Zamboula (and other questions)

[Supplement Four]

I am slowly creating a geographical list of Hyborian Age stories, listing stories by their location rather than speculated chronology.

Since I started playing this game, I like to go in and ready everything I can about a certain region--where I'm setting the campaign.

Is Zamboula considered a city-state out in the middle of the desert? Or, is it considered part of Turan?



Also, I'm going by memory, as I've sold several of the Conan books I've already read.

If memory serves: Conan and the Sorcerer and Conan The Mercenary, both by Andrew J. Offutt, take place (mostly) in Khauran, correct?

And, Offutt's third book, Conan The Sword of Skelos takes place in Zamboula (mostly), right?

 

[Style]

I am slowly creating a geographical list of Hyborian Age stories, listing stories by their location rather than speculated chronology.

Since I started playing this game, I like to go in and ready everything I can about a certain region--where I'm setting the campaign.

I also like to do this. Please share your findings.

 

[Supplement Four]

I also like to do this. Please share your findings.

Well, I haven't gone through it all yet, but my campaign is set in Zamora. I want to go through all the Conan stories (and even some comics), but that may take a while. There's a bunch of them.

As for Zamora, so far I've found:

The Tower of the Elephant, by Robert E. Howard
Conan and the Sorcerer, by Andrew J. Offutt
Conan The Mercenary, by Andrew J. Offutt
Conan The Sword of Skelos, by Andrew J. Offutt
Conan The Destroyer, by Robert Jordan
Conan The Magnificent, by Robert Jordan
Conan The Invincible, by Robert Jordan
The Hall of the Dead, by Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp
Conan The Fearless, by Steve Perry
Conan And The Spider God, by L. Sprague de Camp
The Bloodstained God, by Robert E. Howard and L. Sprague de Camp

That's what I've found so far for Zamora, but often times, the story starts in Zamora and then leads elsewhere. For example, much of Conan The Sword of Skelos doesn't happen in Zamora. The tale only starts in Shadizar. Or, Conan The Invincible. The tale spends a lot of time in the Kezankian Mountains.

I don't want to "double book" the stories, so I'm listing them where they start.

 

[Style]

Thanks!

I don't want to "double book" the stories, so I'm listing them where they start.

Personally, I don't see anything wrong with double booking. For example, Hour of the Dragon is great "research" for Aquilonia AND Stygia.

Any one know what happened to the Gazetteer of Hyboria site? -> http://www.dodgenet.com/~moonblossom/Cgaze.htm

It's been down for some time. The references on that site would have been a help to you. I miss that site. Not as good as Thulsa's, but still quite good.

 

[Old Bear]

Going completely from memory I seem to recall that in Shadows of Zamboula the place is ruled by a Turanian governor or satrap (can't recall which although needless to say Conan pulls his bird) and as such it is under the dominion of the Turanians to a greater or lesser extent. Knowing the Turanians, that would be greater... :wink:

 

[Stygian Devout]

"Zamboula is currently under Turanian rule" p. 314 of 2nd ed. handbook.

Several paragraphs of information there as well.

 

[Supplement Four]

"Zamboula is currently under Turanian rule" p. 314 of 2nd ed. handbook.

Several paragraphs of information there as well.

Ah, nice reference. Thanks.

It's under Turanian rule, but it's listed under the "Eastern Desert". I think that's where I'll list it too on my geographical codex.

 

[Sutek]

It'd be great to see the stories mapped. I'm sure you could do it with colored dots for each story, numbered with the page number as the characters reach the next geographic location.

What's your plan exactly?

 

[Supplement Four]

It'd be great to see the stories mapped. I'm sure you could do it with colored dots for each story, numbered with the page number as the characters reach the next geographic location.

I'd actually thought of that. I'd love to see a beautiful, full color map with reference points on it showing where each story took place.

The key would show which story (and you could key multiple locations within each story).

What's your plan exactly?

Well, what I've been doing is creating a spreadsheet. Columns show Title, Author, Anthology (if appropirate), and Location.

The spread sheet is divided into sections: Cimmeria; Karpash Mountains; Eastern Desert; Turan; Zamora...etc. Each major region or kingdom has its own listing of stories.

Under the Location column, I've been recording all the places the story takes place in order of their occurence in the story.

For example, next to Conan The Bold, the Location column says:

Cimmeria; Aquilonia; Ophir; Koth; Shem; Stygia

Next to Conan The Victorious, it says:

Turan (Sultanapur); Vilayet Sea; Vendhya

Next to The Halls of the Dead, it says:

Zamora (Larsha, Shadizar)

You get the idea.



One of my problems is that I tend to get rid of books once I read them, and I've gotten rid of many of the Conan books I've already read--which is substantial (somewhere around 25 or 30 or so).

 

[Strom]

Here's just one reference available on Conan.com:


http://www.conan.com/invboard/index.php?showtopic=3325

 

[Supplement Four]

Here's just one reference available on Conan.com:


http://www.conan.com/invboard/index.php?showtopic=3325

Nice link. I apprecaite it. But, I actually own or have read (sold the ones I read) all of the Conan tales and near-Conan tales (even Arquel and the Red Sonja books). This includes everything on that list except for the James M. Ward Endless Quest book (which I'm not interested in reading).

As I read them (re-read some of them), I'll fill in where they are located.

What I might do, though, is list here books that I'm having trouble remembering. Maybe people can help me out.

 

[Strom]

Here's just one reference available on Conan.com:


http://www.conan.com/invboard/index.php?showtopic=3325

Nice link. I apprecaite it. But, I actually own or have read (sold the ones I read) all of the Conan tales and near-Conan tales (even Arquel and the Red Sonja books). This includes everything on that list except for the James M. Ward Endless Quest book (which I'm not interested in reading).

As I read them (re-read some of them), I'll fill in where they are located.

What I might do, though, is list here books that I'm having trouble remembering. Maybe people can help me out.

You've read or owned every pastiche Conan book? :shock: :shock:

 

[Supplement Four]

What I might do, though, is list here books that I'm having trouble remembering. Maybe people can help me out.

In an effort, maybe some of you can help me out. I'm doing some of these by memory and from what I've found on chronolgies on the net.

I'll list the book and author. Then, I'll list what I think is the correct order of the geographical locations.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

If you know actual village/town/city names, that would be helpful, too.

My listing starts with the first geographical location followed by the next to appear in the story, and so on. If the story returns to a location already listed, I don't list it a second time. For example, in Conan The Invincible, Conan starts off in Shadizar, travels to the Kenzankians, then returns to Shadizar. I would list it like this: Zamora (Shadizar); Kenzankian Mts.

Here's the stories in question...



CONAN The Bold, by John Maddox Roberts
Cimmeria; Aquilonia; Ophir; Koth; Shem; Stygia.



CONAN The Hunter, by Sean A. Moore
Brythunia (Pirogia); Kezankian Mts.; Deserts of Shem.



CONAN The Barbarian, by L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter
Cimmeria; Vanaheim (Thurdvang); Asgard; Hyperborea; Khitai; Kezankian Mts.; Zamora (Yazdir), (Shadizar); Turan



CONAN The Defiant, by Steve Perry
Kezankian Mts.



CONAN The Indomitable, by Steve Perry
Kezankian Mts.; Karpash Mts.



CONAN The Free Lance, by Steve Perry
Karpash Mts.; Zamora.



CONAN The Formidable, by Steve Perry



CONAN And The Sorcerer, by Andrew J. Offutt



CONAN The Mercenary, by Andrew J. Offutt



CONAN The Sword of Skelos, by Andrew J. Offutt



CONAN The Destroyer, by Robert Jordan



CONAN The Magnificent, by Robert Jordan



CONAN The Invincible, by Robert Jordan



CONAN The Fearless, by Steve Perry



CONAN The Warlord, by Leonard Carptener
Nemedia (Belverus), (Dinander Province).



CONAN The Victorious, by Robert Jordan



CONAN The Unconquered, by Robert Jordan



CONAN The Hero, by Leonard Carpenter



CONAN The Valiant, by Roland Green



CONAN The Valorous, by John Maddox Roberts



CONAN The Relentless, by Roland Green



CONAN The Savage, by Leonard Carpenter



CONAN The Defender, by Robert Jordan



CONAN The Triumphant, by Robert Jordan



I still retain all of the Conan books except for the ones listed here--the ones I've sold in the past. If you guys can fill in the geographical locations visited in these tales, it would be helpful.

But, please, only fill in what you know to be true. Don't speculate.

Thanks!

 

[Supplement Four]

You've read or owned every pastiche Conan book? :shock: :shock:

That is correct.

About 5 years ago, I got in a Conan mood and collected all Conan tales. I haven't read them all yet, but I've put in a huge dent!

I wanted to read them in chronological order, and that's what I've been doing. For example, I don't read the entire book of anthologies...only the short story that occurs in the chronology.

As to which chronology...I jump around, reading the related stories, making my own chronology of sorts.

But, yeah, I've owned all of the Conan stories. They weren't that hard to get a hold of. I just hit several used book stores. It was fun weekend project for about a month. I enjoyed the treasure hunt.

As I read them, though, I sell them off. I don't usually keep book after I've read them. The list above is what I've sold off. The rest, I still have.



EDIT: This is the second time I've done this. About a decade ago, I found all of the James Bond books, by all authors, even the obscure ones. It took me a decade (because I usually need to read something else after about 3 books on one subject), but I finally go through most of them. I read all the Flemings. Then, I read the couple of one-off writers (like Colonel Sun by Robert Markham). Then came the Gardner books. Now, I'm reading the Benson Bond books...and I just got the new one by Faulks.

I don't read them all in a row, but when I'm in the mood for that particular genre, I sit down and begin where I left off.

That's what I'm doing with Conan. Right now, I'm reading Anderson's CONAN The Rebel, which is an extended tale of Conan and Belit. I haven't even finished the Howard Belit short story yet because this book takes place between Chapters one and two of Queen of the Black Coast.

 

[Strom]

It's your life and money but you are wasting both reading pastiche before Howard, IMO.

Good luck on your endeavor.

 

[Supplement Four]

It's your life and money but you are wasting both reading pastiche before Howard, IMO.

Well, this might make you feel better. There definitely is a difference in Howard and the other writers. I don't think all Howard is great. Some of his stuff feels like he was rushing to a dead line. But, yeah, most of it is awesome--and I love it.

I've decided to change track and go back and read all the Howard stuff first. Then read the de Camp et al stuff. Then read the other stuff.

I've enjoyed reading Conan in chronological order. It's definitely given me a feel for him that I don't think I would have gotten reading out of order. Plus, there are neat little consistencies between books written by different authors in different decades. That's "fun" to discover. One author may shed more light on a particular NPC, for example, which makes reading the character in later books by a different author more enjoyable.

Plus, you get a good feel for what Conan "knows". You know where he's been. What his motivations are like. The character changes over time, and you can see that reading him chronologicaly.

In spite of all that, though, I've got a hunger for straight Howard. So, I'm going to read the Howard tales, at least, next.

Then, I may pick up the chronology again, re-reading Howard when appropriate.

But, Howard is on the reading list (right now, I'm re-reading all things to do with Zamora...that is, from the stories I still have).

I may even repurchase some of the better pastiches to re-read.

 

[Strom]

Very cool S4 - but beware! It's hard to read some pastiche- really most - after a strong dose of Howard. But, if that wasn't the case then Howard wouldn't be all that special would he?

I've lost count how many pastiches I have started and never read (but I did finish Poul's Rebel - that is why I stopped collecting them. Once, long ago, I also wanted to collect them all - for many of the reasons you list above - but found that they were not worth reading and - for used books - the average price was $3.50 (the Conan pastiches are still popular to this day and book store owners know that and price accordingly).

I salute your passion for Conan - I'll stick to manageable pastiche like the DH Conan comics!

 

[Supplement Four]

I salute your passion for Conan - I'll stick to manageable pastiche like the DH Conan comics!

There are some excellent Conan books out there, though, not written by Howard. Yep, there's some real trash, too (Steve Perry comes to mind. So does Rolan Green).

But, I like de Camp's work. I like Carter. I think Jordan is one of the best pastiche writers--absolutely love all seven of his books.

And, John Maddox Roberts is at the top of my list, too. Conan The Bold, even though it collides with a lot of Conan "history", is a fantastic book.

Moore's Conan The Hunter was an excellent action read.

And, I'm really digging Anderson's Conan The Rebel. I think it's an excellent pastiche.

Do they have a different "feel" than Howard. You bet. But, do I like then nonetheless? I do.

 

[VincentDarlage]

You've read or owned every pastiche Conan book? :shock: :shock:

Hey! I own/read them all, too!

 

[Supplement Four]

Hey! I own/read them all, too!

Which is why I like your Conan rpg work so much (well, most of it 8) )!

I recognize that you know your Conan, Howard and all. Having read so much of it myself, I was afraid, coming to this game, that I would know more about Conan than many of the game's authors. It was such a pleasant surprise that Mongoose did their Conan homework.

It impressed the hell out of me (enough to get this d20 hater playing a d20 game for the first time in almost two decades).