”Send your trained cattle! Send your monsters, your glassy-eyed slaves that don’t think or feel! Send them all! For you fight free men now! Free men, willing to stand by their own and die in their own blood if they must! Send us your best, you dried-out, empty-souled Hyperborean vultures- and we’ll kill them all, you hear me?! We’ll kill you all!”
-Conan, Dark Horse Conan #5
Conan the Defiant
[as of Issue #5]
Male Cimmerian Level 2 Barbarian/Level 1 Soldier
Hit Dice: 3d10+9 [33 hit points]
Initiative: +7 [+4 Dex; +3 Reflex]
Speed: 30 feet [Unarmored]; 25 feet [In Breastplate]
Defense Value: Dodge 15; Parry 13 [+4 with shield]
Damage Reduction: None or 7 [Breastplate and Steel Cap]
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+6
Attack: Shortsword +7 melee finesse [1d8+3; 19-20 x2 critical; 2 AP] or Unarmed +7 melee finesse [1d6+3; x2 critical; 0 AP]
Full Attack: Shortsword and Unarmed +7/+7 melee finesse [1d8; 19-20 x2 critical; 2 AP and 1d6+3; x2 critical; 0 AP]
Special Attacks: Crimson Mist; Versatility
Special Qualities: Bite Sword
Saves: Fort +8; Ref +7; Will +6 (1)
Abilities: Str 17; Dex 18; Con 17; Int 16; Wis 15; Cha 17
Skills: Balance +6; Bluff +5; Climb +12; Craft [blacksmith] +5; Hide +8 (2); Intimidate +4; Jump +8; Listen +7 (2); Move Silently +8 (2); Spot +7 (2); Survival +8 (2); Swim +7
Feats: Brawl; Fighting Madness; Power Attack; Sleep Mastery; Track
Reputation: Brave [Brythunia- 6, Cimmeria- 4]; Villain [Aerie- 8]
Code of Honour: Barbaric
Equipment: Shield or Breastplate and Steel Cap; Shortsword
(1) Includes the effects of Conan’s Barbaric Code of Honour which also gives him an additional +3 against Corruption tests. He also receives a +2 bonus against Fear and Terror checks due to his Fearless special ability.
(2) As a Cimmerian Conan gains a +2 bonus to these skill checks in Cold or Temperate Hill and Mountain Terrain
After being captured by the wizard-lords of Hyperborea Conan was drugged with the mind deadening Yellow Lotus Mash and placed within the ranks of their slave armies. Overcoming the effects of the Mash from time to time only to be subdued again he drew attention of the slave girl Iasmini who saw in him a chance to escape Aerie. Using the leaves of the Talmeni plant to counteract the effects of the Mash she drew Conan from the drugged trance. Iasmini wanted Conan’s help to survive the journey to her father’s lands in Turan but Conan refused to escape immediately intent on rescuing Niord and his men from the thrall of the wizard lords.
Still pretending to under the effects of the Yellow Lotus Mash Conan was taught the rudiments of civilized warfare in the training arenas of Aerie, gaining a level of Soldier. By night he would creep silently about the darkened streets of Aerie seeking a way of escape. In his duties a slave-soldier and his nocturnal travels he learned many secrets including the madness of the Day of Farewell, the true nature of the Gurnakhi and the manner in which the wizard lords of Aerie maintained their spells with the sacrifice of their unneeded slaves. It was during one of these trips he witnessed the sacrifice of Gorm. In the battle to avenge Gorm’s death Conan slew a number of slaves but was wounded by the lions of Lord Aishti’ana. Hiding in the aftermath of the battle he happened upon Iasmini, who told him that Lord Aishti’ana meant to sacrifice himself, and his household slaves- including Iasmini and Niord- at his own Day of Farewell on the following day.
Running out of time, Conan formed a desperate plan. Taking all of Talmeri Leaf Iasmini possessed he freed those of Niord’s men still left alive among the slave soldiers the next morning. However unknown to Conan without the Talmeri Leaf to counteract the effects of the Yellow Lotus Mash Iasmini fell once under the drug's effect.
Conan and the newly freed men of Niord’s tribe fought bravely, but were swiftly overcome by the sorcery of the wizard lord’s undermages leaving only Conan barely alive. Rushing to try and save Iasmini in the aftermath he watched helplessly as she and Niord mindlessly plunged to their death behind Lord Aishti’ana. Climbing into the abyss below Aerie Conan came upon the mortally wounded Niord and the bodies of Lord Aishti’ana and Iasmini. Granting Niord's last wish he gave the Aesir and Iasmini a proper funeral pyre. Looting a Breastplate, Steel Helm, red Cloak and a golden brooch from the bodies of the fallen he crossed the glacier surrounding Aerie and traveled to Brythunia seeking the traitors Svarl and Einar. Catching up with them in a small town in Brythunia he killed them but gained little but hollow comfort in this act of vengeance. Selling his armor for supplies, he left Brythunia and the past behind for the lands of Nemedia and his first encounter with the vile sorcerer Thoth-Amon.
