When players embrace the Hyborian Age (session report)

Hexaphim

Mongoose
************************WARNING*************************
*CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE TOWER OF THE ELEPHANT ADVENTURE*
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**YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN'T READ ON IF YOU'RE A PLAYER AND ARE**
*********GOING TO PLAY THIS ADVENTURE AT SOME POINT*********
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Here is a recap of tonight's Conan session, our second ever. This recap kind of assumes that you're familiar with the published Tower of the Elephant adventure, but if you're not (and don't care about spoilers), the players basically have to steal a chest containing green lotus poison from a big wagon (described as a "house on wheels") which is standing in the middle of a Stygian caravan.

Pretty much all we had time for today was the caravan scenario.

The players (a ruthless Borderer 6 who spent a lot of time fighting in Sukhmet against the Darfari cannibals, a Noble 6 who specializes in wearing lots of armor and fighting from horseback, and a former gladiator (Thief/Barbarian 1/5), all are Nemedians)) decided to go the stealthy route, trying to steal the chest of green lotus poison by sneaking past the guard.

The Borderer crawls his way underneath a wagon, silently moves towards the big wagon, climbs the ladder and disappears onto the roof of the wagon just as one of the Stygian soldiers turns to look in his direction.

Next, the former gladiator crawls under the wagon, but he makes enough noise to attract a guard. He retreats back to the other side of the wagon and nimbly jumps up on a ledge on the side of the wagon so the guard can't see his legs when looking under the wagon.

Meanwhile, on the roof, the Borderer looks down through the hatch and sees Vanku in the process of stealing the chest of Green Lotus. He also notices the Son of Set rising, ready to strike the young thief. The Borderer gently closes the hatch and hopes the wagon is soundproof. It isn't.

Vanku's screams alert the guards around the caravan, and they turn towards the wagon. The Borderer jumps down from the roof, hitting the ground running and dashes through the space between two wagons. The gladiator takes position just to the left of the gap, and as a Zamorian mercenary comes running out, he sneak attacks and decapitates the unsuspecting guard.

This is where the dung hits the ostritch feather, and chaos erupts. The gladiator sticks to his hiding behind corners and killing soldiers as they come running past tactics, the Borderer makes good use of his Stygian bow and his rapid shot feat, and the Noble, who couldn't sneak past a deaf, blind and dead man if he tried, comes running from his vantage point a ways back and charges into the fray. Things seem to go well for them, but as I tell them a robe-wearing man has emerged from one of the wagons, I could visibly see the players get really nervous.

The gladiator takes a deep breath and decides to charge the poor scholar, using reckless attack and power attack to boost his greatsword's already sick damage rating. The look of glee in the player's eyes when I tell him he seperates the torso from the legs of the sorcerer, killing him instantly, was very rewarding.

Finishing off the rest of the soldiers, the Borderer climbs back up on the big wagon and looks down through the hatch. He sees that the Son of Set has dislocated its jaw and is busy swallowing poor Vanku whole, grins, jumps down and grabs the chest, pets the snake and climbs back up on the roof. And then they run off.

All in all a good session. We've pretty much grasped the rules (we were already familiar with D&D 3.5), and although there was mutterings from the Borderer when he couldn't take a five foot step back and fire his bow to avoid an attack of opportunity, I think we all agree that the changes made from standard d20 really help enhance the game.

Next week they will attempt to brave the Tower of the Elephant. Having a thief along would have been a great help, but somehow things didn't work out that way... :)
 
Sounds like you had a very entertaining session; good luck with the next one.

A Thief in the party would be nice, especially Vanku, since he was carrying a "blowpipe" of sorts. Also, the poison in the adventure apparently isn't as deadly as the one in the original story.
 
I'm preparing the next session, and I've hit upon a couple of stumbling blocks.

The campaign is based on The Hour of the Dragon, and they're trying to get into the Tower of the Elephant to steal the Heart of Ahriman (which Yara has in his possession).

The thing is, there's already a heart in that tower, the Heart of the Elephant. I have some ideas, but I'd like some input from you guys:

1. Both Hearts are in Yara's tower. I think that's the idea that appeals to me the least. When they meet up with the Yagite (?), they'll see a red gem. But no, that's not the Heart of Ahriman, that's the Heart of the Elephant; the OTHER heart is in Yara's chamber, don't you know?

2. The Hearts are one and the same. This option also has problems; that would be one powerful gem, and it would mean that the gem would have to survive the end of The Tower of the Elephant. I don't have the book at hand, as I'm at work, but doesn't the Tower collapse because the gem shatters? Or is it because of the death of the Yagite?

3. The Heart of Ahriman isn't there. This opens up some opportunities that could make for interesting adventures; however, according to the information I've given the players, the gem SHOULD be there. Did Yara trade it for something? What could possibly be valuable enough for him to want to trade it away, though? Maybe Black Lotus, to feed his habit. :) It could have been stolen, of course, but that takes away from the PCs' achievements.

If the Stygia book comes to Norway relatively soon, this would be a great opportunity to get them all to Stygia, which could tie in with option 3. I would have to modify what happens to the Heart of Ahriman after the Nemedians steal it from the sorcerer and try to get rid of it, but that would happen behind the scenes, so that's no biggie.

Any suggestions would be welcome.

Also, does anyone know the diameter of Yara's tower? I'd like to know how much tumbling space the PCs would have in there...

PS: I realise this post makes very little sense if you haven't read The Tower of the Elephant and The Hour of the Dragon, and I apologize for that. :)
 
I would go with option #3; maybe they find a map in Yara's chambers leading to the next leg of the adventure.

As for the width of the tower, looks like about 50'-60' wide.

Also remember this: Your players may get in the Tower from the roof. If they do, they will have to exit the Tower quickly, not having much time to explore and search.
 
The problem with #3 is that they have reliable (well... from Baron Amalric of Tor...) information that the gem is in Yara's possession. I COULD just wave it off and say Amalric was wrong, of course, because honestly, how could he know?

Hmm, food for thought!
 
Hexaphim said:
The campaign is based on The Hour of the Dragon, and they're trying to get into the Tower of the Elephant to steal the Heart of Ahriman (which Yara has in his possession).

The thing is, there's already a heart in that tower, the Heart of the Elephant.

So where did you get the idea from in the first place that Yara has the Heart of Ahriman (if you're basing your campaign on Hour of the Dragon)?

I don't think I'd confuse the players with two Hearts in the same location; maybe Amalric's spies got confused themselves when they heard that Yara had a powerful gem in his possession?

- thulsa
 
thulsa said:
So where did you get the idea from in the first place that Yara has the Heart of Ahriman (if you're basing your campaign on Hour of the Dragon)?

The explanation is quite simple: I had the Tower of the Elpehant adventure and wanted to include it; I was thinking that starting with a pre-published adventure would make it easier for me to focus on the rules etc, since we haven't played Conan before.

I don't think I'd confuse the players with two Hearts in the same location; maybe Amalric's spies got confused themselves when they heard that Yara had a powerful gem in his possession?

Hmm, that works! I think I will go for that one, thank you both for your responses. :)
 
I think you should go with option #3.

"Thank you Players! But the Heart is in another castle!"

Just give them some kind of satisfying result. For example, give them a clue that will take them to the new hiding place. Perhaps Yara realized someone would betray the location and so the heart was moved. Or maybe Yara just didn't think it was safe there for whatever reason. You could give the players some appropriate loot to make them pleased, but then give them some kind of clue for the next place.

Anyway, I haven't read those scenerios so this is all just a bunch of general ideas. :p

P.S. I hate you, Hexaphim, and your little campaign too!
 
Or maybe the confusion over the two Hearts is in the translation of documents by scholars. They may both be referred to as "the Heart" in several old tomes/scrolls and as copies were made the writers mistook which Heart said document referred to.

"Heart of the Elephant, Heart of Ahriman, same thing !!!"
 
urdinaran said:
Or maybe the confusion over the two Hearts is in the translation of documents by scholars. They may both be referred to as "the Heart" in several old tomes/scrolls and as copies were made the writers mistook which Heart said document referred to.

"Heart of the Elephant, Heart of Ahriman, same thing !!!"

I'm really torn here. I originally sold this as a military campaign, and hence the players have designed their characters based on that.

I'm worried that they get impatient if I send them on a treasure hunt after the Heart of Ahriman. Although how can you not love going deep into Stygia when you're a Nemedian.. :)

I guess I'll decide on the fly during the session tomorrow, cuz I'm running out of time!
 
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