The Dark Horse Conan Sourcebook

[Raven Blackwell]

“Ha! I like you, Conan. You owe us nothing, yet none has worked harder on this miserable day. Come. We cannot offer much, but our hospitality is yours.”

-Niord, Conan #1

Niord [First Appearance Conan #1]

Level 6 Nordenheimer [Aesir] Barbarian
Hit Points: 6d10+24 [60 hit points]
Initiative: +6 [+1 Dex; +5 Reflex
Move: 30 feet or 25 feet [in armor]
Defense Value: Dodge 15;Parry 14
Damage Reduction: 7 [Breastplate and Steel Helm] or 4 [Leather Jerkin]
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+8
Attack: Broadsword +10 melee (1) [1d10+4; 19-20 x2 critical; 6 AP] or Hunting Bow +7 [1d8; x2 critical; 1 AP; 50 feet range increment]
Full Attack: Broadsword +10/+5 Melee (1) [1d10+4; 19-20 x2 critical; 6 AP] or Hunting Bow +7/+2 [1d8; x2 critical; 1 AP; 50 feet range increment]
Special Attacks: Crimson Mist; Versatility; Weapon Familiarity- War Sword
Special Qualities: Barbarian Code of Honour; Bite Sword; Fearless; Mobility; Trap Sense +2; Uncanny Dodge
Saves: Fort +8; Ref +6; Will +8 (4)
Abilities:Str 16; Dex 12; Con 17; Int 14; Wis 15; Cha 16
Skills: Bluff +8; Climb +6; Craft [carpentry] +4; Diplomacy + 14 (3);Hide +4 (2); Listen +8 (2); Intimidate +8; Jump +6; Knowledge [local] +6; Knowledge [nature] +6; Knowledge [religion] +4; Move Silently +4 (2); Ride +5; Sense Motive +9 (3); Spot +8 (2); Survival +8 (2)
Feats: Diehard; Endurance; Leadership; Mounted Combat; Negotiator; Power Attack; Track; Weapon Focus [Broadsword]
Reputation: Brave [Asgard- 10]

Equipment: Breastplate and Steel Helm or Leather Jerkin; Broadsword, Hunting Bow with 30 arrows; Riding Horse

(1) Includes Weapon Focus Feat
(2) As a Nordenheimer, Niord gains a +1 racial bonus to this skill in any Cold Terrain
(3) Includes Negotiator Feat
(1) Includes Code of Honour. Niord receives an additional +3 morale bonus to Corruption checks. Niord also gains a +2 morale bonus to all Fear and Terror checks due to his Fearless special ability.

The chieftain of a small Aesir village along the Commerian border long at bloodfued with it’s Vanir neighbors, Niord had seen nearly forty winters when the young warrior Conan entered his life. The Vanir raiders, led by the Vanir reaver Tir dishonourably attacked his village while he was off leading his men in the sacred harvest hunt. Only the intervention of the wandering Conan prevented the raid from becoming a complete slaughter, though many of Niord’s people were still slain and many of his village’s buildings burned to the ground. First mistaking Conan for one of the raiders, he swiftly accepted the young Cimmerian into his ranks when the truth of the matter was known. Knowing the terrible truth about the Hyperboreans Conan sought, Niord at first bid his time telling Conan the true nature of the terrible wizard lords so as to keep the young warrior within his service while they hunted the remaining Vanir down, intending to tell the young Warrior after the last of the Vanir had been dealt with. After Conan’s encounter with the demigoddess Atali, Conan, Niord and his men captured the last of Tir’s band of raiders- only to be captured by the Hyberborean’s foul aberrations the Gurnakhi themselves. Enslaved by the mind-deadening properties of the Hyperborean’s Yellow Lotus Mash, Niord became a slave soldier in Lord Aishti’ana’s household. Despite Conan’s attempt to rescue him on Lord Aishti’ana “Day of Farewell”- where the life weary, near immortal wizard leaped to his death with his household slaves- Niord mindlessly jumped to his death behind his ‘master’. Conan found the dying Niord in the abyss below the Hyperborean city and granted him his last wish- a funeral pyre for he, his men and the maiden Iasmini.

 

[Raven Blackwell]

Edit- with the publication of Hyboria's Fallen Iamini's statistics have been updated. They are posted later on with the rest of the Hyberborean wizard-lord related material.

 

[Vincent791]

She's a pretty cool character, it's a shame what happened to her, thanks for the stats Raven!

Damn! I want to use them all!

 

[Raven Blackwell]

Well, just as one who knows reincarnation works, you can just incarnate her as another NPC y'know. Niord too. 8)

The fact that the story was willing to against type- that Conan would fail to overcoem the odds against him and that the girl he tried to rescue would die a horrible, pointless death raised my respect for the Dark Horse Conan. It would be easy to just have Conan save the day again- to let in the possibility of failure, to make stakes of higher and Conan more human and emotional- it is a work of Art. Issue #7 "Blood for Blood" where he walks across the tundra between Hyberborea and Byruthnia haunted by the memories of the past and avenges Niord and Iasmini's death on the two Aesir that betrayed them all to the Hyberboreans- only to realize the futility of vengeance- made me realize this wasn't going to be just another 'heroic' tale. The stark imagery of the north, the terse narration let you get into his mindset after witnessing such horror. My favorite quoet in that issue- forgive me if I don't get it 100%-

"It was done. They were avenged- and Iasmini and Niord and all his men were no less dead for it, no less failed by him."

Makes you realize there's more than lust and greed going on inside that Cimmerian's head.....and where his 'gigantic melancoly' mentioned by Howard comes from.

 

[Etepete]

Personally, I think that _if_ you're gonna show hidden depths to a character, it should be done with skill. Not all out bluntly like in the comic. I've seen plenty worse excamples, but I do believe that the writers for the series would be well adviced to stick to blunt pulp in the future. Otherwise, it all might get rather drab and superficial.

 

[Vincent791]

The fact that the story was willing to against type- that Conan would fail to overcoem the odds against him and that the girl he tried to rescue would die a horrible, pointless death raised my respect for the Dark Horse Conan. It would be easy to just have Conan save the day again- to let in the possibility of failure, to make stakes of higher and Conan more human and emotional- it is a work of Art. Issue #7 "Blood for Blood" where he walks across the tundra between Hyberborea and Byruthnia haunted by the memories of the past and avenges Niord and Iasmini's death on the two Aesir that betrayed them all to the Hyberboreans- only to realize the futility of vengeance- made me realize this wasn't going to be just another 'heroic' tale. The stark imagery of the north, the terse narration let you get into his mindset after witnessing such horror. My favorite quoet in that issue- forgive me if I don't get it 100%-

"It was done. They were avenged- and Iasmini and Niord and all his men were no less dead for it, no less failed by him."

Makes you realize there's more than lust and greed going on inside that Cimmerian's head.....and where his 'gigantic melancoly' mentioned by Howard comes from.

That's inspiring man, english is not my first language, so it's hard for me to express something like that, I thank you for putting words to my thoughts, cause that's exactly what I feel with the outcome of that story.

 

[Raven Blackwell]

Personally, I think that _if_ you're gonna show hidden depths to a character, it should be done with skill. Not all out bluntly like in the comic. I've seen plenty worse excamples, but I do believe that the writers for the series would be well adviced to stick to blunt pulp in the future. Otherwise, it all might get rather drab and superficial.

Well, IMHO it is better to reach for heights and occasionally stumble than it is to churn out easy medocrity every month. I can read practically any other comic if I want to watch the exploits of souless emotional dead fighting and f***ing machines. I'd like something different myself. As for the skill level of the wiritng there's an old adage- you don't like it, try to do better yourself. After all 'Raven's Rules of Sorcery' came from that adage and a lot of people seem to like them....8)

 

[Raven Blackwell]

That's inspiring man, english is not my first language, so it's hard for me to express something like that, I thank you for putting words to my thoughts, cause that's exactly what I feel with the outcome of that story.

Well looking back at that entry- which I joted down in a brief lull at work- I wouldn't go using it as a hallmark of the English language. I didn't have time to edit it and the spelling and grammar are horrible. I am glad you liked the entry though. I don't think I have ever seen a better visual representation of loss than the opening page of "Blood For Blood"- a single man walking agross a bleak and frozen wasteland with a blood red cloak like trailing behind him like an open wound in the Earth. And the opening lines depicting the barren enviroment he was in in stark and brutal tones. I've been that messed up before mentally by the pointless cruelty of others and I've taken vengeance myself in this life and others and that's the closest I've ever seen to the mental state I was in at the time. Brought tears to my eyes. Vegenace doesn't take the pain away- it just balances the scales, lets the healing process again and prevents the ugly f***s from messing up someone else's life in the future. More natural than any law can ever be.

P.S. What is your native tongue Vincent 7? Your English is quite good.

 

[Vincent791]

Thanks Raven, my native language is spanish, it's just that I get used to the english language thanks to the comics, the videogames and then the RPG's. Also in order to read some books and a lot of movies that I could only got without subtitles.

But hey! Being able to read Howard in his native language...priceless!

 

[Yogah of Yag]

"It was done. They were avenged- and Iasmini and Niord and all his men were no less dead for it, no less failed by him."

The economy of words, the terse nature, reminds me of the dry, stark language of the Norse Sagas, esp. Heimskringla.

 

[René]

The high magic Hyperboreans in the new Dark Horse comics are very different from the ones portrayed in the CONAN rpg and mentioned by REH himself.

Do the REHian Hyperboreans appear in other issues of the series - I have only the 1st collection (#0 -#7)?

 

[Raven Blackwell]

"It was done. They were avenged- and Iasmini and Niord and all his men were no less dead for it, no less failed by him."

The economy of words, the terse nature, reminds me of the dry, stark language of the Norse Sagas, esp. Heimskringla.

Exactly- and it fits my usual mindstate too. Hmmmm I have new character posts but can't load them yet. Technical problems. and yes the Hyperboreans are very different that de Camps but did REH actually ever say anything about them besides the stuff in his "Hyborian World" essay? I don't recall. My stats will reflect as per the comic depicts them though.

And there is a guest shot of the "Hyperborean renegade" mentioned by REH in "The Tower of the Elephant" adaptation begun last issue- #20 I think- sitting in the shadows in a side panel. Plus as foreshadowed in volume 1 introductions I think a more powerful later version of Conan will indeed return to Hyperborea for vengeance.

 

[Raven Blackwell]

Edited: Niord's statistic were updated as per a closer reading of Conan #1 and #3- that's a Breastplate he's wearing and he does wield a Hunting Bow- but only for hunting game, not men. What sort of Aesir would use archery on the battelfield? 8)

 

[Raven Blackwell]

“Aye, an’ they’re not tryin’ much to hide their path, neither. They don’t think much of us, maybe- but they’ll sing a different tune when we fall on ‘em with fire and steel, eh?”

-Gorm, Conan #1

Gorm [First appearance Conan #1]

Male Nordenheimer [Aesir] Level 4 Barbarian
Hit Dice: 4d10+8 [31 hit points]
Initiative: +6 [+3 Reflex; +3 Dexterity]
Move: 25 feet [in armor]
Defense Value: Dodge 13; Parry 13; +4 with Shield
Damage Reduction: 6 [Brigandine Coat]
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+6
Attack: Broadsword +6 Melee [1d10+3; 19-20 x2 critical; 5 AP] or Hunting Bow +6 [1d8; x2 critical; 1 AP; 50 feet range increment]
Special Attacks: Crimson Mist; Versatility; Weapon Familiarity- War Sword
Special Qualities: Barbaric Code of Honour; Bite Sword; Fearless; Trap Sense +1; Uncanny Dodge
Saves: Fort +6; Ref +6; Will +7 (5)
Abilities: Str 15; Dex 14; Con 15; Int 13; Wis 16; Cha 13
Skills: Craft [herbalism] +6; Craft [trapmaker] +3; Heal +10 (1); Hide + 8 (4); Intimidate +3; Knowledge [nature] +5; Listen +8 (4); Move Silently + 8 (4); Search +1 (3); Spot + 8 (4); Survival +14 (1)(2)(3)(4);
Feats: Endurance; Master Tracker; Self Sufficient; Skill Focus [Survival]; Track
Reputation: Talented [6- Asgard]

Equipment: Brigandine Coat, Shield; Broadsword; Hunting Bow with 30 arrows

(1) Includes Self Sufficient Feat
(2) Includes Skill Focus
(3) +4 while Tracking due to Master Tracker Feat
(4) As a Nordenheimer, Gorm gains a +1 racial bonus to these skill checks in Cold Terrain
(5) Includes Barbaric Code of Honour. Gorm gains an additional +3 morale bonus against Corruption saves. Gorm also gains a +2 morale bonus against Fear and Terror due to his Fearless special ability.

“Old Gorm” as he was called was the master hunter of Niord village long before Niord became chieftain. Though older than Niord, Gorm strongly supported the more charismatic and intelligent man in his rule, often serving as his right hand man. It was said that Gorm could track a leaf that blew through the forest and survive a blizzard exposed on the tundra, but the man was modest of his skill, claiming that it was more persistence than skill that determined his success in the field. Gorm took a liking to the young Conan during their brief time together, teaching Conan a few tricks about the nature of tracking and learning a few from the surprisingly adept Conan himself.

Gorm was captured along with Niord and man of his men by the Hyperborean’s Gurnakhi after being betrayed by two of his fellow Aesir. Gorm was ruled too old to serve as either a slave soldier of the wizard lord's armies or to survive transformation into a Gurnakhi and was marked for sacrifice to the infernal mage-machines that powered the wizard lords’s magic. In his investigations of the catacombs below Aerie, Conan stumbled upon Gorm in his final moments. The guards and slave-mage in the Hyperborean’s service prevented Conan from rescuing Gorm before his death and Gorm became the first of his fellow prisoners that he could not save, merely avenge.

 

[Raven Blackwell]

”Conan, I believe you’ve met my daughter Henga?”

“By all means sit, girl- sit, sit. Your father’s battered visage is enough to put a man off his food and you are a welcome change from that!”

-Niord and Conan, Conan #1

Henga [First Appearance Conan #1]

Female Nordenheimer [Aesir] Level 1 Barbarian
Hit Dice 1d10+2 [10 hit points]
Initiative: +3 [+2 Reflex; +1 Dexterity]
Move: 30 feet
Defense Value: Dodge 12; Parry 12
Damage Reduction: None
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+3
Attack: Broadsword +4 Melee (1) [1d10+4; 19-20 x2 critical; 6 AP] (2)
Special Attacks: Versatility; Weapon Familiarity- War Sword
Special Qualities: Fearless
Saves: Fort +3; Ref +4; Will +7 (4)
Abilites: Str 14; Dex 14; Con 13; Int 13; Wis 14; Cha 16
Skills: Bluff +5; Craft [weaving] +4; Diplomacy +7; Heal +4; Hide +2 (3); Intimidate +6; Listen +2 (3); Move Silently +2 (3); Sense Motive +4; Spot +4 (3); Survival +6 (3)
Feats: Iron Will; Weapon Focus [Broadsword]
Reputation: Brave [5- Asgard]

Equipment: Merchant quality dress and kirtle; Dagger. Henga does not usually wield her Broadsword except when defending her village.

(1) Includes Weapon Focus Feat
(2) Henga wields a Broadsword two handed in combat. Her statistics reflect that style of combat
(3) As a Nordenheimer, Henga gains a +1 racial bonus to these skill checks in Cold Terrain.
(4) Includes Barbaric Code of Honour and Iron Will Feats. Henga gains an additional +3 morale bonus to Corruption checks. Henga also gains a +2 bonus to Fear and Terror checks due to her Fearless special ability.

Henga is the daughter of Niord and after the death of her mother, the apple of the Aesir chieftain’s eye. Like many Aesir women she was taught by her father the use of weapons to defend her village should the need arise. Such training stood her well when the Vanir reaver Tir attacked the village in the men’s absence during the sacred hunt of the autumn equinox. During the raid by Henga took charge of the defense of the village, defending her home valiantly with what of her people could wield weapons. Overmatched as were though, she and her people like would have been slaughtered despite their bravery without the timely intervention of the wanderer Conan. As it was over half of the village’s people were slain and the village’s building razed before her father returned with his warband.

Henga, eager to avoid the pawing advances of the cowardly Sjarl and taken by her dark haired savior, had the honour of being Conan’s first foreign lover. Seeing her father and Conan off the day after the raid, Henga eagerly awaits their return- a return than will never come as her father and his men later perish in the fortress of the wizard-lords due to Sjarl’s betrayal. What fate Henga and her people come to after this ill-fortune is yet unwritten.

Advancement Notes: Henga is likely to continue to rise in ranks of Barbarian as time goes on. The GM is encouraged to develop her character as he sees fit. She may develop into a warrior herself or a more diplomatic leader of her people- or end up enslaved with her people by reavers and needing rescue by the PCs.

Adventure Hook: Deprived of her father and the majority of his warband and weakened by their losses by Tir’s raid, Henga’s village stands in desperate straits. Menaced by neighboring tribes, civilized slavers or perhaps even supernatural beings Henga bargains with the PCs to protect them. Though Henga cannot supply much of money to the PCs for their service, she can offer the PCs food, drink, rest and respite from the harsh elements of Asgard and the wrath of their enemies. If they are inclined to stay she can give them honorable places in the village’s warband. To a worthy PC she may even offer her hand in marriage- and the leadership of the village.

 

[Raven Blackwell]

”So, Sjarl. Looks like Henga’s an eye for dark meat, hey?”

“Shut up! She’s but a girl- she doesn’t know what she wants! Or what’s good for her!”

-Einar and Sjarl, Conan #1

Sjarl [First Appearance Conan #1]

Male Nordenheimer [Aesir] Level 1 Barbarian/Level 1 Thief
Hit Dice: 1d10 + 1d8 + 2 [11 hit points]
Initiative: +7 [+4 Reflex; +3 Dexterity]
Defense Value: Dodge 13; Parry 11
Damage Reduction: 4 [Leather Jerkin]
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+2
Attack: Broadsword +4 Melee Finesse [1d10+2; 19-20 x2 critical; 2 AP] (4) or Dagger +4 Melee Finesse [1d4+1; 19-20 x 2 critical; 1 AP]
Special Attacks: Sneak Attack +1d6/+1d8; Sneak Attack Style [Dagger]; Versatility; Weapon Familiarity- War Sword
Special Qualities: Fearless; Trapfinding
Saves: Fort +3; Ref +7; Will +3 (1)
Abilities: Str 13; Dex 16; Con 13; Int 15; Wis 11; Cha 16
Skills: Bluff +10 (2); Climb + 5; Craft [carpentry] +4; Diplomacy +7; Hide +7 (3); Intimidate +7 (2); Knowledge [local] +5; Listen +0 (3); Move Silently +7 (3); Ride +5; Sleight of Hand +8; Spot +2 (3) Survival +4 (3)
Feats: No Honour; Persuasive; Track

Equipment: Leather Jerkin; Broadsword, Dagger

(1) Includes No Honour Feat. Sjarl has a Will Save of 0 against Corruption checks. Sjarl also gains a +2 morale bonus against Fear and Terror and checks as per the Fearless special ability.
(2) Includes Persuasive Feat
(3) As a Nordenheimer, Sjarl gains a +1 racial bonus to these skills in Cold Terrain
(4) Sjarl uses his Broadsword two handed. His statistics reflect this.

Fox faced and slim, Sjarl was born out of place. Small and quick for a Aesir, he lacked the strength and raw vitality respected by those people. The inevitable target of bullies and ignored by the women of the village, Sjarl took to using his natural intelligence and charisma to set his enemies upon each other, steal from others without notice and ingratiate himself with others by ‘helping’ them in order to manipulate them to ends he desired. He and the dull witted Einar became unlikely friends during his childhood- Einar eager to have companionship and Sjarl desiring to use Einar’s strength for his own purposes.

As Sjarl grew older, he took to volunteering for any task that took him far from the villages and hard work. He and Einar made many trips on Niord’s behalf to the northern villages of Brythunia willing to deal with the Aesir- trading the loot won by Niord’s warriors for civilized goods they could not produce. He skimmed a good deal off the top of course, all the while secretly laughing at profiting off the hard work of those who once mocked him. It was during one of these trips that Sjarl made the acquaintance of a trader who dealt with the foul wizard lords of Hyperborea, trading them grain and slaves for gold- an acquaintance that would doom many of his people and ultimately himself.

Sjarl had a crush on Niord’s daughter Henga from childhood and eager to gain her father’s approval he took to boot licking and fawning in his presence, unaware that Niord was not impressed by Sjarl’s actions, but too good natured to be openly disrespectful. Henga of course hated Sjarl and his advances and made little secret of her feelings. When Henga began openly admiring Conan, Sjarl grew to hate him. Knowing of Conan’s desire to see Hyperborea, Sjarl made arrangement with his Brythunian trader to give Conan to the wizard lords- only to have the trader double cross him and betray all of Niord's waband to the wizard lords instead. Sjarl and Einar escaped the ambush by the wizard lords’s Gurnakhi only by cowardly running away while his kinsmen were cut down.

Sjarl and Einar fled to northern Brythunia, where Sjarl spent weeks drinking and trying to decide whether to return to his village or lose himself deeper in the civilized lands of the south. His hesitation proved fatal as it allowed the Conan to track him down after escaping the Hyperborean wizard-lords. Ignoring Sjarl’s lies and the dagger hidden behind his back, Conan slew Sjarl openly in the streets of a nameless Brythunian village. Sjarl died far from home and was buried in the cold earth- the mark of a shamed Aesir who may never enter Ymir’s halls beyond death.

 

[Raven Blackwell]

Einar [First appearance Conan #1]

Male Nordenheimer [Aesir] Level 1 Barbarian
Hit Dice: 1d10+4 [11 hit points]
Initiative: +2 [+2 Reflex]
Speed: 25 feet [in armor]
Defense Value: Dodge 10; Parry 13
Damage Reduction: 5 [Scale Corselet]
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+4
Attack: Broadsword +5 Melee (1) [1d10+5; 19-20 x2 critical; 7 AP] (2)
Special Attacks: Versatility; Weapon Familiarity- War Sword
Special Qualities: Fearless
Saves: Fort +6; Ref +1; Will -2
Abilites: Str 17; Dex 9; Con 18; Int 9; Wis 6; Cha 9
Skills: Craft [blacksmith] +1; Hide +5 (3)(4); Intimidate +1; Listen –2 (4); Move Silently +5 (3)(4); Spot –2 (4); Survival +1 (4)
Feats: Stealthy; Track; Weapon Focus [Broadsword]

Equipment: Scale Haubrek; Broadsword, Dagger

(1) Includes Weapon Focus Feat
(2) Einar uses his Broadsword two handed. His statistics reflect this.
(3) Includes Stealthy Feat
(4) As a Nordenheimer, Einar gains a +1 racial bonus to these skill checks in Cold Terrain.

Strong, tall, clumsy and dull witted, Einar was born given what Sjarl lacked. As such the two made an unlikely but well fitted pair. Heckled and taunted by his fellow compatriots and lacking the malice to fight them himself, he joined Sjarl in his schemes to get ‘even’ with them. Too good natured to do more than secretly embarrass his kinsman, Einar was horrified to watch Sjarl’s plotting unravel and the Gurnakhi capture his own people as well as Conan- though not so moved enough to stay and fight with them. He instead escaped into Brythunia with Sjarl. Lonely and missing his village but knowing it was unlikely he would ever see it again, he lingered with Sjarl waiting for his ‘best friend’ to decide what to do next. Sjarl waited too long too long- allowing Conan to track them both down. Einar died begging for his life in the mud of Brythunian road and was buried with Sjarl- buried in the manner of dishonoured Aesir warrior.

Adventure Hook: As the dishonoured dead, Sjarl and Einar may rise as a ghosts or the barrow-wights of Aesir legend- haunting the countryside of northern Brythunia preying on livestock and lone travelers. The PCs could be hired by the elders of the villages they prey on to eliminate their predations.

 

[Raven Blackwell]

"Ymir! He's barely more than a youth, but-"

"Then he should be no match for full-grown fighting men! Kill him! KILL HIM!

-Unnamed Vanir warrior and Tir, Conan #1

Tir [First appearance Conan #1]

Level 5 Nordenheimer [Vanir] Barbarian
Hit Points: 5d10+20 [54 Hit Points] (5)
Initiative:+5 [+4 Reflex; +1 Dexterity]
Move: 25 feet [in armor]
Defense Value: Dodge 14; Parry 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+8
Attack: Broadsword +9 Melee (1) [1d10+5; 19-20/x2 critical; 6 AP] (2)
Special Attacks: +1 racial bonus to damage with all swords; Crimson Mist; Weapon Familiarity [Warsword]
Special Qualities: Bite Sword; Fearless; Mobility; Trap Sense +1; Uncanny Dodge (3)
Abilities: Fort +7; Ref +5; Will + 1 (3)
Feats: Endurance; Fighting Madness; Power Attack; Track; Toughness; Weapon Focus [Broadsword]

Corruption: 1

Equipment: Scale Haubrek, single horned Steel Cap; Broadsword, Dagger

(1) Includes Weapon Focus Feat
(2) Tir uses his Broadsword two handed. His statistic reflect this.
(3) By leading a raid against the women, children and infirm of Niord’s tribe Tir temporarily lost his Barbaric Code of Honour. After offering his life to Niord in exchange for the lives of his men he briefly regained it before his death. If encountered while he possesses his Code of Honour Tir’s Will saving throw rises to +4 and he gains a +3 morale bonus to all saving throws against Corruption. At all times Tir possesses a +2 morale bonus to all saving throws against Fear and Terror.
(4) As a Nordenheimer Tir gains a racial +1 bonus to these skill checks in Cold Terrain.
(5) Includes Toughness Feat

An ambitious warrior of the Vanir tribe bordering the lands of Niord’s people Tir sought to elevate his place in his tribe by destroying Niord’s people to the last individual. While Niord and his warband were engaged in their sacred autumnal hunt Tir and his attacked Niord’s village. He and his men nearly slaughtered every woman, child and infirm member of Niord’s tribe until the arrival of the young warrior Conan drew Tir and his men away from the village long enough for Niord and his men to return. Seeking to escape Niord’s pursuit and vengeance, Tir had his men split into small groups and scatter in different directions to later return to their home village The tactic failed-Niord’s man Gorm and Conan’s combined woodcraft was great enough to track each group down. Niord’s men systematically slaughtered each group until one by one until only Tir and those most loyal to him were left. Desperate to evade Niord, Tir’s men headed east- closer to the borders of the accursed land of Hyperborea. Niord’s fear of those wizard-lords was not great enough to stop his need for vengeance- at the very border of Hyperborea Niord’s men overtook Tir and his last remaining warriors. Outnumbered and swiftly being overcome, Tir called a truce with Niord and regaining his honour offered his life in exchange for the lives of his men. Niord accepted and after taking Tir prisoner, Niord’s men- including Conan- were attacked by the Gurnakhi of the Hyperborean wizard lords. In the battle Tir offered to lead his men against the Gurnakhi and Conan accepted the offer releasing Tir. Tir proved to be good to his word, fighting side by side with his hated enemies against the unnatural creation of the wizard lord's magic. After Niord fell in battle Tir took command of the defense and might have saved both Aesir and Vanir from the trap they were in had it not been for the continuing treachery of Niord’s men Sjarl and Einar. Tir either died upon the field of that battle or was captured by the Gurnakhi and met a more horrible fate in the city of the wizard-lords

 

[Raven Blackwell]

Nordenheimer Warrior

Level 1 Nordenheimer Barbarian
Hit Dice: 1d10+2 [8 hit points]
Initiative: +2 [+2 Reflex]
Movement: 25 [in armor]
Defense Value: Dodge 10; Parry 12 [+4 with Shield]
Damage Reduction: 6 [Scale Corselet and Steel Cap]
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+3
Attack: Broadsword +4 Melee (1) [1d10+3; 19-20/ x2 critical; 5 AP]
Special Attacks: +1 racial bonus to damage with all swords; Weapon Familarity [Warsword]
Special Qualities: Fearless; Versatility (2)
Saves: Fort +4; Reflex +2; Will +1 (3)
Abilities: Str 15; Dex 10; Con 14; Int 10; Wis 12; Cha 10
Skills: Climb +5; Craft [various] +4; Hide +0 (4); Intimidate +4; Jump +5; Listen +1 (4); Move Silently +0 (4); Spot +5 (4); Survival +5 (4)
Feats: Fighting Madness; Track; Weapon Focus [Broadsword[

Equipment: Scale Corselet, Steel Cap, sometimes a Large Shield; Broadsword, Dagger

(1) Includes Weapon Focus Feat
(2) Some but not all Nordenhemer Warriors possess the Barbaric Code of Honour
(3) Nordenheimer Warriors with the Barbaric Code of Honour have a +4 Will Save and an additional +3 morale bonus against saving throws against Corruption. All Nordenhemer Warriors possess a +2 moral bonus against saving throws against Fear and Terror due to their Fearless class feature
(4) Nordenheimer Warriors gain a +1 racial bonus to these skill checks in Cold Terrain

Representing a Warrior typical to the various Nordenheimer tribes including Niord’s and Tir’s warbands the Nordenheimer Warrior is a familiar enough sight to all those who lands border the contries of Asgard and Vanaheim- and of course the Nordenheimer people themselves. Raiding each other and neighboring lands in the endless cycles of bloodfeud Warriors are typically young men of the tribes eager to prove their prowess in battle or to gain an honourable death. The moral caliber of each Warior differs. Some uphold the fighting ideals of their cultures and possess the Barbaric Code of Honour while others are little more than thieves, backstabbers and rapists. Aesir like Niord’s people tend more to the former type while Vanir like Tir tend more to latter.

 

[Raven Blackwell]

The Gurnakhi [First Appearance Conan #3]

Gurnakhi are a product of the Hyberborean wizard-lords’s experimentation with the magical ‘improvement’ of their slave stock. The Gurnakhi serve as the shock troops of their slave-armies. Powerful enough to swiftly over come even the swarthiest of their barbaric neighbors, Gurnakhi are a sight feared by all the tribes that border Hyperborea for they come to seize new slave stock for the needs of their masters- be it as servants or sacrifices.

Gurnakhi are modified from those newly acquired slaves deemed to unintelligent to be inducted into the slave-soldiers ranks. The slaves are brought to the alchemicial laboratories of the wizard lord's slave-mages and undergo several painful arcane rituals designed to eliminate the personality of the human and enhance the body to a mountain of nearly mindless obedient muscle.

Gurnakhi are about 7-9 feet tall in height, towering over the mightiest barbarian warrior. Their skin is pale white and they wear loin cloths and ornamental armor that offers little actual protection. They are simple minded, but can perform for long periods without supervision in the field. They are bred to be completely loyal to their Hyperborean masters, following their orders to the letter without emotion or conscience. They do not speak, but acknowledge orders with a nod. They are usually not used alongside the regular slave soldiers of the wizard-lords as they can have difficulty recognizing which non-Gurnakhi combatants are fighting on their side.

It should be noted that in the society of the wizard lords like the army the Gurnakhi appear to be communal property of the city, not property of the individual wizard-lords themselves as they are not sacrificed in the Day of Farewell ritual along with the individual household slaves. As such they are likely housed in pens alongside the slave soldier barracks far away from the palatial towers of the wizard-lord themselves.

Game Statistics

Gurnakhi are a created species and as such are created by adding the following template is added to any humanoid modified into a Gurnakhi

Type and Size: Type is changed to Abberation, Size increases one rank to a maximum of Large.
Hit Dice: A Gurnakhi gains an additional two Hit Dice to reflect the additional mass gained by the transformation. These Hit Dice are base d12, modified by Constitution.
Speed: Increase by ten feet.
Defense Value: Unchanged save for the effect of increasing the base creature’s size as above
Damage Reduction: The base creature gains two points of Damage Reduction upon transformation into a Gurnakhi. The ceremonial helmet and armor normally worm by a Gurnakhi grants an additional three points of Damage Reduction. Gurnakhi upon raids have been fitted with heavier armor granting six additional ranks of Damage Reduction.
Base Attack: As base creature +2, modified by the creature’s new size
Attacks: A Gurnakhi may use weapons- preferring heavier weapons like Warswords, Bardiches or Heavy Maces. An unarmed Gurnakhi may make a Slam attack for 1d8 plus Strength bonus points of damage
Special Qualities:

Cold Resitance: Gurnakhi are immune to effects of non-magical cold and suffer half damage from cold based attacks.

Mindless Obedience: The Gurnakhi single minded desire to serve theor masters and lack of emotion make them immune to Fear effects, Intimidate attempts or Terror of the Unknown. They are still susceptible to mind affection spells such as entrance, hypnotic suggestion and dominate but may make a Will save to overcome any order to disobey any command that is in conflict with order of their wizard lord masters. Any order to commit suicide or attack their masters will result in the Gurnakhi automatically breaking free of the effects of the spell.

Mute: Gurnakhi cannot speak, but understand Hyperborean.

Abilities: Apply the following changes to base creature’s statistics: Str +4; Con +4; Int –6; Wis –2
Skills: The Gurnakhi gain a +4 racial bonus to Intimidate and Survival checks. Gurnakhi may not make use of any Int based skill.
Feats: The Gurnakhi gain the Endurance, Menacing Aura and Track Feats
Environment: Hyberborea and neighboring countries
Organization: Solitary (1) to Army (1000+)
Advancement: As Soldier

Note: This Abberation Template is different than the one that appears in Scrolls of Skelos and Across the Thunder River