REH's Hyborian Age -- An Adaptation for GURPS Fourth Edition

[1F409]

Black Lotus

Nothing occurred; the faint sounds of the marching spearmen faded in the distance. Conan suddenly realized that the air was impregnated with an alien and exotic scent. Something gently brushed his temple. He turned quickly. From a cluster of green, curiously leafed stalks, great black blossoms nodded at him. One of these had touched him. They seemed to beckon him, to arch their pliant stems toward him. They spread and rustled, though no wind blew.
 He recoiled, recognizing the black lotus, whose juice was death, and whose scent brought dream-haunted slumber. But already he felt a subtle lethargy stealing over him. He sought to lift his sword, to hew down the serpentine stalks, but his arm hung lifeless at his side. He opened his mouth to shout to his warriors, but only a faint rattle issued. The next instant, with appalling suddenness, the jungle waved and dimmed out before his eyes; he did not hear the screams that burst out awfully not far away, as his knees collapsed, letting him pitch limply to the earth. Above his prostrate form the great black blossoms nodded in the windless air.

— Queen of the Black Coast

Her sleep was too deep to be natural. He decided that she must be an addict of some drug, perhaps like the black lotus of Xuthal.

— The Devil in Iron

A glance back, before the heavy, gold-bound teak door was closed, showed him Xaltotun leaning back in his throne-like chair, his arms folded, while a thin wisp of smoke curled up from the brazier. Conan’s scalp prickled. In Stygia, that ancient and evil kingdom that lay far to the south, he had seen such black dust before. It was the pollen of the black lotus, which creates death-like sleep and monstrous dreams; and he knew that only the grisly wizards of the Black Ring, which is the nadir of evil, voluntarily seek the scarlet nightmares of the black lotus, to revive their necromantic powers.

— The Hour of the Dragon

“The slaves say that he lies in his chamber, behind a bolted door, dreaming the dreams of the black lotus.”

— Zenobia, in The Hour of the Dragon

“By Ymir, it was the jewel I saw in the green smoke, the jewel which Tarascus stole from Xaltotun while he lay in the sleep of the black lotus!”

— Conan, in The Hour of the Dragon

“If he would only sleep again the sleep of the black lotus—but the last time he slept thus was after the battle of the Valkia, when he was weary because of the great magic he had performed, and—”

— Orastes, in The Hour of the Dragon

“I do not know how he escaped me at Belverus, for knowledge of what happened while I lay in the slumber of the black lotus is denied me.”

— Xaltotun, in The Hour of the Dragon

Under the girl’s dilated gaze it spread, took shape; stems and broad leaves appeared, and great black poisonous blossoms that towered above her as she cringed against the velvet. A subtle perfume pervaded the atmosphere. It was the dread figure of the black lotus that had grown up as she watched, as it grows in the haunted, forbidden jungles of Khitai.
 The broad leaves were murmurous with evil life. The blossoms bent toward her like sentient things, nodding serpent-like on pliant stems. Etched against soft, impenetrable darkness it loomed over her, gigantic, blackly visible in some mad way. Her brain reeled with the drugging scent and she sought to crawl from the dais.

— The People of the Black Circle

Up this he went, wondering if it were all real, or if he were not in the midst of a black lotus dream.

— The Pool of the Black One

“It must have been like the black lotus, that makes men sleep.”

— Conan, in The Pool of the Black One

“The black lotus!” said Valeria between her teeth. “The blossom whose scent brings deep sleep. You were trying to drug me! If you hadn’t accidentally touched my face with the petals, you’d have—why did you do it? What’s your game?”

— Red Nails

“You remember the night beneath the black lotus that waved above us, stirred by no worldly breeze; you scent again the unearthly perfumes that stole and rose like a cloud about you to enslave you.”

— Red Nails

“They died without a sound!” muttered the Cimmerian. “Taurus, what was that powder?”
 “It was made from the black lotus, whose blossoms wave in the lost jungles of Khitai, where only the yellow-skulled priests of Yun dwell. Those blossoms strike dead any who smell of them.”

— The Tower of the Elephant

“Much of the time these people lie in sleep. Their dream-life is as important—and to them as real—as their waking life. You have heard of the black lotus? In certain pits of the city it grows. Through the ages they have cultivated it, until, instead of death, its juice induces dreams, gorgeous and fantastic. In these dreams they spend most of their time. Their lives are vague, erratic, and without plan. They dream, they wake, drink, love, eat, and dream again. They seldom finish anything they begin, but leave it half completed and sink back again into the slumber of the black lotus. That meal you found—doubtless one awoke, felt the urge of hunger, prepared the meal for himself, then forgot about it and wandered away to dream again.”

— Thalis, in Xuthal of the Dusk

[1F409]

The Zamorian Diamond Goblet

“Well,” answered the barbarian grudgingly, “I came here to steal the Zamorian diamond goblet. A man gave me a diagram of the Temple and told me where to look for it. It is kept in that room,” Conan pointed, “in a niche in the floor under a copper Shemitish god.”
 “He speaks truth there,” said Promero. “I’d thought that not half a dozen men in the world knew the secret of that hiding place.”

— The God in the Bowl

Presumably, it’s a goblet made of diamond, and originated in Zamora.

[1F409]

Tyr

King Tyr of Asgard was listed in Hyborian Names and Countries.

Wikipedia: Týr (/tɪər/; Old Norse: Týr, pronounced [tyːz̠]) is a god in Germanic mythology. In Norse mythology, which provide most of the surviving narratives about gods among the Germanic peoples, Týr sacrifices his hand to the monstrous wolf Fenrir, who bites it off when he realizes the gods have bound him. Týr is foretold of being consumed by the similarly monstrous dog Garmr, during the events of Ragnarök.

[1F409]

Thalis

It was a woman who stood there staring at them in wonder. She was tall, lithe, shaped like a goddess; clad in a narrow girdle crusted with jewels. A burnished mass of night-black hair set off the whiteness of her ivory body. Her dark eyes, shaded by long dusky lashes, were deep with sensuous mystery. Conan caught his breath at her beauty, and Natala stared with dilated eyes. The Cimmerian had never seen such a woman; her facial outline was Stygian, but she was not dusky-skinned like the Stygian women he had known; her limbs were like alabaster.

— Xuthal of the Dusk

Descriptive text goes here.

Attributes
 ST 12
  With a lithe strength she [Natala] would not have believed possible in a woman, Thalis picked her up and carried her down the black corridor as if she had been a child.
  A typical female of ST 9 would suffer only Medium Encumbrance from carrying a five-year-old child. In order for Thalis to haul Natala in a similar fashion, the logic runs as follows: Natala is referred to as a “girl”, but also a slave who was likely bound for a seraglio, so she’s probably just entering her teenage years. Using modern growth charts, a typical girl of that age would stand about 5′2″ and weigh just over 100 lbs. Natala’s “lithe” figure, however, would reduce that weight by 10%. Therefore, Thalis would have to have ST 12 to carry Natala at Medium Encumbrance. If the Stygian nobility is possessed of some sort of ‛ancient’ or ‛primal’ boost of +2 to ST, then Thalis would be able to accomplish the task with just a minimal increase in musculature for her figure.
 DX 13
  …as she rose with the lithe ease of a great lazy cat.
 IQ 10
 HT 12
  “She is too soft to endure what I have thrived on.”
  As per Courtesan, from GURPS Fantasy.

Secondary Characteristics
 Dmg 1d thr, 1d+2 sw
 BL 32 lbs.
 HP 11
 Will 10
 Per 12
 FP 12
 Speed 6.25
  …with a pantherish quickness almost incredible…
  At least 6.00, as per both Lion and Tiger, from GURPS Basic Set.
 Move 6
 Dodge 9
 5′9″
  She had thrown both arms about his neck and was standing on tiptoe…
  Standing on tiptoe adds about ¼ foot to height. If the stance was intended to bring her close enough for a kiss, then Thalis was probably ½ foot shorter than Conan.
 150 lbs.
  This assumes that “lithe” indicates 10% less weight for height and musculature.
 SM 0

Social Background
 TL: 2?
 CF:
  Eastern, Far East, or something else?
   “This city is called Xuthal; it is very ancient. It is built over an oasis, which the founders of Xuthal found in their wanderings. They came from the east, so long ago that not even their descendants remember the age.”
  Stygian
 Languages:
  Stygian (Native)
  Xuthal[-lan?] (Native)
   “…they learned my language long before I learned theirs.”

Advantages
 Very Beautiful
  …shaped like a goddess…
  “Of course the women are jealous of me…”
 Status 6
  “I am the daughter of a king…”
  Alternatively, use Courtesy Title or Hidden Status.
 Voice
  …a deep rich musical voice…

Quirks
 Vindictive.
  …the suggestion of malice in the Stygian’s faintly mocking tone…

Skills
 Dreaming - 8 (Will−2)
  “Though I have dreamed the dreams of the lotus…”
 Erotic Art - 13 (DX+0)
  “…before I had known fifteen summers I had been led through the temples of Derketo, the dusky goddess, and had been initiated into the mysteries.”
  The silk cords and whip that she used might default to this.
 Sex Appeal - 20 (HT+8)*
  She did not miss his look, and she smiled enigmatically…
  For answer Thalis leaned herself against him, slipping one white arm about his bronzed shoulders. Her sleek naked flank pressed against his thigh and the perfume of her foamy hair was in his nostrils.

* Includes bonuses from Appearance and Voice.

[1F409]

“Average” Height

Back in Howard’s day, males in the United States typically stood 5′7″ in height, females four inches less, with established families being generally taller and immigrants shorter. Being that Howard’s primary audience was his fellow countrymen, it is likely that they were the baseline to which he compared the various characters and peoples of the Hyborian Age.
 In his letters and stories, Howard offered three specific numbers in regard to heights during the Hyborian Age: Aquilonians averaged 5′10¾″; Cimmerians averaged 6′0″; and Conan, himself a Cimmerian, was already 6′0″ by age fifteen. Howard’s use of the term “average” in this regard refers to the height of males; otherwise, Conan’s adult height—likely two or three inches greater than at age fifteen—wouldn’t have been noteworthy amongst the Aquilonians.
 With that in mind, the average height of females from the aforementioned races can be estimated, with Aquilonian women being 5′6½″ and Cimmerian women being 5′7¾″.


www.ox.ac.uk/news/2017-04-18-highs-and-lows-englishman%E2%80%99s-average-height-over-2000-years-0
news.osu.edu/men-from-early-middle-ages-were-nearly-as-tall-as-modern-people/
edition.cnn.com/2016/07/26/health/human-height-changes-century/index.html

[1F409]

Natala

At his feet rested a girl, one white arm clasping his knee, against which her blond head drooped. Her white skin contrasted with his hard bronzed limbs; her short silken tunic, low-necked and sleeveless, girdled at the waist, emphasized rather than concealed her lithe figure.

— Xuthal of the Dusk

Descriptive text goes here.

Attributes
 ST 8
 DX 10
 IQ 10
 HT 10

Secondary Characteristics
 Dmg 1d−4 thr, 1d−2 sw
 BL 13 lbs.
 HP 9
 Will 10
 Per 10
 FP 10
 Speed 5.00
 Move 5
 Dodge 8
 5′1″
 95 lbs.
  Natala is referred to as a “girl”, but also a slave who was likely bound for a seraglio, so she’s probably just entering her teenage years. Using the 25th percentile on modern growth charts to approximate heights common in Howard’s day, a girl of that age would be roughly 5′1″ and 95 lbs. In this case, Natala’s lack of adult bulk accounts for her “lithe” figure.
 SM 0

Social Background
 TL: 2?
 CF:
  Hyborian
   The girl was a Brythunian, whom Conan had found in the slave-market of a stormed Shemite city, and appropriated. She had had nothing to say in the matter, but her new position was so far superior to the lot of any Hyborian woman in a Shemitish seraglio, that she accepted it thankfully.
 Languages:
  Brythunian (Native)
  Shemitish (Broken/None)
   …found in the slave-market of a stormed Shemite city.
  Stygian (Broken/None)
   She could speak Stygian only brokenly, but she understood it well enough.

Advantages
 Attractive

Skills
 First Aid - 6 (IQ−4)
  She bathed his torn flesh and bandaged the deeper wounds with strips torn from a silk hanging.
  Default level, though it might gain a slight bonus from Housekeeping.
 Housekeeping - 10 (IQ+0)
  A common skill, both for prospective wives and for slaves; probably the only one Natala would know at her age.

[1F409]

GURPS Fourth Edition uses Technology Level (TL) to describe the stages of technological advancement. According to GURPS Basic Set, the generic progression is as follows...

TL 0	Stone Age (Prehistory and later).
TL 1	Bronze Age (3500 B.C.+).
TL 2	Iron Age (1200 B.C.+).
TL 3	Medieval (600 A.D.+).
TL 4	Age of Sail (1450+).
TL 5	Industrial Revolution (1730+).
TL 6	Mechanized Age (1880+).
TL 7	Nuclear Age (1940+).
TL 8	Digital Age (1980+).
TL 9	Microtech Age (2025+?).
TL 10	Robotic Age (2070+?).
TL 11	Age of Exotic Matter.
TL 12+	Whatever the GM likes!

Obviously, the peoples and nations of the Hyborian Age fit almost exclusively into the handful of lower TLs. Which nations belong predominately in which TL still eludes me. Their historical analogues tend to be TL 2 (iron age), yet warmaking seems to be largely TL 3 (medieval). There is the rare gadget or divergent advancement (e.g., Nabonidus' inventions), but conversely little discussion of fields in which a given nation may lacking. Compounding the matter is my own shaky comprehension of ancient history.

[1F409]

The Master of Yimsha

Another figure stood at the head of the stair. His robe, too, was black, but of richly embroidered velvet, and there was a velvet cap on his head. His face was calm, and not unhandsome.
 “Who the devil are you?” demanded Conan, staring up at him, knife in hand.
 “I am the Master of Yimsha!” His voice was like the chime of a temple bell, but a note of cruel mirth ran through it.

— The People of the Black Circle

Descriptive text goes here.

Attributes
 ST 10
 DX 10
 IQ 14
  “How can I explain my mystic reasons to your puny intellect? You could not understand.”
 HT 10

Secondary Characteristics
 Dmg 1d−2 thr, 1d sw
 BL 20 lbs.
 HP 10
 Will 14
 Per 10
 FP 10
 Speed 5.00
 Move 5
 Dodge 8
 5′?″
 ? lbs.
 SM 0

Social Background
 TL: 2?
 CF:
  Eastern?
 Languages:
  ? (Native)

Advantages
 Allies (Lords of the Black Circle; 75% value, group of 4, on 15 or less; Breakable, DR 5 artifact, irreparable, SM −3; Minion; Unique; Unwilling)
  “A human steeped in the dark arts is greater than a devil. I am of human origin, but I rule demons. You have seen the Lords of the Black Circle—it would blast your soul to hear from what far realm I summoned them and from what doom I guard them with ensorcelled crystal and golden serpents.”
  Concerning the size and durability of the crystal globe: With ST 15, a shortsword swung in an All-Out Attack (Strong) inflicts an average of 10 damage. Three such strikes were enough to shatter the crystal globe. Pomegranates typically range from two to five inches in diameter, so a sphere of SM −3 would be sufficient allow four average specimens to float freely. A surface one-fifth of an inch thick would offer DR 1, weigh 5½ lbs., and have HP 14.
 Attractive
  His face was calm, placid, not unhandsome, his eyes lambent and slightly oblique.
 Illusion (Broadcast; Cosmic, can heal as well as harm; Cosmic, lingering effect; Cosmic, no “Rule of 16”; Mental; Reliable 10; Selectivity; Sorcery; Stigmata; Alternative Ability)
  “All substance is one to him who holds the key of the cosmos,” he said cryptically. “To an adept nothing is immutable. At will steel blossoms bloom in unnamed gardens, or flower-swords flash in the moonlight.”
  “I think I will take your heart, Kerim Shah!”
   He held out his hand as if to receive something, and the Turanian cried out sharply like a man in mortal agony. He reeled drunkenly, and then, with a splintering of bones, a rending of flesh and muscle and a snapping of mail-links, his breast burst outward with a shower of blood, and through the ghastly aperture something red and dripping shot through the air into the Master’s outstretched hand, as a bit of steel leaps to the magnet. The Turanian slumped to the floor and lay motionless, and the Master laughed and hurled the object to fall before Conan’s feet—a still quivering human heart.
  As per Demiurgy, from GURPS Powers: The Weird, but greatly expanded. The addition of a few extra modifiers have given this the potential to be a world-altering ability—if I understand the rules and have written it correctly.
 Indomitable
  “My acolytes in the temples of Turan, who are the priests behind the priests of Tarim, urged me to bestir myself in behalf of Yezdigerd. For reasons of my own, I complied.”
 Mind Control (Sorcery; Vision-Based; Alternative Ability)
  “And first, to humble your pride, you shall travel back through the lost ages, and view all the shapes that have been you. Aie, yil la khosa!”
 Mind Reading (Sorcery; Alternative Ability)
  “I have read it in your mind, princess. Your weak, human mind, filled with petty dreams of hate and revenge.”
  “And I read in your childish mind an intention to seduce by your feminine wiles to attempt your purpose, anyway.”
 Sorcerous Empowerment 12
 Unaging
  “I was born on this planet, long ago. Once I was a common man, nor have I lost all human attributes in the numberless eons of my adept-ship.”
  This might be a Chi ability, or something gained through Alchemy.
 Unfazeable
 Voice
  “I am the Master of Yimsha.” The tone was rich and resonant, like the mellow notes of a temple bell.

Disadvantages
 Callous
  “You will yield,” he answered with horrible conviction. “Fear and pain shall teach you. I will lash you with horror and agony to the last quivering ounce of your endurance, until you become as melted wax to be bent and molded in my hands as I desire. You shall know such discipline as no mortal woman ever knew, until my slightest command is to you as the unalterable will of the gods.”

Skills
 Meditation - 14 (Will+0)

Wildcard Skills
 Occult! - 20 (IQ+6)
  This encompasses the use of Dreaming to guide his Illusion ability.


Considerations: Alternate Form (snake); Alternate Form (vulture); Inner Balance; Sadism.

[1F409]

Bajujh, King of Bakalah

On an ivory stool, flanked by giants in plumed head-pieces and leopard-skin girdles, sat a fat, squat shape, abysmal, repulsive, a toad-like chunk of blackness, reeking of the dank rotting jungle and the nighted swamps. The creature’s pudgy hands rested on the sleek arch of his belly; his nape was a roll of sooty fat that seemed to thrust his bullet head forward. His eyes gleamed in the firelight, like live coals in a dead black stump. Their appalling vitality belied the inert suggestion of the gross body.

— The Vale of Lost Women

Descriptive text goes here.


And power meant military prestige—violence was the only thing respected by those ferocious races.

[1F409]

Livia

“My name is Livia,” she answered. “I am Bajujh’s captive. Oh, listen, please listen to me! I can not stay here long. I must return before they miss me from my hut.
 “My brother—” a sob choked her, then she continued: “My brother was Theteles, and we were of the house of Chelkus, scientists and noblemen of Ophir….”

— The Vale of Lost Women

Descriptive text goes here.

Attributes
 ST 8
 DX 10
 IQ 11
  “…we were of the house of Chelkus, scientists and noblemen of Ophir…”
 HT 10

Secondary Characteristics
 Dmg 1d−4 thr, 1d−2 sw
 BL 13 lbs.
 HP 10
 Will 11
 Per 10
 FP 10
 Speed 5.00
 Move 5
 Dodge 8
 5′?″
 ? lbs.
 SM 0

Social Background
 TL: 2?
 CF:
  Hyborian
  Stygian
 Languages:
  Kushite (Broken/None)
   Neither the wench’s words nor her actions had stirred the surface of Livia’s consciousness.
   “But they did us no harm, and let us know that they [the Kushites] would parley with the Stygians and accept a ransom for our return.”
   “The black people spoke of it—a god from far away and long ago!”
   Livia was likely not held captive long enough to learn a Kushite language, yet she seems to have been able to understand either the dialect in Bakalah or that of her previous Kushite ransomers. It might signify a multi-lingual education, or even the application of Language Talent in the short time that was available.
  Ophirean (Native)
  Stygian (Accented)
   “By special permission of the king of Stygia, my brother was allowed to go to Kheshatta, the city of magicians, to study their arts, and I accompanied him.”

Advantages
 Status 3 (child of a lesser noble)
  “…the house of Chelkus, scientists and noblemen of Ophir…”

Skills
 Riding (Horse) - 9 (DX−1)
  Blindly she caught at a flying mane, was jerked off her feet, struck the ground again on her toes, sprang high, pulled and scrambled herself upon the horse’s straining back.
  It sounds as if she has training in Acrobatics or Riding, or is particularly dextrous.
  Livia could make no attempt to guide her steed, nor did she feel any need of so doing.
  That may have been on account of the horse bolting in fear.
 Savoir-Faire (High Society) - 11 (IQ+0)

[1F409]

Nabonidus

At a court festival, Nabonidus, the Red Priest, who was the real ruler of the city, touched Murilo, the young aristocrat, courteously on the arm. Murilo turned to meet the priest’s enigmatic gaze, and to wonder at the hidden meaning therein. No words passed between them, but Nabonidus bowed and handed Murilo a small gold cask. The young nobleman, knowing that Nabonidus did nothing without reason, excused himself at the first opportunity and returned hastily to his chamber. There he opened the cask and found within a human ear, which he recognized by a peculiar scar upon it. He broke into a profuse sweat, and was no longer in doubt about the meaning in the Red Priest’s glance.

— Rogues in the House

Whereas most priests dabble in the supernatural, Nabonidus is a man of science. The advancements in gadgetry and traps engineered for his dwelling are rivaled only by his knowledge of exotic flora and fauna, and his skill at political manipulation. He is a man centuries ahead of his time.

Attributes
 ST 10
 DX 12
  He ran toward the steps and up them with an agility that amazed Murilo.
  To be “amazed” seems at least a step above being merely impressed.
 IQ 12
  Whatever terrific jolt had temporarily addled his razor-keen brain, it was functioning with its accustomed vigor again.
  “Keen” would warrant a bonus, “razor-keen” even moreso. Possibly extra for “vigor”.
 HT 10

Secondary Characteristics
 Dmg 1d−2 thr, 1d sw
 BL 20 lbs.
 HP 10
 Will 12
 Per 10
 FP 10
 Speed 5.00
 Move 5
 Dodge 8
 5′?″
 ? lbs.
 SM 0

Social Background
 TL: 3?
 CF:
  Hyborian
 Languages:
  Corinthian (Native)
   “His people dwell far to the east, in the mountains that fringe the eastern frontiers of Zamora.”
   If the story was taking place in Zamora, there would have been no reason for Nabonidus to mention the country as he did. In fact, Howard himself once wrote, “I am of the opinion that the city was one of the small city-states lying just west of Zamora, and into which Conan had wandered after leaving Zamora.”

Advantages
 Ally (manservant Joka; 25% value, on 12 or less)
  “Joka would have come to my aid, even against Thak, whom he always hated.”
 Clerical Investment
 Gadgeteer
  Murilo realized that the priest must be centuries ahead of his generation, to perfect such an invention…
 Religious Rank 5
 Status 2
  As per the description in GURPS Basic Set: “A large house with grounds, one or two other properties, a couple of expensive cars, a few other vehicles, and a housekeeper.”

Disadvantages
 Callous
  “You exploit a whole kingdom for your personal greed, and under the guise of disinterested statesmanship, you swindle the king, beggar the rich, oppress the poor, and sacrifice the whole future of the nation for your ruthless ambition.”
 Code of Honor (Professional)
  “Even the Red Priest would not break that oath.”
 Overconfidence
  “At any rate, he struck when I least expected it.”
  “…had he not paused to taunt us, he could have trapped us easily.”

Quirks
 Legalistic
  “I bargained to help you escape,” answered the priest; “not to betray my secrets.”
  “I swore I would not tell the king a jest concerning you! I did not swear not to take matters into my own hands if I could.”

Wildcard Skills
 Courtier! - 12 (IQ+0)
  The greatest mystery of that mysterious house was Nabonidus himself, whose power of intrigue and grasp on international politics had made him the strongest man in the kingdom. People, chancellor and king moved puppet-like on the strings he worked.
 Science! - 12 (IQ+0)
  “Some would call him an ape, but he is almost as different from a real ape as he is different from a real man. His people dwell far to the east, in the mountains that fringe the eastern frontiers of Zamora. There are not many of them, but if they are not exterminated, I believe they will become human beings, in perhaps a hundred thousand years.”
  “The dust of the gray lotus, from the Swamps of the Dead, beyond the land of Khitai.”
  “…he knows the doom of the gray lotus, which brings madness and death.”
  “…if we open that door he has but to tug that rope, and blast us into eternity.”
  “Do you see those mirrors on the walls? They transmit the reflection of the room into these tubes, down which other mirrors carry it to reflect it at last on an enlarged scale in this great mirror.”
  “It is simple; the glass panels work in grooves in the doorways. Jerking the rope trips the spring that holds them. They slide down and lock in place, and can only be worked from outside. The glass is unbreakable; a man with a mallet could not shatter it.”
  “Nearly every chamber in my house is a trap.”

[1F409]

I still have quite a few snippets to convert and post in board format, but they may come a bit slower, due to recent events. A couple of weeks ago, I was kicked out of the GURPS server on Discord, seemingly by the same moderator who had once suggested that I submit my Conan analysis for publication in the Steve Jackson Games periodical, Pyramid -- an invitation which I had spurned, being that I knew a thing or two about how the company treats people. Now that I'm cut off from that source of quick references and discussion of GURPS topics, my enthusiasm for the gaming system is a bit dampened, but I'll do my best to continue adapting the Hyborian Age characters and setting.

On the bright side, the kerfuffle may have successfully divorced me from the strictures of Fourth Edition. For some time, I've been contemplating putting together my own hodgepodge collection of GURPS styles and rules, culminating in what I half-jokingly call "GURPS Fnord Edition". This, I announced shortly after the aforementioned incident, by way of a new Discord server which I created, called "GURPS NSFW". (If anyone here wants to stop in and argue REH stuff in a more informal manner than here on the board, I'd be glad for the help.) In one of the first posts, I cover stylistic changes to the basic stat block, explaining my reasons for adopting some optional rules that are out there, as well as why I think some of the secondary characteristics could be pruned back to the look of previous editions.

So, here's the big question: Should I keep the posts here in Fourth Edition format? It's a lot of work already, co-ordinating my PDF source files with the forum posts, so mixing things up even further might be a bad idea. Yet, if the suggestions I've made for "Fnord Edition" are worthwhile, it might be better to nip things in the bud and use that style from here on out, gradually amending prior posts when I get to them.


Edit: Here's an example of my current proposal for the stat block...

ST 15 [50]; DX 14 [80]; IQ 12 [40]; HT 14 [40].
 Speed 7.00 [0]; Move 8 [5]; Dodge 11*.
 BL 63 lbs.; Dmg 2d−1 thr, 2d+1 sw.
 SM 0; 6′3″; 240 lbs.; 1 hex.
 Parry 14†; Block 11‡.

* Includes bonus from Combat Reflexes.
† Broadsword skill, with Combat Reflexes.
‡ Shield skill, with Combat Reflexes.

[Von K]

That's tough call IF409. There may not be many of us here familiar enough with GURPs 4th who would be able to appreciate the subtleties of your amendments. Imho you should go for the approach you find most personally inspiring, but that's just a suggestion.

[1F409]

This strays a bit off-topic, but it explains some of the weirdness has begun to sap my gumption....

Something that I've encountered, which may be at the root of my difficulties with the GURPS community is so-called "wokeness". For example, there is a Discord user with whom I'd had a brief discussion of Conan, on account of his own posts about the character's presence in a GURPS supplement. When I asked whether he might be interested in my Hyborian Age adaptation, he claimed to have "intentionally not engaged with Robert E. Howard's work directly" on account of what he deemed Howard's "politics".

I didn't press the matter, but later this same user put a finer point on it, explaining that he wants nothing to do with projects that give shelter to Howard's supposed "racism" and "white supremacy", nor with people who have been banned from the GURPS server on Discord. (He also refused my request of inquiring on my behalf to determine whether the banning incident may have led to a fellow Discord user mistakenly blocking me in the midst of our collaboration on a separate project.) All that, he conveyed in a short but haughty rant, then unfriended me.

So, this guy refuses to read REH because of what he's heard, and he assumes that if I was banned it must have been for a good reason (as opposed to, say, a moderator's vendetta over me refusing to submit my Conan analysis for publication by the company). At the same time, he feels it's entirely appropriate to utilize the Conan character, divorced in an almost-plagiaristic manner from its literary roots. To me, the attitude seems full of contradictions, and I'm having a hard time coming to grips with such a mindset.

All in all, these experiences have made me wonder whether our future will soon include a book burning. Then again, Howard did want to be lifted on the pyre!


Anyway, back to the project....

Feb 6, 2022 17:45:16 GMT -5 Von K said:

That's tough call IF409. There may not be many of us here familiar enough with GURPs 4th who would be able to appreciate the subtleties of your amendments. Imho you should go for the approach you find most personally inspiring, but that's just a suggestion.

Your encouragement is appreciated, but even better would be some pushback! Go ahead and argue with me over what traits the characters should have! (The trait names are fairly self-explanatory; or just wing it.) My goal is to support everything with evidence. Sometimes the evidence is contradictory, but mostly it's just about deciding which passage encompasses an idea the best.

[1F409]

I've added a link to GURPS Lite, a free, 32-page distillation of the rules.  That should help interested parties get acquainted with the game's terminology.