The Man Himself

Some speculate that the character Balthus in Beyond the Black River is actually REH. And the dog Slasher was Robert's dog Patch. You could just stat out Balthus - I don't believe he is stated out in Across Thunder River but I don't have my books handy.
 
That's interesting. And keep in mind Howard wrote two poems entitled "The Day That I Die" and "Lines Written In The Realization That I Must Die".
Grasping mortality, memento mori, and all that is one thing, but...YIKES! :shock:
 
While I won't argue that you need to get that book, Balthus does not appear in it.

If I had to stat him up now, he'd be a fairly high level borderer. The Heroic Sacrifice ability at 15th level is just tailor-made for Balthus.
 
VincentDarlage wrote:
The Heroic Sacrifice ability at 15th level is just tailor-made for Balthus.
Click to expand...

That's what I thought when I read Beyond the Black River. Terrific story, one of my favourites.
In any event, yes, he needs to be a 15 level borderer minimum, else rules are wrong.
 
Maximo said:
The Heroic Sacrifice ability at 15th level is just tailor-made for Balthus.
Click to expand...

That's what I thought when I read Beyond the Black River. Terrific story, one of my favourites.
In any event, yes, he needs to be a 15 level borderer minimum, else rules are wrong.
Click to expand...
Yeah, the ability is really based on Balthus. From reading the story, I don't at all see him as such a high-level character, though. I'd probably put Conan somewhere up in the level 15 area, and Balthus around level 5 or so.
 
Trodax wrote:
I'd probably put Conan somewhere up in the level 15 area, and Balthus around level 5 or so.
Click to expand...
Then, there should be feats available to him (at level 5) to allow him to get the same benefits that Heroic Death grants. Or a new use for Fate Points which gives the Heroic Death "benefits".
The other option, from a game mechanics point of view is that the Picts were drunk with Bossonian whisky. :shock:
 
Trodax said:
Yeah, the ability is really based on Balthus. From reading the story, I don't at all see him as such a high-level character, though. I'd probably put Conan somewhere up in the level 15 area, and Balthus around level 5 or so.
Click to expand...

I agree. I think the level 15 ability is a mistake in designing the Borderer. But on the other hand: with multiclassing so usual in CONAN, there will be few characters who reach this level in one class.
 
After reading his Biography I've had a wild stab at stating up REH into a PC.

Class Scholar/Soldier
Level 10/5

Attacks Fist +15/+10/+5
Damage 1d6+3

Attributes
Str 17
Dex 15
Con 21
Int 17
Wis 10
Cha 14

Feats of note
Brawl
Improved Unarmed Strike
Weapon Focus: Fist
Great Fortitude
Weapon Specialization: Fist
Combat Expertise

Skills of note
Craft (writing) +15
Craft (storytelling) +10
Craft (poetry) +10
Cthulhu Mythos +8
Drover +5
Knowledge (Local) +9
Knowledge (all other cultures) +8
Knowledge (history) +10
Decipher Script +8
Bluff +8

maybe...
 
it is just because fireweapons didn't exist in Conan's time.
Perhaps he would have commited suicide with the blades still used today for beheading.
I saw people don't need big blades to sever heads.
 
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