Conan Adventures in An Age Undreamed Of - RPG

[Jason Aiken]

www.modiphius.com/conan.html

Kickstarter:



Nice cover by Brom.

[kane]

Some information on the upcoming Conan rpg Kickstarter......

CONAN RPG News and Exciting Kickstarter Preparations













Hi there,




We're continuing our preparations for the Conan RPG Kickstarter and thought you would like some more information on what books you can expect. Here's the first of some previews - today we're looking at the main releases you can expect such as the core book, GM screen and 'Conqueror's edition'. See below for news of Conan Exiles!


Robert E. Howard's Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of - Core Rulebook

The core rulebook for Robert E. Howard's Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of, this thick volume contains everything you'll need to adventure in the world of Robert E. Howard's hero, Conan. It is based entirely on the canonical Conan stories, and uses the 2D20 system developed by Modiphius and used in Mutant Chronicles 3rd Edition, Infinity, John Carter, and other fine games. This tome presents character generation, the game's rules, and a wealth of source material, including cultures, geography, religions, magic, gods, monsters, gamemastering advice, adventure seeds, and much more. This work has been developed by an all-star writing team, with close involvement by respected Robert E. Howard authorities, and is illustrated by world-renowned Conan artists. Full-color hardcover, 368 pages.

Robert E. Howard's Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of - Deluxe Conqueror's Edition Core Rulebook

This special, deluxe edition of Robert E. Howard's Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of Roleplaying Game will be published in a special soft leather binding. Durable and elegant, like your grandmother's Bible or your father's sword. Full-color soft leather cover, 368 pages.

Robert E. Howard's Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of - Deluxe Conqueror's Collection

This high quality leather and canvas Conqueror's bag includes the Deluxe Conqueror's core rulebook, the gamemaster's screen, a deluxe stone dice set, a leather Stygian Doom Pit to roll your dice, a set of Luck & Doom tokens, a map of the Hyborian world printed on leather, pre-printed character sheets for the archetypes presented in the core rulebook, a pad of blank character sheets, and a reference bookmark.

Robert E. Howard's Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of - Quickstart Adventure

This quickstart adventure contains all the rules you need to learn how to play the Conan roleplaying game, with a summary of rules, six pregenerated characters, and an introductory scenario: "To Race the Thunder." PDF and softcover brochure. We intend to print these in their thousands to distribute on the winds far and wide. The PDF of this will be available at launch.

Robert E. Howard's Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of - Player's Guide

A player-focused version of the core rulebook, this slim volume contains everything players need to create characters and to play the Conan roleplaying game. Full-color hardcover, 112 pages.

Robert E. Howard's Conan: Adventures in an Age Undreamed Of - Gamemaster Screen
This sturdy four-panel screen contains all of the useful tables and charts from the core rulebook, as well as rules summaries for quick reference. Illustrated on the player-facing side with dramatic Conan artwork, this gamemaster screen may also double as a shield from arrows, thrown tankards or ale horns, and even hatchets. Thick cardstock, four portrait-oriented panels with 32-page softcover booklet of





Next time we'll look at the first supplements you can expect.

As for myself, I'm planning on getting the Conquerors Bag an adding on the regular rulebook and the players edition of the rules.

[hoptimus]

This is looking pretty good so far!!

[Von K]

Here's some info about the planned releases posted by Jeff, almost a year ago now, on the main forum.

I'm reposting this here in case any of you missed it:

We hope to have at least one, possibly two, supplements ready to go right after the core. Remember these won't be your typical rpg
supplements. Each supplement will present a different type of play style based on the types of stories Howard wrote. And they will use Conan's
different career "gigs" as the framework. And they will contain all of those elements, player and GM info, relevant geographical info,
adventure seeds, new creatures and NPCs, optional rules, etc., but for a particular style of game. It's as much as about the How and the Why as
it is about the Who, What, and Where.

The first two supplements will be Thief and Barbarian (not the actual titles). So to give you an
example with the Thief book, the primary purpose is to be a guide to playing a game session like one of Howard's thief stories. It should
have the feel a of a caper of heist film, with the aesthetic of the 1924 Thief of Baghdad -- a street level urban environment with maze-like
thieves' quarters like the Maul, shady wealthy patrons that need a dirty job done, unlikely and uncertain allies brought together to pull of a
dangerous heist in a sorcerer's tower, corrupt officials and priests, crafty fences, guards on the take, etc.

There will be geographical info of course on Zamora and the eastern Hyborian kingdoms,
where the thief stories take place, but it will be more about *how* to play a game so that it feels like you're immersed in one of Howard's
thief stories. And you should be easily able to port a thief style campaign to any urban environment in the Hyborian Age

To give you another example, the Pirate book will be all about running a swashbuckling pirate session or campaign. Instead of having a separate
Barachan Isles book, an Argos book, a Zingara book, a Black Coast book, etc. it will cover the whole coast of the Western Sea, all the ports
like Tortage, Messantia, Khemi, etc. Also, the different factions like the Zingaran buccaneers, the Red Brotherhood, the Black Corsairs, etc.
There would be new optional rules like naval combat. But again the focus will be on the style of play -- running a game that feels like one of
Howard's pirate stories or like Rafael Sabatini's Captain Blood.

The supplements we've proposed are:

1. Barbarian: set in the North -- Cimmeria, Nordheim, Hyperborea; Play
style is like the viking stories of Harold Lamb mixed with Norse
mythology. Raids, blood feuds, etc.

2. Thief: Set in Zamora and the streets of the eastern Hyborian Kingdoms; Play style -- see above

3. Mercenary: Set primarily in the southern Hyborian kingdoms like Koth,
Ophir, Khoraja, Khauran, as well as Shem and Stygia. Play style should
feel like Harold Lamb's and Howard's own crusader stories, but focused
on playing as a low level grunt or sell-sword working their way up the
ranks and surviving the wars of petty kings and ambitious princes.

4. Pirate: Set along the Western Sea; play style see above.

5. Brigand: Set in Turanian territory, the Vilayet, and the central
deserts and steppes. Playing as a kozaki or Zuagir bandit, raiding
caravans, discovering lost cities in the desert, always with a Turanian
patrol breathing down your neck. The play style should be like some of
Howard's Oriental adventures and the cossack stories of Harold Lamb.

6. The East: This will focus on play in the eastern kingdoms, Vendhya,
Khitai, Kosala, Ghulistan. The play style should feel like the Oriental
adventure pulps. In the Himelians the game would be overshadowed by the
"Great Game" geopolitics of Turan and Vendhya using the hillmen as
pawns. And it should have the feel of Talbot Mundy or Kipling or
Howard's El Borak stories.

7. The Southern Kingdoms: this will focus on Stygia, Kush, and the Black Kingdoms.
The play style here should be like the adventure stories of Burroughs and H. Rider Haggard
-- ruined cities in the jungle, strange lost races, ancient pyramids hiding
Lovecraftian creatures, etc.

8. Border Scout: Set on the Aquilonian frontier, the Westermarck and the
Pictish Wilderness. Play style should be like the frontier stories of James
Fenmore Cooper and the Revolutionary war stories of Robert W. Chambers.

9. King: Set in the powerful nations of the Hyborian Kingdoms -- Aquilonia, Nemedia,
Koth, etc. but focus on playing a high level game from the point of
view of kings, nobles and generals. Imperial conquest, huge battles,
court intrigue and politics, nefarious sorcerers behind the throne,
assassination plots, etc. PLay style should be Arthurian and medieval
adventure like Doyle's The White Company meets Game of Thrones (remember
GRRM is heavily REH-influenced).

So this was a massive wall of text post, but I hope it gives you an idea of what we have in mind for this game we are trying to do
something completely new to capture the feel of the pulp adventure and weird horror of the original stories. We don't
want this game to feel like D&D with Hyborian place names -- we want it to feel like you are truly and completely immersed in one of
Howard's Conan stories in Weird Tales.



Originally posted March 2015 by Jeff Shanks

Looks like an awesome line up and, as far as I know, a novel approach in game supplement releases, one which gives a glimpse of the sheer amount of variety REH built into his Conan yarns.

[deuce]

Just saw that Modiphius has added Simon Bisley, Val Mayerik, Daren Bader and Liam Sharp as artists for the project.  Good news!

[kane]

Modiphius forums have stated that the KickStarter is planned to go live on Feb. 16th at noon GMT.

[Von K]

Here's the official Modiphius statement regarding the supplements:

Now let's take at look at the books you can expect beyond the illustrious core book and Conqueror's Edition! These are all beautiful 112 page full colour hardcover books with high quality Arctic White paper content (the same as Mutant: Year Zero if you have seen those books). We'll be working our way through these in order but we're also going to be splitting them up with some stunning geomorphic adventure tiles which feature similar movement spaces to Monolith's Conan boardgame (the Conan RPG does not use grid movement). We'll also be providing campaigns and short adventures by guest writers - more on those in the next update

Conan the Thief [Sourcebook] by Mark Finn
This sourcebook covers the countries of Nemedia, Brythunia, Corinthia, and especially Zamora, with a focus on using the City of Thieves as a base of operations for rogue-based campaigns. New thief-oriented character options and lifepaths are provided, and gamemaster advice for a "Way of Thieves" adventures or campaigns. Famous thieves such as Taurus and Shevatas are described, and heroes can rub shoulders with thugs and rogues in the Rat's Den, the worst tavern in all of Corinthia!

Conan the Barbarian [Sourcebook] by Jason Durall
From the wintry lands of Asgard and Vanaheim, to the rocky peaks of Hyperborea, and finally to the crags and hills of fog-bound Cimmeria, this sourcebook describes life for the barbarians of the Hyborian Age. Barbarian-themed lifepaths and character options are provided, and the terrifying gods of the north are described in all their grim glory. Heroes can drink mead along with Wulfhere or Horsa, and hear wild-eyed Old Gorm tell tales of the time he saw the frost giant's daughter.

Conan the Mercenary [Sourcebook] by Chris Lites
The "middle kingdoms" of the Hyborian world-Koth, Ophir, and Shem-are rife with conflict, defending their borders against enemies from within and without. Such conflict requires swords... and the hands to hold them. This sourcebook covers the path of the mercenary, those who would fight for others, in return for coin. Included are mercenary character options, including lifepaths and additional equipment, as well as expanded mass conflict rules.

Conan the Pirate [Sourcebook] by Jeb Boyt, Jesse Scoble and Anne Toole
Sail the red-dimmed seas as a reaver or explorer, seeking fortune on the farthest horizon. This sourcebook covers Argos and Zingara, the Pictish coastline, and the coasts of Shem, Stygia, Kush, and the Black Kingdoms, as well as the Barachan Islands and the Vilayet Sea. Join the Red Brotherhood or prove your mettle with the Zingaran Freebooters. Character options include pirate-themed lifepaths and options, as well as expanded ship combat rules and guidelines for ocean-going adventure.

Conan the Brigand [Sourcebook] by Timothy Brown and Chris Lites
In the land between the Hyborian lands and the Vilayet Sea are the minor kingdoms of Khoraja and Khauran, and beyond even those is the ever-expanding Turan, whose armies are the greatest in all the world. This sourcebook covers the life of those who dwell in the wild, brigands such as the kozaki. Presented here are new brigand-themed character lifepaths and options, with gamemaster advice on running campaigns set in these rugged lands.

Conan of the Mysterious East [Sourcebook] by Timothy Brown
The lure of the East draws many adventurers beyond the Hyborian kingdoms, and this sourcebook provides information on those exotic kingdoms: Iranistan, Ghulistan, Kosala, Vendhya, and far-off Khitai. Haggle for lotus in the grand bazaars, fight alongside desert hillmen, and match wits with the sorcerers of the Black Circle! Provided are expanded options for characters from these lands, including new lifepaths, equipment, and even magic.

Conan in the Kingdoms of the South [Sourcebook] by Vincent Darlage
To many Hyborians, the kingdoms to the south-Kush, Keshan, Darfar, Punt, Zembabwei, and the Black Kingdoms-are but a myth, while serpent-haunted Stygia is an all-too-real nightmare. This sourcebook covers the lands south of the Styx River, describing their accursed sands, dense jungles, and broad savannahs and veldts. Players can take advantage of new southern and Stygian character options, including new lifepaths, and the darkest of Stygian sorcery!

Conan the Scout [Sourcebook] by Jeb Boyt and Jason Durall
Hard is the life for those who inhabit the border lands such as the Gunderland, the Westermarck, the Bossonian Marches, and the Border Kingdom, but these brave pioneers and scouts hold the wall between civilization and savagery. These rough lands breed doughty warriors, and this sourcebook covers player options and lifepath for frontier-based characters, providing gamemasters with guidance for scout-based campaigns.

Conan the King [Sourcebook] by Timothy Brown and Chris Lites
In the midst of the Hyborian continent are the most civilized of kingdoms, the culmination of human achievement in this forgotten age: Aquilonia, Poitain, Nemedia, and Koth. Here, heroes can learn the codes of chivalry, rise to the heights of nobility, and battle the most despicable of conspiracies! Player options for this sourcebook include noble lifepaths and options, and an expanded mass combat system covering king- or queen-level command.

An awesome line up, and right on Jeff's original plan.

Like I said, as far as I know it's a novel approach in game releases, and gives a glimpse of just how much REH wrote into those original tales.

[deuce]

Kickstarter starts tomorrow.




Howard Days playtest (featuring Mark Finn):

[kane]

45 minutes until the KS goes live! I'm shaking with anticipation.

[Von K]

Over four hundred backers and funded already - that's a hell of a start!

[valace]

Hi there, we've launched Robert E. Howard's Conan roleplaying game Kickstarter and we've managed to pull together one of the biggest line-ups ever for a roleplaying game led by Brom and featuring Tim Truman, Estaban Maroto, Mark Schultz, Tomas Giorello, Sanjulian, Liam Sharp, Simon Bisley, Daren Bader, Val Mayerik, Aleksi Briclot, Carl Critchlow, Phroilan Gardner, Paolo Parente, Tom Grindberg, Alex Horley, Simon Bisley, Giogio Baroni, Josh Hass, Michael Syrigos & Jorge Barerro - with some more big names still to be announced.

It's using Modiphius 2d20 system which is used in Mutant Chronicles, Infinity and John Carter RPG's - a fast flowing cinematic roleplaying system. Every book in the Conan range is a gorgeous full colour hardback and written by an amazing line up of writers led by Jason Durall and Conan scholar Jeffrey Shanks. The whole line is being lovingly crafted to be true to the original stories and this is truly Conan roleplaying as Robert E. Howard wrote it – savage pulp adventure battling ancient horrors in the Hyborian Age


/

[Jason Aiken]

Wow, that was quick! Congrats!

[wulfhere]

So what's up with the bastardization of Howard's description of the Hyborian world in that kickstarter video? They got the "know oh prince" bit right then it all goes to hell.

If you screw up something that simple...

[Von K]

Walgeist has made a post about the Conan Kickstarter on his blog here:

www.conanblog.com/2016/02/17/explore-a-world-undreamed-of-conan-rpg/

Simply titled CONAN, this project is one of the most ambitious and well set up RPG projects we’ve seen to date on Kickstarter.
An impressive list of incredible art talent, combined with a list of established and experienced RPG writers – some of which have
already shown their passion for Conan working on the Mongoose titles, like Vincent Darlage – bodes well for all supporters of the
Kickstarter campaign.

[deuce]

Ken Kelly has been signed to the project.  I hope he can summon up some of the old spirit.