable advantage that derives from using a shield as a means of defense.
Note:
A riposte is treated as an attack, with the difference that it cannot be parried; only dodged.
Example:
Conan goes toe-to-toe [est aux prises] with a Turanian soldier armed with a curved sabre.
The soldier makes multiple attacks, forcing Conan to draw back.
Conan finally succeeds at parrying (a critical success with weapon parry) and he ripostes. The Turanian soldier, in a flash, jumps aside [fait un écart], avoiding the deadly blade of the barbarian (here, the soldier succeeded at dodging the Cimmerian’s riposte).
Conan, seizing the opportunity, strikes furious blows. The soldier parries as best he can. In desperation, he tries a riposte and ends up halting the barbarian’s assault by tracing a beautiful estanfilade [traçant une belle estanfilade] in his side (here, the soldier succeeded in making a riposte, following a critical success parry, and the barbarian, blinded by the fury of the attack, failed to evade the blow).
Parrying/Dodging Multiple Attacks
During combat, it is not uncommon to face several adversaries at the same time. This is the case for example during large battles.
One can parry or dodge several times in a round (but always against different attacks).
The first parry/dodge attempt is rolled on the full skill score of the weapon/Dodge
The second parry/dodge receives a penalty of 30%. The third parry/dodge suffers a penalty of 60%. And so on. Each additional parry/dodge is decreased by 30%.
Parry/Dodge Penalty
1st parry/dodge None
2nd parry/dodge -30%
3rd parry/dodge -60%
4th parry/dodge -90%
… …
Damage to Weapons, Armor and Shields
Any attack leading to a critical success causes a loss of a structure point to the weapon or shield involved if the attack is parried, to the recipient’s armor if it gets through.
So, it’s preferable to have good quality equipment if you want to avoid having a blade break during combat or not find yourself with a dented shield or a torn coat of mail.
Example:
In the heat of a battle, Conan’s swordplay mows down his enemies like the peasant mows grain. He dodges and parries repeated blows from his adversaries. Some attacks are terribly powerful (critical successes).
Conan holds up anyway, his shield rings from this rain of steel (each critical attack deflected by the shield causes it to lose a structure point). After the the battle, all that remains of Conan’s shield is a dented and battered circle of steel.
Hit Location
The table below allows using a 6-sided die roll to determine the area of the body hit by an attack.
On a 1D6 Area Hit To-Hit Penalty
1 Head -20%
2 Left Arm -10%
3 Right Arm -10%
4 Chest/Abdomen
5 Left Leg
6 Right Leg
To hit a vital spot (other than the head), requires a penalty of 20%.
Example:
During the battle, Conan comes face-to-face with a Hyperborean giant armed with an axe. Surprised, he raises his shield to parry a killing blow and ripostes.
A roll on the Hit Location Table come up a 3: the right arm. The barbarian’s riposte is a critical success: doing double damage. The giant’s arm drops into the mud of the battle field, it’s hand still grasping the axe. The giant collapses howling in pain.
WEAPONS AND ARMOR
Shield Roll
Bonus Structure
Points Riposte?
Small Shield +05% 20 Yes
Medium Shield +10% 25 Yes *
Great Shield +15% 30 Yes *
(*) This type of shield offers the possibility of a riposte only on a critical success.
Weapon Damage Struct. Points
Dagger 1d4 15
Short Sword 1d6 15
Curved Sabre 1d10 15
Long Sword 2d6 20
Club 1d6 5
Stick [Bâton] 1d6 5
War Axe 2d6 15
War Hammer 2d6 15
Lance 1d6 10
Pike/Spear 1d10 12
Trident 1d10 15
Short Sword 1d6 10
Armor Protection
Soft Leather 1
Rigid Leather 2
Studded Leather 4
Scale [Cuir et metal] 5
Cuirass 6
Mail Coat* 7
Plate Armor * 8
(*) Due to their weight, these types of armor impose a penalty on all physical skills: -5% for Mail Coat and -10% for Plate Armor.
MAGIC
Magic in the world of Conan is mysterious and dangerous thing.
However, there are many who [empreintent] the difficult ways of the mysteries, thirsty for forbidden lore and wishing to acquire as much occult knowledge as possible.
Although certain mages claim that magic consists only of will and concentration, the fact is that no magical power can exist without a pact being made with certain supernatural entities from the planes beyond.
Magic is an affair often consisting of long and exhausting [fastidieuses] study; certain knowledge is acquired only after difficult deciphering, as testified in the Tablets of Skelos, mythic works left by pre-human civilizations before the Great Cataclysm.
Thus, at the end of a testing reading [lecture éprouvante] and of years of study, the magus can finally hope to gain some advantage from his art.
The rituals and spells recorded on the poussièreux parchments of ancient Stygia or on the stone tablets found in ruined cities make it possible to call upon supernatural beings, sometimes divine, sometimes demonic, and to sign a pact with them; in exchange for sacrifices or souls [ames], certain beings of the other worlds offer the invoker certain powers.
This is the magic of the Hyborian world, the recollection of a lost power and the fruit of study and terrible sacrifices.
It is not then surprising that those with great magical power are not many, few achieve mastery and many become victims of their own power.
The Magic of Set
Ancient Stygia and its dark tombs hide wretched secrets and occult knowledge. In order to achieve these arcane mysteries, the magus will have to devote himself to the worship of the snake god Set, bearer of the dark secrets of ancient times. This worship will have to be secret but daily. Set requires sacrifices and regular prayers. The sacrifices must be of flesh and blood (animals such as a dove, a puppy, or a kitten, but also in certain cases a human being).
Upon completion of sufficient devotion, the magus may receive powers from among the following list (at the discretion of the Game Master).
Black Cloud of Nergal (Sight, 1-5 points, Instantaneous)
By spending one Magic Point, the magus creates a black and harmful cloud causing 1d4 Hit Points damage to those failing a test on CONx3%. The cloud will fill a space equal to a cube of one meter/ yard per side. Each additional Magic Point devoted to the spell will increase the area of effect to a maximum of 5 points of magic for a cube of 5 meters/yards per side.
The black cloud will remain active for 5 rounds, unless dissipated by a displacement of air (a strong gale or draught); in this case, the cloud will be completely dissipated within w rounds.
Set’s Icy Touch (Touch, 2 points, Instantaneous)
The magus, by touching the target and spending 2 Magic Points, causes 1d6 points of damage. The target feels a violent pain accompanied by an icy cold which permeates the area touched within an instant.
Lightning of Set (Sight, 3 points, Instantaneous)
The magus indicates the target and calls down the destroying power of Set. A bolt then strikes the target, causing 2d6 points of damage. The target can try to dodge; if successful the target will undergo only 1d4 points of damage from the heat and explosion of the bolt.
Chains malfaisantes of Set (Sight, 5 points, 5 rounds)
The target is held motionless by invisible bonds for 5 rounds. If he struggles and fights against the magic bonds, they tighten around him, inflicting 1d4 points of damage to him. It is possible to break the Chains of Set by a struggle the Resistance Table of the STRength of the target against the POWer of the magus.
If the target succeeds in breaking the chains of Set, the magus will know immediately and loses 1d3 Magic Points and 1 Hit Point.
The Serpent’s Bite (Touch, 2 points, Instantaneous)
By calling upon the power of Set, the magus conjures a snake whose body is rolled up around his arm and whose head rests within the hollow of his hand. Upon touching the target, the snake animates and bites the target, causing 1d3 points of damage. But the real power of this spell lies in the foul poison which then spreads through the veins of the hapless victim. This poison causes 1 point of damage per round until death comes along.
Terror of the Serpent (Sight, 5 points, Instantaneous)
This powerful illusion strikes the target (at the end of a POW/POWstruggle on the Table of Resistance), materializing the target’s deepest fears. The victim loses his sanity for a period of 1d10 days, wandering like a lost soul, apprehensive and afraid. The exact manifestation of the target’s madness is left to the discretion of the Game Master.
The Seduction of Set (Sight, 5 points, 5 rounds)
The magus attempts to hypnotize his victim (POW/POW on the Resistance Table). If the target falls under the spell of the magician, he can be made obey for 5 rounds; the orders must short and simple, for example, “Open the door” or “Throw your weapons down”. When the charm expires, the magus can try to keep the target under his power by succeeding at a new attempt at hypnosis.
The Darkness of the Serpent God (Sight, 1-5 points, 1-5 rounds)
The magus creates a zone of darkness around himself of 1m/yd radius per Magic Point spent and for a period of 1 to 5 rounds (at will).
The zone of darkness disappears after 5 rounds or whenever the magus judges convenient before that. Any adversary within the zone of darkness undergoes a penalty of 20% to his perception skills (like Alertness) and 10% to his physical skills.
Skin of the Serpent (Touch, 6 points, 1 day)
The magus alters both his metabolism and his physical aspect to transform himself slowly into an enormous snake. The transformation takes approximately 10 minutes and the magus can keep up this transformation for the period of one one day. He can then attack his adversaries with an increased DEX (5 point bonus) and inflict bites doing 1d6 points of damage as well as injecting poison (loss of 1 Hit Point per round).
Servants of Set (Sight, 10 points, until the next sunrise)
This very potent ritual, summons the servants of Set. These are inhuman creatures, desiccated mummies of the old race of serpent men.
Servants of Set will have a STRength and a DEXterity of 10 and each weilds a weapon (a blade inflicting 1d6 points of damage) with a skill of 40%.
The servants of Set are poor combatants but can serve as guards; they have Alertness skill at 65%.
Children of Set (Sight, 10 Magic Points and 1 POW point, variable)
This is, without a doubt, a most terrible ritual.
By to this powerful formula, after making a human sacrifice, the magus invokes a Child of Set, a semi-divine creature half-man half-snake. The Children of Set have a phenomenal strength and fight with bare hands, tearing at their opponents with their long claws, which corrode flesh and inject a deadly venom (which kills in 5 rounds).
The Children of Seth do not voluntarily enter into the service of the magus who called upon them. The summoner will have to impose his will upon them (POW/POW on the Resistance Table). If the magus wins the struggle, he will be able to command the creature for a period of time.
The Children of Set remain in the material world for a variable period and can return to their own dimension at will, but most of the time, their evil is used to aid the mages and priests of Set. They love to cause suffering and death, thus they will take advantage of the occasion to sow terror and destruction, often destroying the magus who summoned them if he one weakens for even a moment.
The Magic of Mitra
Mitra is a benevolent Hyborian diety. He gives wisdom and serenity to His admirers. His magic is beneficial and in the Hyborian Pantheon, Mitra is opposed to Set.
The magus (or rather the priest) of Mitra, following the example other religions, will have to dedicate worship to him and devote at least an hour of his time to meditation and prayer.
The powers of Mitra are not dark. It is a simple and beneficial magic.
Blessing of Mitra (Touch, variable, 1 day)
By a laying on of hands, this simple ritual confers upon the person blessed a bonus of 5% per Magic Point spent to all his skills, for the period of one day, to a maximum of +15% (costing 3 Magic Points).
The person blessed will, of course, have to rent [louer] Mitra and undertake only beneficial actions; otherwise the Blessing will no longer be in effect. Mitra encourages fight the forces Evil; thus, fighting against the followers of Set does not cancel the Blessing. On the other hand, to hustle or beat a beggar or even an innocent animal cancels the Blessing immediately.
Cure (Touch, variable, Instantaneous)
By this ritual, the priest of Mitra can cure a disease or a poisoning by spending a number of Magic Points and making a successful POWer/VIRulence (of the disease or poison) struggle on the Resistance Table.
On a success, the patient will be cured in the hours following the ritual.
Heal (Touch, variable, Instantaneous)
By a simple laying on of hands and a prayer, the magus can heal wounds at a rate of one Hit Point recovered per Magic Point.
Resurrection (Toucher, 1 POW point, Instantaneous)
The ritual of Resurrection requires several hours of prayer and chanting. At the sacrifice of a point of POW, the magus of Mitra will be able to return to the life an individual died within less than 24 hours and whose wounds could then be healed (by magic or more traditional methods).
The recipient will return to the life with a single Hit Point and a single Magic Point.
All his skills will be reduced by 20% (to a minimum of the basic skill score) and he will permanently lose a point of STR, DEX, CON, and APP.
Such is the price of returning from the dead.
The Fire of Mitra (Sight, 2 points, Instantaneous)
The magus projects a sphere of flames, causing 2d6 points of damage, at a creature of evil.
This spell effects only living things associated with Evil, such as the Servants of Set or the Children of Set, or priests of evil gods.
The Aura of Mitra (Touch, 1 point, variable)
Using this ritual, the priest of Mitra endows an object of his choice with a beneficial, symbol of the god Mitra.
Invisible to common mortals, the Aura of Mitra will be visible to the priest and to the forces of Evil as a bluish radiance. Any Evil creature touched by the endowed object will lose 1d3 Hit Points as well as a Magic Point, after which the enchantment dissipates.
The Symbol of Mitra (Touch, 5 points, variable)
The magus traces the symbol of Mitra on any surface. This spell has the same effect as The Aura of Mitra, but is visible of anyone (since the symbol appears engraved on the surface of the object). If an Evil creature comes within less than one meter/yard of the symbol, it inflicts 1d6 points of damage and causes the loss of 1d3 Magic Points.
Detect Evil (Sight, 3 points, Instantaneous)
The priest of Mitra can perceive the harmful presences and charms within a range of 30m/yds in front of him.
Sorcery
The lands extending south from Stygia and the meadows of Shem shelter an old and frightening magic; it is called sorcery. This magic is transmitted orally from wizard to wizard.
Each tribe has its own wizard and each wizard invokes the many gods of the black peoples and practices a form of magic unique to him. Acquisition by an outsider of the skills and knowledge of the sorcery of the black people is difficult, if not impossible.
The dark skinned wizards seldom share their secrets with white men. Here some of the charms and the spells of this mysterious and wild sorcery…
The Brazier Within (Sight, 5 Magic Points and 1 POW point, Instantaneous)
This spell causes the target to burst into flames. He loses 5 Hit Points per round and dies in agonizing pain.
The flames invisible but heat can be felt by anyone within 3 meters/yards of the victim.
If the flames are not visible, the effects of the fire are: the skin blisters and then blackens slowly while the bodily fluids run out and the internal organs literally cook. There is no counter for this unearthly [immonde] magic spell.
The Madness of the Ancients [La Folie des Anciens] (Sight, 6 points, POW rounds)
The target must succeed in a POW/POW struggle on the Resistance Table, or else he succumbs to an foul madness and turns (heart and soul) against his friends.
The charm becomes inoperative after a number of rounds equal to the POW of the wizard.
Call of the Wild (Sight, 5 points, until the next sunrise)
The wizard summons a deer [fauve] which becomes his servant until the next sunrise. The animal can be ordered to track and to attack a target.
With the paddle [A l’aube], the deer[fauve] is released from the charm and returns to its wild state.
CONAN, THE ROLE-PLAYING GAME
“Conan, Adventures in the Hyborian Age” is a role playing game inspired by the stories of Robert E Howard, using as background his Hyborian Age: an imaginary world which Howard places some twelve thousand years before the modern era, between the sinking of Atlantis and the beginning of “official” history. The Hyborian Age is a time of epic adventures, of magic and combat. Large kingdoms battle in fratricidal wars. Legends are born by the sword. The magic of old times and wizards, agents of forbidden knowlege, are at work.
It is within this fantastic maelstrom, born from the imagination of one of the finest authors of Sword and Sorcery fiction, that this handbook proposes to immerse you.
GAME SYSTEM
The game rules used by “Conan, Adventures in the Hyborian Age” are the BaSIC RolePlaying System as presented in the June 1997 issue (#19) of the magazine Casus Belli (Special Series).
This game system, originated by Chaosium and translated into French by Oriflam and Multisim, has been adapted to various settings: medieval fantasy like Elric! (Aka Stormbringer), more futuristic such as Hawkmoon, and to contemporary fantasy in Nephilim and Call of Cthulhu.
Why this particular game system you may well ask. The BaSIC ruleset has the advantage of being simple to understand and use. Moreover, the system is familiar to a great number of role players and is sufficiently intuitive to make it possible for neophytes to start playing a character with a minimaum of preliminary explanation.
The BaSIC RolePlaying System is herein adapted to the barbarian universe of the Hyborian age and the world of Conan.
The purpose of this handbook is not to reiterate the rules of the BaSIC system. You can download them for free from BaSICRPS community site (for the BaSIC RolePlaying System) at
http://www.basicrps.com
or from my personal site
http://users.swing.be/jeepee/basicrps
Very briefly, then, let’s review the principles of the BaSIC system.
Each character is defined by 6 primary characteristics: STRength, CONstitution, SIZe, DEXterity, APPearence, INTelligence and POWer. These characteristics range from 3 to 18.
Added to these characteristics are Luck and Idea rolls, which are equal to 5 times POW and 5 times INT respectively, treated as percentages.
Characters also possess skills which are expressed as percentages which are meant to indicate the likelihood of success with the skill in question.
During character creation, each characteristic is calculated by a roll of three 6-sided dice (3d6).
After this the player distributes points among skills: initially this consists of 300 points to be distributed among skills deriving from the character’s profession, and then 150 points are divided among all other skills (which can include those already taken).
During character creation racial and professional modifiers (as explained in the following pages) should also be applied.
In the course of play, each player will be required to determine the success or the failure of his character’s actions.
To determine success or failure use two 10-sided dice (2d10), and treat one as the units, the other for tens. This gives a range of 1-100 (a roll of 00 is considered to be 100). This is called a “100-sided die” or d100.
For an action to be regarded as succeessful, the player must roll less than or equal to the skill percentage for the action concerned. If the result of the dice is higher than the skill percentage, the action is consideredto have failed.
If the character possesses no skill appropriate to the action being attempted, a roll against one of the primary characteristics may be used, multiplying the characteristic score by some value (usually in the range of 1 to 5) according to the difficulty of the attempted action, a multiplier of 3x being considered about average.
Example: to break open a door will require a test of STRx3 if the door is of solid construction, STRx4 for an ordinary door, and STRx5 for a simple wooden panel. Conversely a test of STRx1 or STRx2 makes sense if it is against a thick door, reinforced, and built to resist a battering ram.
The health of the character is defined by a score of Hit Points (HP) and his magic potential by a score of Magic Points (MP).
You can determine if a character has been lucky by asking for a Luck roll (POWx5). A character’s general smarts and quick-wittedness can be simulated by his Idea roll score (INTx5, although the intelligence of the “player” prevails over the character’s characteristics).
The character will be equipped with supplies, weapons, perhaps a shield and armor.
It’s also desirable to come up with a history for your character, in order to give him more depth. A character in an RPG of is not simply a sheet of characteristics and skills; he is also an imaginary person who can and should have his own history: a name, a background; which you get to make up.
As previously mentioned, the purpose of this handbook is not to reiterate the rules of the BaSIC system. We will thus stop here in the explanations of the rules.
The pages that follow present the universe of Conan and offer descriptions (non-exhausitive) of the possible character races and professions in the world created by Robert E. Howard.
You will also find a simple and fast combat system, as well as a proposal regarding magic in the Conan universe.
After that are summaries of several of Conan’s adventures (which can be used for inspiration, if needed), a summary history of the Hyborian world, a list of the Hyborian kingdoms, a list of Hyborian gods, and a glossary of terms from the stories.
At the end of this handbook, you will find an introductory scenario for the world of Conan. This history, entitled “Eyes of Jade” is freely adapted from “The Hall of the Dead” by Robert E. Howard.
Have fun in the Hyborian Age…
JeePee
Translated into English by Stephen Posey [slposey@concentric.net] (2003).
PEOPLE OF THE HYBORIAN WORLD
The world of the Hyborian age contains a great variety peoples and cultures. Here is a non-exhaustive list with associated adjustments to characteristics and skills.
The Northmen
The countries of the Northmen (Vanaheim, Asgard, Hyperboria, and Cimmeria) produce fearsome warriors, robust and proud men handling the axe and the lance; they are also hunters able to survive in the vast wastes of the North, frozen and inhospitable.
Characterisitc adjustments: STR +1, CON +1, SIZ +2
Skill adjustments: Search +5%, Nature Lore +10%, Climb +10%, Swim +10%, Jump +10%, Melee Weapons (sword or axe) +10%
The Hyborians
Heirs to the great invasions following the Cataclysm, the Hyborians built large prosperous kingdoms: Aquilonia, Nemedia, Brythunnia, Ophir, Corinth, Argos. Their civilization has at this point marked the period which bears their name: the Hyborian Age.
Characterisitc adjustments: INT +1, POW +1, STR +1
Skill adjustments: Art/Craft +10%, Martial Arts +5%, Religious Lore +5%, Scholarship [Erudition] +5%, Bargaining [Marchandage] +5%, Weapon of Choice +5%
The Desert Peoples
The lands which extend to the east belong to the peoples of the desert: Hyrkanians, Turanians, Zammorians. These are arid and inhospitable places, subject to perpetual tribal wars. Nevertheless it’s possible to distinguish some dominant nations such as the Turanian empire, the kingdom of Zamora, or the small kingdoms which developed in the oases which rise from the sand (Khauran, Khoraja, etc.)
Characterisitc adjustments: INT +1, DEX +1
Skill adjustments: Animal Handling +10%, Horsemanship +10%, Bargaining [Marchandage] +5%, Orientation +10%, Bow +10%, Spear +5%
The Stygians and Koth
Warlike nobles and dark magicians and those corrupted by the influence of Set, the snake god of Stygia. The inhabitants of Stygia are bathed from birth in the magic and the evil power of the god Set.
Formerly, Stygia was a powerful and respected kingdom. Today, its desert landscape and its dark tombs evoke nothing but fear and repulsion. In the shade of the temples of Set, the Stygian priests pursue a degenerate worship of that ancient god with a snakes face. Although the power of the kingdom of Stygia has been waning for centuries, the Stygian nobility maintains a military tradition, an inheritance of past glories.
Characterisitc adjustments: INT +1, DEX +1, POW +1 (Koth) +2 (Stygian)
Skill adjustments: Alchemy +5% (Koth) +10% (Stygian), Martial Arts +5%, Religious Lore +10%, Foreign Language +5%, Myths and Legends +10% (Stygian), Potions and Herbs +5%, Scholarship [Erudition] +10% (Stygian), Wagon Handling +5% (Stygian), Bow +5%
The Shemites
Avid mercenaries for gold and conquest, the endless wars in which the kingdoms of the east (Hyrkania, Turan, etc.) engage, result in the clashing of immense armies which are mostly composed of mercenaries.
The military might of many kingdoms of the Hyborian Age often rests on a significant percentage of foreign mercenaries and on Shemites in particular. They are famous for their skill with weapons and their thirst for gold.
Characterisitc adjustments: STR +1, DEX +1, INT -1
Skill adjustments: Martial Arts +5%, Horsemanship +10%, Two Weapons of Choice +10%
The Black Peoples
Tribal and warlike. Far in the south, beyond the lands of Stygia and the meadows of Kush extends a land of forests and jungles, marshes and rivers.
These wild regions are populated by a race of men having black skin; these tribes ceaselessly clash in bloody tribal feuds, carried out by kings and war chieftains thirsty for blood and conquest. The black peoples are untameable. In fact these savage warriors know no fear; they worship a multitude of strange divinities, even more bloodthirsty than the gods of other men.
Characterisitc adjustments: STR +1, CON +1, SIZ+1
Skill adjustments: Search +10%, Orientation +5%, Survival +10%, Swim +10%, Climb +10%, Jump +10%, Weapon of Choice (spear or club) +10%
The People of Khitai
Far to the east, beyond Turan and Hyrkania, across the great desert lies the mysterious empire of Khitai. Little is known about this remote land. It maintains only minimal relations with the of Hyborian kingdoms.
It sometimes happens that one of these warriors to the yellow skin is encountered, armed with a strange sword and arc of finely sciselé wood, or a sorcerer with the hands griffues and mocking glance. Khitai is as unknown to the Hyborians as was China to the Europeans at the time of Marco Polo.
Characterisitc adjustments: SIZ –2, DEX +1, INT +1, POW +1
Skill adjustments: Alchemy +5%, Erudition +5%, Legends +5%, Sword +10%, Arc +5%
PROFESSIONS OF THE HYBORIAN WORLD
Players can choose a profession from among those in the list below. Each profession provides a list of associated skills; the player distributes 300 points among these skills at character creation time.
Mercenary
Description:
Career soldier, weapons expert, veteran of many conflicts, accustomed to the field of battle, the
mercenary sells his sword to the highest bidder;
sometimes engaging in the armies of the kings, other times in the rebel hordes, so long that the pay is good, the women easy, the wine abundant.
During the Hyborian Age, many armies are comprised largely of of mercenaries.
Skills:
Matial Arts, Command [Commandement], Wagon Handling, Horsemanship, Shield, + 3 other combat skills.
Thief
Description:
A shadow in the shadows, furtive and fast, the robber traverses the dark alleys of the large cities, preying upon the imprudent traveller or the unaware bergher. But this cheap and cheating urban predator is not the only sort of thief. There are also wild hordes of plundering brigands which traverse the Turanian plains and the territories bordering the larger Hyborian kingdoms.
Skills:
Pickpocket [Crocheter], Disguise, Move Quietly, Climb, Set/Disarm Traps [Pièges], Jump, Alertness, + 2 combat skills
Sorcerer
Description:
Magic is a mysterious and fearful thing to the uninitiated.
To be a Sorcerer is to devote one’s life to long and exhausting study of old manuscripts such as the Tablets of Skelos or ancient Atlantean tomes, in the hope of extracting some occult and forbidden knowledge.
Skills:
Alchemy, Nature Lore, Religious Lore, Scholarship [Erudition], Languages, Persuasion, Potions and Herbs.
Priest
Description:
The are many gods the Hyborian world. It is the lot of the priests to serve the gods, to maintain the temples, and to officiate at ceremonies.
Priests also seek to increase the number of faithful, traversing the world and preaching the sacred words of their scriptures.
Skills:
Alchemy, Nature Lore, Religious Lore, Scholarship [Erudition], Persuasion, Potions and Herbs, First Aid, Intuition.
Hunter
Description:
A wild man of the north or a warlike tribesman of the black lands beyond Kush, the hunter is a man of rough and cold temperament, reflecting the harshness of the natural world in which he lives.
On occasion, a hunter will sell his services as a guide or scout into the unknown and inhospitable regions he calls home.
Skills:
Search, Nature Lore, Move Quietly, Climb, Orientation, Set/Disarm Traps [Pièges], First Aid, Survival, + 2 combat skills
Sage/Scholar
Description:
A bearer of specialized knowledge and useful sciences, the sage is a man (or woman) of wisdom. He has traversed kingdoms, observed people, their customs and habits, acquiring a significant knowledge.
Skills:
Alchemy, Culture Lore, Religious Lore, Administration and Customs, Myths and Legends, Persuasion
Noble
Description:
Nobles rule (or at least derive some power from their birth and their family’s wealth). Nobles form the aristocracy, having greater or lesser significance and influence according to location and the ruling regime.
For example, the nobility of Stygia is steeped in the arts of war and the spirit of conquest; they dream only of controlling the natives and crushing their enemies under the wheels of their war machcines.
Nobles also constitue the most refined and most educated class of the population (excepting perhaps the rulers of the northmen and the black kingdoms).
Skills:
Art/Craft, Martial Arts, Command [Commandement], Wagon Handling (Chariot) [
Conduite d’attelage (char de combat)], Administration and Customs, Horsemanship, + 2 combat skills
Merchant
Description:
The true wealth of the Hyborian kingdoms lies in trade and commerce. It is by the trade routes that Hyborian influence is transferred to the less civilized nearby tribes.
The merchant is generally relatively wealthy, a pleasant and manipulative person. He follows the trade routes, leading rich caravans, pitching his tent and his goods in the marketplaces of the larger Hyborian cities.
Skills:
Art/Craft, Wagon Handling, Culture Lore, Administration and Customs, Languages, Bargaining [Marchandage], Persuasion, Intuition
Other professions…
The list of professions above is not exhaustive.
You’re free to imagine other character types and to assign skills appropriate to their activities.
COMBAT
The rules for combat described in the system of play BaSIC (Casus Special Edition #19, June ‘97) are still valid but are herein enriched by several suggestions and options in order to recapture the spirit of the world of Conan.
In the writings of Robert E. Howard, we encounter Conan fighting more than once.
Each one of his battles is the occasion of parries, dodges, glancing blows [de coups d’éclats], and fatal kicks [bottes meurtrières].
The basic game system presents no problems if you do not attach too much importance to the sequence of combats in your adventures. Below are a whole of simple rules, illustrated with examples, intended to bring your combats more to live, make them more dangerous, faster, and more heroic.
Combat is divided into rounds; a round a very short period of time during which adversaries will use their weapons, dodge, parry, and other maneuvers in order to put their opponents out of combat.
Initiative
The order in which the combatants attack is called Initiative. This simulates the reflexes and speed of execution of an adversary compared to the other combatants.
Initiative is determined by DEXterity score.
The combatant with the highest DEX score starts the hostilities, and so on in descending order. Two adversaries having the same DEX score will act simultaneously.
Example:
Conan (DEX 18) will have initiative over a Hyrkanian guard (DEX 13).
Success and Critical Failure
During combat, an attack made with a critical success always causes increased damage, generally twice the normal damage of the weapon.
A critical failure is equivalent to a complete failure. The consequences of this failure are left at the discretion of the Game Master but can easily be conceived according to the circumstances (a weapon breaks, loss of balance, out of breath, a fall, a moment of distraction, etc.)
Attack
An attempt to strike an adversary with a weapon is an attack.
Use the character’s weapon skill score to simulate an attack.
Example:
Conan has the two-handed sword skill at 85%.
He will use this score to make an attack.
Parry/Dodge
A parry is an attempt to block an attack using a weapon. Parry chance starts at the skill score of the weapon used.
Example:
Conan has the two-handed sword skill at 85%.
He will be able to make a parry with a score of 85%.
It is also possible to parry an attack using a shield. The chance of using a shield is represented by a separate Shield skill.
Example:
Conan has Shield skill at 60%. He will thus be able to attempt a shield parry at this percentage.
Dodging is quickly moving out of the range of attack of one’s adversary.
Dodge is a separate skill, equal by default to DEXterity x 2.
Example:
Monbatta, the Kushite warrior, has a DEX of 15. His Dodge score starts at only 30%, unless he allocates additional points to the skill during character creation.
Attack vs. Dodge/Parry
After determination of initiative, combat proper begins.
Against an attack, an adversary can parry, dodge or simply do nothing and rely on the thickness of his armour to stop the blows.
Dodging puts a combatant out of direct reach his adversary. In the event of a critical success on Dodge skill, the successful combatant can attempt an immediate riposte.
Example:
Conan has a Dodge score of 60%. He attempts to dodge an attack and rolls 55. Dodging is successful. Later during the battle, a soldier tries to spit Conan with a lance. The Cimmerian jumps aside [fait un écart] (dodging) and rolls a 10. This is a critical success (1/5 or less of his Dodge skill). The barbarian raises his sword and cuts down the soldier who is overcome by hismastery [entraîné par son élan].
There are two distinct types of parry: with a weapon and with a shield.
Parrying with a weapon allows blocking an attack. Although it is possible to parry several attacks, any single attack can be parried only once during a round. If the parry fails, the attack gets through.
A critical success on a parry with a weapon gives the combatant the possibility of a riposte.
Example::
Another soldier advances on Conan, with a scimitar in his hand.
He lunges, but the barbarian blocks the attack with a quick sweep of his Northerner’s blade (here, Conan, 85% with Sword, rolled a 60 on the dice) the combat continues.
The soldier tries again to hit Conan, who again parrys the attack of a boot fulgurating [d’une botte fulgurante] and taking advantage of his opponent’s surprise, chops off his head with a quick stroke.
(here, Conan parried and rolled a 5 on the dice, which is a critical success. Conan’s amazing skill stunned the soldier who had to step back due to the northern warrior’s parry. Taking advantage this breach in his adversary’s defenses, Conan riposted without delay...)
The other method to parry an attack involves use of a shield.
A successful parry with a shield (whether or not it’s a critical success) always gives a chance to riposte.
Example:
During a battle between two armies, Conan is in the front lines (as usual). Two enemies advance on him.
Being useful themselves skilfully of its shield [Se servant habilement de son bouclier], he parries the first one’s attack, shoving aside the deadly blade of his adversary
His reposte causes the enemy to fall under a violent blow.
(here, Conan, with 50%in Shield, made a successful parry and reposte derechef[et riposte derechef])
Leaving its failing enemy, Conan goes on the second adversary
Leaving his failing enemy, Conan moves on the second adversary.
It makes a fulgurating [fulgurante] attack (85% in Sword, rolling a 6 on the dice) but the other succeeds in parrying the killing blow (a successful parry by the enemy). The clash of the two swords throws bluish sparks around the two combatants (and the enemy’s sword loses a structure point).
Conan, moving even faster, presses his attack and makes a success of a new blow (another critical success). His adversary takes full damage [reçoit le coup de plein fouet]and dies in an infamous gargouillis[gargouillis infâme] .
Note the unquestionable advantage that derives from using a shield as a means of defense.
Note:
A riposte is treated as an attack, with the difference that it cannot be parried; only dodged.
Example:
Conan goes toe-to-toe [est aux prises] with a Turanian soldier armed with a curved sabre.
The soldier makes multiple attacks, forcing Conan to draw back.
Conan finally succeeds at parrying (a critical success with weapon parry) and he ripostes. The Turanian soldier, in a flash, jumps aside [fait un écart], avoiding the deadly blade of the barbarian (here, the soldier succeeded at dodging the Cimmerian’s riposte).
Conan, seizing the opportunity, strikes furious blows. The soldier parries as best he can. In desperation, he tries a riposte and ends up halting the barbarian’s assault by tracing a beautiful estanfilade [traçant une belle estanfilade] in his side (here, the soldier succeeded in making a riposte, following a critical success parry, and the barbarian, blinded by the fury of the attack, failed to evade the blow).
Parrying/Dodging Multiple Attacks
During combat, it is not uncommon to face several adversaries at the same time. This is the case for example during large battles.
One can parry or dodge several times in a round (but always against different attacks).
The first parry/dodge attempt is rolled on the full skill score of the weapon/Dodge
The second parry/dodge receives a penalty of 30%. The third parry/dodge suffers a penalty of 60%. And so on. Each additional parry/dodge is decreased by 30%.
Parry/Dodge Penalty
1st parry/dodge None
2nd parry/dodge -30%
3rd parry/dodge -60%
4th parry/dodge -90%
… …
Damage to Weapons, Armor and Shields
Any attack leading to a critical success causes a loss of a structure point to the weapon or shield involved if the attack is parried, to the recipient’s armor if it gets through.
So, it’s preferable to have good quality equipment if you want to avoid having a blade break during combat or not find yourself with a dented shield or a torn coat of mail.
Example:
In the heat of a battle, Conan’s swordplay mows down his enemies like the peasant mows grain. He dodges and parries repeated blows from his adversaries. Some attacks are terribly powerful (critical successes).
Conan holds up anyway, his shield rings from this rain of steel (each critical attack deflected by the shield causes it to lose a structure point). After the the battle, all that remains of Conan’s shield is a dented and battered circle of steel.
Hit Location
The table below allows using a 6-sided die roll to determine the area of the body hit by an attack.
On a 1D6 Area Hit To-Hit Penalty
1 Head -20%
2 Left Arm -10%
3 Right Arm -10%
4 Chest/Abdomen
5 Left Leg
6 Right Leg
To hit a vital spot (other than the head), requires a penalty of 20%.
Example:
During the battle, Conan comes face-to-face with a Hyperborean giant armed with an axe. Surprised, he raises his shield to parry a killing blow and ripostes.
A roll on the Hit Location Table come up a 3: the right arm. The barbarian’s riposte is a critical success: doing double damage. The giant’s arm drops into the mud of the battle field, it’s hand still grasping the axe. The giant collapses howling in pain.
WEAPONS AND ARMOR
Shield Roll
Bonus Structure
Points Riposte?
Small Shield +05% 20 Yes
Medium Shield +10% 25 Yes *
Great Shield +15% 30 Yes *
(*) This type of shield offers the possibility of a riposte only on a critical success.
Weapon Damage Struct. Points
Dagger 1d4 15
Short Sword 1d6 15
Curved Sabre 1d10 15
Long Sword 2d6 20
Club 1d6 5
Stick [Bâton] 1d6 5
War Axe 2d6 15
War Hammer 2d6 15
Lance 1d6 10
Pike/Spear 1d10 12
Trident 1d10 15
Short Sword 1d6 10
Armor Protection
Soft Leather 1
Rigid Leather 2
Studded Leather 4
Scale [Cuir et metal] 5
Cuirass 6
Mail Coat* 7
Plate Armor * 8
(*) Due to their weight, these types of armor impose a penalty on all physical skills: -5% for Mail Coat and -10% for Plate Armor.
MAGIC
Magic in the world of Conan is mysterious and dangerous thing.
However, there are many who [empreintent] the difficult ways of the mysteries, thirsty for forbidden lore and wishing to acquire as much occult knowledge as possible.
Although certain mages claim that magic consists only of will and concentration, the fact is that no magical power can exist without a pact being made with certain supernatural entities from the planes beyond.
Magic is an affair often consisting of long and exhausting [fastidieuses] study; certain knowledge is acquired only after difficult deciphering, as testified in the Tablets of Skelos, mythic works left by pre-human civilizations before the Great Cataclysm.
Thus, at the end of a testing reading [lecture éprouvante] and of years of study, the magus can finally hope to gain some advantage from his art.
The rituals and spells recorded on the poussièreux parchments of ancient Stygia or on the stone tablets found in ruined cities make it possible to call upon supernatural beings, sometimes divine, sometimes demonic, and to sign a pact with them; in exchange for sacrifices or souls [ames], certain beings of the other worlds offer the invoker certain powers.
This is the magic of the Hyborian world, the recollection of a lost power and the fruit of study and terrible sacrifices.
It is not then surprising that those with great magical power are not many, few achieve mastery and many become victims of their own power.
The Magic of Set
Ancient Stygia and its dark tombs hide wretched secrets and occult knowledge. In order to achieve these arcane mysteries, the magus will have to devote himself to the worship of the snake god Set, bearer of the dark secrets of ancient times. This worship will have to be secret but daily. Set requires sacrifices and regular prayers. The sacrifices must be of flesh and blood (animals such as a dove, a puppy, or a kitten, but also in certain cases a human being).
Upon completion of sufficient devotion, the magus may receive powers from among the following list (at the discretion of the Game Master).
Black Cloud of Nergal (Sight, 1-5 points, Instantaneous)
By spending one Magic Point, the magus creates a black and harmful cloud causing 1d4 Hit Points damage to those failing a test on CONx3%. The cloud will fill a space equal to a cube of one meter/ yard per side. Each additional Magic Point devoted to the spell will increase the area of effect to a maximum of 5 points of magic for a cube of 5 meters/yards per side.
The black cloud will remain active for 5 rounds, unless dissipated by a displacement of air (a strong gale or draught); in this case, the cloud will be completely dissipated within w rounds.
Set’s Icy Touch (Touch, 2 points, Instantaneous)
The magus, by touching the target and spending 2 Magic Points, causes 1d6 points of damage. The target feels a violent pain accompanied by an icy cold which permeates the area touched within an instant.
Lightning of Set (Sight, 3 points, Instantaneous)
The magus indicates the target and calls down the destroying power of Set. A bolt then strikes the target, causing 2d6 points of damage. The target can try to dodge; if successful the target will undergo only 1d4 points of damage from the heat and explosion of the bolt.
Chains malfaisantes of Set (Sight, 5 points, 5 rounds)
The target is held motionless by invisible bonds for 5 rounds. If he struggles and fights against the magic bonds, they tighten around him, inflicting 1d4 points of damage to him. It is possible to break the Chains of Set by a struggle the Resistance Table of the STRength of the target against the POWer of the magus.
If the target succeeds in breaking the chains of Set, the magus will know immediately and loses 1d3 Magic Points and 1 Hit Point.
The Serpent’s Bite (Touch, 2 points, Instantaneous)
By calling upon the power of Set, the magus conjures a snake whose body is rolled up around his arm and whose head rests within the hollow of his hand. Upon touching the target, the snake animates and bites the target, causing 1d3 points of damage. But the real power of this spell lies in the foul poison which then spreads through the veins of the hapless victim. This poison causes 1 point of damage per round until death comes along.
Terror of the Serpent (Sight, 5 points, Instantaneous)
This powerful illusion strikes the target (at the end of a POW/POWstruggle on the Table of Resistance), materializing the target’s deepest fears. The victim loses his sanity for a period of 1d10 days, wandering like a lost soul, apprehensive and afraid. The exact manifestation of the target’s madness is left to the discretion of the Game Master.
The Seduction of Set (Sight, 5 points, 5 rounds)
The magus attempts to hypnotize his victim (POW/POW on the Resistance Table). If the target falls under the spell of the magician, he can be made obey for 5 rounds; the orders must short and simple, for example, “Open the door” or “Throw your weapons down”. When the charm expires, the magus can try to keep the target under his power by succeeding at a new attempt at hypnosis.
The Darkness of the Serpent God (Sight, 1-5 points, 1-5 rounds)
The magus creates a zone of darkness around himself of 1m/yd radius per Magic Point spent and for a period of 1 to 5 rounds (at will).
The zone of darkness disappears after 5 rounds or whenever the magus judges convenient before that. Any adversary within the zone of darkness undergoes a penalty of 20% to his perception skills (like Alertness) and 10% to his physical skills.
Skin of the Serpent (Touch, 6 points, 1 day)
The magus alters both his metabolism and his physical aspect to transform himself slowly into an enormous snake. The transformation takes approximately 10 minutes and the magus can keep up this transformation for the period of one one day. He can then attack his adversaries with an increased DEX (5 point bonus) and inflict bites doing 1d6 points of damage as well as injecting poison (loss of 1 Hit Point per round).
Servants of Set (Sight, 10 points, until the next sunrise)
This very potent ritual, summons the servants of Set. These are inhuman creatures, desiccated mummies of the old race of serpent men.
Servants of Set will have a STRength and a DEXterity of 10 and each weilds a weapon (a blade inflicting 1d6 points of damage) with a skill of 40%.
The servants of Set are poor combatants but can serve as guards; they have Alertness skill at 65%.
Children of Set (Sight, 10 Magic Points and 1 POW point, variable)
This is, without a doubt, a most terrible ritual.
By to this powerful formula, after making a human sacrifice, the magus invokes a Child of Set, a semi-divine creature half-man half-snake. The Children of Set have a phenomenal strength and fight with bare hands, tearing at their opponents with their long claws, which corrode flesh and inject a deadly venom (which kills in 5 rounds).
The Children of Seth do not voluntarily enter into the service of the magus who called upon them. The summoner will have to impose his will upon them (POW/POW on the Resistance Table). If the magus wins the struggle, he will be able to command the creature for a period of time.
The Children of Set remain in the material world for a variable period and can return to their own dimension at will, but most of the time, their evil is used to aid the mages and priests of Set. They love to cause suffering and death, thus they will take advantage of the occasion to sow terror and destruction, often destroying the magus who summoned them if he one weakens for even a moment.
The Magic of Mitra
Mitra is a benevolent Hyborian diety. He gives wisdom and serenity to His admirers. His magic is beneficial and in the Hyborian Pantheon, Mitra is opposed to Set.
The magus (or rather the priest) of Mitra, following the example other religions, will have to dedicate worship to him and devote at least an hour of his time to meditation and prayer.
The powers of Mitra are not dark. It is a simple and beneficial magic.
Blessing of Mitra (Touch, variable, 1 day)
By a laying on of hands, this simple ritual confers upon the person blessed a bonus of 5% per Magic Point spent to all his skills, for the period of one day, to a maximum of +15% (costing 3 Magic Points).
The person blessed will, of course, have to rent [louer] Mitra and undertake only beneficial actions; otherwise the Blessing will no longer be in effect. Mitra encourages fight the forces Evil; thus, fighting against the followers of Set does not cancel the Blessing. On the other hand, to hustle or beat a beggar or even an innocent animal cancels the Blessing immediately.
Cure (Touch, variable, Instantaneous)
By this ritual, the priest of Mitra can cure a disease or a poisoning by spending a number of Magic Points and making a successful POWer/VIRulence (of the disease or poison) struggle on the Resistance Table.
On a success, the patient will be cured in the hours following the ritual.
Heal (Touch, variable, Instantaneous)
By a simple laying on of hands and a prayer, the magus can heal wounds at a rate of one Hit Point recovered per Magic Point.
Resurrection (Toucher, 1 POW point, Instantaneous)
The ritual of Resurrection requires several hours of prayer and chanting. At the sacrifice of a point of POW, the magus of Mitra will be able to return to the life an individual died within less than 24 hours and whose wounds could then be healed (by magic or more traditional methods).
The recipient will return to the life with a single Hit Point and a single Magic Point.
All his skills will be reduced by 20% (to a minimum of the basic skill score) and he will permanently lose a point of STR, DEX, CON, and APP.
Such is the price of returning from the dead.
The Fire of Mitra (Sight, 2 points, Instantaneous)
The magus projects a sphere of flames, causing 2d6 points of damage, at a creature of evil.
This spell effects only living things associated with Evil, such as the Servants of Set or the Children of Set, or priests of evil gods.
The Aura of Mitra (Touch, 1 point, variable)
Using this ritual, the priest of Mitra endows an object of his choice with a beneficial, symbol of the god Mitra.
Invisible to common mortals, the Aura of Mitra will be visible to the priest and to the forces of Evil as a bluish radiance. Any Evil creature touched by the endowed object will lose 1d3 Hit Points as well as a Magic Point, after which the enchantment dissipates.
The Symbol of Mitra (Touch, 5 points, variable)
The magus traces the symbol of Mitra on any surface. This spell has the same effect as The Aura of Mitra, but is visible of anyone (since the symbol appears engraved on the surface of the object). If an Evil creature comes within less than one meter/yard of the symbol, it inflicts 1d6 points of damage and causes the loss of 1d3 Magic Points.
Detect Evil (Sight, 3 points, Instantaneous)
The priest of Mitra can perceive the harmful presences and charms within a range of 30m/yds in front of him.
Sorcery
The lands extending south from Stygia and the meadows of Shem shelter an old and frightening magic; it is called sorcery. This magic is transmitted orally from wizard to wizard.
Each tribe has its own wizard and each wizard invokes the many gods of the black peoples and practices a form of magic unique to him. Acquisition by an outsider of the skills and knowledge of the sorcery of the black people is difficult, if not impossible.
The dark skinned wizards seldom share their secrets with white men. Here some of the charms and the spells of this mysterious and wild sorcery…
The Brazier Within (Sight, 5 Magic Points and 1 POW point, Instantaneous)
This spell causes the target to burst into flames. He loses 5 Hit Points per round and dies in agonizing pain.
The flames invisible but heat can be felt by anyone within 3 meters/yards of the victim.
If the flames are not visible, the effects of the fire are: the skin blisters and then blackens slowly while the bodily fluids run out and the internal organs literally cook. There is no counter for this unearthly [immonde] magic spell.
The Madness of the Ancients [La Folie des Anciens] (Sight, 6 points, POW rounds)
The target must succeed in a POW/POW struggle on the Resistance Table, or else he succumbs to an foul madness and turns (heart and soul) against his friends.
The charm becomes inoperative after a number of rounds equal to the POW of the wizard.
Call of the Wild (Sight, 5 points, until the next sunrise)
The wizard summons a deer [fauve] which becomes his servant until the next sunrise. The animal can be ordered to track and to attack a target.
With the paddle [A l’aube], the deer[fauve] is released from the charm and returns to its wild state.
Inspector Zero
Mongoose
Is there a prize for the longest message ever posted and would this mammoth contribution by Troll66 be the winner?
rabindranath72
Mongoose
There is also this nice conversion, based on the Elric! roleplaying game. I used it as the basis for my campaign, which I further tweaked to use the Pendragon rules.
http://basicroleplaying.com/forum/downloads.php?do=cat&id=25
(scroll down to the three Conan documents)
Recently I have begun tweaking the Stormbringer 4th edition rules, which are even lighter than Elric!, and somewhat different than the other BRP games.
http://basicroleplaying.com/forum/downloads.php?do=cat&id=25
(scroll down to the three Conan documents)
Recently I have begun tweaking the Stormbringer 4th edition rules, which are even lighter than Elric!, and somewhat different than the other BRP games.
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