LordYam does a Conan Tv Show
Jan 3, 2022 20:04:58 GMT -5
Post by lordyam on Jan 3, 2022 20:04:58 GMT -5
It's been two years and I've had time to think and improve as a writer or idea man. Feedback would still be much appreciated.
Note: While I do respect Howard's work there are some changes that will be made for the sake of practicality. Certain stories might not be adopted either because they're the kind that would the producers crucified in today's age or just for the sake of better pacing.
Some background info
Background Lore
1.) Epimitreus is the one who defeated Xaltotun 1500 years ago; Acheron is accordingly moved to have been active around 1500 years ago. Xaltotun's desire to break Conan also stems from the fact that he was unable to conquer Cimmeria (basically he's a sore loser who hates that the Cimmerians were able to successfully defy him). Breaking Conan is a way to (sort of) rectify that for the time being.
2.) The cult of Ibis is a rebel movement in Stygia, composed of those who defy the serpent. They work to stop Stygia from expanding, and we see that there are common people who are receptive to the message of Ibis (especially since Stygia is a stagnant country and Ibis seeks reform).
3.) Stygia is very much a power in decay. After Epimitreus defeated Acheron 1500 years ago the Hyborians spread southwards, and eventually Greater Stygia was pushed back to the River borders. And while Set still holds sway there are regions that defy him (the Taia province for instance), and the Cult of Ibis is funding rebellions. Thoth Amon is a background figure who is trying to fight the tide of Stygia's decay and restore it to glory (which makes him an oddly noble antagonist.)
4.) There's occasionally a special between seasons to help develop the world.
5.) Khostra Kel is mentioned as a tyrannical monster who plagued the region 1000 years ago. A Turanian Warrior defeated him with the mystical dagger and the Kings of Turan are (allegedly) descended from this warrior. How true this is is anyone's guess
Pilot Special: This is somewhat based on the DH comics run in a few areas (the first we see Conan is when he cuts a Vanir would be rapist in twain.) Conan meets up with them and bonds with the Aesir (Frost Giant's Daughter won't occur on scene; in today's world it would cause too much trouble and one can imagine it occurred offscreen. Not to mention it might kill the pacing.) Anyway they get captured by Hyperboreans and most of them are sacrificed. Vammatar (the evil sorcerer queen) however, is attracted to Conan and tries to seduce him.....when he refuses she throws him into the arena to die. Conan meets a Nemedian youth who fled home after an argument and now wants to return home. One of Vammatar's handmaidens comes to care for Conan and helps him and the others escape. Conan is able to save only a few Aesir survivors and they escape....but the handmaiden and the Nemedian die in the process. Conan heads south into the Southern lands to fulfill the Nemedian's last request (returning his father's stolen talisman.)
Season 1: Conan fulfills the task, at which point he meets Aztrias. Aztrias persuades Conan to help him loot Kalian's house of antiques, leading to god in the bowl. The experience makes Conan realize he needs to learn more so he heads to Zamora. He befriends a court secretary, who teaches Conan the language as well as how to read and write more. The guy gets murdered, prompting Conan to avenge him in a manner most gory. The guy also tells Conan about Yara, leading into Tower of the Elephant. After this Conan's star continues to rise, but eventually he pisses off enough people that Nestor is called in, leading into Halls of the Dead. Conan flees to Corinthia, where we get the rest of the Nestor arc. Rogues in the House is the final episode.
Special 2: Conan in Cimmeria. This would serve largely as world building. We find out more about Conan here, and we also get some hints about Acheron (there are some Acheronian ruins, and Conan faces a Blood Defiler. We also learn that Xaltotun tried to conquer Cimmeria and that he was defeated in one of the only times all the clans united in Cimmerian History.) Conan decides to head out to the lands his grandfather never visited.....the east.
Season 2: Conan arrives in Agraphur....and gets caught stealing. He's offered a choice between a harsh punishment or enlistment. He chooses enlistment, and learns more about the bow. Vammatar meanwhile makes her move for power, unleashing a zombie horde upon the world. Things culminate in a desperate do or die mission to the Hyperborean capital, where Conan gets revenge by killing Vammatar (am also considering having Conan defeat a powerful minion by breaking his neck a la Baal Petor). However things begin to decline towards the back half of the season; his commander (a decent if pompous sort) is killed and replaced by a sociopathic monster. Conan finally has enough when the General butchers the city of Razadan after having promised mercy and kills the sadistic madman; he's sentenced to death for defying his general but a man he had saved (who owes Conan) helps him escape. Conan takes the opportunity to kill the General, but has to flee back West to escape punishment, a wanted man now. Conan than arrive in Argos and befriend the Soldier and his ladyfriend. We also see him get arrested and dragged before the judge after an adventure, who he kills. Ends with Conan fleeing into the streets.
Season 3: This is purely Queen of the Black Coast. A few changes I'm making. Belit is still ruthless but she does have some standards. She'll give crews a chance to surrender before she goes all out (this is one reason why Conan isn't as angered about Tito's death. The guy knew her reputation and STILL tried to fight back, getting himself and his crew killed.) She's also shown liberating slaves and even many of the corsairs are those she saved from galleys. More importantly she also has some relations with certain black kingdoms. Conan and Belit have adventures (they meet Kalanthes and help him in the Well of Skelos; Kal returns the favor by giving them Ibis's blessing to shield them from Thoth's wrath.) They also burn the Stygian fleet in harbor (Thoth sicks it on them as payback since they really pissed him off). We get Abombi as well, but the season ends with Belit's death and Conan sadly fleeing into the jungle. One of the recurring side characters is a G'quma expy (in real life Gquma was a white british girl who crashed in South Africa in 1737 or so; she was adopted by the Xhosa and eventually ended up becoming a powerful queen in the region.) The character is white girl who crashed in the black kingdoms and was adopted by the local tribes before marrying a powerful chieftain; she's shown to be the queen to a black lord who Belit does business with).
Special 3: Conan has taken refuge with the Gquma expy but an enemy raid forces Conan and the Queen (who's now heavily pregnant) to escape. They arrive in Kush, and get dragged into the rebellion lead by the Gallah against their cruel Chaga overlords (though the circumstances are fairly complicated. For instance there are Chaga who genuinely want equality and are helping the rebellion, and there are Gallah who are stooges for the regime.) The Rebel leader (Amboola) is killed by the Pig monster, but Conan is able to defeat it and the guy's second in command is able to lead the rebels to victory. The Gquma expy stays behind, having fallen in love with one of the rebels and not feeling like she has a place in Hyboria.
Season 4: The first half is the buildup to Black Colossus with Black Colossus being the Midseason finale. The big change I made is that many Shemite tribes refuse to join Thugra and flee North. They offer Conan their aid, and Conan's decision to trust them over Thespides' (and Yasmela's) objections is what ultimately allows Thugra to be defeated. I feel it softens some potential unfortunate implications while still being a rousing tale. Thugra's death is still appropriately anticlimactic and Conan and Yasmela hook up on the altar. The second half is buildup to Iron Shadows + Iron Shadows.
First off is the Terror of Kuthchemes. About a month or two has passed and Conan and Yasmela are a couple.....but things are very clearly fraying. They're two VERY different people and at this point Conan's not cut out for Courtly life. Conan also feels obligated to get Khossus out of that Ophirean prison. So he and the most badass members of the crew launch a secret mission to raid Kuthchemes and pillage its gold to pay off the ransom. Sergius is one of the men and he tries to betray them and steal all the gold for himself (aided by mutineers.) The fight ends with Sergius defeated, and heavily injured, before running off into the desert. Conan lets him go, thinking he'll die.....which comes back to haunt him big time.
Conan takes the Free Companions away for further adventures. Conan quickly leads them to greater heights but when his client makes peace with the King of Koth, Conan decides to head East again, raiding Turan to his hearts content. However Sergius has in fact survived their last encounter and is still pissed so he rats Conan out to Amurath, leading to the Free Companions being slaughtered. Conan meets Olivia and they join up. When Conan fights Sergius he spitefully reveals how he was the one who ratted Conan out....which backfires horribly when Conan gets the berserker rage to finish him. Conan and Olivia then become Pirates themselves.
Special 4: Conan trains Olivia in how to be a Pirate and even sacks Akif to help her get closure, but realizes he chafes under the codes of the Red Brotherhood and so decides it's time to call it quits. He leaves Olivia in charge and than heads west, winding up in Khauran.
Season 5: This is largely AWSBB. We have the buildup of Conan working with Taramis, and establish her as the beloved queen (though there are rumors about the dirty family secret). Notably we also meet Khajara, who starts out as a wide eyed ingenue servant who gets sold into slavery when Salome comes to power. Things get worse for her. MUCH worse as she gets sold into slavery in Turan before going through a Trauma Conga Line). What follows is several plot lines.
a.) Conan working his way to the top as Olgerd's second in command. We get hints that the tribes are REALLY gravitating towards Conan. Conan also makes contact with Khaurani survivors.
b.) Khajara gets a rise of her own. She gets sold into slavery in Turan, and her master is a disgusting pig who rapes her. Khajara is at her breaking point when she's told that there are two people, the strong who be consumed and the weak who accept their lot in life or be devoured. She decides she's going to be one of the strong, and so is able to play possum until having all the evidence she needs to turn on her Master and alert Yezdigerd to his treachery, which ends with her master executed and Khajara getting into YEZDIGERD'S Seraglio.
c.) Salome and Constantius being utterly evil (though Constantius controls a Free Companion style army of men from all over the world). However, Salome is given a bit more pathos here; when she and Taramis are in the dungeon she gets a more protracted motive rant about how Taramis got everything while she was forever discarded. Taramis also calls her out on her bullshit, pointing out that her crappy childhood doesn't excuse her crimes.
We get the climax, which ends with Salome's defeat and Conan getting his messy revenge on Constantius.
Season 6: The first half is Conan welding the Zuagir with the local Kozaki tribes and making it a force to be reckoned with. Khajara continues her rise to power as well and we even get to see a human side to Yezdigerd. When he first tries to sleep with her she instinctively flinches (her master's previous abuse is still fairly fresh.) Yezdigerd is at first annoyed but is understanding, and they just end up talking. Khajara and Yezdigerd thus build genuine trust between them. Khajara also suggests using stealth to defeat Conan (she'd met him once or twice and so realizes he's a man of direct action.) Kerim Shah is sent to infiltrate the horde and manages to trick Conan into launching a mass attack on Agraphur itself......this goes wrong (since it's a trap and all) and Conan's horde is mostly wiped out (cue Illbars flashbacks) and Conan narrowly escapes. His surviving lieutenants are slated to be executed, so Conan and Olivia have to work together to save them. They do this by taking Khajara captive and forcing Yezdigerd to choose between her life and the prestige of executing the captives (there's a scene where Conan holds a dagger to her throat and JUST starts to draw blood when Yezdigerd surrenders and releases the hostages. Conan and the others part ways.
The Second half is People of the Black Circle (plus an episode or two of Buildup). There are a few changes (Conan's less pushy with the Devi and is willing to let her go, the final fight with the Master of Yimsha is more epic and grandiose, and Conan and Kerim have a more tense interaction, since Conan recognizes him as the traitor.) The Last episode is a juxtaposition between Conan and Khajara. Conan realizes his position with the Afghuli is untenable and leaves before things get bad; Khajara meanwhile revisits Khauran for a sense of closure and we see just how much colder she's become (when Taramis apologizes Khajara realizes that all Salome proves is that Taramis was a weak leader.) She meets her father again....but things ultimately end poorly when he realizes just how cold she's become (the final straw is when she moves to beat a slave who accidentally spilled her goblet) and the entire thing just ends in tears. Khajara realizes she's sold her soul for power.....and she's a ok with it.
Special 5: Conan heads to Khitai and winds up in the middle of an attempt to overthrow the Emperor and replace him with the wicked Yah Chieng, leader of the Scarlet Circle. Conan helps thwart the coup (as weak as the Emperor is, Yah Cheing is MUCH worse) and than decides to head back West. He also unknowingly fathers another bastard child on a local Khitan woman.
Season 7: Beyond the Black River gets adapted (for the Picts I'm taking the Jonah Hex approach. They do have noble qualities but they can be VERY fucking scary at the same time. It's also made clear that the Picts are motivated in part by revenge for the atrocities settlers have committed.) Conan also gets captured but escapes further inland and ultimately heads out to sea (usurping Zaprovo in the process and fighting the Pool of the Black One). He eventually winds up in the Black Kingdoms again, and by chance happens to meet Valeria of the Red Brotherhood. This leads into Red Nails as a Season finale (with some changes. Conan comes off as rather stalkery in the original story so the circumstances they meet are a little different.)
Season 8: Conan and Valeria return north to Aquilonia; Conan is recruited into the military and earns renown when he turns what would have been a disastrous defeat into a victory. Nemedides is jealous of Conan and so has him imprisoned and slated for execution on trumped up charges. Valeria is able to break Conan out but Conan decides he ain't having it and goes on the warpath against the king. What follows is a season long struggle that ends with Conan strangling Numidides on his throne. Horray! Now he has to actually RUN the kingdom.
Season 9: Starts out with Phoenix on the Sword. Conan's still unused to being King, and a major theme of the Season is Conan growing into the role. One of the most critical moments is when a farmer desperately asks Conan for justice on behalf of his murdered daughter, who was raped and killed by a nobleman who's advances she spurned. Conan makes sure justice is done and the son is punished for his crimes. Conan realizes that he made a positive difference for these people and actively starts reforming things to that the nobles are no longer above the law. This makes Conan's decision to reject the offer in Scarlet Citadel THAT much more meaningful.
Special 6: A prequel to Hour of the Dragon. We see Conan make his state visit to Nemedia, and we also focus on the band of Zamorians who are trying to steal Xaltotun's coffin and the Heart of Ahriman.
Season 10: Hour of the Dragon. This is a feature length season. The four conspirators get Xal's body from Stygia and the Heart of Ahriman, and so revive Xaltotun. Xaltotun kills the Nemeidan Royal family with a plague, and before the Aquilonain invasion takes the time to spiritually travel to Mount Gulmira and knock Epimitreus out of action (thus explaining why the heck he doesn't get involved). Valkia occurs, and Xaltotun keeps Conan. He wants a potential pawn and is still furious that the Cimmerians were able to defy him all those years ago. Zenobia saves Conan, and Conan makes his escape to Aquilonia. The story plays out, with scenes of Xaltotun making preparations and Valerius running the country down the crapper. Conan retrieves the Heart and we get the final climax. Like in DH Zenobia's on the altar and Conan's present when Xaltotun is defeated. At this point the main series ends, though I may be considering other specials.
Note: While I do respect Howard's work there are some changes that will be made for the sake of practicality. Certain stories might not be adopted either because they're the kind that would the producers crucified in today's age or just for the sake of better pacing.
Some background info
Background Lore
1.) Epimitreus is the one who defeated Xaltotun 1500 years ago; Acheron is accordingly moved to have been active around 1500 years ago. Xaltotun's desire to break Conan also stems from the fact that he was unable to conquer Cimmeria (basically he's a sore loser who hates that the Cimmerians were able to successfully defy him). Breaking Conan is a way to (sort of) rectify that for the time being.
2.) The cult of Ibis is a rebel movement in Stygia, composed of those who defy the serpent. They work to stop Stygia from expanding, and we see that there are common people who are receptive to the message of Ibis (especially since Stygia is a stagnant country and Ibis seeks reform).
3.) Stygia is very much a power in decay. After Epimitreus defeated Acheron 1500 years ago the Hyborians spread southwards, and eventually Greater Stygia was pushed back to the River borders. And while Set still holds sway there are regions that defy him (the Taia province for instance), and the Cult of Ibis is funding rebellions. Thoth Amon is a background figure who is trying to fight the tide of Stygia's decay and restore it to glory (which makes him an oddly noble antagonist.)
4.) There's occasionally a special between seasons to help develop the world.
5.) Khostra Kel is mentioned as a tyrannical monster who plagued the region 1000 years ago. A Turanian Warrior defeated him with the mystical dagger and the Kings of Turan are (allegedly) descended from this warrior. How true this is is anyone's guess
Pilot Special: This is somewhat based on the DH comics run in a few areas (the first we see Conan is when he cuts a Vanir would be rapist in twain.) Conan meets up with them and bonds with the Aesir (Frost Giant's Daughter won't occur on scene; in today's world it would cause too much trouble and one can imagine it occurred offscreen. Not to mention it might kill the pacing.) Anyway they get captured by Hyperboreans and most of them are sacrificed. Vammatar (the evil sorcerer queen) however, is attracted to Conan and tries to seduce him.....when he refuses she throws him into the arena to die. Conan meets a Nemedian youth who fled home after an argument and now wants to return home. One of Vammatar's handmaidens comes to care for Conan and helps him and the others escape. Conan is able to save only a few Aesir survivors and they escape....but the handmaiden and the Nemedian die in the process. Conan heads south into the Southern lands to fulfill the Nemedian's last request (returning his father's stolen talisman.)
Season 1: Conan fulfills the task, at which point he meets Aztrias. Aztrias persuades Conan to help him loot Kalian's house of antiques, leading to god in the bowl. The experience makes Conan realize he needs to learn more so he heads to Zamora. He befriends a court secretary, who teaches Conan the language as well as how to read and write more. The guy gets murdered, prompting Conan to avenge him in a manner most gory. The guy also tells Conan about Yara, leading into Tower of the Elephant. After this Conan's star continues to rise, but eventually he pisses off enough people that Nestor is called in, leading into Halls of the Dead. Conan flees to Corinthia, where we get the rest of the Nestor arc. Rogues in the House is the final episode.
Special 2: Conan in Cimmeria. This would serve largely as world building. We find out more about Conan here, and we also get some hints about Acheron (there are some Acheronian ruins, and Conan faces a Blood Defiler. We also learn that Xaltotun tried to conquer Cimmeria and that he was defeated in one of the only times all the clans united in Cimmerian History.) Conan decides to head out to the lands his grandfather never visited.....the east.
Season 2: Conan arrives in Agraphur....and gets caught stealing. He's offered a choice between a harsh punishment or enlistment. He chooses enlistment, and learns more about the bow. Vammatar meanwhile makes her move for power, unleashing a zombie horde upon the world. Things culminate in a desperate do or die mission to the Hyperborean capital, where Conan gets revenge by killing Vammatar (am also considering having Conan defeat a powerful minion by breaking his neck a la Baal Petor). However things begin to decline towards the back half of the season; his commander (a decent if pompous sort) is killed and replaced by a sociopathic monster. Conan finally has enough when the General butchers the city of Razadan after having promised mercy and kills the sadistic madman; he's sentenced to death for defying his general but a man he had saved (who owes Conan) helps him escape. Conan takes the opportunity to kill the General, but has to flee back West to escape punishment, a wanted man now. Conan than arrive in Argos and befriend the Soldier and his ladyfriend. We also see him get arrested and dragged before the judge after an adventure, who he kills. Ends with Conan fleeing into the streets.
Season 3: This is purely Queen of the Black Coast. A few changes I'm making. Belit is still ruthless but she does have some standards. She'll give crews a chance to surrender before she goes all out (this is one reason why Conan isn't as angered about Tito's death. The guy knew her reputation and STILL tried to fight back, getting himself and his crew killed.) She's also shown liberating slaves and even many of the corsairs are those she saved from galleys. More importantly she also has some relations with certain black kingdoms. Conan and Belit have adventures (they meet Kalanthes and help him in the Well of Skelos; Kal returns the favor by giving them Ibis's blessing to shield them from Thoth's wrath.) They also burn the Stygian fleet in harbor (Thoth sicks it on them as payback since they really pissed him off). We get Abombi as well, but the season ends with Belit's death and Conan sadly fleeing into the jungle. One of the recurring side characters is a G'quma expy (in real life Gquma was a white british girl who crashed in South Africa in 1737 or so; she was adopted by the Xhosa and eventually ended up becoming a powerful queen in the region.) The character is white girl who crashed in the black kingdoms and was adopted by the local tribes before marrying a powerful chieftain; she's shown to be the queen to a black lord who Belit does business with).
Special 3: Conan has taken refuge with the Gquma expy but an enemy raid forces Conan and the Queen (who's now heavily pregnant) to escape. They arrive in Kush, and get dragged into the rebellion lead by the Gallah against their cruel Chaga overlords (though the circumstances are fairly complicated. For instance there are Chaga who genuinely want equality and are helping the rebellion, and there are Gallah who are stooges for the regime.) The Rebel leader (Amboola) is killed by the Pig monster, but Conan is able to defeat it and the guy's second in command is able to lead the rebels to victory. The Gquma expy stays behind, having fallen in love with one of the rebels and not feeling like she has a place in Hyboria.
Season 4: The first half is the buildup to Black Colossus with Black Colossus being the Midseason finale. The big change I made is that many Shemite tribes refuse to join Thugra and flee North. They offer Conan their aid, and Conan's decision to trust them over Thespides' (and Yasmela's) objections is what ultimately allows Thugra to be defeated. I feel it softens some potential unfortunate implications while still being a rousing tale. Thugra's death is still appropriately anticlimactic and Conan and Yasmela hook up on the altar. The second half is buildup to Iron Shadows + Iron Shadows.
First off is the Terror of Kuthchemes. About a month or two has passed and Conan and Yasmela are a couple.....but things are very clearly fraying. They're two VERY different people and at this point Conan's not cut out for Courtly life. Conan also feels obligated to get Khossus out of that Ophirean prison. So he and the most badass members of the crew launch a secret mission to raid Kuthchemes and pillage its gold to pay off the ransom. Sergius is one of the men and he tries to betray them and steal all the gold for himself (aided by mutineers.) The fight ends with Sergius defeated, and heavily injured, before running off into the desert. Conan lets him go, thinking he'll die.....which comes back to haunt him big time.
Conan takes the Free Companions away for further adventures. Conan quickly leads them to greater heights but when his client makes peace with the King of Koth, Conan decides to head East again, raiding Turan to his hearts content. However Sergius has in fact survived their last encounter and is still pissed so he rats Conan out to Amurath, leading to the Free Companions being slaughtered. Conan meets Olivia and they join up. When Conan fights Sergius he spitefully reveals how he was the one who ratted Conan out....which backfires horribly when Conan gets the berserker rage to finish him. Conan and Olivia then become Pirates themselves.
Special 4: Conan trains Olivia in how to be a Pirate and even sacks Akif to help her get closure, but realizes he chafes under the codes of the Red Brotherhood and so decides it's time to call it quits. He leaves Olivia in charge and than heads west, winding up in Khauran.
Season 5: This is largely AWSBB. We have the buildup of Conan working with Taramis, and establish her as the beloved queen (though there are rumors about the dirty family secret). Notably we also meet Khajara, who starts out as a wide eyed ingenue servant who gets sold into slavery when Salome comes to power. Things get worse for her. MUCH worse as she gets sold into slavery in Turan before going through a Trauma Conga Line). What follows is several plot lines.
a.) Conan working his way to the top as Olgerd's second in command. We get hints that the tribes are REALLY gravitating towards Conan. Conan also makes contact with Khaurani survivors.
b.) Khajara gets a rise of her own. She gets sold into slavery in Turan, and her master is a disgusting pig who rapes her. Khajara is at her breaking point when she's told that there are two people, the strong who be consumed and the weak who accept their lot in life or be devoured. She decides she's going to be one of the strong, and so is able to play possum until having all the evidence she needs to turn on her Master and alert Yezdigerd to his treachery, which ends with her master executed and Khajara getting into YEZDIGERD'S Seraglio.
c.) Salome and Constantius being utterly evil (though Constantius controls a Free Companion style army of men from all over the world). However, Salome is given a bit more pathos here; when she and Taramis are in the dungeon she gets a more protracted motive rant about how Taramis got everything while she was forever discarded. Taramis also calls her out on her bullshit, pointing out that her crappy childhood doesn't excuse her crimes.
We get the climax, which ends with Salome's defeat and Conan getting his messy revenge on Constantius.
Season 6: The first half is Conan welding the Zuagir with the local Kozaki tribes and making it a force to be reckoned with. Khajara continues her rise to power as well and we even get to see a human side to Yezdigerd. When he first tries to sleep with her she instinctively flinches (her master's previous abuse is still fairly fresh.) Yezdigerd is at first annoyed but is understanding, and they just end up talking. Khajara and Yezdigerd thus build genuine trust between them. Khajara also suggests using stealth to defeat Conan (she'd met him once or twice and so realizes he's a man of direct action.) Kerim Shah is sent to infiltrate the horde and manages to trick Conan into launching a mass attack on Agraphur itself......this goes wrong (since it's a trap and all) and Conan's horde is mostly wiped out (cue Illbars flashbacks) and Conan narrowly escapes. His surviving lieutenants are slated to be executed, so Conan and Olivia have to work together to save them. They do this by taking Khajara captive and forcing Yezdigerd to choose between her life and the prestige of executing the captives (there's a scene where Conan holds a dagger to her throat and JUST starts to draw blood when Yezdigerd surrenders and releases the hostages. Conan and the others part ways.
The Second half is People of the Black Circle (plus an episode or two of Buildup). There are a few changes (Conan's less pushy with the Devi and is willing to let her go, the final fight with the Master of Yimsha is more epic and grandiose, and Conan and Kerim have a more tense interaction, since Conan recognizes him as the traitor.) The Last episode is a juxtaposition between Conan and Khajara. Conan realizes his position with the Afghuli is untenable and leaves before things get bad; Khajara meanwhile revisits Khauran for a sense of closure and we see just how much colder she's become (when Taramis apologizes Khajara realizes that all Salome proves is that Taramis was a weak leader.) She meets her father again....but things ultimately end poorly when he realizes just how cold she's become (the final straw is when she moves to beat a slave who accidentally spilled her goblet) and the entire thing just ends in tears. Khajara realizes she's sold her soul for power.....and she's a ok with it.
Special 5: Conan heads to Khitai and winds up in the middle of an attempt to overthrow the Emperor and replace him with the wicked Yah Chieng, leader of the Scarlet Circle. Conan helps thwart the coup (as weak as the Emperor is, Yah Cheing is MUCH worse) and than decides to head back West. He also unknowingly fathers another bastard child on a local Khitan woman.
Season 7: Beyond the Black River gets adapted (for the Picts I'm taking the Jonah Hex approach. They do have noble qualities but they can be VERY fucking scary at the same time. It's also made clear that the Picts are motivated in part by revenge for the atrocities settlers have committed.) Conan also gets captured but escapes further inland and ultimately heads out to sea (usurping Zaprovo in the process and fighting the Pool of the Black One). He eventually winds up in the Black Kingdoms again, and by chance happens to meet Valeria of the Red Brotherhood. This leads into Red Nails as a Season finale (with some changes. Conan comes off as rather stalkery in the original story so the circumstances they meet are a little different.)
Season 8: Conan and Valeria return north to Aquilonia; Conan is recruited into the military and earns renown when he turns what would have been a disastrous defeat into a victory. Nemedides is jealous of Conan and so has him imprisoned and slated for execution on trumped up charges. Valeria is able to break Conan out but Conan decides he ain't having it and goes on the warpath against the king. What follows is a season long struggle that ends with Conan strangling Numidides on his throne. Horray! Now he has to actually RUN the kingdom.
Season 9: Starts out with Phoenix on the Sword. Conan's still unused to being King, and a major theme of the Season is Conan growing into the role. One of the most critical moments is when a farmer desperately asks Conan for justice on behalf of his murdered daughter, who was raped and killed by a nobleman who's advances she spurned. Conan makes sure justice is done and the son is punished for his crimes. Conan realizes that he made a positive difference for these people and actively starts reforming things to that the nobles are no longer above the law. This makes Conan's decision to reject the offer in Scarlet Citadel THAT much more meaningful.
Special 6: A prequel to Hour of the Dragon. We see Conan make his state visit to Nemedia, and we also focus on the band of Zamorians who are trying to steal Xaltotun's coffin and the Heart of Ahriman.
Season 10: Hour of the Dragon. This is a feature length season. The four conspirators get Xal's body from Stygia and the Heart of Ahriman, and so revive Xaltotun. Xaltotun kills the Nemeidan Royal family with a plague, and before the Aquilonain invasion takes the time to spiritually travel to Mount Gulmira and knock Epimitreus out of action (thus explaining why the heck he doesn't get involved). Valkia occurs, and Xaltotun keeps Conan. He wants a potential pawn and is still furious that the Cimmerians were able to defy him all those years ago. Zenobia saves Conan, and Conan makes his escape to Aquilonia. The story plays out, with scenes of Xaltotun making preparations and Valerius running the country down the crapper. Conan retrieves the Heart and we get the final climax. Like in DH Zenobia's on the altar and Conan's present when Xaltotun is defeated. At this point the main series ends, though I may be considering other specials.
