The First Session

[Higa]

As some of you know, I asked many of you for advice before I was to run my first session in Conan... I listened to your advice about how to handle levels (skipping Exp and will just hand them out when proper) and to start with, my players really like to get rid of Exp points.

Well, my first session was a rather standard short adventure, so that we could get the feel of the game and its mechanics. It was simple in structure and contained some more action than we are used to. (a fight or two more).

Now, my players are most familiar with WFRP, which we have played since the dawn of time (well, since 86, at least). No Rpg save Sengoku have ever catched my players interest in such intense way that WFRP did.

So, I wondered, how would Conan manage?

It was a smashing success! My players really got into their characters in a short time and they really enjoyed themselves. In my group I have: one kithai scholar, one asir barbarian and one zamorian thief.

They said afterwards that Conan had the same "feel" as WFRP, but that they felt more free with their Characters (always a good thing). They said that it had the same gritty feeling that they are used to. They loved the combat system (with finesse and armour piercing, parry and dodge, which I run like contested rolls, without any problems with finesse).

So, Im happy to say that I have found another Rpg which can compete with my old (and new) WFRP (which I am growing rather tired of at the moment).

I guess I stay around here for a while, and I really enjoy reading all your stories from your sessions and about your adventurers struggles in the Hyborian Age. I have already stealed many ideas from your stories. When my planned first campaign is over, I will also write about some nice moments in my players ventures and struggles in the Hyborian Age.

For the moment, Im just glad to say that Conan D20 was really really fun to GM, and now Im off to order a few more supplements...

 

[René]

As some of you know, I asked many of you for advice before I was to run my first session in Conan... I listened to your advice about how to handle levels (skipping Exp and will just hand them out when proper) and to start with, my players really like to get rid of Exp points.

Nice to hear that not only my group is happy with this method

What game is WFRP?

Sure to out me as ignorant...

 

[Higa]

WFRP = Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying Game

The first edition came in 1986, and the most famous campaign written to it is called The Enemy Within, which - in some parts - really is excellent, a classic in Rpg-circles, some might sat. The game was not heavily supported though, since Games Workshop abandoned it rather early. But it always had a huge fan support in the Net. To my knowledge, two other companies took over the licence, but they did not manage to support it heavy enough for it to be a big game - market wise.

This year came WFRP v2 which brought the old game to life again (I was a playtester). Its re-appearance was regarded with mixed feeling of the old fan base. But as I understand, it has won some prices already, and its sellings seem to be over expectation even in the designers point of view (Green Ronin / Black Industries).

For more info on the game itself, check out: Blackindustries.com

 

[carandol]

Interesting. My players too are veterans of a long WFRP campaign, and seem to be getting into this much more than they have most of the stuff I've run since.

 

[Brass Jester]

It would certainly be a mammoth task, but imagine converting The Enemy Within to a Hyborian setting. It is probably the best campaign setting I've ever read or played; although I never finished it. You'd have to take out the firearm rules and downtone the magic somewhat; but you could easily set it in Nemedia, Aquilonia or Brythunia (or even Corinthia) Create a new (old) religion that has even the Priests of Set turning pale at the thought, aiming to return an ancient evil that the Acherons were mere students of.

 

[carandol]

Well, if you bear in mind that there's a bit of overlap between the Robert E. Howard's stuff and H.P.Lovecraft's (not to mention the rest of the Weird Tales authors), you could replace the Chaos gods with the Cthulhu Mythos without too much trouble. One of my player's characters is a Hyperborean sorcerer who worships Tsathoggua -- he got the idea from a Clark Ashton Smith story set in Hyperborea. The Dark Gods are out there, they just need to get their act together and start taking over the world!

Actually, you could run Shadows Over Bögenhafen quite well in Messantia -- it's got the sewer system, and scheming merchant houses who would fit the bill. No goblins, mutant or otherwise, sadly, but a three-armed child instead would just add to the horror!

Like you said, it would be a mammoth task, but do-able, if you really wanted to

 

[urdinaran]

on the WHFRP subject...

I am currently wrapping up running my group through a conversion I did of the "Oldenhaller Contract" (the mini adventure in the back of the 1st rulebook). Had to make some minor changes, but seemed to work well; makes for a great 1 session adventure in almost any major Hyborian city.

Not sure about the rest of the WHFRP adventures...

Shadows over Bogenhafen is pretty solid, minor tweaks needed. You could also run Mistaken Identity before it as its supposed to be run.

Death on the Reik is a little to "Frankenstein-ish", might work with a different monster. Another problem is the village full of mutants. Alot of WHFRP adventures have too much of a comical side to them which I feel doesn't translate to Conan very well.

 

[Brass Jester]

Urdinaran
GW put the 'comic' bits in to balance out some of the really horrible bits that occur in the campaign. It was supposed to highlight the horror. Now, I don't like writing actual 'comic' bits into a scenario because I've found they turn out to be too obviously contrived. The best humour and laughter comes out of the gameplay as it occurs spontaneously, rather than as it's written, as well as the contrast given above.
An example of this happened years ago in an Other RPG I was running. The camp was attacked at night by bandits; one player was sleeping. The others made their Perception rolls and woke up to fight the bandits. He didn't. Round after round he tried, but failed, no-one else thought to wake him up (but there was great Player interest "will he, won't he?"). Then, a thrown dagger missed its intended target and hit the PC in question. "That should wake him up" said the others. But, the dagger had scored a Critical Hit, pierced his throat and within a few rounds he bled to death. No one checked on him in this time, they only found him later. Thus the situation had gone from mild comic to "It's worse than that, He's dead Jim" in a matter of moments. You can't script this kind of stuff.