slaughterj said:
Zeus said:
As for the Tower... well, I know I'm not going to run this kind of scenarios. First of all - some of my players know the stories. Besides, it requires creating an alternative setting, where Conan didn't do this or that. I'd prefer a scenario based on the consequences of Conan's deeds - returning to Xuthal, Olgerd Vladislaw's revenge, or something like that. I have already tried this with 'The Black Stranger / Treasure of Tranicos' and it was fun to see my players struggle in a familiar setting for an already plundered treasure (I assumed that Conan took it eventually - cruel, yes, but still fun for both sides
).
I understand your concern about adventures "altering" the Conan timeline, but I wouldn't assume that the Tower stories would have to alter them. I ran PCs through Zamboula, through the same temple that Conan went through, with many similar features, but it occurred before/after Conan's events there, so no big deal. Is there a description of the Tower stories that would suggest "altering" the Conan timeline by PC involvement? If not, then it well could be designed as (1) events in the Tower while the master is away, (2) events in a subsequent Tower by another mage who had spied on the master, learned how to make it (even acquiring another alien, etc.), (3) or a myriad other options. And even if the adventure isn't so designed, you could readily modify it in such a fashion, and get plenty of use out of it.
I've done the same thing with my group in Zamboula, they didn't get to kill Aram Baksh and didn't go to the temple, but I put them in the inn for other reasons and had them escape. Now even 2 years later (in game) they still want Baksh dead. I also adapted an altered story ("The Bloodstained God"). In both cases, half of my group were familiar with the source material (ala the Ace/Lancer paperbacks of the '70s), but I'd altered them enough so that they didn't know exactly what was going on until they were well into the adventure, and I'd changed it enough so that they weren't just "doing what Conan did." My group's adventures take place roughly 3 or 4 years before Conan goes to these players (using the calendar in
the Road of Kings sourcebook
).
That's the inherent risk in any game based on well known material. Who wants to play
Star Wars when we already know Luke, Leia, Han & such are the heroes, why play
Middle Earth when we know Aragorn, Frodo, Gimli and Legolas are the heroes, etc.? Because we're adapting the world to our group's needs, making it fit them into the worlds, not merely playing second string to static literary characters.
I guess I'd assume that's what will happen with the
Tower of the Elephant. I probably won't buy it initially either, but will most likely read other peoples' reactions to it on this board first. Anyways, hope this helps.
